I visited the new apartment again today but am still not allowed the keys so had to arrange for the estate agent to meet me there. He was late, so late I called the agency. His diary was on his desk, closed, while he was otherwise doing nowt. His PA chased him out of the door.

That was the second annoying thing to happen today, the other being a courier who has a strange idea of "pm". I ordered a new bed from Amazon last week for my son's room at the apartment. I knew from the courier's website it had reached the local depot over the weekend so should be delivered today. This morning the website said it was loaded for a PM delivery. I finished my voluntary work at 11 and by 1115 I headed into the town. I bought a second hand pine table (for collection later) and was back at 1145. The courier driver had called during that 30 minutes. The bed is back at the depot for delivery on Tuesday, maybe.

I should hear in a few days if I have the apartment, certainly it's not available to anyone else and is shown as "let" on the agency's website. That was what my son wanted to know when I called him. I started talking to him about when we move him, given that I want minimal disruption to his schooling.

My own view is that the end of Feb is ideal, others in my family suggest the end of March. I want to know what the boy is thinking, then see if I can arrange it. I have instituted some protocols in dealing with my son. Knowledge of his request stays with me, my mother and her brother alone. I need them to help with the logistics! No-one else can contribute right now and could well scupper the deal. Secondly, only I talk to him about the subject and he does not discuss any further than his aunt. Until it is all set in stone, there shall only be 2 voices in the discussions. He needs clarity and focus, as do I!

My daughter knows nothing about any of it, not the apartment or her brother's pending residency. All she knows is that he'll be here in 10 days for a week, We might even be in the apartment by then. Maybe.

Shiraz