Help calm me. House buying and selling stress

I've just had a nice text from my seller asking if I would like her to leave the fridge/freezer running, isn't that thoughtful!

Morning all, sunny and warmish here today.

Great to catch up on your news, glad your workers are there Whiff, don't envy you having that drill going! Thanks for asking about my dog, he's a bit better, but not 100%, I'm taking great care not to distress him any further and will wait until he's at kennels to really move things around. I'm taking him to kennels at 4 pm on Thursday, hopefully straight from the beach.

I've just had an assisted living home ring me, 'Abbeyfield', I had enquired for my aunt, it sounds really good. You get your own bedroom, lounge and kitchenette, and there is a shared laundry room. £1200 per month. They have a long waiting list, age group is 80 plus. I've phoned my aunt and told her I'll go down and see it with her when I'm vaccinated. There is one here local to me, the residents seem very happy, and if they need nursing we also have a very nice local nursing home. I know it all depends on the staff and residents, there are definitely people around here I wouldn't want to mix with.

I'm like a cat on a hot tin roof but think I'm as ready as I can be now.

Enjoy your day

Midgey I have loved every minute since I moved here August 2019 . I wanted to get on with as much as I could. All the work I have had done most of it won't need doing again. Once the living room and hall are decorated that's it for years before it will need doing again. Having the paving done lessens my chance of falling. When I was having the new garden gate fitted some plants had arrived . Even though it was raining decide to put on all my waterproof gear . Knew the men were coming to put new gate on. Luckily when I am in the garden always have the gate open. Like an idiot stepped on one of the big rocks and slipped. Luckily my lawn is artificial and landed flat on my back. Phoned the men as I knew they were on their way. They got stuck in traffic so sat on the lawn for 15mins. But always try and see a positive out of a negative. The positive was my wellies , waterproof trousers and jacket keep me lovely and dry and warm. Hadn't hurt myself it's once down can't get up myself. Still had 2 plants so I planted them.

The only worry I had moving was would I like the neighbours. Couldn't have moved to a nicer area. Everyone is lovely. It's funny really. Because I have had so much done. Had 3 of my neighbours ask for numbers for the men I used for various trades. And they used them and were happy.

Hope all the ones who moved a while ago are happy with any jobs they have had done.

Whiff your new home must be like a little palace now! Great to have nearly come to the end so you can start to live in it. Enjoy!

Sorry Shandy forgot to ask how is your dog?

My pavers started work yesterday. . The garden paths where a mix of pavers and concrete . They got the pavers up and used a knumatic drill on the concrete. The concrete was 7" thick. Dug down 12". When they took the loose stones off the front there was paving underneath not in good condition but flat. So no need for hard core they can put the new pavers on top. I asked if once it's finished if they could put my green house and just add it to the bill. They will. Saves me having to ask my daughter and son in law. They do enough . At least the sun is shining.

Hope all the packing is going well for the movers. It's lovely to have so many moving .

Hope you all have a good day ?

Hey Franbern, thanks for asking, he's very subdued still but no more nausea luckily.

I think, as friends do, it could be stress as he knows something is happening. He did come out for a short walk and I'm going to try him at the beach shortly, the tide is finally going out. He has been on daily medication for his arthritis for over a year now, another dog on it is suffering similarly. Might be time to review his treatment.

I've just been to the TSB and changed my address, one more job off the 'to do' list. I went to the PO afterwards to buy 12 first class stamps - £10.20!

Enjoy your day

Shandy how is your dog this morning??

Have just seen the weather, we are going to have driving rain and gale force winds on Friday! Looking for my 'spider' elastic to stop the garage door from swinging around - I can see it in my mind's eye, now where is it! Door stop for the kitchen door will be needed too, it's glass and I don't want to end up smashing the door.

I gave our removal men £20 cash each as they had to bring a second load from the garden and shed the next day - it would not fit in the van so they sent a smaller van load next day. It was 100 miles trip (200 round trip) and they were very good. They erected the beds for us and the furniture which they had taken apart to transport. They took all the boxes we had managed to unpack before they arrived with the load for the garage which was very useful.

They did eat a massive box of biscuits and constant drinks but it was a hot day!

My removal men were very good and I paid for packing which was well worth it. I gave them each £20. The removal fee was expensive but the men are only on minimum wage and work very hard.

Thank you very much for the 'tip' advice.

My situation is a bit different in that I've got one van that has to do two trips, once for the house and again for the garage.

I've just sorted out the tea, coffee, sugar, hot chocolate (prepacked cups), biscuits, 7 UP and Orangina. I've got plastic cups left from the picnic basket for the soft drinks. I've also got the first aid kit by the kettle, hopefully I won't need it! I think I'll have to take it all with me when the first van goes to the bungalow and unloads.

I've been ready for too long and I'm worried I've forgotten something major.

