I think I'm about to move house!
Becky let me know last month that the flat above hers had become empty, and since it's right in the area I'd like to live in, she gave me the landlord's phone number. On Wednesday he got back to me and arranged a viewing, and I went to look round the place before work this morning.
It's huge, and lovely. It's got a shower and a driveway, neither of which I have where I am right now, and it's also got a dining room (no more eating off my lap!). It's furnished already, which means I'll have to find something clever to do with a few of my own bits of furniture, but on the other hand I'll be more than happy to lose my slightly-foxed-and-extremely-catted sofa, and the landlord says he's happy to take the beds away so that I can keep my really nice bed and also have space to turn the other bedroom into a study.
And it's within walking distance of 3/4 of my friends, and despite being on the other side of town from work it's not actually that bad to get in in the morning (everyone seems to be going the other way at that time of day).
Despite all this I feel somewhat apprehensive at the prospect of actually committing to moving there, but I think that's just a general dislike of formal administrative proceedings and the horrible awareness that if everything goes pear-shaped during the process I might get stuck with large bills and nowhere to live. But really, there is no reason for me not to go right ahead, fill in the forms and send off a holding deposit. If all goes well I should be moving some time in February.