RIP Hughie

We thought we heard something rustling in the undergrowth at the back of the garden, but put it down to a cat. It's more likely it was actually a fox. Hughie, our drake is missing from the garden. It's that time of year when foxes are having pups and get rather bold in the search for food, even coming out in broad daylight. Various attempts to locate him had failed miserably and it looks like the poor boy is fox dinner. Daisy duck doesn't seem to be too bothered, but it's a shame as he was a pretty inoffensive creature and one of the girls in particular was very fond of him and is devastated.

While out looking, we encountered three families walking down our street. Not one of them spoke English. This seems to be an increasingly common occurrence in this neck of the woods, which can't but have a detrimental effect on the education the kids receive. Nothing to do with the kids themselves, but with finite resources available schools simply can't do as much for the indigenous population when they have to teach half the class to speak the local lingo. It is one of the reasons we want to get out of the UK. This recent report merely reminds us that our decision to leave although a wrench, is the right thing long term.

Housing wise it seems we've actually managed to find somewhere to live for the next four months. Our first house fell through because someone else got in there with another agent an hour before us. This place will do - although it's smaller than ours and on a busy main road. Annoyingly it's a band E property which will be a nasty shock since our place is currently D. I'd never realised what a rip it is getting a rented property. Not only is the rent a total rip off, but you get lumbered with a deposit (only fair I suppose), a "reference fee" per person, a "guarantor fee" per person, "deposit protection fee", an ouchy "tenancy administration fee" and not forgetting the £200 "credit check"! FFS. . All of these are naturally excluding VAT. Add to that the requirement to have the carpets steam cleaned when you leave (by their approved contractor at vast expense, naturally) whether they need it or not just goes to show what an absolute rip it really is. However, as we're in the position of being able to pay cash up front, we are actually able to cut a deal which bypasses most if not all of these. We almost feel sorry for all those Polish folks now, having to deal with all this banditry.

I've also maybe found a home for the Benelli. This is a fine handling but hopelessly underpowered 350cc Italian motorcycle that I've owned for 25 years. I'm only getting peanuts for it, but at least there's a chance that the guy who's taking it on will manage to do something with it eventually and it's not going to get scrapped. While talking to him, he mentioned the Real Classic web site, where I've placed an ad for the FZ. Not sure whether anyone will bite, but we never know and I've convinced myself that I can always Freecycle it as it's not worth much, especially as it insists on running on two cylinders - no it's not ignition related - 1+3 are not firing and a duff coil would result in 2+3 or 1+4 . It's carburettor related - those two were filthy when cleaned out.