If the 21st of November(the last time I counted) was week 36 of STRANGE TIMES this must be ....roughly week 47.......... so can't really be called Strange Times anymore - it's become quite worryingly normal.
My week went like this.................
Monday................. I'm not a huge fan of Estate Agents - they always seem to have their own agenda (money and fear of losing their commission!) but it's difficult to sell without them. Mine rang me on Monday saying how worried he was that nothing seemed to be happening - he'd left messages with no replies - did I know anything as sometimes no replies to left messages signaled a problem. The young couple buying here are desperate for things to happen and they keep ringing my agent. I rang the agent selling the bungalow and she said things were on track - Heavens knows what's actually happening.
I'll just carry on packing and hope for the best. There's 7 weeks until the end of the Governments Stamp Duty Holiday and in my experience there's always a hold up somewhere before it all comes together in a mad panic at the end.
Tuesday................Gloomy and dull. Dull and Gloomy. Lots of box packing and tidying, then I went to pick up my prescription meds from the doctors and got my Pensioners £3.50 Plaice and Chips. The sun finally came out at 3....for half an hour
I'm watching another subtitled crime drama - this time it's from Germany/Poland - no snow. I had to find a map to work out where the island was that seemed to belong to both countries....who knew there was such a place?..........amazing what you can learn from crime dramas.
Wednesday......................Guess what..............packing more boxes. Then a selfie hair cut - a 6 all over, it was much needed.
Thursday .......a very small first birthday party for youngest Grandson, being an almost lock-down baby means he's hardly seen anyone except his Mum, Dad, Sister and me since he was born. Everyone one in the extended family and friends made up for this by sending or delivering more toys than you would see in a toy shop.😀
Friday...........Fine and sunny after rain over night. I nipped out to get a few things just in case we have as much snow as is forecast for Sunday and Monday. The postman brought me things to sign for buying the bungalow........... moving in the right direction albeit slowly.
This week I'm grateful for
- Time spent with 2 youngest grandchildren
- Some sunshine
- Hopes of getting moved before the end of the month.
Today I'd better get my signature witnessed on the forms and get them into the post before the bad weather. Then home to watch the first games of the 6 Nations rugby.
Usually on a Saturday I say "Back Monday", but at the moment I've no clue for things to write about next week so may not be back until something....... or even anything happens...... the heavy snow forecast for Sunday will be fun...........?.
Sue
You are so right Sue, strange times have become normal times. That is strange in itself! Have a lovely weekend. xx
ReplyDeleteHope I don't forget what real normal is!
DeleteHi, Sue. We are also waiting to move and the hold up is the searches. Where we live the delay is 12 weeks! We accepted a 2nd offer on our house in late November as our original buyer pulled out 5 days before exchange, so we have been ready to go since then to move into our new place but there is a new, longer chain behind us. So frustrating. Hope things start to move for you - we are now looking at first week in March. Sigh.
ReplyDelete5 days before exchange! thats very bad, hope they had a really good reason.
DeleteI think all paperwork is done for the buyers here and the sellers at the bungalow but of course then there is another house involved up the chain that I don't know about
A 6? My clipper attachments only go up to 4. I'll have to look into this!
ReplyDeleteMy clippers came with 1 - 6 and then my blog friend Angela sent me a 7 and 8 too. Thank goodness I don't mind my hair very short but I'd rather go to the hairdressers
DeleteWish I dare cut my hair. Tell me - why in The Lady magazine does Judy Dench's hair look fantastic when mine looks so awful?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your hair doesn't look awful and JD probably has a whole team of hair care experts!
DeleteI was just thinking the other day wondering when we come out of this very long pandemic tunnel, will I remember how to shop? How to buy things at a check-out? How to speak to other people? Strange times indeed.
ReplyDeleteI've continued on shopping at supermarkets and nothing has changed except people now stand further apart in the checkout queues and the cashiers are behind a plastic screen, which might be a good idea to continue with as it would save them being coughed or sneezed on my the general public with ordinary colds
DeleteI do hope the house moving wheels are slowly turning somewhere. It does seem to be that nothing happens for ages then it all happens at once. At least you're getting well prepared. xx
ReplyDeleteI keep looking round to find more to pack and working out what I need NOT to pack yet
DeleteWe had similar problems with the lady we were buying from. Nothing happened until 2 days before Christmas when our brilliant agent (Houses for Sale in Wales/The Smallholding Centre) moved the log pile and we exchanged contracts in the nick of time. Our Solicitor then charged us extra (and I MEAN extra) for chasing up the vendor! I would speak to your Solicitor and see what the state of play is.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cheek to charge extra - they charge enough as it is!
DeleteFingers crossed everything jogs along in a timely way now. And that the snow isn't too bad. It will be nice to have a bit that doesn't slush straight away but shedloads? No thanks.
ReplyDeletexx
I hope there is snow for all my grandchildren to enjoy - but just for a couple of days - no longer!
DeleteYou call them estate agents we call them real estate or realtors. But having just gone through the buying process, I know what you're going through. The move to NH was packed by movers but the move from apartment to house here in NH was done by us. I'm quite happy to have that behind us. Good luck with your move. Sounds like you have it under control.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I've had plenty of practice moving in the last 6 years - hopefully no more for a while
DeleteHello Sue,
ReplyDeleteThe new normal is now, most definitely.
