General Chat

Sue, I know from my recent local government days that "owner-builders", as individuals, always underestimate how much needs to be organised in building a house.

But as a group including granoworkers, brickies, plumbers etc that expertise is included and they know precisely the order that jobs should be done and gear ordered.

Allan

Good Morning/Evening Everyone,

House prices in the UK have been generally pretty static for a couple of years, though there has been some upward movement recently. This of course does nobody any good, unless you are down sizeing, or leaving the country. The area I live is rather unique in that property prices have continued to rise at a pace regardless of the national situation.
I bought a house here at the right time fifteen years ago, and certainly could not afford to buy anything here now. This is mainly due to wealthy people selling up in the inland cities during the boom years, and retiring to quiet coastal areas - pushing up prices in the process.

CC. I still think you are something of a rebel - maybe it was something you said in an earlier post regarding the "Tooting Popular Front" Should you consider starting the revolution, let me know.
Incidently madam, it was not I who said you were a "Rebel Without a Clue"
it was actually that young Allan who said that about himself - your apology is graciously accepted.

Pam I've never wanted to impress anybody either with possessions, or in any other way. Where we used to live it was all about "Keeping Up Appearences" We lived on a development of "Executive Houses"
a term I never understood. It was all about who had the most expensive car on the drive, who was a member of the best golf club - they all seemed to watch each other to see what others were having - nobody spoke to their neighbours, and I never knew my neighbours names. I called them the "Plastic People"
We were not happy there, and decided to move here, where real people lived. Everyone is friendly, and everyone is considered equal regardless of circumstances. It seems a more natural way to live, and the way things were when I was young.

Tec.

Good Morning Sue,
Good Morning Allan,
Good Evening CC, You've all snuck up on me

Took me so long to type my post, with one or two interuptions, that I didn't know you were there.

Tec.

When we bought our house it was a very basic 3 bedroom home with a fitted kitchen and a fully tiled bathroom. We couldn't afford carpets so had the floors polished and just rugs in the bedrooms. My in-laws payed for fly screens for the windows and my parents payed for blinds on the front windows. My friends and I had sewing sessions and we'd all make curtains. We loved it. When there was a little money to spare we would buy a light fitting. Of course over the years we were able to improve our home adding a garage, updating the kitchen and bathroom and building a large verandah on the front of the house. It is in a lovely area so we wouldn't move. Why would we when we have got the house exactly to our liking:-))

Sue xx

Hello Tec:-))

Good morning Tec

OH and I have never been bothered by material things and whilst we have a largish LCD TV, that was due to our advancing age rather than snobbishness. We have an open plan kitchen/family room and the small TV was getting hard to see, even with our glasses.

One person I worked with, just before I finished, was shocked that I gave the Council car back a couple of months before I needed to, and also took over the home phone account.

he couldn't grasp the principle that I no longer needed them for myself. He was well known by all level of staff for his great pretensions

Allan

I hate pretentiousness. Our house is only small by some standards but it's home and we love it. We take pride in that anyone who comes here feels at home and is made welcome. We've had many a BBQ's in our back garden and wonderful memories (sometimes sad) of family do's. I can still see my dad sitting on "his" chair under the pergola smiling as his increasing family paid court to him. We've had Christmas's, birthday parties and dad's wake here so the house is full of family memories.

Sue xx

Good morning and good evening to everyone.
So I've missed Linda. Bad luck. I hope she gets away OK this time and has a good holiday.
Yes, I believe I am improving. I would have to say that I must be, but the improvement is still very slow. However, I can get settled into various positions where I can't feel the soreness. That's OK until I want to change my position!
I'm pleased that Perse is OK and I understand what she means about the time zones. It was much easier when we were eleven hours in front of the UK, but I am making up for it by posting whenever I am here - I know someone will find it and answer me.

Sue, we are the same.

We have now been in this house for nearly 16 years and whilst it is in need of some maintenance and repairs, it suits us.

