Loos, holidays and the prodigal keys

What a lot of rain today. I suspect we may have had our summer, or perhaps there’ll be a late one? You never know your luck. Anyway, our loo remains in the state of unrest it reached just before we went on holiday. Sadly. The bad news is it won’t flush but the good news is we’re using buckets of water instead – which is better for the environment. Ah, there’s always a silver lining, you know. Must be the happy pills – I’m feeling a darn sight better today, I must say. The only problem is that if I’m not concentrating, then most of the bucket of water ends up on the floor, so I have to mop it all up and try again. Goodness only knows how the menfolk manage at all.

And there’s more good news – after Monday morning’s panic when Lord H couldn’t find his house or car keys anywhere (he has a spare for the car, so a day off was not justified …), he has now found them buried underneath the camera tripod. I have exercised Wife Rights (oo-err, missus) and produced a small saucer which he can deposit the keys in when he enters the flat. I do have my uses then. I’m hoping this might work and will at least cut the number of Key Crises in the marital home.

Meanwhile, at work I am attempting to understand the glut of things I appear to be supposed to do in June. Not much chance of me getting to grips with that lot then. At least not before July. Sigh. And the office decided to up sticks and decamp to the School of Management cafe early this afternoon in a temporary bid for freedom. Which was much needed after my impromptu lunchtime cover of the Student Advice office - though, really, as I don't know anything, it was jolly lucky nobody came in ...

This afternoon, I have had to put my Executive Hat on and minute the Student Affairs Committee. It’s all done by smoke and mirrors, you know. I can’t remember a thing about what we talked about last time – I’m hoping it will all come back to me in case I’m asked. Though I fear that sounding (a) intelligent and (b) committed may well be beyond me today.

And we've booked another holiday in August and we’re going here - hurrah! It’s next door to one RSPB bird reserve and within spitting distance of another. So ideal really. I can't wait!

Tonight, I shall reclothe myself with the bedraggled cloak of my normal life (heck, there’s a sentence) and go and visit Gladys on the way home. Not that she’ll be keen to see me (these days she never is), but if I don’t go then the guilt will fill the flat and I’ll be unable to live with myself. Not much of a reason for doing anything, I know, but there it is. I’m not a saint. The inside of this damn cup is pretty muddy but the outside lumbers on. As they say. UPDATE: she hated my very existence, and I was told several times to be off and to leave her alone. Needless to say, I did! At least, it cheered the nurses up though - it's always good to know there's someone who's hated more than they are. Sigh.

Oh, and the people we ordered our new curtains from many moons ago have finally told us they can’t get the material and have therefore cancelled the order. Bastards, eh. Bloody hell, but we won’t be going back there in a hurry. Customer service my arse.

But there’s “Springwatch” on TV again tonight – hurrah!

Today’s nice things:

1. Finding the keys
2. Holiday planning
3. Springwatch.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website
Goldenford Publishers