Thank you Beauflow... it's wonderful how supportive your boyfriend is. My husband was very much like that... he could always spot early signs of me "going off on one" and was often able to talk me down. I've asked him in the past whether I was over reacting, and his response was also a gentle, "just a little." Since he died I miss him every day. (It's been four years now.)

The Housing Officer has reminded me of my rights as a tenant, has reassured me that I'm a good tenant, rent is payed on time, the house is well maintained (books piled up on the floor shouldn't matter to anyone) and that there's nothing to worry about when the landlady comes.

The one thing that needs doing is the bathroom, which is damp and mildewed. The landlady refuses to accept that this is because there's no ventilation in the bathroom, so I'm going to pay for someone to come and clean it (this will be on Monday.) I'm also keeping receipts, so that when I move, if she tries to withhold the deposit I can counter by showing how much I've paid on the house.

The Housing Officer is also looking into getting me secure housing, if things were to deteriorate. She says that because of my son's interest in music we would have to get a detached house, and that it should be in the village, since this is where his music teachers live. My son has asperger's, and apparently that should carry some weight.

Ideally I don't want to move, but we'll see what happens. She tells me if I had social housing I'd be able to keep a dog... but not the one I was hoping for. She needs to be rehomed within a fortnight, or they'll put her down. There's been an urgent appeal sent out for her, I'm praying that she does get the home she needs.