Help calm me, house buying and selling stress. Part 4

Shandy Happy Birthday!??, ????

Did my weekly car ride to Sainsbury's this morning. Arrived half way through 'oldies' hour, and although there was a short queue outside, it moved very quickly and I was in the store in no time.
Managed to get most items on my shopping list, eggs, disinfectant, bleach, plenty of salad stuff and fruit, Only things not there was flour - there was bread flour there, but no plain flour which is what I am after.
Out by just after 9.00 am, took car for a trip down one junction of M5 to give it a bit of an airing, help battery, etc. There was traffic there, but all moving very well, and I arrived home by 9.45 and unpacked my shopping. Will not be using my car until next Wednesday now. I did notice some some compost in Sainsbury - but not until I was leaving,. Will put that on my shopping list for next week along with the flour.
Last night I was most annoyed with myself, caught up in knitting and watching Holby City I responded to a 'ping' on my phone and then (very stupidly) tried to download a video that it appeared had been sent by one of my friends. Actually, it was a phishing - and I got into a right panic. This then went on to all my named list in Messenger. One friend phoned me, so I was able to send out a warning on Fb, then one of my daughters sent me details of what to do, which was not difficult. I am usually so careful - feel really bad about this, do wonder what on earth people who start these really think. All sorted out before I went to a late bed, and then - because of this - had difficulty in sleeping
Earlier in the evening my daughter who manages several Mental Health Teams in London phoned me. When she was 20 years old, she had a spleenectomy due to something called ITP. No spleen means she is more vulnerable to certain infections, although she takes good care of herself and is very fit and healthy. However, yesterday she had a text from her GP ordering her into isolation for 12 weeks. She has to obey this, and although she can do a lot of her work from home, she is always very proud of being a hands-on manager and is really angry that she is being prevented from going into work. During the conversation she let drop (which she had not told me earlier) that several of her team have already had and totally recovered from this virus. Now I have been rather concerned about her all along, so, cannot say I am sorry she will not be going into work, but was so unhappy at how unhappy she is about this
Earlier in the evening,my daughter down here came past the flats when bringing her 10-year home from his daily run around the beach, phoned me, and - in my nightie and dressing gown - I stood on my balcony and was able to have a chat with her (not on phone), - which was great.
All the kids have arranged for the whole family to have a Zoom Meet=up on Easter Sunday morning, I have been given careful and detailed instructions, finger crossed I can do it. It appears as if all the g.children are chatting to each other nearly daily on skype, actually getting to know each other better than they had previously.
Unpacked my shopping, sun trying to break through, having large mug of tea
Have a great birthday Shandy, we will all have double celebrations next year.

Morning all, thank you for the birthday wishes.

I am glad to be here, safe and well and grateful, I see the first patients have arrived at the Nightingale hospital in London. Now I am the same age as my husband I do feel a bit odd, I must start living life to the full.

I'm driving to the beach today, I can park in the recycling area and do my glass disposal too. I'll still need to use the dog pram, but not as far. I met a friend who has been doing this since lockdown, she has spoken to the local police who said a five minute drive is OK as we are not going out of our home town. I am always alone on the beach, he does enjoy it so much.

Hope all goes well Grammaretto

Enjoy your day whatever you are doing x

MASSIVE Birthday hud, Shandy. You won’t forget this one in a hurry!! Sun’s shining, birds are singing. Finally getting my work lap top today, so back to the grind. Have had a week and a half of WFH but not really working, just the odd Skype call, so new reality today.

Love hearing what you’re all up to. And yes, I too love being one of Crafty”s hudders. WE IS A GANG, innit.

Got to go to the office soon to pick up lap top, so best get some slap on. I hope I can remember how to drive lol

Shandy
Re the curtain material. Are you absolutely certain that you want to get rid of it? The reason I ask, is, because you don't know what sort of 'new' home your going to move to and curtains can be very expensive.

Shandy, happy birthday ?

