Help calm me, house buying and selling stress. Part 3

Its definitely worth while checking bank accounts every day. I check smile current and cc and also halifax current.

I noticed an unusual transaction on cc and reported it at 7am on 30th dec. They cancelled my cc straight away and I received a new number yesterday, I activated the new cc and all my transactions are now online again and the unauthorised transaction has also been refunded, I wasn`t expecting that They were so helpful and nice on the phone too. I only have one cc, always pay off in full but it also means that I can keep track. Even that card is now contactless but I will never use that aspect, I would never be able to keep track. I only use it for online or a big purchase like furniture

I spent some time a few months ago, closing various accounts that I had opened when house purchase was going on. A sister has done similar, its what you do when you get older to make it easier for anyone left behind

We are going to get some feelgood sun later, must get out while I can

Thank you MW for the thought of sending me the Dorwest herbs. It was a lovely thought. Dorwest used to have an agent here but it became too hard for them to import the products so stopped. I had no issue when I brought some back myself though. It's time I visited again LOL.

The new rental sounds ideal for you, fingers crossed all goes to plan.

We are not in an area that is threatened or likely to be by fires although the Dandenong Ranges are close by and if they go up we would be impacted but not threatened.

The Government has come under a lot of criticism over the fires but I'm not sure what they are expected to do. The Greens party joined with the Labor (yes that is how it is spelled here ) have spent years making sure that preventative burning and clearing has stopped and so the undergrowth has become so thick in many places. Added to this is the fact that much of the country has been in drought for years and hot temperatures which we always experience in summer it was a disaster waiting to happen. Everyone wants the Government to do something but no one can tell them what to do or what they should have done it is just political bashing IMO. Many of the people affected choose to go into the area of Victoria after being implored by Fire Authorities to stay away well before Christmas. This was their annual holiday and they did not want to lose the money they had paid. Purely selfish and stupid as they put an unneeded strain on local communities and those trying to manage the situation.

The difference I believe with these fires is that they are so widespread and it is highly likely that some of them may join up and create an absolute an unstoppable monster.

SueH49 thank you for your take on the fires. It's nice to hear a view that is not biased in any way. Those people should have taken that advice but money does seem to get in the way of common sense. Also they didn't think it could happen to them.

Has your infection cleared up or are you still fighting it?

It sounds an awful situation Sue and, as you say, what can the government do? My family is in South Island New Zealand and aay the sun is red, the light us orange and the glaciers are a pale brown. Nothing like Australia though. Apparently the rural NZ firefighters have gone over to help out.

On a different note I find it a bit strange that the UK government is always very quick to rush and give aid to certain other countries during a disaster, so why not to our friends in Australia?

Stay safe Sue, how shocking those people allowed money to affect their behaviour in that way. I wonder if they have lost their homes at 'home'? Your words chilled me that the fires could join up and sweep across the country, I hope the government have ordered bush clearing and digging fire breaks as they do in Thailand. We saw the little tiny boy receiving his firefighter Dad's medal on tv, poor little soul.

Hello Whiff, infection is much better but still not completely clear. I finished the antibiotics a week ago and have had no adverse effect from doing so. I guess after 7 weeks of taking them there may be some residual effect.

Ellianne, your comment about foreign aid is interesting. Like the UK Australia pays out billions to countries in need, particularly Asian ones but we don't see the favour being returned in our times of need either in finance or kind.

In 2009 there were horrendous fires in a different part of Victoria, relatively close to Melbourne and in areas that were much more populated than the ones currently affected. Authorities missed how serious these would become very quickly - they followed 3 days of 45C and above with hot strong winds. Before they knew it the fires were way out of control and authorities were playing catch up. It went from let's see how this goes to having a full blown out of control situation virtually over night. There were 173 people perish in those fires and it changed the way the media and authorities react to disasters now. Joe Public demands thing be done but only know what the media is putting out there and that is often wrong.

We had e mails from our sisters this morning, saying not to worry and that it was now raining in southern WA where they are now. It seems that quite a lot of people are saying that the aborigines knew what they were doing when they used burning to prevent mass fires. It appears that they want the aborigines back in prevention control

Sue, I am very glad that you are safe and feel secure. I expect everyone wishes that summer was over. I am thinkful beyond belief that we did not emigrate under the £10 scheme, my parents asked me what I thought at the time and I said no. Good old rainy blighty wil do fine

Australian news

www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-03/cfs-battles-kangaroo-island-fire-amid-extreme-heat/11838600

Blimey Crafty - that's evoked a really strong memory from childhood - ten pound poms!!

