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

So sorry crafty.

Homemade pizzas tonight, including base, (Paul Hollywood).

Aw craftyone I am so, so sorry your friend has died. His poor widow, she will be so glad of your phone calls and practical support. I shudder at the memory of all the admin you are supposed to plough through at a tragic time like this. I hope she can apply for her Bereavement allowance immediately to help her with the bills.

I never imagined this would be happening after the New Year optimism about our new 'decade'.

I like your pizza Ellianne! I had a shop bought one on Friday night, the base was like an innersole. Also had a whole tub of Ben and Jerry chocolate fudge brownie ice cream, that was yuk too!

Your DD might like to have a look at the forum on house buying, selling and renting on moneysavingexpert - people are speculating about all sorts of ridiculous house price drops - many wise and experienced people giving their views

Thank you Shandy I will let her know. She lives in a nice London area on a tube line where normally houses sell like hot cakes BUT as we all know things will be very up in the air. All we can hope is that there will be a mad scramble for properties close to good schools and shops and that completions can happen before September. I feel sure that estate agents will be allowed to open early on because confidence in the economy has always been linked to the state of the housing market in the UK.

Crafty one, that is so sad for your friend and for you. It's never a good time to lose a partner/spouse but in these unsettled times it must feel as though the world is caving in.

The widower of my late best friend was found dead last week (not from CV17) after his son went round because he wasn't answering the phone. The neighbour's said he had been out on his bike the day before, not bad for a man of 90! Due to the virus I shall not be able to attend the funeral and that makes me sad because I had known him for 43 years , firstly as my friend's husband and ,after her death ,as our friend.

Franbern, like you I do a supermarket run to a large supermarket once a week. I start making a list a couple of days beforehand and if I forget anything it has to wait until the following week. So far that system has worked well for us. My husband does not go with me and that suits us both.

I've had a bit of a panic attack tonight as I've realised I need to have packed everything in the next three weeks, not five, as the removals company will need space to bring all the dismantled furniture down. I've got stuff everywhere on the floor, I need to spend longer in the house actually packing, so it's ready to collect. I just find the stairs so hard, after twenty trips up and down I'm a jelly.

I decided I'm going to change my routine, quick dog walk up the road in the morning, then to the house to pack for four hours. Once the car is loaded I can come back, unload, take the dog out to the beach, go back and load again, and spend the evening sorting it out.

It shouldn't be this hard should it, not sure what I'm doing wrong. I think I just have to go faster. Doesn't help that the packing boxes the removal company left are nearly as big as me, so glad you sent me that link craftyone.

I'm with you that go shopping once a week, I write it in my diary, it's the only 'people' contact I have and I am always relieved to feel OK 7 days later.

Have a good day tomorrow, I won't be on in the morning

I've combed thru over 400+ listings .. Nothing yet ..

shandy you are almost at the putting things into any box stage, methodical at first then haphazard but that is ok. Those big boxes are too big for one person to handle, down the steps. Big black tie top bags are good for soft furnishings, lightweight and they squash away. Tidy can come later, even in the cottage. Just get the stuff out, sort later

To make it a bit easier, empty some rooms completely apart from what is being taken by the removal company. Dump all the bits into one or two rooms, so that you are not floating from room to room. Completely forget cleaning at the station, don`t do any.

Shandy57 take a deep breath and relax for a few minutes. Sorry but I found it just as hard as you packing up. But when I couldn't lift things at least I could always call on my nephew who lived 10 mins away and move whatever I couldn't. My children lived up here and couldn't pop down every five minutes. Between my brother and especially my nephew they took all the no good stuff to the tip. Try not to injure yourself. If you can't move something and don't want it just leave it.
Also don't let the person who has brought your house have your address or phone number. Have you got the completion date yet? If not pester your solicitor. You need to know when the money is expected. Also I hope you are continuing to look for a new home. Have you decided on an area yet? I know it's a lot to take in and I wish you had help. But you can do it and believe me it will be worth all the worry and tears in the end.

