Help calm me. House buying and selling stress

Good luck from me too Shandy. The last sentence crafty says sums it up. Also Whiff and Franbern have said similar. If you like the area, then you can get the property to come right in time. You know how much we are all behind you. I've been checking Exmouth, but nothing suitable yet.
I bought a posh marmalade from a farm down here this week. It was thick on the top but like water underneath. I won't be carting it home.

Fingers and toes crossed for you Shandy57. Craftyone has given you good advice. View as many properties as you can. Fingers and toes crossed.

Just say `cash under the bed` shandy and take proof with you, any good EA would ask for proof anyway. Anyone with a mortgage of any sort, whether or not approved, is most definitely not a cash buyer. Some estate agents seem to be confused about the meaning of cash.

I would much rather have a project at that lower priced property, to get exactly what you want in a home. Projects are good during these covid days, gives us things to do and aim for. Remember to be decisive, don`t wait for the tears that you sometimes see on escape to the country, if you like the area well enough then make that offer.

I have not made any jam for so many years. Always made this and marmalade when children are small, but with just me seems pointless. But, I do tend to purchase my jams and marmalade at food fairs - so usually very expensive, but nice.

Hope both viewings go well tomorrow, Shandy - do look beyond decorations, these you can change slowly to your own taste. Don't worry about any previous offer, remember to point out that you are a genuine cash purchaser, nothing to sell, no chain, no wait at all. Could complete in 4-6 weeks easily.

Shandy I am over joyed you are viewing. Go with an open mind. And see what is beyond what is there but what you can do to the place. I know you know this. The more you view the more chance you have of getting a new home. And who knows you might love something you didn't think you would.

Afternoon everyone, great to read your news, glad everyone is well.

I've been hanging around all day to hear if I can view a local bungalow this afternoon and have just phoned in - the person I spoke to is out on a viewing, but her colleague 'thinks' she might be able to fit me in tomorrow. I'm not too sure if it's a waste of time, apparently the vendor showed a couple around before it went live yesterday, and they have put in a cash offer 'just under' the asking price of £265K. I have got a viewing of a smaller £212K bungalow at 1.45 tomorrow, I hope the timings can work. It's not the area I want, but I am still driving, and there is a bus stop at the top of the road.

Enjoy your afternoon

Had heavy rain over night again. Garden to muddy even for my wellies and waterproof trousers. I brought my waterproof trousers from Regatta they are men's £19 the women's for the same sort were £34. Ok they are long , so just rolled them up. Worked perfectly yesterday in the garden. Sun's out would be nice if it could stay for a few days.

Had a bird I hadn't seen before in my garden so using the bird identification finder on RSPB site found its a grey wagtail. Had 2 in the garden the last 3 days only 1 today. They have been using my pond , glad I put some large rocks in and around it .

Made 6.5 lbs strawberry jam and spurred on by bake off made a soda bread . Hadn't made one since my husband died. So halfed the quantity. As I don't buy buttermilk used mainly Easiyo low fat Greek style yogurt slacked with skimmed milk. Only took 15 mins to cook. Had some with my soup very pleased with the result. Next time I will grate some cheese in the mix.

Franbern thank you. I am lucky with my daughter and family. It's my son's loss. And unfortunately my grandson's as at the moment they are to young to decide. But I am patient and will wait for them to grow up and they can decide for themselves if they want to know me. I will be here for them if they do.
Meanwhile I have plenty of family and friends who love me and who I love. I am luckier than a lot of people. I am a forward looking person. As I can't do anything about what's past but enjoy the present and look forward to the future.

Craftyone busy as usual. Love hearing about your garden and crafts. You spurred me on to do my garden. Must admit I am very pleased with the results. With you growing your own fruit and vegetables I have ordered seeds ready for next year. Once my paving is done in February my green house can be put up and be able to start my seeds in there. Looking forward to picking my own veg. Even looked at companion planting remember you mentioning it a few threads ago.

Ellianne look forward to hearing what you think of your new bathroom tomorrow.

