Ella

Despite yesterday’s walking I had a bad night of waking every hour. At one point I had to get up and take some painkillers as the chest wound was quite sore.

However we got out in time for the hour’s drive to Blyth to watch Thomas’s rugby match. He got his head hurt under a big pile though he managed to get the ball out to his team. He had a bit of time out and got back on and made some good tackles. We had intended to take him home but as they’d been late starting we didn’t have time so Alex’s mum took him back.

We needed to get down to Gosforth to go out for lunch with #3 daughter, Ella and Nathaniel. Luke’s night shift is from 3am till 3pm so he wasn’t back. We went to Dosa Kitchen which does South Indian food. The Sunday lunch menu is Sapaad, which means ‘meal’ in Tamil, known as Thali in North India, of tasty side dishes representing the Ayurvedic tastes plus rice and dosa. Nathaniel and I had the veggie option. The place was packed, mainly with Indians, always a good sign. Unfortunately it was colder there than watching the rugby which is saying something.

There was a lot of catching up to do, hearing about Ella’s ski trip and Nathaniel’s successful audition for a part in an adult play. (I can say no more about it at present due to contracts/confidentiality - I might even splash out and buy a programme when we go to see it!).

Ella’s last words before falling asleep last night was that it had been the best school trip ever. She says she loves skiing and managed a red run on the last day. About half of the children could already ski, having been on skiing holidays with their parents. The others were like Ella, complete beginners. She’s so kind - she bought us Toblerone.

The blip is Ella, cheerful with her lunch and a nose red from sunburn and a cold.