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

Wet and windy here today. Enjoy your walk Grammaretto. Shame I can't lend you and others my dog, he's a very good boy on walks.
Of to the vet in a bit for a teeth cleaning demonstration with a very expensive new pet toothbrush! No doubt the youth paste will be double the price of humans' too!
Have a good day all.

Loved the type o Ellianne if only there was youth paste.

Morning all, frosty and sunny here, and I'm finally on a secure Talktalk connection again. A young man phoned from Openreach and said he'd connected me 'at the box' - could I get the router in the hole, no I couldn't, so he had to come in. Not sure why I couldn't but he said people did break them and he was happy to come. So glad I have a secure connection again so I can check the bank online, I've had to write a cheque for the solicitors and think I may have to transfer more savings today.

Sorry you've had a tooth extraction Grammaretto, I remember having one a few years ago, such an odd feeling. Heal well and enjoy your coastal walk, hope the birds put on a good show for you. I particularly love the sanderlings that move together like a wave.

Off to collect my daughter from the station in a minute to take her to the theatre, then a beach walk with my dog. I'm picking her up at 3 pm and we are going to our favourite cafe for an early tea.

I am putting off sorting things out at the station and must go up this afternoon and at least attack the kitchen drawers, full of rubbish that I might have needed one day.

I'm very impressed you drove yourself Franbern! I wish I had someone to leave me bread and milk when I returned from a trip, I used to do it for my friend.

Have a good day all

Just seen your message Ellianne - hope they also give you the finger brush, we were able to use it on our collie, not our sheltie. His teeth are bad again and looking at my pet insurance he is supposed to have an annual dental so I'll have to take him. Hope you've still got ten digits by the end of the dem!

Just back from my beach walk, and it's really warm and lovely. With your support I've managed to get through this winter almost unscathed, thank you so much.

I still enjoy driving - on long journeys either have Radio 4 on or else a talking book. I am sensible about having breaks and can still just have a power nap in my car quite easily.
Have to go to South London next week to judge at a school gym competition - will stay night before in hotel, but after the comp. I am going to a longtime friend near there, to stay the night, which largely will be spent in gossiping.
I think that this will be last year I will be going for these competitions. The new Gymnastic Code of Points (Competition rules), always comes into being following the Olympics, and I have no intention of re-validating.
This morning attended an interesting discussion at U3A on 'Are there any Advantages to old age?'
So nice to be back in my own home, I did enjoy being with my daughter in London for the past few days, but (as they say) there is no place like home. I did go to Sainsburys whilst in London (my old one - the one I always used to go to), and as soon as I got indoors last night, threw items in the soup kettle. Whilst I was unpacking, this made me lovely Leek and Potato soup - had a large bowlful for my tea last night, and just had another bowl for my lunch today

The dog loved the tooth brushing demo. Chicken flavoured toothpaste or youth paste, all 10 fingers intact.
£11.99 a tube!!

Blimey! That youth paste is quite a price Ellianne, worth it though specially if it keeps you young protects doggie's teeth.

Glad you got home safely Franbern

I enjoyed the walk. It was a stunning day and although we sat at the beach to eat our snacks we mostly walked through the estate and looked at the ice house and mauseleum. The grounds are beautiful and we saw 4 herons. 2 were up a tree.
We heard woodpeckers and had a good natter. The U3A ladies (and gents) are not unlike Gransnetters - plenty of useful information. I have been told about a place to buy second hand curtains which may be a good idea for our big room.
I am feeling rather poor without rent from the flat.

Must just say that whilst I was in London I popped round to the Close I used to live in. Much to my surprise they were still obviously working on my former house and - going into a former neightbour for a chat and a cup of tea, she told me they were not living there yet. She said there had been four skips there and lots of noise from inside from workmen.
I find it incredible that young couples can afford to pay London prices for a house and then be able to spend so much - immediately - on major re-build. I suspect that the long private surveyor they employed, which caused me so much stress on the day I was due to have my pre-op, was as much to do a feasibility study as a survey. No wonder they were not interested in taking up my offer of coming round to measure up for their furniture, etc.
Now I am wondering if I could have the cheek to knock at the door sometime in the summer to see what they have had done!!!!!
This morning I am hoping that some of my current neighbours will turn up for a Coffee Morning I have invited all people in these flat to attend. Of the 25 flats here (all two bedroom, 2 bathroom), twelve have single occupancy, mainly by women. Thought it would be good if we could maybe sort out a monthly get-together with different people hosting - will see how this first one goes.
So good to wake up, open the curtains and blinds and not see that water falling from the sky.

