Bong to Rights

Yesterday a roving carpenter (walrus not included) came and shaved a bit off 2 of our doors which were sticking on the new deep carpets. In fact the dining room door was stacked up in the garage, the carpet was so thick. But I didn't notice.....

With Jof at home for the week, unpacking has reached terminal velocity. The house is quite different to our last one, so you do tend to reassess your requirements and you get such esoterica as

• You know, I've never really liked that painting with the horse
• I believe the time is up for that plastic mountie with horse and flag
• Do we really need the 9th breakfast tray darling
• Didn't I tell you to get rid of that bong 15 years ago

and so the charity shop pile swells .....

Meanwhile, Grandad has found himself a bridge club to join and play with persons of like mind which has made him very happy. I must say I also enjoy a game of Pooh-sticks, one of those activities you can enjoy whatever your age.

Also meanwhile, the USA has been experiencing some generous temperatures as well. Their national hotspot Death Valley holds the world temperature record so people have been flocking from miles around to fry eggs and cliches on the pavement. Clearing up all the egg-related litter is now causing sunstroke for the Park Wardens. "We've had it with these flocking people" they said. "Cook your breakfast on the stove, not the road".

After school we zipped straight round to Bens' school where I'm sure I could have picked him up myself without adult help. One of his school colleagues is in my gym class.

We played Lego for all of 3 minutes until it was time to scoot round to the park. Met the JBs and got to work admiring Johnnys' football magazine.

Jof was our looker-after today and she didn't do any chin-ups on the monkey bars or push us on the swinging basket. We had Maltesers as part of our chocolatey snacks but due to the hot sun Bobert renamed them Meltesers.

At home we were able to continue Lego-ing even when Bensdad came to pick him up, didn't stop us examining some of the items from yesteryear that Jof has decided no longer goes with our house and the false image of our jet-setting lifestyle it attempts to project. Meanwhile, more and more is making its way out of the loft and garage: I got net curtains in my room but didn't notice.