Monday 17th November

I feel quite exhausted.  Our problem is we try and do too much.  We were at Walton for the weekend and left at 9.30.  That meant quite a lot of rushing around and packing and tidying and loading the car, because we have a Galaxy and it seems we cannot ever go from A to B without half filling the thing.  To London at 11.30 and emptying the car and putting everything away.  Then at twelve I started painting, or rather finishing off the woodwork in the kitchen.  The paint was rather runny for gloss and I had to keep wiping up the inevitable drips and even though the kitchen is rather small there was a remarkable lot of skirting board, door frame and doors to paint.  Finished that at three and then it was peeling vegetables and cooking a lovely roast, well vegetarian sausages with roast potatoes, parsnips and veg.  That was lovely, we sat down to eat at four thirty.  As soon as we had finished and just clearing away the dishes my partners step son, wife and little girl arrived.

Teas all round and then it was getting her toy box down and an hour and a half of playing with her.  They have just left and we are grabbing five minutes before more friends come round for the evening.  I am almost looking forward to tomorrow and work so I can have a bleeding rest….