A Happy family week

I am late blogging this week , as I've had quite a busy week in some ways. I spent a while working for the NH S, but despite having filled in forms about a small pension, heard nothing further. I rang on Monday only to be told I have to claim this pension. I said, 'I thought I had'  I was told to download a booklet 50 pages,and the printer went haywire and was on its third printing before I worked out how to stop it. I  also had to print out claim forms. The NHS is obviously trying to save money.  I looked after the baby on Tuesday whilst Daughter went to the dump. She made 3 trips, and he fell asleep on me, he is so lively that he often fights his tiredness. I put him in his cot , but after about 40 minutes he was woken up by some noises outside. He showed great promise in beginning to move about with a cross between a commando and a real crawl.
Husband and I both developed colds this week, so much sneezing and nose blowing. Son and Daughter in Law arrived Tuesday evening for a short stay, but slept at Daughter's as we still haven't got the bed back. After I had been to Sainsbury's on Wednesday they all came for lunch.  I also lit candles on a belated cake for me. I opened belated presents too. Just what I wanted. I must top up my Amazon wish list.We sat and chatted and played with Baby, for a while, then they all went off to Watford. Son and Daughter in Law popped back in the evening to see husband.
On Thursday I had my hair cut, and then went up to Daughter's to take Baby's clothes that she had forgotten;  he got into such a mess with lunch on Wednesday, especially yoghurt, and we'd had to change him. I was invited to stay for lunch, and we had a lovely time, then more playing with Baby and demonstrating how to crawl. Daughter recorded a video and threatened to put it on youtube. I left at around 3.30, and Son and Daughter in Law went for a walk to blow away the cobwebs. Thursday evening we all met up in Berkhamsted  at Brasserie Gerard, for a joint celebratory meal for my Birthday and husband's, which are 8 days apart. Daughter had a babysitter. Although the food was reasonably good, the service was absolutely appalling. The place was packed, and we were not served with our main course till nearly 9 pm. We had booked the table for 7.30, as husband should have been going to Bristol on Friday and needed an early start. We decided against desserts, the bill was huge anyway. I asked the waiter if they were normally this busy, and he said 'No, but there is a Tesco promotion at the moment, and they can use their vouchers here. Tonight is the last night'. So that was his excuse, that all the local cheapskates  frugal people were taking advantage and not wanting to miss out.
On Friday I called in at daughter's to say goodbye to the others, as they were off to London, and I had other things to do. Husband's proposed trip to Bristol to meet his new boss was called off. I then went into town and bought some Birthday cards, then browsed M&S and bought a couple of summer skirts with my Birthday money. Husband came home and after a cup of coffee we loaded up the car and drove down to the coast to see mum in Law. We hadn't been for ages, as she kept saying she would come up here, so as it was Husband's Birthday on Saturday, and Mothering Sunday too, we thought this would be the ideal time to go. I drove to the services, to give husband a break, we had a snack meal, and arrived at the bungalow at about 10.45. pm.
I didn't have too bad a night, and we woke up to a pleasant morning. Husband opened his cards and presents, and just before lunchtime we headed off into Eastbourne  Mum in Law needed some more compost, so we headed for the garden centre. I bought her an orchid, as some of hers are quite old, she had them for her 60th wedding anniversary, which will be 7 years ago in September. We went into Eastbourne, husband went in search of a pasty lunch, and we went to CH fabrics coffee shop, and I actually bought some material when we browsed afterwards. We also visited a few other shops, and met up with husband, and all went into Lakeland together. It's a good thing we don't have one locally. I would spend far too much. I found a cake box with a handle, which will be so useful for carrying cakes to church functions.
A quick visit to the local Tesco, and then home to the bungalow for dinner, and chocolate Birthday cake. We didn't watch TV except the news, but then husband fished out a DVD which he has been making of baby since he was born, so we didn't get to bed early again.
I managed to sleep, but kept waking, and had to get up in the end as my back was aching from the firmness off the bed. Although the worst of our cold is over, neither of us felt up to going to church and singing, so we had a quiet day with Mum in law. We left at about 5.30 pm, with one stop on the way home, we arrived home at 8.45 pm. We had forgotten to get petrol at the services, so had to comeo ff the M23 and trawl round a town for a petrol station, so that added time to the journey. We eventually found one in what looked a rather dodgy area of the town.
As we passed the front of our house I realised it was in darkness, and thought the lamp on the timer mustn't have been timed properly. When we had unloaded the car, I ran upstairs to put the hot water and heating back on. The controller was not lit. I checked the fuse box, and the ring mains switch had tripped. I switched it back on and checked to see if I could find what had tripped it - no joy. The freezer alarm was beeping, I had to wipe water out of the small fridge,  I couldn't find the fridge freezer manual so had to go online to find out how to get the freezer temp back down from -04 to -19. I went through the drill then stayed up till 1.30, till I had seen the temp go from-04 to-06. It was back to-22 this morning , but the numbers are still flashing. so I must keep an eye on it. Daughter rang me late last evening and when I told her our problem she said they had had a power cut, so that may have tripped the switch, if we had the power cut too.Well I must go, I need to get some work done, and Daughter has invited me for lunch, as I missed seeing her yesterday. Apparently Baby can now travel the length of the room with his self styled crawl. look out everyone, we MUST rearrange our house!