Help calm me. House buying and selling stress *Part 9*

Milton is just diluted bleach. I actually shiver when I remember how we used to use it back in the day for 'sterilising' babies bottles, etc. Did not wash it off, just then put dummy, teat straight into babies mouths.

I did got very worried in the early days of lockdown as to the amount of bleach being poured into the water ways, as people were using like it had just been invented. I really do think that hot water and some soap is the best, much better than all these so-called sterilising agents.

I used to make, what we called ice cream when the children were small, just using my Kenwood mixer. I am always reluctant to put ice cream in my freezer, as if it there I know I will eat it!!! Little willpower!!!!

I buy frozen berries and these in my morning breakfast each day, One packet lasts about a fortnight, defrosted in two 'go's. I have found this is more economical than buying fresh berries -which will not last the week.

I have never been a nervous type - so in my house in East London, always kept small windows open downstairs, as well as upstairs throughout the summer months. But really appreciate living in a first floor flat when it is even easier to keep windows open.

Having a peaceful weekend, spent lots of time doing the minutes for our Committee meeting. There is a whole raft of new legislation coming into effect in January 2023 with regard to fire safety in multi occupied buildings. Think our block actually is compliant with all of it already. Interesting that as from then any building with two or more flats will come under this legislation, which means all those houses which have been divided into two flats, now come under these new laws.

Shandy it does seem as if you are mentally gearing yourself up to another move. I am sure that all the experiences you had last time around will come to your aid, both with selling as well as buying. although, perhaps, once the floor are all repaired and you have got your home back together you may change your mind.

I weighed in at over 12 stone this weekend Franbern, no ice cream for me for a while. I think I said my abdomen ached after the Jubilee weekend, I think it's because my tummy is so huge!

Interesting about the new legislation, I wonder if my aunt's freeholder knows? I'll find it first, and definitely won't be telling my aunt!

Morning all

Cool today, sat in the garden for my morning cuppa. I'm on the South coast Shandy, Southend-on-sea. Yes Father's day is not a good one for all. We have a family 'whatsapp' group, I check it before going to bed and turning it off, there was a message from my ex, my C father, wishing all the dads in the group a happy father's day, his sister & brother responded, but no one else! He walked out on us when the C were 3,6 & 9, we were living in Holland, so very difficult for me.
I was surprised my little dog only reacted once to the storm and then cuddled into me & slept.

As for locking up, I can't sleep with the windows open, so use a fan. My son was sleeping with the patio doors open! My neighbour upstairs said no lock to be put on the garden side gate, but I've now put one on, just over night so doesn't impact him in any way. I've bought my son a fan, so doors locked now phew!

Just read your post Shandy re man stepping on her stomach!! that's what I said to my son when he wouldn't sleep with the patio doors locked, I'll show him your post...

...my beds under the window too and I don't have keys for the windows, I do leave them on the slightly open locked setting, just the little ones at the top, but they do open wide and are big enough for someone to get in I think.

My weight is slowly coming off, I drastically cut carbs, including potatoes. If I have any carbs then they are starch resistant carbs ie rice and bread from the freezer or potatoes lightly cooked and kept in the fridge overnight. I do feel pleasantly satisfied after meals, have upped my fat intake, olive oil mainly with a little cream once in a while and always full fat greek yoghurt. Carbs raise blood sugar and nibbling carbs through the day will cause a constant state of elevated insulin, potential for diabetes and more. I don`t eat fruit apart from my berries and an apple a day.

Big washes today, saw the forecast and have done a timed full wash, ready in ten minutes. Another one after that, will take 3 hours. Two full sets of linen bedding, I wanted them out early, to dry properly outside

I shall make a small gooseberry fool today, I have a little cream and thick yoghurt left. I love treats

I went to the shops and walked an extra couple of miles for the exercise. Traffic seems to be up today, no doubt it is early glasto traffic because of the rail strike. It will be too unsafe to cycle this week

I went for one thing but browsed around an alladins cave of housewares, cooking stuff, diy. Fantastic family-run shop and garden centre, I hope they keep going. I came out with six items that I kind of needed, always happy to support the local shops. I see they are building quite a few retirement apartments quite close to the centre, good I say, the sort of people who will buy locally

I love freshly ground black coffee, I make it a bit weaker, so I can savour it without it being too acidic. It was lovely and my second load of washing is on its last spin. The first wash is bone dry.

