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

Crossed posts Franbern, sorry your train is cancelled, hope the alternative is convenient.

Morning all, another wet autumn morning, I need to get used to it!

Sorry to hear about your broken wire Franbern, things aren't made like they used to be. Hope it works OK for today, I'll be watching the service at 10 am.

And what a fright for you karmalady, I wonder what set it off. Last time I bought batteries they were £9, big outlay for your four. My new ones have built in 'rechargeable' as I learnt at 3.30 am that morning!

At the station my bedroom was at the opposite end of the landing, a long way from the staircase. I worried about fire and bought a metal 'fire ladder' you put out the window, a terrifyingly wobbly thing I'd probably not manage to get out onto anyway. Be careful up that ladder. After the gas leak episode I did replace the kitchen heat alarm, seems I hadn't pushed it hard enough before.

Have a good day everyone

Oh yes, that constant 'drip' of money going out. When my SiL sorted out my Tv he had to purchase a new wire, only four pounds, and I insisted on giving this back to him, telling him that he was hoping to move in the next few months, and had no idea (they moved into their existing house twenty plus years ago), how much money they would be paying out over that first year or two.

S.....s law,my tv is fine now. Think part of the problems was caused by heavy rain we had, but I do have an tv engineer coming in this afternoon and I will get him to check everything on that spaghetti at the rear of the tv table.

Razz I must admit to being so grateful I live down South. I still have windows open all the time, and although I have now put away my summer skirts am still wearing short sleeved tops with thin trousers. Not even thought about when I will be putting any heating on. Sleeveless cotton nighties in bed, and just added onto my sheet a very thin coverlet.

We did get a lot of rain over the past 48 hours, bet the farmers are a little happier.

I have just received an email stating that one of the trains I was booked on for my return home from my visit next weekend to Warrington has been cancelled - need to check what alternative they have given. I am off for my final 2022 library stint this morning, so need to prepare to go there.

I think they will cost around £10-11, there is a constant drip drip of money, out not in

so once a year spice. I am going to buy them later, after the accession, which is happening at 10am and I shall take my new lambswool feather duster up the ladder with me, to clear any dust. Easy to change batteries, hardest part is getting the lid off, even with the special tool

I am concentrating on getting my washes done now, first decent drying day for quite a while

We change our smoke alarm batteries at the change to and from daylight saving.

re alarms: smoke alarms in the hall and on the landing, carbon monoxide alarm in the living room and the one in the kitchen is a heat alarm

No-one here should feel guilty about things that upset or worry us. Life is mostly fine but something always comes along to upset us and cause anxiety

I had one of those at 5.30 this morning and my upstairs fire alarm came on loud. I was so disorientated when I jumped out of bed and my eyes had not cleared so immediately the landing seemed misty and of course my heart went into overdrive, even though the alarm stopped after about 8 seconds. I checked every single room and everything is ok. So today I need to go up a ladder and make sure there is no dust inside that sensor

I shall buy 4 batteries today and replace them all, I did replace them last year but not exactly sure how long ago in months and they should be replaced once a year. Mine are hard wired and have back up batteries

Really this is another good reason to switch all the stand by plugs off at night, anything can overheat

Gosh that is truly wild razz, must be bad out at sea.

SiL came and during his checks did discover a connecting wire that was broken, so this has been replaced. Even stranger now, some of the time it is nearly all okay - that is playing through the Humax - occasionally still stopping and breaking up. But the when I turn it to the Tv (not via Humax) it keeps losing all the saved stations. And, my bedroom tv next door, has no signal. Have sorted that one out by using my indoor aerial. I have a technician coming tomorrow afternoon, hope he can sort it out for me.

It is so stupid how upset I get with this sort of problem. I do rely on tv and humax for my main entertainment. I know I can watch tv on my laptop, but I like to record programmes and then I watch them during the evenings whilst I am knitting. I feel, a little guilty as to how upset I have been today, when Razzmatazz had to deal with such a much larger problem, and remain so cheerful.

Could it be the weather Franbern? It's awful here, really rainy and foggy. I didn't even have the Wifi calling on my phone this morning, let alone 3G.

I'm really cold and going to have to buy an electric fire for some instant heat, it's miserable here. I've been soaked twice today, my coat had 'half' dried for the second walk on the beach. Haven't worn boots for so long I could hardly drive, so used to my bendy skechers! Sea was wild and I was glad to leave, tide was coming in about twenty foot a time and my dog was unexpectedly swamped a few times.

Franbern I read something about freeview being changed/stopped on several devices, I think I remember the name humax, worth checking

I am out in the rain today moving roses and dug out six that I wish I had not bought, far too prickly, susan williams ellis. Not buying any more, just re-locating the others in the same beds with more space and new compost and more M fungi. I have had to use my gorilla bar over and over, so many large buried stones

Ok it is wet for me and I am covered in mud but it is a good day for the plants, only 3 years old, now with torn roots and cut down foliage but they will live and do well. The weather is just right for this and tbh I really needed to be out, rain or not

I am left with six very nice roses called olivia, not very prickly and strong. Two beds and half the number of roses, much better. All I will have to do is hoe and mulch and feed when appropriate. Easy peasy going forward. One more to move, cannot move any more as I have a drain cover under the soil and pipes. I think I can carry on very soon. The two already ok will have to remain where they are because of the drain but who cares, spacing is not quite even but good enough

For some reason the aerial connection to my tv is playing up (again). No idea why. Happened few weeks back and SiL came, checked all connections - blew on them and all was well. I have managed to get it working using the indoor aerial from my spare bedroom, SiL will come over later on.

