Regular readers will recall that, as Christmas approaches, this
column pays its annual visit to dear old Mrs Rock, who is generally
mightily confused about the financial aspects of life. Sad to
relate, she hasn't had a great year. Old Mr Rock passed away in
the spring having kept the staff at St. Bernard's Hospital busy
for years with a smorgasbord of ailments. He may have been a
cantankerous old so-and-so, but time and absence quickly serves to
airbrush reality. She misses him. However she's been determined
to pick herself up and dust herself down – and Christmas
seemed like a good time to do that.
The Rocks' married son and his family have lived abroad for
some years (mainly to keep away from his grumpy late father) but
Mrs Rock plans to see them next year. Then there's Sheridan
– or "No 2 son", as Mr Rock liked to call him. Mrs
Rock has called him quite a lot of things. Despite acquiring an
armful of "qualifications", Sheridan appears incapable of
settling down to
