OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Jan 25th 2011, 3:44 am
#2236
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
I remember when I left England to come to Canada, my friend who drove us cried all the way to Heathrow. I was so excited about the new adventure, I didn't cry at all. I think I've become much more emotional now since I'm 30 years older
and I'm sure I'll be crying when I leave my Canadian friends behind.
Have a good flight, we're all thinking about you and imagining those big big hugs at the airport when your parents meet you
and I'm sure I'll be crying when I leave my Canadian friends behind. Have a good flight, we're all thinking about you and imagining those big big hugs at the airport when your parents meet you
Jan 25th 2011, 3:52 am
#2237
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Jan 25th 2011, 4:43 am
#2238
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Location: Puglia, Umbria and London
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Sentosa so sorry to hear the sale fell through, that must be awful but here's wishing you every success for future viewings. It's true what Trottytrue says, life feels on hold having to keep the house spotless for possible viewings and is very hard work and it is expensive keeping the house maintained. The climate here in southern Italy is very damp sometimes (caused by a wind called Scirocco), we came back from our visit to our son last week to find the hallway and stairs black with mould spots
, I opened the door to the main house (on the first floor) expecting a similar scene but it was all fine thank God. The black spots came off with lots of elbow grease with the help of a weak bleach solution and washing up liquid (for crockery) and the use of a brush on a pole which we used to use for cleaning the windows back in the UK. Now the boiler has sprung a leak and we are waiting for a spare part
The recycling here works very well, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday perishable rubbish, paper on Tuesday, plastic on Thursday and glass on Fridays. It gets hot here so it would get very smelly without a regular collection. I am very fortunate in having plenty of space to store the recycling, if I were back in a little terraced house in the UK heaven knows where I would store it until collection. Those wheelie bins are unsightly, I wish you well Islandwoman in getting them disguised in some way in your area. In London we had a fortnightly clean and disinfect service for our wheelie bin (at a cost of about £2.50 each time) done by a private company.
, I opened the door to the main house (on the first floor) expecting a similar scene but it was all fine thank God. The black spots came off with lots of elbow grease with the help of a weak bleach solution and washing up liquid (for crockery) and the use of a brush on a pole which we used to use for cleaning the windows back in the UK. Now the boiler has sprung a leak and we are waiting for a spare part The recycling here works very well, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday perishable rubbish, paper on Tuesday, plastic on Thursday and glass on Fridays. It gets hot here so it would get very smelly without a regular collection. I am very fortunate in having plenty of space to store the recycling, if I were back in a little terraced house in the UK heaven knows where I would store it until collection. Those wheelie bins are unsightly, I wish you well Islandwoman in getting them disguised in some way in your area. In London we had a fortnightly clean and disinfect service for our wheelie bin (at a cost of about £2.50 each time) done by a private company.
Jan 25th 2011, 7:24 am
#2239
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Sentosa...I remember you posting and you had had an offer on your house. So very sorry it fell through I know what thats like. Well almost. The last person that came to see our house was supposed to be so interested in it but then after days of waiting to hear from the estate agent I finally called her. She said that she had not heard from the people looking at the house but was going to get in touch with them... that was over a week ago. I would have been half way home if we had an offer but then for it to fall though must have be devastating. Still on to the next one.
Goodluck.
It does cost money to keep a house in tip top condition and you are really not living in it I feel my life had been on hold for almost 3 years. Thats the awful part of trying to sell a house. Without selling we could not possibly go home.
When I see those programs that show people selling their homes in the UK they dont have to bother the same way. They have plenty of stuff hanging around and many times they are in the home when people come to look. Here they dont like you in the house. They give you a time and want you to be away. Then they call you when they have left.
I would have been half way home if we had an offer but then for it to fall though must have be devastating. Still on to the next one. Goodluck. It does cost money to keep a house in tip top condition and you are really not living in it I feel my life had been on hold for almost 3 years. Thats the awful part of trying to sell a house. Without selling we could not possibly go home.
When I see those programs that show people selling their homes in the UK they dont have to bother the same way. They have plenty of stuff hanging around and many times they are in the home when people come to look. Here they dont like you in the house. They give you a time and want you to be away. Then they call you when they have left.
But we DID have a typed sheet on which we wrote out all the reasons why we had loved living there and raisng our family there. We left a bunch of them on the kitchen table and made sure the potential buyers saw them. If other realtors from the multilisting came as well, they mentioned this was a good idea and picked one up.
As I think I've said before on this topic, I was really struck by the story of an acquaintance and her husband who decided to buy a house after speaking to the owner and hearing him describe all its good points, the location, the things nearby etc...the things you may not be aware of when looking just at the house itself, especially if you're from another community.
So when people asked, I did express myself openly and enthusiastically about the house's benefits--why not?
