Hi Maggie - you forgot to mention if the cable guy was cute!

I am back from Stratford u Avon where the mum in law did not once mention my diet, weight or arthritis. I was stunned but in a good way.

We had some excitement last night as she tipped a near full glass of red wine over her husband and his new (Christmas prezzie) sage green pullover.

He went off to clean himself up and I helped with getting the wine out of carpet, clearing the table and fixing him another plate of food (wine sauce over Portugese eggs and jacket potatoes being not very appetising). He returned to table and about 20 minutes later I excused myself to the rest room, where I found a flood of water under the bathroom basin where he left his pullover to soak with the tap still dripping a bit.

Well we pulled up the carpet tiles, mopped up the floor beneath, put the carpet tiles in tub to drain. I mentioned the downstairs flat (currently being redecorated for new owner) probably had water come through. It was a lot of water on the floor upstairs. It had to go through. I tell you the nice buzz I had from champagne and red wine vanished immediately.

Well the workman rang the bell this morning to ask if we had a leak. The bathroom he had just painted, had water damage. YIKES! So TSO and I try to tell the Mum that insurance will cover it. She is determined that no one knows about it. Not her husband or the neighbours who are all pretty much friends. She is going to pay for the damage and has asked the decorator to come give a quote for her lounge as a means of keeping him quiet and not telling the new owner of the flat (who happens to be the daughter of a gossipy neighbour). What a bluddy parlaver.

Anyway I am home now and mudcatting in nice relaxed state. Tomorrow we go visit our old (but new to us) little caravan and start making plans for fixing her up.