Today I've mostly bin...

[Bunnylump]

You just reminded me. We had the Master Detective game somewhere. I forgot all about that! Goodness knows where it is though.

[giraffe]

When F was in year 1 at school (so aged 5) they used to have time on a Friday afternoon called "free play" when they could play whatever they liked. He and a group of his friends used to play rummy, which he taught them the rules and was the ringleader. Their teacher was happy that they were playing nicely together, but one week they had a substitute teacher and she came up to me afterwards and said how shocked she was that my son seemed to be organising a poker game!

[giraffe]

.....sitting in the car. And it's still the horrid rental car.


Just got in, left at 3pm to fetch the kids and I have been in the car ever since. K had a new orchestra this evening, which is in Birmingham, so too far to take her and come home, so I sat in the car and did puzzles for an hour (or tried to) and then it went dark and I was SOOOOO BORED. Then on the way home there were roadworks on the M6 and it took 40mins to get from one junction to the next.

I made a small amount of progress on a couple of puzzles before the light went, so that was good (I hope).

[LAT]

That sounds a pretty dire way to spend an afternoon and evening. Will you have to repeat this every week?

I've also spent a large part of the day in the car as we were coming home after a few days in Somerset, staying in a B&B on Exmoor. BUt that's a bit different. And won't be repeated next week.

[giraffe]

Yes and most weeks it will be Friday nights, so the traffic will be worse.

Next week I'm going to try visiting my mum who only lives about 20 minutes drive away from the school where the orchestra rehearses. It will also be 45 minutes shorter rehearsal most weeks. Looking forward to half term and a week or two off! Also going to check out alternative routes in case of queues on the motorway.

[Bunnylump]

Hmmm. Strikes me that someone needs to learn to drive as soon as possible...

[Biscuit]

going to badminton with friends for the first time in years

[giraffe]

Hmmm. Strikes me that someone needs to learn to drive as soon as possible...

Not sure I'd let her on the M6 in the rush hour anyway.

I got my car back this morning, after it's two week holiday being unvandalised.

[eirian]

Not sure I'd let her on the M6 in the rush hour anyway.

Well, at least if it was rush hour you wouldn't have to worry about her speeding

I got my car back this morning, after it's two week holiday being unvandalised.

That's not bad. Only 2 weeks for a repair?

[Bunnylump]

Think yourself lucky. It took them a whole month to fix my car after the policewoman drove into me. And my insurance company only pays for a hire car for two weeks.

[giraffe]

I have spotted a bit missing. It is a tiny little bit of plastic that covers a screw, but really obvious.

[Bunnylump]

...Continuing with the never-ending house clearance. My brother and D were in the shed and garage, finding yet more unlabelled and labelled dangerous chemicals (things like concentrated phosphoric acid). Meanwhile, we have had enforcement notices from the council about the garden (which is probably about 1/4 of an acre), and complaints about the foxes and badgers (what am I supposed to do about THEM? ) So we paid my brother in law to obliterate the garden with a giant Hayter mower, and we built a bonfire to end all bonfires. We waited until 4pm before we lit it, and guess what? A woman from over the road came storming in creating about "all the bits falling on her car" and "just look at all the bits of ash on my tracksuit" (Well, sod off away from the fire then!!)

Thing was, she was so confrontational and unpleasant (despite the fact that B-i-l pointed out that by law we have to be there to supervise the fire, so couldn't do it in the middle of the night, like she suggested and that this was the only fire we have had for at least 3 years.) I suppose I was tired and stressed after a long day, but I suddenly burst into tears. I asked her what she would do with a few tons of cut brambles and trees which the council had forced us to cut back in a short time frame. I told her how long we had been working on the house clearance and how stressful it all was. Ten minutes later she came back armed with cups of tea for us and an apology for being so unreasonable.

I'm shattered.

[LAT]

Not surprised you're shattered. But good for the neighbour for coming back with a real apology. I bet that cup of tea was very welcome.

[chazzie]

And I hope you have your feet up tonight Bunny.......passing virtual glass of red across .... you deserve it

[Bunnylump]

I made Dibble order us an Indian takeaway and run down to the shop for some beer. I'm now in a big heap.

[chazzie]

Good

[LAT]

I'm now in a big heap.

All long pink ears and fluffy tail?

[Bunnylump]

PINK??? PINK???? Purple all the way!

[chazzie]

You tell her Bunny!! - so how are the beers going down??

[Bunnylump]

Rahter too well...