Arrival home was rather warming as our first impressions of Britain having been a way a year were positive to say the least. We met smiling officials, courteous drivers and swathes of green fields, plus of course rain. Of course being here now for six weeks the gloss has worn off a bit and I am back up to full rant again cursing drivers and pedestrians alike for every minor infringement of the Highway Code as seen by yours truly!
So, having started talking again (Mrs H and I) we camped out at my Aunts for ten days while hunting for a suitable house to rent. It was very much thanks to my Aunt that we where able to start the serious search for a suitable place where we could fit our belongings. However, we soon discovered that rents had risen and on top of that we found a shortage of properties that were not scruffy student houses or tucked away in the less desirable streets of Portsmouth.
Given the state of the housing market at the moment we have decided to become "property vultures" and lay (I am not sure vultures actually lay) in wait for a house that is blocking a chain or where someone is desperate to sell and want to grab our money and run. As I write, the papers are reporting massive reductions in both property sales and values. Now all we have to do is find the right place.
I am now fully familiar with the neighbours, the Newsagents and the various convenience stores nearby as well as with the local pubs, walks and branches of B&Q and PC World. Now don't get me wrong here, I am NOT getting into DIY as you all well know my thoughts and limitations in that respect.
I am however getting back to my photography now that I have a decent camera and a target subject (more on that in a later posting). One of my projects has been to get some night time photographs in and around Portsmouth but I have found this particular hazardous in that I fear that I may be mistaken for peeping tom or worse and then either arrested or beaten up by local vigilantes! I even had to think twice about taking photos in the local park when I found myself pointing the camera a a group of rather mouthy teenagers and a toddlers playground in behind them. See where I'm going with this? Anyway, my night time activities were uneventful so I called V on the way home and asked her if she could come and collect me from Kingston Crescent Police Station where I have been taken after being mistaken for a participant in the local "dogging" goings on on Portsdown Hill.... well, against all my expectations - She believed me!! It took only few minutes to put her right though and come down off the ceiling. I am not about to explain what "dogging" is here suffice to say... it's not strictly legal in all parts of the UK.
House hunting..... who said the falling house prices would make it easy to make a killing? There are still people here who think that their house prices are going to bounce back in the next year or so and there is no way of convincing them otherwise. I am donning my vulture outfit and hanging about the Estate Agents now like the Grim Reaper.
I have gained a new feline friend, "Mango" the 18 year old Black (former Tomcat) from next door. He is the fittest most laid back 18 year old cat I have ever met. OK, by now you are worried about me and cats, I can understand that but let me indulge myself. I was also shocked to see my young friend from San Carlos roaming about the garden here looking non the worse for a thousand mile trek but on second glance I saw it was only Uva's lookalike.
Since getting back the "old" Spanish Group have met up and been eating at our favourite eateries but already have disagreed on quality of the food. Mr B (not me) has selected the next venue in Old Portsmouth and we have resolved to tell him it was rotten regardless of how good it actually may be!
Met up with old work colleagues the other day and have decided I am so much better off out of it all.... it was good to see that they all looked so prosperous and none the worse for being rid of me!
I am off to London on the 9th November for the Remembrance Sunday Parade which is a first for me and somewhat of an emotional journey as it will be the first time I will have actually marched in the parade. I have my Regimental tie all ready as well as some suitable head wear that I may or may not wear on the day.. we will have to see. So you must tune in to BBC TV to watch the march past the Cenotaph and see if you can catch a glimpse of me in the RAOC Association contingent marching at a sedate 100 paces to the minute. Of course if you are in Spain or further east then you will need to add the hours necessary to catch up! Oh and yes, I can still march.
Enough for now ... keep reading ....
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