Help calm me. House buying and selling stress

Franbern why don’t you make some photo books from your photos? I printed lots last year and bought an album, my granddaughter has had a great deal of pleasure looking back at her life! There are some printing sites on line which are really a bargain.

Ah Karmalady, it's so good to have you back!

Midgey I have ever done photobooks. My daughter in law has loads of these and did a lovely one for me of my 80th birthday celebrations. An excellent idea. I will look into this. So much nicer having a album in your hand that pictures on the computer.

Yes Fran I am very lucky with all my birds, I'm going to really miss them when I move, I always say good morning to my friendly Robin and now I ask him, please move with me Hope I don't get just seagulls at my new place, do get them here when the weather isn't good but they never land in my garden or on my tree, wonder why [?]

I have the same problem, but with my mobile being full of pictures, I need to do the same re memory stick, but it seems so alien. Do you still get them printed Fran?

Well done Karma with all your hard work getting ready for the decorators, best of luck with it all.

Got my completion date this morning; 28th Jan! So plenty of time to pack. Will get on the phone for removal firms to come round and give me a quote. Still got 2 bits of furniture to sell, a big desk, only asked £20, thought it would be snapped up, will put it up for free now. Also my expensive wardrobe, I asked £250 got a few enquires but not taken, knocked it down to £200, but still no takers. Thinking I may as well take it with me if I'm going to let it go cheaper than that and put it in the garden studio, but it's so big it will take up most of the space in there. I'll try the second hand shop.

Just got £10 per month knocked off my pet Insurance just by phoning them up

Big wave loopyloo, nice to be back tbh but am trying not to spend too much time on the net. GN can suck me in

Midgey, we did books for the family, all the family history etc, both sides of the family. Via blurb. All the photos from a lifetime were also scanned one by one by my husband and every child has a cd of them. It was such a relief to reduce the 6 big boxes of photos down to one small box. My mum`s photos were all handed to me, the oldest, when she died and I never want that to happen to my children. Doing the book on my side, I got hold of the family history, already done by a cousin in Holland. One line goes back to 1300 and there is a record of two children dying from plague. My mother was Dutch and from a very long line of farmers (peasants) then horticulture and then added bakers. Doing the books was hugely emotional and interesting

Yoginimeisje, oh thank goodness, a very good completion date. So happy for you

Message from decorator, he will let me know next week. Drat, I jumped the gun again but am ok with most stuff parked elsewhere. I will never stress him by nagging, he is trying to please everyone

Just coming on to tell you of my humiliation.

Congratulations Yogi, I'm so glad you can now start planning.

The drying team man that was abrupt with me came today. He'd phoned to say he'd be about half an hour and I was out with my dog, who unfortunately yet again had a pooey bottom. I rushed home, put him in the bath and cleaned him up quickly, then raced about tidying up and removing my washing and the clothes horse which I had in the lounge with the drying machine.

The man turned up and about ten minutes later said he needed the toilet. I'd completely forgotten I hadn't had time to clean out the bath, there were also poo covered washlets in the bin.

He didn't say a word. I hope he realised they were from the dog!

Oh Shandy that was funny!

Thanks for kind words re moving date everyone
I do have one of those photo books, they are lovely, but mind was quite expensive, from FB, so to do all my pics would cost a small fortune! I do need to do something though.

Someone said back post about 'Duolingo' for learning a language. My son is on that learning German and relearning his Dutch. He passed the app onto me, I started but then got too busy with Xmas & moving to go back on, but I will.
My children were bilingual as they were bought up in Holland and went to Dutch school. I was almost fluent, was about to go to business college, when my marriage broke up and we returned to UK. I tried to keep the Dutch going at home, but the children were so pleased to be back in their homeland, they wasn't interested in keeping it going. Now adults they are trying to get it back, so we do converse in Dutch, but surprising how you can forget something that was your main language outside the home.

Ahh shandy you won`t ever see him again and you`ve got to have a giggle about it

My mother was Dutch, so I am half Dutch. Lost all the language when I went to school. I have a huge extended family in Holland

I have reached my energy quota for the day, standing up doing jobs in one spot is so tiring. 5 full hours and that is it for me, lunch is cooking and I am sitting for the rest of the day, apart from walks into the kitchen to get drinks. I shall be knitting, watching tenko, am making a beautiful shawl called stars in the sky, with alpaca premium that I bought in a job lot from a seller in ravelry, cost me £40 in total and all still in skeins. She chickened out of making that shawl. It has been in a zip lock bag for over 3 years and the time is right

