39. Dracula is my Buyers Agent
The Case of the Mortgage Mystery
Hello, friend! Hope you’ve had a good week.
For those of you that celebrated Valentine’s Day, I trust your sweetheart made an appropriate gesture of love and gratitude, or performed an interpretive dance to your favourite 90s sitcom theme tune.
If your special someone is still waiting in the wings - or is unwilling to dance - I offer the below picture of a bear in a scarf as a place-holder. Word on the street is that you’re a catch.
Fishbird Catch of the Week
We post articles twice a week on the Fishbird Central website - usually every Wednesday and Saturday! This week’s included:
Two-Word Titles - 3 Book Reviews!
In this post we review 3 books with two-word titles, to help you tick off another TBR prompt. Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby is a high-octane heist story with heart, Real Tigers by Mick Herron delivers espionage and razor-sharp wit, and Old Bones by Preston & Child offers an eerie blend of archaeology and mystery.
Check out the latest post here - Two Word Titles - 3 Book Reviews!
Daily Art in February 2025 - Week One!
In this post we kick off a sketchy Week One in February and meet some new characters. Is Ruthless Robin as feisty as he appears? Will Pidge Newboot follow a cookie fortune down a shady path? Visit the Lighthouse of Crag Rock and purchase a curiosity from Bubble O’ Brian! Choose your favourite character & let us know what story you’d like to follow :)
Check out the latest post here - Daily Art in February 2025 - Week One!
Could a Mole Help Me Buy A House?
Things are progressing with our first home purchase. We’ve asked a man who knows a guy who knows a bank, if we can have some of their money for 30 years even though they don’t know us. We’ve promised we’re nice, and probably won’t go to bookstores as much if they give us some of their cash.
While strangers decide if we’re responsible enough to live indoors, there’s only one thing we can do. That’s right - figure out which 5 fictional characters we’d hire to help boost us onto the property ladder.
Here’s my lineup:
Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie) – A master of observation, Poirot would spot flaws in the unit that we hadn’t even thought of. No hidden mould or dodgy foundations would escape those little grey cells, and he might also get us a better purchase price by finding the estate agent’s family pearls or figuring out whose bones are in the laundry cupboard.
Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter) - Pretty sure Dumbledore would be both wise and patient when negotiating our inner-city muggle mortgage. We’d also get him to increase the floor space and pop a few of those floating candles about so we don’t have to use the main light. He’d probably also know a spell to make the mortgage paperwork disappear, which we wouldn’t be mad about.
Mole (The Wind in the Willows) – Who understands the feeling of home better than Mole from Wind in the Willows?! He’d remind us to trust our instincts, focus on comfort and cosiness, and not just get swept away by all the floating candles. Plus, he’d be great for inspecting basements, tunnels, and hidden nooks - which there are plenty of in the city.
Dracula (Dracula) – Though he’d pretty much be useless during the day, he’s the master of location scouting. No one values seclusion, dramatic architecture, and good foundations like a centuries-old vampire. Perfect for introverted home-buyers, Dracula has just the right level of eerie charm and would take care of any small creatures that might be living in the ceiling.
Ford Prefect (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) – Just in case our unit is in the path of a planned hyperspace bypass, having a friend on hand to help with a quick exit strategy would be a plus. Also, Ford’s access to Babel Fish might be useful when the agents start speaking in Realestatian.
Quick Fire Wrap Up
Currently Reading: ‘Grover Wilcox Goes to the Circus’ by Martin Lastrapes. Driven by a desire to escape his mundane life, Grover accepts an offer to join the Grambling Brothers Traveling Circus, plunging him into a world brimming with fantastical performers - including a paranormal fortuneteller and a supernatural firebreather.
Currently Watching: ‘Severance’ Series One on AppleTV. Mark leads a team of office workers whose memories have been surgically divided between their work and personal lives. When a mysterious colleague appears outside of work, it begins a journey to discover the truth about their jobs.
Currently Learning: ‘Show Your Work: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered’ by Austin Kleon. Why generosity trumps genius. Let others into your process, then let them steal from you. Filled with illustrations, quotes, stories, and examples. Ten transformative rules for being open, generous, brave and productive.
Wishes for the Week
As you waltz into a new week, friend - keep an eye out for small acts of kindness.
The universe thinks you’re pretty great & will try to gift you moments of happiness in unexpected places.
Stay cool, punks x
‘A little frog told me to buy a scratch ticket, and I won $8. Never saw him again.’ - Pope Francis (probably)