I'll just do roses next year
Valentine's Day was almost a non-event in our house.
Valentine's Day was almost a non-event in our house.
There wasn't a flurry of cards fluttering down from the letterbox for my boys on Saturday morning. Indeed there weren't even any bills.
Isaac had received a Valentine's present at school, but 13-year-old Gabriel had to do without this year.
I, on the other, got two cards. Both from my wife. But the tale doesn't end there.
My wife is not particularly romantic, but does insist on a "nice" card for Valentine's Day. So while I was down in London last month I searched high and low for a "nice" card. I eventually found one that I thought would fit the bill.
When I arrived home that night she was following me in so I hid the card quickly in a spot I thought she'd never go – the cookery book shelf.
Of course, as fate would have it, she took it upon herself to make toad-in-the-hole last Thursday and thought she'd just check how Nigella makes the dish.
She came across my carefully concealed card and convinced herself she'd bought it for me months ago and had forgotten all about it.
So it was that on Saturday morning I received a very familiar card, but I had none to give her.
She laughed and laughed. I didn't. I knew that despite this setback she would still expect a 'nice' card.
I think I'll just do roses next year, it will be far less complicated.
Half-term brings with it the usual scramble to sort cover for the boys.
It's easy to think that once we've made the necessary arrangements, that there is someone to watch over the lads each day of the holiday, then it's job done.
Not according to Gabriel and Isaac.
On Monday my wife took them into town, took them to the pictures, fed them, took them home and then let them play on their computer games.
I arrived home a little over an hour later.
"What can we do dad, I'm bored," said Gabriel.
He was that bored he helped me tidy the house, cook the tea and plan a holiday.
I'm hoping he'll be bored for the rest of the week.
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Weather for Sunderland
Friday 10 February 2012
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