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

So Shandy, we'll each take our own area of the country and make you a short list. You need to give us 5 main requirements!!

What are you keep bringing down from The Station' Shandy? Surely, you are planning to get rid of most of that 'stuff' before your next move.
I checked bungalows in Worle, which is a suburb of WsM. Nearly all bungalows there, most of them detached with good-sized gardens. Nice high street, Station direct to Bristol and Paddington. Good bus routes, close to M5, close to Beach. They have 3 and 2 bedroom ones, all looking very nice from about £180,000 to about £260,000. (and, these are all prices listed before the lockdown - so most will be happy to accept a good offer from a cash buyer now)
Shandy, you will be quite amazed at what you can easily afford, and have money in hand for new furniture, etc.

Just come in from the garden. Had a fight with giant plant but it had to go. My husband would have wept if he'd seen me using his chisels and hammer to try cut through the dense middle. Unfortunately got the chisel stuck. Much muttering and mild swearing got it out. Next one to go another day has been eaten to bits by caterpillars looks like. Lunch next then possibly a nap. Enjoy your afternoon.

I gather that a beach is very important and it would have to be safe, which rules out the beaches close to weston super mare, people quite often get stuck in the sands and have to be rescued. The beaches up around southport are some of the best beaches in the uk, ainsdale in particular is gorgeous and very safe
www.thebeachguide.co.uk/north-west-england/merseyside/ainsdale.htm

That would come second I think to a garden, a good safe garden for your pets and for pottering

Transport around southport used to be excellent, I have no idea about now but gather it is still very good and lime street and central stations in liverpool are hubs for anywhere. my goodness, southport still has a station, we used to get the trin to southport

There are masses of bungalows in southport, with gardens and garages for 220 and well below that

Shops obviously no problem and friendliness no problem

I would mention my area but my nearest beach is WSM and Brean sands which is full of holiday parks and pontins, trains are quite a journey from here too

Shandy57 Crosby has a nice beach. Good shopping in Crosby village. Not village in cute way. Good select of chain and independent shops. Aintree retail park not far away. Waterloo has good shopping plus train station. Formby has good shopping also nice area. Hightown is more out of the way not much shopping that's why I discounted for me. Blundellsands is more expensive area but has train station and shopping. Woolton lovely old shops mostly independent. Also has station. Bus and train links very good here. Free bus pass can be used on the train as far as Chester and Ormskirk. Ormskirk is also nice with shopping area. But it was to far out for me. Cost of living is cheaper than the Midlands. Doesn't get much snow . Since I 've been here none. Does get windy. Very good health care better than Midlands.

With us living in different parts of the country we can give you a wide over view of places.

Craftyone has mentioned Southport which is very nice. Good shops lovely beach . Train station and good bus links. All transport up here very good. Plenty of things to join.

My mother moved to ormskirk after being widowed, with 7 children, I was 21. I thought it was too far out and would not choose to live there, walking to a station would be perfect. There are a good number of train stations. Whiff you are certainly getting to know your way around

Can I chip in with some south west spots? Exmouth, reasonably sized town, nice beach for dog walks and surrounding countryside. Ottery St. Mary is a cute village, nice garden centre. Close yo Exeter for shopping and cultural stuff. Can be expensive in East Devon, but also very nice is the Teignmouth area and Dartmoor if you like wild and rugged.

There are some great beaches in the Borders, not too far north of where Shandy is now but I fear the houses nearish to Edinburgh, on the East Lothian or Fife coasts are too popular with retired lawyers, doctors and health ministers to be affordable.
Berwick-upon-Tweed is do-able. A bungalow with gorgeous sea views is £240,000 but a bit too far from the centre.
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-65422482.html

Hey thanks everyone for all your input on areas, how nice of you, I will have some fun looking tonight.

I've just come back from a very successful packing session. The couple did come back last night, nearly everything had gone! Quite funny they 'browsed' without acknowledging me. Vultures, but tolerated in this crisis, it's good to recycle

Car is loaded to the roof and I've another huge pile waiting to be collected tomorrow, I'm pleased with myself. I was worried about my daughter's vanity unit, even with the drawers out I found it heavy due to the mirror top, but positioned it carefully on the sledge and went down very slowly. I am very toe conscious now! This move for me has been all about aids, hasn't it, using a sledge for the steps and a pram for the dog! Even if my husband had been here it would have been difficult for him on the stairs. I need to take the ladder up tomorrow, SSE need a meter reading, plus I have to start removing the pictures.

