stay-at-home Tuesday

Dominic appeared clutching some huge implements. However, on examining the place we established that I do not have a manhole, front or back anywhere in the house, unlike my neighbours. Dom and I lifted the plant: Dom: 'I can't get it up!' Me: 'Missis!'but in the end we managed to remove slates and bricks from underneath to lower it to a point where Dom could roll it on its side, whereupon one side of the pot broke, dammit. Anyway after this we managed to move everything off the two huge flagstones. Dom used a crowbar to lift the sides of these and slipped a brick underneath, where unfortunately there was no manhole. Then I remembered that in the past, finding no other manhole in the garden, I had mistakenly assumed it was under the flagstones, but no such luck. The garden now looks as though a bomb has hit it - bricks and slates everywhere and my mother's huge old heavy firebasket on its side. I have righted what is left of the plant but suspect this will die at the first sign of cold weather. I carried on with the hot water treatment and Dom went off to another job. We were deciding what to do next when Romy sent a text to say she thought Thames Water could tell us who we shared a drain with. Rang them, and they are sending a van to look at the drains and try and work it out. Dom then returned, and set to with a giant plunger, which finally unblocked the loo, hopefully permanently. In the middle of this Madeleine rang to say she might have tickets for a first night tonight. I shall go to this. Then the post came. One letter from Kingston County court to say they could not find my decree absolute. They said I should apply to some central Family Division and said they enclosed an application (none was enclosed). Telling me a fee was payable for this application, they did not offer to refund the £40 I had sent them and told me it would be refunded only if the Family Court could confirm the divorce with a case number - this means I have to pay twice for one service with no guarantee that they have not all lost the information! I rang back about the form but their letter had an incorrect phone number on it. I rang the Family Division who were not answering their phone and then hung up on me. Jarndyce & Jarndyce I suppose. Give me patience! Consequently no sketching today and still waiting for Thames Water.