Actually, not so much of a problem at present Except for the News I watch very little 'live' tv, mainly watch Humax recorded programmes, and I will be avoiding British news channels like the plague for the next couple of weeks.

Just would be good to have a long period when everything in my home was working properly!!!!!

So sad our Queen has passed away, never known a day without her in it, she reminds me of my mum. I was watching the TV and had just 15mins before getting ready for my work when the news broke. Didn't feel like going but of course had to. Only half the class turned up. RIP dear Queen of England.

Will read posts later on.

yes razz, the render needs looking at. Moisture and freeze causes blowing and breaking. The weatherproofing around the render needs to be looked at but look at your surveyors report. Hopefully it will only need cracks raking out and filled. So sorry razz

Razz when you get to the end of your near endless list you will have a nearly new bungalow and will have a lovely home. My son said once that the first year of ownership amounts to haemorrhaging money….I think you have showed us that theory is correct!

One circular spot has cracked and is lifting, the other spot is completely bald, not sure how that one happened. Argh damp!

I've just been on Facebook after Martin Lewis's post giving a brief synopsis of the PM's speech and energy. There are so many ridiculous comments, I had to close it down. Looks like the £2,500 average use pa is now frozen, prices per unit not yet announced.

Ahhh re bubbly render, are the bubbles looking blown as in domed with air underneath

Morning all, wet here today, glad I bagged up all the tree branches last night. I can see a lot of sky where the tree was now, sorry the birds had to lose it. I will be keeping the tall bushes behind the bird table so they have cover, we do have a kestrel and probably a sparrowhawk here.

Talking of vests reminds me of a story about my Mum, she knitted my Grandad a string vest which he didn't like, apparently he threw it into the open fire!

Good luck to your children and BIL/SIL Franbern. My daughter in NI wants to buy next year, luckily her boyfriend was born in NI and knows the area well. They want to stay in the city.

My neighbour came along with her son yesterday, he said he can plaster the broken area around the plug, as well as the broken concrete floor, coming next week. She's had a workshop built at the end of her garden and wants to do a 'street' craft event, mentioned wreath making.

The bubbly painted stuff - render? - on the outside of the bungalow is starting to 'hole' now, noticed another hole yesterday, probably caused by the wood being bought in. Maintenance is never ending here it seems.

Have a good day everyone

Thank you Karmalady and Whiff I will have a look at the craft forum.

Best to get any concerns about gas checked out, but good that there is no problem. The maintenance charge in our flats includes in it the cost of the mult-occupied premise contract with British Gas which gives 7/52 call-out for any problems and an annual boiler check-up. You would think everyone would be so pleased with this and take advantage of that check up each year. However, I always have to nag (remind!!) a few of the flat owners to arrange that check.

My local daughter has now accepted an offer on their house and had an offer accepted on a local flat. Her hubbie, has stated that he hopes they will be moved by Christmas. Told him that he probably believes in Unicorns also - unless he knows different conveyancing solicitors to the ones I deal with in regard to the sales of the flats here!! This now means that TWO of my children are involved in this selling/buying marathon!!!
Also, my Brother-in-law and Sil are coming towards the final stages of moving back from a disastrous 'Escape to the Country' (Suffolk) five years ago, and returning to London. Having had my SiL staying with me for a couple of days this weekend, it is important that this takes place asap, as my BiL is going to need family support as his wife is slipping (tragically) further and further into dementia.

I have just had another raft of questions from the solicitor for the people purchasing an empty flat here. Do think that these solicitors must spend much of their waking hours desperately thinking up new and often quite absurd questions - yet another delay for this sale. Perhaps they will include one asking if we can guarantee on which days /or and times there will blue sky and/rain here!!!!

That is a very big relief, another worry gone razz.

I went through my vests yesterday and I have not got a single one, must have cleared them in the past, they were bought a long time ago, well worn and far too large. I have several mey camisoles in a nice viscose but they are strappy and nice under eg a v neck with a bit of lace showing, for warmer months, not winter

I have ordered a few vests in L not XXL yay, silk as silk keeps me cosy without static sparks from everything I touch. Yes expensive but they will last me for many years and through all seasons. I also got a neck and shoulder warmer to wear under looser-neck tops

That leads me nicely to my job for today and I am going to sort my bedroom drawers and try on my many trousers and jumpers, any big ones will be going to the cs. I know I have 3 hand made jumpers that I have loved and worn but they need to go, now too big and starting to look tatty. Quite a nice job for a rainy day

Man has just left - all clear, thankfully!

Thanks karmalady, they are coming tonight. I can smell it on and off but not sure, I've not had gas for twenty odd years.

Had a bit of trouble with turning it off at the meter as the diagram shows it 'on' as upright at 12 'o' clock and off as 3 or 9 'o' clock. To be off it has to be crossing the pipe - which in my case is down to 6 'o' clock!
Better safe than sorry. I do have a real thumper of a headache.

one thing after another razz, have you been in touch with your gas supplier. They will come and test it for you