Witts End

Witt's End was the name that I had thought of giving to our house when we bought it. Alas, it seems that we will not be buying it for the foreseeable future. The value of property in the UK declined by 2.5% last month and the cost of mortgages is increasing despite the fact that the prime lending rate offered by the Bank of England is decreasing. It's obviously not a good time to buy, even if the bank would give us a mortgage.

There is a theme emerging in my life at the moment. First the bank thinks I'm too old to get a mortgage. Secondly, my dentist thinks that my teeth may fall out. Finally, a group of physicist at the new particle accelerator in Switzerland may create a black hole during one of their experiments. I asked Michael, my resident physicist, what would happen if they did. Apparently, the universe, as we know it, would end. Not slowly, but in an instant. I suppose that it would be a relief knowing that it would all be over before I even knew that it was happening. I like the idea that I wouldn't have to worry about it. No, "News at 6. Today in Switzerland a black hole was formed. We have 12 hours to the end of the world." Instantaneous is better.

It would certainly solve a lot of my problems. In fact, it would solve all of our problems. There's a lot to be said about that. No waiting for global warming to finish us off. A blink of the eye and nothing. Unless of course there is life after life. I don't mean to sound depressing. I don't find it depressing at all. Rather, I find it comforting and even uplifting. It's even given me a story idea.