I seem to have spent most of the day handing wads of £200′s to people who come to my door. (It’s run out now, in case you were thinking of trying it.) I’ve spent a portion of yesterday on the phone, reporting someone who persisted in phoning me at 4am to offer to spice up my life with pictures of his anatomy (in action or not in action, depending on my requirements!) I’ve got a patio, i’ve got (now… FFS!) a tv aerial and i’ve got enough clothes to put people in. I’ve even got a new phone. I can blog, print and parcel and i’ve spent the last few days feeling like i’ve got staff with gardeners, postmen, slab deliveries, carpet cleaners, aerial fitters, removal men and worktop repair operatives coming and going at all times. I’ve got a soft spot for the site manager, who has twinkly eyes

I still can’t find my camera charger. I’m not too sure about plus broadband; what is with having to wake it up every so often with the green arrow things. I’ve worked out modems, never having needed one before and i’ve got this computer working, but i appear to require some other form of cleverness to make the modem work with our wireless router, so i can’t use my laptop unless i plug it into the wire and disconnect this one.

The children have bene fabulous through a very difficult 4 or 5 weeks indeed. They’ve played, they’ve read, they’ve got on with workbooks and looked at books to find things out. They’ve coached Amelie through her new Dora Gamecube game and gone on Josie hunts when we’ve lost her on one of our many floors :lo: They’ve watched The Secret Garden a lot and read up on various things in their Encyclopedia set. Maddy wants to learn about bodies, Fran wants to learn about the water cycle. Josie is saying all sorts of this – “Oh no, Amelie cry” being one but also a variety of looking for, summoning and joining in phrases, all of which escape me. She was so funny on moving day; when we arrived, she took one look at all of our stuff in a new house, threw herself to the floor and had one almighty tantrum. She was NOT impressed. We’re currently involved in Dora led weaning, which involves her getting into bed with me, feeding for 5 minutes and then someone putting on Dora in the next room, at which point she pegs it off to watch at top speed. Very funny

I’ve promised the girls it is business as usual HE-wise from monday, so i better get organised. This house is going to have lots more doing space in it though, which will really help. i got a real kick out of seeing Fran curled up in a corner of the garden today, reading The Enchanted Wood. She’s rarely without a book or a bike at the moment and has read some Milly Molly Mandy and My Naughty Little Sister this week before making a start on The Enchanted Wood.

As for me, yes, i like it lots. it feels like home; i love my stock room and i like the feeling of being able wander about outside without worrying about a busy road waiting to kill someone who strays out behind me. The garden is a suntrap and i can’t wait to make it mine and the rooms are all going to be great for us.

However – i have lost almost all of my rss feed so if i haven’t commented for a while then i’ve lost your blog addy and please email it – and it would be extremely helpful if anyone who’s number i have added to my mobile in the last 2 years would kindly text me their name, as my new phone has wiped all but 3 or 4 of them off it and i’m stumped!

Oh yeah, and if anyone understands wireless networks… feel free to ring