Shandy hope you are feeling better and house hunting.

nice and cosy Franbern ready for the next season

I decided to save good boxes and packaging materials, I think I will be selling some rather lovely high-end drop (spinning) spindles that I imported from america, maybe get down to it after new year. I saved a box that held some weighty tomes the other day, over 2300 pages each on bible paper. I have held onto a lovely heavy and large jewellery box that I got for dgd in wales, it fitted perfectly and it was such a good thick box, I was delighted. It is now posted as I have no earthly idea when I will get to wales again. Trust me to have a moaning male minnie standing behind me in the queue outside the post office, a mask refuser, he told me that. Older selfish man, obviously and served as normal by a smiley person at the counter

Ooh yes Ellianne, I hope you are delighted tomorrow

Shandy, do hope you are listening to all our advice, which is pretty unanimous. You sound far too settled in your rental. So easy to sit back and do nothing and it would be such a pity, when you have such a good opportunity of being able to complete well before end of March and get the advantage of the Stamp Duty holiday.

Forget tidying up, forget everything with the exception of home hunting. Go at it with real determination, with the idea that you WILL buy something to move to - and -as Craftyone has said - you could be celebrating Christmas and New Year in your new home. Do not waste the time and the money with really thinking of anything else at present.

Spice, do hope that you will soon be able to be able to really searching and finding your new home. At least you now have the better weather to look forward to.

Whiff, I do understand how hard it must be for you with regards to your son - try, as far as you can, to put it out of your mind. Sounds like you have a lovely daughter and her family all sound very supportive - just cóncentrate on them - I am still certain that sometime,in future years, your son will realise how stupid he has been - and will start wanting to mend those fences.

Craftyone, - you sound as you really enjoy the hard physical work in your garden. Love to see some photos of it.

Today, my first job as a Director of the Residents cttee - I am being inducted as to how to conduct a Lighting Check on all the emergency lights in the block. Then later this afternoon I have an appointment at Boots for my flu jab. Thursday = my daughter comes straight from school for her tea and catch=up chat. I have allocated next week for going to shops, etc to really start to look for the flooring for my flat.

When I saw my daughter in London, one of my first questions to her was to ask if she had made arrangements for her ;flu jab this year. I normally nag her every year, as she has no spleen it is really important. As she works for the NHS she said she had not heard as yet, I was not really happy.......then on Saturday afternoon she received a text from her GP surgery saying they were giving it to priority cases for two hours that afternoon. I made her go straight away, - so one less worry for me. Cannot understand why there is a shortage of this, they have had nearly six months to prepare for the increased take=up this year.

Knew we were going to have a wet winter - such a dry summer - but am pretty fed up with it now. Cannot really use my scooter when it is chucking it down. However, weather forecast is that it will be drier next week.

Keep warm and well everyone. Have still not needed to put on my heating, but have closed all windows and last night closed all my 'new' drapes in my living room - must say it made it very cosy and they looked gorgeous.

Good to read news on here, yes autumn is well and truly here.
Back home tomorrow to see how the bathroom is doing, hopefully nearly finished.

I was speaking with my EA niece last night, she is exhausted with work, says that property sales are manic and that prices are most definitely rising quite fast. Shandy please get your skates on, at least get somewhere you know locally if you cannot decide on an area you can afford elsewhere. I think you are about 10 years younger than me and looking from outside the box, buy local in a nice area so that you don`t lose out on property values. You can always do what me and Franbern did and move again in your 70s. Next time from a position of comfort, of course you may be so settled and content that you never move again. Perhaps stop chasing elusive rainbows. The grass is almost never greener

I do hope I can get outside again later, I am deep into winter garden tidying, I have memories of winter tidying in november, was horrible, never again so late

I finished completely alongside the wall barrier yesterday. A full row of small lavenders (thank you T and M for sending me the cheap plug offer last year) round rubber steppers all along and a row of a mix of silver miscanthus and pink echinacea to the right. My plan today is to even out the piles of soil that I plonked down and to chop up a courgette plant and maybe divide the low growing helianthemums for some edges

Shandy keep looking. You could still be in your new home before Christmas. There are a lot of houses in the area you say you like. Apart from the bungalow have you viewed any others if not why! You need to go and view. If only to see what you can get for your money. Please don't settle. You need to move on with your life. I have said to this to you in PMs . Perhaps saying here you will take notice. But like others have said every month you are paying rent and that's money you could be using on your new home. How much have you spent on rent so far bet you would be shocked if you added it up.

