December

It's a Saturday and the downstairs is full of builders, the sun is shining and I have managed to rent us a two bedroom house two streets away for the next fortnight. I am feeling about a thousand times better than last night, when the builder rang me as I trudged home with the kids in the pouring rain (from a very wet Christmas light switching on event in Twickenham) to say that he wouldn't after all be able to fit the new boiler, central heating system and bathroom next week. For the first time ever in this whole sorry saga I lost my temper slightly, as I had prearranged the B and B weeks ago at his request so that he'd have a clear run. Spent most of last night on the web trying to find somewhere that could fit us in for a fortnight, and then by some miracle found the house at 10 this morning. It's usually a holiday let but has ( drum roll) flushing loos, central heating, fully equipped kitchen and TV that works! Hurrah - the kids won't know themselves. I have gone a bit mad inviting friends to lunch and even thinking about having a babysitter; the Worst House has been too horrid to inflict on them so we haven't been out for nearly four months.






Bay window - waiting for the last few bricks - and stone 'eyebrows! - plus glass in the windows and a coat of paint of course!