House SOS *EDITED*

My house seems to be falling down around my ears.

The plumber is here this morning fixing the duff cistern on the loo. And the really cool thing? My plumber is a girl! And I do mean a girl. She is about 16 and wears a hoody. But still - how cool!

The other bit is a hideous patch of damp has appeared in the top corner of d/Boy's bedroom. During yesterday's eight hour downpour I noticed it had grown. TG there is sunshine today or I think his bed may be under water by now. *le sigh* surely mine is the only house that would flood from the top down?!?!

Once the little girl plumber has gone I am off next door to see if they are having a similar problem.

We are off into our closest BIG town on Saturday to do Christmas shopping. I don't know why. The children are all sorted, I am more than happy with the delicious scarf I know nothing about but have stashed away in the present cupboard and CK is waiting to get his present in the sales. However on Saturday morning we shall head off with Pr. C-W's friend as our plus one and fight with everyone else to bring home stuff. Anyone got a phone number for Etsy??

**EDIT**Went next door to check whether they too were underwater and only DIYDad was home. Explained my query and by the time my sentence was done he was up onto the angled, slimy, moss-covered roof of the lean-to-kitchen and peering over to check the flashing above d/Boy's room (can you see where this is going?). All went well until halfway back to the wonky old ladder he slipped and left a DIYDad's bum-shaped hole in the roof.

Once I knew he was moving freely my guilt at his accident was allowed free rein. 'Let me go purchase whatever we need to fix this.' 'Buy stuff?' he said disappearing into his cavernous shed. 'Never!' Out came an extra ladder, two more hammers, a power saw, sheets of corrugated iron and sundry other tools. And thus began our race against time as Mrs Doyle (DIYDad's Missus) was expected home at three.

And so I spent the afternoon reroofing my neighbour's kitchen. Had I a video camera I could have made a fortune selling the result to the Health and Safety Executive as a 'how-not-to' instructional but there were a lot of laughs, a few scares, an awful lot of jiggery-pokery and only one falling off a ladder flat onto the ground.

Funnily enough when DIYDad offered to go and fix the flashing above destructoBoy's window my declining was swift and definite.

I need to go to bed now. My hip and arms ache.