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

My SiL near me has had a phone call from the hospital telling him has to go into total isolation for 12 weeks, not to have any association with members of his family, use a different bathroom, etc. even have separate meals. So, he is doing that in the main bedroom with en-suite. This leaves my poor daughter having to try to run the house, still work on-line from home with her students each day, shop and cook for her own four children. I have told her not to worry or bother at all about me, I can keep in touch by phone and skype, but she has enough on her plate at present, Also told her to ensure that at least the three older teenage children all take a good part in shopping, cooking, cleaning etc.
My patio shed got delivered this morning (supposed to be Friday). Lorry driver just put inside the main front door for me to have to manage to get it upstairs to my flat. I then wiped over the plastic surround with bleach water. Will unpack it sometime tomorrow, and then paint all the panels. No idea when I will be able to get it put up.
I do wish I could really self-motivate myself to do things at home. I start cleaning, and get bored, start exercise and get bored, start writing something and get bored. I am truly frightened how I am going to get through the next three months like this.
Do hope the on-line auction goes really well tomorrow - it would be wonderful for you, shandy, and a real piece of good news for us all.

It is very strange times indeed and so annoying when other people aren't taking it seriously enough and there are others who are being morbid and downright depressing.

DS2 described his life as "Day 2 in the Big Brother house" which made me chuckle. We are supposed to be meeting for an online quiz tonight.

DD is going ahead with the house move though I can't think it sensible. Garages are exempt and they are hiring a van from a garage.

I'm sure I read that MOTs are waived at present Whiff because so many centres are closed.

DS3 is worried because of the deliveries he's making and no protective gloves. I privately hope that if they do get the virus it will be mild.

I have stopped worrying about my in-laws. They survived the war! and DBiL is caring for them. Bless him and all the other selfless people.

Morning all, what a strange day to wake up to. No bird song which is very odd. There were men on the road late last night, hope I'm not barricaded in to my road!

I hope we all stay safe and well and come out the other side unscathed. We are all participants in a period of history future generations will read about.

Another effect this is going to have is on household waste as everyone is at home - I'm off to recover my incinerator. Wish I still had my can crusher, my shoe will have to do!

Thank you for your views on the questions, I am always an overthinker. I have had some very odd questions over the past eighteen months. I'm not good being alone at the coal face having to deal with it all, I worry I am too honest in some situations. I managed to find the page in the damp/timber report that referred to 'new timbers' in the loft and finally managed to extract it and send it to the auctioneer - I still don't fully understand the Adobe Acrobat programme.

SueH49 I am glad you are happy and settled. Black market loo rolls, eh! Whoever thought it.

Off to the beach in a minute with my dog, then back to collect the cordless hoover from the station so I can hoover the cottage. I know I should say 'vacuum'!.

I can't start clearing the station until the auction tomorrow, not sure what is holding me back, just nerves I think. I work better under time pressure.

Have a good day everyone

It is lovely to speak so easily to someone on the other side of the world, I am glad you are feeling settled Sue

Yes it is essentail to plan the day, not rigid but we all need a structure.My day started with food conservation, ie pasta, left over pasta sauce and some chard rescued while still green. I need to pump my tyres today, cycle and car and in a week will put my car battery on charge. Mech/engineer husband said he charges the one in their 22 year old campavan in the garage, he does it on the first of every month and suggests the same for me

I did phone the hairdresser to cancel finally, I did try last week, answerphone so the chicken way out. She needs to be shut anyway. Back to it, I have chopped assorted veg to juice and the fibre left over will feed my compost worms, more appreciated than ever

Franbern your patio sounds lovely, an outdoor space at home

How quickly things change. (Quick reprise, family house in Southend to sell after bereavement, we’re in London, SisiL in Bedfordshire). Estate agent agreed upon but DP unable to raise them yesterday afternoon. We wanted to check if it was still worth advertising as I’m sure some people will be looking and planning. The cat which we were due to rehome today - DP’s daughter had found someone willing to have her - will continue her sole occupancy of the house as the neighbours are feeding her. Stairlift had been removed (very efficient local person, in and out in under half an hour and a cup of tea), we’d identified furniture for a charity, agreed to call in house clearance rather than have a skip and exhausted our local charity with donations. Project will be resumed later in the summer.

