Tuesday 30th November 2004…Phoned Mother before leaving for work, she gave upbeat report about Robert even the mention of him coming home at the end of the week.
Work…
Lunch time trip into St Austell, can’t remember the last time I went into town, I had to collect some items from Argos queue was huge and took far longer than expected, rushed back to the car park only to not be able to remember where I left Ray and Emma who had given me a lift, spent well over 10mins roaming about the car park looking for them.
Tennis club committee meeting, which is in fact combined with meal at the Plougbouy, who’s ever idea it was to have some red wine should be voted off the committee!
Too late home…
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Monday 29th November 2004… Not the best nights sleep, Basil and I spent much of the night trying to sleep in the same part of the bed as I, for some reason came off worst in this encounter and ended up trying to sleep on a three inch strip of the mattress! 
Work…
Stephen around tonight with extended up date, which is rapidly becoming a novel of the caliber, which could be touted around Hollywood, complicated life some folk lead.
Tried phoning Mother for much of the evening to no answer from her I assume that both Ann and Mother are at the hospital again tonight.
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Sunday 28th November 2004… Early start to the day Janet had some how talked me into taking her to the feared Cribs Causeway for the day 122.5 miles each way trip to vast shopping arcade where all of the country it feels like converge for the day.
The place was wall to wall with people I spent much of the day touring the CD and book shops, left at 4pm listened to the Liverpool v Arsenal game on the radio, home by six front of car a mess I seem to have hit some poor bird at some point.
Evening of slumping on the settee and TV watching interspersed with snoozing on and off.
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Saturday 27th November 2004… Tea card & flowers in bed for the birthday girl
Skiing lessons in the afternoon, vertical side stepping and Traversing across the slope with snow plough turn the order of the day, everything went quite well until I lost it a bit and whizzed off backwards down the slope and lost a ski!
Met Roberto in the Saltash club bar or a beer, I arrived home to find mother sitting on the settee she had brought Janet’s birthday present and gave us an update on Robert which is much the same as before though he has moved out of intensive care back into Carey Ward again.
Evening meal in Plymouth with Martin & Sue and some friends they has staying with them, Mark & Jocelyn came too, excellent meal and good company Janet was delighted and said she had enjoyed her day.
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Friday 26th November 2004… Still pouring with rain this morning, Lillian was able to give full weather report as she jumped on to the bed this morning dripping wet Yuk!
Work…
Home to very little tonight too tired from the week and spent much of the evening slobbing on settee reading.
Robert update, everyone spends each day hoping for better news unfortunately there seems to be more of worse at present.
Children update: Samuel still working at M&S, Paul only has a few weeks left to complete in Bodmin before he returns to Mark & St Johns next year. Boys were locked in combat on the X box tonight Paul obviously lost again on the FIFA football game because I heard the plug being pulled out of the wall.
Loads of e-mails to sort through one off which was from Roberto suggesting beer and conversation at the football club late Saturday afternoon, which I replied too promptly with a yes.
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Thursday 25th November 2004… Another early morning start of which is beginning to wear on the body four days into the week and I could hardly get out of bed today.
Genesis made an appearance on the car CD player almost forgotten the bygone days of Phil Collins when he used to make an effort.
Work…
Tea followed by bike ride to Martins for some wheeling & dealing got soaked in the process poured with rain, rather stupidly I did not wear a hat, and I found the rain quite painful as it pounded on my head & face when I rode home again.
Awoken to load noise which was the cat flap opening and shutting repeatedly, SAS discovered in the house so Basil & Lillian went into stealth attacking mode and chase him about the kitchen I arrived just to see three blurs of fur zooming about the kitchen and then disappearing through the cat flap.
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Wednesday 24th November 2004… Not good nights sleep much of it spent trying to get bed space with cat or wife, at one stage I was almost out of the bed on to the floor. No early sighting of SAS this morning through found cat food upset all over the kitchen floor so I feel sure he has been in the house again at some point during the night
Work…
Paul went to his friend Ross’s girlfriends Kristy’s funeral today she was only twenty, they had both been seeing each other for over two years.
Home to try and start the evening meal off only to not remember what Janet told me in the morning as to the oven settings and I felt sure I had to peal some vegetables.
Saturdays meal is back on we are all off to an Indian restaurant in Stoke, Martin has been left in charge of Taxi arrangements, he came around tonight to have a look at my digital camera.
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Tuesday 23rd November 2004…Early start to the day, SAS in the house again caught him sleeping on top of the fridge, apparently Janet also found him in the same place at the weekend.