It is a beautiful drying day, sunny and windy

How many miles a year are you doing these days shandy?

I think I have done less than 3k and more like 2, anyway I just booked an annual service and mot for end of july. I would be tempted to drive here and there at random if it wasn`t for fuel costs. The price for both is not too bad at £207 and they do give it a wash, I am treated very nicely. I suppose that living here is serving its purpose, I certainly do far fewer miles because of local shops and buses

12 kv waffles made and in the freezer. I am still planning vegan foods as I have family coming to stay early july, from glasgow. It is now concerning about the months ahead of rail strikes, not just the strike days but the trains are in the wrong places on the days in between

Evening karmalady, I do the minimum driving I can, I don't trust my car any more and really don't like driving. I think I told you I reversed and hit the low wall in my drive and now have a hole on the driver's side rear, not great! I definitely need to downsize to a cheaper, petrol car. Once the floors are done I'll focus on it. I'm not sure about having a very tiny car as when I had my daughter's Corsa I nearly turned it over a few times on bends, I'm used to the weight and bulk of the X Trail. Gave me a bit of a fright!

Enjoy your waffles, I did give in and buy some ice cream today, hopefully I will walk it off with the dog when it's cooler late on this evening

Happy summer solstice everyone, the start of summer. It was very light until late last night. Do you remember those late night walks hand in hand with a boyfriend? This time of year always reminds me of that

No programme for today, I might learn how to do podcasts at some stage. Other than that, the day will evolve as usual. I will garden -potter later but will need to change into jeans as I usually kneel down for hand weeding and right now I am wearing a dress and never mind the white legs. Who cares, I have to admit to always wearing trousers for the shops but I think today I will brave the white legs and go get some cherries. They are very delicious and from uk

Happy summer solstice to everyone! I did try and have my son today 29 years ago, unfortunately he had other ideas and arrived tomorrow. Was definitely a very loooong night!

Today I'm taking the doors off the storage unit in the front bedroom. I've texted the builder who's working at the end of the road three times now, I do dislike having to keep on and on at people. He built it for the previous owner in 2016. It's a very small job for someone so busy I know. It's the size of a large built in triple wardrobe. I've got one of the big doors and two small ones off, but the heads have gone on the screws in the last big door. It's so well made there aren't any obvious joins, going to be a club hammer job I think.

shandy you can get a drill bit for stripped screws. I used one once

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHs9VGEuhxI

I went to the local shops again, only to one but it has everything I need, I love to see that it has a steady stream of customers, it is a small shop. I am trying my level best to use these shops as my `larder`, and will gradually run down foods and then get one thing at a time eg today, cave aged goats cheese used up yesterday and replaced today and I bought a bit of fresh fruit and veg, could not resist a massive ripe plum. I love being able to get one of this and that

Lots of good mornings and one chat as I stood admiring a gorgeous new jubilee bench. Very beautiful, obviously hand crafted and lacquered, mainly black with a very lovely back rest and thankfully bolted to the ground. Someone has designed and forged this bench, no-one knows who comissioned it but it could well have been one of the town benefactors. No litter, a free car park with small shops around, a clean public toilet. Being out and about is quite uplifting, which is a huge added bonus to moving into a new area. The car parking area can give a very good indication of the ambience of a place. That was the area that helped me decide where to live

A beautiful summer`s day and another dress for me, light and airy. Legs are still white but I am not caring any more

a long day of thunderstorms tomorrow and I am going to prepare for hunkering down, will also pick all the semi ripened berries etc. I did the hoeing 2 days ago, so those weedlings will be nicely dead. Glasto will be a mud fest. I am hoping it will wash the thick dust off my car windscreen

I have been loving the weather the last few days. Have Patio door onto balcony wide open until just before I go to bed. Does not even get fully dark then (10.00 pm). My patio/balcony is really lovely now triangular shaped with low wall at front (not glass) which makes that very private and also means no-one can look through it into my living room. I have a lot of pots there, with mixtures of faux and real flowers. Have been watering the real ones each evening.

