Exchanges...Unknown Territory and a Natural Ending.

No exchange of contracts today after all. 

 A lot of other kinds of exchanges though.

With the roofers.... and the loft clearers....and the buyer.... and the buyer's father.... and the estate agent..... and the seller's solicitors.... and the electrician.... and a cleaner.... and a carpet cleaner....and the building insurers.... and the bank.

And lots of other loving .....  and friendly..... and supportive exchanges too.

Although it feels like pushing jelly up a hill, it all means we are inching closer and closer to 30th July and THE END.

This afternoon when my head couldn't entertain another exchange I went out into the front garden with my secateurs and cut back waving lavender stems and straggly hedge branches and the fuschia bush growing over the front railings....but not very far. 

The  council highways department stuck a letter through my post box the other day saying the overhanging vegetation was an obstruction and if I didn't put it right in 14 days they would rectify it and charge me.

 I won't be here in 14 days but it seems churlish to leave it for my buyers.

It's been raining tonight .....the smell of rain on hot earth and hot pavements filtering in though all the open windows.....the scents and memories of my African childhood seeping into my skin.

19 months since Robin passed.....doesn't sound very long to me but it's been the longest loss I've known.

 And as I'm approaching a very big unknown territory, this is my last blog from this house....another natural ending in the wings.