Moving house...

[englishangel]

On the housing subject - my lease runs out on 31st August, and as I have in the interim moved Ma into the flat below me , I am at last taking the leap and buying the property.... very very scary taking out a first mortgage!

Never been able to buy anything before, so being a First Time Buyer at my age gets a few wierd looks - but if all goes well, I will own my home ( well, not really, will belong to the BS for the next 15 years, but even so...) by my next birthday - how cool is that ?

Bravo

[Angela Woodford]

Worth a little bit more than I had hoped.

Now I feel quite excited. Venetia duly deducted amounts for ancient kitchen, bathroom and heating - and it's still fairly good news. Head spinning with advice about solicitors - Venetia has a pet one; surprise surprise!

Paintwork to be touched up. Henry's room to be done a neutral colour rather than his choice of sinister dark blue. More "de-personalisation".

Now to decide when to go on the market. But feeling optimistic!

Munch

[Ajarn Philip]

Worth a little bit more than I had hoped.

Now I feel quite excited. Venetia duly deducted amounts for ancient kitchen, bathroom and heating - and it's still fairly good news. Head spinning with advice about solicitors - Venetia has a pet one; surprise surprise!

Paintwork to be touched up. Henry's room to be done a neutral colour rather than his choice of sinister dark blue. More "de-personalisation".

Now to decide when to go on the market. But feeling optimistic!

Munch

Well, Angiedarling - you don't mind awfully if I call you Angiedarling, do you darling? - charming as it all is, there are just one or two teeency little things that might up my commission - erm, I mean enhance the value of your lovely home. And home it is, isn't it. I can see it's been well lived in. Don't sob, dear. Now, what we're aiming for - and I'm just floating a few ideas here, let's run 'em up the flagpole and see which way the wind's blowing - is more of a blank canvas. The Gothic look in your son's bedroom, much as I like it, don't get me wrong, might not strike our PB (that's Potential Buyer, Angiedarling), as quite the thing for their little Tracy. And the rusty = sorry, I mean rustic - iron cistern in the batroom is just a tad non-U these days blahdeblahdeblah

[kayinbaja]

Henry's room to be done a neutral colour rather than his choice of sinister dark blue. More "de-personalisation".

Sounds like your Henry should meet our Sean. Sinister dark blue walls, peeling, slightly torn posters of dead rockstars, blood red shutters and door, a partially dismembered stuffed sloth...I swear I saw Laeticia the cleaning lady crossing herself before she went in there the other day..At least she goes in there. I just hover nervously on the threshold.

[Ajarn Philip]

I swear I saw Laeticia the cleaning lady crossing herself before she went in there the other day.

Laeticia?? If JR's Addams family had a cleaning lady, that would be her name!

[Angela Woodford]

Kay! Sounds like the boys have similar tastes.

Henry kindly agreed to tidy up before the Venetia Valuation. This meant that I now have more plates and mugs than I realised. He thoughtfully removed a giant poster of the current "High Street Honey", ripe, ravishing and spilling out of a teensy silk corset. Shame really; I hope he will soon reinstate her! Even if his walls are transformed with, say, Shades of Serenity Pebble Mood.

How wonderful to have Laetitia the cleaning lady. I wish!

Now Philip, by "ancient" I mean Seventies Semi. But certainly, you are absolutely right to say "well lived in". My daughters fought nonstop through the teen years as in "My mascara! Mine! Mine Give it! NO!" Slam! You can still see the marks.

Your flagpole ideas are exactly as expressed by Venetia. I can tell that you are more of an expert at this selling house business than I. However, into action! Planning task for today. He can do the garage.

(Haven't been "Angie Darling" since adorable Roger many years ago! Heart more broken than Clarkson's Toyota. )

[kayinbaja]

Funnily enough, several residents of our street do refer to our house as the addams family mansion, because it's large, crumbling and has several generations of scary nutters living in it. Laeticia and Venetia should start a business - clean it then flog it -

[englishangel]

Henry's room to be done a neutral colour rather than his choice of sinister dark blue. More "de-personalisation".

Sounds like your Henry should meet our Sean. Sinister dark blue walls, peeling, slightly torn posters of dead rockstars, blood red shutters and door, a partially dismembered stuffed sloth...I swear I saw Laeticia the cleaning lady crossing herself before she went in there the other day..At least she goes in there. I just hover nervously on the threshold.

The only way to get into my sons rooms is to hover. You certainly cannot walk on the floor.

[Katharine]

The only way to get into my sons rooms is to hover. You certainly cannot walk on the floor.

How true - and mine will be 32 next month!! Where did I go wrong?

[sejintenej]

The only way to get into my sons rooms is to hover. You certainly cannot walk on the floor.

How true - and mine will be 32 next month!! Where did I go wrong?

You made supper for him instead of sending him off to find a place of his own and learn how to cook, wash up, clean the house, pay the bills and get rid of importune door knockers.

[Katharine]

The only way to get into my sons rooms is to hover. You certainly cannot walk on the floor.

How true - and mine will be 32 next month!! Where did I go wrong?

You made supper for him instead of sending him off to find a place of his own and learn how to cook, wash up, clean the house, pay the bills and get rid of importune door knockers.

The truth is, David, that we took him back home when he got depression. We have been through h*ll and back with him, at least when he is home I know he is safe and alive. For months we did not know that. However, none of that explains why it is so untidy!!

[englishangel]

I put mine down to genetics

[Angela Woodford]

The appointment is made with Venetia to photograph the house for "marketing" on 14 August.

The goss on the street is that no 4 sold in 7 hrs! But resident was a real Domestic Goddess, with one tiny little princess child.
Two weeks to transform the place into a residence of immaculate desirability!

A locksmith is calling today to estimate a few repairs. Over the years, the children seemed to hurl themselves at the front door (Home, Mamma!!) then slam it. Then there was the time one of them in a keyless state broke in at the bathroom window. After that Henry created a bit of bent pipe with which you could fiddle the front door lock via the letterbox, rather compromising the integrity of said lock.

To disguise the sinister dark blue walls I've bought paint called Dulux "simply neutrals rich matt purely shell", colourguard formulation. In fact I feel calm and focussed just looking at the pot. But I've just been to look in Henry's room and realised that it is full of Equipment. Music stuff, television all plugged in in complicated ways that would rival Major Tom's Ground Control. How the hxll do I unplug and unravel all that?

If anyone knows a magic cleaning solution that removes marks from UPvc doors and window surrounds, please advise!

At least it's a gorgeous sunny day for Maggie's birthday!

Munch

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Angela Marsh - you are still on line, you slacker

Sadly, I too have to attribute my son's messiness to genetics. My daughter used to be far worse, but left South Australia a messy, disorganised vegetarian, and returned after 18 months in The Northern Territory a meat-eating neat freak. She must have been exposed to too much sun.

xx

[J.R.]

I tend to be a bit more 'messy' around the house than Jan APART FROM the kitchen.

I adore cooking, but I MUST clear up as I go like any good male chef - Unlike a certain female member of this household.

If I was a professional chef, I'd make Gordon Ramsay look like Delia Smith as far as my staff were concerned.