Paul hobbling around the house holding his back, he had to sleep in Laura’s bed due to the pain he seems to think that her mattress is a lot harder than his.
Talking heads on the CD player this morning.
Work…
Tea followed by attempts to help Paul try and navigate his way through the process of printing a document on the PC, we went through the paper jamming, running out of ink and he forgot to save his document so he lost all of the work situation, Paul had spent over an hour working on not all that chirpy about it all, as much as you try and explain it all could be his fault and try to help him it all ends up with sheets of paper flying every where and the usual line of ‘everything in this house is dump !’
Disaster off the day was my mess up of meal booking for Janet’s birthday on Saturday evening, having already booked a restaurant for Saturday night, I then wanted to add two other people could not so I then had to cancel only to not be able to find any where else to go, everywhere seems booked up!
Laura phoned to say that birthday went all OK and she had a lovely day, she is off out again tonight, I seem completely aware of her social activities but her University work schedule is a but more elusive, Paul’s back would seem to have got better he intends to go football training to morrow evening so it cant be that bad after all, Samuel in recovery mode from London trip of yesterday.
Running around the streets of Saltash to Joni Mitchell, shower then tried to watch the football, but with a choice of Man United or Liverpool loosing to watch I went for the early to bed and read option.
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Monday 22nd November 2004… Janet up at 3.30am to get Samuel off to the London school trip, hence girl was very none communicative from then on and did not make an appearance at the breakfast table before I went off to work, can’t see Samuel being much better by the time he finally gets back to the house just before midnight to night
Work…
Laura’s Birthday today first time one of the children have not been at home for such an event, we phoned to see how her day was going, it all sounded very rowdy on the end of the phone, all of the girls on her floor were there having a party.
Janet not feeling well so tonight’s running excursion to Plymouth called off, spent an hour in the garage on the weights before e-mailing session on PC and collecting Samuel from school on his return from London.
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Sunday 21st November 2004… Spent much of the morning helping Janet prepare dinner and clear up, a house full today for Laura Birthday meal the Wonder Mans in attendance along with Ann, they left mid afternoon to visit Robert.
Janet and I took Laura back to Exeter with the idea of bring some of her things back with me Janet and I are rather concerned that we only just about managed to get everything into the car when she started the term and I remain convinced Laura has brought much of the contents of Exeter shopping center during the few weeks she has been at the University.
Home by 8pm, I spent the remainder of the evening slumping on settee in competition with Basil who seems to think he has some sort of priority over me sitting on it. Watched South Bank shows which was about the band ‘The Darkness’ and the start of a film managed to get sleeping cat off chest and go off to bed far later than what is good for me, overindulgence in the Red wine dept ensured that I went off to sleep instantly.
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Saturday 20sth November 2004… Early morning run in the run around Saltash, got completely wet through to the skin, breakfast and then off to Mothers to sort out dripping tap in her bathroom which required a change of washer.
Skiing during the afternoon after I dropped Samuel into town, considering I have not been on skies for over two years the daunting task of skiing from the top of the Ski slop did not thankfully turn out to be physical nightmare and I did not end up hurting myself, unlike another member of our group who lost control and went off into the grass area and ended going to hospital with a fractured rib and several damaged ligaments in his arm.
St Blazey won their FA cup Varse game 6-0.
Tennis at Callington dome in the evening our belated end of season tournament, well attended wish I could have played better.
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Friday 19th November 2004… Mother phoned early with a Robert update the poor fellow has had more surgery and is in intensive care.
Work…
Laura home for the weekend hip, hip Hooray, sanity will return at last back to the Madden household
To Mark & Jocelyn’s in the evening, Janet to Make up party and me to the pub with Mark, where we spent much of the evening plotting to change the world.
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Thursday 18th November 2004…
Work…
Home too late for running, rain and strong winds also deterred me from giving it a try, I also had to go into Plymouth to pick Samuel up from M&S who was working until 9pm, first week of Christmas shopping late night opening.
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Wednesday 17th November 2004… Mother phoned to say that Robert was stable the hospital is awaiting the results of blood tests.
Dobbbie brothers disc one on the CD player this morning.
Work…
Deep Purple at Pavilions with Martin, Steve Flood could not attend due to his continuing back problems, a good night was had if a little demanding from a attendance point of view, first time ever I had attended a standing concert at Pavilions. Standing from 7.30 until 11.30, a trip to the toilets took almost 30mins and being only one for well over 2,000 men you can imagine to state of it by the time I shuffled along to it, could be my final try at going to much an event I have come to the conclusion that Madden is too Old to Rock& Roll anymore.
