Bitterne has not shut down. I have just been there so much lately I have not been sitting down to tell you about it. Just a bit concerned that all my readers will have been bothering to make their own pilgrimages to the precinct to check for themselves on the strength of the mighty centre of the East. Don't bother. Stay at home and read this instead.

Last time I was in Bitterne library I did notice that it was shutting (about now) for a re-fit. I will look forward to telling you more next time I find myself there. The most amazing thing may be happening for me at Bitterne Leisure Centre next term - for the first time in history, the girls' swimming lessons that I have asked for will be at exactly the same time! Meaning I get half an hour in the gym while they do their lessons, and then get out of there fast. I keep on meeting people and chatting and getting on well with them, and then H moves lessons and we don't see them anymore, so no more of that trouble either!

Last Friday it was raining a lot and I cycled home from Netley Abbey in suprisingly good spirits considering just how wet I was, and saw a man down the road with some plastering kit in his boot. So I asked him to do some plastering for us, and now, a week later, 'tis finished! The guy in charge was a 'Thornhill lad', as he put it, despite being 52 still sees himself as a lad, and more importantly, despite now living in Sholing, is proud of his birthplace. And quite proud of his plastering. Now I need to start on the decorating, and will be trying to keep up with the Jones's ( Steve and Elaine) - which shouldn't be too hard.

We adopted a cat recently, she is grey, pretty and shy, and can be friendly when she wants food. We have named her Emily, although she was called MC before that. The best thing about this cat is that she has been claimed as an official stand in for the rabbit and guinea pig that I was dreading getting this summer, but had promised. R has got to drill a hole through the house to make her a cat flap, so that is a down side of cat ownership. But then she can poo on our neighbours' lawn rather than in a litter tray. I will train her to go over 2 fences and poo at number 86. They are Christians and they won't mind at all.

Yesterday we took a look at 'Ariel' the boat, in position down at the sailing club, and on Friday H and R went down and rigged her to practise. H has all the kit now, including rubber shoes, which she wore in the sea yesterday while the other girls wore wellies. I really hope she likes sailing, after all the investment... The other boat which was in our garden for a week or two has gone to its temporary home with a boy from R's school, who is borrowing it for a couple of years. It was R's when he was a teenager, so as you can see, we like to deal in vintage maritime equipment.

This week's teaching day was really energising, in the morning I had Year 2 who were all dressed as aliens, astronauts etc as they have been studying space. One girl came as a rocket, but had to take it off as she couldn't sit down. In the afternoon I had Year 4 sewing. My heart sank initially, but I made loads of them unpick their stitches that I thought were not their best, and they concentrated and did brilliant work. It was a really good task, great for working on fine motor skills and I was really proud of them at the end. I noticed a full time job going at my old old school, the one I said I would go back to when the head left. Well, he left ages ago, and I have done a couple of days supply there over the years, and would love to go back - but not full time! I don't have any work booked at the moment, and my church paid job ends at the end of April, so I am in a transitional time right now, and coping with it better than I thought I would. Plus, Ihave the umpteen layers of PVA and emulsion to do on the hall, stairs and landing to keep me busy.

I have had a very lean month for winnings, with precisely none. Have stepped up my efforts this weekend and hope to win a home alarm system, a few trips to Paulton's and a mountain bike.