Football and Tennis in the sun with Louis

I am woken at six, when Louis climbs into my bed and tells me is hungry and wants breakfast, before stroking Norman, who has also inveigled his way aboard, during the night. Bowing to the inevitable, I get up and start to make a full English for the three of us. Louis and I both donate half a sausage and some bacon to Normy, who is waiting impatiently for his share of the spoils. After breakfast and washing the pots together, we shower and then I walk Normy round Seven Corner's Lane, Louis preferring to play "Temple Run", on my iPad. Norman and I meet Jan Morrison and her little dachshund, toffee, as we make our way back to the house. Toffee is now two years old and replaced her previous sausage dog, who like Norman, survived to sixteen years of age. Jan says it is quite an adjustment from an elderly dog, who just wants to sleep and eat and the hyperactivity of a puppy. I laugh as I equate that contrast to Louis and myself! We get back for a quarter to ten and I leave Louis in Alice's care, while Normy and I walk through the Bar to the Poppy Seed cafe. Felicity is already there, drinking a coffee and waiting for the delivery of a plate of scrambled eggs. She looks a little better and tells me that the fine weather has encouraged her to walk a little more often and a little further. Her sister, Joy, arrives and they discuss a garden party they are attending tomorrow at, where else, Jan Morrison's. I pretend offence at not being invited by Jan, but when I see they are taking me seriously, I laugh and say that I can't think of anything more likely to destroy the event, than me arriving with Louis, who would just want to play football. Later, we are joined by Annie and Barbara English, but Norman and I leave at a quarter to eleven, as we are only allowed to park outside Sarah's house for two hours on a Saturday. The traffic wardens start work at nine. Louis wants to play football, but first we need to drive to Tickton, where I change into my shorts and transfer my orthotics to a pair of old, but very comfortable, Ecco trainers. I leave fresh water and some biscuits for Normy and the garden room door open, so that he can go outside, if he needs to. We drive back to Beverley and park near our doctor's, a football field and children's playground lies just across the road. It is now midday and the sun is shining from a clear sky and it feels quite hot, but fortunately we have brought a bottle of water and some fruit. Unfortunately the park is deserted, because it is lunchtime, so Louis and I play football on our own. He playing in goal and me shooting at him, fortunately for me, a group of older boys, about twelve or thirteen years of age, arrive after half an hour and they allow Louis to play with them. I retire to a park bench and sit in the sunshine and watch them play, grateful that I remembered to apply plenty of sun block, after showering this morning. Around half past two, the game breaks up and the boys leave. Louis and I drive to Norwood and park up, before walking to Saturday Market, where we buy some more salad and a large, whole meal loaf, before stopping at the micro pub, where Louis has an old fashioned lemonade, with ginger and I a half a pint of Newsome bitter. On our way back to the car, we stop at Tesco, where Louis buys a plastic tennis set, with £5 from his spending money. Back in Tickton, Louis wants his favourite meal, ante pasta, which we eat with fresh crusty bread, sat in the warm sunshine, in the garden. Around four o'clock we set off for the play park at Tickton, which has a pair of tennis courts, this playground is barely a hundred yards from the one we normally frequent, next to the village hall. It is designed more for older children and teenagers, apart from the tennis courts, there is also a basketball court and an adventure playground. When we arrive there, the tennis courts are both occupied and I have to restrain Louis, who wants to join in with the adults who are playing a game, no doubt encouraged and enthused by the successes this week of Andy Murray and Laura Robson at Wimbledon. Whilst we wait for a court to be free, he plays with some other children on the slide wire and an adventure climbing net. When a court eventually becomes free, Louis plays tennis with another little boy, around his age, who is also accompanied by his grandparents. The other boy's grandmother attempts to show them how to hold the racquet and serve the ball, albeit underhand. Being boys, they won't listen and just want to hit the ball past each other, so she eventually gives up and leaves them to their own devices. Neither boy manages to make an effective serve, much less a return of serve, but it keeps them amused for an hour, until the little boy and his grandparents have to leave. Louis and I drive back to North Bar, arriving at Sarah's house around six o'clock, where I hand Louis over to Alice, who washes him and puts him in his pyjamas, while I feed Norman and then take him for his evening walk, around Seven Corner's Lane again. Louis goes to bed, around half past seven, his day of playing football and tennis in the sun, having taken effect. Alice goes to her room and I watch a film on TV, Ridley Scott's Prometheus, which I saw two years ago at the cinema. I feel too tired to read and sit, with a cold beer, until eleven o'clock, when the film ends. It is even less impressive for a second viewing than it was the first time. To bed for eleven, where I fall asleep immediately.