Peter's Hospital Diary

Oh dear, I hadn’t realised just how quickly time has passed and just how long it has been since I last wrote here! And this post is partly prompted by an e-mail from my Honorary Aunt, Eileen, in New Zealand! (Note to self – must come out there for a visit!)

I have had a very busy few weeks since moving into my new house. Apart from the logistical effort of moving in, and sorting out all the administration from that, I was also under a tight deadline to complete my dissertation for mid February. I did meet that deadline, although I don’t know if the quality or quantity is good enough to get a pass mark – house moves, divorce and dissertations do not sit well together

However I am pleased with my house, it might be small, but it feels comfortable, and I am looking forward to seeing what comes up in the garden in the spring.
On the personal front the divorce proceedings are… well, proceeding, but it is clear that far from enjoying retirement, I will have to find work as I am likely to lose a significant part of my income, investments and savings.

Healthwise all seems to be OK, although my eyes seem to be very dry, and the cataract problems are continuing. Fortunately not stopping me from driving, but something that will need to be fixed sooner rather than later.

On the plus side, I have had a few days away in Switzerland for a much needed break, and I am looking forward to a diving expedition down to Cornwall for a few days in April.

Meanwhile I have posted a couple of photos of my new house, taken before and just after the move.

So, a few setbacks and a few hurdles still to overcome, but I have beaten worse than this, so… Onwards and Upwards!

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Happy New Year to all my reader(s!)

It has been over a month since I last posted, and a very busy month it has been too!

I left the last post frantically sorting out stuff and packing boxes, while trying to arrange the completion and move into my new home. At one point I was told through my solicitor that the seller was quite happy to wait until the new year. That position soon changed!

Matters were not helped by BT doing something to my ‘phone line six days before the move which removed my internet access, so all I had was e-mail through my mobile ‘phone. I also had problems booking the removal firm, but they came on Monday afternoon and took the bulk of my things, and completed the move out on Tuesday morning. I finally left the house at 2pm, absolutely exhausted, and I was very grateful to many friends who helped with the move out, and particularly to Mark who took me back to his home and fed me while I recovered.

My moving in date was set for the 21st, so I was grateful to David and Frances who put up with me for a week! It was a good week, time to catch up on sleep, do a bit of shopping and gather my strength for the move in.

My parents came down to help me move in. Unloading the removal lorry (and trailer!) took about 3 hours, and just as they left, leaving a mound of boxes, a delivery van with some domestic apliances (cooker, washing machine, dishwasher) turned up, so we had to find space through for them to be dropped off in the kitchen. Fortunately all the plumbing and electrical connections were in place, so it didn’t take long to get them working, after doing the essentials like putting beds back together!. I think we got to bed at 2am that morning!

I spent a couple more days sorting things out before going to my sister’s home for Christmas; a lovely time thank you!

I came back to continue sorting stuff out ready for visitors, and after exploring the attic, some of my things have gone up there – with more help lifting and shifting! Although there is still a garage full of stuff to be sorted, the house is liveable in, and feels very homely. The week gap proved expensive as it essentially meant two moves, from old house to store, and then from store to new house, (with storage costs) but that couldn’t really be helped under the circumstances.

There were some frustrations! The seller hadn’t told BT that they were moving, so the earliest they would provide a line was 28th December, which also meant that there would be no internet until then. This was intensley frustrating as I had a working line when I moved in, but then lost all service (except for a dial tone!!) until eventually a lovely lady at BT pulled out all the stops and managed to get the service working on the 23rd. I didn’t get broadband until the 28th though.

New year was quiet, and spent with a friend (who helped with lots of the sorting out!) and I am now settling in, meeting neighbours, getting the house straight, and looking to finish my dissertation!

So in the finest traditions of the blog… Onwards and Upwards!

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No, not with a hangover, just at the prospect that is all that is left to do! Moving out date is next week, but I am still busy sorting out the stuff accumulated over 20 years. Lots of emotion there too, having extended and modified the house into what we wanted, there are more emotional ties to what is really ‘just bricks and mortar’.

And apart from the physical aspects if moving, there is the administration side too, notifying changes of address being just one if them, as well as monitoring the progress of my prospective purchase.

However, there is a bit if me that is excited at a new start. I have fought cancer and I can overcome this setback in my life.

This will probably be the last post until after the move, I haven’t mentioned my recent trip to Istanbul (!)but once installed in my new home, I’ll add some photos and an update!

Onwards and upwards!

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Things move on! Just after writing my last post, I had pretty much decided that I was going to rent a house for six months, and even got as far as paying the (non-returnable) administration fee to a letting agency to take up a tenancy. However, I still wasn’t sold on the idea, and two days later I had an e-mail from an estate agency with details of two houses. I went to look at them, decided one was suitable, and after a bit of negotiation agreed a price.

It is possibly the smallest house I will have ever lived in, but it has three bedrooms, one I can use as a study, a garage and en-suite bathroom.. Sadly no conservatory, which I will miss. But the runninmg costs will be lower, and I will only need a very small loan to purchase it, and so it will do for two or three years while I re-assess things and decide what to do next.

Meanwhile the division of our possessions and the dismantling of what has been my home here, and more significantly, the last 21 years of my life, continues. A lot of stuff is being got rid of, but the task seems never ending, but slowly and surely progress is being made, and with it the emotional detachment from this house.

Time scales are fairly tight, but I hope to be in before Christmas!

So, on a new path, Onwards and Upwards!

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