In the end, the buyer just loved everything about the house--she already knew and loved its location within the town, she loved the paint colors (she was wearing the same colors herself!!), and the clincher was the ground floor walk-in shower, ideal for her elderly parent.
Things other viewers had seen as faults, she didn't mind at all--she wanted that older-style house with charm and character...
There's a buyer out there for each of you! I pray this spring brings them all to your doorsteps!
Trotty, brilliant work on the list, when you have time to do the updated, corrected one, I will certainly save it, a great resource to keep straight who and where everyone is! Thanks...
For the record, my move to France is not being considered as permanent (though it is certainly lovely here!)--in two or three years DH's work assignment will be over and then--much more time in UK at last! I hope. In the meantime, many visits...the Channel is much smaller than the Atlantic!!
Tina
Jan 25th 2011, 7:32 am
#2240
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
You are so right about that. The wheelie bins look awful. They were a topic of a local discussion today as they look so ghastly in front of lovely old houses. Useful, needed - but ugly. I came up with a way to disguise them locally, which may or may not be acceptable - but will cost some money to create the hiding place for them - and will let the town council know soon - I have a meeting with them about another matter.
so, Go FOR IT!
All I can think of is some sort of camouflage fabric to drape over them.....
Tina
Jan 25th 2011, 8:16 am
#2241
Home Sweet Home
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
I will DEFINITELY not be missing those little blighters, I was so surprised to see one little buzzy housefly around my lightbulb in the UK, here we are constantly doing the Aussie salute.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aussie_salute
Jan 25th 2011, 8:24 am
#2242
Home Sweet Home
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Hi Barb, Should have been around our house, when my second Wife, was brewing beers, and wines! over 70% proof! Had a long row of barrels, with it labelled! used to keep a glass in there, for Private tasting - and she did not drink, so I had to. Beer, Lager, Stout, Canadian Rum, and the strongest of the lot, was Carrot Wine.- More like Licquer took six bottles into work, for my Retirement Party, and the apprentices, had designs, on one of the Younger Girl Storekeepers, and got her tiddly, by saying it was only wine_ Jesus - she ended up on a stretcher! And was taken by ambulance to the Medical Centre! - good job I had finished, or there would have been an enquiry! ( it was ministry of Defence, place!) Take care Gel - dontheturner
Jan 25th 2011, 8:27 am
#2243
Home Sweet Home
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
OOhh Denise I didn't know you talked like that!!
TT my date is February 27th to arrive into Manchester.
Can't believe it myself, only 30 something sleeps and I still don't know about London job.
We have a public holiday here tomorrow for Australia Day, instead of celebrating I think I need to start packing.
Jan 25th 2011, 8:28 am
#2244
Home Sweet Home
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Jan 25th 2011, 8:32 am
#2245
Home Sweet Home
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Rosie, if you can come up with a good way to disguise wheelie bins, that would be AWESOME and you would be a heroine all over England! Our English flat is in a town famous for its architecture...on our own row, the wheelie bins can be hidden in cupboards below ground level (but then are too heavy to haul up the stairs!!!!) but elsewhere in town they completely ruin the look of the old buildings,and it's even worse in pretty Cotswold villages etc....
so, Go FOR IT!
All I can think of is some sort of camouflage fabric to drape over them.....
Tina
so, Go FOR IT!
All I can think of is some sort of camouflage fabric to drape over them.....
Tina
Jan 25th 2011, 10:04 am
#2246
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Hey! Then I will be on your case - my recycling bins got delivered yesterday - no, I did not make a phone call, just used ESP, and bingo! They materialised. Somerset is trying to add new recycling items, this time is is plastic. Pick up your litter, young man!!!!
Jan 25th 2011, 11:09 am
#2247
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Rosie, if you can come up with a good way to disguise wheelie bins, that would be AWESOME and you would be a heroine all over England! Our English flat is in a town famous for its architecture...on our own row, the wheelie bins can be hidden in cupboards below ground level (but then are too heavy to haul up the stairs!!!!) but elsewhere in town they completely ruin the look of the old buildings,and it's even worse in pretty Cotswold villages etc....
so, Go FOR IT!
All I can think of is some sort of camouflage fabric to drape over them.....
Tina
so, Go FOR IT!
All I can think of is some sort of camouflage fabric to drape over them.....
Tina
Jan 25th 2011, 11:24 am
#2248
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
looking at the end of summer for the move back to Wales...I was wondering in Trotty's list if " Old Duck " meant me!!!!cheers............Taffy
Jan 25th 2011, 1:49 pm
#2249
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
Jan 25th 2011, 2:23 pm
#2250
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Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
My Mum just takes all the glass things to a recycling bin every two weeks IN THE CAR we normally have a couple of carrier bags full of bottles by then, our nearest one is not too far away,
Last edited by jasper123; Jan 25th 2011 at 4:01 pm.