MIGHT HAVE BEEN...

... a bit of a miserable morning, but the afternoon was fab! Lovely time with James and Claire at lunchtime and the Toon managed a win against the Vile! Excellent!

WELL, THAT WAS...

... A totally wasted morning. We expected Christina at 10.00 so didn't plan to do much before then. She didn't turn up until 11.15 and only stayed for  15 minutes, leaving us with insufficient time to do anything purposeful before we set off for James's and the match.

We COULD have been up in the loft, taken another carload to the tip and got the shopping done, but that will need to be tagged onto tomorrow's schedule instead now.

On a brighter note though, the Freelander has been repaired and returned home, so hopefully that will see the end of the non-starting issues!!

ITS THE STARTER MOTOR!

Allegedly! I'm not sure that Charles is 100% convinced, but that's what they've diagnised at Dennis's garage, so let's hope they're right. To be frank, the unpredictability of the Freelander is becoming tiresome, but the good thing about it being laid up for a few days is that it means the Mazda is getting a bit of a runout. We took it into town today, had the roof down and were as warm as toast!

Bought a few more bits for the house. Bedding, bathroom storage and a feather duster for those high ceilings! Got to hope and pray that everything goes through okay with the sale and purchase otherwise we're going to have a lot of stuff to take back to the shops! ( Obviously, this doesn't apply to things like feather dusters!)

Right now I'm waiting for the radio show to wind up so Charles can pick up the Chinese I've just ordered. I've been good all week, so I think it's time for a bit of a treat. (And I am seriously starving!)

Oh - neatly forgot. The real reason for going into town was for my  appointment with Prof Figuererdo  in the RVI eye dept. All is well so far as the ongoing problem with the left eye is concerned although apparently there is a 'hint' of cataract now,but it IS only a hint and nowhere near the stage where an operation is needed thank goodness.

AND WOULDNT YOU KNOW IT...

... just as we are about to take the first of many loads to the tip, the Freelander decides to throw yet another wobbler and refuses to start - at all. We are now sitting surrounded by black backs and 'stuff', waiting for the guys from Dennis's to come and shift it, hopefully leaving us with enough time to get at least two trips to the tip done.

I cannot believe how regularly this is happening and yet nothing is being done about it.Honestly, I livid.

However, if I try to look on the bright side, I have to say that we are now 2/3 of the way through sorting the loft. Actually this amazes me, because when I was shoved up there again this morning, I looked round in despair because it still looked such a mammoth task. So we must have pushed ourselves to the limit to get on as well as we have.

Trust the bloody car to spoil the progress we've made!!

LAZY DAY!

Not doing much today really, which is frustrating but rather nice at the same time.

Charles is in Birmingham - Ofsted are in - James and Claire will be coming round later, and right now I'm sitting sandwiched between two sleepy Westies trying very hard not to nod off myself. Have a feeling I might lose this battle...

WENT BACK...

... to the house this morning and loved it even more than the first time we went to look at it. Probably just as well really!!

It was nice that it was the agent who showed us round this time. I felt we weren't rushed at all, we were able to measure up everything that we needed to, noticed features that we hadn't seen before and were generally really impressed by the spacious feeling of the house.

Loved it!

BUSY MONDAY MORNING!!

Yet another carload of stuff for the tip and for charity shops. A delivery of quiches and bakewells for Centurion and viewing the house again at 11.00.

Then it'll be back home for more loft clearing, providing Charles is happy to make another visit to the tip. It'll be a bit frustrating when he's away for the next two days because there's no way I can carry on in the loft without him. Never mind. I'm pretty sure I'll still find something to do!!

Right better finish this coffee and go and get on...

6.14AM

Ha ha. Not what you're thinking!

I have, in fact, just woken up.

This means that, obviously, I must have been asleep! Maybe not for long, but at least it didn't evade me completely. Now to try and get a few more zzzzzzs in before getting up time...

2.42...

... Guess what?


Yep.


Still awake.

1.40AM...

... and I'm wide awake!

Don't even feel the slightest bit tired.

Would get up and make a cuppa but I don't want to wake everyone (Charles and the girls) up.

Second night running. Getting a tiny bit fed up with this.

COULD HAVE...

... written a blog post at 3am if I could have made myself get out of a warm bed to go and find the iPad. Was wide awake for hours. Think I've moved into that house already. I certainly know where everything's going to go.

I've got to stop this. It may not happen yet. We've a long way to go.

I had to do an early run into Morpeth for MORE storage crates, this time the huge ones that I only hope are going to fit through the loft hatch. If they don't fit, we've got a major problem! See, I'm still doing it... need to think of do wthing else... Might have a coffee and read a magazine..

... Now what'll it be 'Beautiful Homes' or the rather less upmarket 'Your Home'?

Hmmm??

HAVE DECIDED...

... All this house-moving business might actually result in a bit of weight loss!! So much running around, lifting, stretching, carrying, no time to think about eating. This has got to be good.

