Old fools on the move

At last! My latest book, One Young Fool in Dorset, is published. Thank you to the hundreds of you who pre-ordered it. By now it should have appeared magically on your Kindles, iPads, Nooks, or Kobos. It’s also available in Paperback and Large Print. I do hope you enjoy it!

So, what else has been happening?

Joe has now begun his treatment and is back here in Spain. He’ll need to return to the UK in the autumn for check-ups and radio therapy.

What a response we had from our last newsletter! Within minutes of clicking ‘send’, my inbox began to light up. Words cannot express how grateful and humbled Joe and I are for the good wishes and positive thoughts from all over the world. Thank you.

We’ve come to terms with the fact that we need to sell our beloved home, and have had plenty of interest. It’s been a bit of a strain keeping everything tidy, but also interesting meeting the many viewers.

“It’s a lovely house,” said one family, “but we really need five bedrooms. Yes, you can see the sea from the balcony, but we wanted to be able to walk to the beach.”

It left Joe and I wondering whether they had read the particulars at all.

“No supermarket in the village?” asked a lady viewer, her high heels clacking on the floor tiles. “You buy your produce from vans that deliver?”

“Yes,” I replied. “It’s all locally produced and very fresh.”

“But what if you run out of martini, or nibbles, or something?”

We shrugged. The lady left, never to return.

A delightful German couple walked round the house.

“You haf a beautiful haus,” said the husband. “We would like to live here very much.”

I could sense a ‘but’ coming, and sure enough, it appeared.

“But you haf no space for a horse.”

We stared at them.

“No,” Joe agreed.

“Chickens, yes,” I said. “But horses? No.”

Then one day, it happened. A charming couple viewed the house, and made it instantly clear that they loved everything about it. They loved the peace and quiet, they wanted to raise chickens and they didn’t need a supermarket or space for a horse. Next day, they made an offer, and we agreed on a price.

So is the house sold?

Yes, we think so.

But until a deposit is paid, we won’t crack open a bottle of Paco’s wine.

And anyway, we’re certainly not in a hurry to go.

Do join me on Facebook  to find out how we’re coping, day to day…