From a musical point of view the evening was a complete success, the band now down two of its original members still came up with the goods the guitar player Steve Morse was more than able to replace Blackmore and Alan Airs keyboard contribution almost made me forget about the loss of John Lord on this tour, highlight of the evening was Ian Plaice’s drumming during Highway Star.
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Tuesday 16th November 2004… No early morning call from Lillian who then prompted a search of the house & garden, only to discover that the poor thing had been inadvertently locked in the garage for the night.
Work…
In the middle of reading the riot act to the boys when the phone rang…
Tennis committee meeting at the Plougbouy was missed by me as I had a call from Mother & Ann to meet them at the hospital, Robert had been moved to a high dependency ward, clearly any forward steps of the last few days had been lost, I stayed with Mother & Ann while they got Robert settled and they were both able to see him, I left the hospital at about 10pm.
Steve Flood phoned to say he would not be going to Deep Purple tomorrow evening; his back is still playing him up.
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Monday 15th November 2004…
This morning in car entertainment was disc one from the Little Feat box set
Work…
Home to running Janet dropped me into Plymouth on her way to keep-fit, tonight was a good example of badly chosen music selection Genesis the Lamb lies down on Broadway not ideal for running through the streets the bands constant shifting time signatures had me tripping over my feet several times, had warming bath and watched University challenge. Spoke to Mother who gave update on Robert she seemed to think that he was slightly better than yesterday day.
Jocelyn phoned to let Janet know if she wanted to go to one of those selling parties at her house on Friday, I’m quire keen on the idea as it will be an opportunity to speak to Mark over a pint of beer or two.
Martin phoned also to make final arrangements for Wednesday night of mayhem at Pavilions we are off to see Deep Purple concert with Steve Flood, he may or may not turn up as his back is causing him problems and fears that he may be unable to stand for the duration of the show.
Janet has booked skiing lessons for me on Saturday.
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Sunday 14th November 2004… Another early start to drop Samuel into Plymouth to M&S he was working 8-1pm today, by the time I got back and had breakfast it was nine I felt as though I had almost been up for a full day.
Janet into Plymouth for another Christmas shopping trip, even though she keeps telling me she is going to cut back in the present department there seems to be an awful lot of shopping bags emulating from Plymouth of late.
An afternoon spent sorting and tidying managed a large bag full of rubbish and finally got to grips with the DVD player on the one hundredth I got the thing to play a disc in dts surround sound, Frank Zappa thus was blasted around the house for much of the afternoon.
Remainder of the afternoon slobbing going through DVD’s Janet put an end to the listening session when her threat of no tea if Bob and the boys did not call it a day with in the next 10mins!
Paul out fishing for the day.
Tennis session at Callington dome in the evening played dreadful, could not adjust to the cement surface kept on ending up with try to play the ball almost at head height it kept lifting off of the court. Quite well attended we have another five weeks of play at Callington, hopefully I shall be ale to play better next Saturday when we will be holding our end of season tournament there.
Waste of the day was the effort to sit up and watch Terminator 3 a dreadful disappointment to the two previous films.
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Saturday 13th November 2004… Busy, busy day most of the morning taken up with running, cutting grass, weeding in the garden, cleaning of my car along with Paul’s, discovery that there was no oil in his car was alarming to say the least and painting the back door, all of this industrious activity was due to the rather wonderful sunny but cold weather we have at present.
Lunch and then the arrival of Wonder Nan who gave up date on Roberts condition which contained good and bad news, slightly better but it would probably be several weeks before any real improvement is to be seen.
Picked Samuel up from M&S in Plymouth when he finished work, he is working all day tomorrow and extra hours next week, collected takeaway and retuned home, evening of e-mails looking for new earphones and spending too much money on CD.com!!!
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Friday 12th November 2004… Up and out of the house early.
Work… Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Back, the word Terrible is an understatement.
Tea e-mails and to bed, in the hope that a good nights sleep will enable me to awaken refreshed for the weekend!
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Thursday 11th November 2004… Up and about early left the house just before seven.
Work…
Home to get a few things done which I have let slide this week, mainly confined to postal packing and tennis e-mails, Tennis AGM is but only a week away and I have a list of things still to sort.
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Wednesday 10th November 2004… Awoken by Lillian prowling about the bed wanting to be fed, I thought cats spent much of their lives sleeping?
Work…
John Martyn at Pavilions with Adamski’s and Steve Taylor in the evening, last time I saw this artist was over twenty years ago, looking greatly filled out and having to have off one of his legs at the knee, he still managed to impress with a fine show.
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Tuesday 9th November 2004….
