Anniversary of moving

What a lovely post! Moving is just so stressful and it's heartening to hear most have eventually been pleased with the decision to do so.

So pleased to hear that it all worked out so well for you Whiff.
It's almost four years since we downsized and we're also very happy, close to two of our children and living in a very manageable home once our huge renovation was finished.
I'd urge anybody who is thinking about moving to do it whilst they still have the energy. Most people do eventually have to downsize, it's a big undertaking and not for the frail, but I don't personally know anybody who regrets it.
If you don't think you can manage it alone you can enlist help from family and friends to do a downsizing clear out and then employ a really good removal firm to do all the packing. Most people can manage the unpacking themselves, in their own time.

Well done you! So very good to hear such an uplifting tale on here. Inspiring to think that one day I'll feel that I'm living the kind of life my late DH would have wanted for me.
Enjoy!!!

Our down-sizing venture all fell through on Saturday (people further down the chain). So fed up.

I'm pleased it worked out for you, Whiff. Maybe your experience will inspire me to carry on.

Pressed send too soon!

I followed your trials and tribulations 5 years ago. I remember being really shocked that Shandy got such a low price for her beautiful house. I hope she's now doing well.

Your stories Whiff and Franbern are very encouraging.

I am still in my big house with all its problems. I am keeping my options open and look at alternatives. I have an architect and a developer coming to visit this week.
I love my house's location but it's too big and expensive.
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LOUISA yes I am in the north west my neurologist is at the Walton Centre and my cardiologist at Aintree hospital. If I hadn't moved here I wouldn't know the name and cause of my disability nor would I know I was born with a hole in the side of my heart.

I love it here and never known such warm and caring people. Where I live is close to buses and local train links ,shops etc. Never had such good healthcare. My bungalow is my happy place. Have family and friends who care . Only blip is the estrangement from my son and 3 grandson's but he choice that I never saw it coming . But my husband dieing hurts more than what my son and daughter in law have done.

See my daughter and 2 grandson's weekly and my son in law when he's not working.

I have done and still doing the things I set out for myself when I moved. My craft group at my local library,sit fit class round the corner from me and go to The Brain Charity in the city for gel printing class. So 3 days a week are planned . But the weeks fly by and live my life to the full.

I used to read the threads about you all moving as we were thinking about it at the time. I remember Craftyone and her veg and often wondered what had happened to her - now I know!

It's nice that most of the moves turned out so well after all the angst and let-downs.

CountessFosco

How happy we are for you that this has worked out so well! For us, it has been the exact opposite : after 44 years living outside England, we returned for altruistic reasons. Totally unprepared for excessive waiting times on the NHS - 3 weeks to obtain an appointment with our GP, +11 months to see a neurologist. In France, we waited perhaps 1 hour. Our quality of life has deteriorated, the litter is appalling, the rioting is disturbing so much so, after 5 years of grinning and bearing life here, we are actively thinking of returning to France. Now ducking below the parapet for possible nasty responses.

Well it depends where you live i guess...I'm NW England....Nice little town .....easy access to big cities......an hour away from the lakes, Wales and Yorkshire dales .....love it here ...can always get same day appt with gp if you phone at 8.30 .....live within 15 mile distance of a cancer hospital , childrens hospital, heart and chest hospital, womens hospital, orthopedic hospital, dental hospital, eye hospital, tropical medicine hospital, and several general hospitals....and we have one of Europe's leading neurological hospitals on our doorstep ( my DD was referred and seen by a neurologist in 4 months) .....if you not happy then definitely move ...lifes too short to be where you are not happy....but life is good where I am in the NW .
Think you now in NW too Whiff?! ....happy anniversary...and wish you many more happy years to come 😊

I had forgotten the feet picture we all tried to guess who's feet where who's . I was very funny. I remember the thread filled up quickly with the set backs ,going forward and then all the things we where having done and in which order . Remember Craftyone and her make over of her large garden and planting fruit trees and her veg growing . She inspired me to grow veg and get a greenhouse . And when she came back as Karmalady we knew who she was . Love all her sewing projects on the arts and craft forum .

So glad I started this thread. It's been fun.

Sorry, I didn't mean that Shandy hadn't found happiness. I meant the posters contributing to this very thread.

Aldom, you have a good memory of the "guess the feet" photo!
Yes, Franbern, we ate a Devon cream tea in a shelter on the beach. (I got told off by someone, probably covid obsessed, for placing my camping chair on the promenade walk to sit opposite you and Shandy!) I often drive past the first flat Shandy viewed and think of her.
I'm glad other people got some fun and information/inspiration from the thread. Sometimes on GN we feel we are just wittering to ourselves, but this was real shared grit! I'm pleased everyone on here has found happiness, apart from one, and has no regrets. I think I might have one further move left in me, maybe to a flat in the fullness of time, but who knows?