I am so glad I moved here. I know if I still lived in my old house with this lockdown I won't be coping. But here apart from my wobble the other week I am doing really well. The neighbours are lovely . While doing the front garden last week meet the ones from further up the road who asked if I needed any shopping.

I always loved the bungalow but was worried incase I didn't like the neighbours. But I moved to a wonderful area with lovely friendly people. Which I am especially glad of with the lockdown.

Talking to a friend from the Midlands last night. She was feeling down as her extension was supposed to be started today. But she is driving me made .She has been planning this for 2 years and still hasn't decided on what colour kitchen she wants. Took me 2 hours to sort out cabinet , worktop, tiles and flooring colours . Only took 1.5 hours to sort out shower room. I decide on something and get it done. Told her last night she is driving me mad not making decisions. I am not one for talking about people behind their back but say it to their face. She admitted she wish she was like me and could decide. Also she is missing me. Once everything is back to normal and my shower room etc are done and her extension is built she is coming for a week. I know she will love it here .

Anyway marmalade making and gardening today.

Hope everyone else is ok stay safe.

ooh yes I agree 100% about not giving him any contact details, do it all via the royal mail re-direction service. I did just that when I left, I was so fed up with the buyer that I wanted no further contact from her and it has worked

Me too, I am also decisive, what ifs are not part of my language. Where has your energy come from Whiff? You do sound as though you have taken the bull by the horns and am making the best of a bad job. You sound very happy

After those 4 days of hell the other week and the feeling of over whelming loneliness I never want to go through that again. I felt ashamed that I let myself get that way. Never again. I am not a poor me person. I have met hundreds of people over the years of being ill who have had to face horrendous things and still had a positive attitude. I know how lucky I am. Like I said before I made my husband a lot of promises. One was to live the best life I can. I wasn't doing that for those 4 days. So to keep my prom

Don't know why all I wrote didn't post. Try again.
So to keep my promise I keep my mind and body active as much as my body will allow. I don't believe at life at any cost but quality of life. When my husband could hardly be breathe I told him to stop fighting he died a few minutes later. Looking after my mom was very hard especially the last 4 months of her life when she became violent towards me. It wasn't her. She thought I was her mom. I used to hope she would die in the night . I lived daily with not knowing when and how she would attack me. She had times when she was ok but those times got lesser as the weeks went by. I don't want my kids to have to deal with that. So I try everything to keep active and be positive.

I am to stubborn and have a temper. That's one of the many things I miss with my husband the arguments never about important issues but stupid things. Making up was always fun. Still argued with him but he doesn't answer. Sounds as if I am going round the bend . But talking and shouting at him has got me through the last 16 years so it works for me.

Life is to short for what ifs especially now. Stay well friends.

Oh and yes I am happy. The old saying laugh and the world laughs with you cry and you cry on your own is very ampt.

Oh Whiff you brighten our day with your sunny/funny attitude. We all need each other on here to commiserate with, to support each other, to praise, to enjoy achievements and to learn something new and to laugh.
Beautiful day here, dog walk number 28 in isolation already.

