🦞 The Lockdown Gang still chatting 🦞

I will always be a bit wary of "too tidy" as well as the shopping trolley house!

Could you visit the neighbours asking "I'm wondering what it's like living in this area as I don't know it well?"

That way you get to have a chat and also "feel them out"

I always did that - even when looking for a rental years ago.

Gosh you lot, you've been having such a busy time, I've read through quickly but missed so much.

Happy Belated Birthdays, Doodle and Grammaretto, I hope you had lovely times.

And I can't quite keep up with the moving situations. NotSpag has accepted an offer? Or got two and starting an auction?

And Grammaretto what an adventure you're having, it's hard to keep up. I'm pleased that you decided the Doer-upper is off the cards, they always cost far more than anticipated. I agree with ixion that it would be a good idea to have a browse around the area where this Possible one is and check out the neighbours. I'm just so pleased now that I found a way of moving downstairs and changing rooms around. Everything is so much easier and I haven't had to cope with all the angst and decisions you're going through. (Have you found a home for those saws? There are people with stalls at car boot sales who love all that stuff.)

We've had rather a lot of rain in the last two days. 10mm on my rain gauge. At least I think those numbers are mm's. It's all down to my having had a new window cleaner last week. A more expensive window cleaner. Obviously he's responsible. He's coming again in a month, so hopefully the weather will be good when Jan comes over! Looking forward to meeting up again, Jan.

Ah but it has a chimney and I could have a wood burning stove. My house is bleak in winter - and cold. I'm sure this smaller one could be cosy.
All my DC are in favour at least the boys are. Not sure about DD. She would dearly love her own house.

🚩🚩s, if you ask me. Which you didn't😉

Could be bleak in winter, outlook-wise?🤔

I don't know honestly ixion . I can tell myself I'm ready to leave, it will be much cheaper than this to run, fuel and council tax etc.
I could make changes to make it mine . I don't particularly like that area as it's too quiet and feels like a dormitory. It's less than 10 minutes walk to the town centre and less to a bus stop. I have been spoiled by my position, views etc but I feel I'm adaptable and know I need to move.

There's a garage and lots of parking. The whole front garden is gravel. I don't know the neighbours but it's detached and not overlooked.
A lot of trade vans and camper vans are parked up, I noticed some huge shiny cars and at least one fake grass frontage 😟

It's not an area or style of house I usually like. It's a plain 1960's standard estate house.

The housing stock is limited around here.

Hundreds of new houses are being built on the outskirts but although they are probably low energy/ eco friendly they are bleak and a long trek from a bus stop.
I am lucky to be able to choose. 😀

Could you see yourself living there?

I mean not just the four walls and gardens, but the neighbourhood, potential neighbours, walking to the shops, your community cafe, people 'popping in' to see you when they are out and about?
Parking? Adequate, generous, tight?

It's easy for me to get carried away, but think of after all the excitement has died down and you are completely 'done up'.
How comfortable and 'at home' would you feel looking out of the window every day?

Some estate agents make a digital mock-up of the house layout from the measurements they take and then place it at the correct angle to the sun.
You can sort-of press "go" and watch which rooms get light at which times of day as the sun tracks over.

From that I think you might get a good idea re the garden.

Never heard of a suntracker NotSpaghetti
I was just looking in relation to the church tower (just visible from an upstairs window) and the hills etc.

Do you have one of the "sun tracker" video things on their estate agent's website?

I know they are pretty basic...

I shall view this one again on Monday with another friend who has been sharing my journey. It's sunny now so perhaps I should pop round just to check. It doesn't have a south facing garden but it's not due north either.

Have you had rain at last?

Notspaghetti 🤣🤣. No we don’t want anymore rain inside do we Grammaretto . Don’t forget what they say, location location location. My brother used to say it’s better to have the worst house on the best street than the best house on the worst street.
I do hope you find just the place for you.
ixion what a lovely story and great photo. Happy memories
Do you get detention if you don’t pass your assessment? .

It was pouring with rain so no knowing if it gets sun.....
Maybe not - but was it raining inside?

Oh ixion that really made me weep.
😭
... such happy memories.

What a great picture ixion!
Such an inventive team 😁

We looked around the house. It is very nice in parts. It belonged to an older lady so already has rails in the walk in shower 😉

Looks like her DH was a DIYer or perhaps a joiner. The kitchen is fitted with painted wooden cupboards and drawers. There's a hatch into the dining room.
I shall ask my plumber if he thinks a downstairs loo could be fitted.

