This and That

Life has been somewhat interrupted by a migraine, the 'healing' process takes quite a while but the wretched headaches are a nuisance.  Time progresses slowly on the movement of the houses, our house gets a visit from a surveyor at the beginning of April.  Church house survey has been given to the vendor and he has come forward with the necessary information.

In all this there is one more worry, that is the fate of the cottage, as we left the cottage last week LS said this is a gem of a place and so it is.  It will break my heart to get rid of, but with the family moved out of Whitby, running it as a holiday cottage goes somewhat against my principles.  Here comes a rant as well, we have had to mend taps, the loo, and plugs from heavy handed people, pay an agent and a cleaner as well.  And that is not counting the time the TV broke down, or the bed (new) or the times people turned off the heating,  But unless I long let it, selling is the only other option.

Karen the cleaner got in touch this week, she seems upset about the agents as well, I have promised her though (she is an excellent cleaner though managing to get through three vacuum cleaners) that should  family or friends want the cottage she will be the first person to call.

Not quite end of rant, there is something else that sets my blood racing;), this is VisitEngland, who hands out all those pretty stars you see adorning hotels and B&B places.  It is compulsory to have one says the agent, don't believe it says I.  But have had my three star rating the last two years, paying a £150 a year to be told that one wastepaper is unsuitable, and that maybe I should invest in black curtains triggered a moment of fury and a letter to the agent finishing the contract.

I could go back and eat humble pie, we have after all found a plumber; plumbers in Whitby, and there are a few, but they are like hen's teeth when you try to get them to do something.  This plumber is lovely, and needs to just fix the flush button in the loo, which can all be managed, as there is a 'key box' fastened to the front of the cottage, from a distance here in Chelmsford.

To happier news, my daughter is voting 'green' and now belongs to the wellington brigade, as their new dog Teddy needs walking which she does twice a day, the children doing any other walking. This turnaround from her is extraordinary, not an animal lover through her childhood, it is a joy to think of her actually walking a dog!