Whatever the pandemic and lockdowns may or may not have brought, there has been plenty of time for reflection on the status quo. And, surely, it will be a good thing if some changes happen when things return to a more usual pace.
For us, appreciating acts of kindness has definitely been a plus. In the past, one may have taken things much more for granted but, now, the smiling face, the kind enquiry is much more precious and valued than ever before.
And, amidst all the chaos, what excitement to be moving. A new chapter is waiting to be written.
My move idea was quite sudden after my husband died 3 years ago I knew I would have to move sometime but suddenly decided in November
DeleteI too love the subtitled dramas set in little heard of places - I know far more about Iceland for example.
ReplyDeleteThey seem to have more police dramas in cold countries!
DeleteEstate agents and solicitors ... a very unfortunately necessary evil!! We sent a huge pack of documents through to our solicitors that were requested for our house sale, Alan accidentally sending the originals instead of the photocopies ... and very stupidly not even using registered post ... and nothing happened for over a week. Then they got in touch with us asking for the documents, we said we had sent them and that they should have received them by now. Nope they said definintely not. We had a very worrying 48 hours before we got an email to say, 'we've found your documents they were just in the wrong pile' !! So it's all systems go again with the sale, although the buyers have now had to change solicitors and start all over again and they have just had to admit to NOT having sold their home as we had originally been told, their sale is just starting to go through.
ReplyDeleteI'll not tell you about the purchasing of our new places as that is a whole other essay!!
Estate agents are supposed to check buyers status, at least my one this time actually got that right.
DeleteHope you are back on track with selling/buying soon
I still find myself saying that this is becoming almost normal with no real changes in sight here in my province. I am hopeful that once we can get vaccinated things may become a bit more like they were.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Over here we are hoping for an almost back to normal summer
DeleteThe strange times have indeed become somewhat normal times. I'm hoping we will all soon see a much better new normal.
ReplyDeleteYour move seems so stressful despite you being so well prepared. I wish you all the best in everything going smoothly and easily!
I'm keeping calm about moving at the moment, just packing and hoping it goes well
DeleteWe have had plenty of the dull and gloomy here too...oh to feel the sun on my back...soon please! x
ReplyDeleteThe predicted snow has arrived here this(Sunday) morning and very windy
DeleteWhat was the name of the crime drama you were watching? I can usually get them from the library if they are not too recent. Right now I am watching "Doctor Foster", worth checking out.
ReplyDeleteDoctor Foster was on TV here a while back - The trailers didn't appeal and I can't even remember what it was about now.
DeleteThe crime drama was just called Nordic Murders - not a very long series with a strange ending
I am watching that show now and don't know where it took place. I am reading your blog for the first time from Fl. I hope your move is successful.
DeleteSearches are what always hold up conveyancing and now with local authority workers mostly working from home it must be a complete nightmare scenario along with the rush to buy with Rishi's stamp duty holiday. I have attended a local authority to do my own searches in the past but I believe most authorities have now banned this provision due to Covid and will not have the general public in their offices. I was a search clerk in Newcastle Planning Office for a couple of years, all maps and plans and drawings, now I guess a lot of it is on computer.
ReplyDeleteYes everyone is working from home, and the stamp duty holiday has caused so many problems but it gave me the impetus to move so can't complain.
DeleteI think searches are all done now for here and the bungalow. No way of finding out what's happening up the chain
Cash buyers can of course opt out of searches because the requirement for the land registry search is demanded by the mortgage lenders. It is also possible to get search indemnity insurance and not have a search in plsvr at the time of completion however not many building societies will accept this if they are lending.
ReplyDeleteI found I could make a quite passable job on my hair with a quite large pair of sharp scissors, and running my hair through my hair and cutting between my fingers, so it ended up longer than how far I'd held my hand above my scalp (if that makes sense!). I was surprised by how even it was after I went over everywhere a couple of times in different direction. Another friend did it the other way. She took her hands out as far as she could before she ran out of hair, and then cut underneath her fingers. Try that next time if you don't like your No6 cut.
ReplyDeleteA 6 all over is quite short but will be OK until the hairdressers are open again. They thin it as well as cutting it short
DeleteIt's been a dull week here too, with the exception of brilliant sunshine and milder temperatures on Wed. Saturday and today we have had snow. And bitterly cold temperatures with windchills in the negative teens (F). We continue on with our days: working, watching the Littles on Saturday mornings, chores, and I finished our income tax bookwork Saturday afternoon. It is all ready to be dropped off at the accountant on Monday. I'm always thankful to have that job done (for another year.) I'm eager to spend my Saturdays sewing on quilts. It's been way too long. Enjoy the snow!
ReplyDeleteI will keep my fingers crossed for you. After several months a friend has just moved. It was on the verge of being called off at least twice, but thankfully they exchanged during the last hour of business before Christmas. Arilx
ReplyDeleteStay warm and cozy during your snow storm. I hope all goes well with the house sale and you manage to move according to schedule. You will be glad when it is all over :) xx
ReplyDelete