Birmingham again

We took F to university yesterday - although a newbie, she was not given a place in Hall but had to go to a house agency. But I think she will be OK in her house with a French postgrad, a Japanese postgrad and a 2nd year International Relations student - she is old for her age and will enjoy being with older people sometimes.

It was a real trip down memory lane - those Victorian streets in Birmingham go on and on - and all the houses have an add-on kitchen at the back, and a certain shade of dirty cream paint.... I even went past the house where I used to live in Selly Oak. F's is better than most with 2 decent bathrooms and 4 double bedrooms, new carpets throughout - but the furniture is cheap and old, there is a leak in the kitchen onto the kitchen floor, garden is full of weeds and the whole house is a bit smelly but the smell is disguised with those awful plug-in air-fresheners.

Similar houses in the Pershore Road

At one point, after sitting in the living room, I was so confused with a house I remembered in Dawlish Road that I opened the cupboard in an attempt to go upstairs.

There are far more students now and lots of property companies managing student houses - whereas before it was nearly always a one-to-one arrangement with a landlord.

This morning I skiffed past this well-known landmark:

Yes, Hampton Court - don't be fooled by the chimneys - they're a Victorian addition to make the place look more exciting.