Franbern hope all goes well for your coffee morning. You will probably need a nap this afternoon.

Grammaretto glad you enjoyed your walk. It always amazes me when I see a heron. They are such a lovely bird.

My niece and her boyfriend have just had an offer accepted on a house. The couple have divorced and the husband still lived there. He has a house boat he is moving to. My niece has an advantage over the rest of us as she works in the planning department of the council. She will rush the searches through. They had been looking for 2 yrs . The last house they went after they were gazumped. Hope everything goes smoothly.

It's lovely to see the sunshine. Hope it lasts.

Morning all, frosty and sunny again here.

I've woken up feeling a bit panicky about everything I've left at the station and must get to it today.

I'm glad it didn't make you feel sad visiting your old house Franbern, it is amazing such young people have access to so much capital but they may be investing an inheritance? I visited my childhood home as a potential buyer about twenty years ago, it was unrecognisable and I didn't like the 'feel' of the house at all. Not a good visit as it bought back awful memories, we had been burgled in 1969, and my Dad was injured as he tackled the burgular. There had been several burgularies since then too. Detached house on a busy main road, I'm not sure why it attracted so many thieves.

Hope people come to your coffee morning and it does become a regular 'catch up' and social occasion.

Have a good day everyone

Franbern our last house as been extensively and very extensively renovated and looks beautiful but not the shabby chic home we loved. We were delighted to be asked to coffee so that we could see it, admired extravagantly, and were able to put that part of our lives in the past where it belongs.

Franbern - I had the same thing as you with my old London house - I can't believe how much money some younger people have. My buyers pushed hard to get me to lower my price so I thought they struggled to afford the house. As soon as they moved in the builders started and there was skip after skip so must have a lot of money. I had new kitchen, bathroom and carpets with most rooms newly decorated and I expected people to save up to make any changes but not nowadays it seems.

Same here, but London is in its own property bubble and prices are crazy. Our buyers paid full asking price, not far off £1 million and are now revamping the house. They wanted it specifically for the local schools, £10,000 a year x 2 kids on top of posh cars and holidays. So I'm baffled how they can afford it all.
I often scan Rightmove to look at our past houses. I would love to revisit my childhood one.

I've just asked my DD how everyone of her age affords houses where she is in London, plus cars, holidays etc. Apparently most have salaries of £100k plus or work in established family businesses. They have big loans.
For us, our huge mortgage, 10 hours a day at work, 45 minutes commute by tube, pollution, noise etc. was all far too stressful and not worth it. So now we are poor (!!) but happy with a property that suits us in a beautiful area. A good move all round and time to appreciate the important things in life.

So pleased coffee morning went off really well. Seven people came (all Ladies), but it was so good to meet with them and we all talked about how we had come to move into these flats and how lovely they are. Next one arranged for two months time, to be hosted by another lady.
Only problem was how little cake and biscuits were eaten, leaving me with these to resist!!!!
Off for a dental appointment this afternoon. I know I need something done as have been getting some discomfort over past couple of weeks.
Glorious sunshine here this afternoon, makes me really want to start getting down to sorting out my balcony.
My own children are all now getting to the age where their main ambition seems to be getting to the point of being able to be 'mortgage free'. One is already there, second one very close. Do wonder what will happen if there really is some serious economic crisis (could be due to Covid19 virus), - how will all those with those huge mortgages, etc manage.

That was a good turn out Franbern and how lovely to chat about everyone's experiences of moving to the flats. You will be well stocked with cake and biscuits for the next few weeks unless your grandchildren discover them!
I wondered whether the Covid19 virus will change the work landscape with more people setting up and working from home. This happens a lot in London already and is one reason why many families need bigger, more expensive homes to set up offices or studies. Hence the huge mortgages.
The family house over the road from us in London used to have a whole front room given over to computers on desks around the wall.

Evening all, glad you had a fun afternoon Franbern.

I couldnt' face doing house things today, it was too warm and sunny. I sat in the cottage garden but a neighbour's dogs kept barking, and my dog barked in return, I couldn't stay out for long. Beach was lovely earlier in the morning.
I did drive into town to the rental agency with the previous tenant's post - they said to put return to sender on anything else that arrives.

I have just had to book my car into the garage for a 'fast driving session' to clear the exhaust, my 40 mile trip didn't clear it. I'll have to get the bus back from the garage, lucky I have my daughter's car to use if it can't be fixed in one day. Hope you got your tyre fixed craftyone, these things are so unexpected and bothersome.

