Friday Five!

I'm not talking to you anymore. 

But I'm 4'11" in heels!  51kgs is a lot for a person of my stature.

KF, sending non impetigo vibes little ones way!

JF, Mexican platter? I’ll be over soon 

My five:

1. I’ve kicked my ass this week with workouts and dropped 1.8 lbs and almost 7 inches overall. I feel great and don’t know what is in the water here that I actually like exercise. Help

2. Our trip to Merica isn’t for 3 weeks but I’m already planning and making lists of things to take and what to bring back. Ranch dressing mix is the top of the list just now lol.

3. I have a job interview Wednesday. The only  reason I got it is because of my MIL. I’m not sure if I’ll take it or not if it’s offered. Just going to see what happens.

4. During our trip, I can get my hair done properly! I booked with my stylist/good friend. She’s more excited than I am

5. LEGO Batman is on amazon prime today  (not a proper “five” but I ran out of stuff lol)

I'm loving the idea of the ballroom dancing - especially the visual! hahaha Hope you have so much fun though! And fingers crossed the baby doesn't get sick AGAIN!


This week has flown by (arguably too quickly!)

1. Work has been mental....Stressing today as there just haven't been enough hours in the day the past few weeks and I feel I've been travelling all over the south to different offices (exaggeration as it's only back and forth between 3 different sites). Had 2 miss to social gatherings this past week because of it which irritates me and it's just pushing me to apply for new jobs because I feel overworked, underpaid, and exhausted!

2. We've got 6 houses to view on Saturday. Fingers crossed at least one of those feels right. We aren't going to buy something that's anything less than right for us and good value for money.  Just waiting for an update from our financial guy on final mortgage figures as we have rough idea but nothing more firm yet.

3. Going to treat myself to a nice sandwich across the road just now but happy that it's pizza friday as well. WOOO.

4. Got dates for plastering and counter-top fittings for the new kitchen! Fingers crossed that by this time next week, we'll be fully using the new kitchen! (or, at least, just about to be using it).

5. I don't have a number 5, I just need a nap.

I'm loving the idea of the ballroom dancing - especially the visual! hahaha Hope you have so much fun though! And fingers crossed the baby doesn't get sick AGAIN!


This week has flown by (arguably too quickly!)

1. Work has been mental....Stressing today as there just haven't been enough hours in the day the past few weeks and I feel I've been travelling all over the south to different offices (exaggeration as it's only back and forth between 3 different sites). Had 2 miss to social gatherings this past week because of it which irritates me and it's just pushing me to apply for new jobs because I feel overworked, underpaid, and exhausted!

2. We've got 6 houses to view on Saturday. Fingers crossed at least one of those feels right. We aren't going to buy something that's anything less than right for us and good value for money.  Just waiting for an update from our financial guy on final mortgage figures as we have rough idea but nothing more firm yet.

3. Going to treat myself to a nice sandwich across the road just now but happy that it's pizza friday as well. WOOO.

4. Got dates for plastering and counter-top fittings for the new kitchen! Fingers crossed that by this time next week, we'll be fully using the new kitchen! (or, at least, just about to be using it).

5. I don't have a number 5, I just need a nap.

Ooo, did those people offer on your place??!??

Ooo, did those people offer on your place??!??

yes! easiest sale we've had I think! LOL Got the offer and accepted it on Monday

yes! easiest sale we've had I think! LOL Got the offer and accepted it on Monday

Wowweeeee!!!!  Well done.  Happy, I take it?  And you know I need to nose around at the ones you are looking at.  Send me the ones you like the best.    Try to keep in mind expat meetups while shopping.  We need to replace Carli's house! 

Wowweeeee!!!!  Well done.  Happy, I take it?  And you know I need to nose around at the ones you are looking at.  Send me the ones you like the best.    Try to keep in mind expat meetups while shopping.  We need to replace Carli's house! 

haha Happier than we could've been in fairness. They are cash buyers (as they advised they won't require a mortgage) and have sold to first time buyers who currently "live at home" so the "chain" really moves as fast or as slow as we make it (and they are all happy to wait if it takes longer). Also, I think they're retired so that combined with the fact they won't need a mortgage makes us feel more comfortable that the uncertainty of Brexit won't really screw them up with in the same way it might with other buyers (not potential job loss or crazy interest rates with mortgages). It was a one-off offer on the lower end of what we wanted but we didn't bother to push back.

What I'm miffed about is the estate agent fee of 1.25% (they won't go any lower) to barely do anything for us! We showed more people around for the same amount of time (if not longer) than they did!

