This week has been extra busy because my sister and her husband arrived on Sunday for a bit of a 'working holiday'. One of Roger's hobbies is painting and decorating and he volunteered to paint our living room. (Hence the recent wallpaper stripping).

Bear was his usual mixture of 'helpful' and grumpy. While we were in town on Tuesday Jay rang to ask if he and CC should shop for the evening meal  and Bear started moaning loudly and rudely that there was 'too much communication' as if no-one had the right to phone me when I was out.

He went on a bit and suddenly Wendy let fly at him. It took us all by surprise but she certainly gave him a piece of her mind and, in effect, told him to shut up: she hadn't come on holiday to hear him shouting at her sister and embarrassing her. Bear opened his mouth to reply but she shouted him down and he crumpled!

Roger parked the car, Bear went for the parking ticket and I congratulated my sister. Then Roger saw a lady with a Yorkie (they have two at home) and wanted to go over and say hello so I went with him to translate.

The next thing we knew, Wendy and the Bear were walking off arm in arm! Roger and I met up with them in our favourite cafe and I later found out that she had continued to admonish him for getting in a strop about my kids ringing me on the mobile and he had agreed that he was unreasonable. He finished by saying, 'I'm not going to forgive you . . . .because there's nothing to forgive'

Since then he has been making an effort to be more 'helpful' at home; he picked up some used cups and plates and took them to the sink; he helped clear the table after dinner; he let other people choose the TV programmes they wanted and was noticeably more pleasant.

I've asked Wendy when she can move in.