We are within a short walking distance of ths shops, Dr's Surgery, Bus Routes, the Estuary etc why would we want to move!

Although the house is probably larger than we need, we are still able to keep up with it!

Allan

Good morning Berona,

I'm glad that you are still making progress. It may be slow but it is better than going backwards ;0))

Allan

Thanks, Allan. Yes, it is better than going backwards - heaven forbid! I'm just tired of it - this is the seventh week and I hear that other people have had it for varying times - from a 'few days' to 'six weeks' and more, so I'll just have to be patient.

Allan I know what you mean about the larger TV - we changed to a larger one this year - so that we could actually see it LOL.

We did an odd thing - we went up the property ladder, as you described.
The previous house was very modern, 4 bed detached, en-suite bathroom, and another, garage, large garden etc etc. All very posh.
Then we desparately wanted to live here, and I would have lived in a cave.
At the time, it was either small stone cottages, though pretty, not practical, or hugely expensive houses, even then, completely out of our reach.
Then we saw this house, a large Edwardian five bed terrace house.
I hadn't lived in a terrace house since I was small, but we both fell in love with it. It was run down, with NO mod cons, very basic, 1950s wallpaper.
It wanted everything, re-wiring, plumbing, central heating, double glazing etc. We've done all that, and I can't imagine being anywhere else now. The house has a very relaxed, genteel feel to it, like a nice old lady, but we have given her a face lift.

Tec.

Hello Berona - we're here at the same time:-))

Tec - your house sounds lovely. There's nothing like coming home to a house you love and closing the door on the world. Like being wrapped up in a warm blanket.

Allan - I hope to stay in my home until they carry me out:-))

Sue xx

Good Morning Berona,

So pleased things are improving, and that you can at least get comfortable for a while. Are you still getting a good nights sleep?

Tec.

Tec your home sounds great.

When we were younger a couple of friends had really nice houses.

One was in Wells and was an old 17th Century property, low ceilings and like a rabbit warren, very close to the Cathedral

The other was a lareg detached Georgian House, just outside Grimsby, in a village called Healing. Also very nice.

Funnily enough although I could have cheerfully lived in either property, it never made us want to rush out and buy something similar.

We knew that we would never be able to afford it.

Allan

We are so lucky here Sue, got such friendly neighbours, and everyone watches out for each other, without being prying.
The best thing is we can be ourselves. If I want to pop to the village shop looking scruffy, I can, without feeling self conscious.
A local millionaire walks the village every week with a bin bag picking up litter that may have been dropped, usually by tourists.
It's the best place ever.

Tec.

Sounds wonderful. We are also lucky with our neighbours. We aren't in each other's pockets but we have shared our happy and sad times over the years. Most of us moved into our homes at the same time. We have seen our children grow up, become nuisances with motorbikes and cars, marry and produce grandchildren. We've shared each other's sorrow when we've lost parents, we've supported our neighbour when she lost her husband - the neighbourhood's first loss - and commiserated with another neighbour when her husband left their home for greener pastures.

Sue xx

Allan your friends houses sound very interesting, Wells is a beautiful city that I have visited several times. I think I've mentioned before that I had a friend, now dead, who lived in a 13th Century Cistercian Monastry, now National Trust. That place was truly fascinating, full of history.

Sue, I think that in sharing your neighbours triumphs, and sad times, is what builds a community. We have no family living anywhere near, my daughter is 100 miles away, but in times of trouble I wouldn't be without help here, as I have discovered more than once.

Tec.

Tec, when younger I visited many Cathedral Cities and the three that always stck in my mind were, Wells, Lincoln and York ( I know, technically York is a Minster).

Both Lincoln and York were well within a day's travel when we lived in Cleethorpes

Allan

Time for bed again,
Enjoy your day, Sue, Allan, Berona,
and anyone else who looks in.

~~~~~~~~to Diane who is fast asleep by now,

Goodnight
Tec

Good night Tec

Allan