The Best Is Yet To Come

slm6002

Free 2 bags of compost collected.  I am glad I was 10 minutes early as the queue was even then zig zagging around the field.  They were still pouring in after I left but not sure there would have been enough.  Right now to get DS in the shower before he heads to work and I will try to make a shopping list

slm6002

Couple of half days done already this week.  My mornings only plan was agreed and I will amend if workloads change.  Another load of bedding on the line and probably ready to come back in for DS to put back on his bed.

Have been researching and number crunching this afternoon ready for the bungalow visit tomorrow. On paper I can really see me there in my old age, even thought it will take more work to get it beautiful than others that I have turned down.  I guess I couldn't see myself at the other houses forever, so it wasn't worth the effort.  At 48 and I too young to be buying a forever home? Maybe after the visit it will seem all too much work, but I have made a list of things to ask and check.  Also have the issue of still no interest for my house.

This weekend is Eurovision so we will do our family sweepstake for a box of Maltesers and sit and watch while eating home made pizza.  Realistically it will only be DD2 and I watching but that is fine.  The others will probably pop downstairs every now and again.

No money spent today which is great.  Hopefully tomorrow will be the same too

slm6002

Another day done and today was my first experience of invigilating an exam.  It gave me time to think things through on the bungalow.

The bungalow itself has a oil boiler that could go in a museum and the agent doesn't think that it has been serviced or at least not recently.  So job 1 replace heating and hot water system, probably with new radiators as well.  The oil tank is fairly new though so that has obviously been changed in the last 10 years. The windows are old upvc and would need changing eventually but not immediately, although the one in what would be DS's room is falling out and you can see daylight so that would need to be sorted on day 1.  The rest of the house is just old and it is unclear if small cracks are old age and just need filling and freshening up or if something more sinister is going on.  There is a sink in the utility room to go with the cloakroom but the sink isn't connected to a drain?  Not sure if it was at some point, but as the washing machine would need to live there as well it would need some plumbing work.  The kitchen would need some more worktop space and an oven, but could be usable until I have the funds to sort.  Bathroom is similar.  Add a shower curtain and remove the fabric window curtains and replace with a blind and that should be ok for a while.  Eventually I would replace with a walk in shower and make it better.

However outside was glorious.  Parking was plentiful (would need to remove some now very large trees that are very close to the house).  Out the back is a lawn for entertaining then a rockery before another slightly larger lawn.  That leads into the allotment area, and then the area for an orchard.  There were already a few trees there but I couldn't tell what they were.  I could hear a stream trickling away, when we were in the orchard area but it is far enough away not to cause an issue of flooding.  It was lovely sunny and I could hear the stream and birds tweeting away, so peaceful and calm.  There is obviously still plenty of work to be done outside as well as it is over grown but mainly free work rather than costly work.

The agent said that is has been empty and on the market over a year and someone pulled out at last minute.  I'd like to know why and if they found something on the survey that might be the reason.  Anyway she thinks the family are ready for offers under.  Problem is my offer would be very much under the offer (£50k ish) as I would need to pay for the repairs to make it liveable.

Agent could see that I was keen and suggested they work harder to sell our house.  Nothing is moving though and any buyers are just buying new builds with part buy schemes.

slm6002

I was awake too early again especially for a weekend but thought rather than trying and probably failing to get back to sleep I'd get dressed, make a list and get cracking with the jobs list.  Hoping the sun appears soon.

A week from now we will have visitors to entertain and the house will need to be spotless.  Last night I drew up a calendar showing which days I would entertain and which days my brother will.  After weeks of asking and getting no reply as he 'can do any days', I let him know and he suddenly has work some days, so I start again, book something in only to be asked 10 min later to swap that day too.  Frustrating is not the word and he does this every time.  I now have nothing booked in as no longer have that day, and most of the days they are with me, which is fine but he will then moan that it is uneven.

Ok a list for the weekend to make me accountable:
* Home insurance (still not sorted and it is just around the corner)
* Washing
* Clean kitchen including the fridge
* Clean living room
* Clean bathrooms
* Hoover
* Make pizza for tonight 
* Buy family sweepstake prize (Maltesers) for Eurovision tonight
* Find things to fill entertaining calendar and book meals out
* Send bank balances off to benefits people
* Club admin

I think that will do for now, this week is going to be busy at work with exams and just general last minute bits and pieces before the holiday.

Four_Seasons

Have a lovely weekend, even though it looks rather busy xx

Jessy103

Make sure you have a bit of time to relax too! x

slm6002

Well @Jessy103 I have done more relaxing than I should have done.  

* Home insurance (still not sorted and it is just around the corner)
* Washing - still some more to do tomorrow but 3 lots out today
* Clean kitchen including the fridge - will do the fridge tomorrow
* Clean living room
* Clean bathrooms - 1/2 done
* Hoover
* Make pizza for tonight 
* Buy family sweepstake prize (Maltesers) for Eurovision tonight - countries picked 
* Find things to fill entertaining calendar and book meals out - found some places to possibly eat but things to do nearby are mainly the week after they leave
* Send bank balances off to benefits people
* Club admin

slm6002

I cancelled my online shop subscription for this month and have been shopping at lidl.  I have today just gone over the £250 which has given me a 10% discount.  Some of that money has been plants or household bits that I have stocked up on but mainly food.  I need to look at food in much more detail as if I carry on it will work out around £500 for the month.  I know it will cost more in the last week as we are buying more for visitors so this week needs to be budget food and maybe a week of using bits up and grabbing some olio bits maybe.

I received some of my book prize over the past few days.  I have a colourful rug and a shelf so far from dunelm shop.  The gift voucher is on its way.  I will enter some more competitions while I am listening to eurovision.

slm6002

Well I did a few more bits on the list but really not enough.  I spent a lot of time dreaming / trying to work out costs on repairing a bungalow.  Maybe today the estate agents will get back to me on the few questions that I have emailed.  Slightly worrying that I viewed the property last Wednesday and they still haven't asked me for feedback.  These are the same people selling my house.  I do hope they will be asking future viewings of my house what they think soon after the visit.  I am also thinking of rewording the blurb on my house as after looking through the agents page and seeing every house blurb they are all very much the same with name of road, bedrooms, parking inserted into the same bit of writing.  I need mine to stand out.  I am no writer but think that I could come up with a few improvements.

I have a group visiting from head office today to discuss the department I work in,  and hoping they can see what I have been doing since Sept.  

Looks like the sun will be out again today - was hiding yesterday.  DD2 has club tonight but then we are done for the week with clubs.  I do need to go with DD1 this afternoon to look around the charity shops for an outfit for her interview on Thursday too.

Right I better get going

slm6002

Work is getting busy again - only 3 days left until the holiday.  Stayed the whole day today and was kept busy.  Would like to do a half day tomorrow but also conscious that I will be needed for exams the next 2 days again so need to get a lot done tomorrow.

The house is not ready for mum to arrive on Friday.  And not sure when it will be.

I spoke to the estate agent this afternoon and made some suggestions that she will speak to the boss about and go ahead with hopefully.  We just need viewings as once they look I think they will be able to see how lovely it is.