It's about 6 weeks since I first got the quote. I had 3 plumbing firms round but this one, although not the cheapest, impressed me most and I've been able to see examples of this firm's work as 2 of my neighbours used them. Both examples are exceptionally attractive and done to a very high standard.

I rang and said I was happy with the quote and would like them to do the job but he said October 27th was the earliest date as they were going on holiday for 4 weeks. Well, OK, it's not desperately urgent and it's worth waiting for. After all, it's taken me over a year to get round to arranging it, even with the leak. What with being ill and the long, long recouperation it was an effort to get the ball rolling so I wasn't going to...

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I got a good, unbroken, 6 hours sleep on Friday night. All was quiet, not a peep. Unfortunately Laura has an internal alarm clock that goes off at about 6.15 every morning. She'll pop into the bathroom, go to the loo, and slip back into bed for another hour. Saturday morning was no exception and Laura woke and crept out of the room, where her 4 friends were sound asleep. Sadly, they were not all quite as sound asleep as they might have been. The sound of the door softly opening and the duvet being pulled back was enough and within 5 minutes the air was filled with the chatter of young female voices.

Being deaf in one ear can have its advantages. If I lie with my good ear on the pillow I can hardly hear a thing so I was able to...

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It's Laura's birthday, she's 9. When ideas for a party came up she said please could she have a few friends for a sleep-over. She's been to a couple. We eventually agreed.

Six were invited but one couldn't come as she's gone into hospital today to have her tonsils out and one couldn't come as she's allergic to our cat. She came for tea a couple of months ago and ended up with a rash and a slight asthma attack. That left four of them plus Laura.

Savannah arrived first. She's a nice, quiet child but she's a little "old for her years" - very body-image conscious (how sad at 8 years old) and only wears "trendy" clothes. Vicky came next, she's one of Nik's Brownies, along with Laura and Savannah, and...

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Brass instrument lessons are held every week at school but, so far, Laura hasn't had to bring one home.
"It's different to playing the clarinet, Nana," Laura said tonight as we did her clarinet practice. "You have to blow a raspberry into the mouthpiece to make a note and that's why your cheeks puff out." Mummy has had a word with Miss Johnson, at school, and told her that when it comes to playing music, the clarinet comes first for Laura. Miss Johnson, it turns out, used to play the clarinet herself so she's quite happy about that. She says the brass playing is part of the curriculum so they have to do it but she realises Laura may not make it a priority.

Laura says she, herself, and Anna and Vicky...

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I was thinking about my mother today. You know how it is when you're doing something and it triggers a thought that pops into your head, followed by another, then a whole load of them?

My mum was the youngest child in a family of 8 children. She was born on 4 December 1909 at Rochdale railway station, where her father was Station Master. Her oldest brother, my uncle Frank, was nearly 16 when she was born and welcomed her into the world with the words, "Good God, another mouth to feed", which didn't bode well for their future relationship, though he was a kind big brother until he married. After that, things weren't too brilliant, he lived in Norfolk for most of my life and I hardly knew him. Mum never got over the fact...

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