Starting again

Long and good chat with Mum this morning, and again later in the afternoon after we got Toby's message that he and Romy were flying off to Japan. It's at times like this that there are disadvantages in having a far-flung family.

Later I went round to Janet and Ken as I hadn't been able to reach them by phone. Just as the stress was lifting after the turbulent granddaughter had been returned to Italy, Janet has discovered a lump in her breast and is going into hospital to have it checked out next week. Ken looking brighter than he has for some time however.

Home to get some of the drips of agency work done that have come through in the last week done. Also had a long chat with Bob. Good to hear from him, and Carl, Bob and I are planning to meet up next month in London.

Later in the afternoon Lorraine and I looked at another house, and Lorraine booked up a couple more for us to look at tomorrow too. Starting again, we are adopting a new strategy, looking at houses that are cheaper, empty and in need of lots of work. This one turned out to be in an ideal location, at a price we could afford without a mortgage, but it would need some structural work. Quite stimulated by this rethink, not least by the idea of having no mortgage.

Another walk around the park this evening, and a quiet night.