Crossed posts. Forgot auction on line. Should still go ahead fingers and all bits crossed for tomorrow.

SueH49 had to smile about the loo rolls. Sounds very Dad's Army. Joe doing his black market deals and Mr Jones slipping in a couple of sausages.

Well friends we are waking to a stricter country. I'm not worried about myself. My son's car is supposed to be having its MOT on Friday he has been trying to get it in before but no luck. He said lorries are exempt for 3 months. He needs his car to get to work. He is a HGV for Iceland and is needed to deliver stocks to the stores. He couldn't find anything on line last night. I hope there is more news today.

I wouldn't be going outside only to the bin or garden for a couple of weeks as I have enough in for at least
then. Glad I had a walk round yesterday. I have plenty at home to keep be physically and mentally well. Exercise sheet and plenty of books and cross stitch. And now I have video chat play days with my grandsons to look forward to.

Spoke to my aunt in Wales yesterday they have been in isolation for a few weeks due to age. coping well. Have good neighbours who are all helping eachother.

Very worried about a friend of mine. She has not been taking this crisis seriously. She lives alone with 3 cats and has been going out mixing with people everyday. Spoke to her last night before the announcement and told her she had to stop and think about what she is doing. I was a bit harsh but we talked for over 90 mins. After the announcement she phoned me back and said you were right. She had promised to stay in. She has plenty of food for her and the cats. Suggested she plans her day and to make sure she does her exercises everyday. Mind and body need to work as one. Then again my body has a mind if it's own but that's me.

Was in touch with my cousin in the Midlands he is a butcher and has been busier than ever. His eldest daughter and boyfriend have been in isolation for over a week as she is not well. Another cousin and his wife are looking after 4 grandchildren their daughter is divorced and works in a hospital. They aren't old grandparents only in their mid 50's their daughter had her first child at 17.

My brother and sister in law are ok plenty of food and she has plenty of jobs for my brother to do. My nephew works in a food processing plant so he will still be working. He says they have been busier than ever.

Sorry Shandy57 your auction may be off. Try not to worry. Just stay safe in mind and body.

Everyone take care and hopefully restrictions may be reduced in time.

Yay, after all this time ( we started this journey over 3 years ago) we settled on our sold home yesterday. Was supposed to be today at noon but due to the virus we were asked if we would settle on Monday. The bank balance looks very good! It will be interesting to see just what this means to the real estate market. I feel there will be very little coming onto the market for a while. Prospective sellers will be concerned about the market dropping and if they can hold on. However, as so many people are losing their jobs it will only be so long before they are forced into selling. We will bide our time until we see something we think is suitable crops up. There is something a little predatory about buying at a good price due to someone else's misfortune. However, on the other hand many of these people have over extended themselves in buying what they have.

I managed to buy loo rolls today. Had a Physio appointment and decided I'd try the small independent supermarket nearby. I asked the man if he had any and he looked me up and down and in a whisper asked if I was desperate. I told him I wasn't but was not far off as I'd not bought any since this started. He whispered that he had some put away and if I waited while he served the young lady in the shop he would sort it out for me. Being elderly seems to have some benefit. It was all very cloak and dagger and he insisted that the 24 pack be secreted away in a box so no one could see me walking out with them. All highly amusing but quite sad at the same time.

OH's appointments have been done via the phone - the last of those today. He has the all clear from all although he still has some healing to do.

Fingers crossed for your auction tomorrow Shandy. I agree with the others about your questions. Knowing how long someone has lived in a place can give an indication as to what the area is like.

online auction, so everyone will be working from home, no worries about it taking place. I can see an affluent renting family from london snapping it up to be their home, away from the madding crowd

Thank heavens that exercise is still allowed, I wanted to go out on my bike today. The roads will be silent. People need exercise, I can see families who live together falling out, everyone needs some space

I ordered some flower seeds, plugs are expected soon but the nursery they may not have the workers and thank my lucky stars that I bought so many bags of compost and that I have sprouted tomato seeds and thank goodness for the sun, I cannot imagine the doom and gloom if we had grey skies right now

DS phoned. He is going to set up a family on-line quiz tomorrow night. Good thing we won't be going out! They are taking turns to home school. He's changed his work days but doing lots of deliveries and having to explain about distancing!
They are worried about us. We are worried about them.

