It's been a while, hasn't it?

It sure has - and so much has happened since I last caught up with you all. What kind of thing? Well how about:

• Quitting my job - part one, part two, epilogue
• Joining the gym, losing 21-ish lbs
• Visiting the Tower of London - it's awesome!
• My sister's had a baby, a healthy girl called Baden Rose
• Finding out about JET - I'm in!
• Having an inpromptu Parsonage reunion
• Deciding to move to London for July

And that's just for the start of things, really. Busy busy busy. It's cheating I know, but I'll be backdating a few posts to fill in the gaps, and back-linking this post to them retrospectively.

And it's the end of things too. A kind of end at least. My last bullet point is the clue: no more Manchester. So no more DTRMCR? Well, let's see...

Baby gallery

Awesome Sunday

My day was three kinds of awesome today.

1. Milner awesome

I met Helen for lunch at Oddest. It’s been such a long time since I last saw her last for a one-to-one – since Easter, and the videos of the chimpanzees hunting; before Steve and Fordbank were evicted from Victoria Ave; before Steve moved in with Chubb and Helen; since before Helen got a job in London – and so much has happened since then with both of us. I talked about my new house, my housemates, the Moss Side move. She talked about London, living with a boy, optimism and change. “I’ve been in Manchester for three years now,” she said. Wow, I thought, it feels like less than that. This time last year we went to Gorton Monastery to see an orchestra. She’ll be fine – she’s a motivated and intelligent young woman, with a lot going for her. I’ll miss her. I’ll stay in touch.

2. Family Awesome

Caroline, Ashleigh and Izzy came up to see me today. I made a roast dinner using yesterday’s allotment vegetables – new potatoes, spring cabbage, spinach, courgettes – a ready-roasted supermarket chicken, and lashings of tasty gravy. Yum! Izzy and I pootled around the garden, when she wasn’t busy trying to eat rocks, and explored the spooky circle. The four of us strolled into Longford Park, and around the petting zoo. We’re off to the Isle of Wight next week. I’m very excited about it.

3. Batman awesome

In a quiet house, all by myself, I read the Dark Knight Returns and The Long Halloween. Bliss!

“Change at Sheffield, and again at Leicester”

Wrapping took an age. Owen’s gift was easily the largest in my case, which he was very pleased to hear. The girl sat opposite me on the train was wearing all red. Red shoes, red skirt, red blouse, red nail varnish, red handbag. She was sniffling, but when I offered her a tissue, she wouldn’t take it. She was reading about critical theory, or something theoretical. I was intrigued. Well, until I got off at Wellingborough at any rate. Dinner at Caroline’s was lovely. Izzy is getting more and more fun to be around. She smiles, she giggles, she reacts - much more rewarding than my last visit. We watched Gremlins, which Kev had never seen. He and I put away the best part of two bottles of wine. He’s a gent. I’m a big fan.

Caroline isn't pregnant anymore

Izzy-Ella was born at 12.45, lunchtime, today. She weighed 7lb 8oz, and was 53cm long. I'm an uncle again! Finally! Hooray!

Caroline is still pregnant

Caroline is still waiting for the baby to arrive, and getting more than a little bored doing so. We met in the morning, and spent an hour or so pootling around Wellingborough. Nothing's really changed, but everywhere is a little different. Different benches outside HMV, but in the same place as the other benches were. The same brown and white hexagonal tiles that have been there since the 1970s, and with probabbly still be there in 2070. It was lovely. We had lunch in the Wetherspoons, and then strolled down past the old church. "Do you remember going up the tower when we were kids?" asked Caroline. We were ten and seven, I think. Yes.



I missed the train, and there was an hour until the next, so we went to the Embankment and quietly fed the ducks. My sister is amazing.

Pregzilla

My sister Caroline is one of the most amazing women I know. She had Ashleigh eleven years ago when she was 14, and has been best of parents to her all on her own. Ashleigh’s father is a Mancunian, and he’s got other children that he doesn’t take responsibility for across the city. Earlier this summer, the mother of two of these children got in touch with Caroline through Facebook because her kids were asking about Ashleigh. Ashleigh has also been asking about her dad. Caroline explained the situation to Ashleigh, who has subsequently been writing back and forth to her half-sister in Manchester. They came up today so that Ashleigh could meet them tomorrow. Caroline is 38 weeks pregnant.



We went to Croma in Chorlton for a swanky but laid-back pizza meal. Ashleigh is a wonderful young lady, and it was a real pleasure to hear her talking about the things that she was interested in – scout camp, for example – as well as to hear her surprisingly mature and balanced views about meeting her half-sister and half brother for the first time. We had dough balls and garlic bread to start, pizza for the main course, and cheesecake to finish. The easy service was a real pleasure, and I was overjoyed to be able to share it with Caroline and Ashleigh.



After the meal, we went to Chorlton Water Park and took a dusky walk around the lake. Canada Geese landed in hordes as the light drained out of the sky. As we got to the car, it started to rain lightly. Perfect.

After I got home, I went to Sol’s and met Kate, Lisa and Dunk. Kate’s new housemate Megan seems very nice, and it was a real thrill to hang out with Lisa again. She seems very happy in London, living with musicians and playing softball. Lisa was very much where the party was at, which hasn’t changed at all. I was surprised that at 3a.m. she went home. I crashed on the sofa.