Lazy Sunday Afternoon

It's the third anniversary today of the purchase of our house. You can't imagine a more stressful performance. We strolled up the street from the bank to the Notary Public's office with €120 grand in cash in Jaki's handbag and in a process which took about 4 hours to complete and involved up to 14 people all crammed into the room together we eventually

sold our apartment
bought our house

paid off the former owner's mortgage

paid wads of tax on his behalf

had wads of advance capital gains tax deducted from our selling price.

So after a year in which we viewed over 30 properties, had our offer for the purchase of not one, not two, but three houses, accepted and then returned after the owners decided not to sell (like you do) and finally being gazundered twice by would be purchasers of our apartment, we had done it.

We collected the keys, sped up to the house, ran in and stood on the balcony in the sun and I rang my father. His reply to my garbled 'we've done it' message was

'did you watch that match on Saturday?'

So we're celebrating today by having a lazy day - I have a major hangover courtesy of the Posh-Taylors who took us out to El Sol de Siena last night for a fab five hour session of feasting and drinking.

We're having roast lamb with all the trimmings later but relaxing by the fire now.

Marli bagged pole position in front the fire

Flossie's on the settee

Mouse joined her there

Whilst Charlie stayed in his plant pot.

Spook is not with the other contestants in the Big Brother House.