NEGOTIATIONS

Some weeks ago after we had heard about the Estates renewed attack upon the orchard my son wrote to the Estate Manager asking him what he proposed to do about our rat infested asbestos clad sheds They arranged a meeting and today that meeting took place.


It was amicable enough although The crafty so and so did his best to blame both the rats and the messy sheds on us and this we refused to acknowledge. I asked him if he would use them if they were his? No answer. He agreed to have them checked over by a health and safety inspector and then if the asbestos proved to be sound he wanted us to clear out the sheds and to pay for the removal of the contents.

This we refused to do on the grounds that a good deal of the shed's contents,including a massive oak dresser were already in the sheds when we arrived. I told him he was lucky that we were not charging the estate for the damage and loss caused by the rats and the asbestos and that I would share the cost with the Estate,but no more.

He did not agree to this but I promise you that the stuff in those sheds will stay there unless the Estate helps to foot the bill. ON the plus side the doors to all the out buildings will be repaired, they are quite rotten and we have been attempting to get them fixed ever since we came here,I must remember to let our new neighbours know about this as the doors on their out buildings are every bit as rotten as our own.

These damaged doors are a large part of the rat problem as the little blighter’s can easily gain entrance through the holes. The floors too will be made good,they are dirt floors and the rats have burrowed in behind one of the doors making it impossible to open. All in all I feel that progress has been made.

Of course the Estate Manager could not refrain from trumpeting his triumph over the planning permission for the new houses but his mercury fell rapidly when we informed him the the Ombudsman was taking an interest in how he managed to get it. As they say it 's not over until the fat lady sings and at present she is mighty quiet!

I managed to try out the new halogen oven today,I roasted a piece of pork which came out beautifully
cooked with lovely crisp crackling in under an hour . Next I baked a batch of marigold buns and although this was not so simple both batches came out golden brown and delicious,we ate one each to celebrate.

This new gadget will make live much easier for me and will mean that on days when I cannot bend my back I shall still be able to cook a good dinner for the boys.

Now we all hope that what remains of the week will be a little quieter.............we hope!