We are all anxious about Shandy's auction on here.

I can just see you punching the air whiff, made me laugh

My neighbour two doors down has offered to shop for me. Also told me to knock the door if I need help my neighbour nextdoor said the same thing . Feel very lucky. Had my first play date with 2 of my grandsons and son this afternoon via wapps app video thingy. Having one with my daughter and grandson tomorrow. Changed my mind out technology. We will not get through this crisis without it. It's going to be a life line for the isolated. Never thought I would embrace it. never to old to learn new things yah.

I have just had a ring at the door, another lovely kind person, she is in work every day and no leave, she is a policewoman, all leave was cancelled. I like her, she is lovely, just about managing herself I should think. She offered help if needed. We have 5 sold houses here, one other is 75 and always helps in normal times and the 3 others have all offered help. I feel blessed

Glad to sense a feeling of everyone being philosophical on this thread today.

I advertised a breadmaker for free today and had over 40 enquiries. A lady with 2 young children was delighted and collected it straightaway. She has since messaged me to say she will send photos of her kids making bread. Sadly I then had an abusive message from someone saying they were first which upset me a bit. I went by the messages on the page and not by the private messages which I don't like.

I think the 3 questions are reasonable Shandy though I would have thought they only need to put the details into houses sold over the years to find out how long you have lived there. I always do that.

I was thinking about the property market and can see there having to be postponements to peoples' moves. I'm not sure that removal men and drivers are key workers and they would be put at risk entering peoples' homes and packing up possessions. Also if one person in the chain got sick with CV and physically couldn't vacate their house the whole chain would break down. In that respect an empty auction property might be quite appealing to a cash buyer.

I agree with Whiff, Shandy I think this is positive and means they are serious buyers.
It must feel intrusive at this stage but that's auctions for you.

I have spent the last hour in a queue for DH prescription. The Chemist was only letting in one at a time so the line went back down the street, 2 mtrs apart. At one point a girl came rushing out to tell us that they would have to close and deep clean as someone , who obviously can't read, had come in displaying symptoms so we had another 20 mins added to the wait. However, I did get the drugs enough to last him a long time
Some crazy drunken yobbos came past at one point too as added entertainment! I can't see how the lockdown will work really but it must.

Crafty one, sorry some people just don’t know when to respect someone’s boundaries and personal space ( even virtual personal space)

whiff not on this thread at all, on a different thread some weeks ago, before all this stuff erupted. I was being helpful but some people were getting too nosy about me so I stopped and then, some weeks later, all came out in the media about paracetamol. Me and my siblings had stocked with enough for us by then and so would have some of the readers who took me seriously. There are always a few!

It has been another good day here, moving soil and making a garden edge and (so far) eating enough veg to keep my immune system firing on all cylinders.

shandy, whiff is spot on, those questions will have positive answers and that will help the feelgood factor for the buyer. It is just brief answers, the fewer words the better

Shandy57 the c question is reasonable. It's to see if you liked living there. If I had view a house and they where selling after a year I would be suspicious that there was something wrong with it. Question a is also reasonable I always answered that . Question b the answer to that is what do you want to do to it? It's not for you to say. This is how I would answer others might have better answers.

Is it just me being a grumpy grandma? The auction house has a client who wants to know a) what works we've done to the house b) what work needs doing to the roof and c) how long I've lived here.

I feel really offended at the c). What business of theirs is it? Do you think I'm sensitive to the question because my husband passed? I will always be so sad he died before we got the house as we wanted it.

Really must read what I write. But you know what I mean.

Craftyone sorry to hear some on gransnet have been nasty to you. Since you started this thread all parts you have helped not only me but everyone else here. I have learnt such a lot from you and everyone else since joining in. I am very thankful the day I do found you all.

That's fine, Crafty, I respect your privacy. Thanks for the link. I don't know who would want to pick you apart, certainly no one on this thread, you are so respected

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

no dottygran it is not ok to quote me I part used it from a post by `the ranting dentist` I cannot find it now but it was added to by various dentists. Its not ok to quote me as a scientist. I paraphrased to make it easier to understand. Best to just say that you read it on a forum and no I will not give my qualifications, some on GN would love to know and my life is private and is staying that way

Nothing harsh is meant dottygran, I like to help, always have but a few on GN would like to pick me apart piece by piece