Well wrapped

Posted on February 12, 2005 by | 3 comments

This is really just a test posting from Flickr, which i’ve just started playing with.

The piccie is Butterbean at Muddlepuddle Melrose ‘camp’ well wrapped up when we went to the playground.

3 Comments

Posted in General

Melrose

Posted on February 11, 2005 by | 8 comments

We had a great time. Hopefully Chris will add piccies [edit by Chris – link here removed for now as I want campers to have the chance to ok them first before publicsing outside the camp list]. Nice to meet everyone. Also nice no-one died from eating my curry!!

After a shakey start. SB got into the swing of things, and then it was hard to catch her. Enjoyed the trip to dynamic earth – thanks Kath. SB attempted to drown herself on swimming pool, but showed she can nearly keep head above water now. Mostly got to know people and looked at the various resources.

8 Comments

Posted in General, Out and About

house update

Posted on February 11, 2005 by | 3 comments

our offer on victorian house accepted. survey not too bad!!! some diy to be done. Ended up paying more than we had wanted, and on our v max. oh well.

3 Comments

Posted in moving house

How many potatoes………?

Posted on February 6, 2005 by | Leave a comment

We were pondering this as we loaded the car – how many potatoes will we need for curry for 35 portions? – 5 kg or 10 kg?

Anyway, car is pretty much packed, lunch has been eaten, we many even hit the revised dep time of 2 pm (no point in leaving to early as we can’t get into the YH until 5, and it’ll take about 4 hours to get there), feel totally disorganised, but a break from home will be good.

Will hear about the survey on monday or tuesday though – hope it’s ok.

Ok Melrose here we come………… :-)

Tune in next week……..

Leave a comment

Posted in General

Melrose prep

Posted on February 5, 2005 by | 2 comments

SB and Chris have made cupcakes, SB and I have made a vegan carrot cake and a normal one [still in oven]. Thats all we’ve done so far, no packing or shopping for foods.

Earlier Mum and Dad left. SB played lots of dolly games, went through the usbourne 1001 things to spot, did some great colouring of viking patterns watched sesame street in german and did some adding games as well as the baking – which she is getting v good at. Also a fair bit of whingeing, crying over nothing and sitting on the stair in a sulk. I think i am going wrong somewhere.

I have also looked at our bank accounts and done a budget [ a bad move to do just before holiday, so will endeavour to forget it until we get back]

We will pro arrive at Melrose only just in time for the jackets, as we excel at leaving the house later than planned!

PS vegan carrot cake now out, and doesn’t look to bad – this is a my made up recipe first time use, so may be only useful for puddings! Have also sorted SB and BB clothes for packing, so don’t need to disturb her in bedroom.

2 Comments

Posted in Cooking, General

Yorvik

Posted on February 4, 2005 by | Leave a comment

Decided not to think about moving today. Went with my Mum and Dad to York to Yorvik. It was the start of the viking festival today, so bands of child vikings roving around york. We all loved the travelling back in time and juddering [apart from BB], and then te great ride. mine was a bit odd, as BB decided she was so ravenous that she had to shriek so loudly no-one could hear anything, and I had to work out how to BF over the lap bar. After that sorted, it was excellent. SB was free anyway – v good! The museum bit afterwoods I found a bit disappointing, as not much interactive, and some opportunities lost there, so in all we were only in there for about 45 mins max.

so, nipped to m and s and alders. Saw some lovely furniture in the sales at less than half price. a real shame we are not in position to buy [as 1, we have spent too much on next house, and 2, we actually haven't bought it yet!]

SB seems to have collapsed in bed, so we are having a Thai take-out, and sparkling wine to celebrate house sold. Tomorrow we will pack and sort for Melrose.

PS, house gradually returning to entropic state. Must try and halt this!

Leave a comment

Posted in General, Out and About

Cracked it?

Posted on February 3, 2005 by | 3 comments

Well, via the Estate Agent we have survey arranged on Monday. The vendors have agreed accept our offer if we get the survey done. So, a bit back to front, but we seem to be getting there.

But what delights will the survey hold………..

3 Comments

Posted in moving house

Arrrgh!!! I want to get back to life.

Posted on February 3, 2005 by | 1 comment

House buying gets more complicated by the day. Seems the vendors managed to negotiate alower price for their purchase. however, the others potentiall buyers for the house we are after, increased their offer to ?500 less than ours. but they are renting, so no house to sell, so in strong postion. however, they ahve not yet accpeted either offer. Down in part at least to the agents we are dealing with. (The other offer is via another agents, so we have agents as well as buyers competting to get the sale.)

So he is working on them, tryign to convince them off what good buyers we are, how much we love the house (he thinks that they would like buyer who they think will cherish the house and garden liek they have – the hubby esp.) He is going to suggest some possible thing about us gettign survey on the house done first, to show we mean buisness. They lost a sale earlier and they don’t want to lose another one, or I guess they will lose their house, and they have been on the market since last summer at least I think.

I dunno, it’s all getting complicated, i’m torn between trying whatever it takes, and just saying – here it is the offers, take it or leave it. This house purchase ended up as sealed bids, and we hoped toa void such hassles this time – i mean, it’s been on the market months, as soon as we are able to put in an offer some else comes along at the same time …..

Want to concetrate on getting ready for Melrose etc., instead been busy with other thoughts really.

1 Comment

Posted in moving house

still no news!

Posted on February 1, 2005 by | 2 comments

We are apparently still the highest offer, and they can’t quite make the price for their next house with it, so are going to ask the owners of the probate bungalow they wish to move into to accept something lower [as their offer made at the peak] and we will see!
I am obviously dying of impatience. think its 50/50. Emphasised our short and perfect chain!!

SB at nursery, and think I will pick her up and go out for afternoon with postnatal group. I had wondered whether to take her out of nursery for rest of my mat leave, but she loves her friends there so I feel selfish. Also, it does give me chance for a bit more 1 on 1 with BB, who as a v contented baby scarcely gets a look in other wise!

Done lots of housework as parents coming this eve – want them to see house at show house best – well I’ll never do it again will I!

Also spent most of morning talking to financial adviser about increasing life insurance, critical illness cover etc etc, and a policy thingy for BB.

2 Comments

Posted in General, moving house

Will they, won’t they……..?

Posted on January 31, 2005 by | 8 comments

14.22

Well, I spent about an hour staring at the phone this morning before I plucked up courage to phone up the estae agents and make an offer on the nice victorian house. Intial offer rejected, as we expected really, but got enough info to put in another offer later.

Bit more than we wanted to have to go to, but it hasn’t been rejected yet, so hopefully it has been enough for them to consider it – it’s our max. offer, but may still be bit low for them, so we will have to see..

16.47

Oh put me out of my misery……….

8 Comments

Posted in moving house