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

So glad you sold when you did Shandy.
The world is already a different place.
We are shielding completely as DH had that letter from the Government.
It's OK because we have a big garden but it's strange in ways I hadn't thought of. like who can I ask to buy more gin?

The worst part is not being able to go for walks or drives and see our family.
But technology is amazing! I finished knitting a cardigan for DGD birthday. I packed it and a friend picked it up from my doorstep and posted it on Friday. It arrived yesterday, she opened it today with me watching on WhatsApp. Unfortunately it is too small but fits and suits her little sister perfectly!
They looked really happy in their new house. DD is a much better home maker than I ever was.
Those HotX buns look amazing Ellianne

Had to go out to post a couple of letters, one of them was my cut-up driving licence. Took me over an hour to complete my application for further three years on line. Silly little errors, I kept making so they said they could find my details. FInally got it all sorted out, and have printed off the confirmation, but then they say we have to return cut-up old licence.
Used my walker, not scooter for this. I am able to sit on this if I need a rest and post box is not far from the flats. When I came back on the notice board a notice saying the whole block had been now registered with the government and we should all go out for daily walk, but to try to limit the number of times we go shopping, and if anyone did not have family, etc close by to help and was having problems, one of the cttee members was co-ordinating government assistance. Do not need this, thank goodness, but so good it is there.
Will sit on balcony and do a 15-20 mins sun bathe.

Glad your block is registered Franbern, very reassuring. I see that going out for exercise may be restricted because of so many people still not adhering to the common sense rules. And can't believe the Scottish Chief Medical Officer went to her holiday home, what was she thinking!

I am only going shopping on a Friday so if I get the virus I can time my isolation. If I do get it I so hope it's a mild dose, I'm not coping that well as it is and am healthy. I was angry with my aunt asking her neighbour to go shopping for her again because she'd forgotten to put some items on her list, going twice in two days increases her neighbour's exposure. If I was her neighbour I would have politely refused.

Oh SHandy, what do you mean you are not coping well. This is the place to voice your concerns and feelings, we can share them - we all have them on and off. Talk ......is good.
I seem to have settled into this strange new reality. Go shopping once a week by car - 3 miles to Sainsbury - on Wednesdays at present. Apart from that do not go out much, do occasionally have trundle round corner to park, but am even doing that less and less. Quite happy to sit on balcony to enjoy sunshine.
I think it is going to be just as difficult at the final end of all of this, to get back into my old routine. I am sticking very strictly to getting up and going to bed at same time as usual and also to having my meals at normal time AND to get properly washed and dressed each morning.
But, I have started to discover how easy it is just to stay indoors and do very little. I think it is much harder for Shandy as she does not have her own new home to be settled in. However, thank goodness she is out of that large money absorbing place that she has now sold.
Do not think that exercise will be restricted just because a minority seem not to fully understand that sunbathing, in a local park amongst three thousand others is NOT permitted. Threats are being made to make us all angry with that minority.....Like stopping a family outing because one child has been really naughty.
Anyway, doubt if this early Summer weather is going to last very long.

Sorry to hear you’re not coping so well, Shandy. I noticed your comment about state pension being put back, for the third time. I’m 61 and can’t bear the thought of having to work past 66, and the thought had crossed my mind as well. Not got much of a company pension and I expect that’s taken a battering as well.

It must be awful for you, being on your own, please do share with us, you know we will understand

not everyone is hating being on their own right now. I like it, I do what I want when I want and best of all I have no-one here to be worried about. I can use the internet if I want company so I am not lonely. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to be shut in with a partner day after day

I do have a wobble if I think about being ill on my own, so I am being extra careful. I try not to go to the shops, hence eg the powdered egg, rather than searching everywhere for eggs. I want to ride this out, at least until the nhs knows more about the virus and about appropriate treatments and until ventilators are not rationed. Obviously I want to get it to become immune but there is no guarantee of a mild dose. Shandy do you have some things put by in case you get it? Paracetamol etc

Won't it be strange when we all emerge like butterflies not when this is over. Small children may stare at us in the streets if they haven't seen old people before!

It's weird on so many levels.
I managed some gardening today and it was warm. Many phone calls because of the birthdays and an old, old friend was on the line for an hour because she wanted to know if we were coping. I haven't seen her for a couple of years so there was all the DGC talk.
It is a nice excuse to get in touch with people.

