Help calm me. house buying and selling stress. Part 5

ooh another ice cream addict. I have a very precious old gaggia gelatiera, very heavy and covered and permanently out on a butchers block. I love my hm ice cream, I can be good with home made because it is so rich but staying away from easy shopping means that I don`t get cream, eggs and milk. I absolutely dare not get bought ice cream, it would be eaten every day and all that sugar would go straight onto my hips

I weighed myself today, just a few tweaks and have lost 2 kg over about 3 weeks. I am not dieting, just being a bit more careful and anyway am having a home grown salad every day for my morning break

I frogged my knitting, don`t like top down without short rows anyway, you get that lower back neck and a strangling front neck and it was too much tricky lacework with dk wool. I found a dropped stitch low down and off it came. I am now cast on for a normal uk bottom up cardigan by martin storey and it is lovely with no fancy stuff

Shandy57 that was kind of you but ice cream is one thing I can't control how much I eat. Love the stuff especially home made. So daren't have it in the house. Sorting through my husband's paperwork was hard for me to. But I was glad it was done.

Craftyone you made me laugh. Unless Shandy knows someone famous who lives on a fabulous street can't see her living in a campervan.

Realised bunga knees is a real thing as yesterday was the first day my knees didn't hurt going up and down the stairs.

Have a good day everyone.

shandy you do seem to have had an `alternative ` life and I was thinking, would it be an impossible dream to trade in your big car for a small campavan that you can use, like the lady in the van. Better than renting. Maybe just a fanciful thought of mine

Hope you've all had a good day so far. Sorry about the weather, I've been wishing for rain, but not the high winds!

Whiff, I was just on a website and they had damson ice cream? Tried to get you the recipe but the link was broken.
Glad you are pleased with the work so far.

I'm still ploughing through paperwork, currently shredding my late husband's work files. Very sad job but I feel I must get all the paperwork in order. I did find the cremation letter luckily. putting all the bereavement paperwork together in one place.

Have a nice evening

I`ll be logging out soon, just waiting a while until enough time elapses before brushing my teeth, Ultra careful preventatative toothcare required. Ds has just arranged a zoom today and I have set to record a couple of films. I did a couple of doc martins yesterday, I need an assortment of viewing, tv is so dire and boring and I am safeguarding myself in case I nap off as is usual after 9pm

Sounds like extremely good progress whiff, you will be very safe and cosy by winter

most are sold out but I managed to get mara des bois from pomona and fenella and alice from ken muir. I have had mara and alice before. Alice was very good at surviving bad weather and mara was utterly scrummy. I want to propagate alice and fenella for 2 vegtrugs for next year. They are close together and I can cover with bird net and still grow radishes and lettuces in the spaces

Mara will be for strawberry planters and I will root runners. I have a self watering tall planter from ken muir on order, 2 tall large terracotta planters from crocus and 2 tvird strawberry grobags from amazon, which will arrive today. The small toy strawberries have gone into emptied potato planters, I will be eating my first one soon as I have toscana in vegtrug edges. I will let you know if it nice. Perfect size decorative plants for baskets and balconies

I don`t want to be eating those gmo mass produced strawberries sold in the big supermarkets and have had great success with strawberries in bags and towers. You can even grow them in a grobag stood on its end and the (new) top opened up. Very cheap method

I intend to mush and freeze also cook with rhubarb next year, to freeze

Crafty , which variety have you ordered? I am looking for a really good flavour but also one that will keep quite well.

Your balcony sounds really good, Franbern

Love hearing about all you people. Brilliant thread.

Franbern thank you for the club suggestion.

Shandy57 no looking back . The station is someone else's problem. You have a a great present and future ahead of you. Having goals and things you want to do is great. Something to look forward to. Whole new life , new you , new challenges. It's not going to be easy but believe me it's worth it.

My kitchen is all painted and looks beautiful. Choose the right colour. My bedroom is all plastered and new loft hatch in . Shower room has a new ceiling. Found a problem with the pipe from the toilet when they took the old one out but that is being fixed. They are working tomorrow . Went over as my 32 plug plants had arrived. My grandson helped dig the holes so I could plant them. He did a very good job of watering. We then went for a walk on Crosby beach or should really say we battled the wind walking along the beach. I finally got to the beach being trying to since August but never had the time.

