Green Tortoise Beetle

I'd never seen one of these before, only coming into the light as I spun the pot of the Bishop of Llandaff Dahlia around to face the garden so viewers could get the colour....

Ah yes. Viewers. So about 3 weeks or so ago we had an offer accepted on a smallholding near Jedburgh. It's been the dream for so long, and suddenly it's very real. Mel had actually started a sabbatical from work at the start of 2020 for us to make this happen. And then Covid.

Fast forward though, and with the end of the sabbatical looming, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Plenty to iron out yet, but the sellers were getting jumpy that our house(s) (we're moving with George, my father-in-law, there's a bungalow on the land for him) weren't on the market yet. The pin was pulled, and they went live at midday on Friday. 

Within half an hour we had our first offer, subject to viewing, but for an amount somewhat in excess of our offers over price. We turned that down, better to go to a closing in our view, where you get plenty interest, and if someone drops out you have back-ups. The housing market is living up to its barmy, aiming-for-post-Covid, current position. Houses like ours, with gardens and space, are simply going nuts.

not counting any chickens, but with 13 people booked into half hour slots today (one no-show), and 8 (I think) booked in for each of the following two evenings, and on the basis of the offer already received, I think we 'might' end up with more left over to carry out more than just the essential works on the place we're buying (there's a LOT of work to do there).

Tiring though. Very very tiring.

Just hope some of the people we liked the most are amongst the highest bidders once we set a closing date (which won't be long by the looks of it).

George's viewings start on Wednesday, so we'll see if that plays out just as hectic.