That stupid Scottish Medical Officer. "Wisest Fool in Christendom" springs to mind

stupid indeed, do as I say and not as I do and good riddance

I am not going to waste the day. I have already done all my downstairs windows from the outside and got rid of the dirt and dust lingering on the frames. Later will do the patio doors from the inside, not right now because the sun is blazing on them

I got carried away with my knitting and am having to undo 000`s or stitches of stocking stitch, very thin woollen yarn and I don`t want to worry about running out. An oversized short striped top knitted in the round. A few more rows to undo later

I am very thankful for the rain overnight, the ground looks nice and damp, this is when we start to see the spring growth spurt. As long as I fill my morning positively, that sets me up for the day

Off to make my bed and flip a duster around in my bedroom, then coffee

Positive vibes to everyone at the start of the new week. Yes, the rain overnight has made things feel fresher and we have blue skies above. Today's job is to get my jigsaw finished which has been on the dining table for five days.

Sadly, my day has started by learning of the death of the husband of a friend of some sixty years.. I had planned to visit them whilst I was in London over Easter. He was his wife's main carer, she is extremely disabled with MS and other conditions. Do wonder how she is going to manage now - although she does have some wonderful carers coming in twice a day. So very, very sad.
Life does continue, and cleaning in the home also needs to continue. Yesterday, took out from storage in spare bedroom wardrobe my box of summer sandals, and started to pack away my winter shoes.
I do agree with Craftyone, that it can be easier living alone during this, than living with someone with whom you do not get on very well. I am very concerned about people living in one or two rooms, in high flats, in B&B;s, etc, with small children. As a nation we are going to have to deal with serious mental health problems with these children for very many years to come. My daughter, who is an educational psychologist, is seriously worried about how their service is going to cope during the next few years.
It has continued to surprise me how little the balconies in these flats are used during this lovely weather. Each time I have been on mine, I have never seen any of the others being used, indeed, most of the windows are not even opened. Do not understand why. The way my flat lies, I get the sun streaming into the rear of the building every morning, so have small window open in dining part of my living room, in my kitchen and in the spare bedroom. By the afternoon the sun moves to the front, and that means my bedroom window wide open, and the patio door and time for a short sunbathe on my balcony.
Perhaps peoples second homes, could now be opened up to provide some sort of decent accommodation for some local people living in cramped conditions.
Just heard that this virus has now managed to jump to other mammals, this is obviously extremely worrying and do wonder how they might effect peoples pets.

Morning all, fantastic you've done your windows craftyone, I find it exhausting. I noticed a strange mark on the outside of the upstairs bedroom window when I moved in, very sadly I've now realised it's the outline of a bird

Enjoy your jigsaw Ellianne, I hate them. Bought one about a year ago and tipped it out on the table, scooped it straight back into the box and gave it away, I have no patience.

I'm feeling panicky about disposing of all the large furniture today, none of it has sold on ebay, it's been relisted for the third week running. I've got a three door and two door wardrobe, superking bed frame and two large chests. Plus a dressing table downstairs. The kitchen table is also too bulky for me to manage, I haven't listed that as I had intended bringing it down here until I realised it would fill the whole kitchen! All too heavy for me to get downstairs on my own even if I did manage to dismantle it. I might ask the removal people how much they'd charge me.

Off to the beach early with my dog in the pram. He only woke me up once in the night last night, I don't know why he's started doing this. He still has a hot nose, but is behaving normally.

Have a good day everyone. Sit and fit Whiff, sorry you can't bake your normal group cakes!

shandy does it say in the contract that it the property has to be empty? If not, then I would leave things that I could not manage to move

Franbern, a very good idea about second homes but I doubt of the owners would be so altruistic. I say a family in a london apartment the other day, they absolutely need to be out and using the parks. Maybe supervised walking down the left side, no cycles, they can use roads. Perhaps the locals should be doing more to arrange park exercise. Nothing wrong with keep fit exercises in the parks, social distancing can be used. I am never going t moan about being here day after day. I am very lucky

For Shandy

So sorry about your friend Franbern, how terribly sad.