All seems to be back on track re the Fenham house. Surveyor is booked in for Wednesday. We are going on Monday.

Have made good progress with sorting today. Just one room to finish and then it's the loft and the shed. For those two I strongly suggest we need a skip! ( love skips!)

Right, there are two little Westies who seem to think I've forgotten to get their tea. Better go and attend to it then!

HAVE JUST...

...broken a mirror.

Great!

Not that I'm superstitious or anything, but I really could do without anything in the mix that just might upset things right now.

ALL THIS...

... house clearance stuff is pretty exhausting!

We've worked solidly all afternoon and still only partially sorted the stuff  in two bedrooms. It's taking forever, and that's without the really big job - the loft.

Nothing is being packed of course. We just want to get rid of anything that we don't want to come to Fenham with us.

Mind you, we were asked if we would mind going to visit next week Instead of today, so who knows what's going on. Could be nothing at all, could be they're getting cold feet about moving in with her mother.

Fingers firmly crossed.

SURVEY DONE...

... On our bungalow.

Hopefully the full structural survey will be done at Nuns MoorRoad this week as well. Fingers crossed there's nothing too alarming. But it's old property so it would be foolish to expect nothing.

Another day of  taking stuff to the tip and charity shops, sorting out more cupboards, filling more black bags to go to the tip and charity shops tomorrow.

Actually, tomorrow morning is busy with deliveries ( County Whey and Centurion, with a special quiche delivery to some very good customers), then we're going back to Nuns Moor Road, hopefully for a more thorough look round and a measure up, then we're going to look for beds before we come home and begin the clearing out again.

It is quite noticeable that Charles is doing significantly less clearing out than I am, and that when he does it takes him ages because he has to make big decisions about what's happening to stuff. He even has to go through the stuff I've bagged up and that is driving me absolutely crackers. But with luck, by the weekend we should have done the bedrooms (although I don't know what to do about Christina's room) and should be able to start on the loft next week. The surveyor popped his head into the loft this morning and remarked that we would have a couple of days work there. That is such an understatement - you have no idea.

BACK HOME!

Good to be back, although we've had a fab time. It feels like we've been away for ages!

Got all the laundry done, then started on quiche because Centurion sent an order through while we were travelling. Managed to do some more sorting out too, so we now have a car full of stuff for charity shops and the tip.

Tomorrow it's the survey on this place in the morning. Hope it goes well.

UP EARLY...

... and getting ready to set off home. Have had a lovely break, but need to get back to normality now.

Shopping, baking quiche, more clearing out and getting the washing done - wow!

Hopefully, we're going to look round the house at Fenham on Thursday. This time we'll be taking the tape measure and a notebook!

Right, time for a quick breakfast, and then we're off.

WAITING!!

For the other six to get up and come through for breakfast. I reckon there will be some sore heads this morning!

AND HERE ARE...

... in our hotel room on the Banbury Road In Oxford. Fab **** hotel, but I can honestly say that was the worst night's attempted sleep ever, probably due to the volume of ale sloshing around my insides.

I'm clearly just a lightweight drinker. Six or seven pints with Baileys chasers seemed such a good idea at the time. Fortunately the drinking was spread over about ten hours, so I didnt have the whole room spinning thing, but couldn't sleep because I was so full.

Gave up trying to sleep at 7.00 and am now waiting for Charles to get ready for breakfast.

It was fabulous to see so many old friends. We never stopped talking or laughing (or drinking) all day. Can't wait to see everyone again next time, or, the select few in the summer in Cornwall!

AM BEGINNING TO REALISE...

... the enormity of the task we've undertaken! Moving house after 27 years in one place, is not for the faint-hearted. It has actually taken me all week just to clear out all the stuff we don't want from the kitchen. That's all. Just the kitchen!

I cannot begin to imagine how long the loft will take!!

At the moment, I'm trying to get rid of unwanted stuff. The kitchen is okay now, so next we move onto the bedrooms and livingroom. Not packing, just getting shot of 'stuff'. That means trips to charity shops, dress agencies and the tip. After we've done this we should have created space for anything that we do want to keep from the loft. All I can think we need to keep is the Christmas 'stuff' and a large rug. But there's a lot of Christina's 'stuff ' up there and that needs to go somewhere.

Ivan feel the need for a skip coming on. I think I'll have a word with Charles while we're away this weekend and see if we can get one booked for next week. Even if everything falls through at least we'll have done all the really hard work as I said yesterday.

Getting away for a couple of days will be good. It's the Westminster reunion weekend again. How fast has the time gone? It doesn't seem a full year since we were all together.

Hope the girls will be okay with Helen and Bill. They should have a lovely time because I think Bumble the Beagle will be there as well. (I still worry about leaving them though! It wouldn't matter who it was with, I just hate leaving them!)

BETTER DAY TODAY!

In the sense that there haven't been any crises, or none that we know of, let's put it that way.

