Building towards a complete life overhaul....might take a while but determined to do it

mumblingtaff

Had a busy day that started with a 5km run with the dog along the frozen canal. It was -1.5C!! Flipping freezing - the sweat froze on my top lip! Very attractive.....

Spoke to mum first thing to see how things were and she was still in a bit of a flap because dad couldn't really hear the doctor (a bit deaf and wearing a mask) when he told him which tablet he needed to stop taking until blood tests came back. He's still dizzy and his blood pressure isn't right but is better in himself today. Couldn't get through to the surgery but eventually persuaded her to ring 111 to put her mind at rest and the doctor that rang her back was lovely and I think understood that they were panicking oldies and reassured them. He's going back to the surgery on Monday and asking the doctor to write it all down this time - mum is very frustrated that she can't go with him (she does treat him like a child sometimes) but he can manage - he's not daft. Spoken to them again this afternoon and they're much calmer now thankfully - thank goodness for 111, even though they didn't actually do very much, they responded and soothed them so I'm grateful for that.

After all of the drama, I've been quite productive - been to Tesco for a biggish shop, hoovered and dusted the whole house, cleaned the bathrooms, fixed the flush on the downstairs loo, given the kitchen a good scrubbing, cleaned the front door (mucky paw prints all over it), done two loads of washing, changed the bed and had a long bath with a defuzz and a face scrub.
Also made the most of the sunshine before it got dark and took the dog for a 4 km walk so, hopefully, that's him tired out for the day now (famous last words).
I do have school work to do but I'm not doing any of it today - Saturday is my day off! Will crack on with it tomorrow.

I'm quite tired now I've finally sat down - think it'll maybe be a film and some nice hearty tea tonight. Can't decide whether to make a sausage casserole and mash or a sweet potato curry - either will end up in at least one more portion for the week ahead when I'm in work.
Decisions, decisions.....

savingholmes

Well done on all the exercise. Glad your parents received good treatment.

mumblingtaff

Well, I've just spent almost 2 hours doing the online COVID lateral flow test training - its very straightforward but you have to do an assessment at the end of each module and there's 7 of them.... All done now though. Certificates to prove it!

I've also managed to go for a 30 min run with the dog, write a document for the head, sort a big staff feedback job for the week and set up all of my remote lessons with resources etc through until Weds. Still got quite a bit of reading to do but I'm having a break now.

Spoken to the clan and mum is still on warp factor 10 flapping mode but dad seems better and was quite chipper. He's going back to the doctor tomorrow and so will hopefully have a bit more info then from blood tests etc.

Other than that, not much else done apart from a load of washing and a bath this morning - seems to have gone on forever today though. This afternoon will involve finishing the work reading (hopefully about 90 mins or so), going for a big walk with the dog and pottering around and making a sweet potato curry - the sausage casserole I made last night was yummy, even if I say so myself and there's some in the fridge ready with a left over bowl of mash for tomorrow when I come home from work.
Lunchtime now......

mumblingtaff

All work finished, spoken to mum again and walked the dog for the last time after tea.
Face mask on now and going to watch some Netflix - early night tonight, I have an absolutely jam packed day tomorrow - I'm in school and teaching 3 lessons, doing 4 interviews via Zoom, an SLT meeting and helping with the first attempt at the COVID testing.
Thankfully, I'm working from home on Tuesday!

savingholmes

Good luck with it all. Sounds full on. Hope your dad was okay at the doctors.

mumblingtaff

Well, lots to report after a busy week.....
Work has been a bit hectic - I was in school on Monday and Thursday and both were long days, was working from home for the rest of the week and I spent about 10 hours in front of a computer for two days running with teaching and endless Zoom meetings but Friday was better. Finished teaching by mid morning and didn't have any meetings in the afternoon so managed to spend all afternoon and part of the evening giving the house the scrubbing of its life! Why? The estate agent was coming!

So, he's been this morning and it was all very informative. The valuation was exactly what I anticipated it would be so no nasty surprises there, thankfully. He also agreed that I shouldn't do anything more to the house and it will sell easily enough as it is, so that's a relief. He showed me the properties that he'd sold on my estate and the prices they achieved over the past year or so and they all seemed to shift pretty quickly (been keeping an eye out on them whilst walking the dog).
We also discussed the best time to market it - he's aware of my situation and possible two resignation dates this academic year (his wife is a teacher so he understood the logistics of it all), the probability that stamp duty will be reinstated in April, the consequences of this and the effect of lockdown etc.
He also ran me through the absolute costs of selling (estate agent fee, solicitor, stamp duty levels etc) and how and when it all happens so I now have a much better idea of the whole process.
Its all totally doable financially and the figure that I'd worked out that I'd have left over as equity after buying another house in Wales proved to be pretty much bang on.