I can 100% not even come close to providing the amazingness that was Carli's house hahaha but I will try. When I've viewed them and know which ones are best, I will show you! :p

I can 100% not even come close to providing the amazingness that was Carli's house hahaha but I will try. When I've viewed them and know which ones are best, I will show you! :p

I'm still bummed that no one came up with a couple of mill to buy it.  LOL. 

What I'm miffed about is the estate agent fee of 1.25% (they won't go any lower) to barely do anything for us! We showed more people around for the same amount of time (if not longer) than they did!

I complain to my husband about estate agents and what they do (don't do!) for their fee here, he's surprised by how much they do in the US.  US real estate agents do the work of the estate agent and solicitor combined, basically.  Of course, they do go through a lot of training and license exams and stuff.  But I really do not understand the point of the estate agent in the UK, since the ones I've seen really don't do anything at all.

It'd be like if Vanna White couldn't even be bothered to turn letters around... oh, wait.

I can 100% not even come close to providing the amazingness that was Carli's house hahaha but I will try. When I've viewed them and know which ones are best, I will show you! :p

I'm still bummed that no one came up with a couple of mill to buy it.  LOL. 

Wait, what?  Where did she live?

I'm still bummed that no one came up with a couple of mill to buy it.  LOL.

Just that cool, casual couple of mill....hahahah I loved her house but not the landlord so not sure I could've bought it even if I had the money just on principle alone!

I complain to my husband about estate agents and what they do (don't do!) for their fee here, he's surprised by how much they do in the US.  US real estate agents do the work of the estate agent and solicitor combined, basically.  Of course, they do go through a lot of training and license exams and stuff.  But I really do not understand the point of the estate agent in the UK, since the ones I've seen really don't do anything at all.

In fairness, they did do more than the regular estate agents do........for the buyer......who aren't paying their fee. They didn't do much for us (the seller) at present but have offered something stupidly small like a generous £280 off of our purchase fee if we buy through them (so they need to find us a house first so very well may work this hard for us too LOL).

Wait, what?  Where did she live?

Finchampstead

Who's Carli?

Who's Carli?

She wasn't on this forum (I don't believe - but correct me if I'm wrong KF). She was just a local expat in our expat group for Berkshire and we used to have all the best gatherings around her house haha

She wasn't on this forum (I don't believe - but correct me if I'm wrong KF). She was just a local expat in our expat group for Berkshire and we used to have all the best gatherings around her house haha

oh gotya!
i actually googled it before i asked you, in case she was like a celebrity or something, but nothing really came up!

Friday Five:

1) It was raining off and on all day (surprise, huh?). We went out for tea anyway this morning. Lost a glove on the way home, but a gent found it and chased after us for a block to make sure I got it back. (I do like Weegies, have I mentioned?)

2) I had ordered a replacement cookbook from the USA off of Amazon to replace one of the Daughter's that the fishtank leaked on some time ago (unknown to us) and that had fungused/molded badly. It arrived today, a week early. It had been advertised as used, but "like new". The Daughter is a collector, as am I. This book is nowhere near "like new". It would be classified as "good", but not quite "very good" due to damage to the cover of the book. It's too much hassle to try to send it back to the States, so we'll keep it, but dayam, I do wish people would not be quite so deceptive on Amazon marketplace. https://www.abebooks.com/books/rarebooks/collecting-guide/understanding-rare-books/guide-book-conditions.shtml

3) We found some "Mexican" drinking chocolate on sale at Roots-and-Fruits" this morning.  (Leftover from the Holidays, judging from the tin.) It's a long stretch from authentic, but it's quite nice. The Daughter just made me a cup and I'm enjoying it.

4) The Daughter is smarter than I am.  I was really sweating how to not lose our investment in time in the UK if there's a hard Brexit and she went to Ireland to do her PhD. Duh.  She said we could move to Northern Ireland and she would take the train down a couple of times a week, as needed. She has a friend who is going to be in school there, and is thinking some sort of pay-for-couch-surfing could be arranged.  (I really don't want to move to NI, though. I like my flat and I like my neighborhood, and I really like it in Glasgow.) Not sure if Ireland would consider living in NI as living in Eire for citizenship/naturalization... probably not.

5) I found two-litre, square, clip-top Kilner jars on Amazon.co.uk for six for £27. They also arrived today, a week early. Perfect for putting pasta, rice, lentils, etc., in on the shelf. Am going to Ikea next week to purchase some shelving and these will go across one shelf. The cookbooks will go on the other shelves (well away from water).  I am a happy camper to have these jars.