Wot - no post?

We have no post. The brothers are on strike, all out.
We have had no post since last Wednesday and in some way it is quite nice. No bills, no silly letters or holiday brochures. We will have no post now for another two days. After that they will go on strike from next week, as and when they feel like it.

Up with the workers!
Who gave the bloke who ran the Football Association the job anyway? What does he know about running a postal service, nothing I would say, he did not even do a good job at the FA.

Neighbours to the rescue

Rosie's dad John lives below a lovely young redhead, who shares her flat with her man. Yesterday afternoon, he and I were both cutting our grass when the redhead asked through the back gate to his garden if she could climb into her balcony as she left her keys at work. My word, she got up there so quickly, John, Jack and I were amazed. Then it got trickey. The only way for her to get in was through a very small top window. She had a go but got stuck half in, half out. She wriggled back onto the balcony and took her belt off. In the meantime, her man is watching but not helping ! (typical) John suggested I tried to get in, as I was slightly smaller built but redhead decided to have another go. She got further in but her legs were still dangling from the window. We all 3 waited to see if she managed to get in, and she did !
It was great entertainment for two lovely old boys (and me).

Moving day at last

After months of wrangling, delays and frustration, the day has come for my son to move into his new flat. We are picking up a van for him in the morning. So off we go to the rental place. There are three young women in a dirty shed all shouting at each other from behind computer screens. Where is that van? Where is the driver? Son is hungover and can't find his driving licence. Goes off to buy a bacon sarnie. Woman behind computer cannot find the paperwork for our van. She had it, she is sure she had it, where is it? Can't find it. Other women look for it, man looks for it. Can't find it. Son comes back with bacon sarnie, woman still hunting for paperwork, son quiety aksed: do you have the van? Oh yes, she said confidently, great sigh of relief. She has to do a check on the licence. Son is eating sarnie and is handed the phone to give his details on drivers office. MMMsss yess date of birth, mmmess swallow, yes,... In the meantime he is texting his friends who promised to help him. I thought only women are supposed to be good at multi tasking ! He is an expert.

Half an hour later, nearly done, I leave him to it - and lie down in a darkened room.

I've sprung a leak

Omigod, water, can't deal with that since I left Holland where I lived near the sea.

We have had a lot of rain recently and when I walked down my garden yesterday I noticed standing water around my shed. It was strange because it looked like sandy, muddy water, as if it had come up from the ground. I went into my shed and that looked o.k. so off to work I went.

Late afternoon I received an urgent message from the council that there is a water mains leak which seems to come from under my shed! I rang my upstairs neighbours who told me there was a stream of water running along my fence. Fortunately when I got home, I found the water running away from my flat into the road, phew.

So today, the men in vans will dig up my garden (and possibly demolish my shed), whilst I fret at work and wonder what I am coming home to tonight, Oh dear, Oh dear.

Christmas is coming!

We finally had some summer this weekend and -he ho, Harrods have opened their Christmas Department, wow, must rush.

I also booked my place for the first Christmas lunch of the year, on 19 December.

Mad or what ?

the appraisal

It was time for my once a year appraisal with boss-man. The two previous occasions were not so good as I was ticked off for being "too helpful" which he said wasted time. He also did not have anything positive to say at all about my work or the fact that I turn up on time and do not go sick.

Well, this year was much better, I was "helpful - and cheerful" good god, I nearly fell off my perch! He still managed to squeeze in that I was sometimes too helpful, you can't win, can you!

Maybe it had to do with the fact that he had just fired our new trainee secretary as she could not spell and her grammar was pretty poor too so he realised I am not such a bad old stick after all.

At least that is out of the way for another year.

Rosie at the vet

She was good, very good. Just cried all the way there in the car, but the vet checked her over and she is fine. Just a bit under the weight she should be (they should have seen her at Christmas when she first came to John!)

Good girl, Rosie