TPR and I moved into our new house. It was just up the road from our flat, so we’d still use the same shops and services. On two floors, it gave us a bit more space. The large bathroom was a particular bonus. The only drawback was the noise from the main road.

When I asked L and T to pass on the contact details of their tradesmen TPR looked askance. “Whatever would we need that information for?” he demanded. It hadn’t crossed his mind that any work was needed on the house. “It wouldn’t take long to put in a couple of ensuite bathrooms, redecorate, and replace the swirly yellow and black carpet in the hall”, I replied. From the look on his face I could tell that he had not bargained for this.