Up, up and away!!!!!

In the words of a well-known disgraced Australian artist "Do you know what it is yet!!" I can bet any money you would have tried saying that in an Australian accent haha.

Is it a flying frog - perhaps!!!!!

Or a close-up of a helicopter - maybe!!!!

It is in fact a drone fitted with a camera. After the damage that storm Isha inflicted on the Jungalow at the beginning of the week, I had to get a roofer out for emergency tile replacements.

He suggested that the roof was past its sell-by date and offered to replace it for £12,000.

I have always known that the Jungalows roof was in pretty bad repair but was holding out hoping for the best so it was something that I was considering anyway. But I didn't feel comfortable with this first company, as the figure quoted was literally off the top of his head, no measurements taken no materials priced up nothing. So I have since invited another 2 companies for comparison.

This is where the drone comes in. The second roofer flew his drone over the roof to assess the size and damage. Apparently, this clever piece of kit converted the footage of the roof into measurements on a phone app so that the roofer could work out the square footage of the roof. He later returned with a comprehensive quote for the work at £17,200. Enter a third roofer recommended by Mike and Jonica. What he told me was that in his opinion he wouldn't touch the first roofers with a barge pole as he said he wouldn't be able to buy the materials for £11,000 never mind do the job.

I had a visit from Mike and Jonica on Tuesday, Mike had been for an ear appointment.

I was telling them about the roof and they suggested a Ferryhill Roofer whom they had had many jobs done by and were very pleased with. So he became the third roofer to visit the Jungalow this week. The price he came back with was dearer than the first but cheaper, just than the second. But even though the second roofing company tried to undercut the third one to get the job, I was swayed by the fact that the third roofer's work had been recommended by close friends.

Another reason they stopped by was to deliver several packets of small screw-lidded pots which their daughter Jill had bought and never used.

Well, you know me and the magpie syndrome I have, I gladly grabbed the gift without question.

I soon put them to work separating the acrylic diamonds for my first u3a craft session.

The little pots are perfect for the job and will enable the ladies who are crafting to access the acrylic diamonds easily.

On Thursday I had an appointment with my lovely hairdresser Nick at Hobson and Holmes.

Since before Christmas, I have been trying to turn my hair more grey and with each visit we are getting that much closer.

So, first thing this morning, I had fairly long hair which was starting to look very shabby I have to say, and almost impossible to keep neat and tidy past the first hour or so after washing and styling, so, drastic measures were in order. Some two and half hours later and a lot of sweeping up of cut hair and a hefty bill I emerged feeling like a new woman haha.