one problem after another..

Well, well. So far this week one dishwasher has packed up. Ditto one loo. Ditto one electric circuit, plunging the Americans with a nine-month old baby into darkness. The gas bottle ran out at lunch time today - on Sunday afternoon of course the Texaco gas station where fill-ups can be acquired is shut. Two guests ate bad shellfish (we think) last night and have vomited all day. Another has started vomiting this afternoon. Yet another man stayed away this morning with stomach problems, but since his wife is now demanding laxatives for him, the food poisoning that was claimed initially seems unlikely. What is possible with others is that bug is going round. Food not likely the source or everyone would be going down simultaneously. Ie it's not the fault of Granny and Beloved's food; (they hope.)

Meantime everyone present seems urgently to need to pick up emails, to send emails, to send faxes, to download lengthy and complicated PDF files, to find out the course of Hurricane Ophelia, to have clothes/nappies washed, to have nappies/papers disposed of, so on and so forth.

Other than which; all is going well. Granny and Beloved are exhausted, but that's to be expected. And she has learned that the word 'stereotypy' means more or less obsessional behaviour in animals (not to say 'stable vices' in horses) . Well well. The wonders of science.

Tomorrow, late, she gets on a plane to the UK. Even if she hasn't by then acquired the household's current bug, she isn't looking forward to it. Tuesday things get serious. Possibly, anyway. Wish her luck.