Today,.......I should have been up early to be ready to welcome in the Bathroom company who were due to start the two weeks work of completely re-doing my bathroom. Heigh Ho!!! Wonder when, and if. that will ever happen now.
Good thing is that I have not actually paid out anything for this....each time I asked them if I could pay a deposit for this work, they said NO......just signed a contract and would have need to pay over half the cost this morning. Also, I had not got round to actually ordering or paying for the tiles and flooring.
I do hope that this local company will be able to survive and eventually come in to to do this work, but feel relaxed about it.. One of my daughters was also due to have her bathroom done, but they have paid over most of the cost of it to the company who was supposed to do it. Not sure what will happen if that company goes bust.
I must admit to getting more and more fed-up with this lockdown. I am so much more afraid of this and my mental health, than I am of getting the virus. I have a very relaxed attitude to that (rightly or wrongly). I expect to contract it at some time - (they still say about 70% plus of us will do so), feel pretty confident I will be one of the 99% plus that will survive it -(and, TBH, if I am misfortunate enough to be one of the 1% who do not - well, so be it).
Just feel that, at my age, I do not have the days and weeks (months) to waste with this lockdown. Just want to get on with whatever is left of my life.
Not saying I expect other people, particularly those younger than me, to understand my thought process on this.
Indeed, my daughter came round to visit me for an hour on Saturday - as I was getting myself so depressed. She has the keys to come in, and is permitted to do so in order to assist with an elderly, alone, vulnerable person. Was so lovely having her here for that short time, did me so much good. We were at least 2 metres apart the whole time!!!
Over the weekend I have spoken on the phone to all my other children - as they are all extremely busy working from home I do not try to contact them during weekdays.
I am trying to be positive and planning how we will celebrate my 80th birthday in 2021 (this also is the same weekend as my eldest g.daughter will have her 18th)
I am concerned about one of my younger g.daughters who is a highly IQ child who is also, sadly, a very anxious youngster. Her Mum (my daughter) is an educational psychologist, so does have loads of excellent management techniques, but this little girl (she will be 10 in a few weeks time), is having a very hard time at present.
I asked her Mum if it would be okay to send a card to her, telling her that I am missing being able to cuddle her, but really looking forward to when the whole family will come together for these wonderful celebrations next year. Her Mum thinks it is a great idea, so will be writing that card and posting it today. The idea is to establish that we are all going to come out of this and the whole family will survive.
So, how am I going to pass my time this Monday - short exercise workout (14 minutes), have got some windows I could clean!!!
My quiche, made yesterday, was really lovely, have some more for this evening. I am so pleased how I am able to use the convector part of my microwave exactly like my old large fan oven,. Indeed, it is actually faster than that was for many things.

Ellianne thank you. What a lovely place to walk your lovely dog.

Franbern could you send your granddaughter one of your knitted dolls sorry forgot what they are call along with the card. The one you showed us was lovely. I am sure one would cheer her up.

All my shower room stuff etc is all paid for and apart from the 6 doors are in my garage. The doors are at the companies warehouse. Once lockdown is over my guy will start work straight away. At least he won't have trouble getting the stuff he needs as it's here.

Just sitting in the kitchen watching my marmalade boil.

My daughter said when she went into get my grandson he said Dada Dada told her it's the beard. She called me a cheeky mare. Kids no respect! lol

Lovely posts and I am loving the chin up, chest out attitude. We can`t change things so we will jolly well make the best of it.

I never got up with any plans for today but I have been so busy, transplanting, washing pots and then out of the blue deciding that I wanted a path to enable me to pick my many blueberries from the side facing the garden. Cheapest way was by using my weed faric, folded and refolded to make a 30cm wide path. Lots of transplanting of hellebores and chives first but I was quite glad to do that, I gave them more comfortable rock-free homes. I had lots of double spikes and so the path is finished. The wind came from no-where and my washed pots flew all over. Days like this are good, sun is bright and positive jobs are done and a eal is almost ready

So I deserve my feet up with knitting afternoon and will try and find another black and white slow film

Been trying to post my thanks to Whiff for an excellent idea and show photo of my stuffed toys, but will not post, Will try again,. Thanks Whiff, I have been to local post office in a Spa shop and sent off my note to g,daughter together with a little fluffy hedgehog. Was lovely sunshine, but cold wind. Will sit out this afternoon on my balcony which is protected from the wind. Like to sit there and listen to Radio 4 afternoon theatre.
I will, this time, try to post the photo of the little stuffed toys separately

Stuffed knitted toys

Hello all, thanks for your cheery words yesterday, I feel a lot better today. I've just come back to the cottage for a sandwich.

I sorted eight bags of fabric and bedding for the charity shop and put it in the empty annexe bedroom out of sight.

Wrapped up nine boxes of bric a brac, labelled the charity shop ones.

Car needs unloading of black sacks of bedding/fabric I'm not ready to let go of yet, I'm just going to drag it into the kitchen and will take it up the apples and pears later tonight.

I took my sheltie with me but he is too hot, so I'm taking him outside in a minute to make room for the boxes.

