"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

greenbee

They should try mowing it...

Some people don't like the fact that most of the garden is at the front (but they don't seem to realise the benefit of no shared boundary at the back - there's a 6ft almost unused access lane to the drainage system between me and nextdoor), some don't like the shared private draining and it being so close. By next year the climbers will have made it invisible - I'm thinking about whether I can fix some split reed screening to help - it'll work on the trellis, but not where there is post and wire as I don't think I could fix it effectively, but I guess it's a cheap, quick fix. I'll have to see whether I have enough wire to add another strand lower down so the open area onto the lane gets covered faster by the clematis montana tetrarose I have working it's way round there. 

I'm just going to keep going with the 'if I stay here' list as that way any effort/expense isn't wasted. Nor am I wasting time which I'll regret when it comes to making my life easier here.

Bin stores to do tomorrow/at the weekend. Then I'll look at whether I can move the coal/kindling bunker and relocate log storage. That'll give a lot more garden at the side. 

Long work day - interviewing until 9pm so having a G&T to wind down before bed. 

Alchemilla

I love your analytical mind @greenbee and your oomph!

Are you getting any useful feedback from the agents? Apart from the thing about shared drainage which I imagine is in the brochure.

greenbee

Agents are b***** useless when it comes to feedback. Don't have a marketing plan, don't have a target market, can't tell me what the conversion rate from RM clicks to brochure downloads/phone & email contacts/viewings booked should be (or is). Just that the RM ad is performing above average (they now send me the data). And every viewer has different feedback... 

Garden is hopefully looking/feeling bigger. I've mowed some areas I usually leave long and staged various seating areas. Bins are covered so that seating no longer feels like it's right next to the bins. Climbers are being tied in/rearranged every time they even think about growing, extra wire has gone across the back and by next door's drive (the roses look FABULOUS from there!) and split reed screening is lining the trellis on the drainage system where the jasmine and clematis don't quite meet (fixed from the outside). I can't run it across the last bit of fence as there's a 12ft gap and it needs more support than that. So I'm just encouraging the roses and clematis. 

New bench arrived a couple of days ago, so that's now outside the dining room window, with pots of cosmos either side. More pots of cosmos have been strategically placed to soften various things too. 

New cordless mower was bought, and was fabulous, but a wheel fell off on the second use. Put it back on (luckily I had the right pliers to sort out the circlip from doing doorhandles) but it has fallen off again, so I need to decide whether to try the helpline or call the local mower people. Maybe google first. I can use the other mower, but it's harder work so the plan was to only use it for the rough grass.

New log store has also arrived, so I hope to get that put together today or tomorrow, then shift the unsplit logs round, saw up the rest of the random wood, and consider deconstructing the old log stores (today and tomorrow should be good for burning the pallet wood outside - I'll keep a few bits in crates for the odd indoor fire). It might need to wait until I have a bit more time at home, as I'll need to do some planting in the space they leave. 

Travelling for work next week, so the EA will be free to do viewings when they want Tues-Sat. They've asked for one Monday 3.30 which isn't wildly convenient as I have meetings. As long as the viewers don't mind not seeing the office, and being very quiet, then it's OK, but given I've repeatedly said that afternoons aren't good, I'm a bit irritated. 

Hideous migraine yesterday which is hanging around today, so need to remember not to overdo it. And start packing. And packing up - including dealing with food that won't last. I also need to sort the greenhouse out - pot up the last of the seedlings and ideally set up the watering system as it looks like next week might be hot and 5 days is a long time to hope that filling the gravel trays is enough. If it wasn't for the viewings I'd ask someone to house sit. 

Laundry next, then coffee. And hopefully a fairly relaxing day. 

Alchemilla

Estate agents! It sounds like you're getting plenty of people through the door.

greenbee

Sadly not getting quite enough people through the door. But am far too jet lagged to think about it at the moment. There was apparently a positive viewing on Thursday - they're looking at something tomorrow and may then come back for a second viewing. Friday's viewing was apparently rather odd and the agent couldn't work out whether they were interested or not. Apparently they don't know the village, so have been given some info/suggestions about it.

I'd thought my mortgage fix was up this year, so went to have a look at alternatives (as I can usually pick a new deal in June) only to discover I have 2 years left, which right now is really good news. It's portable, so I won't have to pay a penalty if I move, and I can OP far more than I am. Now I know that, I can do the maths including the mortgage and forget about the options of none/smaller. But obviously that all depends on actually selling... 

Was back on the red-eye yesterday morning, slept most of yesterday and would quite like to do the same today. Hoping to be more coherent soon as I have meetings from 2pm - 7pm and need to get my head round a few things before then.

Unpacking is done. Laundry is almost all done. Greenhouse has been opened and supermarket delivery been. Not that I feel much like eating. Windows are open and blinds are down. I should really fix the latch on the office window so I can open it - but then I'd have to tidy the office to stop bits of paper blowing about! Which might not be a bad thing. 

greenbee

End of month money dealt with... payrise came through, with a week of backpay for last month, so while most of it has been put into savings pending the move (or pension), a chunk has been paid off the mortgage.

I did fix the office window. It took about 10 minutes and was fabulous while it was hot. Then it stopped being hot... 

Viewings have been slow, so we dropped the price today. I expect miraculous results. If I don't get them I'll be reconsidering the whole moving thing as I'd quite like to enjoy being here (and be able to enjoy work rather than getting stressed because I'm trying to balance it with viewings). 

Work is challenging, but mostly in a good way although I have one team member who I've recently promoted and seems not to understand that i'm her boss - I know she wants to make her mark, but she needs to understand business priorities and deadlines. And just sometimes she needs to listen to me explaining what I need and get it done rather than giving me her opinion/having a discussion - particularly at 8pm on a Friday. 

One viewing tomorrow has been cancelled as apparently the viewer has hurt her foot. Thankfully it's the 10am one. I still have a 2pm one booked. Hopefully I'll be awake on time

savingholmes

Hope the viewing went well 

greenbee

Apparently they wanted a 'private drive'. Which I have. I think what they mean is that they want the drive to be off a private road rather than onto the adopted road.

Had another viewing this morning - viewers arrived before the agent while I was on a work call which was irritating. And have one more booked for Friday. But not exactly a significant increase in interest which the agents had claimed there would be following the price drop. I'm off to see my mum tomorrow for a few days, so will have a discussion with her about staying put for another year or so. It's not so bad now I can drive long distances. 

savingholmes

Irritating about people arriving early. Hope things improve for you soon. I think a lot of people are unsettled with COL rises and wondering what mortgage rates are going to do too.

Alchemilla

Did you interrupt your work call to let them in?