Going to google it now, to see what era that was - I was only a very young child. Like you, there is no where else on earth I would rather be - on Englands green and pleasant land

I was 15 and the oldest of 7, I remember saying that it would be best if we stayed to get our exams. It was a big decision for the parents. They had no live parents, just many relatives in Holland and a few in Poland (war!! stuff) The £10 pom came from pomegranates= immigrants and a million went across, many were unable to find good employment and about a quarter returned.

I have been putting a small wooden greenhouse together and ordered another one. I want this one to last a long time so have ordered draining rubber matting and a bench cover to cover both in winters. Until then it is in the garage. I am going to continue to grow fruit and veg via a potager garden. No minimalistic stuff outside

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202001/medium-235411-img-20191230-wa0003.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202001/medium-678241-img-20191230-wa0004.jpg

I've just become grandma to this little fellow! If we hadn't moved to this part of the world the family wouldn't have come to visit and found him!

For any external electrical work we have to use the contractor for these flats. Lovely, helpful people. Boss came over this afternoon to collect money for having got power into my garage, so that (A) I can now have an electric garage door installed and (B) can charge up my scooter in situ.
Whilst he was here I asked him to look at a socket which I thought had fused, but when I tried to replace the fuse, still did not work. This just works the storage cupboard light, and (very important) the small electric heating panel in my en-suite. Has not worked since before Christmas. So, he looked at it, put in a new fuse and YES - it worked. No idea why it did not when I did that, obviously knew who was master!!!
Do hope that next week will be able to get the garage door electrified, I find I am unable to lift the door high enough, and it slowly starts to come down when I am getting the car out of the garage.

Ellianne, how very beautiful. My dog is now 11, I love him, but not the winter walks. Just come back and can't feel my face!

Franbern, how about using a clothes line prop temporarily so you can duck in safely?

mw yes, dog walks seem like a nuisance in winter, but it gets us out in fresh air and clears the cobwebs.

Successful day, but feeling exhausted. Had four separate deliveries from Ikea, Medical Supplies, Floor Lamp, and then small package from Amazon. Also, visit by electrician as mentioned above, my daughter and youngest g.son made a surprise visit for a couple of hours this afternoon, they then took a lot of the cardboard packaging down to the bins. Finally, I had advertised my nearly new, larder freezer (too big for flat) on local Gumtree yesterday and man had arranged - and kept to that to come early evening.
I have decided to pay to have someone come in to put together the Ikea units in my hallway - always done this sort of thing myself in the past, but am giving in to old age these days.
I also learned to use the combined grill and microwave on my combi oven. Must say it did the sausages absolutely brilliantly - nicer than when I used just to grill them, and pretty quick.
Need a nice relaxing evening now.

oh what a heart warming beauty Ellianne

Franbern gosh I am surprised you are still awake after such a busy day and a very good idea to get someone in for ikea units. I had a local magazine the other day and there are 2 local handymen advertising as well as a few female painters. I am going to start to keep these ads

I need to sort and downsize yet more from the garage, no oomph left for that today but I need to freeup some wall space. I have to grit my teeth and let some things go. I did a bit in the kitchen earlier, had enough of eating christmas bits and also got rid of a few items that are not as good (GI) as others eg I am only going to use brown basmati rice.

Food is going to be better for me,breakfast more thought out and also to use oats. I made a mix for the fridge, oats/chia/berries/cacao/milk and I just have to cook in the morning. This btw is my normal way of eating, I slipped backwards big style when I was moving and am feeling more blobby, although amazingly still pretty energetic

Thanks for explaining about 10 pound poms, crafty one. Had a good read at work on google this afternoon. Fascinating. It didn’t work out for everyone though, did it? Can’t imagine travelling to the other side of the world. The propaganda must have boon good to tempt so many. Interesting to hear that two of your siblings emigrated there. Ellianne he is a beauty.

Mosaciwarts hope you enjoy viewing the rental today and it's for you.

After all you did Franbern I hope you slept well.

Ellianne what a beautiful dog.

Craftyone I love this thread I always learn something new. £10 Poms. Before I was born my dad was offered a job and house in New Zealand but my mom wouldn't leave her family. Even thought they were married as she was the eldest she still felt she had to help them in anyway she could. Mom and dad were married in 1950. I was born 8 years later.

I was born in 1948 when food was still in short supply, capricorn so mum was pregnant all through winter. I am small and had to explein to my dgs why I was the small one. I am sure it was because food was not available. Lots of people my age are small. Being small hasn`t stopped me, I am sturdy as a rock and healthy, with a mind that is always active.

I thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast, only warmed it up and squished the blackcurrants. I am hoping that it fills me up to lunchtime. I am raring to go to work on my garage but have decided to only tackle one (18litre really useful) box at a time, will see if I can combine boxes. This now is the final stage of downsizing for the present situation. I am going to re-label each box with contents. I like a project

I do hope the rental is good today mosaics

Hi craftyone, not sure about your theory about height and food. By 1948, all babies born in England had available free supplements of orange juice, Malt, etc. Food was still rationed, but was a good, healthy diet. In fact this was very much the period of overweight babies. 'Tubbie' was considered good and I was one of those, and have struggled with my weight through most of my adult life.
Both my Mum (b. 1904) and Mil (b. 1920) were just under five feet tall. All Mums siblings were short (girls about 5' and boys around 5'3"" - but these were absolutely average for that time.
I grew to 5'4" (born 1941), again average for my age-group. Two of my daughters are around 5'6", whilst my twins struggle to get a 5'2" reading. Nothing to do with nutrition, just genetic, - they take after both their grandmothers.
Even in the next generation, one of my 5'6" daughters (with 6 foot hubbie), has a 6'2" son, one daughter around 5'6" and second one 5'3",
Have to say that I have been let down by the person who was supposed to come today to put together the Ikea shelving. So, I am probably going to ask my daughter to assist me this afternoon and do it myself!!!

Happy New Year to all...looking for a few crossed fingers for our move on the 10th. It’s been a traumatic few months of trying to chase relevant paperwork for alterations made to the house we are buying with no engagement whatsoever. Before Xmas we knew we had run out of time for paperwork to be in place and suggested a retention of some monies in order for paperwork to be sourced as quickly as possible and thereafter retention to be paid. Our furniture is being uplifted Tuesday, new owners of our house move in Thursday. We have been unable to arrange forwarding address or utilities as the sale is still in doubt due to lack of paperwork. Solicitor sent a final request yesterday saying we needed a response by Monday so that we could put all of the above in place for Friday. He finally got a response yesterday, and at first all looked well, sellers had arranged for Surveyor to inspect on Monday. 2nd telephone call, Sellers were no longer going with Surveyor as it was going to cost £600+ they were now trying the Council. 3rd call, Council able to inspect free of charge but not until Wednesday, I suggested that this would still work if retention was in place then we could give removal definite address and we could get forwarding address utilities etc set up. If inspection went well the retention would not be taken ..if there was work needed, then retention would be used....All sorted! 4th call Sellers will not agree to retention, their Solicitor suggested delaying entry date until all was fixed (sellers already moved out). We move out thurs and planned that night in hotel(with the dog) to move in to new house Fri. Delay would mean furniture would have to go into storage and we’d have to find alternative accommodation for a week with no guarantees that all would be well. Said this to our Solicitor who suggested knocking £2000 off the price of house to cover our expenses but this didn’t get around the issue of the expense if the inspection was not satisfactory. I said it would be cheaper just to get the Surveyor. Anyway if no retention could be agreed the deal would be off and the Sellers said that they would rather put the house back on market than agree to a retention. Both their Solicitor and mine are dumbfounded by the Sellers reaction, but it looked like sale was off, I was left trying to get hold of my lovely husband who was on the golf course so his phone was switched off. 5th call, sellers may now consider a retention, our Solicitor to draft up paperwork and get it to them for Monday....so as I said please keep your fingers crossed that I, my husband and our little dog are not homeless come Friday!

It's interesting about the rationing and food shortages. My mother used to say that it was helpful to have a baby during rationing as I got rations but she got to eat them as I wasn't old enough for solid food and tea.
I have also heard that the poorest people ate better with rationing than before the war though nowadays we would find rations very lacking.

Lilian, I will keep fingers and toes crossed for you!
I used to live in Scotland and we moved to England 4 years ago so have little experience of the buying /selling system here but that sounds horrendous!

When we sold our Glasgow house we came down to London for a week to house hunt and found a house we liked and had the offer accepted before we went back. Fortunately the house was lying empty as it had been a rental for a few years and the seller was keen to complete the sale. We completed the sale and moved in in 6 weeks ! The problem is that if we ever move again I doubt we will be as lucky again!

Sorry Liljan, not Lilian! I should preview before I post .

Liljan hope all goes well and you do move. Reading your post took me right back to all the trouble I had selling. Why is it when you decide to move other people have all the control over what happens. Be they solicitors, buyers, sellers etc. You get your ducks in a row why can't everyone else. I am so glad I am never moving again. Fingers crossed you heard good news on Monday.