Help calm me, house buying and selling stress part 2

That, mosaics, sent shivers down my back. Utterly shoddy both workmanship and treatment of a vulnerable woman. Is the surveyor due next week? Surely to goodness, the people in your village can see you struggling. Old fashioned community helping is gone. 2 or 3 capable men or women, thats all it would take to make your porch better on a temporary basis

Franbern you are the upside of the coin today, you sound so very happy

Getting ready for visitors to stay is certainly one way to get the spare rooms sorted. I have just replaced the old French doors in an internal room with double glazed patio doors. I know that sounds weird but it's for extra security, and also I was terrified about the grandchildren putting their hands through the glass. (They have their bunk beds in the room).
The parents' room was easier to set up but needed a wardrobe so I bought one of those tent affairs from IKEA for around £10. It does the job perfectly for guests who are only staying a short while.
That's awful mosaicwarts that you have an unpleasant shoddy worker in the house. It's hard when it's just you having to deal with it. Like craftyone I hope someone local can offer you some support.
Franbern I trust your daughter had a safe journey down from London. Our family is over that side too and it takes a good hour to get round the M25, even longer if there are traffic jams. That's before they get onto the M4 or M3.
Have a good weekend everyone.

Mosaicwarts how awful for you. I am sure he wouldn't stand for someone treating his mother the way he treated you. How much longer will he be doing the work? If he is a member of a trade association when he has completed the work report him.

Franbern have a wonderful time with your family.

Craftyone if you are like me I soon became set in my ways it's not selfish. Love being with the family and love cooking for more than just me. But I love eating what I want having meals when I am hungary and not at set times. Like you my husband was my one and only. When my husband died I lost my present and future and have had to make a new present and future. Not easy but we all cope in our own way. A loving family and friends make all the crap we have to put up with from some others worth while. Life is short and we need to make the best life we can live for as long as we can.

Good workers are worth their weight in gold! They are a rare breed.
My in-laws (in their 90s) were recently needing urgent attention to their front door. Water had dripped off the porch roof and swelled the wood which made it very stiff.
I, foolishly, went for a facebook recommendation and a young guy turned up. He said he could fix it right away for £30. In fact it was to be the following day but he did the job but removed the lock and handle! He just left it like that so it wouldn't shut at all.
My poor in-laws. They managed to get a proper joiner to finish the job, no doubt by pleading that they were now open to all and vulnerable.
Never again will I get tradesmen in without personal recommendation.

Grammaretto how awful for them. All the tradesmen I have used since moving have all been recommended by my children and their in laws. Glad to say they have all been excellent and didn't charge the earth.

Evening all, back from a very successful shopping trip, the staff in every shop were so pleasant My daughter is in her socks breaking her new Docs in, it's the shoe style, not the boot. Not black friday but lots of shops offering the discount early, I got 10% off by registering with the doc marten site before we left home. Very glad I've finally got a few things, feeling slightly Cmassy! It does throw me two friends have their birthdays in December, have just wrapped one gift to post, another one to buy.

Just popped in to say no contact from the joiner again today. Perhaps his painter said I was a miserable old bag and he's abandoned me. It's a lesson to me that even if I did have the money I couldn't bear to do the renovation. I googled the sash window specialist again as I find it so frustrating he has now ignored three emails .... he was operating under another name at some time and people have given him 2.8 reviews. Apparently turned up, made a mess, took their money and disappeared. No wonder the conservation officer was so stern in his wording of we categorically cannot, and will not, recommend anyone. A lucky escape methinks.

Off to watch ET with a tin of soup, had a fantastic vegetarian breakfast whilst out, don't think I really need to eat again!

See you tomorrow.

We have spent quite a bit of time over the last week or so looking for our new home. All to no avail until yesterday. Found the property that pretty much ticks all of the boxes and we both love it. The only issue for me is it is too big. We are supposed to be downsizing from a 2 acre block of land with a 4 bedroom house. The house we saw is on one third of an acre so that box is ticked as far as downsizing, it is light and airy, open plan, generous size rooms and a nice outdoor area and garden BUT it has 6 bedrooms. There is a separate wing which has been used for a parent's independent living so has a bedroom, kitchen, sitting area and an European laundry. This can be closed off from the rest of the house but it still leaves 5 bedrooms and a study in the house.