I cannot be the only one who is trying not to spend money, I have a massive amount of crafting stash and books, lots of basics for good meals and only want to spend weekly on my organic veg order. I own up to being addicted to going online and spending, its almost euphoric but I am weaning myself off that. Also wanting to clear spaces hence using what I have

I have no certainty about where I will be in 7 years, dd and her husband have mentioned yet again, that they will be moving when their children have finished school. It could well be wales or lake district, Quite likely wales, I hope it is there as I have spent a total of 36 years in wales, 4 in north and 32 in south. Quite pricey houses where I would want to live, hence the reality and me saving rather than spending. Yes I know, no-one can fortell the future but saving will never come amiss

Karmalady - also trying not to spend money. We’re downsizing so trying to sell and make money ! But like yogi.... no one wants what we think of as lovely old furniture so almost giving it away ! I feel like I have been getting rid of stuff for months - I have ! Snow and ice here in Northumberland . The aconites are peeping out - I’d love to take lots of flowers with me as most came from my mother’s wonderful garden but can’t drum up the energy (also injured my right hand in October 2020 and it’s only just healed ) Also I have some horrid weeds I don’t want to introduce ! So maybe I will enjoy starting again . Lots of grey squirrels where we are going so bulbs may disappear anyway. None here really though all the red squirrels have disappeared. We’re near open moorland here and have gorgeous curlews but I hope to hear them in the Peak District and we will be surrounded by trees so more birds. Shandy you made me laugh - sure we have all been embarrassed like that but I care less as I get older !
Not sure when we will get to contract - just found out the solicitors have been twiddling thumbs since 16 th November and our vendors solicitor denied getting anything from ours ..... not true ! Anyway it’s all in progress again but may be some problems around probate now ....! As long as we move by Easter I’ll be happy. Life just seems to whizz past and I want to have some time near my grandson before he starts school in September ! Just been diagnosed with osteoporosis of the spine which is a bother at 66 - I’m very fit and active so a bit cross about it but could be worse !
Good luck everyone and keep smiling, thanks for all the chat and tolerance for me rambling on and on ! A break from ‘doing’

Afternoon everyone, I'm over the gruff man shame now, he left the loo seat up, sod him!

I'm just back from a long walk to the nearest town of Amble to the PO as our village shop is shut, and it started to snow. As it stops me sleeping when I know rain is due I've stopped looking at the forecast, it was such a surprise! I'm nervous of driving in snow so am going to skip my beach walk today.

I recommend Duolingo karmalady, it's fun! El hombre come manzanas! I'm sure I will see a man eating apples one day and have to comment on it to someone!

I agree with the principle of saving but haven't been doing so well lately, I do wish I'd saved 'for a rainy day'! So lucky the insurance company have now credited my account with the money minus my 'excess'. I've heard from my surveyor and they are still trying to find a roofer.

I have told my kids to start saving the 'half their age' percentage of their earnings as recommended by Martin Lewis. The ever increasing costs of energy are going to affect us all, and I still have 15 months until my State Pension.

Good luck marymary62. Try your local Sales and Wants page on Facebook for your furniture, I met some lovely people when I sold my Lloyd loom furniture. But do specify if you are willing to accept offers, there are some chancers out there. If you want a dynamic amazing solicitor my ex neighbour is the one, the office is in Newcastle.

Right I'm off to have another coffee and watch 'Succession' on Prime, it's great.

Have a good afternoon everyone.

Very wet and cold down here. Normally, I would stay in the warm all day. But =trying to be responsible - I thought I needed to get LFT's so that I can 'flow before I Go' to my groups.
For the third time ordered these from my local pharmacy on line via NHS ap. So had to go out in the rain, got there to a large notice in the window saying they have no LFT's available. Trundled on to our large branch of BOOTS, but the same notice was displayed there. Back home I tried to order form NHS for a pack to be delivered to me. Got through all the questions, etc, and then at the end a message came up saying NONE AVAILABLE TODAY.

Have given up trying to be responsible!!!!!

Hello Franbern, I'd be happy to send you my unopened one if you want to inbox me your name and address. I've still got half an opened packet for me and doubt I'll be seeing my son anytime soon.

It sounds like steady progress Marymary, easter would be such a lovely time to move and yes you are right about not transferring weeds.

All this moving house expense and the expenses that come afterwards, fixing wrong things, adding good things, painting. It is like a second tier of expenses, not so necessary but it aids the settling down and needs to be done sooner rather than later. I am almost 74 and have energy now but doubt I could shift furniture in 5 years for any more painting. The paint I am using now is pricey and is mineral and from experience I know it will wear very well and I know I will not be getting the whole house done again.

shandy, I know it is easy to say to stop worrying but that awful stomach churning worry that you are going through. It will get done, you will be comfortable.

