Sanders Blog

10th April, 2016

The start of a new week and we haven’t been in our new house fourteen days yet. Even so, we have achieved a lot. Today, in warm sunshine, I gave our newly turfed lawn a light hair cut with my new, cordless lawnmower. The GTECH Falcon is a wonderful machine – simple and intuitive which suits me just fine. It has a three hour charge which will do 40 mins mowing. I managed to do front and back lawns in just over half an hour. The grass was rich and luxuriant from high quality turf. I just lightly trimmed it because cutting too low – scalping – encouraged bare patches and subsequent weeds. I haven’t done any lawn mowing for nearly six years and I really enjoyed it today. As we intend to travel quite a lot as soon as we are established here, I don’t intend to do anything with the garden apart from maintain the grass. I may have to get a gardener when we go travelling.

Sunday, of course, is papers day along with the Andrew Marr political morning slot and The Sunday Politics mid morning. Twitter is alive with political geeks like me welcoming politics back into our lives after the Easter parliamentary recess. Now I have Sky Sports back, I am also watching the Leicester game followed by United’s match.

11th April, 2016

The table was finally delivered today. We might be able to eat from it tomorrow. Sky callec and replaced my 2 TB box because it wasn’t functioning properly. We went out to buy a re-chargeable strimmer to finish off the garden. We continued to unpack boxes from the garage. Tomorrow, the carpenter will be round to put up the extra kitchen unit and do other jobs. We are almost ready to resume normal life.

Woking Borough Council were environmental stazi. Arun Council, by comparison, are pussycats. Our landfill bins are collected every week. Our recycle (What is that?) bins are collected every other week along with our Garden Waste bins. We don’t do food waste! Don’t bother about it, the lady at the Council said. We don’t take it seriously and you don’t need to. That’s the sort of philosophy we like. That’s what we’ll vote for.

12th April, 2016

It’s been an absolutely delightful day. Sunny and warm throughout the day, we have sat outside for most of it. We always set ourselves targets for the day. Mine was to tidy the garage. As it is still littered with huge plastic boxes loaded with books and dozens of framed pictures leaning against the walls, this was no mean feat. Now it is decidedly passable. Next weekend, we will be able to garage our car and assume normal life. We drove out to the shops to collect accoutrements for our bathrooms. A joiner called to say he would do a series of jobs on Thursday – adjusting our new, reclaimed wood dining table, putting up an extra kitchen cabinet and a shelf under the television in the kitchen for a Sky Box.

Jason, the carpenter, will return to install all our bathroom additions – mirrored cabinets in all three bathrooms, toilet roll holders and towel rings plus a couple of extra mirrors. Rather him than me drilling and screwing through the tiles. Pauline wants an extra light put above the shower in the Family Bathroom so that will be done. The additional bedroom furniture is about a month away and then we should be finished. What will we do to occupy ourselves?

13th April, 2016

Another gorgeous day of warm sun and blue skies. We registered 18C/65F which is not earth shattering but will do at the moment while we are busy. In Yorkshire, where the cricket season gets under way this week, they are forecasting heavy rain and sleet or snow at the weekend. We received deliveries this morning. First, at 7.30 am, a sun umbrella for our outdoor eating furniture arrived. I went out to unpack and install the umbrella into a heavy, patio base. After 20 mins, Pauline came out and if I was struggling. She knew I was. She took the pole parts from me and, before I could draw breath, I heard them click together in her tiny hands. We both broke down in hysterical laughter. Bloody typical!

At 10.30 am, a box containing ten ceiling light shades arrived and Pauline put them up. I held the ladder. I did put some coat hooks up on the back of six doors but then had to sit down in a fit of nervous exhaustion. After I had recovered, we went down to Bathstore and spent another £1000.00/€1260.00 on cabinets and wall furniture. The manager was a delightful Greek-Cypriot from Lanarca called Panos. He was very pleasant, helpful and gave us 15% discount which is the best part. We came home and ate roast salmon with roast vegetables outside in the sunshine. Life could be a lot worse.

14th April, 2016

Up early for a long and busy day. Aft tea and fresh orange juice (which Pauline is able to do for me now we are settled in our own home), I produced a list of snagging jobs for the carpenter – they were all to do with adjusting doors/door handles – all the important things of life. We had talked to the builder about extra lights in the Family Bathroom ceiling over the shower which is currently a bit dark. Within two days, he had sent an electrician down to see us and he came this afternoon to say that he will install one on Friday. The electrician was followed by the chief carpenter who was coming to do ‘foreigners’ for us.

First, our new table, bought from Oldham but made in Lithuania, needed its legs attaching to the top. I took a brief stab at it and immediately realised that I needed an expert. The expert arrived, sorted the table out in under 10 mins., put an additional kitchen cabinet on the wall complete with cornice and pelmet, put a shelf on the wall to hold the Sky Box for the kitchen television and agreed to come back next week to do some more work and left for his journey home.

15th April, 2016

We got up this morning to torrential rain. We had breakfast sitting at a Dining Table for the first time since we moved in. We are pleased with our purchases:

  

and life appears to be returning to civilisation. Homemade soup followed by tarragon chicken with roasted vegetables was our celebratory meal on our new table.

With so many purchases being purchased, delivered and unwrapped in the past couple of weeks, including the table and chairs, we have accumulated enough cardboard to paper the globe ( slight exaggeration) and we have already made two trips to the local refuse tip to rid ourselves of it. Today we made our third trip and the house breathed a sigh of relief. The workers at the Arun Council Refuse Site are delightful, friendly and helpful. As soon as we got out of our car, they rushed over to help carry and dispose of our rubbish.

All of this is in stark contrast to the Woking Council site where we were treated suspiciously from arrival and every item of waste scrutinized minutely and categorised within an inch of its life. Bin collections were fortnightly at best. Here in Arun Council area, general waste bins (Black) are collected every week and Recycle (Blue – Don’t bother separating it. We’ll do that for you.) are collected fortnightly. What delightful people. Mind you, we do have to pay for the service. Today we received our Council Tax Banding F for the house which levy £2387.00/ €3005.00 per year for local services. The Greeks should consider themselves lucky to be let off so lightly!

16th April, 2016

We have spent the day quietly at home reading and writing. Pauline made a lovely meal of home made soup, poached tarragon salmon and Greek salad. This afternoon I ‘ve watched Norwich lose 3-0 to Sunderland and I am hoping to see Chelsea find some pride and go on to beat Man. City.

After all the bluster and bravado, the Greek newspapers are speaking about the decline in tourism last year and negative trend in bookings for this year. This is backed up by a decline by 20% in car rental bookings for this Easter. Ironically, these figures come at the very moment the new and expensively EU-financed new Peloponnese highway connecting Corinth, Tripoli and Kalamata is about to be opened. At least this won’t be used by the thousands of illegal migrants camped in the country. Pauline and I will be keen to drive it this Summer. Kalamata is on our wish list.

 3rd April, 2016

A long day began at 6.00 am. We were expecting television installation men from 8.00 am onwards. They arrived at 9.00 am, took one look at the walls, another at the wall mounts I had been sold and said, ‘No!’ After they had left, we made a trip to the local Currys, returned the wall mounts and received more appropriate replacements. A return visit for the fitters is booked for tomorrow although I’m not over optimistic. They don’t like fixing them to plaster board. One, large screen television was set up temporarily in the lounge and I was able to watch Sky Sport for the first time in six months. It was good to see Leicester hold on for another win and Man. Utd. scrape one as well.

Tomorrow the bedroom furniture surveyor will be with us – all day according to him. When Pauline enquired, he said he would need two hours per bedroom. Eight hours does seem a little excessive but we will see. We are really finding this process rather draining at the moment. At least Pauline’s new condenser tumble dryer arrived from Currys this morning and fitted in perfectly.

4th April, 2016

We woke at 6.00 am and felt we had to get going because today will be very busy. By , we were up and about and ready for the onslaught of the day. That’s what it feels like at the moment.

