ROUND TWO WITH MR WEARING

Wednesday 3 February 2016

Torrential rain
10 degrees

Round two with Mr Wearing.  He was waiting outside the hotel, rucksack in hand and he got in and said Good Morning and he had been comfortable at the hotel. I put on a classical music station to cover the void and off we roared to see a house which I had taken on, against my better judgment.  It is near a very busy road and the owners suggested that I approach it by the side in order for the client to appreciate the quietness of the house from that direction. What they didn't tell me is that the side road is very narrow and the numbering eccentric. I really hope I can get the car out of here again in one piece.

The best feature of the house is the pool room.  It houses a large swimming room, wall length mural and a bar and BBQ.  It makes you feel that you are in Martinique rather than a small and boring town, whose shops only open when they feel like it.  The rest of the house is a bit of a rat hole, with small rooms stuffed with furniture and effects, only two bedrooms and a strange add on kitchen and conservatory.  The owners talk a lot, which for once is a bit of a relief, and they don't seem to notice that Mr W is an elective mute.  They even offer him coffee which he accepts and so we sit in the pool room and admire the mural.  The palm trees almost seem to wave in a Summer breeze and the beach is inviting.  Alas, all too soon we are back in the car and going to see the second house.  He says he quite likes this one.

The rain is so heavy that the car is being power washed and I note it is cleaner now than when I took it to the car wash the other day.  A rainbow arches over the town.

It is now lunch time and I find a boulangerie and we have some small quiches and then press on to the afternoons viewings nearer the mountains.  The first house is one I absolutely love and where normally the man scowls and says nothing and sucks on his electric cig and the lady is lovely and effusive.  I don't know what had transpired during lunch but they were both very withdrawn. Only the spaniel was pleased to see us.  Mr W asked if he could take pictures and they said no.  Oh dear....  He liked this one too.  I then took him to see an empty house and ran out into the garden to get some fresh air.  He smelled of old man today.  The car was full of it.  Sprayed around some air freshener. Then back to my town and he picked up his car and said would I please not drive fast and lose him.  Was amused as OH says I am the slowest driver on the Planet.  I tell him that is what it is like to respect speed limits.

I get in my car and open all the windows to let out the old man smell and put something more funky on the radio and OMG he is such a slow driver.  We eventually get to the last house and he really likes this.  He says he will do a run through with his wife, who works in the public sector and is presumably more eloquent, and then they will be back.  I ask him to just briefly rank the houses we have seen in order of preference and he replies that it is hard to concretise his thoughts.  FFS how am I supposed to transmit that to all of the sellers, who are now waiting for feedback!!!

He goes slowly down the hill and I admire the wild violets and primroses flourishing on a sunny bank.  Back home and take dog into the woods.  OH still down the rental unit, battling with some handles which are refusing to go onto the kitchen units.  Oh to win the lottery and have someone do it, where you cant see the joins.  The first hellebores are in full flush, their strange green petals and yellow stamens standing in stark contrast to the dark woodland floor. Glorious.

green hellebore flower