Mixed bag today folks. This whole thing is going to be a rollercoaster I know, but it’s entirely possible I’m going to have some sort of nervous breakdown before this is over.

We finished yesterday on a high after our meeting with a most agreeable estate agent (who knew they existed) and a valuation that’s higher than anticipated, backed up by a property that’s sold a few doors down for a bit more. The joys of having a somewhat quirky house are that it’s difficult to benchmark because there’s no direct comparison, but we’re lucky to be on a street that is made up of some pretty big detached houses which helps with the ceiling price. Add in school catchment areas and it seems we’re in a good place. Valuation 2 and 3 still to come but feeling good about things.

Yesterday then culminated in me passing out exhausted at 8.30pm last night, only to be woken by an alarm at 7.00am this morning to get to the vets for 8.00am. No I’m not getting him indoors “done”, we were finally getting our pet passports sorted out for the fur kids. Some of you will already know that the vets sent me on a wild goose chase to DEFRA, who absolutely couldn’t give a monkeys about our France plans, then a very helpful online forum told me how much it should cost, seemingly anything from £60 up, but no two figures were the same, sigh…..

I was cheered when I rang the vets again to book them in that they seemed to have upped their knowledge game, and appointments were duly made.

After the amusement of our favourite ginger dreadlocked vet popping out of a consultation room and shouting cheerily “Tinkerbell please”, we were ushered through into another room. I’m with Supervet on the whole, one medicine thing. Doctors could learn a tonne from Vets bedside manner for one. It’s also bloody easier to get an appointment….. 2 rabies vaccinations done, bit of a yelp from Cleo, nothing from Shelly, he’s a Tonka toy, and the promise of chicken nuggets we headed home, the very precise sum of £311 poorer. Lots of humorous banter around what would happen if dogs passports had the retinal scanning thing like in airports. “Paws on the marks on the floor please sir, remove your hat and glasses”. 😂

I’ve been properly exhausted today, absolutely bushed. Needed to paint the skirting boards in the hall where I’d filled some cracks earlier in the week, and spilt white gloss paint on the stair carpet. Could have cried. Managed to get it out I think, it was like I watched it happen in slow motion.

In the summer house I’d been doing some cleaning and caught what must have been the tip of a rawl plug and dragged out a bit of plaster, smaller than a 5p piece, on a deep purple wall. @#@@##@#!!!!! Never mind, thought I, I think there is a tin of that paint, I’ll touch it up. It’s quite an old tin and it had separated out quite badly. It’s like I’ve touched up a dark aubergine colour with lilac paint! Gah!!!!

A lovely lady at B&Q explained that Craig and Rose paint contains something in the pigment which darkens over time, hence the colour difference! But if I can bring her a paint chip she can colour match me a tester pot for £3! I may have told her that I love her and I may not be allowed in the store tomorrow for being a crazy lady. We shall see!!

Then I have Craig away all of next week in Slovenia, probably when we’ll be getting the photography done. Then possibly in South Africa the week after, when the house will be listed and I’ll have viewings to deal with. We still need to do a level 2 de clutter and the place needs properly staging, an Ikea Swiss cheese plant, and half a dozen neatly fanned out copies of Reclaim magazine is not going to cut it! I shall channel my inner Beeny – I can do this!!

I neeed wine!!!!!

TTFN xx