The Slough of Despond.

                I am not casting aspersions on Slough which is, I'm sure, a perfectly nice place to live. No, I'm actually referring to the state of mind which most of us endure at some time or other: that of feeling so low that life doesn't seem worth living in its current condition. We are in the throes of a dire situation, given the dreaded Pandemic and of course the looming "no deal Brexit" - both of which are giving us a really hard time. What to do? Well if you happen to be a University  student, your options are even more limited than those of  the rest of us. You have to stay put in your accomodation (which by the way is costing you a fortune, whether you are using it or not) you can't go out to the pub or a restaurant, and now there's the prospect of not being allowed to go home for Christmas. What bloody rubbish - and I don't care if they set the Stasi on me - we have to speak out when life becomes so absurd. As far as the rest of us are concerned, we are all being urged to upload this App or that App, follow the guidance issued by the (ridiculously inept) Government and, in other words, DO AS WE ARE TOLD. Well sorry, I'm not doing the bidding of this fat, white, entitled and corrupt  so-called Government. .Nothing will convince me that they have my best interests at heart. So eat that Bojo.

                On a brighter personal note, Big Grandson, who is 16, has started at his 6th Form College in Lewes, where he is taking Art & Design and Photography, plus re-taking Maths, and he is happy as a clam. He likes his Tutors and has met some new mates, which is all wonderful news. He is already very much into the Art subject and is doing some great drawing and really enjoying working on the projects he's been set. This is all great and although the nett result is that he doesn't come to stay with  me, I'm delighted that he is becoming more independent and confident with every day. He is obviously meeting young people with the same interests and talents and is running with it. Long  may it last!

So far the Pandemic has not touched either us as a family, Daughter's workplace or Grandson's College. It does seem strange that there is apparently so much infection around us and yet we remain free of it. So far that is! I hope that you have all been similarly fortunate.

 

11

Stronger Together

      Another long gap in communication, and I'm all out of excuses. I'm not moving after all - at least not yet - and still searching around for some certainty! I had sold my house (to the busy woman and her husband), but after two whole months of looking far and near with nothing even remotely nice appearing, I had to change my mind and stop the sale. I could picture myself standing outside with a couple of suitcases, waving gooodbye to the furniture van and having nowhere to go.  It was a very scary prospect. Having had a couple of weeks to think about it since, I believe it was because I have always had a clear vision of where I was moving to in the past, and I don't have that now.
      So now I'm considering renting in Sitges (half an hour from Barcelona by car or train), possibly followed by buying in Sitges, and trying to decide what to do with this house in the meantime. There are many options: renting this house out furnished, or unfurnished, or not renting it! Or even doing an Air BnB with it..( Actually I'd happily do nothing with it until I'm sure what I want.)  Ideally I will go out to Spain for a short recce first, in September, to see how I might feel about living there. And then I could get a Winter rental there so that I could keep warm and learn  more about the place. Son and his family are also considering a move, either in Barcelona or possibly to Sitges, so we might even join together - or not! See what I mean? I must say that the prospect of packing up everything in this house and stashing it in the garage is extremely daunting. Sensible, but daunting. Anyway, because of various happenings, nothing is happening right now! Son and family have left Barcelona  for the summer (much too hot to stay) and are in Warsaw (with her Mother and friends), followed by the Polish Lake District, followed by a few days together at a lovely Spa, followed by London, followed by here in sunny Shoreham for the last week in August. That leaves me in an uneasy situation where I feel rather isolated, as if I should be doing something positive, and yet I know there's nothing to be done until the beginning of September! Heigh Ho!
      And in the meantime, Daughter and family are still in Hove, with Big Grandson having celebrated his 15th Birthday (he's now 6ft. tall), and have settled in with New Bloke and two of his children and the dog. It's been two years now, so they are more settled.  Big Grandson and Little Granddaughter are supposed to be dividing their time between Daughter and their Dad, who also lives in Hove. It's sort of working, but isn't exactly ideal. I know I couldn't have done that kind of time division with my children, but then it was a long time ago and I'm an old fashioned old fart.
      Actually, the reason for naming this post "Stronger Together" was mainly to do with the political situation and the dreaded Brexit! I'm a strong Remainer, mainly because I'm old enough to remember what it was really like before we joined the EU. And I have no wish to go back there - what I'd like to see is a strong alliance of  all the parties who are in favour of us being in the EU - and all pulling together. I just don't believe that anything other than disaster will come out of Brexit. I love being European, and separating ourselves on this little island, with the likes of Boris Johnson, Slimy Gove  and Rees-Mogg to look after our welfare seems a really stupid thing to do.  And as for the wavering, havering Jeremy (I'm not in opposition) Corbyn, well my patience has long been exhausted. I'd tie them all together and launch them off the white cliffs into the sea - and good riddance. I'm not alone when  I say that this whole debacle has convinced me never to vote either Labour or Tory ever again. So there!
     

