under another sun

The sinister head of Thomas Carlyle Feeling positively cheerful today. Loads to organise still, but feeling at last like I was getting a grip. The best thing was I think I have found the cause of the damp problem. I walked around to the neighbours behind me and when they let me into their yard, I discovered they have built a rock garden right up to the air brick. On top of the rock garden was a rock head of Thomas Carlyle The earth had settled in a way around this bust that, when it rained, water simply poured into the wall. With a little bit of clearing away, and the head displaced, I am fairly confident that this will have drastically lessened the problem. They were really nice neighbours too: a retired academic specialising in China, and his pleasant wife. Some of my cards came through today too, so I am solvent again, which is a relief. Lots of clearing up to do, and the place looks messier than ever, with damp things being dragged from the cupboards under the stairs, piles of book...