17 December 2009

Our lease is up at the end of January, and we were planning to negotiate a lower rent as we know we are paying too much for our place, especially with the market currently favouring lessees. However, in gathering data to support our reduced offer to the landlord, I found I came across many other places that are either bigger or nicer for not much more than we are currently paying. So suddenly I am inclining towards actually moving home. There are so many considerations though, not least the possibility of paying several months rent in deposit and 'key money' (a peculiar practice in Japan, which is effectively a one-off gift to the landlord), plus the cost and hassle of moving. And we paid a lot of money for our curtains, which would probably not fit somewhere new. And Nick's job is by no means safe so after all that we may not even be there that long.

But... it would be great to have a bit more space and, crucially, another bedroom for storage and for guests (and for 'just in case'!). There is even a 3-bedroom apartment here in our own block that is 90sqm (compared to the 70sqm we now have that is quite an increase, though still very small by UK standards). Being a serial mover, I feel quite excited about the chance of a change of scene and if we decide not to do so now I expect I will be a bit deflated.

In the afternoon, we went to Jo's apartment to see her, Isy and Cooper. Emily, Tim and Isy were manic together.

I very gingerly held the little guy for half an hour, as I was worried about his healing arm and just because you do forget how tiny and vulnerable a newborn is.

Naturally it made me wish I could hold my new nephew, Charlie, too. Emily came over to look a few times but didn't seem put out, probably because she was having too good a time. Their apartment looks down on the monorail track so every few minutes she would yell 'monorail' and turn to look happily at me, bless her.