On the high wall along one side of the triangle I have several garden wall art items (Butterfly, dragonfly, peacock, gekko, woodpecker). They give interest and catch the sunlight. It is so easy to keep this are looking nice, with minimal work, watering, and occasional sweeping. Couple of reclining garden chairs with footstools, and side tables make it a very restful place. I am on the first floor and the green tree tops of the trees along the main road, appear just above the low wall. I am still in amazement as to how well this move has turned out.

My son and DiL are coming to stay this weekend. Really looking forward to that although weather forecast is not all that good for their visit. For the first time, they have chosen actually to stay with me rather than going to a hotel. Will probably have a day out somewhere on the Saturday and I have booked a nice restaurant for that evening.

One of my SiL's has gone to Amsterdam with one of his daughters for a short holiday, and my eldest daughter is in Copenhagen with her daughter for a ten day break. Both flights went on time and with little problems at the airports.

My suggestion to my daughter that my g.daughter and her boy friend might like to come to stay with me for a few days during their long Uni summer break. She put it to them and they think it will be a great idea (even though he actually comes from a seaside town on the East coast). So, probably sometime during August. So pleased I bought a flat with a spare bedroom and a guest bathroom.

Just back from meeting my son for his birthday lunch in Newcastle, it's an unusual 66 degrees here today! Being on the bus was like being in a tumble dryer, so bouncy and rumbly, it takes an hour and a half each way. I am very glad I finally got my son into the Skechers shop and he chose a pair, he has dropped arches and they are the only shoes he finds comfortable. He didn't go for the arch fit, he doesn't like the style.

The dog walker came to see my dog at 2.30 pm, so luckily I don't have to walk him again until this evening, I'm so hot! Emptied my suitcases out looking for something cool, finally found a dress I enjoyed wearing in India.

Thanks for the drill recommendation karmalady, I think I'll just get rid of it, and start again. It's a huge unit and almost up against the fireplace, I do think I might open it up again, short chimney or not.

Enjoy your visitors everyone, I was amazed at the amount of people out and about today, I need to go more often.

Shandy not surprised that you are not getting a reply from the builder. Seems that all such tradespeople have so much work, they just cannot keep up.

On behalf of our Committee I accepted a quotation for a considerable amount of work from an electrician. Fortunately, none of it urgent as, when I spoke to him, he said he could not even consider booking it in to his schedule before the end of September!!! He has now blocked out last week in September for this job.

I am so pleased that I booked my kitchen re-fit well in advance and they did keep totally to their time-table. I think, that unless I have any urgent jobs, will not really bother to try to get anything done by a professional for the remainder of this year.

I was woken during the night as I turned over as I felt my back 'go'. When I got up this morning it was pretty bad. At present my normal pain killers have kicked in - but not too sure how much I will be able to do today. Very annoying!!!! My back has caused me problems for many years, not helped when I used to coach gymnastics (lifting the children, etc.). But since I had a stress fracture there three years ago it does cause me problems all of the time, but I have learned to live with and cope with it. The main reason I use a mobility scooter to get our and around.

Another beautiful warm, sunny day forecast here today. Sadly, much lower temperatures for the next few days when my Son and DiL will be here. Mind you, even lower, we will be higher than the sixty degrees that Shandy has reported from Newcastle. So pleased that I live in the South!!!

Later today my daughter will come here after work for her tea and she will then pull out the sofa bed and get it all made up ready for the visit tomorrow by her older brother and sister-in-law.

Enjoy the summer weather everyone - days have started to shorten now!!!!!

ooh shandy, newcastle. I had some of my best times from newcastle. All that walking mountaineering, climbing, raf mountain rescue ooh, those were the days.

I remember going on a train to newcastle from liverpool, never been far and had no idea about the geordie accent, I struggled with a large suitcase and a huge (for me) accordian and when I got there could not understand a word. Gorgeous lovely people and I have very fond memories of the town moor and binns. No wonder I had my first ever overdraft and had to learn quickly, how to manage my money

I have an IT problem with something, it involves database transfer and the company is in germany. They want to talk me through it via skype. omg, I am a phone virgin, only use it for calls. I am trying, downloaded it but may end up unintalling in a day or two.

