Help calm me. House buying and selling stress. Part 6

Just watched the BBC guide to stop your glasses fogging up while wearing a mask. It made me laugh.

I have never been a smoker. I was 19 before I had my first puff of a cigarette. It was horrible told my friend you might as well burn £1 notes. It was late 70's. My brother started when he was 14 and quit when he was diagnosed with heart trouble 15 years ago he stopped that day and never smoked since.

My mattresses arrived today. My decorator asked me about them so I recommended the company I had them from. It was the least I could do as he recommended the home improvements firm. One good turn deserves another. He will put my new curtain pole up for me when all the painting is finished.

Hope you had a good time with your grandchildren Craftyone.

My heathers arrived but it's to wet to put them out. Hopefully tomorrow after I get back from visiting my friends new house and do a bit of shopping.

I gave up smoking 8 years ago when I developed a cough. It was very difficult as I was a long term heavy smoker, but I did stop coughing immediately. I didn't want to vape or use patches etc. as felt I would still be dependent on nicotine. I still crave a cigarette sometimes but am sure my health would be poor now if I hadn't stopped.

Shandy, you are quite strong enough to quit vaping now. Think of how much money you will save - that should be a good incentive.

I was a smoker for several years, started around 14 or 15 years old, and by the time I was in my twenties was a regular 10-15 a day smoker. Every morning I gave up smoking, until about elevenish, when I would decide to continue for a further day!!!

I stopped smoking when pregnant each time, but went back when baby was born. Did feel more and more guilty as they grew older about smoking in front of them. I was just pregnant with my third when the definitive report on smoking and pregnancy was published, and I gave up that day - was determined not to go back that time, and have no had a cigarette for over 48 years now.

When I was very ill and in Intensive Care, the Consultant told my older children that had I been a smoker then, I would most definitely not have survived. By that time I had not smoked for eighteen years.

So, Shandy, a new life, no smoking/vaping, new home - that is the way you will eventually remember 2020 - not just as the 'plague year'!!!!

Sounds like the writing on the wall Shandy....give up the vaping!

Shandy , vaping can make you cough. Some people are allergic to something in it, usually propylene glycol. When my son vaped he developed a bad cough and myself and my granddaughter both coughed when he vaped near us.

Hope the cough slowly goes, Shandy - good old lemon, hot water and honey to sooth it. Colds and coughs have not gone away just because there is this Covid virus about.

I have a persistant cough - have had it for at least 15 years, gets very bad, the more tired I am. Even in normal times, it is embarrassing when I get a bout of this coughing, and try to reassure people it is nothing infectious. But, these days, if I am rather tired, I am reluctant to go out to shops, etc. I feel I need a notice pinned on me, saying my cough is nothing to do with any illness or virus and is definitely not able to be 'caught' by anyone else.

Fortunately, my own family are used to this with me, I will actually start the coughing bouts, before I even realise how tired I am. Was particularly bad yesterday afternoon and evening. I have overdone it in the last few days. Had a good nights sleep and am fine now, but expect it to return later this evening - so am having a very quiet day and another early night.

Nice to read how good your g.children's reports were, Ellianne, Teachers are having a very busy and rough time at present. Most are working very long hours from home, with lesson planning, teaching and on-line meetings, and having to prepare for Seotember without really knowing exactly what they are preparing for,

My daughter has been made redundant from her teaching post at the local College, but had she been staying on she would have had to prepare and submit three different full terms lesson plans - one for 'blended learning'. A second for part time lessons, and a third for full time lessons.

I like the idea of your having a "scout" to survey the area for you Shandy. There are companies who do this for people wanting to relocate, mainly from abroad. They shortlist a number of properties and check them out to see if they might be suitable. Nice job! Expensive service.
My DD sent copies of the childrens' end of year reports (infants' school). It was so refreshing for once to read a report that was based entirely around the child, no mention of levels for this that and the other. A very personal report in the old fashioned way, rather than the usual generic copying and pasting about what the whole class had been taught etc.
I thought of starting a thread on the forum, it made me so happy to read.

Morning all, bit overcast here today but warmish.

I woke up coughing in the night, and now I'm up, I'm still coughing. I don't have a temperature but feel scared. My hayfever is very bad, and I think I've told you I gave up smoking and use a vape, hope it's just hayfever!

My good friend is driving down to Birchington to look at a bungalow I found her today, she's like my 'scout'! Hope she makes it along to Westgate to have a look around. She's 63 like me and a fearless driver, she was a driving instructor for a while in the late 80's and did the advanced courses.

Enjoy your baby sitting craftyone. You've reminded me I need to give the landlord my chimney sweep's details, they paid £50 to get this chimney swept when I moved in, the local sweep charges £20.

