I seem to remember that the last time I mentioned things I’d never done, they included being on a motorbike, and we all know where that led, and is still leading.  All the same, here are some more nevers.

I have never worn dungarees or shoes with platform soles.  Russell has never worn jeans or a teeshirt.

I have never lived with a cat.

I have never lived in a new house.

I had never kept a daily journal (as opposed to an appointment diary) for more than a few months until I started blogging.  What a transformation!

I have never visited Scandinavia.  Nor the Americas, nor Australasia.  I don’t get out much, frankly.

I have a stepbrother whom I have never met, and I don’t see how I’m ever likely to.

I have never swum naked, and that’s another really unlikely one.

I have never run a marathon, bungee jumped or parachuted and I never will (forbidden on medical grounds).

I have never lived alone.

I have never read a Harry Potter book or seen one of the films all through (when one is on at Christmas, it has always sent me to sleep).  This is no boast but a simple matter of fact.

Roses came over today for lunch, though we didn’t eat it until late, what with one thing and another.  We drank wine, made a bonfire and walked the dogs.  And talked, of course.

Tail end of the bonfire.

Ben and Rupert.  And Roses.

And my contact lens has gone to the back of my eye again.  I was just putting it in this morning when Russell sharply told Rupert to stop (chewing Ben’s cuddly bone).  I looked up and it vanished.  I’m a bit fed up.  It took several days, last time, to re-emerge.  It seems to do no harm, it’s just uncomfortable and I will have to wear glasses, which is a nuisance.  I hate the barrier that glasses give when I’m talking to someone and I can’t read or do anything much except see with my distance glasses on, so have to keep putting them on and off.  

Gus is much better, thank you.  Weeza is taking him back to the doctor tomorrow as arranged, but we’re all hopeful that the medicine will do the trick.  We’ll go over and see them at the weekend, taking Rupert as we’re sure the children will love him.

I knew I was due to pay the balance of my October holiday within the next few days, but couldn’t remember the due date, the amount I owed nor the name of the travel company.  I’d received confirmation and an invoice of course, and carefully put it in a sensible place.  Lord knows where.  I couldn’t find it anywhere.  Luckily, I had sent details of my renewed passport by email so was able to find the name of the company, so I phoned and came clean and the nice woman on the telephone looked me up.

Soon afterwards, the internet connection went down.  I went through all the correct procedures to try and restart the hub, but no joy.  I phoned to check there wasn’t a local issue and this exchange wasn’t mentioned, then phoned the helpline number and was put in a queue.  10 – 20 minutes, I was told, so got on with things while I was waiting.  After a while, I thought I’d better just check – and the internet was on again.  I dunno.  Some sort of glitch at the exchange, I suppose.  Still, at least I didn’t have the embarrassment of finding out when on the phone to the broadband guy.

We’re into our second and last week of Rupert’s stay.  It’s going very well, he settled down pretty quickly.  Hannah left a shirt of hers that she’d been wearing, on my suggestion, to console him when he missed her and he took it to bed with him the first night.  He does carry it around with him, but not every day.  I’d hoped to let the two dogs out in the garden together, but bantams fly over the wall into the garden sometimes and I don’t want to risk them being chased.  So they’re getting walked on the lead, for the most part.  They get plenty of exercise chasing each other over the house, it’s doing them no harm.  I had been letting them have a run on the marshes, but Jonny has let the cows onto the first marsh now and I don’t take the risk.  I’ve no idea how sensible Rupert would be and fear of him running up to them and being swiped off his feet by half a ton of cow is making me cautious.

Time for our late-night trot round the village.  I like going out in the dark, though I take my phone in case I need some light.  The other night, they found a hedgehog and were very interested.  Luckily, I realised and pulled them away before they picked it up – well, Rupert isn’t big enough, but Ben is.  And I’d have had to spend the next hour removing fleas, I daresay.