Handover

 Ellie was with us overnight, but slept through without a murmur. Indeed, the Gorse Fox had been up and about for quarter of an hour before she stirred, just as the Silver Vixen's alarm was about to go off. We sorted out breakfast and then walked her round to Dizzy Ducklings.

The bottom drawer of Ellie's wardrobe had got stuck. Intervention was required. The drawer above had to be removed and then it was clear to see that the back of the jammed drawer had split and broken. The Gorse Fox dismantled the runners and removed the drawer. The garage metamorphosed into a workshop and the back of the drawer (the failing piece) was removed. New, solid wood was selected. (The Gorse Fox is not impressed with a lot of flat-pack furniture built from compressed wood shavings).

The replacement back was measured up and marked. The router was retrieved from storage and a suitable bit selected. The groove for the drawer base was milled, then the back was cut to size. Finally, it was glued and screwed into place. The drawer was refitted in the wardrobe, and the drawer above was refitted. All done. What's more, it seems to fit better, and is certainly more robust.

The Gorse Fox managed to get an hour on the family tree. No great revelations, but a warning that if your surname is Law, then avoid the first name Nellie. A family in focus today had a first child Nellie, who died before her 1st birthday. They went on to have several further children, then ten years after Nellie, they had another and called her Nellie May. She died just after her 1st birthday. The turn of the 1800-1900s was a tragic time for infant mortality, and it was so clearly illustrated in this family.

Pistol Pete came along late in the afternoon. He was collecting Ellie for the weekend. She seemed genuinely pleased to see him, and went off without any problems.