Mon 5 May
Lovely day at the Breckland Show – nice blustery English spring day and lots to do and see.
Can’t believe my four-year-old convinced me to go on a seriously high and fast fairground ride – she enjoyed it much more than me and, had she not been there, I probably would have lost my lunch! 
Jo's delighted that her husband Dave is back home safe and sound. |
The best news today is that David will almost certainly be home sometime between 14 and 19 May – I know that doesn’t sound very definite, but for the Army on operations that is pretty good information at this stage!
Tues 6 May
Open again today – another five-day week. Finally, I think I have found a firm in Dereham that will deliver small quantities of salad and veg on a regular basis for a reasonable price – the rep came today and it looks promising. The contractor who did the shop's refit also came to visit today and it was nice to see how pleased he was with it. We discussed the "snag list" of mainly minor jobs that need finishing or fixing and hopefully they will be resolved soon. But most importantly we discussed the furniture saga – still not resolved!
Anyone know any spray painters who can change black furniture to green?! Seriously, there appears to be some in-fighting between the various contractors, sub-contractors, sub-sub-contractors, suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers etc. I’m not actually sure who is who, so I’m not getting involved. Wed 7 May
Had two bookings for lunch – that was a first. One party of four and another of eight – both at the same time and both groups needing to be back at work within the hour! We managed it – just! Fri 9 May
Today started with a press call with the British Legion and an EDP reporter and photographer. The British Legion have kindly awarded me a Small Business Start-Up Loan and they brought the cheque today. Hooray. Mr Barclays will be pleased! The EDP photographer took some interesting pictures while standing on a bar stool, so hopefully they will look good in print.
More importantly David rang at about 1200 hours our time, and said: "I’m getting on a plane in two hours and will be at RAF Cottesmore at around midnight". Great news – just need to work out how I pick him up and where is RAF Cottesmore. Sat 10 May
Well, he’s home and chaos has descended upon the house - only normal when you add a man and his dirty washing to any tranquil domestic scene. At least he’s the sort of man who does his own washing.
Nicola and I had great fun picking him up last night. We left at about 10pm, with Nicola in her pyjamas and duvet, and headed up the A1 to find Cottesmore. Located it just past Stamford at about midnight and was able to drive right up to the runway as I still have my MOD ID Card. If I hadn’t I might not have been able to even get into the camp – must remember that I am a civilian next month!
Anyway, there we were at midnight, parked on the side of a military airfield, next to the little jets that were parked up for the night (I should know what they were, but am embarrassed to say that I don’t. Harriers, Tornadoes…something like that?) and we saw David’s plane land.
The troops were off the plane really quickly and we were on the road home by 0145 hours. Nicola thought it all very exciting and, of course, was chuffed to bits to see Daddy again!
Back to Saturday at home – despite the very late night last night we were all up early. Stacy and Karen were kindly covering for me in the café, but I went to do lunches. We had the busiest day so far and it was absolute chaos. Not sure anyone actually got the right order, but we kept smiling and apologising.
David was welcomed home with a baptism of fire and was manning the dishwasher by midday. So there we are – I think that probably qualifies as my last entry: The café and shop is open and sort of established. Well, it's open and we have customers, which at this stage is about all I should be hoping for. It’s not going to make me my first million, but it might pay for a holiday by 2005! Most importantly, it has given me a base in a great little town that I am really looking forward to spending the next decade in. Despite the current long hours, it should also, soon, give me some quality of life…but we shall see. David is home, war-weary, but looking slim and fit! Time now to settle down to all the joys of DIY and gardening in our first ever house. After 17 years of marriage and 13 different houses, all of which were rented, this is a major new venture for us. First priority is a playroom for all David’s computer and music stuff, and the next is decking in the garden, so we can have some nice long summer evening BBQs. Mmm, this house stuff is probably more of a challenge than opening the café...but no, BBC Radio Norfolk, I am not going to record it! Cheers!
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