A Nice Relaxing Bath

Facebook just threw up this post from last year; not much has changed.

It's been a funny old day at Chateau Midden and it's only a quarter past four.

Yesterday I left a message on North Tyneside Parking Control's system about changing my resident's parking permit.  I was pleasantly surprised when an envelope with the appropriate forms arrived this morning.  I scanned my driver's licence and insurance, printed them out, filled in the forms and set off to the Post Office for a first class stamp.

"Oh" I thought to myself "I shall put in my Premium Bond and Christmas cheques whilst I'm up there."

When our local Barclays shut we were assured we could use the Post Office for such things.

"Have you got a paying in slip or book?" asks the woman behind the counter "we can't do it with just the sort code on your debit card."

I thought about going home for my paying in book, then thought "What the heck, I'll walk to Forest Hall."

Which I did; and found the ladies who used to work at Barclays FourLaneEnds, who put all my cheques through no bother.

It took about half an hour to get back home; by which time I was quite sweaty and took off my jeans as my jumper was long and thick enough to be decent.

Fester came home, shortly followed by Thunderthighs then Ferretfingers who asked "What happened to your trousers?"

I decided to have a nice relaxing bath.

I'd been in there five minutes when the phone rang.

"Answer it" I called "I'm in the bath."

Fester answered it in the office "Who? ...... Oh!  She's in the bath.  Wait a minute I'll take you to her" and handed the phone to me.

"Well this is a first" says a hoarse female voice "I'm Sheila from North Tyneside Parking Control, sorry I've lost my voice."

"Oh. Are you ringing me to give me a number until my new permit arrives?"

"Yes. Do you want the application forms as well?"

"No thanks, they arrived this morning and are on their way back to you.  Can you give the number to my husband?  He's more likely to have a pencil and paper than me."

Gave the chuckling phone back to Fester and listened while he tried to get the number down right.

Five minutes later, still in bath, my mobile starts ringing.

Fester comes stumbling out of the office "Where is it?"

"In my trouser pocket" it stops "but don't bother; Ferretfingers is home, Thunderthighs is home, you're home, it's not going to be that urgent."

"Good point" and he stumbles back to his computer.

This is the reason I normally shower.  I've lost count of the number of times people have called when I'm in the bath.  When the boys were small, and I did freelance PR, I used to get them up and dressed and out before getting myself breakfasted and bathed.  At least once a week a client would ring when I was bathing.

Also, if I shut the door the ginger cat tries to dig his way in through the carpet.

After my bath I decided, as I wasn't going anywhere, it wasn't worth getting dressed so put on tights, nightie and dressing gown.  Thunderthighs came into the office where I was typing.

"Why are you in your nightie?"

I explained

"But it's only half past three in the afternoon" he said in his best Lady Bracknell....