Ikea wins.

We got the quote from Barb. She came in slightly less than Ikea but because everything we get with Ikea is brand new and with Barb we will still have the existing cabinetry we have decided to go with them. Himself has spoken with Amy's step dad who did our bathroom and other renos and he can do it around March. Next step is to make the final appointment with Ikea to pick exactly what we want with fixtures and drawer innards and so on.

The call with the aunt and the financial adviser and step cousin went ok. She said she has a credit card which is $7,000 in credit. That freaked me out as if it gets stolen the bank will only reimburse her the credit limit. I am calling her this afternoon to find out what the story is there. Otherwise there were no surprises. She is still very naïve when it comes to finances and is easily confused. I am ringing her at 4pm. Gin o'clock will be early today!

They came and cut up the remains of the big tree that came down in the great storm of 2021. The needed a crane to get it onto the flat bed truck. A contract chipperer will come later to turn the rest into mulch. It's too much for the council chipperers to do. Shows you how big it was. Himself had a lovely chat with the blokes and found out that every single tree in the City Frankston that is on nature strips and parks (not the bushy bits) is identified and checked every two years. If it turns out this was overdue or nearly due we might have a case but I'm not holding my breath.

I am giving the brioche one more go. It's outside on the balcony proving (it's over 30* C today). We are having Aldi fish cakes with salad tonight so some fresh bread would be nice. If it doesn't work I won't buy it again. Simples.

Pruned the roses this morning before it got too hot. I tried yesterday but burnt my feet so I wore flip flops/thongs/jandals. Poor things are really struggling with the black spot and I think I have lost one. Once the weather cools a bit I will spray them and feed them.

Right. Time to get some weaving in before The Phone Call. I think I will have Green Ant gin and tonic water tonight.

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Well, the best laid plans and all that. I rang Amy to see how she was going and she wasn't coping so over I went. Alice was very unsettled. Even Super Granny couldn't calm her down for long. I tried a few things and they worked initially but I think the heat and impending storm had her discombobulated. The aunt rang at 4.05 as I was wrangling a screaming baby. Told her I'd call back in half and hour. We bathed said baby and in the end gave her some panadol. Something was obviously causing her grief. She settled and I was walking out the door at 4.35 and the aunt rang again. I wish I was closer as she gets very stressed. Got home to Himself all stressed because he broke the secateurs he bought me FOR MY ROSES cutting up rosemary and couldn't find the receipt. And the brioche loaf I left him with strict instructions for? Burnt. 

I ended up having a very strong gin.