Shandy that is very sweet of you. My g.son, is getting me some from his school (He cannot do tests for the next eleven weeks as he had covid early in the Christmas holidays - and they then have to wait 13 weeks before they can test again.

It is just so silly that I was pinged as I had been near to my SiL who caught this from his children, and have been TOLD by NHS to do daily LFTs - but then I am totally unable to obtain these. Talk about left and right hand. Perhaps if 37 billion pounds had not been squandered on unworkable T& T at the beginning, there might be money to provide enough of these tests now. Wales seemed able to forward project the sort of numbers required.

I am virtually a hundred percent sure that I have not got this virus , but was trying to be responsible.

Franbern, that is why the nhs is crippled, self isolation from being pinged. Pity anyone who has a health incident before spring, it appears we now have to take a taxi to A&E if we have a heart attack. It really is a time to be extra careful such as no walking on ice, hand on the handrail, good secure slippers insteady of mules, no standing on chairs to reach anything. I must remember that last one

Not sure what I am doing this morning, maybe bottoming the bedroom, getting rid of dust and fluff up there. It accumulates so fast. Maybe a tidy up in a drawer or cupboard. I would say a de-clutter in an area but there is hardly anything to de-clutter any more. Whatever, I won`t waste my time, always a feelgood factor if I can do positive stuff in the morning.

Fran I had exactly the same thing as you, I've now got some coming by post, but it was days ago when I ordered.

My buyers are coming round again for a look round, I think they must say to themselves 'what shall we do this Saturday; go to the beach, go shopping, to the zoo, Oh I know let's go and look at our new house again'!

I put up something on Fb last night about my annoyance with the LFT system. All my fb friends are people I know in real life -and I was touched as how many of them said they would send me a box - I have thanked and refused them all. So, there are lots of these in peoples homes. Daughter has given me four to get on with.

Surely, the correct thing would have been for every household to have been sent a box per person, and then only replacements would have been required. During the summer, these were being given away along the Promenade and in the High Street, but I always refused them thinking it was more responsible not to stockpile them but just get them when/if required

Tried to order a postal supply again late last night, no good, but was successful in that application this morning. Hurrah!!!

Yogi, surely your buyers do not need to keep coming back to view. I know it is good to have such a viewing when getting ready for the actual move, to note things like electric sockets, and make a plan as to where furniture will fit but that only needs it once. So pleased you have your completion/removal date. Lots to be done now, but good when you have a definite date. The nightmare of that time has finally receded for me (taken over two years), but, every day, I look around my flat thanking my luck for having got me here.

I have reached that point in my life, where I am quite content having nothing to do some days. Do not feel that it is wasting my time, just sitting either reading my kindle or watching something on tele. Feel eighty decades have given me absolute right to do nothing!!! I have loads of stuff in my garage which needs to go to Charity shop, wondering when they will welcome more stuff, most round here has so much. During the February half-term I intend to get my daughter to assist me in putting up some garage shelving there, and will then really need to get rid of what is there.

When I received delivery of my new bedroom furniture soon after I moved in, I made lovely 'dividers' for the drawers by using the firm cardboard from some of the packing boxes and cut to size and then covered in fablon type stuff, which I had from covering some shelves in the kitchen. These are all still working perfectly two years later and cost me nothing. I was inspired to do this when I looked at what was being charged to purchase such dividers. Does really help to keep items in those drawers neat and easily found.

I used an awful lot of savings for moving and to settle in, I think the last will be for the last tranche of decorating, this month. No need for me to go over what I had to spend money on but it was to make my house into a home to my own taste. Naturally my savings are now much depleted and I have to re-build, got to think ahead. I don`t often use `what if` but there is a definite `what if` about future costs for me and my `maybe` care. I have good genes, aunts who are thriving at almost 100

The big bills come in from january until end of march and this time I want to pay direct from current account so I can see my balance daily. Early days but I haven`t been tempted to online shop or even to drive to a shop. Using my stores will also free space, which truly is what I want. I am going to give it a genuine good go, it will be a decent start if I don`t transfer any more savings into current to pay the big bills

Franbern I do like your dividers idea, I have dividers in several drawers but yours are good and sturdy

Fran yes they did all that, seeing where sockets were, visually placing their furniture.

They were pushing to move before Xmas and now, we were ready to exchange on Thursday, but they failed to put their deposits in and then said they wanted another viewing. Had the 2 EA phoning me and my solicitor asking what's going on and I've been told to nail them down today as to what? If they pulled out I would get 10-20K more for this property so I wouldn't cry too much.