Enjoy your day everyone

90 minutes before I leave for childminding, only until this afternoon. Car is packed with hand-me-overs again, I de-cluttered this week. Steam generator iron, small folding greenhouse. beautiful japanese garden spade that I treated myself to as a moving present, never used because every inch of my soil is impeded by rocks

Was wondering what to eat when I get back, knowing me I had to have something ready prepped and had that brainwave, soupmaker is now filled and ready. I tucked it away at the end of winter

Sweep is booked for august, will hardly need it but he has excellent reviews and was really nice on the phone when he rang me back, will check over the stove too, just who I need. I believe we need an annual sweep certificate to go with the insurance docs. I am also in process of arranging boiler annual service this summer

Good luck with Westgate shandy

My first ever holiday was to Westgate when I was 2 and my brother was a baby. When my boys were at primary school the school did an annual day trip to Westgate but it is some time since I've been there.

Shandy, I have very nostalgic memories of Westgate. When I was pregnant with my first child, my parents were concerned that I had not had a proper holiday for sometime, and my father hired a house there for three weeks in the summer. It was a wonderful holiday, my brother and his wife and two young children joined us for a few weeks. My memory was beautiful weather, wonderful nearly empty beach that we went to most days.

This was not a traditional holiday hire home. A lady owned and lived in it, and would let it out for a few weeks each summer, obviously as a way to give her some income. She had a couple of cupboards which were locked with her valuables in them.

Sure you will find some suiable properties in that part of the world, and it is a lovely area in which to live.

I have had a busy, and slightly stressful day just sorting out problems with purchases, etc. First of all, to sort out why my Tesco credit card and club card was stopped. Took an hour to do this, appears it was a computer glitch, but one that I had to sort out.

Managed to join in my zoom U3A coffee morning, still in my nightie, nobody could see that. During that delivery from Ikea -that I was expecting arrived, - BUT supposed to be three items and only one arrived. But delivery note stated that two of those items were enclosed. Spent ages trying to find a way to contact Ikea. Cannot phone, their on-line chat had a waiting time of nearly three hours!!!! Tried to send in a complaint form, but the box for postcode would not permit to enter more than five digits, and mine seven digits. Tried several times - gave up - then managed to find a form to ask them to phone me. Completed that - and they did actually phone me two hours later. Fifteen minutes on the phone (in the meanwhile a further delivery of the second of the three items had arrived), finally was told the third item would not now be delivered until tomorrow morning and they gave me a new reference number.

Was also thinking earlier that I will need to contact Argos as I had not received a reply to my letter telling them how one of the dining chairs I had purchased there had broken. So, was pleasantly surprised when the landline rang, and it was Argos, very helpful - they will tcollect the damaged one on Saturday and deliver replacement.

PHEW!!! You need to be retired to be able to have the time to follow up all these things.

My daughter and three g.children were here in the afternoon - just visiting. Then the children went home as Tuesdays are special time for my daughter and myself and I make us supper.

Just relaxing now. everything in dishwasher. Daughter did put together the base unit from Ikea for my parasol for the balcony, I had not realised that any 'putting together' was required. Glad she was here and sorted it all for me.

Decided to try to have a totally nothing day tomorrow to relax.

I've just found this very useful site with the lovely Phil Spencer - it has information you can download and print out. I've now got the 'Viewing sheet' and 'Second Viewing sheet' next to me. Didn't think and did print in colour, silly me.

www.moveiq.co.uk/

Thank you GrandmaMoira, you must be telephathic, I've just recommended these places this morning to my friend who is also looking. She went down to Selsey yesterday, it didn't suit her needs. I do think a quieter area would suit me. Again I couldn't park in our village this morning because it was heaving with visitors.

Shandy - if you are going to Broadstairs, it might be worth also looking at Westgate and Birchington which are the other side of Margate. Both are nice areas and have stations and buses. It would be easy to view houses there whilst staying in Broadstairs.

There is a green space across the area from me and my 2 neighbours, it belongs to the builder and is weed-infested. I heard last night that he is applying for permission for a property. Tbh I have been hoping that he would because he builds nice looking homes and this one will have a bedroom and shower downstairs so would be very suitable for downsizers. The plot is about 4 drives width away from me, to the west

Everyone is saying to me `oh you will be overlooked` so flipping what, only the front and that bothers me not at all, my shutters are always tilted up that side, I have ample light from the garden side. People say these things to try to stir up someone else to do the complaining, well I am keeping quiet, I am very happy, it is par for the course that many of us have homes close to us. The reason that I would never buy a property by a field. If I had wanted solitary living I would have bought an escape to the country house with a couple of acres

One said, `you will have people turning into their drive in front of your house` grhh, he and his lady friend and my other neighbours always do that, it is a designated turning place and it does not bother me or affect me at all. What is it with men? The proposed build is called a bungalow and is really half bungalow and half house, ideally suited to a retired couple. It could very well be home to a new friend, who knows

One even said `sleep well` grhh. I am happy, they don`t get it

shandy, I was wondering, is local out of the question? There are some lovely market towns NE. I did love being up there, very beautiful and the beaches are so nice, even if not continental-style. I don`t mean seahouses but I spent many weekends up there while a student, researching stuff along the coast. The devil you know? sometimes you cannot see for looking

Broadstairs is lovely. Easier to get to than Exeter. Sounds like a good plan.

