...in January for work done in 1997. Banks are the pits when it comes to dishing it out, although only too anxious to get it in. This is partly to do with the Strong Pound, which is in fact, a big weakness for exporters like us. Some of the other banks are waiting for it to come down to sensible levels before paying up.

The Art & Science Pension Scheme is not so much the payments to Allied Dunbar but the series of flats we bought during the palmy days. These include Jason's old flat in Stoke Newington, which is rather more trouble than it is worth plus the five in Islington. These old houses provide plenty of exercise in running repairs & Ken seems to be forever clearing the gardens of two of the Islington ones between tenants, who resolve to do the gardens & don't.  Nevertheless, with payments from the computing side so slow, the bottom line provided by the rents is our lifeline.