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

It's fantastic you can do tailoring karmalady, a boiled wool coat would cost hundreds of pounds off the peg. We went to Iceland and I remember the boiled wool gloves being an extortionate price, let alone a coat! Enjoy!

I've just popped in to ask if anyone else has had to 'encourage' their relative to activate their LPOA, and if so, how did they do it.

Beanutz, sorry just seen your post, how kind of you, to give your daughter such security. We never stop being a parent

Happy birthday Franbern

Hot day today, manageable heat. I am feeling like a cycle ride so am getting changed shortly, it always makes me feel good and keeps my leg and heart muscles working

Today I am making a bomber jacket, this is for cycling and is in very bright colours. That extra layer for when I am not sure to wear. A fairly complicated pattern but it keeps my mind active and am looking forward to it.

Patterns today are hugely different, PDFs and either printed on A4 which you have to stick together or AO which is copyshop size. I get patterns printed by uploading a file from my computer files. I also have everything backed up on two memory sticks. These pdfs are very good and very size inclusive. A lined, fitted coat is in my sight, an advanced pattern. I already have the fabrics so have just paid for the pdf plus an AO paper copy. Will keep me busy for quite a while. Top notch boiled wool in cherry, originally from germany and kept safe all these years.

House is airing now, before the heat of the day and my insulating blinds on the east are 2/3 down for a while

I bought a plug-in insect repeller the other week as I have seen solo earwigs over time. It seems to be working, not seen one since and certainly far fewer spiders

We are in exactly the same position, we sold our house on the Isle of Wight in order to be close to our family, the proceeds were used to buy two properties, one for ourselves and one for our daughter who has CFS is a single parent and four autistic children. Because the 2021 property market went absolutely manic we were only got the choice of one house for the money. I have been left some money, and I am going to use this to move again into a bigger house in a better area, but still near my daughters. I could have chosen not to buy her a house, but with the threat of eviction looming over her and our grandchildren I think we’ve made the best of what we can.

Happy Birthday ? Franbern ???

Hope you had a good Birthday Franbern ??

Sorry, I misspelled your user name

Franburn Many happy returns of your birthday.
I always enjoy reading your posts.

Happy birthday Franbern, you kept that quiet!

Had my birthday today. Nothing special. Took donuts with me to my u3a knit and chat group. Some went, but what with those who are diabetic, coeliac, on diet, vegan, etc. brought quite a lot home. Daughter and two g.sons popped over to see me , ate some and took the rest back with them. One of the g.sons is home from uni for a few weeks, so I do not get to see him very often.

Phone calls from all my other children and a couple of g.children. Has made for a busy evening for me.

Beautiful looking weather, solid, bright blue sunny sky - but quite a chilly wind around. Am prepared for it to be very hot later in the week, and have my fan ready in the living room and a small one by my bed.

I used to make most of my children's clothes when they were small. And mine - started doing that in my teens. Do not bother now. Find that clothes just build up, as I do not bother with what is or not in fashion, and they just do not wear out. So, very rarely need anything new, and feel I have far too many as it is.

Must say that I feel that life is pretty good to me at present - as I enter my 82nd year, I have very little in the way of wants and virtually no needs. Yes, have health problems, but can deal with most of them and just need to accept that I need to take life a slower pace. I was booked on the NEU coach going up to London next Saturday for the Trades Union demonstration about cost of living etc. They were taking my scooter, but are starting out at 7.30 -and I felt I was being silly to take on such a very long day with all the stresses etc. involved so have pulled out. My daughter and Son-in-Law will represent me there. Have to accept now that I really do not have the stamina to get through such a long day, with all that travelling, etc. Sad, - but reality kicking in.

Shandy I assume the flat your Aunt thinks she wishes to move to has a lift. Has she actually seen it? Will her furniture fit into it? Think it is a case of the grass being greener, etc.........

However, if she really did need carers in the future - there are probably ways of obtaining and paying for those. Does she have any serious medical conditions that inhibit her way of living? If so, she may be eligible for Attendance Allowance.

Be good to hear of any 'movers' in the process actually achieving their ends.

My neighbour has a mum with a mind of her own too. It is very difficult for those people who care but are too far away to pop in when needed in an emergency. She lives in a house with a large garden and is staying put. Downstairs space has been adapted for a loo and she has had a stair lift put in. Some very feisty women about, went through the war and survived so have that determined mentality

A freezer in the garage is good. I bought a small chest freezer for the garage in my previous house, I had a lot of allotment produce to squirrel away. Beko, it survives very well in a cold place. I gave it away when I moved. It was invaluable. All the builder provided here was a bog standard, cheap fridge freezer, not even frost free. 3 of the tiniest freezer shelves ever. I use the whole thing for lots of spices, cooking bits and bobs and jars of herbs for making tisanes. I have never switched it on.

