"What is my Mum up to?" asked Ian, "She hasn't got time to look after a cat. She shouldn't have the dog, by rights."
Rethinking the Bonnie keeping cat scenario. It won't work. Her life's a bit unstable too, she could go and join hubby any minute. Plus how fair is it, lugging a cat up and down the country? No, J's, I decided is the better option. Ella will adapt plus she'll have a big garden; she's been a house cat so far which I never thought was that fair. J will be off work till Xmas at least, on her own, kids away so Ella will be well loved. Plus I know Bonnie. Two months time and it'll be -
"The cat's keeping me awake, you'll have to take her."
Even Bonnie herself agreed that she would steam into that student house, give it to them straight, "See you Jimmy, I've keepin' ma fuckin' cat and there's nae a thing you can dae aboot it."
Which is so not my style. I'm a Mavis-in-Corrie type, a mild little woman who would just cringe and apologize and say, of course, I can't keep a cat here, I'll just have to go and drown the both of us."
Bonnie thought it was much better to be like me because I don't have heart trouble from being a battler; then, she decided, I was prone to smiling sweetly and agreeing with everybody but going my own way regardless.
Which could be case re Hackney House. I'm thinking it might be best to keep it until mortgage paid off in eleven years time. This could be Ian's influence -
"My Mum's mad thinking of selling this house now. This is no time to sell. She should just rent it out - and you should keep yours rented out too."