Help calm me. House buying and selling stress

Just got here in time to wish you a very, very happy birthday shandy and hope you don’t get any more bad luck,you are definitely deserving of some good luck!…????????

Karmalady I through all my DVD collections away when I moved and was really sorry to do so, I had saved an old TV/DVD player to play them on when my DVD player broke, but through that out too

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Shandy [cake]
Hope you enjoyed your meal with your son.

Fran you had a lucky escape on your scooter! Glad you're OK xx

You've got DVDs too Fran mine all thrown away with my house move clear out!

I did throw out all my collection of VHS recordings before I moved. Kept my DVD's and also my audible books on CD's. I have also kept my earlier collections of Audio books on tape, not sure why as I have no means of playing these!!! Think vaguely, that there is some way of re-doing those into CD's - will need to find out if this is possibility or something I have dreamt up myself.

Beautiful sunny day here this morning - which is excellent as we have one of our lovely EAT WESTON food festivals in the community area on the High Street. I am jsuet waiting for a cake to come out of the oven for me to trundle along to that.

Had a real mystery here this morning. At 7.00 am, just as I was in the first stages of waking up, my tv in the lIving room 019sprang into life. Had this tv since mid 2019, never done anything like this previously. And, to make it even more strange, it plays through my Humax, and the current one I have had since Dec 2019, powers itself to standby IMMEDIATELY the tv is switched off/put into standby mode. So, every time I want the tv on I have to press the standby button on the tv remote AND the standby button on the Humax remote. But, somehow, this morning, this all happened whilst I was in bed in the adjoining room!!!

Perhaps it is something that is in the 4th booster jab I had!!!!

Seriously, I have no idea how this could have happened, a real mystery!!

Have spent a happy couple of hours on the balcony. Sunny, nearly windless day, reasonably mild.

Have sorted out the spring bulbs, virtually all finished now. taken those all out, and put away (except for one pot, still with daffs. blooming in it). Put out the Summer faux plants, ordered the Petunias and Impatiens (the only real flowers I have on there in summer each year.

This balcony is triangular in shape, with the large patio doors and window from my Living room forming one side, the second side is a high wall, which actually goes up higher than the flat above me, and the final side is the low wall which gives me so much privacy on there. Over that I can see the fabulous cherry blossom on the trees in the main road.

Unpacked and put out the two reclining patio chairs and small side tables. Put up that on high wall the 'wall art' (butterfly, ghekko, dragonfly and my latest addition - a woodpecker) - these all go into hibernation in my small patio shed in October and, wonderfully, re-home back at Easter each year. I Need to bring up from garage the two sun canopies and I will be all ready for excellent sunny days out there.

This is such a wonderful outdoor space for me to enjoy and very private. So much easier for me just to sort this out a couple of times each year, than it used to be trying to get my garden sorted.

Franbern you are a very sorted lady, I am so glad that you are enjoying your home so much. Big tick, it was all down to you, biting the bullet and being pro-active

I think I will put my sitting chair under my trees today, the leaves are just bursting. I haven`t much else to do except pottering but that is how things get done, a bit here and a bit there. Sometimes, the only nice summer that we get comes in april, definitely is worth being out there while we can. I love watching the bumble bee, he is the reason that I get the berries from my garden. Just sitting and watching and hearing that buzz, takes me right into nature and tranquility

I am still finding any old excuse not to get that notebook of mine finished. The dining table has several old notebooks on it plus my shiny new book. I have done the banks and savings accounts. Lots of passwords to do still, many of sites that I will not be using again. I need to sift through very carefully

I am having to do this in hops, obviously checking and re-checking anything to do with money and then will need to shred the old pages. Just like any essay from the past, once I get into it, it will become easier to motivate myself. Next is anything to do with broadband and mobile phone. I shall also make a small planner for bigger bills such as car tax, tv etc

I. like many, put the papers away tidy and every so often will file them. My psyche gets relieved and then over the year, the pile builds up again.

I divide ALL my bills into monthly amounts. However, they are paid. Then I keep a list of everything that I have to pay out monthly - obviously, including supermarket shopping, and even my window cleaner. I add up what amount I give for presents for Christmas, Birthdays etc. and even work that on a monthly amount. I make myself an allowance for 'OTHER' payments such as meals, or coffee out plus an amount for clothes and household items. This is then totalled, and gives me a pretty good idea as to how much money I need each month, and then multiplied by twelve how much for each year.

