Cooking for one (Mark Three)

moneyistooshorttomention

Caron - I had a google yesterday as to what time of year eleagnus get their berries. It said April/May - so I won't be due for any this year then I guess. So - maybe next year. The shrub is going great guns with growth and I'm going to have to work out the "happy medium" size to keep it trimmed to (considering amount of "expansion space" available to it). So I'm thinking of letting it grow to, say, 8' tall and another couple of feet on the width - and imagine that berries come up within that sort of "space". NB: I did specifically get "the" brand that is said to have the best-tasting berries.

I've tried fuchsia berries - the ones I had were "summat and nowt" imo. But they were just "any old fuchsia berries" and I've no idea of what "brand" of fuchsia they were on. I gather there is a particular type of fuchsia that gives "the" most edible variety - but can't recall the name of it. I won't be growing that personally - as fuchsias are so commonplace I got bored with them (though I've now realised I don't think I've spotted a single fuchsia since I moved here...:cool:).

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On another note - we do seem to have a lot of frustrated househunters on here at the moment - Kittie, LessonLearned and now PN joining the ranks (as well as ones spotted on other threads). Not in myself only because I can't afford to move house (of course - if anyone knows where I could get a spare £150,000 or so - I'll join in:cool::rotfl:). Could be a good idea for a thread on the housing forum perhaps for those who've decided to move/can afford it and are struggling to find the right place to buy. Those of us with a "decision in principle" to move - but who can't afford to would doubtless follow with interest..:rotfl:

PasturesNew

With houses, when you have £200k, all the "nice ones" start at £260k. When you have £260k all the "nice ones" start at £320k. When you have £320k all the "nice ones" start at £400k. When you have £400k all the "nice ones" start at £500k.

Indeed, Escape to the Country always starts with them telling the couple "it's difficult to buy round here, it's so pricey" - and then they ask their budget and they usually have £600-750k - and the presenter says it'll be difficult to find them something.

Few people ever have enough for what they'd like

moneyistooshorttomention

Probably true PN.

Personally, I divide houses into "what I thought/assumed I'd actually have" category - and they start at £300,000 and I'd probably need around £350,000-£400,000 to have a good choice of them. There'd be very few at £300k. Anyone who "looks askance or astonished" about that soon gets back a "Well - that's what my parents have/what I'd have if I were married - so it's obviously fair enough".

The "what I'd like" category - now that's a category I never expected to have in the first place (but might not turn down the chance of if it came my way) and those ones are around £700,000-£800,000.

wort

Pn houses are selling up here at the moment I know 3 people had asking price just by putting the house on Facebook to share with friends, no Estate agents involved. ! I have to say that your budget would buy a fab house up here !!

I had my cauli and potato cheese bake , i ate way too much, and felt stuffed. So although I've got lo veg for tea tonight I'm undecided what to have??
I'm at work and I'm taking hm veg soup , ham sandwich, and yogurt, even though that feels way too much at the moment! !!!
It's dull today and the forcast is rain around tea time. I'm still in thermals for work 5 layers! Though they have sent back the portable heaters we had in winter now!

caronc

Good morning everyone,
Wow for £300k you could get a lot of house around here, though there is a pricey area as well where properties go for a few million minimum.... I last moved house in 1991 but still remember the stress as I had an 8 week old baby at the time and was still getting to grips with being a first time mother.:eek:
Glad you seem to have your oomph back this morning kittie, mine seems to have gone awol again:(, I suspect it's due to the weather changing.
MTSTM, yes sounds as though it will be next year before you get any berries. I don't grow any specific type of fuschia, I like them as they tolerate the weather here and don't seem to mind the salty air so you get a decent flowering season from them. However, I won't have as many this year as a number, despite being protected under the covered garden table didn't survive this years cold winter.

It was a lovely, crisp sunny morning when I got up but it is clouding over rapidly which ties in with the forecast for rain and wind from lunch time.

Breakfast was toast and sliced hard boiled egg, lunch I think will be a bacon & tomato bagel and I'm going to take a piece of salmon out of the freezer for tonight. I'll decide later what have with it.:)

moneyistooshorttomention

Just goes to show the differences in different parts of the country Caron.

I just had a quick Rightmove check this morning and yep...the cheapest "maybe worth a look" perfectly standard detached is £260,000. There's only very few less (not much less) than that and I know the areas they are in (that's a no then). But basically they start at £300,000 for perfectly ordinary standard size detacheds.

The £700k-£800k "I don't even expect it - but I'd like it" level houses do tend to be bigger than I actually want (ie 4-6 bedrooms), but are desirable to me because I know the areas they are in are nice/with views and yet still reasonably convenient and the older ones in that price range have decent size gardens. So, as someone from that city, I'd probably feel "Yep...I know they're too big for me - but if there arent any nice area/decent garden/convenient ones that are cheaper - then, well.....it is my home city and so I sorta feel 'entitled' ....." (and I'd possibly buy one if I could).

Southern-Girl

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Just goes to show the differences in different parts of the country Caron.

I just had a quick Rightmove check this morning and yep...the cheapest "maybe worth a look" perfectly standard detached is £260,000. There's only very few less (not much less) than that and I know the areas they are in (that's a no then). But basically they start at £300,000 for perfectly ordinary standard size detacheds.

Very interesting to read. In my area (on the South Coast) you'd only get a two bed terrace for £260,000. A three bed semi with garage is probably £400,000. I often wonder if the price is dictated by employment / unemployment levels?
I feel for the younger generation who can't even dip a toe in the water regarding buying a property.


SG
x

caronc

Yes huge variations in prices depending on the area, much to do with wage levels in different parts I think. I know in my part of the world average earnings are much less than the UK average. It is still a real struggle for young people around here to buy a flat/house as it is elsewhere. One bed flats go for £70K plus, the average wage for under 30s is well under £15K. My two boys are no longer local and see buying somewhere something that is a good few years off for them despite them both being on good wages.

Brambling

Southern-Girl wrote: »

Very interesting to read. In my area (on the South Coast) you'd only get a two bed terrace for £260,000. A three bed semi with garage is probably £400,000. I often wonder if the price is dictated by employment / unemployment levels?
I feel for the younger generation who can't even dip a toe in the water regarding buying a property.

I think we probably live in a similar part of the country SG, I know 2 bedroom flats are going for £250,000 plus here . We are close enough to London to push houses prices up as you can commute to London Bridge in about 40 mins, not sure what it's like now but 2 or 3 years ago 3 bedroom houses were almost impossible to buy and I'm told the EAs were arranging viewing days and waiting outside once you left to see if you were going to put an offer in and in many cases it became a bidding war. Idea for selling but a nightmare for families trying to buy.


I know by sister worries that my nephews will never be able to buy down here.

moneyistooshorttomention

There's also the wierd set-up in some places re "cheaper" type places being "same price" or even dearer.

As my parents have a reasonable detached house in reasonable area in their town - then they decided some years back to swop it to a "nice" flat for their latter years. They assumed this cheaper accommodation would be cheaper and leave them with some money to spare.

They had to stop looking - as there were a noticeable number of flats that would have been suitable for them - but they were going for similar price or even dearer than their house. The reason for that oddity in the housing market where they are is that a noticeable number of people are looking for flats to retire to from outside the area, as well as people like themselves that live in the area, and that pushed the prices up of that "(should be) cheaper" accommodation.

They and I are only too thankful that at least their house is a chalet bungalow, rather than a "house" type house iyswim - so it is too inconvenient for them now - but would be noticeably more so if it had been a "house" type house.