Have a great night everyone.

luckygirl, have you had any news yet?

shandy yes you should move out and rent in cornwall, you need to find the area that will suit you. Good luck with the hunt

I bought some more little basket strawberry plants today, better than nothing. I put them into potato growing pots. Those plants were only toys, I want real strawberry plants as I have plans. proper ones are ordered

Thanks Franbern. I do just want to flop really, but realise I must keep going and get away from here fast. I need to repack everything really carefully and rather than wait for the charity shops, I'm going to try and sell some of the items I can physically post on ebay.

I checked my tenancy and my last day here is 6 August, then a monthly 'rolling contract'. The thought of paying rent does make my heart sink as it might eat into my purchase costs, I'll have to really tighten my belt and use my pension to the full. I telephoned the estate agent and the rented property that would take pets in Sidmouth has gone already - it was the cheapest in the area.

I'll have another look at Eastbourne, thank you for the wildlife link website. Hope your shed is 'shaping up'! x

Shandy, have a look at these websites
www.britishwildlifecentre.co.uk
wwwllama.park.co.uk

Both need volunteers and very close to Eastbourne.

SHandy I think it might be a very good idea for you to go for a rental in an area you are considering. Would give you a good idea of that area, and if you like it then would be easy for you to be able to view properties that are for sale.

I know it was suggested to me that I should do this prior to my move to WsM. However, there were several financial reasons as to why that would not have been possible. Fortunately I knew where I wish to move to, which made it much easier.

Although, rental money seems to be a waste, think it would be a really good investment for you to do that. And, say, a six month rental, will only be such a tiny amount of the money you will use for moving.

I can recommend Eastbourne, everywhere there are lots of volunteer projects. If you contact their volunteer groups they will tell you about them. I know on the way there once, I passed a lovely looking Llama place and also a British wild animal saving project - sort of thing that would probably interest you. Would you like for me to get the proper names of these for you? - my daughter in Eastbourne has taken her children to both of these and others.

South coast is lovely and so convenient for travel anywhere. Quite pricey though on properties. It has been said that Eastbourne is one of the capitals for UK pensioners, many of them from London. It has two theatres and lots of activities.

I meant to say Pandora came home at 10.30 pm - no idea where she'd been!

Morning all, rainy and cold again here.

Talking about doing a forward roll bought back uncomfortable feelings from primary school, I hated the whole class watching me do that.

I'm sorry for your DD craftyone, I hope her week is going well. My crown is feeling odd and I am being very careful not to eat anything that will disturb it further, I don't know if our dentists have opened yet.

I let my cat out at 4 am yesterday when I had to go out to the garage for the ladder, and was concerned she hadn't returned by 10 pm so went out looking. It occurred to me the new owner might have opened the cat flap and I was worried she may have gone home again. They only seem to be there in the day so I walked down there and called for her. They've taken the apple tree down and butchered the lime and beech trees, haphazard removal of branches that could kill the trees I doubt the swallows will be allowed to nest in the coal bunker.

I know it's nothing to do with me now but I realise I need to move away quickly. I saw the girls leaving the local hospicecare shop yesterday, they said they don't think they'll be open for weeks yet. I have six boxes of good bric a brac and eight bags of good linen/clothes to donate.

It's so hard doing the research on line, who knows when I'll be able to visit the places I like the look of. I am dithering between the St Austell area in Cornwall for the Eden project, Sidmouth in Devon for the donkey sanctuary, and Wareham/Swanage in Dorset for monkey world. I also like Eastbourne but haven't found a volunteer purpose there yet.

There is a one bedroom house in Sidmouth for rent, might take pets - and he will do furnished. I really like the 'Byes' there - but they burst their banks and heavily flooded, I'd want to buy further up the hill. I can't decide whether to put everything in storage and give it a try by renting first, I could order more boxes on line and pack everything very carefully. I can't find my husband's cremation certificate yet, in my mind's eye I can see it on the mantelpiece at the station, where on earth did I put it! The area has a great community feel, does have a U3A, and a good bus service, 42 minutes into Exeter. I would be able to walk the dog by the river and one end of the beach.

