Refugees

Sweet peas - also refugees, couldn't leave them behind.
Just as well.  It's snowing on and off today 'though I can start to harden them off as sun (!) is forecast from tomorrow onwards.
 
It's looking like a minimum of another two weeks before we can go home, possibly longer.  The council are threatening to do the work to make the building safe/carry out the repairs/or demolish it (!) and bill the residents for the costs IF they don't come up with a start date to making the building safe by mid-day today (just passed).  I'm not holding my breath, it is now a negotiation as the residents apparently have a cheaper quote for the work than the council.  A waiting game in which I have absolutely no power to influence events.

The world continues to hold and support me.  The friend I'm staying with went off on a six week house-sitting job yesterday so I now have the flat to myself.  So very lucky.  The flat is directly across the road from the Buddhist Temple so I finally managed to make it to the Yi Jin Jing class - I could barely walk afterwards, it's deceptively intense.  But I feel it is perfect for ankle/body rehab as I had to stop swimming a few weeks back as it was just making the ankle injury too sore.  The combo of stretching and strengthening in this class will do me the world of good.  I also managed to get down to the gym for a bit of cardio, delighted to find that the recumbent bike and cross-trainer don't irritate my ankle.  Basically I'm on an enforced holiday from being a householder and many of my routine habits.

Thanks you for all your kind words of support, me and the sweet peas are doing fine.  The novelty might wear off but it hasn't yet.

Edit:  the council have taken at least the first stage out of the residents' hands.  They couldn't come up with the cash to secure their cheaper contractors by the council's deadline, needed 'a few more days to raise the cash.'  I'm entirely sympathetic to their plight but also glad to have some sort of decisive action, or promise of action, taken.  It's been a week now and likely to be at least another two till the 'making safe' work is done.  Funny how even a guesstimate changes your mindset, encouraging planning and tempting you out of the present moment to moment experience.  Xx