Managed to get all my DVD's in one hard suitcase, I'll wrap in plastic. Feels great I've made a lot of progress in one room, tomorrow I can now drag the huge sofa out of the way so the doorway is completely clear

The toys are lovely, especially that quiet gentle and pensive little hedgehog on the left, that would calm anyone down

Sounds like super good progress shandy. Don`t forget a couple of hours rest, you are not superhuman and will end up dragging your feet

Dozy time now, always around 2 but I shall get my knitting out and find something on tv instead. Escape to the country doesn`t appeal today, never does when it involves looking for a glamping site, obviously will have pots of money. I am only ever interested if it is < £400k

I do understand Craftyone, about ETTC, and the silly money people seem to have. Also, perplexed today at what was shown to them, quite obvious to me none were what they wanted. Once again I do wonder how much this programme gets paid by EA's to show off properties on sale.
I do enjoy the ones in Somerset, but note nobody ever mentions things like access to main roads (even today when there was going to be a daily commute to Bristol), or public transport, etc.
Had my daily 45 mins dose of Vit D - really hot on the balcony, whilst I listened to the Afternoon Play on Radio 4. Cleaned inside of bedroom window - plenty of time in hand to do the others during the week.
Have just spent time ordering some chocs to be sent to my daughter in London who is (very unhappily) shielding on GP's orders. Up to two weeks ago she was still going into work, so is finding the enforced working from home very difficult. Just want to go to her and support her. Hope chocs will be some sort of substitute.
My daughter down here has been encouraging her tribe to do baking - and is running out of flour. I told her to order the silly quantity on line, she has done so now and ordered 7 x 1.5 kg packs of plain flour - thought that best as it is easy to add baking powder (which we have) to make it SR. I will take one of those packs from her when it comes, but I have paid for the whole lot - (instead of chocs for her!!!).
Do wish that DIY stores and Garden Centres would be included in 'essential shops' to open, could easily have exactly the same distancing rules as food shops, but think would greatly assist lots of people who want to use this enforced spare time in projects in their homes and gardens.
Shandy, You seem to have accumulated so much 'stuff' at the Station. You are going to have to be really strict with yourself about what you take with eventually, a small,cosy bungalow or house will not have storage room, and TBH - moving and downsizing is a wonderful, cathartic time to really get rid of so much stuff - which we never actually get round to use.
Obviously, at the moment, it is not possible to take to Charity shops (My niece said this when they were sorting out things her poor husband had accumulated), she wants to get rid of these things, but at present all she can do is to place in boxes ready to go to those charity shops as soon as they open again
When I went to the post office, I went to the nearby small Mall (mainly to use the ATM which is at appropriate height for people in wheelchairs or on scooters), , and was so astonished to see people queuing up (a long queue) to go into Wilkos. I used to love just trundling round that store - but was not willing to join that queue to do that today.
Notice that some items I have ordered from amazon for my balcony are very delayed - all I can get when trying to track them is a notice apologising for that delay. Nothing urgent, so I can wait. Did receive some more clothes hangers today, which I needed.

Franbern love your toys. They all look happy. Your granddaughter will love the hedgehog.

Craftyone busy busy as usual. You got me inspired to do my garden it is coming along slowly. But really pleased with the results so far. After making 6lb of marmalade I went into the garden. Did lots of weeding and unearthed a large slab under 2" of weeds. Transplanted a variegated bush into the front garden. My Gertrude Jekyll rose arrived today and is now exactly where I want it. After lunch I was tired but couldn't get to sleep after a hour. Thought I would see what everyone's been up to.

Shandy57 you are on a roll. You have got such a lot done. Hope it was a nice sandwich. You deserve a treat for all that hard work. Be careful moving that sofa don't hurt your back.

Going to do some cross stitch now.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Franbern both are lovely presents, they will be delighted and whiff, blimey, garden and preserving and no nap. Is it spring energy? Yes slow an steady gets the garden done

I have been knitting for a long time and had a long lovely chat with ds who is working from home. Then I watched a dvd `how green was my valley` I remember seeing that a very long time ago when the film was on tv, it struck a chord with me then and still does after living in wales for 35 years. I love those welsh hymns. Anyway it was nice, old fashioned, slow and good for knitting and nostalgia. I like these old black and white films