Thanks for listening. I do feel so anxious at the moment, xx

My little patio shed, is the same height as the little wall along one side of this balcony. It will sit against the very tall wall, along another side. My balcony is triangular shaped, one length is the patio door and windows, one length the tall wall going up high, and the third length is a four foot high wall. It is on the roof of part of the offices of a solicitors.

Evidently, back in the mid-1980's when the flats were built - the company doing that went into liquidation before they were completely finished. Planning permission had been given for 24 flats and garages and a small car park at the rear for visitors, etc. The local authority at the time was desperate to find someone to take this on to complete, as the flats were nearly complete. Eventually, a company came to them saying they would take them on, BUT wanted to add two more flats (one story higher), AND a commercial business facing the main road (the flats entrance is down a small access road at the side).

So it was agreed, the ground floor area, where all the garages are, was supposed to have a had a communal lounge, - this became the solicitors offices and they extended this along that access road at the side, and altered the balcony to this flat (the first one) to go over their extended area roof.

So, two of the flats do not have garages, - the first time I viewed here it was one of those, (five years ago), and that was the reason I did not buy that one,. However, waiting has been good, and this flat is wonderful and I love my patio type balcony. Shame there is no communal lounge.

All the flats have normal balcony sized, except the very large 3-bedroom on at the top which has open space all around. But this gives so much more room and is so private it is more like having a small patio than a balcony.

The low wall and the lower part of the high wall are painted cream (will need to re-do those next year), so I have painted the shed with cuprinol cream to match. It will be big enough to store my patio tables and chairs in the winter (I have got all folding ones of these), and probably a few of the faux plants as well.

Craftyone, they were discussing the dentist problem on BBC 1 this morning, saying that they would only be able to treat a tiny number of patients. I do think this will get easier and easier over the weeks. So many companies and business's having similar problems, as they try to re-open.

Whiff do look up that club, they may well be doing some lessons on line and many have been very clever in helping people to adapt things they have at home as suitable for these.

I woke, at 5 this morning, not like me, was not the loo I needed, just could not stop coughing. Now, I knew this was not the virus, I get bad coughing fits when I am run down or over-tired, and also when I am dehydrated. Was so lovely, being in a flat (not a house), to get out of bed, pad across the hallway to the kitchen, make myself a mug of tea (have a hot water dispenser, so did not even need to wait for kettle to boil), which I took back to bed, watched some silly tv selling channel whilst I drank this, then was able to settle down comfortably (no coughing), for another couple of hours sleep. I love living in a flat!!!!

it isn`t the number of patients wanting treatment, she would normally be seeing 30, it will be 2 due to extreme corona security. It may go up to about 6 in a day. The whole uk is going to suffer with teeth problems

Anyway I am not going to think about it, we have all been through awful situations in our lives and we survived. What doesn`t kill us makes us stronger

A shed on the balcony is a super practical idea

Franbern that's the club he went to. He gain not only strength in his limbs but confidence in his ability to do things. He learnt how to do a forward roll by watching a 4 year old. My daughter recommend it to several friends and their children all gained by attending. She hopes it will start up one day as he loved it so much.

Your shed will look lovely on your balcony. What colour did you paint it?

Craftyone sorry for your daughter ,hopefully once people know they are open and knowing they will take all the precautions they will have a lot of patients . They must be an awful lot of people who have suffered with teeth problems throughout this time just waiting for dentists to reopen.

I could cry for what is going on with my dd and her dental practice, fortunately she is not an owner. 4 hour long meeting today, no prior plan, no gov help, she has to go in and clean tomorrow and on monday she has only 2 patients because of virus contamination risks. She is so highly trained, in sedation too and she is very worried. She said that dentistry will never be the same. Her dental practice is typical, quite a large one. The stress is palpable

Do not understand why some small sinks are not put outside these children;'s playgrounds, so that the children can wash their hands both before and after going to play on the equipment, with signs to keep reminding parents about social distancing.

