So the plan today was to pop into town, make some phone calls, get home, pop the casserole on to cook slowly all day then return to town to have a sticky beak in a house that was having an open house today. What actually happened was all of the above apart from getting home to pop the casserole on. I called into a friend's place to see if she wanted to join me at the open house, was invited to lunch and just got home half an hour ago, replete with food, wine and a happy day of house inspections. The house in question is on the High Street and ridiculously cheap, so will undoubtedly go today, though the presence of a heritage listed well in the back yard may deter some comers. Otherwise, apart from some work at the rear of the place to rationalise the endless small rooms, it is perfect. What a pity I have no money to act. Fingers crossed the heritage listing turns people off and it is still around when and if I get the job and am in a better position to act. The concept would be to buy, rent and finish off this place, then move after this place is sold, which would all but pay for the other one. Nice theory, pity about the practicalities... The casserole, mean time has got as far as me printing off the recipe I found (mulled lamb) which sounds delicious. The fact I have no shallots or pomegranate I do not see as an impediment. The shallots are easily substituted with onion, and the pomegranates will simply be overlooked. Otherwise it sounds delicious. I will bung it on shortly, once i have prepped the veges etc, and it will presumably be tomorrow night's dinner as by then the flavours will have been wed and the fat can be skimmed. Today was wild and windy, but pleasantly temperate. But I have no faith it will remain so, and have lit the fire in anticpation of the temp going down. Though it is supposed to only get down to 6 tonight so no point in building it up too far.