After 19 days on the market we accepted an offer for the old place. And we're pretty damn happy. The buyers put in an offer below the asking price (used to be unheard of in Scotland - it was always offers over, occasionally well over), but we held out for the asking price and they came up trumps. They've had their survey so we don't even have to sit and worry about what that will say. (Not that we've sold a lemon or anything - just you never know what surveyors will see that you've never noticed.)
The last few days have been good for exercise too. A good 5K averaging 9.22/mile on 1% - with, shock horror, no holding on; then a sauna which made me feel like a new woman. (Sudden realisation that we haven't fitted in much exercise, it just feels that way when you add in the lifting and cleaning.)
Lots of housey stuff has also been done. We've got a sitting room which is finished (apart from 2 blinds to go up, and a chair to be moved when the computer gets shifted)! This was after a very speedy trip to Glenrothes to get the missing can of paint. (I did bring this stress on myself but it suddenly felt IMPERATIVE to get at least one room finished by the w/end.)
And the joiners turned up; no, really; and did some stuff. Enough to make me stop hating them, but not enough to make me sign contentedly at the finished house.
More excitingly (becuase my life revolves around tradesmen) the plumber turned up and finished the cloakroom upstairs. He's coming back Monday afternoon to finish the bathroom sink and the washing machine. Let us not talk of that! Despite 3 months notice and having been told it would be "no problem" by our builder; we were faced with digging a foot wide trench down our entire garden to put it where we wanted it. So, we rethought. The solution is far from perfect - but in uncovering the solution we discovered the old drain was completely choked and would have to have been unclogged/repiped at some point anyway. All will eventually end well - it might just take a few more days. And I'm going to need a laundry basket with wheels to get to the dryer - hell, worse things have happened. If that's all that goes wrong it wont be too bad. But there's still a surprisingly long list of work still to do. (And my fingers remain resolutely crossed.)
Today we bought lots of inessential but useful things that make life a little better. Lovely dog beds, and human bedding, and the final pair of curtains have been ordered. (Well, the final pair we need quickly, rather than the long term plans for other rooms.)
But more important that all of this. I can wear boots. To anyone out there who's ever been overweight or cursed with GIANT calves you'll understand my unbridled joy. I do own a singe, solitary, pair of boots. A great pair from Tesco in chocolate brown leather that lace all the way up the front and therefore can be altered to fit exactly. They are the only boots I've ever had. Today TheO said I was pitifully lacking in footwear (as I've failed to unpack any shoes as there's nowhere for them yet - the bootroom being full of books and dvds) and she's sick of seeing me in crocs which are now filthy and splattered in paint - as are my feet (it was gloss and hard to get off). So we took a detour from house stuff to look at boots.
We went into a few places and whilst it's still not like I can take any pair off the shelves, I did have a choice of a few pairs in each shop. It's still difficult to get anything that remotely fits my ankles (quite small) and my calves simultaneously. And, just to add insult to injury, due to a bad injury years ago one calf is much larger than the other, so I'll try on perfect boots and then forget that I've only tried on my smaller leg. Damn. (I am also under no illusions that I am suddenly sylph-like; I think manufacturers know that people are getting larger so the boots might be a little bigger now too.)
The search was not in vain and the below are my new babies. Winter booty goodness. Bliss.
The last few days have been good for exercise too. A good 5K averaging 9.22/mile on 1% - with, shock horror, no holding on; then a sauna which made me feel like a new woman. (Sudden realisation that we haven't fitted in much exercise, it just feels that way when you add in the lifting and cleaning.)
Lots of housey stuff has also been done. We've got a sitting room which is finished (apart from 2 blinds to go up, and a chair to be moved when the computer gets shifted)! This was after a very speedy trip to Glenrothes to get the missing can of paint. (I did bring this stress on myself but it suddenly felt IMPERATIVE to get at least one room finished by the w/end.)
And the joiners turned up; no, really; and did some stuff. Enough to make me stop hating them, but not enough to make me sign contentedly at the finished house.
More excitingly (becuase my life revolves around tradesmen) the plumber turned up and finished the cloakroom upstairs. He's coming back Monday afternoon to finish the bathroom sink and the washing machine. Let us not talk of that! Despite 3 months notice and having been told it would be "no problem" by our builder; we were faced with digging a foot wide trench down our entire garden to put it where we wanted it. So, we rethought. The solution is far from perfect - but in uncovering the solution we discovered the old drain was completely choked and would have to have been unclogged/repiped at some point anyway. All will eventually end well - it might just take a few more days. And I'm going to need a laundry basket with wheels to get to the dryer - hell, worse things have happened. If that's all that goes wrong it wont be too bad. But there's still a surprisingly long list of work still to do. (And my fingers remain resolutely crossed.)
Today we bought lots of inessential but useful things that make life a little better. Lovely dog beds, and human bedding, and the final pair of curtains have been ordered. (Well, the final pair we need quickly, rather than the long term plans for other rooms.)
But more important that all of this. I can wear boots. To anyone out there who's ever been overweight or cursed with GIANT calves you'll understand my unbridled joy. I do own a singe, solitary, pair of boots. A great pair from Tesco in chocolate brown leather that lace all the way up the front and therefore can be altered to fit exactly. They are the only boots I've ever had. Today TheO said I was pitifully lacking in footwear (as I've failed to unpack any shoes as there's nowhere for them yet - the bootroom being full of books and dvds) and she's sick of seeing me in crocs which are now filthy and splattered in paint - as are my feet (it was gloss and hard to get off). So we took a detour from house stuff to look at boots.
We went into a few places and whilst it's still not like I can take any pair off the shelves, I did have a choice of a few pairs in each shop. It's still difficult to get anything that remotely fits my ankles (quite small) and my calves simultaneously. And, just to add insult to injury, due to a bad injury years ago one calf is much larger than the other, so I'll try on perfect boots and then forget that I've only tried on my smaller leg. Damn. (I am also under no illusions that I am suddenly sylph-like; I think manufacturers know that people are getting larger so the boots might be a little bigger now too.)
The search was not in vain and the below are my new babies. Winter booty goodness. Bliss.
3 comments:
Never in my life did I think I would hear the phrase "pitifully lacking in footwear" applied to you! ROFL ;)
Hmmm... lovely boots. As a women who is endowed with large calfs I share your excitement!! My own joy is in Duo who do calf sizes from teeny to laaarrrrgeee and are the only reason I can wear skirts to work in Winter...
Oh, and excellent news on HC. Will keep all fingers crossed that it all goes smoothly.
M.x
Re 'tediously tiny tasks'. Oh yes. I hear you.
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