The bedroom designer arrived at 10.00 am as promised. He patiently and methodically went round the four bedrooms with us talking, suggesting and making measurements and notes. After each room, he would return to the kitchen where he had set up his draughtsman’s drawing board on our garden table and draw up immaculate plans for the furniture manufacture and the installer. We were warned that he would be with us for eight hours – two hours per room – but he managed it in five. The bill will come to about £11,000.00/€14,000.00 which is around the price we were expecting. I had already managed to negotiate a price reduction of almost £1000.00/€1300. The furniture will be manufactured in Oldham, of all places, and shipped down to us in about a month. It will take about five days to install.

The television install didn’t go as well. Still got the wrong wall mounts – on the advice of the experts. Exchanged them again at Currys and rebooked fitting for Friday.

5th April, 2016

I approached this prescient week with happiness and trepidation. Last Sunday was the seven years anniversary of our retirement. Neither of us can really believe it but we are increasingly realising that we will never go back to work. Tomorrow, I am 65 and officially become an Old Aged Pensioner although that term is no longer used in polite society. On Friday, it will be two years since we last set off to drive to Greece. How those past experiences will inform our future actions, I have no real idea but they will. It is up to us to build on them and make them meaningful.

Yesterday, my broadband connection was upgraded to superfast, fibre optic by BT. At 8.00 am, I was receiving 8Mbs download speed and 1MBs upload. By evening I was getting 42Mbs download / 14Mbs upload. This is quite a remarkable increase. I am delighted with it.  BT seems to get a bad press currently. I have nothing but praise for them. They have managed the process for me immaculately.

Today, our dining table and chairs will be delivered and the garden furniture can go where it belongs – out in the garden…………….Wrong. The six chairs arrived but the table was not on the lorry. We phoned and there was a mix up on the collection. The table will not arrive for a few days. The garden table which had gone outside has been brought back in. The thing about being ‘older’ is that one learns to accept disappointment and to be patient. Where is that TABLE?

6th April, 2016

Well, I made it. 65 today. Officially an OAP. What a pity Dad didn’t get this far.

Happy Birthday to me.
Happy Birthday to me.
Happy Birthday Old Bugger.
Happy Birthday to me.

Did the 10 minute drive to Littlehampton Pier Road and bought Dressed Crabs and Turbot. Crab for Lunch and Turbot for Dinner. It’s good this 65 thing.

7th April, 2016

Got up early and went out to B&Q in Worthing. Needed a white shelf board and some coat hooks. Don’t ask. We’ve got a little man coming round in the next day or two and need to be ready for him. Came home just after mid day and realised we were starving. Pauline had made tomato & basil soup which was wonderful.

I unpacked the lawnmower and began to charge up the battery. The heavens immediately opened and rain poured down intermittently for the rest of the day. At least the lawnmower will be ready for the first available slot. The delivery company contacted us to say the dining table would be delivered on Monday morning which is good. The new lawn turf is growing strong with rich, green vigour. It needs a light trip to keep that growth in check.

8th April, 2016

One of the things about our house move – Did you know we’ve moved house? – is that we have relied on so many people providing so many services. Although we realise there is a commercial imperative, the interface has been wonderful and life-informing. This morning, two gas fitters came round to install our televisions. They worked for Currys Knowhow team and had been despatched to mount our televisions onto the walls of the kitchen and the office. They did the work with such friendly aplomb that it was a joy. While they were here, the snagging officer appeared to ask about any problems we might have with our new property. One or two doors needed adjusting and we have some extras we need installing but nothing major at all. Over all, we are delighted with our new home.

The dining table will be delivered on Monday. Sky will send an engineer round to look at our installation the same day. On Tuesday, a carpenter will call to put up extra kitchen cabinets and do other small woodwork tasks. On Thursday, we will have our doors adjusted and there will be little else to do.

9th April, 2016

Lovely morning. The first without any commitments since we moved in ten days ago. Actually, we were receiving a delivery from B&Q but that came by 9.30 am so we were free for the rest of the day. We did some food shopping and then went in to Currys to buy a memory stick. We chose the wrong time. Their computer systems had crashed and they were struggling to get them back up. Nothing can be done under these conditions. They wouldn’t accept hard cash because the database wouldn’t be updated and they couldn’t print an invoice. The world cannot function without digital technology now. A few years ago, Pauline was about to pay £200.00/€250.00 for a suit in Ermou Street in Athens when a thunderstorm hit the power supply and everything went down. We had to go back the next day to buy it.

We are hoping to get out to the David Lloyd Leisure Centre tomorrow with a view to restarting our exercise programme early next week. We have a three days of deliveries and workman calling but we think that we can fit our exercise around them. We are beginning to lower stress levels and relax in our new house. The Leisure Centre is huge compared to ours in Surrey and we are looking forward to ‘off-peak’ membership which will give us real freedom. The price is about the same. It will cost us about £120.00/€150.00 per month as a couple which is fantastic value because we go at least five times each week. That’s 40 adult entreancs per month or £3.00/€3.72 per use. You’d have to go a long way to get better value than that.

`27th March, 2016

We have two days to finish our personal pack, Spring Clean our hosts’ house before they return and then drive down to Sussex to start our new life on Tuesday. We know so little about our new area so we are excited to explore. Just down the road and within walking distance is this scene:

Beachcombing may well become my new occupation. Here, everything is ‘lasts’. Last trip to the Health Club tomorrow. Last trip to Tesco tomorrow. Last sleep in Surrey tomorrow. Not that we’re sentimental.

28th March, 2016

Happy 62nd birthday to my sister, Jane.

Pauline & I blithely slept through what was purported to be a wild night. We slept well and woke early and refreshed although we did find the dustbin on its side when we got up. Today is our last in Surrey. We will sleep in our new bed in Sussex on Tuesday. It is 10.30am and, while the workers enjoy a morning in bed, Pauline is cleaning and I am packing the car. We have to be in Sussex by mid day tomorrow to receive a delivery. We’ve already decided that we can’t make the Health Club today so it is finished.

Did some final shopping and, because we were passing, couldn’t resist going to say goodbye to our former home in Maybury. As we drove away down East Hill, we found it blocked by a fallen tree caused by last night’s winds. Let’s hope our new house still has a roof!

29th March, 2016

Well, what a day. We were up at 6.00 am and cleaning the house. After a cup of tea, I packed the car while Pauline made our hosts’ house look respectable again. We drove down to Tesco to pick up a ‘last’ prescription (the useless chemist there didn’t disappoint having kept us waiting for three days, he still didn’t have a full order.), fill up with petrol for the last time and drive off into the sunset.

We arrived at around 11.00 am because there was a problem on the road and we were sitting in a jam for half an hour. Only at 4.00 pm did we realise we hadn’t eaten. We broke the rule of a lifetime – well the last three years – and drove down into the village to buy fish, chips and mushy peas. The sell mushy peas even down here! Our dining table and chairs don’t arrive until next week but our garden furniture has. That’s what we put in the kitchen to eat our meal. This is one of the amusements of moving house.

 

Our televisions haven’t arrived and Sky has not yet been installed so we were reduced to watching television on the internet using my laptop. We have to keep telling ourselves that things will get better and they will. I haven’t needed a lawnmower for five years. I need one now and I’ve ordered a cordless one from Gtech. It has a detachable power pack which provides 40 mins of mowing. Who could mow for that long?

I pick it up from Halfords in Rustington on Thursday and, with the weather set fair for the next week, I’ll soon be doing 35 mins of mowing. I’m just starting the final week of my 64th year and life is good.

30th March, 2016

A long day today. It has been sunny and 12C/54F but there was a real chill in the wind. We continued to unpack boxes. A hall ‘console table was delivered this morning and then I went out to collect my new coffeemaker and a new monitor for my new computer. No body told me that new computers don’t use VGA monitor leads and sockets. It’s all HDMI now.

This is the problem with selling everything, you have to buy it new again later. Tomorrow, the new lawnmower will be delivered. We’ve got a man coming to measure up for additional wardrobes, drawpacks and dressing tables and an additional kitchen unit is being delivered.

