Well, the really good news is that I have had a letter from the MoD confirming I qualify for a share of Keith's Army Pension. I have decided to go for a lump sum (though it will be taxable) because that will be a lot more use to me in the long run and I have a buffer if any big bills were to come up on the house. It is a huge relief though of course, the powers that be will decide I am no longer eligible for Pension Credit, but it can't be helped.
Tam and Rosie have been here since Sunday. Storm Ashley had been talked up to be Truly Awful, but it wasn't the Category 3 Cyclone some pundits were warning us of (well, certainly not in our neck of the woods anyway). It was a bit windy and we had heavy rain at one point, but Tam and Rosie got across the mountains safely, though her friend Elie, travelling up from the South Coast, had to take a detour as the M4 into Wales was closed. We had a merry afternoon and evening (far too much wine drunken!) watching Jilly Cooper's "Rivals" on Disney. They were certainly true to the book on the, ahem, bonking front!! I remember bits of the book. The casting was a bit ??? We didn't fancy Rupert Campbell-Black and Aiden Turner's huge moustache was hilarious.
Yesterday I had the handyman here to replace the two tiles which had come off the back of the house back in the summer, so fingers crossed we are nice and waterproof for winter. He is very thorough. Then he came in and checked my mixer tap which had a drip. He needed to see whether they had ceramic cartridges in (they did) but couldn't get them locally so I have had to order them from the manufacturers. Of course, the guarantee ran out in May!
After lunch we popped in so Tam could have a Charity Shop wander, and I got some really tasty sausages from the butchers - Pork and Choritzo - for our tea. Rosie (finally) got to try porridge - I'd made it earlier for her lunch but then she was sleeping. She did seem to eat some, though wore a lot of it too as she was picking it up by the fistful :) I had Kate at the Last Homely House on the tv after lunch, and Rosie was absolutely smitten by Kate's cat Rita and gave a particular squeak whenever she saw her! Later on when Rosie was on the bed, having her clothes changed, Lulu jumped up and was making a fuss of her. Rosie was delighted and grabbed a handful of Lulu, who, bless her, just gently rolled away. Lulu does like the little ones - she was in with little "I" all day recently when she was here.
I have cut up squares for the first hexis in the Doughty's red fabric I bought and spent a pleasant evening sewing those up.
Now it is gone 5 a.m. and I have been awake since 3.15, and came down after laying there awake for an hour. A few games of Solitaire may make my brain tired enough to sleep again. . .
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