First Catch your Turkey...........Monday 23rd November

Happy Thanksgiving to all you American friends.  I know it's only Monday but, you know me!  I might be quite certain at this minute that I'll be doing another entry before Thursday but more than likely not.  What is it they say about good intentions?

Some of you may remember that I have always bemoaned the fact that our dog Sally is camera shy.  In all her 16 years I have never managed to get a decent photo of her.  Well, pssst, listen here, I think I might have cracked it.   Keith and I have given ourselves a camcorder for Christmas.  It's not supposed to be used yet but I just had a l-e-et-l-e look, just a quick squint you know, and milady looked straight at the lens!  She's got cataracts so she doesn't SEE any camera and her deaf ears don't hear any tell-tale clicks and whirrs.  If I can figure it out I'll show you my beloved little old lady.


Well, we have been well and truly let down by the window man.  He was supposed to start our new windows on Oct 26 but he didn't turn up.  When he called in on Wednesday it was to explain that he had been diagnosed on Monday with advanced bowel cancer that had spread to his pancreas.  He said he had arranged with a mate of his - Duncan - to do the job the following Monday.  He never turned up either.  Our chap rang with profuse (the more I look at that word the less right it looks) apologies and promised faithfully to start "a week on Thursday".  Do you think he did? When he rang at 11.30 to say he wouldn't be here until 1.30 Keith cancelled the job.  Well, wouldn't you have?  I felt so sad about his illness and how he must be feeling but I would have been happier if he had just been honest and said he couldn't do the job.  Now I have to try and get our £150 deposit back from him.  And, of course, find a company who can do the job at a price we can afford.


Can I be very honest with you?  Various things have suggested to me that something is not quite right about that man's firm.  I mean, I don't dispute his illness - you don't tell people you have cancer if it's not true surely?  But though I have asked many times he has never sent us any paperwork;  we have signed no order or contract.  All I have is a letter from him acknowledging our deposit and confirming the start date.

And of course all our windows are left with chunks missing from the corners - like this - and that's how they'll have to stay until they get replaced.

Did I ever show you this photo?  It's from our trip down south when we had lunch with Marie and Todd at Oak Cottage.  It's Marie cooking Sunday lunch in her beautiful cottage kitchen.  Such a warm, happy, cheerful place.




Keith has made a start on the first projectof his retirement - he's changing the garden (again) .  I won't try and describe it.  At the moment it's too horrid to contemplate.  I'll pop down the garden in Jet Chair 1 and take photos, maybe a vid.  Soo next time I'll be showing you some mucky photos!

xxxx