I don’t remember this thread, but then, my memory isn’t the best. Glad that all who have moved recently are settled and happy. 🏡

I really enjoyed following the thread when several of you were buying /selling properties. The night of the storm, when Shandy lost the roof of her bungalow was truly awful. I felt desperately sorry for her. Then she had the mould to deal with. It would be nice to hear from her again. I hope life is going well for her now.
Franbern, your move to the apartment was of interest to me because at the time I was considering a similar move. I had found a beautiful apartment, but it was some distance from my circle of friends. I decided to stay in my house, which in retrospect was the right decision for me. You clearly made the right decision for yourself. I've enjoyed reading about the changes you have made to your home.
Another thing I remember is when three of you met you put a photograph of your feet on GN. Wishing you all many happy years in your 'new' homes.

I remember this thread from 2019 so well - everyone's trials and tribulations of moving!!!!

We had our five year anniversary in our new house and area a couple of weeks ago. We moved to be near to our daughter, son-in-law and new grandson and we looked after him a couple of days a week once Covid was out of the way. He's now at school of course - going into Year 1 in September.

Our biggest change has been that we now have another baby grandson - our daughter is now on maternity leave so it's lovely to be able to see so much of her and the baby.

It's worked out very well for us in the main. My husband is still happily volunteering a couple of days a week - on those days I accompany him into the city to have coffee and breakfast before he starts his shift. Our daughter and her baby and/or our other grandson sometimes join us.

We're happy with our house. I've loved developing the small garden, growing many new plants for it from seed and cuttings in my cold frames - it's always been my hobby, I don't miss our previously large cottage garden with orchard at all. This garden is so manageable and you can make massive inroads in just a day when necessary.

We found the heating system was not good, so have had it flushed through and new valves put on it. Also we deliberated long and hard about having a wood burner put in in the sitting room (we had one in our old period cottage) but eventually decided to go for the convenience of a wood burner look gas fire which is instant. We're so pleased with it.

The house had had new double glazed doors and windows but for some reason the large patio door had not been replaced, so we've just had a very robust new one fitted which gives a lovely view over the back garden, rather than peering through the misty blown glass!!!! I got my fitted wardrobe in my dressing room replaced - the old Ikea one was not fit for purpose and the doors kept getting stuck. The new one is mirrored and fitted with better shelving so I'm delighted with that.

The other plumbing issues include having a new shower fitted in the en-suite, a couple of new taps, an accessible new stopcock and a loo sorted out.

My husband has done some decorating - kitchen, sitting room, our grandson's bedroom, large bedroom and my dressing room. Further things that still need doing include small electrical works on ceiling and outside lights, a new stair-carpet and the hall, stairs and landing decorated.

Our village is so lovely and friendly, with it's two pubs, fish and chip shop and village shop. The bus stop is outside our house which is brilliant. We do still drive, but use the bus a lot. We have a library and our doctor's surgery a couple of miles down the road, which is great. The GP service is absolutely excellent and we can always get an appointment when needed. I've ended up going private for dentistry - no nhs dentists available, but that's absolutely the only downside.

Our neighbours are all lovely and friendly and we all get on well. I lunch with our lovely lady neighbour occasionally.

You never know how things will turn out - but we count ourselves very fortunate.

Someone mentioned my awning on my balcony. Yes, really wonderful. Early in the afternoon, the sun comes round and shines brilliantly onto my balcony and onto the large patio door and windows, Even with a couple of good quality fans on, my Living room always go stuffy during the summer sunshine. Tried different typss of sun umbrellas, nothing protected al the glass, then a coupl of years ago, a newcomer into one of our flats put up this awning on his balcony.
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Purchased from a company called Mano Mano, it is wonderful and cheap. Cost me just £70 to get their largest size. The gentleman who had one already put it together for me,. Cannot describe th e difference it makes. The awning itself is the type of material which absorbs the suns rays, so I unwind it early in the morning - and my Living Room remains cool throughout the da y. Usually now only use one fan in there even on the hottest days.
Today, promising hot sultry weather, my patio door is wide open, the awning unwound, my living room (no fan in use) is really pleasant to sit in,.

