Well the good news is that the motor of the pump is covered by insurance. There is the little matter of excess to consider, so I will cost the pump separately, and if it is cheaper to install it myself then I will do that instead. Not hard, I have had it out before to fix the leak, so it all depends on the costs involved.

Seb has been restless for much of the day and it was beginning to get on my wick. He and the cats were spending a lot of time in the bathroom, but when I investigated I could find nothing to explain it at all.

Was sitting on the sofa when I heard a loudish squeak alongside. There was the problem. A large baby rat has somehow found its way indoors (via Smidgen's mouth, I suspect), and all four animals had had a go at it. Despite all the 'attention' the poor little blighter was still alive (though not for long, I dispatched it).

There seems to be a bit of a rodent plague happening at present, but the animals seem to be keeping on top of it for me which is good. This one is sitting on the roof of the dog kennel for some passing raptor to take home with it.