Sorry about that!

Yes, I know. It's not the pleasantest sight, but the story is my week really.

Last Monday my washing machine started spilling water all over the floor. We are a family of six so this is not good news (it is also not relevant except as part of an emotional crescendo). We have an incredibly busy week so apart from inspecting it a few times it doesn't get sorted till this Monday (luckily!) My Dad does some washing at his house but then on Friday gets taken into hospital with a DVT and is therefore out of action and causing quite a bit of anxiety. Then on Monday we have visitors arrive, staying all week despite the fact that we are all at school and work and have all the relevant evening activities. Still fine, busy but fine. Then S is ill in the night. Not pleasant as she is sharing a bed with the child of our guests. The situation is aggravated somewhat by her big brother (on a high bed above them) deciding she needs help and that he must jump off the bed in order to get it. He misses his landing spot (it is quite dark) and lands instead on something quite unpleasant to land on and gouges a whole in his foot. The first I know of this is him shouting Mum! Mum! at me . I tell him off for shouting early in the morning when we have visitors in the house before realising the situation. I have one dripping blood all over the place and looking distinctly grey, and the the other... well you probably don't want to hear. So plans for that day are slightly rearranged while one is in bed all day and the is first at the nurse and then at A&E.

So, the guests head off to the Farne islands and we try to rectify the situation a bit (lots of scrubbing and washing). Their daughter is, perhaps not surprisingly, ill in the car on the way home and... oh, so it continues.

Not the most relaxed week in the world but they have headed off now, (actually Friday) hopefully in good health. My Dad is home from hospital and the washing machine seems to be bearing up ok.