My goodness, this thread moves fast; mind you I didn’t realise it’s been a few days (week and a bit?) since I dropped in. Crafty, you made me think when I saw your comment about September/October infection rate; I have booked our ‘big’ family holiday in October half term in Alston this year and hope that won’t be spoilt. Also have a hol booked on the Kent coast for August so fingers crossed. Comfort dolls - didn’t know they were called that; have been knitting them on and (probably more) off for years from an old Family Circle pattern. I used to make them with a vague similarity to the people I gave them to; DP has his in a jam jar which was done when he still had visibly curly hair. I’ve lived in east London for nearly 40 years and have no intention of moving. Can easily escape north, east and south from where we live, easy access to public transport and to large open space to walk in. DD and her partner are tracking the housing market; I’ve told them they don’t have to wait until the house in Southend is sold if they find somewhere they want to buy. They are looking east but not as far as Southend. The big reorganisation post the building work in this house is in full swing; everything that got stuffed in the lofts is now coming back out again and has started to mingle with the boxes brought back from Southend. Sorting can get tedious after a while. Happy days.

Happy birthday Shandy. Don't work too hard!

Happy birthday Shandy
I hope you have cake and bubbly ?

Grammaretto hope all goes well with the scan.

Happy birthday Shandy57. Hope you give yourself a treat today.

Cleaning the empty house wouldn't be my priority. Shandy The buyer, who got such a bargain, will probably have the builders in first. Does he intend to move in? He's more Escape to the Chateau than Escape to the Country.
DD is settling in to the tiny house and is finding some positives such as how sunny and warm it is inside. It is 1950s vintage with big windows and higher ceilings than the early 19th centuty farmhouse they left.

We are going to hospital today. DH had a call from the consultant who wants him to have a regular scan.
I will stay in the car but I am quite excited to be going for my first drive in 3 weeks.
We have been reassured that the hospital have all necessary screening measures in place. At least it will be quiet without visitors or OP.

Huds to all xx

my sisters in WA aus are being given only simplistic untrue information eg about the low % of people who get covid etc. They are living in cloud cuckoo land. I have to drip feed them with real facts, so they are more prepared

Shandy, I think you may be mentally best off at the moment, you actually have physical tasks in front of you, each task with a beginning and a satisfying end. Personally, I find the drifting is difficult, hence my short on-going list for each day. I know you have your pride shandy but the way he treated you, I would be so tempted not to give that final clean

My last 2 iron obelisks are arriving today [smile} these will complete my garden structure. I will have to assemble them and install and that is my outdoor task for today. As usual I will end up pottering, no weed has a chance in my garden, the beauty of having only certain plants, so I know which is which ie plants and weeds. Mostly my weeds are mallow and dock.

I made soup yesterday, am very thankful for my tefal easy soup. I have 2 squash and another is coming on friday and I caramalised excess onions the other day. One squash, caramelised onions, marigold stock, sage leaves, water. It was lovely soup, very easy to eat. I have some excess vegetables I really need to eat by friday, when my new veg/fruit box arrives. My list includes the meals ie one small main meal and a much small meal eg soup and a piece of hm bread with peanut butter. Got to keep the proteins up at my age

One neighbour has gone on a jolly with his girlfriend, to her house 100 miles away, in his car, he told me he was going. I never said any soothing words and in actual fact I am cross but then again I was a prefect and was good at keeping rules.

SueH49 you have made Huds a special thing for all on this thread could be our secret password if we all get to meet. That way we would know we where members of Craftyone's gang.

When you think about all the things to consider when moving Coronavirus cleaning is going to have to high up on the list. As if there isn't enough to worry about.

Hope you and hubby are staying safe and he is making a steady recovery.

Huds to everyone - We could make these special to us but they are not something special or even well known from Downunder but just a result of my fat fingers and lack of proof reading!

Ellianne, Hubby and I were just talking about what we would need to do if we bought soon (unlikely) re the possibility of the house being contaminated. At the very least it would need to be commercially cleaned.

That's great Shandy little and often but take some time out tomorrow to celebrate!

I won't worry to much about wood lice etc. When I moved here they had cleaned but left the mice. Had to have pest company out. Now have 2 large pest repellers plugged in all the time and bait in the garage and garden.

Hey Whiff, I've just had a Snickers icecream, yum!

