Back at home

We came back on the train from Edinburgh without incident. Marlo was sleeping on the lounge room windowsill when we got back. I think he was a bit surprised to see us.  Freyja had been at our place for most of the nights we were away and I got the impression he was expecting her, or Bev Next Door rather than us.  He seemed pleased to see us - but Freyja is definitely more snuggly than we are!!

Since then we've more or less settled back into a routine. We are working at keeping the house clean and tidy, just in case anyone ever decides to come and look at it. We've arranged with the painter to come and do the front and side of the house. It is looking a bit tatty and sorry for itself. We had intended to have the paint re-done this spring anyway and figured that we might as well go ahead.  He's coming some time in May. We'll ask the estate agent to come and take some sunny pictures when that's been done.  I think the house might look more inviting if it's photoed in a newly decorated state and in the sunshine.  We might also suggest that the size of the garden is downplayed a bit.  The estate agent was very excited by the garden, but we fall a little between two stools.  The garden is too big for people who don't like gardening and not quite big enough for people who are looking for a small smallholding. We know it will appeal to someone - it's just a matter of finding them!

We took Marlo to the Cat Clinic at the vet on Tuesday. He wasn't at all happy about this!  But the vet is fairly happy.  She says that he has done better than she would have expected for an "elderly gentleman" who had been trapped in someone else's house for two weeks and had been three weeks without the anti-inflammatories he takes for arthritis in his hips and lower spine. He has developed a heart murmur but she didn't seem too worried about that. Otherwise, he seems to be fine.

The weather has been lovely this week.  Definitely spring-like.  We've got out into the garden and done some more tidying up.  We even sat out on the patio yesterday afternoon for an hour or so when we had given up digging/weeding/mowing for the day. They are forecasting a return to more wintry conditions at the weekend so we are enjoying the fine weather while it lasts.

So all is well.  Except thatI dropped my phone when we were coming back into the house when we got back from Scotland.  It fell flat on the ground, and was in its case.  So I wasn't entirely delighted to find that the screen is now cracked and covered in spidery lines. Fortunately, it is still working, but we're going into Sheffield on Monday. I'll take it to the Mac Repair place next door to SHU and get them to replace the screen.  I might take my old laptop in and get them to refurbish it while we're about it.  The Builder's laptop is very definitely on its last legs!!