Help calm me. house buying and selling stress. Part 5

Morning everyone, woken up by the sun again!

In twenty day's time I'll be handing over the keys of my beautiful house to a stranger, I can hardly believe it. I hope my kids can get here to say goodbye to it.

Whoever thought I'd be pleased the tip is open again.

Last few runs this weekend and I think I'm finished. I'm not impressed by the purchaser's solicitor, no answer about the furniture.

I'll be going through everything I've bought to the cottage and doing a Marie Condo, I wouldn't want my kids to face this lot.

Have a good day whatever you are doing

Re MK - I have always rolled my underwear - of my own volition, long before I heard of this lady. When I was trying to sort out my jumpers into my new chest of drawers I saw a video from her, and used this method to store my winter jumpers. What I also did was to use some of the cardboard from my moving packing boxes, cut to fit into these drawers, covered it in sticky back plastic (which I had purchased a roll in white for something in my kitchen, and use these as dividers.
I know MK sells drawer dividers - these work perfectly and have continued to work - for free.
Now I have changed over jumpers for t-shirts and summer tops do not like this 'roll' method as I then find it difficult to distinguish which top was which, so have gone back to folding them as normal in the drawers.
Do find MK system extremely good for my socks - far too many of these - I had purchased a lot of new ones before I moved, brought with (in my emergency moving case) about five pairs, but then could not find where the rest were, so went out a purchased a whole lot more - then found my original stash!!! Will not new socks for years!!!
I have found (thanks to my local U3A on fb - Futurelearn.
Free courses on a selection of interesting (for me) subjects. Free to use, not too long, easy to follow with videos and talks and discussion groups.
I have started a six week/3 hrs a week course on Medical practices and Health in Ancient Greece and Rome. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I have always been fascinated with Social History - not the battles, monarchs, war leaders, etc. but the way people actually live day to day.
I am thoroughly enjoying this course.
That, along with my knitting, the addictive jigsaw, plus my daily trundle to park or promenade - and normal housework, etc. I am actually beginning to wonder if I will ever have the time to return to my pre-lockdown normal life.

www.rentokil.co.uk/blog/the-strange-life-of-cluster-flies/

I had them once, they flew into the room when I opened a window. I painted fly repellant on every window and we eventually got fly screens. They come off ploughed fields initially and their food is earthworms not the likes of muck heaps

Marie Kondo is a lovely japanse lady who wrote a book called the life changing magic of tidying. I loved watching her on netflix yesterday, she helps people to get rid of things by thanking it and letting it go. Many people now use her methods and my underwear drawer bears testamony to her eg my knickers are all rolled up and standing in a compartment and my bras are neat and in a row in another compartment. I did that soon after people started raving about her and that drawer is still as neat today. My tops and trousers used to be neat in a drawer but not since I moved. I want to get back to it, it was easier, much easier. I am not a MK perfectionist but I do use bits of her methods

Lovely day ahead, wet ground but looks like sun pretty well all day so 3 washes to be done and the bedding is on now. I still hope to cycle outside.

Whiff its a shame the pest person didn`t arrive. Google cluster flies, that is what you have I think

Sorry to show my ignorance here but who or what is Marie kondo? My daughter came to my rescue yet again yesterday. She had text to check on me and told her about the bluebottle invasion. She quickly came round and taped the edges of the loft hatch shut. Probably why I sleep from 10 pm to 5 this morning woke bursting for the loo. Peace of mind is a wonderful thing. Pest guy didn't come yesterday. Will phone today.

Hopefully the sun will appear and I can get into the garden.

Have a safe day.

grammaretto, it must be very tough, I am glad that I am not shielding. I think most of us are changing character a little bit, it isn`t permanent, I know that. Its a bit of pressure release, that`s all

I have to exercise in the morning, got to get out of here for a bit and if I go early enough I meet no-one on my cycle ride. Highlight of the day might be the shower, hair wash and lipstick before my zoom session. What a bland life right now when hair washing is a highlight

I watched episode 1 of marie kondo on netflix and have decided to go the whole hog with my clothes. Aim will be to get my tea shirts and tops neatly stacked in a drawer, next to some neatly stacked trousers and jeans. I won`t do MK properly because I will jolly well not waste perfectly good clothes that I like but I will fill a drawer and they will be the clothes I will wear most of summer, apart from dresses and skirts that I will leave in the wardrobe for smarter wear. Any other trousers and tops will be stashed away for next year

Then what on sunday? weeding

Grammaretto is ok me being over sensitive. Hadn't been off my drive for weeks. Even at my daughter's we adults kept apart of course got lots of hugs from my grandson. It's hard not to be able to do all the things we take for granted. The fly problem started today because the pest guy took the tape from around the loft hatch. Since I had the mouse problem when I moved here in the loft and the subsequent fly problem I have always kept the loft hatch sealed all round. I got paranoid about fly's. Please don't keep your mouth shut you are not unkind. I love hearing all your news.

