Help... It's time for change!!!

Mint1955

Thanks Asparagus it been a tough day going through the memory boxes but it's done and we have survived. Re packed and slimmed down to go into MIL loft.

We have had some lovely messages from friends begging us to get back soon so that's helped today.

After a session of Zumba this morning friend and I wimped out of elastix Pilates class and had a hot chocolate and a natter instead ;-)

Given up with local sales or giveaways and the last bigger bits are on eBay with a taker on one already so hopefully by the weekend the last sticky bits will be gone then it's just small stuff.

A bottle of Prosecco tonight to cheer us up and now it's moving forward and toasting a fresh start.

SD has had good news and she will be on BBC3 again soon but not allowed to say what yet.

SS seems settled in his job and he is learning new skills to again that's good.

Tomorrow we are at a little local theatre in the evening so two home made ready meals for an early dinner are defrosting.

Having to do washing more often as we don't have many clothes here and we are of to Birmingham at the weekend for a party Saturday night.

All kitchen cupboards are now scrubbed just the oven to do.

Yes we are so looking forward to some sun and at this time of year the early orchids are out in the mountains and it's beautiful and green everywhere.

Mint1955

Thursday had us in the garage again and down to the tip with a car load. Lunch out on the way back and a natter with friends we bumped into there. I also bought a summery top which will go with a couple of things for going out in the evenings.

Driving home we were discussing a funeral OH is taking his mum to next week suit choice etc when we realised his only formal shoes are in cyprus. Annoying as he doesn't need another pair as apart from the odd time he will never wear formal black shoes and certainly doesn't need a second pair grrrr

The play was good last night at a tiny theatre. My mother told me you never should, it was a four woman cast and it spanned their lives as child mother grandmother and great grandmother but intertwined the ages so you had to concentrate.

So cold last night so straight to bed. I am boxing up all the charity donation stuff today to be collected and also visiting the local hospice where I used to volunteer with a box of things for their fundraising and have a coffee with the staff I worked with.

Still nothing from buyers solicitors re queries from searches etc so no idea what's happening yet re exchange possible date next week.

Ebayer reported for breaking the rules as getting fed up with getting messed about. Seriously thinking about giving up selling anything else now.

Still potential flight 23rd even if completion hasn't taken place so that's something to work towards.

Onwards ladies ;-)

Mint1955

Well it's Monday all weekend collections done. eBay wasn't great but some larger bits sold so that good and collections organised.

Friday we sat and went through every file and changed addresses to friends or cancelled accounts. Some easier than others and changing national insurance number address still has me flummoxed but will try again today maybe it was their system playing up as no matter what I did the system couldn't find me!!

A weekend in Birmingham for another couples leaving do who arrive two weeks after us was fun and a welcome break but seeing cyprus friends in uk was a little odd. A bit spendy but a basic travel lodge which in fact was clean and comfortable and motorway snacks mainly won't hurt this once. We managed to relax a little which was fab.

We have two weeks so a physical planner has been made a day at a time so I can quickly see and add what needs doing from visiting, cleaning cooker, jobs to do in town etcetc hopefully to stop me juggling it all in head.

Food bank charity is going to get all in date packets and tins and jars etc plus any unopened cleaning stuff.

British heart foundation will take bed and sofas on last day with any other random bits still around.

A neighbour came over and has now bought the car and said we can drive it until we go which is lovely of him so things are coming together.

Holding breath now though to hear from buyers solicitors re any queries on searches and contract and confirming a date etc but we have decided that no matter we will proceed to clear house by 18th and then do visiting and still fly 23rd.

Hair debate ongoing fringe or no fringe which is driving me mad growing out at the moment to avoid cuts but it's really messy right now. I have got this far a couple of times but had posh events that meant it had to be cut back in. Now wondering if a summer of heat and probably a lot of wet hair from swimming etc maybe a hair band to pull it all back would get me past the scraggy stage so I can see if no fringe really suits me. My hair is really fine and fly away though but I won't know if I don't try. It does need dying though I have a skunk stripe along my roots lol

Onwards collections again today and the list of jobs needs tackling.

NewShadow

Have you considered an old style Alice Band in the short term? just to keep it out of your eyes?

Mint1955

Yes band in hair is the way to go while I persevere but I will get the length trimmed and a colour put on.

Well plans have changed mainly because nothing at all from solicitors and no flights available on 23rd.

So we bit the bullet and booked flights for 25th as they are the only ones available to us that week and we didn't want to chance having to put of any longer. This then means we have until then to exchange and we possibly will only need one night in hotel the night before we go.

We now just have bed one sofa a few kitchen things and stuff to take with us. British heart foundation couldn't collect so a local Homeless charity are happy to take last bits of furniture and in fact anything we don't want at the end so that's booked in.

Dss have finally given in and accepted I do exist so we thought we had done all changes we could so far.......

By chance at a lunch with a couple also emigrating she said she had to change her email address as BT close it after 90 days of cancelling their package etc and we glibly said no we are fine Virgin didn't say that to us!!!

I have now had to sit for hours changing every email address, subscription, newsletter, forum log etc etc etc and had to re write to everyone already written to etc etc etc it's the straw that broke the camels back. I haven't been a happy bunny for a couple of days.

Only one paid collection still to go and two things I think to sell so that's nearly done.
The new buyer wants to view Saturday with the estate agent so a quick tidy of boxes and swipe the loos etc before we go to London for a birthday weekend. it's a yearly fixture for a group of us and this year we have a treasure hunt to do on the Saturday which will take our minds of things here for a few days.

Lunch with my sister and husband today and then I think we just need to visit kids once more and OH mum and partner and we are then down to a couple of Friends dinners and drinks do's, never been so popular lol

So with no belongings and no tv, life is strange but a weekend away and hopefully the buyers solicitors will finally get their act together and we will know soon the exchange date.

