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

I did the same years ago as Razz has done, was trolled by a dreadful person, left for a couple of years came back with a different user name and there she was again, using a different name but it was her. It must be her form of entertainment but I don’t respond. Gransnet like other forums can take too much time, it’s good to have small breaks for me.

Just bumping this up for Nansnet

Was going to report that DH got some good news on Friday, after 3 very stressful weeks of not getting any responses from the solicitor, dealing with the sale of MIL's house, now she's in a care home. House has got to be sold, as there is only a few months' savings to cover the care home fees.

Finally got some enquiries back, after the practice manager, buyer's solicitor and estate agent joined in the "badgering". Hoping to get a date for exchange (at least) soon, and before the Xmas break if possible!

All sounds lovely Franbern, and the butternut soup too, just hope your grandson gets better soon.

No snow in S Somerset either, just a 10 minute attempt at sleet flurries yesterday!

No snow here, thank goodness. I hate snow......Not interested in its 'beauty', just see how dangerous it is to everyone.

Very cold. keeping my heating on all day as it is unlikely to go much above freezing outside today. Concerned that one of my 12 yrs old g.children is very unwell. Probably just a nasty cold, as his parents say it is - but with this Strep A around I am worried. This is his third day now, never known him unwell previously. Is always so proud of his one hundred per cent school attendance. Daughter working from home today to stay with him.

Attended the excellent Foodfest (Eat Weston) yesterday morning. Went with the intention of just looking and not purchasing, but did buy some lovely sausages from nearby farm, some lemonades for Xmas Day (my local family is, like me, pretty much non-alcoholic) , a xmas cracker with local gin for daughter in London, and a beautiful ceramic tea pot for myself. I do prefer to use loose tea (more eco friendly), but my last small (2 mug)_ t-pot broke a few months ago and I have been putting off replacing it - and this one just caught my eye.

The son of the Lady whom we stayed with a week ago waiting the ambulance, came to me yesterday with the most gorgeous bunch of perfumed flowers and a large box of chocolates. How very nice of him. Flowers aranged, chocs will be kept for Christmas.
Hope everyone is keeping safe and warm.

Lovely to hear about your lunch with your new friends Fran Soup sounded lovely. My DD would only eat butternut squash when she was a baby.

I spent an age on-line yesterday buying Xmas gifts from 'Sportsdirect' £125. Got the PP email of purchase through with my old address on!! Tried for hours to contact SD, they are uncontactable! Everything virtual, no customer service and phone numbers not answered. The only thing I can do is contact my old house and pick up there

Had such a pleasant day yesterday having invited two ladies from u3a for lunch at mine and chat.

I made us all butternut squash soup, easily made, nourishing and covers most diets. Made this up the previous day, so all that was required was to put in three bowls and warm up in microwave. Also two baguettes, warmed up and cut up. Home made apple cake for desert with coffee.

I feel that I am finally, starting to make new friends. Have thought this would not happen in my old age, but these two plus anpothjer one who is away at present are ones that I have found I have things in common with, so am slowly, very slowly building on that.

We have decided that we will have these sort of chatty lunches regularly in the New year around each other homes.

It is bitter cold now. Using my mobility scooter when out and about, I really need to dress warm as cannot warm up with walking. So, thermal vest under jumper and thermal leggings under my fleece trousers. I also have a wonder winter coach - purchased at M&S about 12 years ago. It is brilliant and keeps me toasty warm. Normally only use it on thse fewbitter cold day each winter, thenit is washed and packed away. I said when I bought it that it would be last coach I would buy - as normally prefer jackets. This still looks exactly like new.

Thanks for all that info/tips Karma wonder if I should be covering my plants.

My smart-meter read £10.44 yesterday, it was never that high in my previous 4bed house! I have it on 20` and turn off when comfortable. I have terrible condensation on my front door glass windows & in the loo which is the first room along. I'm really concerned about it, not from washing drying, but maybe from shower, I've told my son to pull the door to when he comes out, but that doesn't happen till I notice and close it. Any ideas please?