I wasn't judging Whiff I am merely jealous, not of your rodent problem ofcourse and I am glad to hear it seems to have been solved, but I because we are shielding and cannot go beyond our property unless for medical reasons, it has begun to depress me. Sorry if you thought I was being unkind.
I have been spending more time on the lockdown thread with the other shielders and we are trying to get each other through it. It looks like we will be here a lot longer than the general public.
I should have kept my mouth shut. sorry xx

Grammaretto after reading your post several times. There is lockdown were I am. Unfortunately a squirrel got into my loft and I needed help. Pest control was my first port of call he said to contact my roofer. Traps set hopefully my roof is now squirrel proof but now have the problem of defecation from said squirrel which means flies,eggs and maggots. Hence I need my home improvements guys to rip it all out. Only when lockdown is over with I beable to have rest of the inside work done. But the pointing on the gale end can be down on Monday as it's outside.

Sue, that video of that lady and the ozzie scone recipe popped up on my Fb also. I sent it on to my children who had laughed at me making the scones with lemonade, etc. They thought I had made it all up, so that video showed them that it was a real recipe.
They were okay, but must say I prefer the normal scone recipe with butter, sugar egg etc. I made a batch last Sunday morning, and took them round to my daughter - when I went to sit in her garden. (Well socially distanced). She had purchased some clotted cream and had jam, and we had (well, I had) English afternoon tea (I was the only one who had a mug of tea with the scones, cream and jam.
It felt really good to be able to bake again for other people..
Shandy, sorry about confusing you - and anyone else. I thought it was the second Bank Holiday weekend that had been altered this year, but it is the first -next Monday should have been May Day Bank Holiday - and that is now being held next Friday.
The second Bank Holiday weekend would have been half term for schools and my youngest was supposed to be visiting with her two girls. Not sure when that visit will take place now, but I do hope that after that half-term arrangements will be in place to get most of the children back to schools even if it is just for half days.

Hi. Glad everyone is well.
Just in case anyone is trying to take photos of their house to sell I ordered a wide angle lens to attach to the phone. The difference is amazing in what you can see in the room and it makes the space look bigger. It does give that fish eye appearance but it's easy to tweak the distortion. Not expensive either at £20.

That is sorted then!! The dates, yes one day is most definitely merging with another

The ex council was quick once I spoke to a named person and I had the council tax rebate in my bank this morning. I have been very sensible and it has already been transferred to my ns&i account. One of these days I will go on a holiday, or buy a stair lift or something. Now I am going to e mail my ex neighbour who is, I think paying too much, she is on an E and should I thing, relatively speaking, be on a D. I hope so, she needs every penny

My Bank is permanently on holiday.

They closed the branch 2 years ago and have the cheek to send me uplifting emails about how they are here to help!

Confused. Com ? I love this thread. Hope everything goes well for you Shandy. Keeping everything crossed.

Woops sorry everyone,. My misinformation. It is FRIDAY 8TH MAY that for 2020 has been the designated Bank Holiday instead of Monday 4th May.
Sorry, Shandy - my wrong. Your Auction House IS correct that Monday 25th is still a Bank Holiday
So confusing - particularly when this year virtually every day feels like a holiday one.

Sorry Friday the 8th Bank holiday.

Check the dates Shandy. Friday May the 4 th is a bank holiday.

I don’t know if any of you have seen the programme Your Home Made Perfect, it is so interesting. The use of three d technology is amazing.

Shandy - you need to contact the Auction House. This year Monday 25th May is NOT a Bank Holiday. That was changed sometime ago by government for 2020 and the Bank Holiday is now FRIDAY 22ND MAY,.
So, they have got it wrong and Monday 25th May is a normal working day - so no reason not to complete. Do this asap, so they do not make themselves too silly giving out this incorrect information.
Have had a very fruitful morning. Have started a Futurelearn course on line - just 3 hours per week for 6 weeks. Course on studying medicine and health in Classical Greece and Rome. Lots of videos and discussion, etc. To me, very interesting.
Did half an hour of that this morning before shower and dressing.
Dried weeks washing I did last night, all folded and packed away now,.
changed two handles on my bedside tables to match the rest of the furniture in my bedroom (Thankfully, was able to purchase these yesterday at B&Q).
Had a little panic when my Alexa in the bedroom decided to go on strike. No idea why - unplugged it about six times, then it just decided to work again.
Done 15 minutes exercise. Make my lunch soon, as the weather is dry and sunny will then trundle to park for an hour. Will meet there, well apart- with daughter and two g.children.
Then back home - last episode this afternoon of a ten part excellent drama on Radio 4 afternoon theatre slot. Time to do some more of that jigsaw.
Gosh, where did I find time to fit in all the other things prior to Lockdown????

shandy I am sending you a pm, please look

Morning all, I was woken up by the auction house phoning to say we can't complete on a bank holiday monday - I remember someone on here saying Fridays are bad, so asked to go forward to Tuesday, she wasn't happy.