Whiff, your g.son obviously used to go to a properly run BG registered pre-school gym club. The coaches there are very highly qualified and all the equipment is also tested I used to be a teacher (tutor) and examiner for these coaches, so, really do know how extensive their knowledge needs to be, not only regarding gymnastics, but physical and mental developments of small children.

I am in touch with so many of these clubs and could cry for them as they are so worried now if they will be able to afford to re-open and when that will be. Many of the people who run them have invested their whole lives into them, often mortgaging their own homes, etc. Many are doing some classes on line, so your daughter could well contact her one and see if this is on offer.

Tomorrow, my daughter and one of her older children are coming round to put together my small patio shed on my balcony. This has sat, all the parts (all painted by my when it arrived) in my spare bedroom for the last two or three months. Need it out of there and erected before my sister-in-law comes here.

My daughter had to carry my screaming 2 year old grandson from the park this afternoon. The playground area has been locked since lockdown and he looks at it and says shut and my daughter has explain yes it is but will be open one day. Today some parents had lifted their children over the fence and where playing on the equipment. He couldn't understand why he couldn't play hence the screaming. Don't these parents remember when theirs were young. It's been hard enough on us adults being out of our routines. My daughter used to take him to various groups 4 times a week . He used to look forward to seeing his friends. He especially loved going to gym they had balance beams , suspended rings etc for children of different age groups with expert teachers . Everything was padded well so if they fell off the equipment they didn't get hurt.

Tomorrow we are going to my bungalow some plants I ordered have arrived and he can dig the holes and help plant them. He will be a happy boy then.

Thanks for the chuckle Ellianne! We had a similar experience at a friend bbq years ago - their new lab puppy was about six months. I noticed he was playing with something very happily and went to investigate - oh horrors, it was my husband’s wallet! Even I daren’t touch it!! Luckily the notes survived ?

I am very pleased to be able to come here to see you all. I had no choice but to pass my old house today and the owner is hacking the trees back. I know its not my business, but it upset me. I’ve been looking at Cornwall again but the flooding problem unnerves me, there is a community page on fb for Par where people monitor the flooding. Problem is they can’t communicate because of the bad signal! Glug glug! I”ll watch Escape later, thanks for heads up?

Sorry to hear about your daughter Franbern, as you say, their loss.

Off to the beach then back to this paperwork sorting, I’ve just gone through my late Mum’s box. She had kept my first x stitch attempt Whiff - unfortunately mouldy, I put the box in the shed to declutter for viewings and left it in there too long.

Our son is a chartered geo technical engineer and analyses soils then writes up the reports. He has access to some sensitive information so is quite useful when it comes to asking about properties. A few months ago he was called to a site in London (Enfield) to check where an old ammunition factory stood. The most detailed records were German ones from world war 2, seems they knew more about the ground than we did!

definitely wise for anyone to have a full structural survey in cornwall. I had one on the house I looked at previously close to here, am glad I did. A structural engineer friend talked me through the report and I pulled out pdq. No mines but plenty of other potential problems including drains below the house extension, 1930s. He included the very long stretch of lead water pipe under a long narrow entrance and down to the mains in the road. The survey cost over £1000 and was worth every penny

Craftyone sadly Cornwall is riddled with mines, the ones close to my DD are tin mines, we drive past a bungalow on the outskirts of St.Austell and half of the Front garden was taped off and a deep hole was in the lawn, you need to be careful of walking through woods and on the moors as well.
Also Mundic cement is a problem down there with some buildings.
There is a lot to remember to look out for when buying down there, especially the new builds, one can only hope that they are all safe and on solid ground.
We live in Oxfordshire and some villages have old chalk mines under them!
Who’d have thought it....?
Pleased that you have all of your technology sorted , so satisfying when you press a button and it all works.

fabric samples came and I have ordered more than enough for 2 x zipped and piped sofa seat cushions. I will have to be in the mood to make them

Also nigel slater was nicely recorded while I was watching escape to the country. It took a few minutes to find playback but I did and deleted the programme. Very neat system