This will be a social blog, with a house one written on Tuesday or Wednesday.

‘Christmas’ was a lovely day, catching up with nearly all of Brian’s family. Only Nick was missing. We hadn’t expected to see Steph, but she’d had a bad cough so didn’t feel well enough to drive to London, but was well enough to come out locally, definitely our gain.

'Christmas lunch' with Brian's family L to R: Brian, Denise (Brian's sister), Becky, Jenny (both Brian's grandaughters), Rory (Brian's great nephew), Jackie, Sam (Brian's niece's husband), Fiona (Brian's daughter), Ivy (Brian's great niece), Steph (Brian's niece), James (Brian's daughters partner) and Paul's right eye! (Brian's brother-in-law)

Day walk with Denise & Paul

Monday was ‘Monday Club’ with Bill and Mark, a new micro pub we could walk to. Good beer but bad acoustics made for an average evening. Tuesday we had a day off from the house and a ‘business lunch’ with Terry and Sue, Brian’s old work college, they still have a company that owns a house. Hence the lunch. We really enjoyed it, much food and talking, finally having to rush back to the car before the four hour parking expired!

Wednesday Abi realised we were going to be off again soon so did we want to have dinner? Blue Ocean, one of our local faves, the Malaysian Mee Goreng was such comfort food when we were there, I just love that it tastes exactly the same, though costs a lot more here. Little old Freddie cat had decided by this time, perhaps we were ok, and then we kept going out despite his best efforts to woo us with ‘gift’ leaves! Fiona and Pete arrived home on Thursday, so although we weren’t there to greet them we popped back to say welcome home, and return the key between going to the storage to see Ted and to Rob and Alex for dinner. After a full day in the house this feels like living at 100mph. Another lovely evening. Rob was on good form and Alex is at last beginning to look and feel better. Their building project is finally going to start which may not help with her continued improvement. I’ve offered her a bed while we are in Derby for Stimpy cat therapy...

Jackie and Brian with his 'sis Denise

Friday, back to mum, third bed in three nights, never good for middle of the night toilet visits, it’s a struggle remembering which way to go! This was our second day off in a week. We had a pleasant walk out with Denise and Paul, one we’ve done before, nothing too strenuous as it was the beginning of the jolly hot weekend, before a pub lunch. We didn’t feel bad about this though as we were to spend all weekend at the house, in the bathroom when Paul wasn’t. Saturday, the very hot day I spent most of in the cupboard under the stairs, doing a Bodget and Scarper plaster job before slapping on a coat of paint. Brian ventured into the loft, but fortunately could leave most of his loft duties till a slightly cooler Sunday.

Monday should have been Monday Club in Alvechurch, but Bill had managed to double book himself, with an old friend staying over after a very early start, so we were invited, along with Tim, to dinner at Bill and Martina’s to meet Alan and drink far too much wine - me that is! Very impressive that Martina could take dinner for three and expand it to an absolutely delicious dinner for seven. Wednesday we were back in Moseley having dinner at Fiona and Pete’s, the last Housesit, with Ian and Helen, which again was lovely. Freddie cat was pleased to see us, though he did seem old, I’d thought he’d aged between us meeting him while we were staying at H&I’s and going to sit, and Fiona had noticed it having been away for a couple of weeks. He’s got a bit deafer so you end up making him jump just by stroking him. He’s not bad for 16 though, enjoys his strokes and dreamies and can catch a fierce leaf and bring it in making that strange noise cats make in the back of their throats when they have a trophy, he did nearly fool me with the mouse shaped one....!

Serious walking and talking going on

Today we popped into the house to check on Paul before we head up to Derby to Tim and Jill for our next Housesit for Stimpy cat and Ruby dog. It’s one we’ve done before and I can’t tell you how much we are looking forward to getting away. It’s just a shame we (Brian) have to be back on Monday to get the carpets fitted and (us) on Tuesday to do a last clean and tidy through sorting out any little snags. 

All in all in the last 14 days I’ve cooked once, we’ve had one takeaway and two curry left over meals. We’ve slept in six beds and socialised with 46 assorted friends and family! Just as well my ‘medical MOT’ was before this so I didn’t have to lie too much about how many alcohol units I had consumed in the last week! Pleased to know that everything else is fine and I’m fit and healthy....

The monument on our walk and as seen from the M40 motorway near M42 junction. We decided not to walk the final few paces to it as the cows looked distinctly unfriendly

Finally some relaxation in Derbyshire

It’s now a day later and we are now chilling in Derby after an emergency dash to Redditch to our Santander branch yesterday afternoon. B received a text from a previously used Santander number saying “you will shortly receive a text from another number asking about a recent transaction” this rang ‘fraud’ alarm bells so he immediately rang our Santander select phone number, got a man who said it actually probably sounds ok, looked at the account and said but it’s imperative you speak to Santander security, I’ll try and connect you, but it may take some time. While on hold his mobile rang, it was Santander security. But how do you know it’s a genuine call? In the end we had to go into the branch where it transpired it was a legitimate text and call, but due to some suspicious activity the previous day, after a couple of strange phone calls they had blocked his account suspending all activity. So when a payment had been made for over £2000 it had triggered procedures. Just as well, as the payment had not been made by us! We are grateful that Santander’s procedures work so well but are puzzled by why the fraudster rang them, twice, trying to get information about Direct Debits on the account as without that the payment would almost certainly just have been made. So card cancelled, new one on the way, but how the fraudster got all the details from the card, Brian’s date of birth and email address, but not his phone number is obviously worrying. Does it mean one of the eight workmen who have been through the house actually had the bottle to go through the ‘tool room’ find his wallet and go through that, or has it happened some other way? All very scary.

And there's Ruby dog on the end of the lead somewhere in the long grass hunting mice