The Freelander has been in for a service before we drive down to Oxford at the weekend, just had a call from our local garage to let me know that the Mazda is ready to collect and has a fully charged battery!! (No, I didn't leave the lights on, it's just been standing on the drive for too long!)

I've been tackling more of the kitchen cupboards so we had a trip to the tip this afternoon. I trying to throw out anything out of date or that we won't need/want/have space for when we move. I do realisei I'm assuming all will go through smoothly, but if for any reason it doesn't and we have to start the process again, we will at least have done all the hard work in readiness.

Just waiting for Charles to get back from seeing his Mum now.

AND TO TOP THINGS OFF...

... guess who got back to the station in Newcastle, went to  his car and discovered that he must have left the lights on because the battery is completely dead.

He's currently stuck inside the car, doors won't open and is waiting for someone to free him. After which will come the small matter of getting it started and getting home.

I've tried ringing James and Claire to see if they could possibly get to the station, but neither of them are answering. I can't see to drive in the dark, so amno help whatsoever - plus I'm 26 miles away.

Honestly, you couldn't make it up!

CAN'T ACTUALLY WRITE...

... Anything about today except that is been stressful, worrying, highly predictable and related to mental health.

Now feeling worn out and sick.

CHARLES HAS GONE...

... to Birmingham.

And we've gone back to bed!

Me and the girls, snuggled up and one of us is snoring. Loudly!

Guess who?

MAKING A START...

... On the house papers for the solicitor. Had forgotten how much there is to do! Fortunately Charles has infinitely more patience with the whole procedure than I do, so he is just plodding through it!

Off to town shortly to make a delivery to Centurion and to take some taster sample to a deli/coffee shop just a few doors away from Radcliffes! Ha ha, sorry Kevin!

MATCH DAY!

Oh well.

The best bit about it may well be the Turkish cuisine at Red Mezze at lunchtime.

I suppose it will be interesting to see the team that Carver turns out, although it pretty much has to pick itself these days with the limit on choice. I find Carver's gushing positivity towards all things Newcastle a complete embarrassment. Charles tells me not to underestimate his enthusiasm for the job. I don't. It's apparent in everything he says, but it also smacks of his desperation to hold onto the post at all costs and his verbal diarrhoea just makes him sound naive and gullible.

Loving having Paul and Karen here, but today they become the enemy as they are Stoke fans. Wonder who'll be celebrating later this afternoon.

Right, I have stuff to do, so I'd better be getting up...

REALLY DONT WANT TO...

... but I think I'd better get up!

A WEEKEND WITH STOKE FANS!!!!

Aaaargh!!

Love Paul and Karen to bits, but there's no denying we'll be in opposing camps on Sunday. Last time they were up for a match was the occasion when the Stoke fans did the conga round the away stand. Would be nice to have a repeat of that result, but can't really see it happening!

OKAY. HANDS UP...

... I just haven't had a moment to myself today, or at least nota moment when I haven't been busy. Lots of baking for Centurion and some samples that I'm taking into a deli on Clayton Road. Sorry Kevin!!! Actually, I don't think the deli will work out because my prices will be too high. I've aimed my products at the coffee shop business where the mark up is much greater. So, we'll see anyway.

All I want to do now is to collapse in a heap and take the weight off my feet. Might have to watch some more Broadchurch now that we're into the second series.

Have talked loads about the new house with Charles. I think we are both. Really looking forward to it. Just hope everything progresses smoothly.

STARTING TO REALISE...

... that things appear to be moving pretty quickly on the house front. Certainly regarding our purchase it does. Pattinsons appear to be a little slower at getting things moving. Might need to give them a ring a chivvy them up a bit!

Apparently we should be proposing a date for completion for our solicitor to be working towards. I find that quite scary!!

HMMM!

Missed a day on the blog somehow. Not too sure what happened because I haven't exactly been rushed off my feet, but I have to admit to still feeling a bit shell-shocked by everything that happened on Monday.

Have had James and Claire here this evening. Charles is in Brum. Going to see how long it takes before the girls wake up and want to come in with me. I guessing it won't be any later than 1.30, so I'd better be getting some shut-eye.

Oh, it's snowing.

AND EVEN MORE AMAZINGLY...

... We put in an offer on the house in Fenham that we fell in love with on Saturday and that has been accepted too!

What a difference a day makes!

DESPITE MY SENSE OF FOREBODING YESTERDAY...

... we have just accepted an offer on the house!!

It's only taken three years, but hey! We are delighted.

Actually, I say we're delighted, but actually I think we've gone into shock!!!

Right, we need to start looking seriously now, especially as our buyers have themselves got a cash buyer!

NO RESPONSE...

... from our prospective buyers today. Charles spoke to the estate agent this morning in an attempt to raise a little more from them, but I have a horrible feeling they may have gone as far as they can.

I will be devastated if that is the case, but will try to be philosophical about it. One day we WILL find a buyer who is prepared to offer what we need.