Respite!

The cavalry arrived today in the form of Shirley!It is so nice to have another family member on hand. Shirley is here until the 2nd June.We are staying around until Wednesday to ease her into routines and then hopefully will head up to Frogknot for a few days.Today Dave the tiler returned to remove some of the tiles that Sergio had damaged grinding down a metal strip that was sticking up between them.We had another OT visit to check the height of the shower bars that Bob the Builder is going to fit and then Jess the Dietician arrived and talked non-stop for over an hour.Dulcie was tired this afternoon but perked up tonight and we saw flashes of her sense of humour.Fingers crossed that the worst of this cold is over. It has laid her low and practically fighting for breath constantly for three days.Last night I rang the HMRC about my tax rebate on their dedicated overseas line.....it was dreadful....I coud hardly hear them and had to get them to repeat things over and over again whilst standing in the garden in the dark trying to improve the signal and being feasted upon by mosquitoes. I discovered that it had been approved and should be with me before the 31st and if not I was to ring them back.I checked my account straight away and I had been credited £955.......hurrah!I checked the price of flights home with Emirates and worked out with my tax rebate and my back dated carers allowance I would only be about £300 short.My brother James is getting married in July and with my Dad being in hospital recently I really want to come back for a little while.I was hoping to come from July 1st until July 15th but found it was cheaper to come back on the 18th....a few extra days. We cannot afford for both of us to come. Will will be on holiday for much of that time so will be able to look after Dulcie but I needed to check with Shirley that she would be able to cover the three days at the end when Will would be back at work. She could so I set about going ahead with the booking.The price of the flights had gone up $200 from last night! Last night the flight was $2750  today it was $2950. I chose the one that came back on the 18th and got all the way through the process to pressing 'Proceed with Payment' when I got a message saying that the seat was no longer available and I should ring Emirates customer services.I did. They said the only seats now available would cost me an extra $600.I tried other dates and could find nothing that did not have a 19 hour wait in Dubai. It was so frustrating and my blood pressure was definitely rising . I checked another site and it found me a ticket for the same  flight I was told would now cost me $600 more for $2950 so I booked. I was expecting it not to work....but it did.I am heading 'Up Over' on the 1st July and return 'Down Under' on the 18th July...I will be £500 short but, fingers crossed,....if my carers pension is granted and back dated I will not be in debt.....I don't care anyway....I just have to go......and now I am!