Now here's a thing!

Ooooooer, Printmiss

Our porch needs repairing AND I'm going shopping tomorrow. What's the magic spell??

Wonder if somewhere else someone is waiting for a rail to be fitted!
We need a new front door........!

What a lovely surprise Printmiss maybe the Christmas Fairy had heard what you wanted and got her Elves to do it whilst you where out !!

Ooh PRINTMISS I love things like that, it's magic of course!

What a surprise for you! However, logic dictates it was somebody that you had talked to [or knew] that you needed a handrail. It was also somebody who knows you both well, so a friend, relative or neighbour [a prof. person would not have put up the tinsel or note.]I'm sure they will reveal themselves to you in due course, but what a nice thing to do.

Never mind logic, I'd rather believe in magic as then I know I'll come home to find a new roof, the pointing done, the back wall repaired, my bedroom decorated, a conservatory added, a two-storey extension...
Hang on, I'm being greedy, aren't I?

Lovely, lovely story x

Obviously nice people have nice things happen to them ! What a lovely thing to come home to !

Wow !! My guess is your neighbour did it but is denying it because he doesn't want payment. IF that's the case then yes there is a Father Christmas.

Humanity at its best. Renews your faith in goodness doesn't it

You can send whoever it was my way please!

Be careful what you wish for. There might be a huge bill in the post

I thought that before, merlot, but didn't like to say...

I think you need to write a big notice, saying 'Father Christmas - Sorry I ever doubted you, Lots of Love Printmiss xxx' and attach it to the handrail.

Oh! I am glad you all enjoyed the story. We shall ask our immediate neighbours if they saw a van of any sort, but we are rather secluded. Anyway, it is lovely.

Wonderful story, perhaps it's "A Ghost of Christmas Past" , if not, hope you eventually find out who did the good deed PRINTMISS.

Thought you might like an up-date! Had an e-mail yesterday from the Hand-rail people, telling us that the rail had been fitted and there was no charge. I wrote back, saying we were not sure where the gift came from as we had friends who might do something like that, but they were abroad on holiday, so could not ask them, or if it was a complimentary gift from them, (they company) we could not think why. Had an e-mail back saying that as they (the company) were over this way and they knew we were wanting a new hand-rail it was a complimentary gift - when they quoted, we thought the price was a bit high, so had not progressed with our dealings with them.
NOW do I complain and tell them the handrail is in the wrong place and making access to the garage very difficult? I think not.

What a lovely story PRINTMISS I've never heard of any company being quite so philanthropic. Merry christmas to them

How amazing! Never heard of that happening before. Good way of advertising or Spirit of Christmas?! Let's go for the latter!

Goodness! How wonderful,

OH! Woe, the hand rail was put so that it is on the path, rather than the bottom step. We knew this would be a problem with getting the car in the garage (and out again), but thought we could cope, so did not want to complain about the good-will involved. However, we now have several hundred pounds-worth of damage to the wing, probably needs replacing, plus scratching, this was on the second 'outing'. We really feel that we cannot live with something which is so difficult to deal with every time we use the car, which is daily, so we are going to have to ask the people who fitted the rail to remove it. I know that sounds really ungrateful, but having thought of other ways of a sort of "warning system" that the car is too close to the railing, we have decided that it is just not possible. I am very upset about this.

I'm so sorry PRINTMISS. What an expensive nuisance for you and a shame that you will have to tell the people who fitted it that their Christmas surprise misfired.
On the other hand they could have used their common sense and found out what you wanted and needed.
Maybe they will still be full of a Christmas good will change it for you. I hope so.

An up-date on this, we did eventually decide that we must get something done about the hand-rail. We had another scrape, but fortunately this will be added to the original claim. The Company who put the handrail in originally were of course closed the week after Christmas, but a phone call to them was so politely received, I was really sorry to have to ask them to remove the handrail. Not to worry, they said, when can we come to do something about it - a date was set, and two very nice young men came along, altered the handrail, and it is now perfect. No charge again. There is goodness in the world after all.

Only last night I was thinking about your story and wondering how you got on, PRINTMISS. What wonderful service!