I don't have a photo of the clog dancing culprits, most likely pine martens or something similar, but these two tiny snails and the moth were out and about last night. We also saw a fair few bats early on in the evening, some pipistrelle size and others quite a bit bigger. It does seem … Continue reading Clog dancers in the attic

The plumber arrived at 7.45 on Monday morning. After he had finished drilling a hole in the side of the bath, he told me that the tap wouldn't fit because the bath was too thick. Thanks mate. He also said we couldn't have a freestanding tap because then he wouldn't be able to get the … Continue reading Deux bogs

Last Thursday, our furniture arrived. It's taken me until now to be calm enough to write about it. I took the dogs into kennels first thing (they loved it), only to get a phone all just as I arrived, saying there were 3 vans with only drivers and no-one from the removal firm. The drivers … Continue reading C’est une catastrophe!

Hardy an expedition to the end of the washing line and back, but foraged nonetheless from our garden. They won't be going straight on the fire to roast, they're being slit and popped in the microwave. Last time we roasted chestnuts in the fire, I forgot to put a slit in them and they exploded!

Completely knackered after a 1000 mile drive, and all I wanted to do when we got here was have a decent shower. So, I went through the rigmarole of switching the hot water on, flicking the switch to "jour" and then discovered that the plumber had taken out the hot water cylinder which he said … Continue reading No hot water!

Rather an overwhelming day, but I managed (just!) not to cry. Hard to believe I've been at Whitehaven for 24 years. So many messages of good will on my last day and I can't get over the cards and the presents - the champagne, the gin, the boules... the Union Jack, lest I forget my … Continue reading Last day at work!