As the afternoon wore on Wilf and Digby seemed rather put out that we weren't hosting another gathering in the house . They sat by the front door waiting to greet their guests - all that post funeral attention has clearly gone to their heads. Faced with two energetic bundles of fluff we loaded them into the back of the car and drove into the countryside for a long walk in the early spring sunshine. There wasn't another soul to be seen and we strolled along roads free of vehicles for almost an hour before Digby's sore hip started to bother him. Amazing that in Europe there are areas that remain so peaceful and bucolic.Awoke this morning to the news that the UK has officially and finally exited the recession after 18 months. The economy grew by 0.1% in the last quarter. Call me old fashioned but it doesn't seem a great rate of return for the £200,000,000,000 of additional debt the government has taken on. 'The font' helpfully points out that every man,woman,and child in the country is borrowing the equivalent of $100 a week. Doesn't sound much until you multiply by 60 million and then by the number of weeks in a year.
The new kitchen range was supposed to be delivered yesterday. I phoned up the store to ask them what time it was arriving only to be told it won't be here until late February. No apology was forthcoming and the only excuse profered was that the factory had been closed for Christmas. 'Surely you knew that at the beginning of December when we confirmed the date ? ' I half heartedly grumbled. The joiners arrive this morning to fit the new kitchen - so much for all that carefully choreographed planning of deliveries , plumbers,electricians etc. On balance I thought it wiser not to tell the kitchen fitters about the non-arrival of the stove - better to get them started rather than get into the never ending spiral of rescheduling. The joys of restoring an old house. Wilf and Digby like the joiners - the young one smuggles them jaffa cakes. Digby in particular is of the opinion that there is nothing as enjoyable as a forbidden pleasure.