My husband died on 17 May, his funeral was on 31 May, I can hardly believe it's been four years. I hope lockdown is lifted beforehand, my kids, especially my daughter, are very sad they can't see the house again before it sells, I need to arrange it somehow. None of this seems real to me, I am quite numb.

Glad you got your replacement remote Franbern, I lost my dog's lead for an hour yesterday and had him on washing line, was so relieved when I found it.

More piles of pictures and the rugs to be moved today, then bits and bobs tomorrow, I've nearly done it.

Have a good day whatever you are doing

Whiff can quite understand that stress headache. It is amazing how we can get ourselves so worked up about things, that appear - to others- quite trivial. But, I can quite empathise with you and think you will be listening for those noises for sometime to come.
Just after lockdown started I managed to lose one of the two remote controls for my garage. Got into a right state about it. Put a notice on flats notice board, checked access road, where I last had it.
Then I worried that it meant that if someone had picked it up they could just open my garage. Started to lock my car inside there, and take the key out of my scooter tiller each time I put it in there.
Contacted the company that installed the electric door.
Fortunately, they were still open and lovely receptionist told me to give myself a couple of weeks to see if the old one turned up,
Since then, I have treated the remaining remote as if it were bar of gold. Terrified of losing that. When I am out I check where I have placed it about every ten minutes.
Anyway, yesterday the lady phoned and said did I still want a replacement. I said I most definitely did, and the man came out late afternoon - needed to configure the one I had and also supplied me with a second one. One more stress now dealt with.

Glad you had a lovely birthday Whiff despite the headache.
You don't seem to have much lockdown where you are.
Here we are very very restricted.
I managed to phone the doctor yesterday and she prescribed some meds for DH but they haven't come, though we said they must be delivered as we can't leave our property.
I was quite sad all day as I heard that a lovely lady I saw every week has died - not the virus - and she had nobody except her friends and neighbours to mourn.
Then I realised we could be stuck here until Christmas or beyond. Not seeing any family till then would be too awful.

On a funnier note, I was looking for something and found a shrivelled apple in my rucksack from the last time I went walking in February.

Once the lockdown ends SueH49 the floodgates will open.
People are looking at properties all the time on rightmove and the TV programmes about moving and building are more popular than ever so don't worry.. I am glued to Location Location Location and Grand Designs despite that they're repeats

I had this pop up on my FB page today it is an article and video of a 92 year old lady making the 3 ingredient scones that I mentioned a few weeks ago. The easiest scones ever IMO.
I'm not sure whether this URL will show up as a link or not, hopefully will do so.
tinyurl.com/y8q3g9mc

I needed to go out today to do some shopping and collect something from the doctor's surgery but I just could not be bothered. It is a horrible day, apparently the coldest April day for decades. The last few days and the next few much the same and steady rain for most of the day. If this restrictive way of life goes on for much longer I really think so many more people will have issues, or maybe they will simply ignore the restrictions. I did eventually make myself go and do what needed doing but it was an effort. Most if not all of the other States have wound back their restrictions in terms of the number of people who can meet up and where and more shopping options are available in most cases also travel for pleasure up to 50 kms from your home is now allowed in some cases. But in Victoria our government is refusing to budge until at least the 11th May. I can see their reasoning but it would make things so much easier if the whole country was following the same restrictions.

I heard today that there have been 40% less properties come onto the market in the last month than this time last year. This is very concerning for us as there was very little last year and to have even fewer this year does not bode well for our search.

Morning all. Glad to say writing this sitting in my own bed. Saw the furry meance on the fence at 5 yesterday as I was talking to my nephew. I then got a terrible headache. Know it was stress related as I don't get headaches. Talked to my brother later then had dinner. But couldn't relax as I was waiting to hear any sound above my head. In the end my head got so bad had to lie on the settee about 7. Woke up at 9.45 headache gone and all quiet. Text my daughter that I was ok and going to bed. At least I woke feeling refreshed this morning.

Had a lovely time with my son for a couple of hours. I had asked for a garden rack they got me a Fiskers on it's lovely just what I wanted. He had tested different brands to see which one would be light enough for me to use. Also gave me a voucher for John Lewis. Had a lovely time apart from the headache.

Pest controller due 8-5 he will ring me when he is coming. Who would have thought a squirrel would cause me so much anxiety.

My bare root Lenten roses came yesterday couldn't think how to spell Helledor because that's not how you spell it. Anyway all ready got the bed ready for them and managed to plant them just before my Sainsbury's delivery.

Everyone seems to be keeping busy and doing jobs that have been put off in favour of other things. Must crack on with my grandson's cushions so far each has 20 designs on and still room for a few more. Think I might put some words on like space, truck etc as those are some of the motifs. One job which needs doing is sorting my photos. Perhaps the weekend .

Have a great day everyone and don't over do it.