Just a quickie as I am logging myself off for days at a time now. All is fine and I am keeping warm, whatever the cost. This ufh is very good but needs to be on night and day as it takes forever to heat up and then cool down

I am very glad that the builder put non-slip slabs around the back of the house, including the extra patio that I had put down. They are definitely not pretty but non-slip, as tested

I went out in the dark 2 nights ago and worked by the light of the sensor lamps. There are 4 around the back, good light too. I grabbed plant fleece and quickly covered the agapanthus, in 7 pots, found the pegs and they are safe all winter

I am glad I half emptied my big water butts when I did, they are nice grey columns. I want some water, just in case there is a supply problem hence the half full. I put a ball into each one and that will stop any potential for expansion sideways and splitting

Hope you are all well and hunkered down

Sorry to hear about your neighbour Fran

Good luck Razz in all you do, you deserve it

So sorry to learn than Razz has left. She has become a friend over the past years. Hopefully, she will (as Karmalady did) have a brek and come back in the future.

Went to bed very late last night as at 9.30 was called by another Lady here (Chair of our Residents Assocation), as she had been contacted by the son of another resident, and he was very worried about her - thought she might have had a stroke. He had rung for an ambulance. So, the two of us went up to that flat (we have keys for every front door here in our office). She was in poor way, speech very bad, but did not appear to have had a stroke. Ambulance control rang just as we got there, and I spoke with them. There was concern tht she had a fall (one of many), the day before and she thought she might have hit her head then. Control questioned me and her and then said she was High Priority but not to permit her to eat or drink anything before paramedics arrived.

We helped her onto her sofa as she was very sleepy, and she did doze off, having first told us she had not eaten anything sionce 2 pm that day!! Then her son phoned us and told us she was Type 1 diabetic. So, we had a bit of a panic, got through to amublance control again, who then said let her eat something if she can swallow it. She woke up and did eat a few sugary biscuits.

Paramedics arrived soon after 11 pm and left with her nearly an hour later. By the time we had sorted out and secured her flat it was pretty late when I got back downstairs and into my own bed. Fortunately, nothing arranged for me today, except some dusting, hoovering, etc.

Razz Another who followed your story and is sorry to see you go. If you are reading this, I send you my sincere good wishes for peace and happiness in your future life.

That’s a shame, as someone who reads but has nothing to post about as we haven’t moved for 24 yrs, I will miss her.

Sorry to see you go Razz. I’ve enjoyed reading about your move from the station. Have a happy healthy life.

That is a shame about razz leaving but I understand that. GN can suck you in, it is not just about being with a small group of friends but GN can take too much time away from real life.

I had quite a while away when using my last username, it just took a couple of nasty comments on other threads and that was that. I weaned myself off GN and never missed the site

If you are having a last read razz, then all the very best and I hope your travelling dream comes true

That's a shame. I do hope Razz is all right. She had been having a pretty rough trot really since selling the Station or even before.

Just had email from Razz she has left Gransnet incase anyone missed her. She will not be emailing me again.

Spoke to my friend back in the Midlands yesterday. The couple who brought my old house have sold it. Of course I looked at the pictures and sold price. They have done a lot but what made me laugh was the kitchen was exactly the old 30 year old one all they had done was take up the floor coverings and left bare floor boards. I knew house prices have gone up . I sold for £207,000 it went for £307,500. But know my bungalow is now worth £100,000 is more than what I paid.

My friend didn't know whether to tell me or not. But I detached myself from my old house once I decided to sell. In my bungalow I feel like I have always lived here. I live my life to the full no longer exist like I did. Best thing I did was to move here .

Last of the jiggling this morning.

Moving, then up to finally 100% settling in my new home took a long time, in reality about 5 years. First the clearing, then the selling and buying, then the moving and then the three years it needed to change things, add things and to settle

In process my savings were depleted and any existing interest rates were stagnant. the lower rates were quietly in place. Not any more, I have moved and jiggled almost all my savings. I did manage to keep some existing accounts that were lying low with just a few £ in them and lo and behold good attractive interest rates are now available

I opened two new accounts, just plain and simple christmas savers but they will stay open afterwards even if by just keeping a few £ in, so much easier than going through the applications for any in future.

