Why am I not surprised?

Endless days of sorting and packing and dealing with solicitors. The clock is ticking and there is still seemingly too much to do.

Yesterday I tried to arrange our settee and easy chair to be cleaned under the agreement we had when we bought it. The sofa has a minor stain and we thought it best to have it cleaned professionally before selling it.They apparently don't clean the whole sofa and you have to identify any stain or mark along with who had the accident and when. According to paperwork, we had until 2014 to take advantage of our right to have the work done. In short, there are so many restrictions and questions which are virtually impossible to answer that any possibility I might have satisfaction is nothing short of a pipe dream. It was truly laughable and I finished up giving them a piece of my mind and a clean set of heels.

I managed to clean the area myself without it affecting the surrounding material, but the stain of this company's deceit has left an indelible mark on me. Be warned anyone who has seemingly bought protection and peace of mind.

They have joined my ever growing list of morally bankrupt organisations and individuals who are doing their best to sway me from my opinion that people are basically good.

A Sure Bet

People bet with money they can ill afford in the vain hope of beating the odds that are so obviously stacked against them.

A great deal of insurance  is something you pay but can ill afford, knowing (and hoping) that the odds are sufficiently stacked against you for any sort of return.

You can bet on me having unkind feelings about both professions.

Here's a few more...

B - - - - - s
B - - - - - - s
S - - - - - - - - s
A - - - - - - - - - s
T - - - - - - - s

I reckon to be an angry old codger, because I have a long, long list of things that irritate me. Thankfully, it isn't as long as the list that pleases me.

I'm currently deciding on whether I should get involved with paying for searches on a property that have previously been carried out...several times.

Someone in authority decided to give such searches a shelf life, thus forcing all but cash buyers to pay for new ones. As a Cash buyer, they are strongly encouraging me to pay again, even though an insurance policy at a fraction of the price would cover all eventualities.

I do get tired of people who continually say 'What if...?"

Whatever!

Reality

As it appears to be common knowledge now, I thought I'd offer this post of confirmation.  The photo says it all. We are almost homeless!  Thankfully, we are about to have a Kirsty & Phil experience, courtesy of Chris & Juli, so perhaps all is not lost.

No, we aren't cutting and running off permanently to France just yet, although a decent break is certainly on the cards. We expect to still visit mum and family on a regular basis...it's just a longer journey.

The house took just over a week to sell, and hopefully it will all be tied up very soon, as the buyer's survey seems to have not thrown up any problems.

Everything is going like a dream at the moment and we keep expecting something to go wrong.

There are a million and one jobs to take care of which, thankfully, takes our minds off the sale. Since Christmas the whole house has been decorated and two lofts emptied. De-cluttering gives us a great feeling of accomplishment.

On a more pessimistic note...it hasn't escaped my attention that as I celebrate my 61st birthday, the government have moved the goalposts yet again and I won't receive my bus pass until 6th January next year. I swear they are following me.

Update...
We had a great time in Sunderland although it was a shock to have so much snow in such a short time. We looked at lots of properties in different areas and narrowed them down to two, one of which we made an offer that was accepted yesterday.

It'll likely be a few years before we live in it, but at least it's ours and will be producing an income in the meantime.

Our thanks go to Chris and Juli...they did fantastic research and were brilliant on the day. We had a lovely time even though by the time we arrived home (after 10pm) we were absolutely beat.

Inching forward

It's actually happening. The house sale is progressing nicely and pretty soon we'll be on our way. In the meantime I'm here in the gallery painting in the window. We've moved from the shop next door and everything has been a bit hectic.Thankfully, everything is more organised now and the internet is available again.

Gone But Not Forgotten...

No, she's not gone gone...just gone. My mother in law has been at Hatzfeld House for a week now, yet I still find myself instinctively wanting to make breakfast for her. She is coping more than we are by all accounts. I know it isn't cool to say so, but I'm quite looking forward to visiting her tonight.

Lord Help Us

After working and paying into the system all our lives, this is what one of our privileged peers has to contribute. My blood temperature rises and is in danger of erupting. Lord, help us...because this one won't.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20044862

Missing You

I miss having a rant about life and, if I'm honest, keeping a journal. It's also very difficult to keep in touch with fellow bloggers from this site if I'm never here.

I'm thinking of returning to write once a week to maintain a record of my life away from painting.

I've been doing odd jobs around the place that I know will put a smile on Bev's face.  Nothing drastic...just clearing stuff that was destined for a car boot into the loft, wiring a light switch, a little plasterboarding, and making the spare room accessible. Yes, the spare room which is always the first space to be abused.

Oops, I've just remembered I should phone Martin to say we can't make it tonight to the party.