The location is perfect as far as I'm concerned and the price good. Even the settlement date matches up with the settlement on our place. My heart says buy it my head says don't be stupid. DH says we should buy it or at least look into it further with buying in mind. The chance of finding something in as good a location that ticks as many boxes is not high. We must have a single story house on a flat block and they have become like hens teeth in this area.

I certainly did not expect the impact it had on me, it just felt right. DH turned 70 in June, I'll turn 70 in a few weeks and there are just the two of us although in time we could have grandchildren staying.

So, after a lifetime of making decisions based on the sensible, affordability and practical should I now follow my heart or my head in this case and throw common sense to the wind? I guess this is the house I would have liked to be able to afford 20 years ago.

At long last the infection in my hip wound seems to be starting to improve, however the surgeon says he thinks it will be at least another 4 weeks before it is properly cleared up and I'm still on antibiotics - now into my third week of those. However, I now have a mouthful of ulcers to contend with.

Good to see several of you are now settled into your new homes I hope you will all be very happy there as you seem to be to date. To those still dealing with issues hopefully they will be resolved for you soon.

SueH49 what a decision to have to make. When I walked into my bungalow it felt like home. Then looking around it had everything I wanted. Have a second viewing and if you still feel the same way may be it is your new home. You say it is bigger than you want but could you see yourself and your husband being happy there. If it's just the size you are worried about and not the cost of running it and it ticks all the rest of your boxes may be you should buy it?

Glad to hear the infection is responding to the antibiotics. That's the trouble with antibiotics they are great but can cause other problems e.g. mouth ulcers and thrush.

Have a good day everyone.

Thanks Whiff. Yes I think we would be happy there. Perhaps we need to be flexible and if push comes to shove and it does not work out we can always sell again, not an ideal thing but buying now does not mean we have to stay forever.

Hello SueH49, glad your hip is healing albeit slowly, sorry about the mouth ulcer side effect of the anti-b's, my Mum suffered terribly with them. Get well soon.

It's exciting you've seen somewhere you could make home. As Whiff says, it is the running costs or the thought of the cleaning? Could you just have a bed and fitted wardrobes in the other four bedrooms? I think if I loved the location, I would buy it. I am very isolated where I am now and have to drive my dog to the village for his night time walk, where there are street lights. I can't wait to live somewhere where I can walk out of the front door and round the block. Let us know what happens!

Off to the beach in a minute, overcast again here today and the birds aren't singing which is odd.

Had a really wonderful day yesterday. Daughter turned up and showed her the visitors car park for my block of flats, where she was able to leave her rather expensive car safely and securely. Came up to the flat and was most impressed as to how very spacious it was. My other daughter came over to see her sister and over the next couple of hours all four of her children dropped over also, as well as her hubbie. Was able to cope with all that number - my son in law sorted out the radiator shelves I had purchased and had not fitted properly or safely.
Later in the afternoon, some of us went down the road to the official turning on of the christmas lights, which was really nice. Then off for a nice family meal at an Italian Restaurant. My SiL had booked us in for 6 pm, knowing that I cannot eat late. Nice meal (my eldest g.son finished off my main course), and I resisted having any dessert they did look gorgeous, but not advisable for me so late in the evening.
Back home,#. with with both daughters, we just had a cup of green tea, etc. and relaxed. Then off to bed. It was really so lovely the whole time, no arguments or disagreements.
This morning daughter and I had some time together over brekkie, whilst g.daughter stayed in bed. Then my other daughter arrived (she was bringing my spare mobility scooter, which I always used to keep down here at her house - to be now taken up to London to be kept there for when I visit). Again, a nice hour of chatting, and then we parted.
I am going up to London to stay the day after boxing day for a few days so it will only be a month before I am with them again.
She is obviously much happier now she has seen where I am living and thoroughly approving of my choice, She also loved the very large balcony this flat has, which is triangular shaped and goes over the roof of a firm of Solicitors.
Highly successful weekend.
I also received an estimate from the Plumber for re-doing my bathroom - much less than I expected, and have arranged for that to be carried out next March.
My new GP surgery also replied to my letter in which I had asked for two hospital referalls and and queried some of my repeat prescriptions. Very helpful, I always has a wonderful relationship particularly with the receptionists at my old surgery in London ( ion fact they telephoned me this week, to ask how I was settling down and to confirm they were transferring all electronic information to the new surgery). This was one area I was rather concerned about. But the one down here do appear to be efficient, supportive and helpful. Both referrals have been made. and they re-assured me about additional items for my repeats.
Feeling very happy and relaxed, everything really has fallen so well in place.
Next week, have someone coming to give me a quote to have the garage door changed for an electric one, someone else coming in to move the entry phone for the main front door of the flats, from where it is (right next to my front door), into my living room and also to put a second one next to my bed, so I can still use it in emergencies. And my new tumble dryer being delivered.

