Thursday, October 21, 2010

The house buying queen ...

... hits the road today. Goodness me what a whirl it is. Yesterday, 3 estate agents came round and valued our flat rather higher than we actually thought it was going to be, 2 of them estimating it at the £240k mark, though the other agent valued it ridiculously highly. So, with cautious smiles on our faces, we have discounted the latter and gone with one of the other two agents and it should be on all the usual house-buying websites sometime fairly soon. Gosh, I almost sound like an adult, ho ho.

In the meantime, I have been viewing. I didn't like yesterday's house in Bramley though it was very well done indeed. The rooms simply felt a bit small and the garden ditto. This morning was a riot - the first house the agent took me to see we couldn't actually get into as the lock was jammed, poor chap. It's burglar-proof for sure ... Though now I've seen the location, I'm not as keen as I was. The second viewing was then cancelled as the house-owner couldn't get home in time (I'm not really sure why they need to be there at all - is it my criminal past??), but that one I would like to reschedule if we can. The third viewing was of a property in Normandy which is our favourite so far (K managed to make it there during his lunch hour, hurrah!), though there's not much to compare it with yet. The rooms downstairs were a bit small but two of the bedrooms were spacious and it had a good garden, though whether we can manage one-third of an acre is anyone's guess, frankly. And the location is pretty dang good too. We'll see, eh. A lot depends on whether we can get a buyer for our place - then and only then do people start to look at us as a serious option.

Other life excitements this week is that I've had my annual flu jab - though I nearly forgot to pay and was halfway down the Tesco aisle before I remembered and hurried back - they were very grateful! And isn't Whitechapel just great - I can't wait for next Monday's episode. It's utterly bizarre, but gripping and the characters are wonderful.

Book news:

I have a fabulous new cover for my upcoming GLBT short story, Brady's Choice, which I love as it's incredibly strong as an image in my view. The story is due out on 23 January and you can read the beginning here.  I'm also pleased to say that The Hit List found itself at No 64 in the Amazon charts though it's dropped a little now.

And my review of Natasha Solomons' Mr Rosenblum's List can be found at Vulpes Libris today. A decent enough story, but not very meaty and I think the real plot lies in the war ...

Anyway, here are this week's meditations:


Meditation 446
Under this dry river bed
the secret water flows

diamond-bright
when it comes

and blood-red
when it goes.


Meditation 447
All you really need
for a miracle

are a few drops of oil,
a lot of empty jars

and the will to begin.

Anne Brooke

6 comments:

Lover of Books, Films and Good Coffee Shops Everywhere! said...

So glad you've got a good estimate for your flat, let's hope someone snaps it up. I love 'house shopping' but do prefer it when the owners aren't there as you don't have to keep saying 'mmm, lovely' all the time when you're really thinking 'what a pokey hole -get me out of here' - tee hee!

I'm loving Whitechapel too - I love that they've given the lead character OCD - the light switch scene was so well acted and I adore Phil David - he's so great and in so many things (I call him 'shake me up judy' which was his catch phrase in Bleak House.

Sue

Anne Brooke said...

Thanks, Sue - I hope so too! And we're planning to hide if viewers come round so we don't put them off by being too scary! The agent much prefers taking people round on her own and I'm happy with that :))

Yes, that light scene in Whitechapel was amazing - I really felt for him!!!

Anne
xxx

csmith said...

COME TO BRAMLEY. WE HAVE...um...um... um... possibly a surfeit of my company after the next few weeks?

Anne Brooke said...

Too far south unless something stunning comes up - and that of course will be you!!! :)) Hope all ok and work not too horrible ...

Anne
xxx

Paul Andrew Russell said...

Good luck with the house buying and the sale of your flat, Anne. :-)

Anne Brooke said...

Thank you! :))