I have a Fan. No, not the wind blowing type of fan, I’ve got three of those. A person who actually enjoys reading my stories and blog. They e-mailed the List Dictator at Loving Swats to say they couldn’t link to my site. So thank you very much, whoever you are – it was nice to be missed. Sudden thought - I hope they’ve found me again. I e-mailed Claw over the weekend for some help on changing the link on Loving Swats, so with a bit of luck I may get my Fan back soon.

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So I’m up and running, still a little wonky around the edges – but I think I’ve got everything in place. I did have a few problems linking FrontPage to Tripod and after wasting a couple of hours muttering to myself I decided: bugger this for a game of soldiers I’m off to the library. I’d already visited the library once on Saturday morning to return my books and pay £10.08 in fines that I owed. I’d decided not to take any more books out until I’d read all the ones I’d got at home. Never mind, needs must when the devil drives, so I had a mooch around and managed to find FrontPage 2002 and Paintshop Pro 7. I also picked up Jonathan Maitland’s ‘How to survive your Mother’, a true story about a reporter on the trail of a scandal involving his own parents, which looks very readable.

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We had a great time at Walsall illumination on Saturday night, and although it was cold, it didn’t rain. It was sooo crowded - it wasn’t that busy the last time we went, mind you that was years ago and I’m petty sure we went on a week night. The Arboretum was lovely. I wouldn’t mind having a look in the daylight when the illuminations have finish. Only one small slip up this time, they misplaced me for about fifteen minutes. I’d got sidetracked taking a photo of a stream lit by lights and they didn’t miss me, just walked on. Unfortunately I was the only one in the group without a mobile phone, so they all had to spilt up and keep phoning each other. I eventually met up with Mike and we waited by the Big Wheel until we all got back together. I totally ignored the comments about buying me a pair of reins – cheeky sods. I fought for years against having a mobile – until it was taken out of my hands and work issued me with one as I the main Key holder, if the alarm goes off. I’m still not keen on carrying it around all the time. Mobiles have their uses I’ll grant you, but is the world really going to end because you can’t ring someone about what brand of tuna you need to buy? I think not.

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Steve visited on Sunday and I got a Muuuuum – I need a favour. Oh no, he didn’t need to borrow more money – I swear to God he thinks I’m the Bank of England. No this time he wanted to borrow my camera – I think I would have preferred the money. I’ve got a bit attached to my camera and take it with me nearly everywhere. You never know when something will catch your eye. He wanted to take a picture of some car bumpers that he was going to sell on ebay. Hugging the camera tightly to my chest, I asked him how long he was going to be. Only a couple of hours, he said. Then he’d bring it back. Oh, and when he came back, could I download the pictures and put them on e-bay to sell. Yes, no problem, anything else? Well there was actually, could I go on the AA site and print him a route map for Blackpool, he and Lucy quite fancied looking at the lights. Oh God, that means I’m going to worry myself sick next weekend thinking about them travelling up north. Two and a half hours on the motorway.
Don’t get me wrong he’s not a bad driver really, although he did manage to write off his first car. He hit a patch of ice coming home one night, and slipped sideways into a four wheel drive. We got a phone call around midnight, saying he was OK, but he thought his car was totalled. When we arrived, there were three police cars and I couldn’t see Steve. I may have had a slight moment of panic until I found him sat in the back of a police car with a policeman crouched down by him trying to comfort him over the loss of his pride and joy. The Police were absolutely wonderful and helped us get things sorted quite quickly. Steve had rung them himself because he was concerned about the other couple and this car was half blocking the road – totalled was a good way of describing it, it certainly wasn’t drivable. Both drivers were breathalysed, neither had been drinking. I’d have killed him myself with my bare hands if he had drunk and drove. No, just an accident - inexperience playing the largest part. The main thing being no one was hurt, you can always replace a car, you can’t replace a person.
So he said he’d be back shortly with Lucy, they probably stop for tea. After eating the best part of a box of Jaffa Cakes I wasn’t sure if he would be hungry, but he was adamant he wanted tea – we were having a roast weren’t we? Then he totally through me, I nearly fell of my chair. As he was walking out the door, he said “See you later, love you.” Don’t get me wrong, both of my kids are very loving in their own way, even more so when they were younger. And even now Steve always gives me a hug before going home – he’s just not that verbal about it. I think being with Lucy has made a difference – he’s no longer embarrassed to show it. Matthew will hug if no one’s around – his street cred being at risk. Heaven forbid anyone sees him. He’s still going through the ‘Kevin’ stage (http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/h/harryenfieldandc_66601360.shtml) and does a pretty good impression of Harry Enfield’s character. Hopefully, like his older brother he grow out of it in a few years time, and magically turn back into someone not afraid to say I love you.

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We’ve got new next door neighbours. Mrs Lloyd has moved into a bungalow, she couldn’t cope with the stairs any more. They’re a nice couple about our age, with a 15 year old son; who Matt knows and a 12 year old daughter. Apparently I went to school with the husband, but I can’t remember him although the name is vaguely familiar. Mind you, he would have had hair on the top of his head and wouldn’t have been sporting a hairy caterpillar on his top lip back then. As he was talking my eyes kept being drawn to his moustache and I watch in fascinating horror as it came to life. I hope to God I never have to watch him eat anything.