31st March, 2016

A long, tiring but enjoyable day. Got up at 7.00 am as usual and, while drinking tea, read the instructions in fifteen languages for setting up and using my new bean-to-cup coffee machine. Having had one before, it was easier than I thought. The first fantastic coffee for six months tasted wonderful. By 10.00 am, the bedroom furniture designer had arrived and was measuring up. We have wardrobes in the Master bedroom but want a run of draws and kneehole dressing table plus drawers either side of the bed. The other three bedrooms need wardrobes and bedside drawers plus dressing tables all built in.

The designer was from a company called Betta Living. We were astonished to find that they were from Oldham where we worked for 40 years. Pauline spoke to the company in Oldham this morning only to find that the woman who answered said her mother was taught by us. That doesn’t inspire confidence. I have a recurring nightmare in which I wake during brain surgery and the surgeon tells me to relax and not worry as I realise he is one of my ex-pupils!

While the bedroom designer was with us and drawing up his plans, the Blind Man came to measure up for the kitchen blinds. No sooner had he left but the lawn mower was delivered. and all day long, the sun beat into the kitchen through the conservatory doors. It felt so hot although it didn’t actually get above 14C/57F. Our back garden is South-facing and very sheltered.

All the time this was going on, I was trying to set my new, desktop computer up. Mainly, this involves installing Ms Office, Adobe Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Flash and Adobe Acrobat Professional plus the drivers for a mono laser, a colour laser, a label printer and a flatbed scanner. This takes quite a long time and I was doing it while the designer was discussing plans with Pauline but I was constantly being asked for my opinion. The designer quoted a price of £12,000/€15250. After negotiating a discount, we were so exhausted, we accepted and the furniture will be built over the next month and fitted within five weeks.

1st April, 2016

Happy April to you all. I must apologise that the white rabbit came late. We are so wrapped up in establishing ourselves in our new house and our new area that All Fools’ Day completely passed me by. Silly old fool!

A gloriously sunny day with blue, cloudless skies and no breeze. We went out early to the Post Office, to the fish shop on Littlehampton Pier Road and to Tesco nearby to buy in for the weekend. As you can see, Pauline’s shopping was monitored by the seagulls. The area is proving delightful although the traffic is still quite busy.

After driving home, we set out to look for light shades. We haven’t got any yet. We couldn’t decide in spite of the fact that there are hundreds to choose from. Moving house is proving very tiring.

2nd April, 2016

For the second time in a week, the Sky Installation Man cometh. AND NOT BEFORE TIME!!!!!! I’ve been surviving on internet television for FIVE DAYS!!!!! He came a week ago and told me he couldn’t possibly go in the loft – it was against Elth & Safety. Today he returned and scrambled across the loft like a mountain goat. Sky boxes plus a satellite dish installed. The Sky Man left and left me happy. Unfortunately, all the new televisions don’t arrive until tomorrow morning. Currys will deliver and install in the morning – just in time for the Man. Utd. match in the afternoon. Can life get any better?

20th March, 2016

The start of our last full week in Surrey. Next week we move to Sussex. Lots of people have contacted us to wish us well in our new venture and I am in the process of contacting everyone I know and some I don’t with our new address and phone number. It will take me some time because the next few days will see us shuttling constantly between locations.

We have about three or four more Health Club visits before we join the David Lloyd in Worthing. Pauline is just informing our Doctor of our imminent move and getting our last ‘Repeat Prescription’. We have quite a few ‘lasts’ coming up over the next few days. I must admit, I don’t feel sentimental about it like I did on leaving Yorkshire after more than 30 years of moorland and dry stone walls. I am actively looking forward to the move, embracing change and going forward.

The car is loaded up and we are off early to Sussex tomorrow to await delivery of our new Lounge furniture. We are going to test out our new kitchen and showers in the bathrooms. I am going to build my temporary desk and use my new internet connection.

21st March, 2016

Up at 6.00 and out by 7.00 am. The morning started cold and grey but, by the time we reached our Sussex house – just after 8.00 am – the sun was breaking through. We spent an hour or so unpacking crockery and cutlery and putting into newly cleaned kitchen cupboards. My bean-to-cup coffee maker came out at last but I didn’t have any beans so we had to survive on instant – again.

By 11.00 am, the sofa company were phoning us for details of our address because our post code is not featuring on sat navs yet. The soon arrived with two 3-seater settees, an armchair and a footstool. They unpacked it all, put in to the Lounge and gave us some aftercare advice along with a pack of ‘problem solving’ potions – for cleaning various stains off. As soon as they had gone, I was able to watch the Daily Politics on my iPad followed by the disastrous Budget debate from Parliament. I also called a television installation firm to come and advise and quote me for work in seven rooms.

We were back in Surrey by 3.00 pm and eating Crab Salad and Tuna Pâté with Greek Salad. Then I packed the car ready for a repeat trip tomorrow.

22nd March, 2016

Up at 6.00 and out by 7.00 am again this morning. We are back down to the new house in Sussex. Today we are receiving the new beds – Bensons for Beds are delivering in the morning. The removal firm will be bringing the contents of our storage pod in the afternoon. It is a beautiful, sunny day. The road down is quiet and strewn with dead badgers, dead rabbits, dead pheasants – in fact Sussex is strewn with road kill.

When we arrive, sun is streaming through the windows of the Kitchen/Breakfast Room. I snatched some photos on my iPad. The first two made quite nice compositions taken from the corridor through the kitchen door.

 

The bed company arrived right on time, unloaded, hauled three, huge beds upstairs and assembled them. The left, taking all the packaging with them even though our new Recycling Bin (what are they for?) was delivered this morning. The fourth bedroom will become the Ironing/Sewing Room without a bed.

In the afternoon, Aspen Movers brought the contents of our storage pod and put it all into the garage for me to move at my ‘leisure’. We chose the right company quite out of the blue. The service was excellent and only cost £420.00.

23rd March, 2016

Another lovely day and we were out early again but to the Surgery for a repeat prescription then shopping for a snack to take to the new house and petrol which has just gone up to £1.01 per litre at Tesco. All this driving means I’m getting through a lot of it at the moment. Anyway, we set off for Sussex at 9.00 am and the drive was good but a little busier.

The Dining table hasn’t arrived yet so we have ordered garden furniture which may arrive first. Al fresco dining may be what happens for a few days.

Pauline is just about to order an extra wall cabinet for the front left above the coffee maker and the wine cooler. Symphony Kitchens supply them at the cost of £730.00 for a double wall cabinet. Are they gold lined? Anyway, it’s what Pauline wants so it is ordered. I also ordered Sky Multi-Room with Sky Sports in three rooms and BT Sports in three rooms so that must have been the trade off.

In the afternoon, the Blind Man arrived to fit blinds in every window apart from the kitchen. It took him two hours and we didn’t get away until 7.00 pm as it was beginning to get quite dark. Our first drive back to Surrey at that time of night was made more interesting as the country roads leading to the M25 have absolutely no street lighting. Now I realise why I see so much roadkill in the mornings. Just before we left the new house, an envelope was pushed through the letter box. It was from our neighbours across the road welcoming us and introducing themselves. That was nice.

24th March, 2016

A grey start to the day which deteriorated into rain – fine turning heavy. We are surprised it is only Thursday. It has felt a long week and we are tired from the stress of trying to get things right. The Sky installers will come to the Sussex house on Saturday and the patio furniture will be delivered. Today, we have been out to buy the televisions, a condenser tumble dryer and a replacement desktop computer from Currys. The computer will be delivered on Tuesday and the rest five days later. After months of relaxation, arranging all this has been exhausting.

It is extremely tricky making qualitative choice ‘off-plan’ and co-ordinating them. We have been relieved to find kitchen units work with work surface and floor tiles. I particularly like the stair carpet which also runs along the upstairs gallery landing.

This is the view from the Lounge looking across the corridor running from front door to the kitchen. It just feels a bit ‘funky’ for an older couple.

This afternoon, we drove to a leather restorer’s premises in Chobham taking the detachable arm of a leather swivel chair belonging to P&C. We didn’t damage it but its condition has got worse on our watch so we though we would have its condition restored while they are away. Fascinating, multi-process old works staffed by very young people. We wait to hear if it can be done.

