Precipitous

Day one of househunting in Edinburgh. The way it works round here is that there are open viewings on Sunday afternoons and Thursday evenings. I thought I could get round five properties in two hours.

Flat number one - no-one answers the doorbell. Clearly they are keen to sell. Flat number two - there's a big sign up saying 'no viewings today'. Ditto. Flat number three appears to be on a distinct slope and it doesn't quite have the fabulous views I get here because it's a bit further east. Otherwise it's perfect in all respects. Flat four - lovely but cramped in comparison to flat three and so full of original features (stunning fireplaces, curved walls, panelling) that there's nowhere to put any furniture and I have a lot of furniture. I return to flat one - still no answer. It's now too late to make it to flat five which is the other end of town.

I'm really tempted by flat three. It's Georgian although fairly extensively modernised inside. It's just been renovated (the person selling it is a property developer). It's large. It's New Town bordering on Leith and in a fairly funky part of town - less old money than where I am at present, more arty. It's relatively cheap. It's just the slope that bothers me - it's only in one room but the floor is quite noticeably not horizontal - it's about 3 - 5 degrees off. If it were subsidence presumably the entire flat would slope?

Would it be really stupid to go for the first flat I see? I don't think property prices are going to fall round here (they never do) so there's not a great deal of point in waiting it out. Is there?

Free

The sale on the London flat completed yesterday* so the househunting in Edinburgh will commence today.

Or I could just spend it all on handbags. Whaddya think?





* So long Thumper. It wasn't a pleasure.

Quite a blogtastic day

Yesterday I had tea with the vicar* and went to salsa with Marsha Klein.

Which reminds me. Ant has suggested a Scottish blog meet. Initially this seemed a little intimidating but now I'm happily able to wear socks again I think I could contemplate it. Are any Scottish readers up for this? When?





*he's not a vicar, he's a minister but artistic licence must prevail

Best video evah

Urgh - the guilt!

Project Nom - FAIL

It's hardly a new observation for me but I'm bored with my diet. In reality, I'd like to go out for lunch every day but even in the land of the bargain, it's hard to get lunch for under £7 and I can't afford that every day. So I launched Project Nom - finding easy to cook, but yummy things to make just for me. In practice this meant a thorough reading of the Nigel Slater fast food books.

I've just made the first recipe that appealed to me on paper - scrambled eggs with parmesan and anchovies - and I have to say that it was utterly revolting - oily and very, very salty. I'd forgotten just how horrific the anchovies we get in cans over here really are. Order anchovies at a tapas bar in Spain and they come either fresh or lightly vinegared and they are very good indeed - firm and sweet and quite clearly fish. The canned variant are simultaneously greasy and weirdly dry and crunchy and, as I say, 95% salt.

Grumble.

I know Annie Slaminsky has done this recently, but do you have any suggestions for quick, tasty and hopefully not too carb heavy (no sandwiches please) lunches?

Four things that appear when you search for cat litter on the Waitrose website

Waitrose farm assured antipasto misto
Cathedral City grated lighter mature cheddar
Lil-lets mini tampons
Pimms winter cup