Saturday 10 April 2021

Another Saturday in Limbo.........................

 ...................but two swimming sessions have been booked for next week.

I must have had a premonition that I wouldn't be settled in the bungalow by the time swimming pools re-opened because luckily I chucked my swimming cossie in the bag to bring with me. 
The same protocols will be in place as when the pool was last open - which means going in swimming costume and undressing top layers by pool (thankfully we are allowed in the changing rooms to dry and dress!!), lane swimming round and round and 50 minute  sessions - although I'll probably only manage about 20 minutes for the first time back.

As there was still no news about exchange and completion by yesterday, I booked a second week in the caravan. At least charity shops will have re-opened so I can have some trips out to nearby towns for a bit of treasure hunting to fill some waiting time. I walked by two charity shops in Stowmarket last week. In the RSPCA shop there were staff in getting ready to open on Monday. In the Oxfam shop next door they still have all their Christmas decorations up and in the window. Surprising that they hadn't organised someone to go and take them down to prepare for re-opening at sometime over the last 3 months I thought to myself.

Sad to hear about the death of Prince Phillip yesterday, but 99 is a good age, more than a lot of other people are lucky to get! 

It's the Grand National on TV today, each year it brings back a tiny memory of watching it once with my Grandad (Dad's side of family) and him drawing pictures of horses for me. I don't know what else he could draw but he was very good at houses and horses. We weren't a family who had close relationships with Grandparents which is probably why I remember this. Hope no horses or jockeys are injured or worse during the race, with a field of 40 horses and all those jumps it's always a fear.

 
 This week I am grateful for
  • Swimming sessions booked
  • Somewhere to live until the 26th April - just in case
  • Still plenty of books to read 
Have a good weekend, I'll be back sometime next week.
Sue

19 comments:

  1. Three cheers for the pool opening. It's nice that things are opening up a little bit, isn't it?
    xx

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  2. Some CS are better organised than others I think. One here had its window display changed after Christmas and put up a sign saying "if you're interested in anything in the window please ring us" (and I've noticed things disappearing) My daughter's MIL spent last week window-dressing the Sandbach Oxfam SHOP where she volunteers. We are leaving two donation boxes behind on Monday for friends to take to the CS once we've gone. Hoping you're not in the caravan for too long xx

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  3. That does start to sound more like normal as we now know it - long may it last. I have started to brave the supermarkets in Llandod for shopping again. I prefer Aldi for prices (but it is a smaller shop, less room) but feel safer in the light, tall, airy Tesco, where I have to go for the bits that Aldi don't sell.

    Enjoy your swimming. Plus roaming the charity shops. The two in town haven't changed their window displays either.

    I was very sad to hear of Prince Philip's death (on my birthday too, how dare he?!) He looked very ill when he left hospital this time. I can remember seeing him hurtling round a carriage driving course one year, my gosh, that took some skill and strength.

    I shall be watching the National this afternoon - it has been part of my life since I was a small child - I stopped getting the Beano and the Dandy when I was 10 and got Horse & HOund instead!

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  4. I have booked swimming at my gym too - we are lucky as they allow us to use the changing rooms and showers and limit the number of people in there. Hope your completion goes smoothly and that you will soon have all the stress of moving behind you :)

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  5. Our charity shops have been taking donations by appointment this week and reopen next week too, but as I am trying not to bring any more things into the cottage, I shan't be visiting them. Besides, my village is heaving with unmasked tourists once more. Glad you got a swim, you have missed that.

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  6. Good things are starting to happen again. The library is re-opening on Monday. Last time some of the charity shops were slow to re-open and some never re-opened at all around here. I hope they can open this time.

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  7. Well at least you can mooch around the charity shops, we're fed up and we're in our own home.. hope things move along for you soon. In the mean time enjoy the swimming.

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  8. Our Oxfam too has been later than most at getting rid of the Christmas stuff.
    I hope they do a good discount on the Christmas cards till on the racks!

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  9. I'm really sorry to hear there is still no progress on your move. I do hope exchange and completion are soon. I was brought up in Liverpool and the Grand National was huge with Aintree being up the road. I know HRH Prince Philip was 99 but it was still a huge shock that they announced his death yesterday. RIP

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  10. Sorry that the move is taking sooooo long.
    At least you will be able to get out for a mosey round the charity shops. Really hope your move happens very soon.

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  11. What a shame your move is still waiting. Fingers crossed everyone who needs to gets their finger out! Enjoy the swimming sessions and the mooch round the charity shops. I could do with a good mooch too! xx

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  12. Can you escalate your home selling/purchase to authorities? Someone is not getting the job done. Getting back to the swimming pool and charity shops is great.

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  13. Hope you get to move soon. Wish you could have spent this interim time near the ocean...I live at the Gulf and the breeze is amazing. I moved my 1000 miles one month ago today...left Indy on the 10th...got here the 13th...taking time...beautiful of course. I have visited or lived in 46 states...Florida is one of the most beautiful of all...I admit I love England...and loved my time there...you are blessed with a beautiful country. Good luck on moving soon...

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  14. P.S. I have never quite understood the delay in you moving into your new home.

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    1. Property conveyancing at the best of times takes between 12 and 16 weeks in the UK. During Covid with many people involved, solicitors staff, local authority staff, other agencies who are required to answer conveyancing questions, working from home, together with a stamp duty "holiday" which has increased house purchases and thereby also house sales, we have the perfect scenario for delays. Add into the pot the equity release that is involved with Sue's vendors. That, in a nutshell, is probably it Brenda. And of course, not forgetting chains.

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  15. Hope your move happens soon Sue, it's awful being in limbo.
    Sad about Prince Philip, but at 99 it wasn't unexpected, none of us go on forever and the Quuen was lucky to have him with her for so long. Many of us are not so fortunate.
    Good luck with your charity shopping that's definitely one of my aims this week. ����

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  16. I'm really looking forward to the charity shops opening here, I can start to donate things again and maybe get a few bargains for my new place. There have been people in most of them regularly changing window displays to match current events, Mothers Day, Easter and on Friday someone was straight into one of them to put in a Union Flag and a picture of Prince Phillip. But then this has happened in all shops on our High Street, they always decorate windows to follow dates.

    There was just one that still had Christmas decorations up until Good Friday, it stood out like a sore thumb and one more that hasn't been altered since November, so they didn't even get as far as Christmas, but then that one is run entirely by volunteers.

    Hope you enjoy your first swim, it's been a long time coming hasn't it.

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  17. I bet you are going to find all sorts of treasures when you get into the charity shops.

    Enjoy your swimming.

    God bless.

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