No Joyron, no Skylark, we'll have to have a group hug to reassure ourselves

Good morning everyone including absent friends

I'm sure Skylark will be back with us soon, and we look forward to hearing from Joyron, possibly tomorrow evening

It's another warm sunny day.

Good morning everyone.

*joins in group hug with Squiggle and El Loro*

The weather is supposed to be nice today, so I intend to do some weeding in the front garden. How is it that the severe winter kills off flowers, but the weeds seem to be in greater numbers than ever before?

Leaving a big for Joyron and Skylark.

Good morning everyone another glorious morning here.  Round friends yesterday afternoon we were sitting out in the garden and it was lovely. 

We are including you in the group hug Joyron and Skylark    it will be nice when you are both back with us, hope you all have a good day

Lovely pic, Squiggle.

I've spent two hours fighting with the weeds in the front garden. Where did they all come from?!  Anyway, I think I won the battle, although I know the war is far from over.

Good afternoon everyone

Just over a week ago I had a letter from one of my clients. It was only 1 page long, but he had asked quite a few queries on tax planning issues. They were all relevant to him and were quite complex. He realised this and did say that I would need to bill him extra for this. I didn't reply immediately as I wanted to have a bit of a think about how to respond.

The following day I started my reply dealing with the first issue. I decided I would spread this over a few days as I had to do research on each issue. I rang the client to confirm that I was dealing with his letter, and confirmed I would be billing for this as my normal fee could not cover the amount of work involved. I advised him not to pay the proposed lump sum into his pension fund before the 5th (I won't bore you with the technical details, but it would have cost him an unnecessary tax charge, which wouldn't apply if paid after the 5th as the government has abolished this particular charge).

On Monday I rang a colleague of mine to ask if he would be willing to look over my reply once drafted. I said that I was doing the research so I wasn't expecting him to start trawling through tax books. He was happy to, and I sent him a copy of the client's letter in advance. I completed the draft on Wednesday and rang my colleague to let him know I was going to be emailing it to him. He had received the client's letter by then, and his reaction was much the same as mine - . He knew the client as he had done his tax return for me January last year when I was in hospital. We agreed that the letter was rather like a tax exam paper.

And I've just received my colleague's reply which was very short "Excellent letter"

Sounds like a productive day for the Buddies   Yogi you have showed those weeds who is boss, they may (certainly will) return but you have them on the run now And well done EL that sounds very complex work and also that you have given very good advice that will save your client money

As for me I have printed out the Order of Service I am doing, it is looking good and my grandson has very kindly advanced on this season's first crop of dandelions with my trusty speedy weeder

It sounds like your client set you quite a task, EL. I'm sure you will have passed the "tax exam" with flying colours.

Well done on getting the Order Of service printed, Squiggle. I know it isn't one of your favourite jobs. And a bigto your grandson, my fellow weed-battler.

It just goes to show that the tax return advert where they say "tax needn't be taxing" is a joke - if it hadn't been the government advertising, the ad would have been done for misleading advertising

I'm glad your Order of Service has come out well

Hello everyone  Modem arrived today, after phoning plenty times! Cant see how i couldnt have just went and bought one myself, but they said i had to have theirs, probably a ploy as it was expensive, compared to others i have seen. Plus i am annoyed i couldnt get it free, as i have been a customer for years. But hey ho, at least i am back on, its been awful without it, and my son has missed his xbox live.
Hope you are all well, and so sorry i never replied to Joyrons PM . I hope she is well today x

Oh and thank you for the kind wishes for the wee ones 3rd birthday, we had a lovely day xx

Welcome back Skylark

I would have thought your ISP should have provided a replacement modem free - my previous ISP Orange did.

Joyron knew you were having modem problems. We may possibly hear from her tomorrow evening if her son has set up the internet connection for her.

Hi El, thanks, nice to be back x
No i am afraid Sky charged me £28, which included VAT and P&P. My warrenty was out in 2008 , apparently! A bit off, really! They said the most likely cause was a power surge, and it couldnt be reset. The post was the delay, it was sent last Friday , first class, and only got it today

Yay, you are back, Skylark!

Hi Yogi, yes i am back, did you miss my ramblings

I most certainly did miss your ramblings. Nobody rambles quite as good as you.

Why thank you, i am deeply touched

Have you been up to anything exciting, while you've been in exile?

Cant say i have Yogi, but my house is cleaner  Just been working and we had the wee one,s birthday of course. It was lovely, She was here for a few hours and off to her other Gran,s, as she was working, I had the house all decked out with balloons etc. I have a lovely pic which i will try to post in the other place, of her blowing out her cake. x

It sounds like she had a lovely day, and I look forward to seeing the pic.

I need to get started on some spring cleaning - you've put me to shame.

Well the cleaning, i was kind of forced into it, as we had visitors and didnt want them saying, blimey her house is hingin, and her a nurse too

That reminds me of a story of the paediatrician who lived in my home town. Apparently, the removal men were in shock at the state of the house - she had even left the dirty breakfast dishes in the washing up bowl. Talk of the steamie, she was.

 Aye well, they never got the chance with me! My daughter,s in -laws are ok, but they have a bit of money and like to tell us, constantly! Not good at parting with it tho!

Lovely to see you back Skylark we've missed you.  Glad to hear the wee one's birthday party went OK, and your house is now putting us all to shame.  Welcome Home!  Once we have Joyron back we must have a celebration

People like that, get on my wick.

Good idea, Squiggle

Hi squiggle x I feel like the new girl on the block ! Thanks , yes the little one had a lovely time and even asked if Santa was coming! Bless her.
I hope Joyron is fine, she should be up and doing some physio, not at the moment obviously! She has more than likely had a busy day and resting now x

My under-used muscles are aching from my weeding activities, so I'm off for a long soak in the bath.

Have a nice soak Yogi, i am going off too, my son wants on, after his time off !  Goodnight xx

Good morning everyone

It's going to be another warm sunny day - it's almost becoming habitual now . The only snag is that car windows have to be washed clean because of the Saharan dust.

Good morning everyone.

It's a bit misty atm, however it is supposed to brighten up later on - which is good news, as I have some more work to do in the garden.

Good morning everyone isn't this weather great .  I wonder whether we will hear from Joyron later, thinking of you Joyron

Two little pics for you Yogi

Cute pictures, squiggle

For Joyron.

Squiggle, I love those pics, how cute are those puppies?

I've just had a little bit of good news from the Halifax re my mortgage. Most of my mortgage is on a fixed term basis, and a little bit (under £100) is on variable. Because of some confusion they say (not that I was confused), they have decided to give me a goodwill gesture of £250

Contracts have now been exchanged for the sale of my parents' house with completion scheduled for Wednesday. I will use some of my share of the proceeds to pay off my mortgage, but will wait until July before doing this as the penalty for early repayment of the fixed part of the mortgage reduces then.

Great news EL it is a great feeling when you pay off your mortgage.

I knew you would like the pics Yogi, I agree that puppy with the stick is sooooo cute, I want to throw the stick for him   nice flowers for Joyron

My youngest son (who is known for his dislike of gardening) has cut the grass, weeded and dug over the border in the back garden. He has also washed out the greenhouse and the staging, in preparation for my tomatoes, cucumbers etc.

I am in shock but also very happy.

Good for him

Good news on the mortgage, El.

We still have almost three years left on ours - we might have a wee celebration when it has finished.

He says he may remind me of his toil, whenever he asks for a lift.