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It was such a nice day we took a drive to Wingham and then on to Ash.
I think Spring has sprung from the flowers that are starting to come out.
On the way back we decided to have our lunch and a pint (for Mal!) out. We went to the Sportsman at Cliffs End. It is the first time we have been in it for years. It used to be a really grotty pub. Not any more and a really nice couple running it. It’s dog friendly and Ellie was even given a bowl of water and a treat and then she just lay under our table, so well behaved!
I suppose now is the time to reveal why Mal and I were excited. We have been looking for another house to rent. We are not buying a house yet until we make our minds up exactly where we want to live, that coupled with the fact that we believe house prices will fall. Maybe right or wrong but meanwhile it is nice getting to know other areas of Thanet. We have had a problem that so many people want rented properties and there are so few around. This has meant we have spent the last couple of months signing on and visiting hundreds of estate agents around the area. In fact we have been doing this daily! No they don’t phone you if a property comes up as they really don’t have to work, just too many people waiting. So, this has been really hard work.
Recently we went to see one that an agent in Wingham had on their books. We made sure they knew us and Ellie by frequently going in the office. Finally we had it down to two properties. Last week we were due to see a landlord in Wingham but the day before a decision was made on a house we so wanted. Something we never thought we would get in the UK (without paying an arm and a leg) was a sea view. We were the first to see the house and coincidently the landlord walked in as the agent was showing us round. There were rumours that because of previous tenants who cost him £15 K to evict, he didn’t want dogs, so I asked him would he consider us. He said everyone on their merits. Fair enough. We told the agent we wanted it and he said he had another 10 people to show it to. We also had to give our notice in two days following the viewing or we would have to pay an extra months rent where we are.
That afternoon the agent rang and asked us to take Ellie down to meet the landlord as this is one of two cottages on a working farm and he wanted to ensure Ellie got on with his three dogs. So it all hung on Ellie!! We went to the farm and he came into the huge garden with his wife, his black lab, cream lab and a spaniel. The four dogs chased all over the place and loved playing with each other. The farmer , Guy, then started saying “if you want this or that doing to the house……..”, so I asked if we had it and he replied “well, the dogs get on.” That was it!!!
Credit check this week and contracts signed today. We get the keys on a very lucky Friday 13th!! The cottage is newly decorated and carpeted and we have views out over the bay. The Sportsman we went to today will be one of our locals. We have been told there are tunnels from the farm land which we can use. I think these are from the smuggling days. We just can’t believe how lucky we are and the bonus, it is £200 cheaper a month than where we are living.
The house we are now living in is expensive and in spite of that the landlady has not done repairs she should have done and she also burnt the entire lawn with weed killer. The back door is insecure and she has no intention of replacing it. I could go on and on………….. Also the village we are in, has nothing, even the pub closed down.
In the new cottage, from the front door we could walk to Whitstable one way and to Sandwich the other along the coastal path. It also has huge lobbies at the front and back doors…ideal for wet/muddy dogs! In fact it has everything we need.
Happy people!
We watched Crufts again in the evening. Ellie sat watching it with us, she seems to enjoy it!
Thought for the Day – “Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” ~ Marcus Aurelius