25th March, 2016

A  gloriously warm and sunny day reaching 15C/59F. It is really our last quiet day before we move. We went out to buy sea food – prawns, crab and smoked salmon for our meal tomorrow plus a leg of lamb for Sunday. Since returning, we have been trying to find a suitable sideboard and coffee table for the lounge. We want to avoid too traditional – go mildly modern and have been struggling. Today, we think we might consider these:

The light wood is contrasted with polished, dark concrete. You can’t get much more ‘modern’ than that.

This afternoon we’ve been changing our address on numerous websites – banks, credit cards, supermarkets, etc.. Tried to change our driving licences and the car tax, etc.. Usually do this on the Government Gateway. We store the details digitally in the cloud but use them so rarely that it is always a fag to find and retrieve them. We must have re-registered half a dozen times since it started. This time, in spite of logging in correctly, we couldn’t update our details because their database couldn’t find our new build’s post code. Not surprised because the Post Office struggled until recently. The DVLA are closed today (ridiculous!) so we will revert to phoning in a few days.

26th March, 2016

We had a really early start this morning. Up at 6.00 am and driving down to Sussex by 7.00 am. The Sky installers were due to arrive between 8.00 am – 11.00 am. We were there on time. The Sky man didn’t arrive until 10.00 am. After doing most of his work, he found that the distribution centre in the loft was not completely connected to sockets in the rooms. I have to get the builders to deal with that before the work can be completed.

Had to drive back to Surrey to watch a famous and well deserved victory against the Germans. It was well worth the drive to see really high quality goals from England.

13th March, 2016

Lovely sunny day and reasonably warm – reaching 14C/57F. I have to say that it didn’t start well as I discovered that my PC had been infected with a Trojan Zlob virus. My virus checker recognised it but which is annoying. failed to clear it and, I got into an infernal loop of restart / close down which I couldn’t recover from. It means I need a new hard drive at (isn’t it always) just the most awkward time. I haven’t lost anything because all my ‘stuff’ is saved in the cloud but my software all has to be put back on to a new machine which is tiresome and it will cost me £500.00/ €650.00. Never mind. Life is too short. Anyway, all my early PCs cost me around £3000.00/€3890.00 per unit so this is decidedly cheap by comparison. For the moment, I am surviving with my laptop.

14th March, 2016

Up early on a grey morning that is expected to develop into bright and sunny skies. We are driving down to the Tunnel for a short break in France before we move in to our new house. It will take our mind off the waiting. We cross around 10.00 am and do some shopping before checking in to our hotel. I’m not bothering to take my laptop with me so the rest of this Blog will be completed when we get back to Surrey.

The sky brightened; the sun came out and this beautiful weather lasted for two days. The Channel Shuttle was very quiet and almost empty. We left early and arrived early and drove straight to the Calais Wine Store. We were buying wine for P&C who have put us up for six months. It is to say thank you in part. After that, we bought things for our meal and drove to our hotel to relax for the rest of the day.

As soon as we were settled in our suite, we received a call from the MD of our builders to confirm ‘completion’ on Friday and another from our Blinds fitter to confirm his day for installing the window blinds. Immediately afterwards, we had a call and emails from our solicitor to confirm the settlement and details for closure. This is great news.

15th March, 2016

Up early although we didn’t need to be. Old habits die hard! Breakfast in the Dining Room and then out to Auchan. Because we are near to moving, we couldn’t do a major shop. In fact, we just bough enough for a couple of meals. A couple of dozen snails in garlic butter looked irresistible and lots of prawns and crab meat.

We drove to the Tunnel with not a single migrant in sight although there were lots of new, barbed wire fences. We didn’t see any lorries either although, when we rolled off in Folkestone, the motorway was extremely busy with freight from Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, Holland, Germany and, of course, France. Nobody can argue that these companies will cease to trade in UK if we vote to leave the E.U..

Of course, the economic argument should not be the decider of EU membership. It should be about cultural and humanitarian collaboration first and foremost.

16th March, 2016

Gorgeous Spring day of blue skies and strong sun although chilly in the breeze. We only reached 11C/52F and it felt a little cooler than that. It was a busy day of arrangements. At 8.00 am, we were at the Storage Pod meeting a Removals Firm boss. He looked at what we’ve got – which is negligible – and agreed an excellent price of £350.00 to transport it down to West Sussex next week. We gave him a key and the door entry codes. He will do the rest.

We came back to draft a letter for our storage provider, cancelling our contract from next week. We delivered it and saved ourselves £200.00 for another month’s storage. We went on to the bank to transfer hundreds of thousands of pounds (scary or what?) to our solicitor’s account for ‘completion’ of our property purchase. This was at 9.30 am but we had to wait until 12.30 pm before we received confirmation of its receipt. Anyway, it’s done and, although we are much poorer, we are very happy.

We went to the pool for a swim but the water was so cold that we had a Jacuzzi, shower and came home. I cooked tarragon boned chicken thighs with some roast root vegetables, shallots and mushrooms. It was delicious and we ate too much.

17th March, 2016

On a cold day with a biting breeze we ventured out at 7.45 am to meet a Removals Man at the Storage Pod. He viewed our goods for removal and transporting to Sussex and quoted us a very acceptable price. We agreed it on the spot. It will happen next Tuesday.

Tomorrow, we will drive down to the house to meet the site manager to be walked round the house and inducted into the operation of central heating, burglar alarm, etc. Afterwards, legal ‘Completion’ will take place and we will get our key and take walk-in possession of the property. Over the next week, our new furniture will be delivered and the window blinds fitted. In order for this to happen, we will drive down almost daily to meet the deliveries. We will move in immediately after Easter.

With all these changes buzzing round our heads and through our systems and making us both feel rather unsettled and less inclined to go for exercise. We are still going to the Health Club but rather going through the motions. We look forward to being settled and getting back into our diet and exercise regime. To that end, we will immediately join the David Lloyd Leisure Club in Worthing and shopping at the fish shop on Littlehampton docks which sells freshly caught fish from local boats daily.

18th March, 2016

Out at 7.30 am and down to West Sussex. It was a cold morning and the atmosphere was bitingly penetrative – rather like a cold day on Sifnos. We approached our new home at about 9.00 am. As we did, our solicitor phoned Pauline’s mobile to inform us that our funds had been transferred and our property purchase had been ‘completed’.

We met the Site Manager who walked us through the technology of the house – services gas, electricity and water, central heating, burglar alarm, etc. We received about eight sets of keys and a welcome hamper containing wine, a jar of coffee plus two mugs, biscuits and a fruit cake. It felt a bit bizarre but nice all the same. We unloaded the things we had brought from the Storage Pod – the broadband router was first of all. I had a phone to plug in as well. A temporary desk to get me through until the Office is fitted out and the ‘Richard’ chair which represents my link with my family’s past.

We had three keys for every lock and, with eight locks, had twenty four keys to juggle, try out and label. Our central heating has zoned controls which allows us to control temperatures upstairs independently of downstairs and water separately from radiator heating. The whole process was explained in about five minutes and we struggled to absorb the process. Left alone in the house later, we struggled to get to grips with it. We will try again next week  having read. The Lounge furniture will be delivered on Monday, Beds on Tuesday plus everything in storage and window blinds will be fitted on Wednesday. The Dining table and chairs will follow after Easter.

Only as we drove back to Sussex did I realise that I hadn’t taken a single photo for my Blog. I will have lots of time to do that next week.

19th March, 2016

Today we picked up a new set of cordless, digital phones to take down to the house on Monday. Getting the services up and running really makes us feel better. This set include answerphone, call monitoring and call barring to get rid of nuisance and cold calls.

Interesting report in The Times today. It involves Oldham in Lancashire where we worked for almost 40 years and Woking in Surrey where we have lived for the past five years. The report was from the ONS (Office for National Statistics) and its examination of relative deprivation. It found that Oldham is the most deprived across the metrics of employment, health, education and income. It found that Woking came top across the same metrics. We have obviously experienced the lows and highs of life.

