… to a house load of kids age range of 13 – 18 and thought to myself, yes, this is how it is meant to be, a lively house and loads of happy people. I sometimes wish the kids would do this more often as there really is little worse as a parent to have kids seemingly avoiding the place!

In contrast, at some point today, most if not all of them will sod off again and I shall have the house back to myself.

Matt seems like he has decided to take a gap year which is fine except that he and me need to discuss finance as him taking a year out means I have to pay more money … I lose Child Benefit for him, he no longer fits onto my income support claim and I have to pay a proportion of council tax and rent. It could actually cost him a fair bit to refund me te difference.

I need to start booking stuff. I am taking Robin to Calais next Thursday but it looks like Matt can’t join us as he’ll be starting his new job hopefully this week but I don’t know that and he so needs to find out so that I can be certain of the booking. I shall soon be booking the murder evening for Robin and I which looks like being fun, that’s another part of his spread out birthday present … what with me trying to not make a big thing of the day itself. I also need to book flights and the accomodation to Venice else either the price will go up or their won’t be anywhere to stay … I can sort that when Nick gets back this week. I’d have liked to gone with Simon but realistically if we cannot manage to sort out one day together, a whole week stands no chance of happening. Not that I won’t enjoy it with Nick, I am sure I will it just would have been nice to spend some time with Si.