Bike Saga, Puddings and Paintings

I replied and told them that I would be very unhappy to have a bike in the hall, even temporarily, and that health and safety was important to me etc. No reply yet. Dorothy felt I should consider litigation, but I don't think it has yet come to that.

I am quite proud of the puddings. They are much paler than most Christmas puds, but smell absolutely delicious. I probably chucked some extra whole almonds and glace cherries in, and added the juice of half an orange as well as the brandy.

Had a call from the framers. The paintings have now all been gathered together and are ready for collection. I am looking forward to seeing them, though I shall have to store them for a while. After Christmas I shall continue with my clear-out, then decide where to hang them.

More Friday

Contacted Dorian, who felt that I should send a short reply emphasizing the health and safety aspect and saying that I was unwilling to have a bike in the hall for any length of time. I said I was sorry they appeared to have been misled since somewhere to park the bike had been a major reason they had purchased the flat. So I sent the reply. During all this I finished cooking the Christmas puddings and made a loaf of walnut bread.

I am now cooking a stew. Chopped up onions and bacon and fried, then added chorizo, then stock, tomato puree and chopped carrots and mushrooms. Will add some celery salt and later, some brown lentils.

The Christmas puddings are very pale because I forgot to add some treacle, but smell fantastic.

Difficult New Neighbours - Before They Move In!

I am extremely annoyed. It looks as though my neighbours are going to be at least as troublesome as the one moving out. Now I get a weaselly reply to my email, suggesting 'we talk about it when they move in' and asking to use the bike rack for the time being. Apparently somewhere to put a bike had been a major part of their decision to purchase my neighbour's flat. Here's a snap of the hall, just over 36" wide, with the bike in situ. I know it was my fault for letting my neighbour use it (supposedly temporarily) in the first place, but it has never stopped causing problems for me.

My original neighbours were so nice - considerate and kept themselves to themselves - plus the husband mended my bath taps when broken.

I am far too easygoing as a rule. This rule must now be broken, and I shall have to tell these people that their suggestion is totally unacceptable.

Friday Morning

Julian and Dorothy arrived, bearing gifts: some gorgeous Chanel eau de toilette spray, some nut and toffee turron, which I shall keep for Christmas, and two very cute little fairy toadstools covered in felt from a very trendy Barcelona shop (above, with my flowers from Sharon and Alan). These will be placed under the Christmas tree.

We had a very good dinner at Applebees, complete with puddings and coffee before coming back to my place for a while and playing with Kooky.

More Birthday

Can't remember if I mentioned my embarrassment yesterday when Romy announced my forthcoming birthday to around 80 punters yesterday - followed by singing and applause and cards and gifts handed to me as we rejoined the coach later!

Dear me. Well I have finally succeeded in turning the mattress with some difficulty. I have removed the mattress topper which is huge and ungainly. Anyone want one of these memory foam things? I don't think it will cram into a black bag. We shall see.

The charity shop people have removed everything except the memory foam thing. The man said his van needed some work but he will collect the mattress topper when it is ready and will contact me - great!

Had to send a rather shirty email to my prospective new neighbours. My current neighbour, rather than removing his bike rack from the hall, used it as a selling point and promised to leave it for them without telling me! I have pointed out to them that bikes in the hall were only ever a temporary arrangement with my current neighbour, that their storage even with the rack had caused problems for me, that it would invalidate the house insurance and was a definite fire hazard. Not quite the way I was hoping to start with new neighbours.I really blame my current neighbour for all this. He must have been desperate to sell! Romy saw the bike in the hall yesterday and said it was definitely out of order. Both Julian and Dorothy agree. In fact Julian tells me that when my neighbour replaced the hall lights (and I paid half) he put fittings in which are practically impossible to obtain bulbs for, which I had not realised as Julian had been seeking out the bulbs. Just as well he's leaving. I hope the new incumbents are not going to be difficult.

Amazing - a huge bouquet has arrived from Sharon and Alan. Sharon is my 'new' sister in Newton Abbot. What a lovely surprise! I must say I am more accustomed to sending flowers than receiving them. Fabulous.

Birthday Today

Hmm, I don't feel more than a day older than yesterday. Opened Romy's present: a fab calendar with shoes. These calendars are such fun - last year's one was bags. Romy has given me these kind of diaries before, and I keep them at the office - it is quite exciting to see the next day's bag. Shoes will be fab, as they have shoes from every period, and some of the most modern-looking turn out to be from the nineteen twenties.

Going to Applebee's tonight. Meanwhile I shall have a busy day tidying up and doing washing etc. I may even get down to doing the puds. I shall ring the charity people to see if I can get rid of the boxes, to leave the room clear for my tree. I bought some new lights for this at Polhill.

The Polhill trip was very successful. Two coachloads of people. We purchased another wheelchair while down there which came into immediate use. I bought an electric fly zapper shaped like a tennis racquet and a cat alarm thing recommended by Romy, which I hope will see foreign cats off before Kooky starts chasing them. The lunch was very good indeed and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. The weather which had started well became pretty awful with torrential rain and lightning, but happily we were indoors, and the rain kept off while we piled back into the coaches. Just before, we discovered there were some real reindeer, and Romy dashed off to snap them. Very Christmassy.

Romy off to Spain for a little while and me back to the office for a short day next Tuesday. Otherwise we will meet again at the Savoy theatre for Legally Blonde.

Told Kooky it was my birthday today. He was completely unimpressed and just demanded more breakfast.

Naughty Kooky

Day in the office yesterday, but managed to purchase basins and the rest of the pudding ingredients so shall make the puddings in the next few days. Off to Polhill today. Kooky has been causing trouble this morning by leaping about on the fence seeing foreign cats off but is finally back safely inside the house. Must see if I can find him some catnip drops today at Polhill. Might also find an amaryllis. Dorothy rang to say they had been unable to book a table at either Wild Honey or Arbutus. After some discussion we plumped on a choice of either Roast or ?Applebees (the fish place) in Borough Market. We shall see.

Dear me, I shall be 68 tomorrow - how very OLD. Never mind, as Dorothy says, I shall only be a day older than I am today.