TheBanyanTree: Tired but happy

[John Bailey]

Tuesday May 3, 2005

TIRED BUT HAPPY

To Lincoln today, to catch the buzz, get an on-the-ground feel for the 
property market, and to do a little Starbucking and shopping on the side. 
We've been to Lincoln before of course but never before to explore the 
possibility of living there.

We were much taken with the city, strolling around, enjoying the liveliness 
and the energy of the place. This is a city, unlike many in the Midlands, 
which is distinctly and visibly on the up, with a good way to go and firm, 
obvious intent of getting there. It was a joy to visit Starbucks again, for 
the first time in many months.

"It's been too long," I said, slurping up my double espresso, good, strong 
and hot.

"You said it, chooky-boots."

"Even the music is good." They were playing some really decent old-school jazz.

"Yup. And if we come back before we leave for home we'll grab a bag of 
proper coffee."

We didn't make it back, sadly, but there will be another time. Probably 
quite a lot of them.

The shopping was productive, too, with Graham finding a new pair of Dr 
Marten boots and me doing a mini-restock in Marks & Spencer. I was in dire 
need of a new pair of slippers, some socks and underwear. The boots came 
from an exciting shop by the name of 'Blue Banana'. Why they called it 
that, I don't know but it's fun to speculate. Marks & Spencer was as boring 
as it ever was but I was buying uninteresting things, so it didn't really 
matter.

Then we hit Silver Street, just off Mint Lane, where the estate agents hang 
out, and surveyed several hundred house sale details. There are so many in 
our price range we soon experienced the old familiar feeling of 
bewilderment bordering on mania.

"This is doing my head in," I said. "Have we seen enough yet?"

"Me too. Yes, I think so. It's obvious we'll be able to find a place to do 
up or, if we come to prefer the idea, one in which we can live for a few 
years. Either way I think our cash'll be safe."

"Does that mean we can go home now?"

"Oh, yes. Mind you, we'll have to take a tour round the new developments on 
the way out of the city."

"Fine. And I need to call in at Tescos if we're going to eat this evening."

So, off we trotted, back to the car which had been safely lodged for free 
in a wide disabled driver's space in one of the multi-storey car parks. 
Driving out of the city was a little confusing at first because the road 
system takes you round in a big circle before allowing you to rejoin the 
main A158 (or something like that) heading out towards Horncastle and Spilsby.

It was an entirely successful exercise. We're not yet at the stage where we 
will register with the agents, pick up full particulars and go view houses, 
but it's patently obvious that we'll have no difficulty in finding the 
right property at a price we can afford. It'll take a while but any 
difficulty will be in testing our endurance, no more.

Now we need to wait out the visits from selling agents here and get the 
house on the market. That's going to take a full week, probably the best 
part of two. Which is fine, because I don't really fancy showing the house 
on my own while Graham is in Somerset next week.

Back home, Dolly greeted us fullsomely. I'm convinced she's well aware of 
what's going on. I'm not sure I am, but Dolly has it all under control. And 
so does Graham, of course. Me, I'm just whacked. Tired to the bone at the 
end of an active day. I think I've heard it described as tired but happy.


--

John Bailey   Lincolnshire, England

journal of a writing man:
<http://www.oldgreypoet.com>