What's been going on

Life has been bumping along since I last wrote. The good news is that I finally found my camera cables. They were in a basket on the shelf in the bathroom of course. Isn't that where everyone keeps their camera cables? I think we'll be living with the repercussions of the bad packing and moving company we used for months to come.

The latest project is the stair runner. I'm getting two quotes and visited two big chain carpet dealers. The big dealers don't carry what we want which is the stripey carpet in the image so we're going to have to go with the department store or local business and sell one of the children to pay for it. Or maybe I can sell a kidney instead. I've gotten pretty attached to the children.

But, speaking of family, I'm afraid that Rosie is allergic to the cat! She's come out in a terrible eczema rash. It started on her hands and has worked its way up her arms and now she has it on her stomach and thighs too. The doctor prescribed a steroid cream which has helped with the itching and inflammation (so we're all getting a little more sleep) but it's not getting rid of it. I'm putting a special emollient on a dozen times a day and trying to work out what else might be causing it. It could be anything, the new upholstery, the floor varnish, something she's eating. She's off dairy again because she has a history of cow's milk allergy anyway. She hasn't had any (or at least much) milk this week but the rash continues to progress. Poor Indy. And poor Toby and Rosie if we have to give him away. They'll be heartbroken.

The next step is to remove Indy from the house for a few days and see if the rash gets better then bring him back and see if it gets worse. I've been looking into it today and I need to buy a special HEPA vaccuum cleaner too which can remove cat dander from the surfaces. Goodness, just when I thought Rosie's allergies were all under control.

I've also been busy with my PTA work. We've got loads of Christmas fundraising events coming up including a Christmas Fair and Raffle (Jason is going to play Santa again), carol singing and the panto. We're also making plans for the school's 175th anniversary celebrations next year and a leaving party for the Headmistress who's retiring in the spring. So much to do.

I'm also in the process of buying a new car. The Renault I've been driving for the last three years is starting to fall apart and it's time to replace it. A few days ago we had a big rain and the passenger footwell flooded! This is after having the keyhole in the trunk knocked out a few months ago and having trouble starting it since the summer. I'm planning to get the same again, which will be my third Renault Scenic, but we're going to get the 7-seater model this time. I just have to find the time to sort it out.

With so much going on I've felt a little overwhelmed... well, to be honest I've felt like I was losing my mind at times. Jason very kindly suggested I get away for a few days and booked flights and a hotel so I can go see Nikki in New York next month! I'm really excited and just having something to look forward to has made everything else easier to deal with. Now I can't wait to see Nik and do a little Christmas shopping.