What degrees?

 I wandered downstairs soon after 07:00. Zoe wasn't due to start until 09:00 so Ellie would not be dropped off. I made my first coffee and settled down with the news. The phone rang. I took it on the iPad and realised it was Facetime and Ellie was calling. "Grandpa, what degrees is it today? I need to decide between my leggings and shorts for PE." I blinked for a moment as I absorbed the greeting. "Good morning, Ellie. Did you sleep well?" I responded, meanwhile, I looked up today's "degrees" which is Ellie's description of the weather forecast.  Having brought her up to date with the news from the Bersted Met Office, she explained that "Mummy is still asleep." While we were talking, Diane came downstairs and took over the call. It must have been 20 minutes or more before Ellie hung up. (We later found out that she then called her friend Maddie, and they got ready for school together over Facetime). The joys of this connected world!

When I was home from the school run I cleared the old IKEA POANG chairs and footstool from the Orangery and settled down with some admin until the new sofas arrived. The delivery was very slick. We had paid for their premium service. They unloaded the boxes and brought the sofas into the Orangery where they assembled them and tested the electronics. All of the delivery detritus and boxes were gathered up and put back in the truck and they drove off into the sunset (well, rain actually). 

It was only after they left that Diane's eagle eyes spotted a small, faint stain on one armrest of each sofa. I called customer services and explained the problem. The assistant sent me a link and asked me to upload photos of the problem and then call back. I did this and talked it through with a new assistant. They are sending out an "operative" to clean and remove the stain. If that doesn't work to our satisfaction then I am to call back. Seems fair.

We had Ellie with us for dinner again this afternoon. Zoe was finishing at 18:00.