Another batch of gooseberries picked, cooked down and turned into crumbles for freezing. Next batch and the last batch will be for pots of gooseberry sauce and a couple of bags of whole berries in the freezer

Busy day today but sewing a bit and getting an awesome result. Changed the wide crew neckline on a pattern to round and am almost finished making it, chambray embroidered with bright red flowers and vines. Now turned into a loose and lovely cuff top. Very happy. I have to hop from one thing to another, so my body moves differently and so I don`t nod off

Afternoon all, sunny here but huge great raindrops! I can't be bothered to look for the rainbow.

I spoke to my aunt today. She has got enough money for the move, I said it would cost her at least £15K once she'd paid stamp duty etc. The flat is a probate sale and not advertised yet, in a block one minute away from where my aunt is currently living, about four properties down and directly opposite the supermarket. Her current one bedroomed flat is the half the ground floor of a Victorian house, and long and thin - several times today she said she hopes the flat is 'square'. She is going to invite two estate agents to value her place. I will just see what happens. I had previously told her to keep her savings so she can invite carers in when she feels she needs them, if she moves I don't think she'll have any savings left. It's her life, I can only support her but do think she should consider assisted living instead of a normal flat.

Oh dear Shandy re your aunt, Fran is right in what she says. Wish I had a little extras freezer, mine is always full but fridge only when I do a big shop, could still get a lot more in though. No room for a second freezer.

I asked my son not to throw away his egg shells from his breakfast each morning, now have a big bag full, I'm going to grind them down and put them on the garden to stop the snails & slugs getting to my new plants.

Thanks Franbern. I remember I was in the throes of buying the bungalow in January 2021 when she announced she wanted to move into a form of 'sheltered housing' as she was finding the garden too much. I spent time researching retirement apartments for her and liaised with a lot of agents. As you so rightly say, service charges at the nicer apartments were high, I remember that they put her off last time and it all came to nothing. I know she is missing her neighbour and nervous of who will become her 'freehold' landlord if her neighbour decides to sell. My aunt's current flat is warm and suitable for her, she had the windows replaced about 2015 and a new wetroom in 2020. As she is telling me her new mobile phone is dead, I dread to think how this is going to pan out

Ensure that you Aunt really understands how much money selling her existing flat and purchasing the nearby one is going to actually cost her. Around ten to twelve grand. Does she have that money, or will she need to rely on selling her flat for that amount more than purchase of the other one?

Also, if the other one is Retirement Flat, there is likely to be a large regular service charge to be paid. You do need to ensure that she really understands all these implications.

Sadly, she also needs to be made aware that 'neighbours' good and bad. do change quite a lot, particularly if they are elderly. They are not set in stone, and could well be different if and when she actually makes that move.

Looks like summer is actually arriving this week, Some very high temperatures are forecast for later in the week.

I have made the decision to keep my little under-the- counter freezer that is now in my garage. Have had an Iceland delivery for that today, Means I can keep things like ice=cream, cakes, etc. plus take advantage of the often cheaper offers of multiple purchases of different fish. The one I now have in my kitchen is more roomy than that one, but still limited. I would not actually have purchased a second freezer, but that one was only bought two and half years ago, and I would get very little by selling it, so am keeping and using it. If I change my mind in the future, very little lost.

Today I have purchased a small pannet of Cheddar grown strawberries (so very local). Must say they were gorgeous, sweet and juicy. Good to buy local grown and to support small greengrocers in town.

Afternoon all. ha ha karmalady, I have a mental picture of you as the fairy godmother in Cinderella with your description! Bippity boppity boo!

I'm feeling a bit fed up. My 85 year old aunt has just phoned to let me know she is going to put her flat on the market again. Apparently the owner of a flat in a block just up the road from her has died, and she wants to buy it, so 'she has nice neighbours'. It sounds like a retirement flat. I'll just have to support her long distance, and if she is successful, go down and help. Her lovely neighbour, whom she started to rely on quite heavily, hasn't been at home for some months now as her father was very poorly and recently died, I think this has a lot to do with it.

oh that does sound lovely yogi

I have worked myself to shattered, so am sitting down for 20 minutes. Up and down stairs, in and out the garden, bed making, sewing bedspreads and sorting much of my humungous fabric stash. Two beds are done, one bedspread left to alter. I had my chocolate early. Will keep going to one and then stop, whatever stage I am at

I got some doggie booties for my little Westie when it was snowing, they kept falling off. I've seen some hilarious video clips of dogs trying to walk in doggie shoes.

