Where have all the plumbers gone when you need them?- Fiona Duff

At times I sit at my computer and wonder what on earth to write. Christmas is over and New Year is yet to happen.

Finding a plumber for a domestic dilemma is nearly impossible just now

Nothing in particular is annoying me right now. Apart from our cat who seems to have developed some sort of dementia. She sits at the door to the garden – I let her out, she wanders round to the cat flap, comes in and returns to the door. Still, I suppose I shouldn’t complain too much as we haven’t seen a mouse since she arrived.

Perhaps it is an age thing, this sense of there not being too much of a point getting worked up about anything. I don’t have to pay to travel on a bus or the tram, which is another benefit of getting on a bit. And, fingers crossed, I don’t seem to have to be thinking about putting my name down for a hip replacement which is what an alarming number of my friends appear to be going through.

A couple of years ago my sister, who had been in a fair amount of pain, decided to take the plunge and book an operation. She had a bit of money saved so took the option to skip the queue and have a private operation. At the first appointment with the doctor he told her the eye watering cost. She asked about the possibility of have both replaced and was told that the second one would be half price. It sounded a bit like buying two books at Waterstones; seems silly not to if you get my drift.

Of course, life isn’t completely tickety boo. The shower doesn’t work very well and it certainly is not easy to find a plumber these days. I wonder where they have all gone? No doubt many have gone back to whatever European country from whence they came, and there are so many houses being built on the outskirts of Edinburgh that they can probably pick up a lot of work there.

Oh well, best not to worry. I’ll just sit by the door and wait for someone to let me out.