6th March, 2016

Mothers’ Day. Forget it! Pauline & I haven’t got one.

We’ve had a pleasant day reading the Sunday papers. We had a session at an empty Health Club and came home to a steaming bowl of Revithia – or chick pea soup. Pauline made it this morning. This will tide us over until we go out to eat this evening at the local Trattoria – That’s Amore. …… Lovely meal. Pauline & I both had a starter of Kalamari with Tartar Sauce followed by a main course of steamed sea bass with steamed vegetables. A nice bottle of chilled Trebbiano helped it all along.

We drove home and downloaded Call the Midwife so I could have a good cry and Pauline a good laugh.

 

7th March, 2016

Well in to Spring already. Today is beautifully sunny with blue sky and fluffy, white clouds. Daffodils are still flowering. The birds are beginning to believe it’s Spring as their pace of life quickens. Camellias have been in flower for a few weeks now and magnolias are just about to burst into their full glory. We are looking forward to seeing Spring in Sussex.

We are pushing hard to get a completion/’move-in’ date and so are many of our suppliers. We will have the blinds fitted on Friday and hope the completion date will be no longer than a week later. Pauline is ordering her new kettle in readiness.

8th March, 2016

Turkey 10 – Greece 0 is the score from the EU leaders’ meetings last weekend.

Greece has been given a task which means harbouring all their migrants as borders close or returning them to Turkey. How they could possibly do the latter, it is impossible to know. They are hardly going to volunteer to go back to Turkey. Turkey gets billions of euros and a planned process for sending ‘legitimate’ migrants to Europe. The Greeks get their historical enemies being offered visa-free access to Europe and accelerated access to the European Union membership process. Just to add to Greece’s joys, Wolfgang Schaeuble has pledged to oppose debt relief for Greece as he vies to replace Merkel.

9th March, 2016

Received a phone call yesterday from someone who had just been informed of my death – and it wasn’t the Poison Dwarf. Apparently, Facebook was alive with ex-teacher colleagues and ex-pupils of mine fuelling the myth. It may have been wishful thinking but, like Mark Twain, reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.

We were promised torrential rain last night and again this morning. Neither has materialised. I’ll have to pay to have the car washed instead. My main computer was hit by a blackmailing virus yesterday. Many people will recognise a message which popped up to tell me a virus which was disabling my computer could only be removed if I rang this phone number and paid for someone else to clean it out. It’s a well know scam which I wasn’t falling for. I’ve no idea where I picked it up from. I ran my Norton Security which it had obviously got through already but it had no effect. I downloaded an old favourite – Adaware – to see if that would work but nothing doing. As a last resort, late into last night, I chose a ‘restore point’ from a week ago and, ‘Bingo’, with one bound I was free. I’ve had to do a bit of tinkering round the edges but it’s all back up and working.

10th March, 2016

This has been a good news day. Today we learnt that our new house build has been signed off by the Managing Director of our building firm. He phoned us personally to inform us. It has allowed us to proceed with delivery dates for a lot of our new furniture. We will not need to do anything until the end of next week so we have booked a few days in France on the spur of the moment. We will go through the Tunnel on Monday morning.

Things were fairly hectic today so we missed our exercise regime. We did go to Curry’s to collect a new kettle and toaster and tomorrow we will go to the Storage Pod to end our contract after hiring the Furniture Removers next door to move our ‘stuff’ in about ten days. It all feels good – as if someone has fired the starting pistol and set off a long-awaited chain reaction.

11th March, 2016

An absolutely delightful day in so many ways. I am writing this Blog entry at just before 5.00 pm. The atmosphere outside is like an early summer evening – windless, warm and sunny. The atmosphere inside could be described as very happy because the Chief Executive of our building firm telephoned to say that we will ‘complete’ and can move in from next Friday. We have had to go into overdrive with arrangements. We have:

 

• Gone to The Storage Pod to cancel our contract.
• Selected a removal firm to empty our pod and transfer the goods to our Sussex home.
• Contacted our insurance company to arrange house and contents insurance.
• Arranged for the beds to be delivered.
• Arranged for the Dining Table and chairs to be delivered.
• Arranged for the Lounge furniture to be delivered.
• Opened a bottle of wine and breathed out.

The workers celebrate the weekend and we just celebrate life. We are celebrating it especially because Pauline asked our current insurance company – LV – for a quote for building & contents insurance. They quoted £650.00. She then did an internet search and came up with a rather better terms insurance policy for £232.00. Guess which one we went for!

12th March, 2016

The morning opened misty and cold but developed into a beautiful and mild Spring day. We were out early to contact the removal firm and check out our storage pod. We are meeting our potential remover there on Wednesday to get an estimate for our pod being emptied in about ten days.

We are having our Study/Home Office fitted out professionally but will need temporary arrangements until then. We have two filing cabinets in store but I have had to purchase a cheap computer desk to tide me over until that can be done. I picked one up from Argos and took it to the pod. It only cost me £40.00 and I’ll give it to the Hospice Shop when my office is fully fitted.

We did an hour or so at the Health Club and then came home to Greek Salad and fishcakes. The latter were Crab & Prawn and Cod, Haddock & Salmon. They made a real change and were delicious.

28th February, 2016

The penultimate day of this leap year month and fairly chilly it is. Some sun but a brisk breeze brings the temperature down to a maximum of 7C/45F.

The morning’s political programmes, Marr Show and The Sunday Politics, have illustrated the bitter infighting in the Tory party over Europe. After Call Me Dave‘s petulant performance in the Commons on Wednesday, The Quiet Man savaged him (not so quietly) in an interview with Andrew Marr. The sharp thrust of his argument was:

How could Dave belittle UK in suggesting it can’t operate alone? Why would he want to manage such a trivial country?

I’m an avowed European and I would be very sorry to see us sail away from the Continent but I’m really going to enjoy watching Tories smack lumps out of each other. I think that the balance must still be in favour of ‘Stay’ but more migrant trouble over the next few months and the sort of newspaper blitz that did for Milliboots could easily tilt it to ‘Out’.

29th February, 2016

The last day of Winter – according to the calendar if not the weather. According to the Met. Office, it has been the warmest winter on record. We have learnt that there is going to be a short hiatus before we move in to our property which is causing us some grief. The builders forgot to install some additional electrical sockets in the kitchen which we had requested and then painted and clad the walls in a wrap around glass splash-back. They then sent us a photo expecting us to coo over their handiwork. Instead, we pointed out the error and they responded by saying it would delay us in putting it right. If a job is worth doing…..etc..

The knock on effect of the hiatus is that furniture which was ordered some time ago is ready for delivery. In fact, companies are champing at the bit. We are having to hold them off. In addition, today was supposed to be our final one at the Health Club. Today, we asked to extend our membership for an extra month. BT are still attending the house tomorrow to connect the phone line and deliver the broadband router which should mean that, whenever we get in, we will quickly be on-line. For me, there is little more important than access to the web. I’m just about to purchase a load of web-ready, smart televisions so the sooner we are connected the better.

1st March, 2016

Happy March. Our white rabbit is listening, optimistically, to the arrival of the Spring.

We are driving down to the south coast and have a hotel room booked so we can meet a BT engineer early tomorrow to have our landline connected and our broadband installed. It is nice to be feeling optimistic about our new home – still looking forward.

Looking backwards, the National Bank of Greece – Εθνική Τράπεζα της Ελλάδος – announced yesterday that it expected:

the local home and commercial property markets to continue their price slide in 2016.The adverse economic environment, the capital controls and the unstable tax status of the sector continue to hamper the property markets’ recovery.

As the clouds of teargas float around the Greek-Macedonian border, Greece becomes increasingly disconnected from Europe. Ironically, as a reluctant Greece becomes more isolated, the latest British polling by YOUGOV has shown huge swathes of the UK want to sever ties with Brussels.

