It's time to begin.....

maryb

Couldn't be better - so pleased for you.

warby68

This is so lovely to read, even that there are reasonable living arrangements possible for ex (for the sake of your daughter)

Your costs sound very reasonable and the house/neighbour/firiend a bit of a gift from above that you well deserve.

I'm strongly with those advocating a plan to move out immediately upon telling him. Just don't take the risk and why not start your new life ASAP now.

Humdinger1

So looking forward to your next update @Kakiste, when you have a min to yourself of course! Love Humdinger xx 

Kakiste

So I went to see the cottage. It is gorgeous but much smaller than it looks from the outside. Work friend had exaggerated how big the bedrooms rooms were (when we were inside she said "oh I remembered it being bigger" then mentioned she hadn't actually been in there since 2015. However it's beautiful. The current tenant has similar tastes to me so it was really nice to see the cottage decorated in a similar way to how I'll have it rather than having to use my imagination. 

I have decided that I'm going to give my daughter the bigger bedroom room as it's a decent size (basically same size as her current bedroom) and I'm going to take the smaller room- I'll only be able to fit a single bed in there as it's a box room but that's not an issue. Picked all the colours for the rooms over the weekend and giving them to her today.

There's a bathroom with bath/shower upstairs and the downstairs is one open plan living room/kitchen (with integrated fridge/freezer so one less thing to find!) with a built on farmhouse style porch right on the very front of the house which has coat hooks and a built in bench for shoes. It's small but I will be able to fit a kitchen table in the floorspace by the side of the kitchen units and a sofa bed (so I have somewhere for guests to sleep over) in the lounge next to the fire.
 
The painters are booked for both houses February mid-month and carpets very late February so March 1st is looking hopeful indeed. Boiler service and gas check also booked for late February. Also in additional excellent news my friend's grandad (the actual owner) has heard from friend why I'm looking for a house and has offered me a further discount so I'll only be paying £480 a month.

Kakiste

Oh if anyone's interested I've gone a bit mental with the colours (first time I've not had a mostly magnolia house since 2009) so I've picked lots of different ones (all Dulux colours as that was the range I was asked to use) 

Front room- Wall with the fire and front wall of house- Ink Well

Back wall of house (kitchen area, staircase wall and hallway landing wall)- Sea Nettle

My bedroom- Wild Cactus

Daughter's bedroom (Pepper red) (this is the same colour as her current room- the Pokemon red so there's continuity) 

Bathroom (mostly tiled but the small wall around the doorframe is painted- Sun Flare 

Humdinger1

@Kakiste wonderful to hear from you! It sounds ideal...safe, cosy and beautiful.  February is a short month...again, please tell me to mind my own business but what and when are you planning to tell your daughter? Love Humdinger xx 

Kakiste

I think my plan would be to tell her before I tell my husband (but like.... just before- probably same day) as we all know that you don't trust 8 year olds to keep your secrets. My rough plan is to explain that whilst we both still love and adore her, we don't love each other anymore and it will be better for everyone if we have our own houses- whilst reassuring her that she'll have a place with both of us. Then get her excited about the positives- new room, new house, new village etc etc.  

Sarahwithlove

That's great news about the rent being even cheaper. Hope it works out for you I really do. 

Mrs_Money_Penny

Great news. So pleased for you xx

Kakiste

Husband is sulking with me because he was in a depressive mood yesterday "and couldn't talk to me about it" I literally sat and listened to him explain to me (for over 45 minutes!) that I never listen to him and he doesn't have the chance to talk to me about issues..... which then led onto the "what is wrong with all women" discussion. I then commented that in the same time that he'd spent complaining to me, he could have actually talked through what his issue was, but then I wasn't getting the point and "surely I'm not that stupid" 

......

He's then not spoken to me since yesterday evening but now wants me to post something for him so I've been sent a blunt message that reads "Parcel to X address." Rather than "please can you?"

........*long irritated exhale* 

28 days.