Work… Still in London.
Phoned Mother tonight just after I got home with update on Robert, I also spoke to Ann who told me that their had not been much change from the last time we spoke,
Home in the evening and to bed having slept very little the night before.
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Monday 8th November 2004… 5.30 am start.
Work… In London at customer event, overnight stay.
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Sunday 7th November 2004… Morning of very little barring a clean out of the garage and boiler room followed by some lunch and then tennis with Richard, second week on the trot where play was able to happen without wind inflicting itself upon us.
Back by mid afternoon to a slump on the settee watched Paula Radcliff in the New York marathon; I then gave a DVD, which Janet had borrowed, from a friend at work a watch called Ice age an animation film wonderful stuff highly entertaining.
Evening of packing for an early start tomorrow morning should be interesting with the unfortunate train accident yesterday I feel certain that it will be quite challenging trying to get to London tomorrow.
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Saturday 6th November 2004… Mini tennis took up the morning, which was well-attended, afternoon at Kimberly football stadium; Saltash won 1-0 in a cup game home and out again to pick up Samuel from M&S.
Stephen paid a visit with the tragic news that Ross his son’s girlfriend had died in hospital on Friday she was twenty years old, they had been seeing each other for over two years.
Steve & Sue over cards a good evening was had, if a little shaky in the memory dept as far as the rules of Uker were concerned.
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Friday 5th November 2004…
Work…
Home to the kitchen and another attempt at coming up with some food before everyone arrives home, tonight’s gastronomical delight was chicken potatoes and vegetables while not asking or expecting praise for getting something edible onto the table I was ratter pleased with the outcome, success as based upon the chicken was cooked but not burnt!
Night of trauma with the cats Lillian in for the evening, she thought it best to spend the evening in the garage away from all of the noise of fireworks, Basil on the other hand was no where to be found but did eventually turn up later in the evening when the loud bangs had started to subside.
Mother phoned late with update on Robert which seems to be heading in a positive direction.
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Thursday 4th November 2004… Laura and Janet away from the house early this morning so daughter could catch the early train back to Exeter, I look forward to her return again to the house she seems to add something to our lives when she is with us, even the boys have some sense on sensibility and reason when she visits us.
First morning of Ski exercises which were tiring to say the least, I keep having reoccurring dream that ankle will not be up to the rigors of the Christmas skiing trip, this nightmare is fueled by the fact that it took over a year before my ankle finally went back to a normal size after I twisted it over a year ago at tennis.
Work…
Mother phoned during the day to let me know that Robert was sitting up in bed but still coming around from the previous day’s operation.
Evening of musical things on the PC and the balance of tennis matters, should of gone running but felt too tired and legs have not quite recovered from Monday night.
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Wednesday 3rd November 2004… Janet to work early this morning a 6.30 am start, Lillian still bringing the contents of the garden into the house worms and leaves all over the kitchen floor again.
John Martyn in the car CD player this morning in preparation for next weeks Pavilions concert.
Work…
Paul football training and Samuel at M&S working Janet picked him up from town and they both arrived back at the house just after seven.
Laura interview went well she got the job and starts in early December, she has also decided to come on holiday with us a Christmas which I have to say I’m delighted about.
Mother phoned with Robert update he has been operated on and Ann is awaiting news from the hospital, she was none too pleased to find him on a ventilator, though this is standard practice after an operation these days to help the body as it recovers from the trauma it has undergone.
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Tuesday 2nd November 2004… Almost thought I was late out of bed this morning, I found a watch which had not been put back an hour for some reason.
Work…
Hip, hip Horary Laura is home today… she is down from Exeter for a job interview at the post office tomorrow. I picked her up from Matt’s house just after nine; she will be with us until Thursday morning.
Janet on the phone to Mother for an update on the Robert situation, things no better the poor chap could have a perforated bowel and will need to have his tube removed and revert to diyalalisis.
Managed to make some inroads to getting the Madden social calendar into order Per-Christmas do during December and Steve & Sue over for a meal and cards on Saturday, also appearing over the calendar horizon is Janet’s birthday, with not only what to do on the day and the dreaded what shall I buy question still to be answered. I have already dipped ones toe into the water is there anything you would like? Answer ‘Nothing really’ I shall not be falling for that one!
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Monday 1st November 2004…
Work…
Home to tea and then out via lift from Janet into Plymouth, to run back into Saltash and home again.
Shower and crash out on bed to watch University Challenge which lived up to its name and proved to be far too challenging, highlight of the program was Jeremy Paxton’s anguish during the music round which was a selection of Operas set to rap music.
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