Well, our Jo and John came back from Majorca last night. Jo said she'd collect Travis this morning, as it would be late when they got home, so I said that was fine.

We've had a good week. Travis has become one of the family while he was here and was absolutely "at home", sleeping on my bed (when I was too asleep to kick him off) and lying on the floor with Laura, her head on his flank, snoring gently. He's had lots of very long walks, been brushed until he almost shone and has been generally adored.

The only thing that didn't gel was his name. I've called him Jet/Jo/Nik/Alan/Laura/Erm/Travis, more than once but the piéce de résistance was Nik on Saturday afternoon. On one of their walks Trav mutated...

West Ender

Well im recovering bit by bit. Am sat here watching the last night of the proms. I used to sit and watch it with my mum every year and i've carried on with watching it. Its only the last night that she used to watch. It would be an experience to go to the last night - down at the albert hall, not to the park ones that they have now.

Anyway what have i done - not much this week seeing as ive been recovering. It is hard typing this - my little finger is hurting - so a's etc are hurting my finger!!! Tidied up the house after spug had gone home. No rain today so i've done a little bit of weeding on the front, have to wait for it all to dry out before i can attack it properly. Pulled out the lettuces that were left in the...

shillelagh

Today I have been on the bus to Blackburn.
I didn't go for anything in particular...just a mooch round the shops.
Blackburn shopping centre is getting dire, but not quite as dire as Accrington.

I went out and stood in Blackburn Road waiting for the bus to arrive.
I had been there only a few minutes when a young fellow came to the bus stop......all the way down the road I could see him talking...and gesticulating.
I really didn't think anything of it at the time...well, I thought perhaps he was talking on his mobile phone...with one of those 'blue-tooth' things......I couldn't see his ears as he had his hood up (well, it was raining).
As he drew closer, it was obvious that he wasn't using a mobile...

Margaret Pilkington

I was just waking up. It was a little before seven am......how much before seven, I can't tell you. Without my glasses, the numbers on the alarm clock are just a green blurry light.
I felt Pasha land on the bed......been out all night, she had. Now she was looking for somewhere to warm her bones, and I was the lucky one.
She tunnelled under the duvet.......ugh, not only was she cold she was wet as well......trying to dry herself on me and purring fit to burst.
I lifted my head to look at the faint cracks of light that were coming in under the blind......hmmm, not much light at all...decidedly grey.
I really wanted to turn over and go back to sleep....couldn't do that......was going over the road to help daughter take...

Margaret Pilkington

Last week I took out the dyson from under the stairs......planning to get Gizmo hairs off the best bit of Brussles(does anyone know why they call carpet that?).

I uncurled the cable and plugged the beast in.......I dragged it across the carpet in front of the fireplace and was horrified to find that it was leaving a wide black trail.......I wasn't taking muck off the carpet.......I was putting it ON. Not my original intention I can assure you.
I got down on my hands and knees to inspect the mucky trail. I turned the Dyson onto its back and checked the brushes.
They were full of Black Gunk....greasy black gunk at that.

Now, how had that got there?
I certainly hadn't vacuumed up anything vaguely suspicious.......I...

Margaret Pilkington