2nd March, 2016

Up at 6.00 am. Breakfast at 7.00 am and waiting for a call from the BT Engineer. The time slot was 8.00 am – 1.00 pm. No call. We checked out of our hotel at 11.00 am and drove down to the house. We parked up and read our newspapers.  The call came …. at 12.58 pm. He was on his way. He told us that our cabinet had been superfast fibre optic enabled which is good news. Five minutes later, he had arrived, connected the line and left. We drove back to Surrey. Back in Surrey by 2.00 pm, we phoned our new Home phone line. It rang sweetly but unanswered. At least we have it.

Going away out of our comfort and custom zones makes food control difficult at the best of times and with, the stress of being out of our own home anyway, it is doubly difficult. We both feel we have overeaten recently. Today we ate meat!!! I have to confess that we looked at each other over a plate of spare ribs and agreed that it felt rather ‘gross’. We will be back to fish tomorrow. Fish and salad will be de rigeur for some time to come along with some fierce Health Club sessions. We need to be able to fit through our new door when we finally get the key to our new home in the next couple of weeks.

3rd March, 2016

Up early to test my INR. This could be the last in Woking. It turned out to be at the bottom end of acceptable at INR = 2.0 and my email to the hospital was soon replied to with a next test in three weeks. Please let me be a Sussex resident by then!

The Greeks are revolting ………… about changes to their retirement pensions. What would they do if they were in England? Here, retirement ages of 75 or even 81 are already being discussed. The Office for Budget Responsibility, the financial watchdog, has forecast that the pension age will have to rise to 69 by the late 2040s before increasing again to 70 by the early 2060s. Future rises will be linked to life expectancy but Royal London, the pensions provider, has just published research suggesting that today’s workers will need to retire as late as 81 to enjoy the same standard of living enjoyed by their parents. The findings raise the prospect of some people having to “work until they drop” to sustain their current lifestyles.

Official statistics suggest average life expectancy is at its highest ever in England. A new report by Public Health England finds that

• men can now expect to live for a further 19 years at age 65, 12 years at 75, 6 years at 85 and 3 years at 95
• women can expect to live for a further 21 years at age 65, 13 years at 75, 7 years at 85, and 3 years at 95

As we both hit 65 in the next few months, I can expect to live until I am 84 and Pauline can expect to live until she is 86. I suspect I may go sooner and Pauline go later than that but I have always been pessimistic.

4th March, 2016

A beautiful and sunny Spring day. We went out early to a fitted bedroom showroom in Farnborough. Ironically, the company, BetaLiving,  was founded and is still based in Oldham. We met a saleswoman who had never been to Oldham but who now lives near where we are going to live in West Sussex. These ironies in life are delightful. So were the bedroom products on display. In the next couple of weeks we will invite someone to come round a measure up all four bedrooms for fitted furniture and, possibly, to supply fitted furniture to the Study/Office downstairs.

Drove back – and how the sunshine transforms the experience – to watch news of our previous stomping grounds in the North being blighted by heavy snow. Television reports were beamed from a very white Ainley Top bridge over the M62 which always seems to be used by local television crews. More schools were closed in Oldham and across Lancashire than West Yorkshire and there were plenty of incidents on the M62 including one that required a medical helicopter’s assistance. If I am ever sentimental for our former lives in Yorkshire and Lancashire, days like today teach me to keep it in the past.

5th March, 2016

Saturday Rant – Got to get it off my chest!

Most of my adult life, I have opposed, in principle, the institutionalised and formal Charity Sector often known as the Third Sector. Third Sector refers to:

• Voluntary sector, the economic sector consisting of non-governmental organizations and other non-profit organizations.
• Public–private partnership, a company jointly owned by government and private interests.

I believe that elected governments  cannot abnegate their responsibilities to their electorate by handing over whole swathes of care for its citizens to the unelected and patchy protection of the charitable sector. How can anyone believe a government is doing its job if it leaves matters like poverty, hunger and homelessness to organisations that rely on the voluntary contributions of the population? Charities tend to target symptoms, not causes. The causes are the responsibility of government to address but they prefer to hide behind the process of charities addressing the symptoms.

In the case of the rise of Food Banks as a result of an increase in poverty, Tories even felt it necessary to criticise the charitable sector for drawing attention to the poverty. It is suggested that Food Banks make even the poor more feckless and less likely to get a job. Treat them mean and keep them keen appeared to be the underlying message. I do not subscribe to that view either. However, I am vehemently opposed to letting the government off the hook. The effort put into charity might be better devoted to pressuring governments to bring about needed change. Governments might be more likely to focus on dealing with poverty if they weren’t being helped by charities.

The relationship between charity and the tax system can do real harm. Tax incentives for charitable giving can worsen social inequalities, by reducing the revenue that the state has available for social projects. It is open to massive abuse at all levels in society. What on earth can be the justification for subsidising Britain’s public schools to the tune of £700m a year? We might as well subsidise five-star hotels. They’re both the preserve of a small, privileged elite, the difference being that five-star hotels don’t shore up a centuries-old system of institutionalised inequality. At the other end of the pile, Charities accused of supporting jihad in Syria and other forms of terrorism have been paid millions of pounds by British taxpayers. Groups under investigation for allegedly aiding Syrian militants have used the Gift Aid system to claim large sums from the public purse.

Equally, I strongly disapprove of the methodology built in to the formal charities structure. I hate their fund raising methods. British people feel  ‘bombarded’ by charity fundraising appeals although most ignore most of the charity fundraising letters and emails they receive, a recent A ComRes survey found. Of the money they do get in, too much fails to reach its stated target. National charities have become third age job prospects. If poor people, heavily cajoled into ‘giving’ part of their meagre incomes, really knew how much the managers of these ‘charities’ creamed off, (Last year 32 charity bosses were paid over £200,000.) they might think twice about donating.

21st February, 2016

After breakfast, we stayed to watch the political interviews on the Marr Show and then set off back to Surrey. It was almost as delightful drive back as it was coming up on Friday. We were fairly tired after the weekend and, after Pauline had cooked a wonderful meal of tarragon roast salmon and Greek salad, we set about arranging a trip to Sussex tomorrow. The site manager responded by sending a photo of the wrap around glass back splash which was installed over the weekend.

22nd February, 2016

Set off at 9.00 am in fine rain for West Sussex. We spoke to the site office about missing sockets in the kitchen. We were told, that could be rectified but would set our ‘completion date’ back. We would prefer that it was completed but it is more important that everything is right rather than it is early. We left with that hanging in the balance but a phone call en route to Sussex confirmed that it would be rectified.

We drove on to view the fitted wardrobes we had agreed on. When we viewed them in the showroom, we were both shocked to agree that they looked too old fashioned and we had to think again. We also ascertained that our choice of tumble dryer was too big for our space in the Laundry. We have to think again.

We weren’t able to view the house because the wood floor was being laid but we will go down again in the next few days to monitor events.

23rd February, 2016

A busy day which started with an early trip to Tesco followed by a trip to the Health Club. First exercise for a few days because we have been away. It felt great. Not only was the feeling of exercise enjoyable but the post-activity feelings were gratifying and ones of increased self worth.

Just when I needed it most, my smartphone developed a problem. I can send text messages but not ‘easily’ receive them. I have to close my phone right down and then start it up again – a really time consuming process – in order to kick start text messages to come in. I’ve already talked to people in the EE shop but it looks like I will need a new sim card. It will mean a return trip tomorrow. I was doing some on-line banking and needed an urgent text confirmation. I can’t count how many times I’ve had to power my phone right down and back on again before it was successful. Still, when one’s retired, time is available in abundance. Today, we even took Phyllis to the Eye Clinic.

24th February, 2016

Returned to EE shop in Woking this morning – a cold, sharp, bright morning – to seek more help with my smartphone. After some fairly poor advice, it was concluded that I would have to perform a full factory reset which erases all my data. Great.

I did the dirty deed, established that my text messaging service was working again and then was delighted to find all my contacts were available to me. I still have to reinstall all the apps but it has prompted me to keep my smartphone cleaner and less cluttered my apps I rarely use. It has taken up a lot of my day particularly because Pauline and I maintain an on-line calendar which we access from our PCs, iPads and smartphones and, when one goes down it, it takes me hours to remember how to resync them. I’ve got more on-line accounts and subsequent passwords which I hold in my head. The one positive I take from a process like this is that I’m definitely not showing signs of Alzheimer’s at the moment. All done now and just in time for our meal.

