If you're not planning on selling it, I don't suppose its flameproof status matters but I just mentioned it in passing. A less fussy option might be to sew tapes onto the underside of a throw that you can use to tie it into place - longer ones could go around the arms and maybe you could sew loops o...

How brave are you feeling?! You could, as someone said, take the cover off piece by piece, taking photos as you go to remember how to put it back together, then use the pieces as a pattern. You can get some very realistic and flameproof faux leathers - this one is £6.99/m - and the mottled//aged loo...

Hi Spreckly -I take a portion out of the soup and liquidise it, then return it - it makes it thicker and less brothy. If you add something like lentils, beans or potato, it works particularly well but it's not necessary to add those things - it still works. Or arrowroot also works.

House Martens used to dive bomb our cat too. He was a Persian with big round eyes, and some people said he looked like an owl, so maybe that was part of it as they didn't bother the other one. This year is fab for birds - loads of gorgeous little things like firecrests and goldfinches.

Awww, CC, I'm so sorry to hear that. They do get into our hearts, don't they? Lots of happy memories of the lovely life you gave her.

I think one of the problems with people making their own judgements rather than following advice is that it makes it so much harder for those at the coalface to evaluate how well policy is working. Is it the policy that's wrong, or a lack of compliance? An extra factor to be estimated and considered...

Oh gosh! What a roller coaster. I have loved following Giblet's story and have everything crossed for her.

Slightly lower down from us there were swallows around Easter but not near us, so we were really worried that ours weren't coming back. (There 's been a lot of tree felling, which has changed the landscape and done away with some old nesting sites, and also quite lot of rain to make feeding difficul...

I think it might be instincts kicking in and either they feel more exposed to predators, or they are reacting to the light levels. Another possibility is that it's a little colder or draughtier there. Or maybe the lower one is just easier to get on and off? When all said and done, who can fathom the...

What's your secret, Mo?

Just interested to know if anyone is actually thinner than they were in 2018?

(s)he's not wrong!

Oh my gosh, you're been through the wringer, Gwen. I'm so sorry to hear it {hug} . On the basis that there can't be that much else to go wrong (touch wood), let's hope it's the end of the bad times for a while. I hope your knee gets better soon - bashing a bone can be really painful. I hope the vet ...

it's semicircular and I don't think I can.

We pushed it open and then pushed a stick across the whole thing close to the hinge, so that the weight of the flap held it in place and therefore slightly ajar.

He's bringing you presents!