Contrasts

After packing up I nipped round to K’s to finalise our Sydney accommodation booking and she made me a fortifying breakfast then I set off on the long drive home. Really straightforward with no holdups at all, so I cruised along listening all the while to The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell. As always with her work I was totally engrossed and the time sped by. Decided to drive via A&N’s new house to get a feel for the village and road she’ll commute on. What a set of contrasts…the big town hall from a time when it was/challenging to be the county town of Berwickshire but also an old closed ‘internet cafe’, then an old fashioned tea shop next to the pub. The man who did the conversion to their house has lived in the village all his life as does his Dad the stonemason who helped him, and he says there’s a lively village atmosphere and nearby arts venue and all sorts of other activities. The Borders scenery it nestles in is very beautiful and it’s close to Duns, Kelso, Lauder and Melrose so lots to explore. Looking forward to future weekends getting to know the place.
Got home and they were bubbling with excitement about it and all their plans for furniture and the garden etc. they’re going to be busy…not least because A starts work on a Masters module next month too! Can’t quite imagine what it will be like when they move out….!
Had a quiet TV evening whilst they filled in mortgage forms etc. they’re both over Covid/colds but mine lingers on with sneezing and coughing bouts and I’m fed up of it now.