I Never Thought I'd Live To See The Day....

I've written in the past about my parents inoculating me against gardening but it seems my immunity is wearing off. This morning I made a bid on eBay for a vintage hand mower; also I've been digging and edging flower beds.

In the past I've looked out the window and thought, "Hmmm, Doesn't look so bad but I wonder when Matthew (or Julia) is going to come and do some weeding/ mowing/trimming." Now I'm looking out and thinking, "Actually, it's a mess. I need to take control..."

Silly Kid

We've learned, in a roundabout way, that one of the girls who sometimes sits with my mother while we go out for the day finds the experience terrifying because the house is "dreadfully haunted" (really? How interesting) and because she's been told we're witches (which is sort-of true but not in any sense that need worry her.)

It made things worse that a power cut happened on her watch- and set off the alarm. I'm not sure whether she thinks this was caused by dark magic or was afraid we'd curse her for letting it happen.

"So that's why she wouldn't eat the dinner I'd prepared," says Ailz.