I guess I shouldn't just buy it to save myself renting and putting stuff into storage but I am tempted. I might be looking for months, paying rent and not seeing anything better.

There's a garage, a conservatory (home made) and a shed (also home made)
Although the garden is gravel there are flower beds and a cherry tree.
It was pouring with rain so no knowing if it gets sun.

Said books on their way up to the top of the house (1979, Mr.I had hair!)
Note teddies had got there first.

I hope the viewing goes well, Grammaretto, but don't be rushed. You won't have exhausted everything out there yet

I think your house clearance will be terribly difficult. Not just emotionally, but practically too. I guess that most folk needing to downsize will know what they're moving into or viewing with one eye to accommodating their furniture and fittings.

'Oh, my super king sized bed would never fit in here' or ' my whatnot would look just lovely here in the corner where it would catch the afternoon light'.
How on earth you are to make these decisions without an end goal, I can't imagine.
And five days implies an awful lot of furniture. Would you put everything into storage?
(Have you seen your bookcases in their new Edinburgh home?)

Today was the day to defrost the big chest freezer in the cellar - or basement as my American friend calls it.
The remaining few paltry items were to be uplifted to the kitchen freezer pro tem.

Mr.I solved the worries of our/my personal safety by standing to receive said bags of frozen items by reaching down with his stick and hooking the bag handles over the end and reeling them up to the ground floor.

This struck me as a desperately poignant moment as we hoisted up to the top floor laundry baskets full of books the day we moved in here.

We were young, fit and up to meet life's challenges full on 47 years ago😩

I waited in. The repair man came. It worked as soon as he pressed start!
He didn't charge. Another reason for staying in this town. People are so kind.

I'm off to view another house in an hour or so. One of the ladies at yarn group this morning insists it's a bargain.

Its garden is entirely gravel but that can be changed...... No downstairs loo. Can that be changed? It's on my least favourite housing estate but maybe I'm being too picky.

My mother-in-law's dishwasher packed in the other day too.
Her fridge/freezer died immediately she died just before Christmas with all sorts of very expensive treats in!

Fitting in a way.

I daren't move ghe dishwasher till we want to actually take it out....
If it was my dishwasher I'd be on it like a shot!
Sorry to hear about yet another frustration!

I've been looking at the cost of renting and it's astronomical even here but the nearer you get to Edinburgh the higher.
I guess I must bite the bullet.
I have been undercharging my tenants but it's only money as DM used to say.

I hope you pass your assessment Ixion
But if not it's a hundred press-ups for you.

DSis and DBiL are both injured from falls and had to cut their camping holiday short.
They can't drive so will be on the train and be staying a few nights only.

Having the house clearance people to estimate was quite sobering and gave me a spur to get shot of even more stuff.
They charge by the hour and he thought it could take up to 5 days for 3 men!

Now to clear the decks in the kitchen for a repair man to try to fix the dishwasher which has decided to stop working. There's always something isn't there.

Does your DH have family to help shoulder the burden of disposing of his DM's estate, NS?
Yes.
Me!

Gosh, speedy developments on the Lobstars' house moves. Here's hoping for a smooth passage through the sales process. Does your DH have family to help shoulder the burden of disposing of his DM's estate, NS?

Agree with Doodle that renting has a lot of positive benefits, Grammaretto.
Or you could visit us all in rotation while you house hunt?

Had a phone call from the lovely leader of our old dears Strength and Balance classes.
Would I arrive early on Friday, please, as apparently I am due an assessment.
😳
How much homework can I pack into two days? Not enough, I would imagine.

Grammaretto so pleased your Dsis is coming to stay for a bit. That will be nice. I’m glad in a way you’ve decided to rent rather than rush into buying somewhere in haste, We did that and regretted it a lot. Maybe renting somewhere will help you find out what your really need or want in terms of rooms and garden.
Notspaghetti that’s good news hope all proceeds well.

They'd better be quick. I have a date now for mid October. Scary but real.
I really will have to rent somewhere for a few months. probably 6 minimum

I will be sad to leave but it's been such a long build up I think I'll cope.

I've been at the Dentist today. That really brings you down to earth 😟

Now I hear my DSis is coming to stay. She thinks it could be her last chance to stay here. - how very final that sounds 😢

Will you have the rest of the family wanting to do the same?

When my parents moved from the house they built when they married (and which I grew up in) I took my little family to stay "one last time". It was over Christmas.
I won't forget it.
❤️