Youngest daughter came with us yesterday to visit my Dad as it is half term and she is off work. It was nice for my sister and I to have an extra pair of hands as there is always a lot to sort out and also nice for my Dad, as youngest daughter is so interested in traveling, she loves to hear the tales of all his travels around the world. He has a story of something that happened in nearly every single country in the world! My Dad also had an appointment with a young man who had come from the company that supplies his Medicare alarm, so that is all sorted out for a year, although there will be a repeat service in six months. I did feel sorry for the young man having to do the servicing, and all the paperwork in yesterday's heat wearing a mask.
When youngest daughter and I got off the train and were walking the few minute walk back to our house, we stopped to look at the new house that is being built behind us. When we moved to this house seventeen years ago we were so thrilled with how quiet it was in the back garden. Although on quite a busy road the back garden was not overlooked at all. There are lots of large Edwardian houses at the back of us that have really enormous gardens. Many of them were quite overgrown and I think that is one of the reasons we had so much wildlife visiting the garden which we were so pleased about. Sadly over the last few years three houses have been built on land at the back and the builder tells us he is trying to buy the land adjacent to our garden to put two houses on. There is not a road down to the houses, just a narrow driveway so I am amazed he keeps getting planning permission. It has really changed the feel of the area and hedges and trees have been ripped out which is affecting the wildlife. It is hardly surprising the foxes have moved into our garden, it is almost the only little area left for them. I know we need houses but it feels as if every little empty space is being built on in this corner of the country.
Talking of houses, what on earth is happening with house buying at the moment! Eldest daughter and her partner are trying to move from their flat to a house and it is a total free for all! Every house they look at has about another 15 people viewing it on the same day, and they are all sold within a week. They have offered the full asking price on a couple of houses only to lose out to people who have offered way above them. She says house buying etiquette and good manners, if there ever was any, has gone completely out of the window. People are gazumping all over the place! They are on the verge of giving up and leaving it a few months to see if it settles down a bit as it all seems so stressful, but are worried if they do that and house prices continue to rise, they will regret it. I can't help but wonder if there may be a big crash on the way once the Stamp Duty holiday ends. There was an estate agent on the TV saying that wouldn't happen, but I thought he would say that! Only time will tell.
Poor Tom was back at work after two days off yesterday and has been feeling quite unwell after his second coronavirus vaccination. He has a sore throat and feels very achy. Only one more day though and then he is off for 17 days! He can't wait and he is definitely going a little demob-crazy I think! One other wonderful piece of news is there were no coronavirus deaths in this country in the last 24 hours, which is the first time since the pandemic started. Maybe one day we will get to no new cases reported in the day too, I hope so.
It is another lovely day today, I'm going to get walking the dogs out of the way early before it gets too hot and then am going to enjoy this lovely weather as much as I can. Our first roses have finally come out. It feels like it as been a long time coming this year but it feels all the nicer because of that. Have a lovely day everyone what ever you are doing. xx