I find cooking a really relaxing activity. Today, I prepared large, Field Mushrooms flavoured with garlic and tarragon oil and topped with parmesan cheese. We ate them with Greek Salad and some steamed vegetables.

I was really enjoying the whole process of cooking and eating until Pauline pointed out that I was in danger of becoming VEGETARIAN. Jane BG will be laughing all the way to the butcher. I am going to rescue myself tomorrow with some grilled fish or, maybe, a rack of spare ribs or a chunk of pork belly. I’m full just thinking about it.

25th February, 2016

As we retired, -seven years ago now – we pledged to each other to maintain our discipline. Wake up early, get up early, set goals for the day, month and year and really attempt to achieve them. As a consequence, the radio comes on at 5.55 am and we listen to Tweet of the Day on BBC Radio 4 followed by the News and the Today programme. Tweet of the Day features the call of a single bird species each morning presented by an enthusiast. On Tuesday it was the Carrion Crow and, yesterday, feature the Pied Wagtail. Today looked rather difficult on paper but the Mute Swan isn’t completely silent.

Soon after 7.00 am, we are up and drinking tea. Mum always said she couldn’t face the day without three cups of tea in the morning. One is enough for me. We then agree a timetable for the day with jobs to do. We discuss and decide what our meal will be. We have largely established that a couple of hours at the Health Club is the main core replacement for full time employment. We download our newspapers and read them and emails while drinking coffee. Then jobs begin. Today, I had to create an accurate, scaled plan of the ground floor of the house. I did it using Excel Spreadsheet. The purpose was to ensure furniture fits comfortably. In the meantime, Pauline negotiated dates and events with the Building Site Staff.

Lovely session in the Gym (while watching The Daily Politics) and the Pool before returning to cook roast salmon and vegetables. After that, I retire to my computer to read Blogs and write my own whereas Pauline did more strenuous jobs – washing up and washing and drying clothes. She is, of course, younger than me. Is that a valid excuse. Of course not.

26th February, 2016

I have been struck down by Man-‘Flu. I am dying. Even so, we went out at 9.00 am. Pauline drove to Sainsbury’s while I sat in the passenger seat sniffing. I’m a nightmare when I’m ill. Fortunately, I rarely am.

We drove on to Asda because my iPad app had alerted me to a good deal. I use a mouthwash which normally costs £4.50 per bottle. Asda had it on offer at £2.00 per bottle. I cleaned the shelf out. The 20 bottles saved me £50.00 on normal prices. One bottle lasts me two weeks so my purchase will last me forty weeks. I have never bought it at full price. My supermarket app alerts me when it’s reduced and I swoop. I am alright for mouthwash until December. Rest assured, Readers!

We are preparing to go down to Sussex on Tuesday/Wednesday next week to meet BT who are fitting our phone line and broadband. Because they have asked for a 8.00 am – 3.00 pm slot, we have decided to book into a hotel on the Tuesday to be up and out early on the Wednesday.

27th February, 2016

Confined to barracks by my (probably) fatal head cold, I am catching up with my reading. Particularly, I have been trawling the Eλληνικές Εφημερίδες (Greek newspapers). They don’t make happy reading – if you are Greek. This is how one of the Leading Articles opens:

It may be an exaggeration but I’ll use this phrase nonetheless just for the sake of economy of words: Yesterday, the streets of Greece were filled with refugees, migrants and farmers. The first two groups had no other choice but to be there, while the latter claim to have had no other choice. The great big camp that Greece has become today, with scenes of either complete desperation or “uncompromising militancy,” is overwhelming.

and concludes with this:

The Greek Government are trying to make inter-island ferry companies stop bringing the migrants to Athens but keep them on the islands. For some days now we have been living with news of the myriad problems of thousands of refugees trying to reach Northern Europe, while at the same time listening to bulletins regarding what road the farmers have blocked and where they will be heading next. This country is like the waiting room on a railway platform where the trains have stopped coming… They have bypassed it, taking alternative routes.

You can imagine how islanders feel about that as they anticipate losing tourists. Many islands have more transitory migrants than permanent inhabitants. They have every right to be concerned as these pictures from Lesbos harbour and a Kos street as tourists cycle through migrant groups.

This morning’s The Times reports:

About 20,000 destitute people, mainly Middle East refugees, remain stranded in Athens as Greece grapples with a burgeoning crisis that could lead to the country losing its Schengen status. As other European states close or tighten their borders, the situation in Athens worsens….Parts of the Greek capital resemble a refugee camp. Not only are pockets of Athens turning into cesspools, with migrants receiving no help and or advice, but criminals are seeping through trying to exploit their misery.

Is there any wonder as Europe turns its back on Greece and, almost de facto, rips up the Schengen agreement?

14th February, 2016

A cold, bright day. We have given the Health Club a miss and relaxed with the newspapers and the rugby. We have a busy week ahead. Tomorrow, we are driving down to the new house to meet the flooring suppliers and the Hilary’s Blinds fitters. We are beginning to champ at the bit.

15th February, 2016

Up at 7.00 am and out at 8.00 am. We drove in strong sun under blue skies on to a refreshingly quiet M25. The car’s gauge showed an outside temperature of 4C/39F. We were at our new village in under an hour. The flooring contractors were laying the carpets when we arrived at the house. We have wooden board flooring down the hallway, in to the Study and into the Cloakroom and Storeroom. This leads on to tiles on the Kitchen/Family Room and in to the Utility Room. Just as the Floorers were about to collect material for the wood floor, the suppliers informed them that it had been ‘discontinued’. We had gone early to make a replacement choice. An example of our house style is illustrated here from a development about 15 miles away. They have used wood throughout the ground floors. Our interior design will be much more minimalist with tiling like this:

The front garden had been lawned and planted up with its path laid. It was too cold for me to take a photo today. The back garden has patio paving laid and the fence erected but the turf has not gone down yet. They have three weeks to complete and then we move in.

16th February, 2016

Up at 6.00 am and out by 7.00 am. Clear, sharp sky presaging a wonderfully sunny day. Very cold first thing at -4C/25F with slushy ice on the car which is currently parked outside. In less than an hour down the M25 – M26 – M20 we arrived at the Euro Tunnel.

Before we knew it, we were driving off in France. From inside the car, it looked like mid-Summer. Outside the temperature was all Winter. For the first time in quite a few years we saw not a single, illegal migrant. We saw lots of these:

but little sign of the hordes that have figured in our last few trips. We are told that they are looking to move on to Dunkirk and Zeebrugge and evidence today suggests that could be so.

We went straight to the Calais Wine SuperStore. where we spent about £500.00/€650.00 on wine and saved about the same on UK prices largely because of the lower tax regime. We went on to Auchan in Coquelles, bought some food and a bit more wine and moved on to Cite Europe for a mooch before returning to the Tunnel and our trip home. Lovely drive back to Surrey and then Fruits de Mer and salad for our meal. It is so delightful and fresh tasting. I love it!

We have a mad dash up the M1 on Friday to check out some furniture in Greater Manchester. Next week, we are considering booking into a hotel in West Sussex to tie up some loose ends prior to moving in to our new house, something which looks like happening in the week beginning March 6th.

17th February, 2016

A cold day which felt colder because of the overcast sky. We were out early so Pauline could go to the dentist for a filling. On to Tesco for essential supplies and then have the car cleaned – £10.00/€13.00.

We decided that we had enough to do without going to the Health Club so went straight back home. En route, Pauline booked a haircut for tomorrow. Posted a birthday card to Bob as he is 64 on  Friday. This afternoon, I’ve got to check progress with the BT installation of our phone line and broadband installation. I’ve got to check with Sky about television provision and with our solicitor about ‘completion’ arrangements.

18th February, 2016

A warmer day with sun. We were out at mid day for Pauline’s haircut at Macco . It only took an hour. I sat and read my digital newspaper while I waited for her. It was a good cut for a fraction of the price she normally pays at Sassoons.

