Thursday 11th February 2010

Short pip today - bit of a lull while we wait for Birthday and news about the rental to come through. Trip to the shops this morning as we'd run out of everything, and then while the Daddy went to work we hurried off to the beach for a bit of a dip. The Littles is getting much more gung-ho on the whole swimming thing, and we barely go to the little pool and the sand any more, just straight to the big pool and the jumping in and swimming. About an hour and a half this morning, and another hour this evening. She's certainly not sufferring from lack of opportunity to practice. This evening she went out quite, quite a long way to try and retrieve her float (unsuccessfully, it bobbed off out of reach faster than she could make it there), and then came back (I was all ready to leap in in case she konked out but no, fine, made it to the shallows on her own) - must have been a good 25 meters by the time she went there and back, at least. Zero points on style but about 200 for effort, as usual. Had to get into the water and do 'mummy taxi' (swimming with her sitting on my back - walking was about twice as slow because the bottom's so slippery one makes no headway) to retrieve the float. Still, good progress, albeit not quite in the orthodox manner that one of my persuasion might desire but still, you know. Not bad. She's also getting much better at submerging her head and managing to breathe out while under water, which is a huge bonus. I've just ordered her a flipper and snorkel set to see if it helps with creating a more horizontal posture, and OH yes I've just found a second-hand wetsuit (for me) for all of $40 including postage- fantastic! With my low-thermo-phobic tendencies it could be a real boon.

Meanwhile, on the rental front we're still waiting to hear - I checked up on them today and they' said that the application is with the owners today and they should hear back tomorrow. Fingers crossed. However, as before, it's not the end of the world if we don't get it but it would be convenient. Also (on a different rental front) we heard from the Welham Green people today who said that hallelujah the tenants have got a place to stay from the 1st March - so only one month overdue, could be worse - of course one can't actually believe it until the place is empty and then god knows what state they'll leave it in but at least it'll be a step forward. The new place is also through Welham Estates so fingers crossed hopefully it CAN'T fall through... though stranger things have been known to happen. For anyone that hadn't heard, these tenants were meant to be out by January 31st, but when we were about to ask Ian's uncle (who lives nearby) to go into the property and check the attic after they left, we found out that actually they weren't moving out on the date specified, but were doing some 'redecorating' and supposedly moving out in a few days time. Ho hum - well then a few days elapsed and actually we found out that no, they didn't have a place to go to- either through incompetence, laziness or pure guile. So I asked the agent to initiate court proceedings against them to get them out - the whole process including bailiffs can take up to about three months so there wasn't a moment to be lost. After a few days (which is now) they've come back with this latest.... it really is screwy but what can one do. I have a good mind to keep the court proceedings ongoing just in case anyone pulls a fast one YET again. Really need to get this place sold and the cash into Australia. Oh, and the other delightful thing was that although they signed the lease as 3 adults and 1 child, they had at the last visit still the three adults but FOUR children, in the three bedroom house. Can you imagine the chaos??? In a 3 bed house??? Not a hope in hell of selling that while they're there. Seems they've been using it as an illegal-importing station to get grandchildren into the UK from Zimbabwe. Oh the joys that are out there to be shared. Well in the larger scheme of things, I know, not huge but actually if they delay the selling process until after the next general election we really could loose out big time because if we fail to capitalise on any favourable blip in the exchange rate we would loose out tens of thousands. On the other hand of course there could be no blip, and we could just lose tens of thousands just like that anyway because of the shit economy but then I guess that's life too. Anyway, that was a marginally good bit of news. with the stress on 'marginally'.
Ok bored of writing now. Best go and wrap the Littles's presents. Lots of love to you all, Vx xxxxx