Micawber like, - provided what I receive in is in excess of what is going out, I can relax.

My new kitchen will make a large indentation in my savings - but (as my children keep on insisting), that is what the savings are for.

I keep a small notebook and every time I use my credit card (which is pretty often - as I carry very little cash), I make a note of it in there. Check regularly against the statement on my 'phone, to ensure there are no irregulaties. Seeing all those payments written down is a good way of keeping me in check.

I really do believe that good personal financial management is learned very early in life and all children should be encouraged to keep accurate accounts, and to put aside some part of their spending monies.

I have finished my paperwork, passwords, logon details etc. I dug to the depths for kaspersky, plusnet, dell, paypal and so on and ignored many of the online purchasing sites. I shall go and shred later. Some of those details were pre 2015 and even since then much has changed eg to securely generated passwords

I gave some cash gifts to AC in 2016, made sure to make a fresh note in my new book, nice to see that they will disappear from iht next year

My brain feels much more clarified now

My kitchen fitter contacted me to say that the Bosch combi microwave they had quoted for to fit into my new kitchen was no longer available and asked me to pick an alternative.

So, spent three hours yesterday evening on the different sites (mainly Hotpoint and Samsung), making that decision. At present I have a Samsung freestanding combi-microwave, and no main oven. So, this machine does everything for me -and I have been very satisfied with it. I am having a main single oven fitted (mainly as it will be there when flat gets sold - than for me to use much now). So, the choice of a fitted combi-microwave is very important.

Have finally decided on a Samsung one with a flat bed - no turntable. When we bought our very first microwave back in the early 1970's we had a large Philips flat bed machine.

This was wonderful, as it enabled me to put in quite large dishes in there. (there was a revolving arm in the roof of the machine). This machine lasted us well over twenty year. Only had to get rid of it when one of my teenagers slammed the door hard, with something in the way and shattered the glass. I contacted Philips and they were astonished that it was still working. However, told me that they no longer made flat bed machines as people felt they were not working properly if they could not actually the revolving happening.

Be wonderful getting back to a flat bed again. And the machine I have chosen is larger internally than the one I, at present, have.

Getting excited now - once Easter is gone, then have my U3A drama group play performance and THEN it will be 'ALL SYSTEMS GO.

A flat bed sounds perfect, I never knew about flat bed microwaves and as for the large oven, well obviously good for storage. I am excited for you, its a big expensive step but really, is the icing on the cake

My sister in aus has a buyer and already has a moving date in june. They have really downsized this time, still 3 acres but a 2 bedroom property with a converted garage which is a art studio. Vacated by a 90 year old female artist. My sister is also an artist and at long last, has that call and excitement, I don`t believe that she has ever had that gut feeling previously, in her 7 moves. She will be in a cooler part of WA and just 6 miles from my other sister, who is a budding artist. So it seems that at long last, all the ducks are lined up in a row

About time we had a similar selling/buying system here. My sisters only stress is the actual physicality of packing, moving and decorating. She is even able to leave much of their furniture with the existing property

What does she do with that three acres???

I have been lucky today, damp soil, good growing weather, warm and dry. 36 sedums out and planted, fingers crossed that they grow as well as the little ones I planted in autumn. I am expecting nice, simple ground cover

All quiet here, as usual, U3A had a day trip on but to a town and for the life of me, I cannot be doing with killing time in a town. Don`t want, or need, to spend money and have enough sightseeing under my belt through my life. So I am glad the plants came, I would rather commune with bare soil tbh and be solitary, like the bumble bee, better for my psyche than noisy crowds and busy roads

They used to have a small farm and grew everything from oranges to veggies as well as breeding miniature horses and they had sheep and pedigree dogs. Last property had 8 acres and they planted trees, then the fires came very close and they had to evacuate. 3 acres is small for them, no doubt they will have their trees again and dozens of roses. She will garden until the end, its in her genes. Keeps her going

Evening all, great to catch up with your news.

Had a great couple of days with my daughter and son but feel exhausted now I'm back. She has a two door car and I'm so stiff, when I was in the back I had to get out backwards. I definitely need to start some exercise apart from walking. And as for the stairs at the airport, I really felt the gravity of them! Delayed for two hours on Sunday going, I was worried about this morning. We were up and out of the hotel at 4.30 am for our 7 am flight - it was delayed at 6.15 to 0750 am, then suddenly 'Last Call' at 6.29 am and we had to run miles to our gate. Feel a bit miserable being alone again.