Spent the morning in the garden. Saw a rat walk across my garden last evening . Have blocked every hole I could find. My bog plants arrived today so the ground was in perfect condition to plant them. The hole filled with water as soon as I dug it. Started to tidy the garage and put together my shelving unit I had from Argos.

Just having a relaxing afternoon cross stitching.

I have fingers crossed, that shandy is looking and will surprise us. Still time to get in by christmas and winter is worst from january

I had a lovely 2 hours pottering outside, it was not raining and I like being outside, not sitting because I get bored but doing stuff. Some big tidying jobs are done for winter hibernation

If we think of just falling in with the season and we remember that the world keeps on turning, then winter is not at all bad. It is an opportunity to regain energy, to get some nice things done inside and to just get back to a nice equilibrium.

Not too sure about the tables. According to those I was still overweight, when very ill with Ulcerative Colitus and looking very drawn and skinny. In fact I had finally given in to the Consultant to have the operation, after many years of trying to control the disease (totally unsuccessfully) with strong medication - I was on steroids for ten years - think a lot of my problems now are to do with that regime). Anyway, when I did go in the Consultant was on holiday, and despite all the mountain of notes on me, the Registrar decided I was not thin enough really to be so ill from UC, and insisted on doing more tests - which proved him so wrong.

So, although I do use scales when I am dieting - just to see how I am getting on - weight comes off so very slowly as you get older, I know I will never be anywhere near what the charts say - (If I did then I would probably be very seriously ill!!).

I have put on much too much weight over past few months - can tell that from my clothes - and have decided to try to get a few pounds off by Christmas. Sad, though, I do love food!!!!

Car has now been collected - loads of plastic coverings put inside before it was driven off. Final year of my pre-paid service agreement, and its MOT. That upfront five year payment has saved me so much money. Great idea.

My little car has only done 21,000 miles and is five years old this month. Since living here I only normally use it for my weekly Sainsbury trip (six miles there and back), but do like it for visiting family around the country, and for any trip outside of Weston.

Shandy, you seem to be happily settled in your rental - however, you do need to realise that each payment on that is that much less you will have for your new home. You probably do need to determine to get on with that stage.

I really do appreciate that I have no gardening to do and worry about - have done all my spring bulb planting in patio pots. Put away patio furniture, etc. and have nothing more to do out there until next Spring.

Apart from one small window in my bedroom have now closed all my windows, will be changing over summer t-shirts for winter jumpers, etc. later on today. Have put duvet back on my bed for next few months, might even have to start thinking of turning thermostat up and having heating on sometime soon.

I got rid of my scales craftyone, but feel I'm about eleven and a half stone again, probably why my energy levels are low. I should be nine stone according to the 'tables'. I am definitely an 'apple' shape now.

Weight creeps on so easy and comes off so very slowly. Whiss is a brilliant example of marathon not sprint. My sister who is 2" taller than me is down to 9 1/2 stone and is happy with that. That was my weight at around 30 years. Sigh I should lose about 2 1/2 stone

Morning all, bright and sunny here.

My cold is a bit better but I'm still getting the headache, my eye test appointment letter came through recently - could be I am ready to have proper glasses. I have started carrying my cheap readers, small print is a blur.

So nice your daughter popped in with milk and bread Franbern. My friend in London did that for me when she fed our cat, so nice not to have to go out again once you are home. Talking of cats, my vet is so marvellous - I'd phoned to ask if they thought they could trim her claws without sedation, and they phoned yesterday to invite me in as they'd had a cancellation. One of the nurses they call the cat whisperer managed to do it whilst she was awake, phew. My Dad and step mother neglected their elderly cat and her claws actually grew into her pads, I've never forgotten it.

Good for you doing that horrible garden job craftyone, I don't feel like doing anything outdoors at the moment, the garden is full of leaves. I'm so glad I repacked the garage on that hot sunny day. Well done on your weight loss too, I have stopped snacking now, couldn't get my winter coat done up!

House hunting wise I'm still getting alerts for both Exmouth and Alnwick, but it is slowing down now. I think local people are coming off the market now we are in lockdown here, such a lot of cleaning to do before/after a viewing. I'm not going to rush into anything.

Enjoy your day

Craftyone well done with the weight loss. Mine has stabilised but still want to lose the last stone. It's take me 3 years to loss over 7st. I finally realised it's a marathon not a sprint. That's why I joined the pear thread. Lovely group on there.