In the bleak Midwinter

      We really are in the grip of a bleak Midwinter right now - or it is threatened hourly if you turn on the radio or the TV. Actually it's not too bad here, if you don't mind zero temperatures and wearing extra layers. But here I still am, blocked from moving in any direction until my house is actually sold. I say actually because firm offers are no good without a sale to back them up. Two very nice ladies are each keen to buy this house, but still have houses to sell. Stalemate. And meanwhile I haver and twist and turn, changing my mind in every possible direction while waiting for the dreaded Brexit to strike us all down.
      God knows what we will all be doing in a couple of months time. Running out of everything if some people are to be believed, and stockpiling cans of beans. Heaven knows I don't want to go back 40 years, which is what Brexiteers apparently find so attractive.I can actually remember what it was like; there were strikes and shortages and power cuts galore, and we hadn't long been free of War and Rationing. Oh yes, we still had our Empire, and all the ill-gotten gains that went with it, but surely we have come far enough to see that it was generally awful? I won't be one of the people gaily jumping off the white cliffs in a couple of months time. I'm just hoping we come to our collective senses before then and chuck Teresa May, Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage, Michael Gove and the horrible Jacob Rees Mogg over the edge instead - oh and let's include Mr. Ghastly May too and may he take his Hedge Fund profits with him. I'd also chuck Jeremy Corbyn over with them - let them fight it out as they fall. Corbyn has missed his moment and his chance, all of us who want a say in our futures now that some of the facts are known, have been royally stuffed by the lot of them. In fact, let's tie them all together so that they go down with a proper thump. And good riddance.
      I'd have David Lammy for PM (I know he's MP for Tottenham, but that's just a coincidence), or Caroline Lucas - at least they each have an honest approach to politics. But my best candidate would be Gareth Southgate, England Football Manager and a man of Integrity with a capital I. As far as I can see, he would be our best hope: he thinks before he speaks, tells the truth in tricky situations and loves this country while appreciating the contributions made by people from around the world. The fact that he is not a Politician is, as far as I can see, a real advantage. That means he's not greedy, corrupt or dishonest. Bring him on..
 

Going where the Weather suits my Clothes...

       Well, this is another 'volte face' from me, and after another long absence. I'm moving, and not just back to Hove, but on to France! The last few months have been pretty stressful and I finally came to the conclusion that I need a complete change of scene: in fact a complete change of  Life. So in my absence from Blogging I've been exploring on the internet, in property magazines, and asking anyone who was willing for their advice and help. It turns out that people are mostly inclined to be very helpful, and so I found myself at the end of September whizzing off to the Canal du Midi area of France to meet some Estate Agents and look at a few properties. This entailed flying to Carcassonne, hiring a car from there and driving to Lezignan Corbieres where I was met by the lovely Lorna Roscow and her husband Jason, and sheperded to a dear little house in Fabrezan for a 3 night stay.
       ( I should say that the journey from here to Stansted was a bit of a nightmare, as the first train I boarded was cancelled before it even moved. Altogether the journey took more than 3 hours. And the train fare (£60.60 for a return) was more expensive than my return  flight to Carcassonne!! )
       Anyway, that aside it was lovely once I got to France  (after the unpleasant car-hire rip-off) and driving  in France was as good an experience as it usually is on their superb roads. Glorious weather, boiling hot, clear blue skies and friendly people. What more could I ask. The next day Lorna and Jason took me around and showed me 3 houses - one of which I had thought might be perfect and was a great disappointment - and a couple more which were nicer, but not quite right. ( I should tell you that my wish list contains 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a swimming pool, near the Canal du Midi.)  Thankfully they were happy to do the driving so I could look around at the villages and the countryside, and I'm absolutely sure that it's the perfect location...
      Next day I had another morning with Lorna and Jason, though nothing I saw quite hit the spot. And then the afternoon adventure began with a phone call from Richard Pullen (of Pullen Estates France) who was keen to show me 3 properties, and also to get me involved with a TV crew (French) who were doing a short piece on why English people might be buying property in France to escape from Brexit... Ho ho, I certainly fell into that category and so I was perfectly willing to be interviewed, tho' I didn't fancy the driving through unfamiliar territory to get there! Richard bravely and very kindly offered to come and collect me (and then drive me back) so that is what we did. And one of the houses I saw that afternoon may well be the one for me! I think the test for this is whether or not you can  picture yourself in the house and I can - I have been back here in boring Shoreham for nearly 3 weeks (18 days to be precise) and I am planning to go back to Bize Minervois very soon. Hopefully with Son who, if you recall, lives in Barcelona and is therefore only a two and a half  hour drive away from the house I like.  He has an unerring eye when it comes to property and I always value his opinion.  Fingers crossed....