We had a big Hedgehog in our garden a few nights ago Karmalady. We have lots of slugs & snails too, I always put them right at the top of the garden, so hope the hedgehog has a nice feast up there. I have ordered a nice wooden archway to put up there and I will get some climbing roses to put each side. I also bought a garden mirror with louvers to put on the back fence so it will all look nice once finished.

Hope your friend gets better quickly shandy

Shandy57

So lucky you are on the ball Franbern, I really do despise these criminals. I don't think my Mum would have managed in this day and age, she was so trusting.

I hope your new blind is always down because it's sunny!

There was one scam I saw on TV where they tried to get the old lady to sign her house over to them! Lucky that the son found out and stopped it just in time.

So sorry to hear about all your poor birds dying Shandy must be awful to see.

Franbern

I am a little suspicious of a buyer on Marketplace. I have started to put my kitchen items there. Have someone coming on saturday for my worktop oven.
However, a person says they want my 3-year old fridge. I am a naturally suspicious person - and they say they arranging for DPD to collect this today. DPD also to bring with my cash payment.. I pointed out that DPD would not take a large unpacked item - he says they will!!! And they will bring my payment in cash with them. Yep right....I felt all along this was some sort of scam, but could not work out how - now I know.

So, I have now received a message saying that as they will be bringing cash - there is a large amount of insurance needing paying. The 'purchase' will cover this by adding that onto the cash amount I receive. Sounds okay????
Next message to say that the insurance amount requires paying BEFORE they come here.....
Do they really think I came down in the last shower.
Okay, it is a clever scam - but scam it surely is.
Just told them where to go.

I have used market place and Gumtree many many times, and this is a new one on me. It is suspicious straight away as to why anyone looking for a pre-loved item is willing to pay out so much money for this sort of collection. I wanted to play along so that I could see exactly what they were up to. I can now send a message to market place warning them of this sort of scam taking place.

BEWARE......everyone.

I was very happy to receive a telephone message from Dunelm telling me that my new blind for my kitchen window has arrived early and the fitter will be able to put this up for me on Saturday morning. Last little piece for the kitchem

Morning all

Lot's of post, so doubt I'll get through them all this morning as have to leave for work at 10am but have to put my class together and go physically through it beforehand.

Had the same scam Fran. First one of many was when I was selling my desk before my move, I said it will cost more to ship than the desk cost, as it very heavy! Finally the penny dropped that it was a scam, so was ready for the next lot!

I had a lovely trip to wales yesterday, a steady 60 on the motorways and I did squeeze more mph but I also changed to v power E5 petrol a few months ago, on advice from my car expert relatives and am noticing the difference. That petrol has cleaning and lubrication additives and my car needs to last. I went to a rural and beautiful area, away from the rat race

I have started to deal with some nice heavy, double size waffle cotton bedspreads, far too big for my single beds but perfect for hot weather with a flat sheet, I have visitors in a few weeks. Non iron 2 hour wash first, dry on line and finish in tumble dryer as I want to get the shrinkage over with. Testing for size then cutting excess off and hemming. I have finished one and I have washed another, left it outside on the line overnight. The third is in the machine now. I am glad I am finally tackling this job. At one point I was on the verge of donating them and am very glad I kept them.

It does not feel like sunday but one day can feel like another day if I don`t go to any shops. I am still a bit tired after a long day yesterday so will forgo my cycling, there is plenty of exercise to be had just standing and doing necessary jobs. I am useless in very hot weather so want to get these jobs done sooner rather than later

Afternoon all, still horribly windy here.

I'm off to Aldi to get some store cupboard staples. The government report has apparently been leaked, and they are recommending we eat venison, not beef. Luckily I don't eat either, but the hunter/gatherer reference is quite ridiculous in the 21st century.

Yes karmalady, the vet did say he should wear boots and I bought a variety at PAH and tried them, he was very distressed. He will tolerate one 'dog sock' for a short time, but was very reluctant to walk in four. Finding the right size and fit is hard. Just back from the beach, wind is very high and we were immediately sand blasted - as he had to be anaesthetised when he got sand stuck on his cornea, I came off pronto! Vet also suggested he wear doggles if going to the beach, poor dog!

shandy would you dog wear little boots when his feet are better? My dds cocker, genuine game dog for beating, used to get similar foor problems regularly. Little dog has retired now. I am sure they mentioned boots at some stage as she used to get the likes of small seeds or thorns between her toes