I was of the same mind Karmalady regarding not touching savings, but thought only yesterday not to do that and to spend a little on holidays in UK and theatre trips etc. I watch those programmes on DIY escape to the chateau, they keep everything and make stuff from nothing and the ladies get up on scaffolding to do deco & repairs, very inspiring!

marymary, hope you are now getting things moving and can soon get a completion date. Hopefully, you can look forward to Easter in your new home.

I did my LTF yesterday (negative as I knew it would be), pouring with rain and cold here, not too concerned - my U3A group in the afternoon I get bus opposite my flats and bus stop I get off is nearly opposite the house I am going to - and reverse for return journey. So, wrapped up warm, cannot use an umbrella with my walking stick, got on bus and relaxed. Did not take much notice of the journey as I know it is just after it turns left that there is one stop and then mine,. Rang bell and got off - and had no idea where I was!!! Evidently there was a very large diversion, of which I knew nothing and was not warned by bus driver. Difficult for me to walk to the correct road, took me a good 20 minutes, with lots of stops to relax, breath and I did get rather wet. Had I known of the diversion, I could have got off a stop earlier and would have been far nearer where I wanted to go. Nearly gave up a couple of times and phone a taxi to take me back home, but really wanted to attend this meeting. Made it in the end and was pleased I had done so. Going home, I shared a taxi with another group member. My smart watch wad delighted with how many 'steps' I did!!!!

I am pleased to say that I am now fully recovered from my last bronchitus. I have one week feeling poorly, but then a second week feeling okay but with a nasty (and, these days, very embarrassing) cough. Two bouts in less than two months - hope no more this winter.

I have an entire weekend with absolutely nothing to do. Will do some hoovering, etc. probably make a cake. Wish I could find my varifocal specs that I 'lost' some weeks back, during a day spent entirely at home!!!! Thought they would 'turn up', but still waiting.

Nice to see some moves are on the way. My brother's move has hit a snag. His father in law took out enduring powers of attorney in 2012 because of his wife's dementia. This changed years later into lasting powers of attorney which has to be registered with government department. Enduring didn't. His old solicitor retired and just closed down . But this was after it changed to lasting but never told him it had changed.

His solicitor even though he has all the documentation since he put his house on the market never told him about the change. They should have exchanged last week and moved. But can't until the paperwork is changed and registered with the governmental department he can't complete the sale of his house. They are all seeing his solicitor tomorrow.

He put his house on the market in September and accepted an offer within days . Now they have no idea when they can move. They are all very upset about it as they just want to move .

Sorry to hear about your long walk Franbern, what a shock to be so far away, well done you for persevering, I really dislike walking. My friend and her husband go on ten mile jaunts very happily in their matching bobble hats

I feel for your family Whiff, that's a horrible start to the NY. I hope they can get a speedy resolution tomorrow.

I decided to text my seller today to ask if she'd mind telling me what work she had done to the floors in 2016, and who had completed the work.

I think I posted on here that the 'guarantee' she had left me in the bungalow 'folder' for woodworm was a single sheet of paper without any indication of what was treated. When I tried to contact the company, I discovered they had closed down in 2018.

Foolishly I threw it away as it was worthless, and I can't for the life of me remember what they were called now! I don't really need to know as they've gone out of business and the guarantee was void, just annoyed with myself that my memory is so bad nowadays.

She was kind enough to reply, and said she had supplied me with both the guarantee and the surveys for both the floors and the attic - she hadn't. She said at the time it was recommended she replace the floors in both bedrooms, the hallway and the bathroom. Apparently the attic was sprayed at the same time by the same company. She has given me a number for the company she thinks did the work, I'm going to ring them tomorrow. I've also written to my solicitor to ask if any conveyancing materials are kept once completion is achieved - perhaps it was missed when they did the photocopying.

Wish me luck!

Finally found the name of the dissolved woodworm company! I knew I had it somewhere, but I do remember tearing the sheets up in a temper.

I looked up the company website that the seller gave me- pest control, they deal in fleas, wasps, bed bugs and rats, god help me!

So sorry about your brother whiff, sudden turmoil after happiness is dreadful. the whole chain will now be upset. I am hoping that the chain stays tight and that it can be resolved quickly but it sounds quite complicated. It took a few weeks for my uncomplicated pow to be registered.

Oh shandy so many unknowns in a `used` home. I think there is so much luck attached to buying, everyone has to be hopeful that the seller is honest, sadly some are not, even to the point of hiding known faults