We went house-hunting this week. There were three properties we had earmarked which had promise. One was just inside the Wiltshire border and looked good on paper. The garden was disappointingly small (though probably sensible, as it was "managable" in estate-agent terms) but the garage was also on the small side and as the garage ISN'T to house our car, but act as OH's workshop and firewood storage area, that was a disappointment too. But it was on a no-through road, and would have been quiet but for the echoing noise of cars on a village road which boomed across the valley . . . Hmmm.
We sped westwards for our next appointment, over the Somerset border. The house was every bit as good as it looked in the brochure, and had that feeling that only houses which have been lived in for hundreds of years, by good people, have. I could feel it positively hug me as we walked around. The view across the fields to the front was wonderful and inspiring (washing up would have taken forever as you drank in that view) and there was a superb outbuilding for OH's wood (room for the car too!) There was a pretty garden with a lovely outlook across an orchard, and it was away from roads so the cats would be safe. It was perfect - needed a little updating, but nothing too unmanagable or expensive. I'd have moved in tomorrow. Let's hope it has our name on it, but there has been a lot of interest, all from folks still praying their house will sell in time too . . .
The final house was further west still, and a doer-upper. Sadly, though it had a lot of potential, the lane beyond it was a rat-run, and the owner had lost a dog on it (not cat-friendly), the house needed a LOT of money spending on it and if I am honest, the new bungalow the owner had built on the far side of the garden was an eyesore . . .
It was late afternoon now, but we felt we would extend our day out a little and instead of heading up to the coast at Watchet, OH elected to drop back to Glastonbury, and have a stroll to stretch our legs. So that's just what we did. We bought some cheese for a car-picnic tea, and looked in estate agents' windows, wandered in a few book shops and charity shops, and then had a leisurely drive home.
We plan to have a day down in Devon soon too, so we have some viewings under our belt, just in case someone does ever offer on our house. We were caught out last time, before moving here, as we hadn't viewed any properties since the previous summer, and all of a sudden we had two people wanting to buy our house and QUICKLY, which is why, I suppose, we ended up here as it was a property we had viewed, fallen in love with and it was still on the market.
In the doorway of a Glastonbury inn . . .
Carved from wood - I think that the local chap who created Merlin for 
the town centre here, has the edge on these . . . Hopefully that link will work, or you will have to Google up the image yourself.
Glastonbury Tribunal - a wonderful 15th century stone townhouse, which now houses artifacts from the Glastonbury lake village of the Iron Age. Sadly, it shut at 4 p.m. and we got there too late.
One of the interesting window displays in the town.
A glimpse up a fascinating alleyway.
We assume this splendid building was originally part of the Abbey buildings as it backs onto Glastonbury Abbey grounds.
Above and below - I tried to get photos of the Somerset Levels but these views were the best I could do as I was designated driver and there were few places to pull over and take photos.
Home at last - the sun through the trees as we drove up through our valley.
