Review of 2002

Callum started school in September. That's it, they've all left home.

We thought he might be a bit scared about going to school, but we needn't have worried. He loved it straight away. In fact on the second Saturday (not the first admittedly) he said: 'Can I go to school today?'

So Alex, Jamie and Callum all wait on the drive at 8.25am and the school bus comes along and picks them up. Mrs Partridge, who is the assistant in the Reception class, is on the bus and she helps them puts their seatbelts on. And off they go. And we don't see them again until 3.25pm when the school bus drops them off at the end of the drive.

'What does Nic do all day?' I hear you ask. Well in addition to her on-going role as Marketing Director for Gordon Associates, she is carving out a new career in teaching. Well not exactly new, because she took her PGCE just after finishing her degree. However she never actually taught in a school then so she's just starting in anger now. Teaching French, German and Spanish.

Nic went along to a couple of local grammar schools for a few days 'observation' to get back into the swing of things and these schools have now started asking her to act as a supply teacher. The head of one of these schools is a friend from the village and he told me that she has a 'presence in the classroom'. Not suprisingly she is therefore very much in demand!

Jamie is six years old on the 14th January and is now doing a number of after-school activities: tennis, football and, on Sunday mornings, rugby. He is playing rugby for Painswick Under 7's and they have a very impressive setup there: not only are they unbeaten in half a dozen matches, but they make it good fun for all the children and they have hot dogs after every match!

Alex is also keen on stuff after school: cross-country running for example! Can you believe it? The sport we all tried to get out of at school and she has signed up for it! (By the way, she is 8 now). She has even represented the school, finishing twelfth out of gazillions in a race last week. Mad.

However she is also learning to play the flute and goes to Brownies each week. She's playing the flute in the school carol concert just before Christmas.

I was keen to tell you about their extra-curricular activities, but I think Nic would like you to know that we had a very enjoyable parents evening a couple of months ago. Mrs Myrthe said that Callum had settled in very well (meaning he was brilliant of course), Mr Adams said that Jamie was - and I quote - 'wonderful' and Mrs Davies said that Alex was - and I quote again - 'wonderful' also! Two wonderfuls and an implied brilliant - we were very proud parents!

Did you think I wasn't going to talk about Ben? He's in Year ... Year ... er ... Year ... well third year I call it, at The Crypt grammar school in Gloucester, but maybe you knew that anyway. Just got his report card for the half term and got a good amount of B's and, I think, 3 A's and, just to show he's not a swot, a couple of C's and a D.

More importantly (according to me), Ben is in the school rugby team and goes to scouts every Friday (and goes on week-long camping expeditions with them in the summer, which sound dead good). He is also very good at Playstation2, Xbox and all that malarky (of course). The more astute amongst you will realise that because he is now in third year he must be a teenager. Indeed, he is 13 years old (and taller than Nic), but he is still, incredibly, a lovely lad. And I can still have him at 'Getting To The Fireplace'! (If you don't know that game then send us an email and we'll explain).

Me? I'm okay. I've taken up playing tennis and have played two matches for Painswick Tennis Club (see www.painswicktennisclub.co.uk for more details!). I've been made Captain of the E Team, which might make you laugh, but I'm most pleased because it means I can pick myself!

Work is not too bad at the moment. We've started making a profit - mainly due to the good husbandry of Monk - but we're not millionaires yet. This time next year though ...