So, the big question now is when to do it all - there are two options, just go for it and market the house now and resign in 4 weeks time to finish work on April 30th - OR - wait until May, put the house up for sale, resign at the end of May to finish at the end of July, with a move during the summer holidays by the time the sale goes through etc. The estate agent suggested that it would take 3-6 weeks to accept an offer in this area and another 2 -3 months for the legal side etc. to go through.
The downsides of doing it now are its all a bit of a mad rush and I'm not able to go to look at properties in Wales with the lockdown etc and I'd actually have to commit to selling mine and it all being done and dusted by April 1st before the stamp duty kicks in again, but still having to work until April 30th, with possibly no house to live in ! When I write that down, it doesn't really make sense to do it.....
So, going for it in May means 7 more paydays until the end of August (just been paid, so 8 really) to save a bit more, more time to look for a house, no rush to move and try to juggle work etc - it just seems less rushed and not as stressful that way. And hopefully, lockdown will be well over by then!

By the time we potentially go back to school properly it will be almost March (although I have real doubts about whether it will happen), so it would be just three more half terms to get through. Although I really don't like my job anymore it doesn't seem that long if you consider all of the other things that I'd need to do in the mean time and the fact that there are two half term weeks and a fortnight off for Easter, so 4 weeks when I wouldn't be there

So, lots to think about but my gut already knows what its thinking....

Need to walk the dog or take him for a run so will mull it all over in the fresh air.
Will be back later with the more mundane financial stuff for this month now I've been paid....

Legs21

Great news! All sounding positive. 

I personally think you’d feel better if you saw the academic year through and finished in July. You might find that being so busy with school and trying to plan a sale, purchase and move will all get a bit overwhelming if rushed. At least you can start to write down a plan of attack for each of these things. You’ll be surprised how quickly the time will go and will be glad you gave yourself the extra time scale to do it in.

bet you can’t wait to hand your notice in 

savingholmes

Only you know the MH impact of staying in the job. I considered selling - but decided that all the current uncertainty and risks - combined with selling up would push me over the edge. It's a valid consideration. Good luck whatever you decided.

mumblingtaff

Thank you Legs and Savingholmes - every opinion helps me see things a bit more clearly.
I've 99% made the decision to wait until May to sell. The only downside is that I have to soldier through the next 6 months at work but the end would be in sight and if necessary I could always go on the sick on full pay if it was really awful when things get back to normal (as a last resort), and that the likelihood is that stamp duty will make a comeback and so I might have to drop the price of the house a few thousand to compensate for that, but the same would apply to the house that I'd buy so its swings and roundabouts where that's concerned really.
The good news is that I'd be completely mortgage free, debt free (the little that I owe would all be paid off in a few months from now) and have a good chunk of equity.
Have spoken to my parents about it and dad is in favour of hanging on a few months and getting paid through to the end of August even though I'd finish work in July (sensible really, 6 weeks more salary than I'd have and I earn a comfortable wage now and 6 months more pension contributions) and mum isn't saying much but I know she wants me back asap. They are both very pleased that I'm going home though.

On a more boring note, I've sat down and done the finances for this month (got paid yesterday) - with all bills paid, overpayments to what's left owing and money put aside for the dog's haircut, petrol and the dog walker I've left myself £500 for the next 4 weeks for all spending, groceries and any extra bits needed. I've also saved £500 into the escape fund

Looking at everything logically, the minimum I'd be able to save each month for the next 6 months would be £500 - more once the small bits on the interest free CC and Next account etc are paid off. So a minimum of £3000 extra in the bank - that's a couple of months extra security once I give up paid work and start to set up the business.
I think the decision is made.....

It's all a bit scary, daunting, exciting, nerve wracking but definitely the right thing to do, Phew......!!

Aspiration

Scary but exciting!! I think you’re doing the right thing for what it’s worth, earn a few extra K and will be in a strong position for August. 

Exciting reading your diary and the changes that will come for you!