I have been relaxing in my riser/recliner chair. This has four motors, one of them controlling the lumbar region (a second one the neck area). These are in addition to the ones for the riser/recliner.

Has really helped my back,so armed with some more pain killers I am going to try to go to my u3a group this morning. Have managed to get my weeks washing all done and on airer (I am trying to avoid using the tumble dryer in this warm weather).

karmalady hope you sort out your data problem. I am lucky, that whenever something like this crops up I involved my daugher and young g.son for minor problems and Son in law for major ones. My screen on on one of my emails went all strange a couple of weeks ago. Could not see what I had done or how to correct it. Mentioned it on Tuesday night when daughter and g.son popped in and within less than a minute was all sorted, AND I made them show me how t do this in the future.

Franbern I hope you have batteries in your recliner, last week mine went wrong and I was marooned with my legs in the air ?. I have now replaced the batteries!

Franbern I was interested to read about your riser recliner chair and as I am thinking of buying one, I wondered if you would mind me asking what make you chose. There are so many options on the market.
TIA.

'Aldom - this chair was a pressie last year from my chidren/g,children for my 80th birthday,.
I already had a normal electric recliner chair, but wanted one that would also help me stand up.

As you say lots of choice. Had a couple of companies who brought chairs to my home and were very intensive salesmen. They were also extra--ordinary expensive.

I spent a lot of time researching. Needed a chair that was going to be made for me - height, leg length etc.

Two motors meant that legs raised separate from back recliner -which I also wanted,. Eventually (when lockdown opened up) I visited a Careco branch and there saw these lovely four motor chairs, so these other two motors control the lumbar region and the neck.

Once I had tried one of these, I knew that this was the chair I wanted. Plenty of choices of different material, so chose one that was different but toned in well with my existing sofa and armchair.All built just for me. It did cost in the two grand mark - however, as I spend so much time at home, it is getting a lot of use.

You can buy (new) riser/recliner chairs from around the five hundred pound mark - and you need to know exactly what you are looking for and what you can afford. Second hand ones are very cheap as they are difficult to sell.

With this chair, for the first time in years I can adjust it all to sit comfortably without the need for any extra cushions. Sometimes, I will spend several hours at night on it also. Worth everypenny

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me detailed information about your chair. I will look up Careco and see if they have a place near to me, Oxfordshire.

I had a good riser recliner, I gave it away last year. It was far too big for my room and I don`t need a riser chair. I have a very nice zero gravity chair instead. Mine was electric and the motor started making a noise anyway, was out of warranty. Good luck in researching them aldom

It has been such a lovely and relaxing day today, the cloud cover was perfect for me and I have spent much of today outside on my patio, reading and taking tea from a pot/cup/saucer set that I put on a tray. I felt as though I was on holiday

I finished my last sewing project, lovely too for winter. I decided to postpone my coat for my mid winter project, I shall just get the fabric dry cleaned first, in case there is any shrinkage. Next winter project is out while I muse over the length and pattern altering, everything is too long as I am under 5`. A jumpsuit with elasticated waist and ankles, again will be excellent for the cool months

I pottered today, when I had had enough reading, very happy to have a pottering garden, a bit of this and a bit of that. Oh yes I used my compass properly today and my house actually faces E S/E so it has a tilt to the south and my garden generally is S facing. Difference being that the shade starts to hit my house at around 2pm at the moment

That reminds me, I have two wooden benches to preserve, I shall do that august to september, I need a couple of warm rather than hot days. Not a job I particularly like but my furniture needs to last so I have to do the maintenance

I thought of you today karmalady as I had to go to the bike shop again, the valve was faulty on the new innertube.

He had two electric bikes, a retro normal sized wheels Omega, and an E-on small wheeled folding. £1500 each. The small wheel one reminded me of happy times on my Raleigh as a child, we used to go with my Dad when he bought motorbikes, and were allowed to cycle round the streets - in the dark! I remember the thrill of hurtling down a hill at top speed. I don't think my Mum ever knew!

Ahh, that is a nice memory shandy. It is amazing how all at once, a memory is triggered.