Sue welcome back here, it is good news about you getting better slowly but surely. Well your heart and instincts have spoken to you and intuition should not be ignored. That home sounds lovely and you and your husband will be able to be together and apart, which makes for a good relationship. Maybe he would like to have a room for crafting and you too. 6 rooms is only 2 more than 4 and one could be an exercise room, so that would be 3 rooms accounted for, which would leave you a very normal 3 rooms. Looking to the future if you ever needed care, you would have room for a carer to stay

Franbern, you are so positive and your happiness is infectious. You are likely to have added years onto your life through moving there

Sue that has has to be yours

meant to say that Babs (Barbara Windsor) film is on channel 20 at 2pm. Might do very nicely for a bit of RnR

Franbern glad you had such a wonderful time with your family.

Watched the Barbara Windsor film when it was on BBC very good. Excellent performances from the actresses who portrayed her through different ages.

I am exploring bathroom options today. I have a large unused bath, has to remain, brand new but I cannot see me using it. I would be anxious in case I cannot get out and don`t want screwed in rails and grab handles. There is a shower over and a short glass concetina panel on a rail. My neighbour whi is still using his smart meter with BG says that his electric shower is very expensive to run. That is all I have ever used, so I am going to try and use a gas shower at least for the month. Electricity has been consistent since I moved in and I will get a good idea of relative cost

I decided to try out the shower over the bath today, gas fed boiler and it was very comfortable, so I have ordered 2 more small shower non-slip mats and a couple of suction plastic holders for essential shower bits. I think any danger point comes when stepping out over a bath and I have one one shower mat which I used under that shower today but you have to step forward onto plain bath to get out. The shower mat is very good and lightweight and it stuck onto the tiles to drip and dry

As an aside and from past experience, drain pipes need to have water through them sometimes otherwise the water in traps underneath evaporate and you can get odours in the bathroom, even when the bathroom is never used. I had that in the other house and used to put a bucket of water containing zoflora down every plughole and the loo

Craftyone - thanks for the top about keeping drains in use. At present the bath is not really able to be used,. I am not all that tall, but I can only sit in it, not relax and lie back as I like to do. The new bath will not be fitted until next March, so I will, I think, each week, run some water to go down the plus hole there.
There is an excellent aid for baths (getting in and out), not sure what they are called, but just involves a unit on the wall, then when required, this is pulled out and the user can just sit on it and then lower themselves into the bath. As it is just like a belt, it takes you right down. Then reverse to get out. When it is all in the unit, it leaves the bath absolutely normal for anyone else to use. I do need to have baths sometimes, to help if I get blockages for my ostomy - and once my new bath is installed will be looking into getting one of these units. I must say that the shower in my en-suite is excellent, and there is plenty of room in there for me to have my shower stool.

Having a new shower room fitted next year. I have a combi boiler and find the shower excellent. Always had an electric shower in previous homes. Shower cubicle here awful but usuable. Already decided to have large rectangle cubicle with fold up shower chair fitted to the wall, handles in there and by the side of the loo. Large cupboard built to store my towels. The loft hatch is in there going to have it moved into the hall.

My sit fit group having a get together on Friday so that will be fun.