Pittcity

I was thinking of tipping them enough to buy a cuppa and a biccie each as I will not be supplying refreshments due to C19. Maybe I will order takeaway coffees instead (we will be less than 5 mins from a choice of takeaways). That is if they do a good job.

...and we haven't had any cash in the house for nearly a year!!

Franbern we have decided to celebrate a June 60th in the family on August Bank Holiday weekend. It felt very exciting booking 2 nights in a hotel.

I was thinking of tipping them enough to buy a cuppa and a biccie each as I will not be supplying refreshments due to C19. Maybe I will order takeaway coffees instead (we will be less than 5 mins from a choice of takeaways). That is if they do a good job.

Did not give the removal men ANY tip. Was not over impressed with them, as they had left unpacked in my house three kitchen cupboards. It was fortunate that my son and daughter went round there checking everywhere after the lorry had driven off. Otherwise I would have been missing all my baking items.

Have been cleaning windows, also, today. I have the outsides done for me by window cleaner, but the sunshine made me realise that the insides need a clean - I do have a karcher window cleaner, which makes it all very simple, and I they all look lovely and shining now.

Have been trying to see if we can, as a whole family, find a weekend during the summer for us all to get together to celebrate my 80th birthday. This is actually in June, but is also just two days after my eldest g.daughters 18th birthday, and before the end of A levels and GCSE's, so trying to make an arrangement for a July weekend. It is is hard going!!!

Good question! I gave them each a tenner last time - they probably thought I was a stingy cow!!

Can I please ask what 'tip' you'd give the removal men? It's £600 for the removal, I don't know how many people will be coming.

We have boxes everywhere as we are trying to leave stuff in the room that it will go to in the new house. The extra room (the one we won't have in the new house) is full of packing stuff that is yet to be used. We've run out of bubble wrap again, having used all that our DDs had spare!
We've stopped for the day as I have ironing to do while DH cooks a roast!!

Definitely use the wheeled overbed table Luckygirl, packing is like going to the gym and spending 24 hours in there. My house was over 100 foot long, it's exhausting. I ached all over for ages afterwards.

I've just had to come in from the garden - a bird had taken a grape into my neighbour's garden, he's just managed to get it off his dog, I can't believe I did it, I am embarrassed. I normally feed them soaked raisins and seed. My nerves are shot, I must stay calm. My dog is very quiet and won't go for a walk, whatever has happened he isn't feeling very well at all.

Back to cleaning the windows. The previous tenants must have cooked with a lot of fat, there are little white spots all over the bottom of the window, murder to get off.

Stairs! - at least I do not have that to contend with. But the fact that this is a large bungalow means it is a long trek with stuff from one end to the other. And now the sun has come out and it is tempting to go and sit with a cup of tea!

My sister said to use a wheelbarrow, but it would not fit round the furniture. But I do have a wheeled overbed table - I might try that!

Luckygirl that's how I packed my house up. Made up boxes in the 2 bedrooms and carried things up. Put stuff in bags or laundry baskets and hiked them up the stairs one step at a time then dragged them in the room to unload . That way I managed to get quite a bit up stairs in one go will little effort. And no bad back.

Take it easy Luckygirl. I had 18 steps at the front of my house, if I hadn't had the kids sledges I'd never have managed to get the boxes out, I slid them down. I did leave some blue plastic marks on the steps but needs must at the time. I can hardly believe I managed to do it now, was definitely adrenalin fuelled.

Have you got any type of wheels in the house? any type of trolley or even a chair with castors? Anything to give your muscles a break.

Just having a break from the packing - what a load of junk!!!

It is totally exhausting. I have a skip here for a week so I am trying to start by finding anything to go in there, while I have got it.

I cannot lift the boxes so I am making them up in the spare room where I will store them till the move - then I have to walk up and down with trays of books from the office at the other end of the house. Phew!

Morning everyone, and welcome back Whiff. I am sorry craftyone has cut herself off from GN, I miss her jolly posts. I hope she is cycling the lanes, enjoying the spring weather.

I spent last night changing my address with my banks. HSBC and Barclays were easy - TSB I had to fill in and print out a form, which I have to hand in at the bank, or post. It printed out on four pages and seems odd.

While I was doing this my dog was sick, later on had diarrhoea. He's had diarrhoea again this morning and is very lethargic.

Just as I came to this morning I remembered I'd thrown a few grapes out for the birds yesterday - SO stupid of me, I wasn't concentrating, I know they are poisonous to dogs. I've phoned the vet and he said it is unlikely to be the grapes as they don't get diarrhoea with grape poisoning. He recommended the usual rice/scrambled egg and said keep an eye on him. Please keep your fingers crossed he gets better before Thursday!

Window washing today, I've run out of newspaper so kitchen towel will have to do. I'm not going to splash out on the Times!

Enjoy your day