Trying to use up everything here so odd combinations of food still ongoing and all meals are accompanied with a glass of something lol

Mint1955

Well I thought if I left it until today there would be good news......

We had a great weekend in London for friends birthday with many pubs a treasure hunt a comedy club and late night dancing with lots of laughs and far too much spends and we are both very tired. OH has had to take MIL to a funeral today so I am supposed to be cleaning the oven and other mundane tasks.

So I went to the gym and sat and had coffee and flapjack with frind lol

The estate agents left a message to call and they tell me that as I live somewhere that we have to pay a yearly maintenance charge for that the buyers requested a maintenance pack sent to them. It turns out this has not been ordered and may take a couple of weeks!!!!!!!! I suggested as the office is very near me would it be quicker for me to go and pay cash etc I am awaiting more instructions.

Very cross as I told everyone very early on this has to be done.

So it's looking like we will fly without an exchange taking place which is worrying although the buyers came with estate agent while we were away and are happy with house and can't wait to get in so that's a little reassuring.

Sulking now as its cold with no tv and I really need to get on with that oven clean ...........

Mint1955

Oven didn't happen I spent all afternoon trying to fill in forms scan and return. Scanner linked to OH laptop which is password protected. Managed to sort that one then I couldn't send from his address. Managed to get them onto my iPad but they wouldn't attach and by now I was getting very annoyed.
Eventually forms sent and I also managed to get the pack ordered and sent out straight away so once again the ball is in their court thank goodness.

I am well and truly cheesed of now but I know how lucky I am to be doing this so onwards and attempt to get a couple of rooms completely clear and cleaned so they won't be entered again.

The oven..... Oh yes I will spray that before I go upstairs lol

Mint1955

I did give in on Monday and the oven was cleaned and all the odds bought down to ground floor which is now the packing room.

Two bedrooms and a bathroom were then cleaned and doors shut so that's them of the list. OH didn't get back from funeral until late but MIL fed him so that was good.

Tuesday we managed to complete two boxes of packing amongst other bits and pieces although car had to be looked at as both headlights had blown on journey back Monday night in torrential rain!

We went to London last night to drop of Step daughters boxes and donated a bag of store cupboard stuff as well. She also now has our Tassimo and loads of coffee. OH will have withdrawel symptoms for a few days lol. We walked to a lovely Italian place and spent a couple of hours chatting and eating. She has so many plans it's hard to keep up but she is loving it all.

Today is last gym day so Zumba and then a great class Elastix Pilates which is an amazing stretch for the whole body.

This afternoon what we loosely term 'old club' is the monthly meeting of the active Returement Association here on the island. Not sure who the speaker is but its again the last one I will go to.

It's the lasts now for lots of things as this time next week we will be at Gatwick. The boxes and bags will be done our lives will change and 12 years in this house over!

Until you start you have no idea how many address changes and account updates you have to do it's driving me potty but at least I'm getting more mail to my c/o address than here and more emails to new email address than old one but still I am dealing with stragglers.

Still no dates but once again all answers to enquiries are now with buyers solicitors and we can only hope that an exchange happens before we fly. If not we will just have to hope they do it quickly soon after. We have told them right from the beginning when we would be leaving and it was the buyers that wanted to be in mid feb but that has been and gone.

Two days left that we need to cook for us here so a freezer clear will have to be done and bin the odds and donate what's good and not used.

Tip run today and clothes packing all except a few bits we are going to manage on for last week. So hopefully by end of day four of the five allocated cases/boxes will be sealed. I think there is more than we realise so a sixth case/box may have to be booked in the plane. OH is pretty good at Tetris so maybe not we will see.

Freezing here with white cars this morning but a lovely bright sunshine. Bin day so I have managed to run round and put a few more undecided's out so I won't have to think about them anymore it's too late lol

Not shopping for anything except milk and very basics to keep us going now which is just as well as seeing everyone is costing us in meals and drinks, petrol etc etc but it's fine on balance.
I still can't believe its happening for good maybe because we have been there for three months at a time before so lots of planning every time.
Maybe when we get on the plane or maybe a few days after we get there we will finally realise it's for real.

Mint1955

Pants end of week but at least it's friday. We have a trust and deed of covenant where we live and they have possibly deemed our pergola in the back garden to have breached the rules so we are arguing that it's 2 metres and the rule says 2.4. They are saying its got to go trouble is its cemented into the beautiful patio stonework eeeeekkkk.

Buyers solicitors are very slow they have not even been in contact with the trust about transference of the deed to new owner so it's going to be possibly a couple of weeks until we exchange!!!

We are now at 7 pieces luggage 2 cabin bags and 2 personal bags and coats etc. But the house has been throughly searched so what's now in the room is going and the rest has been sorted for collection and/or tip run.

It's been snowing hard for a few hours this week in Cyprus which is very unusual but by the afternoon friends were in the garden enjoying the sun lol
Dinner with friends tonight, family lunch tomorrow and different friends for drinks sat night and a Sunday lunch out means the weekend will go quickly and with only 5 sleeps we are feeling the strain.

Both of us have cold or cough symptoms and feel below par so dosing ourselves up and we will relax once there.

Good weekend everyone and special thought for everyone needing a little boost. Xxx

Goldiegirl

How frustrating about all the paperwork:mad:


It's only natural to want everything done and dusted before you leave - if I was in your position I'd want everything neatly tied up before I left the country.


But, most things get sorted in the end, even though it's bloomin' painful when you are in the middle of it all.


Hope you enjoy your last few days here and feel better soon.


Just imagine, this time next week you'll be there, and your new life will be beginning!