We then went straight on to the Health Club. We’ve only got about ten more possible visits now and I will be sorry to leave it although I’m looking forward to the David Lloyd Leisure Centre. My INR is back under control thanks to the help of the Anticoagulation Team at St Peters Hospital. They are absolutely brilliant. I only have one more call-in before we leave. I only hope the Worthing Hospital is half as good.

19th February, 2016

Happy 64th birthday to my little brother, Bob. Here are two photos taken 50 years apart. The first is of Bob & his wife, Jane, as he is currently. The second is of Bob modelling his new Levis in 1966/67. He’s barely aged…..really!

These two months when we are they same age always cheer me up.

At 7.00 am, we set off in burgeoning sunrise for The North! We drove up to Yorkshire on a near deserted M25 and M1. Actually, we drove straight on to Failsworth in Greater Manchester and to Housing Units Furniture outlet. We were going to view a dining table and chairs which we had admired on-line. This is a photo from the showroom taken on my mobile.

As soon as we saw it in the showroom, we knew it was right for us. We managed to reduce the price of the 6 foot table and six chairs by £800.00 with interest-free credit and free delivery to Sussex which made us feel good. In total, it cost us £2000.00 and should last us a lifetime – or at least 40 years. It will arrive in West Sussex in the next couple of weeks. We drove to our hotel feeling smugly pleased with ourselves.

20th February, 2016

This is a weekend for us to relax and prepare for our new house. We’ve decided not to visit anyone this time. We will just shop and relax. Today, in wetting fine rain and after a huge, full English Breakfast, we ventured out in search of … a new tumble dryer. These are the life and death objectives I have to meet. Pauline has very exacting requirements. I searched Curry’s and met her demands in full. The Hoover, condenser tumble dryer looks as if it will fit the bill – as long as it fits in the kitchen.

We will be driving down to Sussex on Monday and we’ll arrange for the delivery of our purchases. BT have confirmed a date in just over a week for the connection of our phone line and setup of our broadband. Settees and arm chair suppliers along with bed suppliers are all champing at the bit to off load their wares and we are just as keen for them to deliver. The blind man has fixed a date for installation and the fitted bedroom furniture will be measured up for in the next week. We think they will come from Chichester. I’ve still got to invite Home Office installers to supply ideas and estimates. I’ve also got to choose television sets and a company to mount them on the walls and set them up for me. It is all largely in hand now.

7th February, 2016

We left Tenerife South Airport at 20.20 last night and arrived at Gatwick after a faultless flight at 00.30 this morning. We took the shuttle bus to the Gatwick Holiday Inn and sleeping soundly by 3.00 am. Up at 7.00 am to watch highlights of the Saturday football and then down for breakfast.

By 11.00 am, we were off to the Long Stay Carpark to pick up our car which had been standing there for a month. The car park is vast and looks like this from the sky:

It was almost cheaper – £120.00 – to park there for a month than to take a taxi each way. And it’s so much more convenient to be under one’s own steam and we drove back to Surrey in 35 minutes. The sky was blue, the sun was shining and the daffodils were blooming everywhere.

8th February, 2016

Woke up at 6.00 am after a night of heavy wind, torrential rain and sporadic thunder and lightning. After morning tea, we really hit the ground running. A month of inactivity has left us so relaxed that we welcomed a change of gear. I spent an hour going through a month’s post yesterday afternoon. Our bowel cancer test results were back and we had the all-clear.

I am less than two months away from receiving my State Pension and I had expected some paperwork about it. There was nothing when we got back so I tried to contact them through the government website to find information. As so often with Direct Gov, I was reduced to having to phone them. When I did, the response was wonderful. I spoke to three different people all of whom were delightfully sympathetic and supportive. I was told exactly what day my pension of £500.00 per four week period would be paid. It’s not a lot but not to be sneezed at.

We contacted our builders to have it confirmed that we are about four weeks away from moving in to our new house. We can now tell Bensons when to deliver the beds, Sofology when to deliver the sofas and make an appointment to have the windows measured up for blinds. Hilary’s Blinds will be meeting us at the house next Monday. On Tuesday, we will go to France for a shopping trip taking advantage of a cheap, return fare of £23.00 for car and occupants. Tell that to the Greeks! We are nipping up to Housing Units in Failsworth next week to check out the dining table and chairs prior to placing an order. I think we’ll be longing for a return to Tenerife by the end of next week. It’s going to be a few weeks until we see warmth again.

One of the most noticeable things this morning was how light it was at 6.30 am compared to the darkness at the same time a month ago as we were going abroad. Even though we are really feeling the cold today, there are some signs of the Spring coming. Bring it on – soon!

9th February, 2016

Bright, sunny but chilly day reaching only 8C/46F. We are really feeling the cold after a month of warmth abroad.

We have reacquainted ourselves with our Health Club and done a couple of hours of exercise. We only have three weeks left there. We will join the David Lloyd health Club in Worthing as soon as we move in March. It is about three times the size of our Nuffield Health Club in Woking and not much more expensive. I think our joint membership will be about £120.00 per month. The amount we will use it will make that extremely economical.

The combination of the pressure on global stocks and oil prices with the continued uncertainty over the negotiations between Athens and its creditors led to a bank stocks meltdown on the Greek bourse on Monday, with the benchmark slumping to levels unseen in more than 26 years. It has continued to slide a further 3% today.

It’s not alone. Share prices have been under pressure all round the world. The Chinese stock market has seen enormous losses and the London Stock Exchange has also lost ground. The Barclays shares I sold at £2.62 a few months ago are now worth £1.55. I would like to claim advanced intelligence but I didn’t really sell them for the financial gain.

10th February, 2016

A cold day of lots of small jobs some of which contribute towards our impending move. We have confirmed appointments in Sussex on Monday. While we are there, we can measure up for the dining table and chairs before we order them. We’ve started to arrange our finances for ‘completion’ day. I’ve decided how to deal with the digital distribution throughout the house via a panel in the loft. We got into ‘preparation mode’ and decided to skip the Health Club. I cooked roast vegetables and roast tarragon salmon for our meal. I have to admit, it was delicious and fairly healthy.

11th February, 2016

Woke up to a really sharp frost this morning – the first of the Winter. The compensation was clear, blue sky and strong, low sun. Happy Birthday to brother-in-law, Kevan, today. Kevan is the one on the right of the photograph. He looks good for 84 doesn’t he? That’s all down to Bolton air and clean living! Let’s hope he has a nice day.

We’ve done an exercise hour, confirmed the ending of our Health Club contract on the last day of February, confirmed meetings with our flooring supplier and Blinds supplier for next week and booked a day in France on Tuesday. We have also arranged a dash up to Failsworth, Greater Manchester at the end of next week to check out a dining table and chairs. BT phoned this morning but I was in the gym so I don’t know if it was good or bad news. I definitely can’t manage without internet at the start of our new residence.

12th February, 2016

A bright, sunny day has turned rather grey and damp.

We are returning to our former home this morning. Our purchaser bought all our furniture and appliances including a tumble dryer on which a safety alert has gone out. The paperwork came to us so we have to deliver it ourselves today. The last thing we want is a fire or a death on our consciences. Apparently, the company send an engineer round to make a modification which prevents a build up of fluff potentially catching fire. Until then, owners are advised not to use it unattended.

Off to the Health Club for 12.00 pm and The Daily Politics and then home for chicken and salad for our meal. We have only ten days left to use our facility and need to make the most of it. Then it is on to David Lloyd and the next life experience. We anticipate that it’s going to be fun! Certainly, it will be an interesting, new departure.

12th February, 2016

A day which the Scots would describe as dreek. Very cold and not getting much above 4C/39F with strong, fine rain. Not an inviting day to go out and celebrate the weekend. Of course, we retirees are made of stronger stuff and we drove to the Health Club for an hour or so of brisk exercise.

Pauline cooked a wonderful meal of Cod Provençal which left us feeling distinctly contented. I gazed at the post with a warm feeling especially because it contained a letter from the Department for Work & Pensions which confirmed when I would receive the first instalment of my State Pension. I’ve been looking forward to that for years!