Belfast was very vibrant, and we visited Donaghadee on the coast where Hope Street was filmed. It was lovely to see the Irish Dancing championship girls and boys in our Premier Inn going off in taxis for the competitions. I'd booked my dog into kennels tonight as well, it's strange not to be going out for an evening walk shortly.

I hope everyone has a good week.

So pleased it all went well for you, Shandy. I used to go to Belfast Airport most years, for nearly twenty years, when my youngest daughter lived near there. I hated those flights. Seemed so daft, having to be at the airport (Stansted/Belfast) two hours early for a flight that lasted less than an hour.

Belfast airport has the advantage that whoever is meeting you can come right to the area in which the luggage carousels are. A much smaller airport than Stansted.

You will soon get settled back in your own home doing your own thing, as and when you want. Lovely to have company for a short time, but must admit, I would detest having someone around all day, every day.

Karmalady Our u3a is a very active one. There are so very many groups, and lots of outings, We are very fortunate that there really is something for everyone here. AND....most of the meetings are during the daytime. I did look at the local WI, but nearly all there meeting times are evenings - and as I have got older - I really do not do evenings.

Morning all, still feeling a bit shaky, but I did sleep right through. At the hotel the seagulls were calling all night, I'm glad to be back in the quiet of my surburban road.

I wasn't impressed by the facilities at Belfast Int Franbern - I queued for 20 minutes in the big bar/restaurant, and when I got to the head of the queue to be told the 'kitchen is closed'. The 'get a table and make your order on line' facility hadn't worked, so my son sat at the table. Ended up with a croissant and a choc pastry thing, can't remember the name. Yes I can, pain au chocolat.

My friend is coming up to see me from London, I was supposed to visit her last December. The difference in accommodation prices is astounding! I've not been to our local cinema for an age, I hope she can come on the Saturday so we can go.

I'm just back from collecting my dog - his bottom was completely clogged so straight in the bath. Thought they'd have checked, not happy.

Shandy one time, I booked the last flight of the day. Though I was being clever, as it would give me the whole day with my daughter and could be dropped at the airport after baby'baby's bathrime, etc. Flight to arrive at Stansted at 9.00 pm, and my car was safely there waiting for me.

Seemed a good idea at the time - was horrific. Bad enough at Belfast Intnl. where it was the very last flight out, so virtually everything closed there. Drink from a machine, etc. At Stansted was one of the last flights to land and was not permitted anywhere near the building. So, once off the plane we were then loaded on to a coach to take us to that.

As one of the last on that coach, I was one of the first off. It is a long walk to the Stanstead internal flight luggage collection. I usually do it very slowly, taking a good rest every so often. However, that time, it was frightening for me, as everybody from that plane was rushing past me, and most of the building was in darkness. Never saw any staff at all. As I could only walk slowly, I became the last person, = could hear my footsteps. Was concerned that the buses to the car parks would have ceased, actually ended up having a panic attack. When I finally arrived at the carousel, my one case - looking as lonesome as I felt, was going round and round. I was nearly in tears by that point. And, I am not a panic attack, tearful type of person normally.

Thankfully, once outside the building , everything returned to normal, buses were operating. But, never again would I arrive at that airport on one of their last flights.

So sorry that happened to you Franbern.

There was a 2140 flight, and I thought I should really take that, but I can't enjoy the day thinking of the flight ahead and always worry we might get 'stuck' somewhere and miss it.

Coming back from Thailand we had no choice but a night flight and I got a bit too tired sight seeing during the day. I found it hard walking through the airport at Dubai, it seemed like miles and we had to go up and down a lot of stairs.

My friend hasn't messaged yet - keep your fingers crossed the nice little local Airbnb is still available!

I meant to remind everyone that the BBC Gardener's world magazine on sale tomorrow has the ticket/booklet for 2 for 1 entrance to lots of lovely gardens. Our local gardens cost about £15 per head entrance fee, well worth spending £6 on the mag.

Thanks Shandy I'll look out for the mag.

How awful for you Fran That's the bit I hate too. I've flown a lot over the last few years, before lockdown, so I'm very happy to stay in good ole` blighty.

Afternoon all, I've just had my gas bill and my jaw is just hovering above the floor.

£128. I will definitely be turning the heating off now.

Have a good day!

For one month!