I have just been sadly informed of my nephews death -nothing to do with the virus, but from cancer. He was just a couple of weeks short of his 51st birthday. This took place in his home, and he had all his family around him.
Must say I am very concerned about his Mum, my Sister-in-law. She is still grieving from the sudden death of her only sibling a couple of years back (also cancer), and I am very worried how she will cope with this new death of her eldest child. She does have a hubbie, but he (like most of the men in my ex-hisbands family) has so many autistic traits that he will not be able, or even realise the need to, the support she will need for a long time. Knowing him, he will work hard to be sympathetic for about six weeks, and then decide that is long enough!!!
They are all in Wales at present, where my nephew lived. They hope to have his cremation very quickly - and then they will all need to return to their homes. I so much want to make an arrangement to go to stay with my SiL in a month or so, and do hope that will be possible. I am seriously concerned as to her state of mind, which was not good prior to this sad time.
Only one of my children was really close to that cousin, he did effectively and deliberately shut himself off from all the family for many years, only with the death of his aunt did he start to join in with family things.
The one who was close is the one now in shielding - she has phoned me, and I found it so difficult. My urge is to drive to her and cuddle her. Know I cannot and will not do this, but it is very difficult. Hopefully, my little pressie from Hotel Chocolat should arrive soon!!!
So many memorials/celebrations of life will take place in the latter part of this year.

That is very sad Franbern, devastating to lose a child at whatever age. You will be a good support when you eventually get there and I am sorry for your loss

I am thinking about closing some of the bank accounts I had when I sold my house and was reading about NS&I not reducing rates. Their direct saver is 1% and obviously the money will help towards re-building the uk. I already have money with NS&I so am withdrawing savings from nationwide and putting those in. I feel that I want to keep a bit in nationwide as they have a bank card and I can get up to £500 cash at one time, if needed

Virgin is offering .5% more than NS&I but I think I will close that account, I cannot bear that creep Branson. Might do that in a few days. NS&I guarantees all the money in their accounts and is not restricted by the umbrella FSCS protection, which is an umbrella and one umbrella covers the total limit of protection. I am feeling patriotic

Franbern sorry for your loss. It's especially difficult with this lockdown when you can't be with the ones who need you.

So sorry Franbern for your loss.

Franbern, i'm sorry for your loss.

I am prepping to make jam, whiff do you hear, its your fine example. Easy blackcurrant and I am in process of heating the washed jars. I love blackcurrant jam and while taking them out of the freezer I did find a lot of my own grown blueberries from last year. I am very pleased, that is breakfast sorted for quite a while, I thought I had finished the blueberries

I found all my overglasses at long last, disappeared until today. The easiest to wear are yellow ones from RNIB, they immediately blocked all the sun glare, even on the sides and I could sit outside and still see the 2 different colours for knitting. It was so hot outside, my legs felt very hot through my jeans. They are going to be perfect for cycling in glaring sun, will protect my eyes

Franbern, I’m so very sorry to read your sad news, what a year you are having. Big hugs xx

That is such sad news Franbern. I hope that somehow the family, and SiL specially, get the support they need. I presume he had been ill for some time but whatever the situation - it is dreadful to lose a child.

Sunburn weather here. I am exhausted. I've been clearing the compost bin and spreading it on the veg patch and raised bed.

He had gone to the family Christmas celebs for the first time for very many years, but left early as he felt so ill. He returned to Wales and went to the hospital there. They took several weeks to finally make a diagnosis - and then told him how bad it was and they gave him then about a year.
My sister in law and my niece (his sister have both been with him for most of the time the last couple of weeks, they rented another flat in the same block in which he lives. They were warned late last night that it was imminent, so managed to get most of the rest of the family there.
Seems strange, my Mother in Law had two sons and one daughter. All of us had our children very close together. All three of us have suffered the death of an adult child. Not to be expected in this day and age.
I did have tears, crying for the people we had been and the hopes we had had when those babies were being born, crying for the fact that I feel so useless and unable to go to the people I love to give them proper support, tears for a sad, sad world which I really feel I do not understand any more.

yes that is what it felt like grammaretto, sunburn weather.

I made 6 x 500ml kilner jars of jam and all have popped except one, I brought that one into the living room and will test the seal in the morning. It might be a lid defect, anyhow if it doesn`t seal then it will go into my fridge rather than be saved for a long time.

Sewing bee tonight at 9 [grin}

Several of you have mentioned beaches in relation to Sandy waking her dog.
Shandy
I don't know how important the beach is but I would check on restrictions for walking your dog.
Here in Southend on sea you can only walk the dog ( on the beach ) between 1st October and 30th April.

Yes the main beaches are often closed to dogs for the season but there are stretches up one end where dogs are allowed. Worth checking.

Most Scottish beaches welcome dogs
There are some nature reserves where dogs are not allowed

Shandy57 please be extra careful climbing up the ladder. Make sure you have your mobile on you in case you fall and have to call for help. Just wish there was someone to help you. You could still keep social distancing by working in different rooms. Is there no one you can call on?

I would insist that your solicitor or auction house tell you the completion date today. It is ridiculous you do not know. When my brother and sister in law brought theirs through auction they knew the date as soon as the deposit was handled over on the day of the auction.

Happy jam making Craftyone.

Hope you are ok Franbern after your dad news yesterday.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Sad not dad.