Craftyone I haven't seen the contract yet, perhaps with the restrictions of lockdown leaving the furniture may be allowed? I can't lift any of it, it is so very heavy, just a drawer from the chest had me huffing and puffing. It's all the swedish make Ilva. I've just written to my removal people asking for the clearance man's phone number, any money is welcome at the moment. I've just remembered my daughter's dressing table too.

Was anyone else distracted by the Queen's tooth? I wonder what happened to it?

Thank you Ellianne pretty!

Oh Shandy, do not get hung up on that furniture. Obvious such large items, which would need collection are not going to sell on ebay or anywhere else at present. Put them down as part of the fixtures and fittings on the contract. And, then just leave them. Not sure if house clearance people count as essential works just now, so they may not be able to come at all. Strange times, and lots of normal rules do need to be lifted.
I still think that you do not need to be so worried about money - the bottom must be falling out of the property market at present, and will stay low for sometime after this is over. As you will in such a wonderful position to move quickly -cash buyer, nothing to sell, able to complete and move at whatever speed the solicitors can manage, you should almost definitely be spending so much less than you thought on purchase of your new home. Just give up thanks that you sold when you did!!!!

I forgot to tell you - I watched a programme called After Life on Netflix yesterday. I really liked the look of the location it was filmed in, and thought I could live there happily. Nice high street, lovely parks, attractive houses. Guess where it was filmed - Hampstead! Ha ha, champagne taste and water purse as my Dad used to say! I used to go there as a kid drinking at a place called Jack Straw's castle, took all my friend's in my Anglia car. I hadn't told them I wasn't too good at hill starts, the hills there are scary for a new driver!

So sorry about your old friend Franbern. Sad news indeed. ((hugs))

Clearance companies are always advertising so couldn't they remove things you can't, when the time comes? Shandy

Before the cv19, I asked the charity shop which sells furniture, if they would like some of our stuff. They sent someone round but he, a retired antiques dealer, told me they couldn't sell wardrobes and even the 1970s solid wood chest of drawers he refused because it wasn't perfect! (a tea stain)
I put the drawers on free gumtree and they went that same day to a woman who "up-cycles" furniture. She even gave a small donation for charity.

craftyone you are so upbeat about isolation. I must try to be too.

The cardigan I knitted didn't fit her so it went to her little sister who suits it perfectly. I wish I could post a photo but ofcourse that's not allowed. Just imagine a sturdy 2 yr old with red hair and a determined look, riding her trike, wearing the dark red/pink cardigan mostly unbuttoned, a blue skirt and colourful wellies. The snow capped hills of Scotland are in the background. DD is a photographer and takes some stunning pictures

Ellianne

Mmmm. maybe not Hampstead, Shandy - but many seaside towns have all those things in abundance without the price tag.
Have anyone seen the wonderful message sent to the children by the PM of New Zealand. She is such a wonderful lady, has coped so well with the crisis and has now taken time to send a message to the country's children explaining that, whereas Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairies are counted as Essential Workers, obviously they are at home spending as much time as possible with their own families so may not be able to visit all the children in these coming weeks.
She is to me, a shining example, of everything a country's leader should be.

Crikey Shandy, Jack Straw's Castle, remember it well! I was at university in London and our halls were in nearby Swiss Cottage. Used to see Paul Mcartney in Regents Park. I used to drive my Triumph Herald over the hill from Alexandra Palace.

Sorry Franbern, you seem to be losing people too often. Very sad.

I can picture your little 2 year old Grammaretto against that beautiful background. Lovely image.

Escape to the country later!

Yes, Franbern, Jacinda Ardern is an amazing leader and is especially good in a crisis situation. I remember almost crying listening to her beautiful speech about the murdered Essex girl, Grace. She loves her country but is humble and caring. Many of my family live over there on the South Island. They are worried about the state of things in the UK. I think distance makes things harder.

Some good suggestions from a behavorial scientist on LBC this morning. 1) To open up all the golf courses, and much other private open spaces to enable people to get their exercise out of doors without cramming into parks, etc. Also, that the government should be treating us all like adults and give us information as to why the rules are so strict, not like silly and stupid children. Appears she is an adviser to the gov. wish they would take more notice in what she is saying

I guess there would be a lot of logistics involved Franbern golf courses are usually in areas where people already have access to gardens, surely.
I agree that we feel patronised.
Jacinda does seem like a good leader. DS and his family live there and think she's great and that we in Britain get the worst advice.