Hope everyone is well and keeping warm.

Afternoon all, hope you've had a good morning.

I'm feeling very odd today and had a 'senior moment' putting air in my tyres. I've got the pressures on a label in the car, and looked, then went to the machine - I couldn't remember whether it was 30 or 33 at the front. I looked again, and still couldn't remember! Did it wrong and had to redo them. I think it's just stress - hopefully! I'm so worried about the drive to get my daughter Wednesday night, I don't think that's helping. I took her to the gym last night and the fog was awful, I'm not keen on driving that in unlit country lanes either. I have to find my courage somewhere, her Dad wouldn't be worrying about it

I've spent the morning tidying for tomorrow and have just got a text from the joiner - scaffolding arriving tomorrow or Wednesday. Surveyor is coming at 10.30 am tomorrow so I hope they come before or after, will be so noisy and awful. I have to run with all this or it won't get done, just grin and bear it. I've let my neighbour know and he's said no problem but I will get him a bottle of wine later.

Off to walk my doggo for the second time, I think my coat is finally dry! So much mud everywhere and my 'safe' route to the nearest town is flooded.

That tyre air thing was stress mosaics, I did similar last year when under stress. I sucked air out of a tyre at the supermarket and the warning light came on while I was driving home. I almost had a panic but drove home slowly, went on amazon and bought a plug in tyre inflator which I now carry in my boot. Only a couple of weeks ago I bought a mains inflator, much prefer checking my tyres cold at home but worry about using the battery to pump air

I see those baths, I think called soaker baths, on some american home reno programme. They look so practical. My present bath is far too long for me and I could never lay in it, it must be easily a foot longer than me, even getting a device to lower and raise me would not help. I would only want a bath to lie and soak and would have to sit in mine. I believe I can make the shower over bath situation safe and comfy. It is certainly easier to clean than the electric shower which has low ridges around the bottom of the door

You never stop worrying about the children, then quietly one day,it is turned topsey turvey and they do the worrying about us

Mw, it is well worth the small investment of getting a tyre charge which works off the car battery and can be kept in the car, AND can be set so that it turns itself off when your tyres has reached the desired amount.
Provided you use this and keep the car turned on, there is no worry or problems about draining the car battery. Love mine, means I can just pump up, as and when I need to do, wherever I am.
Last Christmas morning, cold and very frosty, the light came on soon after I left home very early to drive 150 miles. Pulled in at first Service station, and just sorted it all out and then continued on my way confidently. I am a confident driver, but any warning light on the dashboard does worry me - I find myself spending far too time looking at that light instead of the road ahead!!!
Hope the survey goes well for you
Currently watching 'Escape to the Country ' in South Devon

Thanks Franbern, I had one of those - son pinched it off me (in the nicest possible way!) a few years ago! I'll get another one so I can do something about it at home and not worry on the five mile journey to the garage.

Thanks for all the good wishes for the survey tomorrow. I am feeling very tired and have done a few notes for the surveyor detailing the planned works I am paying for. I hope he loves old houses. I'll just leave him to it - and I do have to leave him alone in the house for a short time while I take my daughter to the station.

Potato wedges ready so must go - did I tell you I had to google how to cut them into 'wedge' shapes? The wonder of the web!

Craftyone - Which shower mats have you ordered? I find it difficult to get them properly stuck down. I've fallen 3 times in the last couple of months trying to get into the bath for the over bath shower as the mat moves. I never have a bath as I can't get out of it but don't have a separate shower.
I am considering getting rid of the bath and having just a shower or adding a separate shower in the bathroom, which would make the bathroom small. My other option would be to put an ensuite shower room in the loft room but that would probably be more expensive.

GrandmaMoria I have used Tesco's rubber mats for years. I always make sure they are dried after use and have not had any problem with slippage or them going mouldy. Think they are about £8 each for a rectangle one.

Thank you Whiff. I've not seen them in Tesco.

amazon, called XIYUNITE £10.98. I bought the gey one with lots of holes so it won`t get grubby looking

Bathing/showering gets to be very problematic as we age and these modern baths are geared for tall younger people.