- I spent the working week in San Diego, finishing my visit to our HQ. It was a worthwhile trip to start building relationships with people, but I didn’t see any of the city, mainly switching between the office and the hotel next door. It seems like a place worth exploring next time.
- I adjusted to the time difference with the UK pretty well, apart from a patchy night’s sleep when I returned home. The travelling went as well as could be expected, I even managed to sleep for some of the red-eye back, but I’m not cut out for a frequent long-haul life. Let’s meet on Zoom.
- Being overseas meant I sadly missed the boys’ sports day, including a first place in the “chuck a duck” and a strong performance in the bunny-hop race. This week is also the end of the school year meaning the start of their six-weeks holiday. Thankfully I married a teacher who’s now also off work and they have a detailed plan pinned up on the wall of activities to keep them occupied. I’m a bit jealous.
- We took the boys to their first football match, a rainy preseason friendly between our local league club, Stevenage, and Ipswich. Football-mad H was definitely ready and attentively watched the whole match (and build-up), while his younger brother lasted 26 minutes before asking for his calculator to do some sums. Boro won 2-1.
- I still have the scarf bought for me at my first match - a 2-0 Arsenal win over Luton in February, 1989 - and so bought the boys their own Stevenage scarves to mark the occasion. They of course remain Arsenal fans, but both boys are now wearing their scarves around the house and want to go back to the Lamex. I hope I haven’t made a terrible mistake.
