Tuesday I went to Harrogate – staying at The Ageds’ on Monday evening. It was to attend the funeral of a family friend – they were neighbours once upon a time. Another victim of the bastard that calls itself cancer – proper bastard, less than two months between diagnosis and death.

It was a nice do, as these things go, the husband and both sons (who are 5-10 years younger than me) gave eulogies, and there were some good hymns and lots of people. The family were really pleased that I went – I think that maybe because they are more The Aged’s friends than mine, my being there was a symbol that the friendship support has reached out to a wider circle.

On the way up, The Aged and I met at a supermarket cafe for lunch – we travelled separately, as they were staying overnight but I was heading home. We hadn’t realised that the café had entered the “world’s slowest service” competition but we eventually got our food and had just about enough time to eat before heading to the church.

I had a good run back home – leaving Harrogate soon after 5, and home by 9.30 with a stop for coffee.

Saturday, CGF was busy with uni-retrieval duties so I was left in charge for the morning. Well, I say “in charge”, but I was given a list: “take CS3 to sports activity, do shopping (see attached list); collect CS3 from sports activity; make lunch. Oh, and you’re on dinner duty tonight too so you might want to get something in for that”.

CGF got home just as I was preparing lunch, which was pretty good timing on both our parts. Meant that in the afternoon we could go to the garden centre and get plants and vegetables and stuff, and I could spend a couple of hours out in the garden sticking them in the ground. There’s probably a technical term for it, but “sticking them in the ground” works for me.

Dinner was steak (for the meat eaters) and vegetable grills (for the non-meat eats) followed by apple and rhubarb crumble (for everyone). My first crop of rhubarb of the season. CS3 later remarked that it was a good dinner – but clarified that she was referring to the general social aspect of a family dinner rather than the food!

It was the Grand National yesterday. As is my custom I randomly selected three horses. As is also my custom, I didn’t watch the race but checked the results later. As is the Grand National’s custom, it ignored my selections completely. But two of them did at least finish, which is better than usual (and both in the top ten). Close, but no cigar.