This reminds me of one occasion many years ago when we had the annual boiler service ( sounds like a good C of E celebration! ) and the day after they had done it the boiler boiled over onto the ceiling of my young  daughter's bedroom and very hot water dripped through. After a quick excursion into the loft we discovered that the temperature gauge had been put up to boiling point ! no wonder it boiled over. I was just glad that my daughter was not in bed nor had her head at that end of the bed... but not very funny at the time.

 I hope all goes well tomorrow Mary

A

Took a tour round our local post-natal ward this weekend. You can pay £100 for a private room if you want it. Doesn't buy you a TV though.

Varies from hospital to hospital. Last time I was an inpatient (in Nottingham), I had a private room and exclusive use of the ward's Playstation.

What bizarre behaviour! He must have had mental health problems.

I hope the day hasn't started as it means to carry on.  

Today the landscapers are due to arrive to remove several tons of sand and the old lawn from the back garden which you now have to step up to because of the layers of sand that have gradually built it up. Then they're going to returf it back down level with the patio and paths.

Accordingly I drove my car off the premises to make room for the skip at 7 a.m., (in my mac, pyjamas and slippers) in the pouring rain. I've put the car on a nearby side street.  I thought at that time there wouldn't be anyone about, but sure enough there was a little flurry of activity and many astonished car drivers saw me trotting back across the road in most peculiar garb.  At 7.30 the doorbell rang and the JCB arrived which I signed for.  The rain has been coming down relentlessly all this time.  At 8.15 the skip arrived and although I was able to give the man instructions where I wanted it to be left, he wouldn't let me sign for it - he needed the gardeners to do that.  He would park outside on the road and wait.  8.45 - no sign of gardeners, so I rang them and they said they'd be with me in 5 minutes.  9.10 one gardener arrived with various tools, rang the bell and informed me he would be leaving at 9.30 for his physiotherapy appointment and would be gone for an hour!    They haven't left the skip where I wanted it, or anywhere near, so as the job is going to take a couple of days, my car will be stuck outside as there's no room to bring it back.  

In fact treatment such as that is probably the reason he's like he is.

I find that more than horrifying. Was she allowed to go on teaching?

It's such a difficult problem.  Those of us who are idealists always think there are other better ways of dealing with problems and perhaps that is right, although there doesn't seem to be much practical evidence of it.  I can remember two of the best behaved young boys I ever met some years ago.  I asked their father how on earth he achieved such exemplary behaviour and he said  "It's all done with fear and terror". 

Perhaps there has to be a deterrent and some people just don't understand anything else?  I don't know any more.   I just feel weary every time I look at my newspages and see teenagers being stabbed to death in parks or happy slap attacks.  A ridiculous number of teenagers have lost their lives in London alone just this year.  What was the official advice given yesterday?  "Parents should make a point of asking their children if they are carrying knives when they go out."  I kid you not.

Of course they're all going to say "Yes, here you are, have it back." aren't they?  Or perhaps not....   It's all very depressing.