I have put as much as I dared into fixed rate bonds, I cannot see interest rates going up again. So today am back on that level playing field and have made a chart, showing the interest vehicle layout that applies to my savings eg /instant access saver /notice access saver / then the fixed rate bonds

I shall have enough easy access for emergencies but in the meantime I am on a savings mission. For me austerity= no excess spending = saving.

I needed that kick up the derriere

Very cheering, Whiff.

I am in no doubt however that when I am well into my 80's or even before I'd go for the supported flat option. My 89 yr old friend lives in one and its ideal.

My target area isn't very posh, just a bit up from where I am now. Its because there are friends there, GP, shop, friendly cafes, ageing hippies like me with a touch of eccentricity wandering around instead of endless "burbs".

horses for courses. Fran is over 80 and not in the best of health, her apartment obviously suits her down to the ground. An well managed apartment like hers would suit a lot of reasonably mobile over 80s, while keeping them out of McArthy stone.

I need a house and garden, whiff needs her bungalow. It is not only about down to what we would like but cost and many are unwilling to move to a cheaper area that in reality could well be better

I am very much hoping that razz is just having a well-earned break away from GN. I miss her interesting posts

Wyllow I moved to a 2 bed bungalow from large 3 bed house in 2019. For all the stress ,buyers pulling out etc. Best thing I ever did . I love my bungalow. They are more expensive to buy but cheaper to run and keep warm. I could never live in an apartment. So never looked at apartments as I knew I couldn't live in one.. I knew I needed a bungalow for health reasons. And have a gardens I can look after myself even brought a greenhouse and got winter crops growing in it. The first night I slept here was the first good night's sleep I had had since my children where born and my daughter's 39. I fall asleep every night as soon as my head hits the pillow. I moved 100+ miles to the north west. Love it here it feels like I have always lived here. And the people are wonderful. I existed in my old house after my husband died but here I live my life to the full. Health care is brilliant here and at the age of 64 finally found out what my neurological condition is and I was born with it all because of my wonderful neurologist who had my blood genetically tested also found out I was born with a whole in my heart thanks to my cardiologist having various tests done. My GP sent me to see the right experts.

On a water meter here and saves me money. I live 10 mins away on the bus from the shops and my GP is just a few more miles away the bus stops opposite it that's why I choose that practice.

I remember years ago on here someone said you get bunga knees living on one level. And they are right murder on my knees going up stairs . But I wouldn't change my bungalow for a million pounds.

Has anyone heard from Razz I have emailed her but had no reply ? Just wondered if she was alright.

The walls in the flat I was in before were not paper thin (70's properties notorious1) but thin enough to never feel quite private. Agree totally if you are in a block where there are a high % of rentals - ie the owners bought as an investment.
and very wary of who is managing the blocks.

a lot then depends on neighbours - had one lady in my block who was a nasty piece of work and it was a shadow that never quite went unless you have totally thick skin. She complained if you so much as twitched.

But as you get older choice is limited by things like - are there lifts? I'm not, at 71, ready for the "McCarthy and Stone option". Part of the reason is that certainly our local one is for over 75's only and isolated community wise.

Yoginimeisje I share your limited resources as regards a bungalow - waiting to hear if my sister is prepared to part -own one in the area I'm interested in.

One thing I am aware of after living here - don't buy a property that needs a lot of work doing of it!!! Takes all time and energy not just maintaining but having necessary work done on house.

Other thing about flats - its all about "location" within a block. End top floor, for example, is best option privacy and noise wise.

re flats. It very much depends on who is running the management company and the consideration the owners have for each other. Fran`s block is very obviously well managed. I have been in a development when some apartment owners were very put out because several owners put tenants in and suddenly cycles and prams were left in the bottom hallways and the bin area became just a rubbish area. Other tenants stole electricity from hallways. We had a townhouse in that development

It was very good while all the apartments were owner occupied