Pop went the Weasle.....

Half a pound of tuppenny rice,

Half a pound of treacle.

That’s the way the money goes,

Pop! goes the weasel.

Well, it's just another way of introducing the fact that I am a grandfather after many years hoping to avoid the onerous responsibilities that being one would bring, life has caught up with me now. A is clearly overjoyed with her new arrival, Neo, who weighed in at just under 3.5Kg on Saturday 3rd January 2009.

His photographs show a rather sleepy but remarkably wrinkle free baby with considerably more hair than his father and grandfather. I rather fear he is already showing signs of "male pattern baldness"! But as we all know, bald men are sexier!

So there is no more to say other than well done Mum and Dad and may Neo be a joy to you both in the coming years even when he's a teenager!!

I'm off out now to buy one of those thick knitted cardigans with the leather buttons, a cravat, a pair of leather slippers and a packet of Werther's Mints so that he can beg me for one when he visits in my old age.... somehow I don't think that's me though, do you?

We shall be sampling the joys of RyanAir from Stansted in a week or so having managed to book "Free" flights direct to Ibiza. However, "free" is an odd word given that you have to pay the Airport Tax, a charge for each item of baggage, travel insurance and the ubiquitous "admin charge" or in this case it's called a "handling Charge". Add to this the fuel driving 130 miles, parking for five days at the airport a hotel and a hire car and it works out a costly venture!.... but worth it in every way.

House Hunting

I fear to tell that progress is not as I would have hoped the continuing dead market is not producing any bargains and the stubborn optimists in the houses in Chichester we like refuse to see the light and reduce their asking prices. So, they would rather have no money at all than some money now.... I never cease to be amazed at these people who still have some crazy idea that the market will rise in the spring. Anyway, the new year search has started again and we will see if this brings anything to the table.

My Neighbours, The Patel's

Strictly speaking Mrs Patel, or to me, Ursula and her extended family are not really neighbours as they live several streets away and only become near neighbours when they open the Newsagents in the mornings. It seems the whole family including in-laws arrived in Britain back in the 1970's when they and the whole Asian population were expelled from Uganda by the terrifying madman one Mr Idi Amin or as he is more easily known;

"His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji, Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of all the Beasts of Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa and Uganda in particular"

Anyway, Mrs Patel kindly keeps a copy of the paper behind the counter for me so that I don't have to go down the Tesco or the Co-op to buy one, I fear she would take drastic measures if I did! She also is a font of all knowledge about the area and has three kids all destined to be doctors and nuclear scientists rather than shop keepers of a "paki shop" as he son insists on calling it! I have now met husband Charlie, Father and Mother-in-law (John and Mrs Patel Senior and father and mother who I have not got down to first name terms with just yet. The kids, well I have met two so far.....

It seems we have a small group of shared acquaintances which is quite interesting and it seems we were at the same wedding reception in Hove some years ago... what a small world it is! I will miss the banter and daily chats with Mrs P when we move but not the constant traffic and the need to get the car out into a main road all the time.


See you soon!