Dustbowl

The plasterer's been working in the living room, trying to marry up old and new. There's so much to disguise; the soot of the old chimney, where the false ceiling was taken down, where new doorways were made, where cement meets new plaster board. We have all sorts of finishes, depths and textures to unify. Plastering as I know it in the UK doesn't exist. The finish left calls for much more sanding, at which point these women move in and create an enormous powdery mess.

Dashing Commuter

For over five years, we heard rumours that the runway at our nearest airport was being elongated to accommodate larger jets. Hopes were fulfilled in July '08 when Ryanair scheduled its first flights from London. The airport is half an hour from home on a non-toll road and, so far, parking is free. It's small enough to have a personal feel. When you pass through once or twice a month, people recognize you and say Bonjour like they're welcoming you home. Happily Ryanair have continued 2 flights a week even through winter, though there haven't been as many people flying lately. I've sometimes had a row of 3 seats to myself, which is the Ryanair version of First Class, but we're praying they'll continue flying. It's made the commute so much easier!