Your post has made me think, he exchanged on Monday 30 March and I agreed to eight weeks for completion - I wonder if I should speed up so the house hasn't been occupied for perhaps the last week? I don't think I can manage it any sooner. I'm really dreading cleaning it when it's empty, urgh. The wood lice are having a field day as I'm not there. The garden was full of rabbits too, wildlife does seem to be enjoying the humans being locked down

After all that Shandy57 you need a stiff drink of something.

Ellianne I asked my friend. This is what she said As the furniture has been in storage it should be clean . No one has been in the house for a month. She has given the removers a plan where to put everything. She will open the door whilst they stay by the van. They will be wearing masks and gloves and using sanitiser. Lock up when they go and won't enter the house for 3 days . Then clean everything before touching or opening anything. She hopes everything should be safe.

Nice work Shandy, now time to enjoy the evening sun!?☕️

Evening all, lovely to read what you've been up to today.

I've been at the station for a few hours and feel I've made a little progress today. I put out a lamp, 2 mirrors, the ugly dressing table stool, and a huge wooden overmantel I'd always intended upcycling.

I've emptied the chest of drawers into Ikea bags, and only have hanging clothes in the wardrobe now. I only have a silly chair left as I sold the others, but managed to balance well enough to get my son's childhood Power Ranger toys from the top of the wardrobe. I will be keeping them.

I also attacked the linen cupboard. Very sad but I put my twenty year old eighteen metre length of fabric in the charity bag, as well as the lining and interlining. I absolutely love the pattern, got it for £1 a metre, but haven't touched it for twenty years and never will. I was going to make curtains, but now I've decided I won't ever have them again, it will have to go. Someone else will probably get great enjoyment from it. I've come home to have a rest and a think, I've got one double wool blanket, and two singles, I can't decide which to keep.

Now I'm back I feel I should go up again, but if I go daily, surely in six weeks it will be clear!

I had to pop out to post that condolence letter to my friend, whose husband of some fifty plus years died yesterday. Used my walker rather than scooter. I did have to go slowly, but was better exercise for me. As I returned I past the little Tesco and no queue, so went in to get a few things, could get eggs, nut no flour, said they had not had any flour for a week now!!!
Back home, treated myself to an ice cream whilst I had my 15 mins sunbathe on balcony. Do not do much of this as have had three basal cancers cut from my face in past ten years. But do like to get some good vitamen D direct.
Back inside, painted the final part of what will eventually be my balcony storage shed. All in Cuprinol Cream to match that painted on the stone wall that surrounds that balcony.
Partially put together the second of the little planters, will finish that later on
After having a bad day with lots of tears yesterday I am fine again today. Think it is normal to be so up and down in the present circumstances.

Ellianne never thought of that I will ask her.

Shandy great list.

All good advice there Shandy.

Interesting*Whiff*, if your friend isn't moving in until Wednesday is she getting people to give her new place a deep clean? I know I'm being over cautious and silly here but what if someone who vacated the house had the virus? How is she protecting herself from a team of removal men? Mind working overtime here.

My financial advisor has just shared this article with me, I thought you might like to see it.

I just feel very lazy and am wasting time, I'm writing out a 'packing' tick list today and have to, have to stick to it

The Opportunity of Disruption

Create a gratitude ritual: Draw your attention to the things for which you are grateful. Perhaps write them down each morning and share them with your family or friends.

Exercise or go for a walk: If possible, while maintaining social distancing, exercise or go for a walk through your neighbourhood.

Have one “focal practice”: Find an activity in which you can give your complete focus without getting distracted or concerned about the conditions of the outside world. This can be gardening, cooking, reading, art, chess etc.

Relational touch point: establish a relational touchpoint with a close friend, family member or a “community” buddy. This is a time to grow closer in relationships, through the benefit of technology, not grow more distant.

Limit the intake of news: The news cycle moves at a rapid pace, but we are not meant to live at that speed. Limit your news intake to once or twice a day.

Limit screen time and escapist behaviours: It will be very easy to indulge in escapist behaviours.

Find ways to limit your intake of things like social media, television, computer games, alcohol, staying up late.