According to Ronan Keating, Life is a Rollercoaster

It's been a week (and a bit) of troughs and peaks:

I didn't win the flavour text vote.

India has had REAL BAD nappy rash and a cold.

Last Wednesday evening my car broke down on the way home from work. The thermostat gave up the ghost, closing the air coolant value, causing the pressure to build up to such an extent that the radiator burst. It took 2 hours for the RAC to reach me, plus an extra hour to figure out that the problem wasn't repairable at the roadside and tow me home. The bill for the new radiator was £410 -- money that we don't have -- and that made last Thursday an equally brilliant day.

Friday featured my mum and dad telling me that gran won't make Christmas. I saw her on Sunday morning and they're right. I'm not coping too well with this fact.

On Saturday we went along to the Rectory Homes launch of the new properties being built just down the road from us. They had one three bed house in our budget. It had no garage, less floor space and garden that our existing house, no dining room (ie. one less reception) and was badly overlooked. Completely depressing and zero value for money. It's getting me down how little even the top of our budget will buy.

Saturday night we went out for dinner to celebrate Lucy's 30th and even that was frustrating: Sara and Gareth decided to go to war over how bad the Eden Project is (when it's actually a fantastic achievement and day out), Sara spent the whole meal sat forward, cutting the rest of the table out from me (we were sat on the end), and a chap at the other end of the table who cannot tell the difference between a fillet steak and a sirloin, ate MY fillet steak. I got the slice of old boot. Horror of horrors.

But things haven't been all bad, and indeed have been pretty darn good over the last few days:

India was bought her first pair of proper shoes and is now steady enough on her feet that she is walking unaided up to nine steps at a time*.
Last Thursday Vic and I went dry-slope skiing for the first time ever. Really enjoyed it.
We got together for a curry with ante natal James and Rachel on Friday night and had a great afternoon on Sunday celebrating Alex's first birthday at Matt and Martina's.
My dad has conjured up a cheque for £400 -- no strings attached.
We are off to see a house tomorrow that seems to tick all our boxes.
Vic bought me the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD. India watched the first five minutes with me and loved it.
I've had my business trip to Chicago confirmed and booked for the end of November -- I'll be spending the week at my best mate Rob's apartment. I'm very pleased and excited.
Larry and Carole have a baby boy! Finlay was born on Saturday and weighs a healthy 8 lbs 14 oz. He has more hair than his dad. Congratulations to Lazza and Cazza. We're chuffed for them!


* Many of India's little friends are now walking. Collectively they resemble little zombies, shuffling slightly off-balance and awkwardly, mouths open and groaning, towards you.