Feeling a little down today. My oldest grandson is 4 today. I haven't sent him a card or present. As I know they would just come back unopened with another vile letter from my son. Upset myself this morning watching a couple of videos I have of 2 of my grandson's playing in their garden . Have no idea what my third one looks like or his name.

Aim to keep myself very busy today and hopefully wear myself out so I don't think .

Got some plant bog plants coming today. So after making a batch of soup. While it is cooking going to put down a compost where I want to put the plants. Areas of my garden flood due to all the heavy rain we have had. Then make a start on tidying the garage. Good job I have my new wellies.

I am now relaxing, having enjoyed my brekkie on my return from a very early Sainsbury trip. Was lovely going there, arriving soon after they opened. They are in the process of moving EVERYTHING around to completely different aisles, as part of the Xmas preparations. Very annoying - fortunately, lots of lovely, helpful staff to help us shoppers (although even they were having some problems), Was back indoors and all unpacked and put away by soon after 8.30 am.

I am now waiting for a phone call from Hyundai dealers as to when they are collecting my car for its annual service and MOT.

My flats now have a Hand Sanitiser dispenser outside each of the main entrance/exit doors. All internal, public areas, including stairs, bannisters and lift are cleaned three times each day.

I am a capricorn and very much a capricorn in what I do and how I do it, so no surprise that my sleep is part of the way I work and think. Last night I had the best sleep in days, ever since I found those awful invasive roots from next doors plant. All along I have been waking up in the night with progressive ideas on how to deal with them and slowly I fixed the problem and in process exposed the lower bit of old wall under the bulge. Monday I secured that wall base, with backfilling and rocks, yesterday I checked it and did a bit of soil tidying and moved a few displaced plants into their new positions. That is enough to keep me content for now, all based around safety, maintenance and preserving some well-liked plants. So now my mind is content too, that part that deals with jobs that I must do now and so I slept over 8 hours. That is me to a T

Yes I need to work in the garden again but this time only cosmetic and clearing for winter, nice pottering work

I changed my scales to measure from kg to stones and lbs, kg felt better psychologically, stones are more of a reality check. I am not dieting but have cut certain foods out, like the sweet homemade cakes, only one a day was stopping me losing weight. I have lost a lowly 6lb in the last few weeks and am aiming for that slow and steady loss that is sustainable

I have no more indoor maintenance for the forseeable, boiler is done, man was very pleased and is getting great feedback about these boilers, was very clean inside ie no dirty burning. £60 and a new hetas certificate for my house file

I am back home now - and very happy that I am. I did have a nice time staying with my daughter and g.daughter for nearly a week, and had the opportunity to catch up with some of my local friends.

BUT......I got happier and happier as the car neared my home. No doubt that I have settled so well in this lovely flat.

All sorted and unpacked now - my daughter here had popped by to bring me milk and bread, and also left me a lovely cupcake. Will enjoy that after my tea later. Amazing how much more relaxed I am already just being back in my own home!!!!!

I have agreed to go on to the Residents Cttee (posh sounding titles of 'Directors'), and the first meeting is later this afternoon. I had promised myself that I would never, ever again go on ANY cttee..........but.!!!!!!

Glad the rain seems to be stopping in most places, think we are being promised some nice weather for mid-October.

Boiler is serviced and all good and very clean inside. He is getting lots of very good feedback about this make, ariston. Once they did not have a good reputation and they have certainly upped their game. Didn`t take him long

So that is me ready for winter and it is just a bit rainy today. I need the soil to dry out considerably before I do any more garden work such as moving soil and transplanting plants which could be better positioned. Including rhubard as I am wanting their present bed to be included in my asparagus bed, looking forward to minimal care asparagus for many years to come

I did masses yesterday, had to do it on nasty sticky slippy soil, it was all about next doors invasive root retaining and getting soil and stones back into a trench to help support an old wall. Like those in Herriots programme, no foundations. I had such a dreadful mess of heavy mud, everywhere but I am cleaned up now and will not be tackling wet mud again

I have ruined 2 pairs of cheap garden gloves, need some more. No more house maintenance as far as I can see, its all been first class in the very heavy rain

Whiff, that is funny!
They do tours round the streets for £10, but you can see it all for yourself anyway.

Ellianne my first thought was boots then realised you meant the TV series. Lol.

For any Doc Martin fans