Hi again, just back from a very nice walk, my dog got lots of cuddles, he does miss the buzz of family life.

Franbern I've booked to go to Broadstairs on 24 August, Exmouth on 21st September. There are bungalows in my price range in both areas. It's expensive travelling so I've decided to visit just one more area, I think it will have to be the best of three and wherever I end up I'll make the most of it. Definitely not Scotland, Wales or Cornwall.

Sorry it's been so rainy Whiff, where I park my car is grassy mud, it's really spongy. Now I'm not worrying about my roof I seem to be sleeping through some very heavy rain.

Shandy57 I am very glad I live in a bungalow. It makes my life so much easier being on one level. Appreciated it all the more after my seizures went out of control and when I had my fall. I couldn't have coped with stairs.

My decorator is busy putting the lining paper on after sanding down.

Had a lovely time babysitting. Wish the weather would warm up. Really need do some more weeding but the grounds just to wet.

Shandy, as you get older an upstairs bathroom (or one that is easily reached from your bedroom) becomes an essential.

Personally, I am very suspicious of those shared ownership schemes - suppose it is fine if you are really totally alone in the world and do not care what happens with your property and any other inheritance when you die - but they are there to make money - not to help you.

Still think you would better of looking at bungalows than houses, so much easier to maintain and run - try to think how you will be in ten, fifteen and twenty years time. Not an easy task, but an important one.

Where are the two places you are planning to visit? I know around the Exeter area is one where is the other. Still think you should be looking at either the Kent seaside areas or the eastern side of the South Coast. This would give you good rail and road links to London, the warmer better weather of the South of England, and all these places have so much going for them with regards to U3A's, WI's etc.

All have lots of charities who would be delighted for you to assist them, once you get settled.

As I have already said, I know that places like WsM also offers all these things and loads of detached bungalows - all appearing in very good order - for prices well within your financial reach.

I have just spent the last hour trying to sort out why Tesco decided to lock my credit /club card for no apparent reason.
Firstly, tried to do this via their website, got nowhere, then phone call - eventually have it all sorted. I rarely use this card, but having got a letter telling me it was locked thought I should sort it. Due to this, am not washed and dressed so will not be able to go with my U3A zoom coffee morning which has just started. (Suppose I could just give my hair a quick brush and they would not know I was still in my nightie!!!)

Morning all, another summery day here.

I've just come off the phone to a very nice young man about the 'Home for Life Plan'. I'd seen lots of adverts with it on Rightmove and thought I'd enquire. Seems you can buy a house that is out of your budget at a discount and live in it for your lifetime without paying anything but a joining fee which covers the survey. You can also transfer it to another property if you move. They own the house, and sell it on the open market when you might need to go into a home or pass away. You can protect 50% of the sale price for inheritance. Definitely not for me, but might help someone.

This house hunting lark is hard, so many compromises to make. Found a lovely house yesterday, but no upstairs bathroom. I don't normally get up in the night for the toilet but would prefer one upstairs.

I'm still choosing where to go for my third visit.

Enjoy your day whatever you are doing

It is 31st march, phew 8 months, it means that shandy does not have to rush beyond the time-comfort zone, of course this would mean being in rental over winter and arranging removals in potntially severe winter weather. I still think that the ideal would to be safely in by the end of november and with enough cosiness to be warm and ok all winter

Ellianne, I thought the SD dispensation applied immediately upon the announcement and was for 6 months ie to mid january. I am glad that you have had a wlovely weekend Franbern and that your nest is almost sorted whiff

Shandy57 take note of what Franbern says and the rest of us. Time goes by so quickly. You seem to doubting yourself again. Come on you can do it. Just think about how wonderful it will be to have a home of your own. The fun you you will have planning what you want to do in it. Until I looked at kitchens, tiles, paint colours etc I didn't realise how much choice there was nowadays. Can't wait until the day we hear you have had an offer accepted on your new home.

Franbern glad you had a good time. Didn't realise public loos where closed. Another busy day for you again. But what a treat teaching grandchildren to knit. I used to love knitting but it got so I couldn't control both hands to do it. Still now I cross stitch.

My decorator has been hard at it for hours now. It will be all done by the end of the week. My daughter, son in law and grandson moved my bed into my room and the wardrobe out of there so he has a bare room to work in. I had already moved everything else. Got told off about moving the book case. But once I took the shelves off it was just a case of wiggling it across the carpet it's got bun feet so it slides a bit. Once that rooms done that's all the work done inside for this year. Only new garden gate and frame. And crack filling in garage and extra guttering on back of the garage and down pipe to feed my water butt. Then all finished with building work. Garden will be on going.

Ellianne hope your daughter has an exchange date soon . And then hopefully completion will follow quickly after that.

Baby sitting this afternoon. Which will involve nana running round playing hide and seek. But my grandson always hides in the same place but of course have to look everywhere.

Hopefully tomorrow the sun will shine and I can get on with the weeding.

Have a good day everyone.