Of course would love to have an electric awning - but have been told this could cost two to three grand so I will stick with this one

Would love to hear how Shandy is doing now. Hope she found somewhere to settle in happily. Of coure, her heart was really in trying to get back to North London area, and her head knew that was not financially possible.
Whiff, thank you for your memories, I had forgotten that lady in Australia. They seemed to be settling inquite well when we last heard from her. Perhaps she will get in touch and give us an update.
I do keep updated both with Whiff and Ellianne. Ellianne and I came from same area (just a couple of miles apart) and moved at virtually the same time, and we two and Shandy did meet up in 2021 staying outside all of the time, but having a cream tea in the rain. I had my car then, so could get to that.

My mobility has got a lot worse since then, although I can manage to get around my flat I do have to sit down and recover a lot. Outside cannot go more than a few yards on foot, but thanks to mobility scooter for locally, and my folding electric chair for longer journeys on public transport I do still get around. Next weekend, for instance I am off to Guildford to a reunion BBQ of my ex-husband's family. Sadly he died last December and although we had not lived together for the past 25 plus years it was still a blow. Neither of us had ever had any other partner and we did share our wonderful five children.

Our 5 year anniversary is a month away and we keep saying that we can’t believe how the time has flown. I think the strange Covid times have something to do with it. We spent some of that time creating a garden and doing some decorating.
In a funny way I think covid gave us all time to appreciate our new homes even more, Nannytopsy. The good thing was that we were allowed workmen in early on in the pandemic, though I do remember giving them a very wide berth. Making cups of tea for everyone was forbidden!!

Katyj

Aah thank you Whiff, you have a good memory. Hope she pops in to let us know how she is. Lovely thread. Thank you.

I think I've got her mobile number, so I'll tell her about this thread. She was hoping to do a bit more long haul travelling, India?, but she had a dog who had poorly legs if I remember.

The Australian lady's house and garden looked amazing. She had a knee op, and didn't she have a pool which was helping her to recover?

Our 5 year anniversary is a month away and we keep saying that we can’t believe how the time has flown. I think the strange Covid times have something to do with it. We spent some of that time creating a garden and doing some decorating.
Our first job was a garage conversion which made a dining room big enough for the family.
We live in a very rural part of Suffolk and just love it. I am now president of the WI and on the PCC. We see lots of our nearest grandchildren and often have them overnight - they have their own bedroom. We have two new grandchildren who live a couple of hours away, and we are currently on holiday in France with them. They are 2 and 8 months.
Health wise we have a great GP practice and can get appointments. DH has had leg ulcers for years and his treatment here has been so good that they are nearly healed. I am waiting for a new knee and have just been referred for the opposite hip too. I shall be so glad when I can manage the garden again and go for walks.
So glad we moved!

Katyj have a good memory for somethings but other things forget it. I have an idiot proof dishwasher. 2 buttons on the front to press at least once a week I put it on then sit down . Wonder why the dishwasher isn't working and the light is flashing I forgot to press second button 🤦. Other day put down my distance glasses to put on my reading ones. Then couldn't find my distance ones had to get spare pair of distance ones to find first pair they where on the top of the sofa 🤦🤦. 🤣🤣🤣

I remember the moving thread because I joined Gransnet after my house sale fell through the second time. And found the keep calm stress of buying and selling thread. I didn't want to worry my children about how upset and worried I was but found I wasn't alone in going through buyers pulling out at the last moment. Some had it far worse than me . Plus some like me where moving on their own lots of tips ,advice and support. I was no longer alone and it made me feel better .
Made friends on GN on various threads . And have rambled on ever since 😁.

Aah thank you Whiff, you have a good memory. Hope she pops in to let us know how she is. Lovely thread. Thank you.

Katyj she first went under the name of mosaicwarts then changed it to Shandy then think it changed it again . She did move into a bungalow and sold the station house at a loss. The flat roof blew off her bungalow and remember she had black mould on the floor under the carpets think it was in one or two bedrooms. Remember her saying she paid more than she wanted . But never understood why her surveyor never picked up on the state of the roof or did a damp meter test which would have shown up the mould .

Franbern I remember all the work you had done and how you watched parades and things from your balcony. And your adventures on your mobility scooter.

Karmalady under her old name moved about the same time .

Joseann I remembered when you where Ellianne . For some reason remember your plans for your front garden.

There was also a lady from Australia who sold their property rented for a while before finding somewhere to live .

Remember all the dramas we had with viewings and sales falling through and 100 and 1 things happening but we all moved in the end. Hard to believe we all made it and are happy in our new homes and living better lives.

Lovely post Franbern, I used to look forward to your posts. I have an image in my head of your living room and balcony you described it very well, I believe you bought an awning ?
What happened to the lady that moved out of the massive station house into a bungalow I can’t remember her name.

Thank you Joseann. Glad to hear you have settled too. I remember reading about you. Having the grandchildren near is lovely. I can’t believe how fast the last five years have gone, it’s scary !