The thing is my cousin has worked in the same place her entire adult life and it’s just a small family run business rather than a big corporation so she doesn’t feel ‘right’, as she puts it, chasing them for money and playing hard ball – she feels like she’s part of the family so this whole incident has upset her a lot.

I have told her she really needs to stand up for herself and that I will do a little research for her and find someone she can get proper advice from, but of course it’s easier said than done and I am sure that if I were in her position I would feel much the same way she does about not wanting to rock the boat too much.

I am quite nervous about it because they are family from my husbands side that I am yet to meet — and from every thing he and the rest of his family have told me they are quite hard to please.

I am not great at first impressions at the best of times, but I am even worse when I am nervous.

I am sure it will be fine though. We’ll be staying at their house so at least, I hope it’ll be fine!

See you in a week.

It’s for my aunt. She used to live there when she was growing up and has always said she’d like to take her family back there to live before they get too old and fly the coup. She lost her job a few months ago as the company was downsizing and although she was heartbroken at the time and thought it was the end of the world she soon pulled herself together and saw the positive side of things and realised that if she could get a job in the area she could fulfill her dream – her children are twins and would just be starting high school this year so there’s not much disruption to them.

Everything happens for a reason as they say