It’s been one of those weeks where I felt I just wanted to stay in bed with my head under the covers. Last weekend was a total disaster for a number of appliances that just decided to give up and die on us. First to go was the washing machine. Thanks to the underwire part of an underwire bra, the inside seal was shredded with resultant burning rubber smell and ‘infected’ clothing that had to be washed again. Hubby took a look at it, looked up the part online, found out its price and between us we decided not to bother trying to fix it because it would cost as much as buying a new washing machine. The old machine is currently acting as an island unit in my kitchen. It’s in the way, but hubby will take it to the dump at the weekend.

Second to go was one of the knobs on my lovely cooker. I took all the knobs off to give the cooker a good clean. I dropped two: one survived after bouncing, the other ended up with bits smashed off it. Sigh.

Third to go was the garage door that refused point blankly to close and sat at a disturbing angle whilst hubby and I wrestled it closed. Hubby – being really handy – has fixed this.

Finally, our lovely vacuum cleaner just died as the wee fella was hoovering the living room (NB I am not a Dickensian slave driver who makes her child of five do housework, he asked to do it). He had just switched it on when the cleaner revved a couple of times and also passed away. I took it to a local appliance repair shop and am hoping it can be repaired.

So, here I am with a mountain of washing to do, no hoover and a cooker knob that now doesn’t tell me what temperature the small oven is at. Last week, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This week I am more resigned to the fact that it was just a bad week and it’s passed now. NB the heating doesn’t appear to be working properly either, but after the weeks of it not working (sometimes at all) before Christmas, we’re ignoring this problem until the weather heats up and maybe then we’ll get it sorted. The heating goes on, it’s just a bit weird about heating water now. Sigh.

Apart from that, I have the pleasure of knowing I’ll get my pearl earrings back this week. A local jeweller is fixing the guinea pig chewed one and I hope to get it back tomorrow. I’ve missed those earrings. Hubby bought them for my 30th birthday and I’ve been wearing them ever since.

Other good news is that the weather here has been lovely, which has really lifted everyone’s spirits and there seems to be more folk out and about enjoying it. Last night as I was returning home from work, I drove along the Broomielaw and saw a gaggle of joggers all bunched together at a junction. I briefly wondered if there was some kind of charity event going on there was so many of them, but I just think it was the sun that encouraged them out. There were also more cyclists, which is great. I think the more folk cycle, the safer cycling in the town should become as car drivers get more used to seeing them on the streets. Of course, not all cyclists and car drivers act in the safest manner when they come across each other (cyclists – you should stop at red lights and not cross the road when there’s no traffic! Car drivers – please give cyclists a wider berth and stop being so impatient around them), but generally there seems to be no problems. I’d love to cycle to work, but as I live around 17 miles away from my office, it’s just not possible. I’d only be getting there before it would be time to go home! Plus I don’t fancy it in the cold and wet…brrrrr! It’s chilly enough going from a warm house to a still-to-heat-up car without having to cycle as well! Am such a woose!!

Anyway, that’s been my week. The other good thing that happened last week was that I met up with some friends I hadn’t seen for a while at Rose & Grant’s cafe on Argyle Street (near the Tron). It’s a lovely wee cafe. They don’t play loud music and you can chat away to each other to your heart’s content. The staff there are lovely; there are a couple of staff members who are not British, I don’t know where they are from but their accents are lovely. I think they may be Polish. Am not sure. Anyway, I love the cafe and we had a lovely time chatting and eating cake and blethering to the staff. Would recommend the cafe. They do really nice sandwiches and cakes. What I also like about it is that it’s housed in an old building that’s really long, so the back of the cafe houses the offices of a little business. You can see the people there when you go and order at the till. I don’t know why that amuses me, but it just does.

This weekend I have no plans other than domestic ones. Oh and plus I’ll be getting back to what I hope is my last draft of DarkIsle 3. I’ve just not had the time or energy to do it the last couple of weeks. I’ve had so much on. This weekend I will crack on with it.

Right am away to reload our new washing machine and empty the dishwasher. Ah, the life of a writer – so glamorous! Not! Hee hee.

Dawn xxxx

PS countdown is on til the next series of Game of Thrones is on Sky Atlantic. Can’t wait. I think it starts on April 1. Woohoo!