I agree Ellianne that the virus will change the work landscape, perhaps forever. My friend in Ealing has told me her daughter has been told to work from home, she works for a famous designer an hour and a half commute away on three forms of public transport. I was glad my daughter took the Dettol soap with her, another person in Newcastle now has it.

I've just watched the last episode of the Crown, exploring other good series on Netflix! My evenings are so very dull, I hope I can find something as absorbing.

I am glad the coffee morning went so well Franbern
I agree entirely with GrannySomerset about revisiting the old house. We were invited back to ours and were shocked to see all the beautiful features, which we had kept, swept away and the house looked very boring.

We wondered what it was they had liked it for when they bought it as they ripped out so much character and replaced with wall-to-wall pale carpets, concreted over the garden and replaced the old brass light fittings with plastic!! (and cut down a beautiful tree)

Some people are so rich they only have to breathe to "earn" more than the rest of us do in a lifetime. When our DS & DiL were house hunting 10 years ago they found themselves competing with very young couples. They found a lovely flat in the end which has a small garden but is near enough to the city centre to be able to walk to work, children walk to school and the park is nearby. But it is not London!

Hello Everyone

More decluttering going on here toddsy and I’ve just had a real giggle. As you have possibly heard there are - -idiots- - people here going absolutely mad and buying up all the toilet paper they can due to the corona virus.
I advertised something on the local Community Notice board to give away. The lady that is taking the item, in return asked me if I would like some rolls of toilet paper in return as she had plenty. Very nice of her but I declined as I don’t think se are in danger of running out for a little while. Who would have thought this item would become such valuable currency?

I’ve been a bit hampered as I managed somehow to twist and lock out a rib. Very painful and although my wonderful Physio rectified the problem I need to be careful of not re injuring it.
Hubby is doing pretty well but I think he is trying to do too much too soon. It’s not worth invoking WW3 telling him not to do things, so I just have to trust he recognises his limitations.

SueH49 glad your husband is doing well. My husband always thought he was superman he still insisted on working up until 3 weeks before he died. It was just paperwork and he had been working from home for 2 months. I limited him to how long he could work and made him rest. That was a battle and half. Sorry about your rib it's probably your bodies way of saying slow down . Find if I do much I tend to injure myself. The toilet rolls made me smile. When I unpacked all my boxes I had packed 4x16 packets of them. Didn't realise I had so many as they were in the first boxes I packed. My daughter says people are going made buying rice and pasta to stock up. It's madness.

Yes Whiff rice and pasta are in high demand here too. I did a bit of shopping yesterday and I think I was the only person at the checkout without toilet tolls, rice or pasta. Why?

All the toilet rolls were sold out here in Waitrose, Lidl and Tesco yesterday, so I went back at 8 am today and grabbed a few. What made me laugh was people standing staring at the shelves yesterday and discussing what they were going to do.
Hope your rib settles Sue.

I shall phone the plumber immediately to install a bidet. I wonder why they never caught on in the UK? They are much more hygienic surely.

I did laugh at the loo rolls as currency! So it's happening in Australia too.
My son in NZ is a film maker and 2 of his cast are supposed to be travelling in from Aus this week.

Morning all, bright and sunny here today.

I hope you get better soon SueH49, how very painful. I've just made big lists of things I am going to dispose of, decluttering is hard isn't it. I had a wander around the charity shops yesterday and saw the items I'd donated for sale, an odd feeling. Now my toe is slightly better I'm going up to collect the record collection, so very heavy and I'm not great on the 18 steps without holding on. Definitely not going to drop them on my other toe! Less is more as they say!

I always buy huge packs of loo roll in case of snow/road flooding, but I'm not buying extra food, I can't understand why people are doing it unless they are self quarantining. I feel a bit depressed about the coronavirus as my sale was initially affected by Brexit, now this fear of infection may affect the people attending the auction. I've just had another viewing text, four viewers on Tuesday.

I'm still in my dressing gown, I had a dream about my late husband and it's left me feeling very low. I really didn't appreciate how much he did for me.

Have a good Saturday. Someone on gransnet has asked what people did for a Saturday job - at 14 I used to work in a transport cafe, and always smelt of burnt fat when I went home! Lovely fry ups - owner used to coat the sausages in lard and cook them in the oven, they were delicious but very unhealthy!

That's a pain about the C-virus affecting the auction Shandy. It may not because don't most people bid online anyway? You may get more people because they think they'll be getting a bargain which they will be of course
Sorry about the sore rib SueH
I spend a lot of the time touching wood and crossing my fingers.
I am becoming clumsy or at least clumsier. Is this another precursor of old age? I broke my porridge bowl this morning.
MiL will be 95 this week - I'll ask her.