No going back now.......................

[FLYING BANANA]

Well that didn't take long then. Obviously there is still some way to go but the offer is almost right on the nail. Still clearing stuff away.

Not sure how I feel at the moment. Happy or sad? Not sunk in yet. I've been told that I'm incredibly brave in deciding to do this all on my own. Not sure I would use the word brave, stupid more likely.

Now to get into seriously looking for a place in Cornwall, now that I have a price range to look into.

Will keep you all posted.

Many thanks for all the kind words, advice and ideas. Again lots of thanks for the reassuring kind pm's received.

[coolguy]

I absolutely love Cornwall, and have spent over 60 holiday weeks there since 1983 (going down again in May). However, my one word of advice is to carefully check on the local amenities, as many of the villages are delightful, but lack many of the day to day facilities which we take for granted - fine for a weeks' holiday but not for life!

Hope the sale of your property goes well (and quickly), but be prepared for a few glitches along the way - that's the norm I fear these days. Shall be very interested to know where you finally settle - there are many great value properties available.

Most of all Good Luck - it will be great.

[pbaker]

Hi Bob. When I saw you at Denham the other day and u mentioned the move it did not quite sink in as I was getting to go to Harlow to sell the 75 to a Romainian in the dark. sad day for me. only came across this post an hour ago. perhaps u can now take up surfing the sea as well as surfing the net!!. Please let know when u are leaving/moving so I can buy u a malt or two. By the way when u get a net connection will u put up some piccies up of Denham meet with me and my new suit and the rest. or maybe to my mobile. love to see u before u leave. peter. ex 75 man now getting to like the new MG ZS XMAS day present.

[FLYING BANANA]

................................................. Not used to all this excitement. Really starting to sink in now about me moving. Second thoughts? No. None at all. In fact I cannot wait to go. Be off down to the West Country next week, yes a mini tour, to suss out the lay of the land.

My visitor arrived in plenty of time before dinner. Gave him time to have a shower and to relax, works in a environment that is ever changing. I cooked a very nice steak with a blue cheese dressing, served up with some healthy salad and a few potato wedges. All my own work, no packet stuff except for the steak. Otherwise I'd be up for cattle rustling. Had two very good teachers when it comes to cooking. Mum taught me the basics and Val taught me the fancy stuff. I love cooking and having a visitor allows me to show my cullinery skills, OK! Ok! Allows me to show off.

No dessert but we did have some cheese and biscuits later on with a large glass of, wait for it, vintage port. Well a couple, then. We talked about lots of things, John spoke about his family, his troublesome neighbour and his job. Me! Well I just rabbited on about moving, the power cut, moving, collecting the "Bear" today, and of course about moving.

Soon it was time to chase those fluffy little clouds, set our alarms. I gave John my bed and I 'roughed' it in the front room. Got my 'ole faithful' sleeping bag. Had it since it was a small pouch, and at nearly 40 years old it still keeps me warm and cosy. Only weighs in at 16oz, unlike me who weighs in a bit more.

We are leaving about 6am for our long haul up North, will stop for some brekkie on the way, no doubt I'll nod off in the car. Makes a change me being a passenger on a long trip. But, oh! The noise will keep me awake on the way home.
Keeping the "Bear" at home for a couple of days, and visits to the petrol station. Then she will be off over to Michaels for a couple of weeks till I'm ready to move her down to our new home.

Thanks for reading.

[FLYING BANANA]

............................. Got home from collecting the Bear to find the Sold sign up.
And the National Grid engineers turned up and, wait for it, put safety barriers round the generator. Took photo's of there handy work and got back into their van and left. Wonderful.

The journey up to Brighouse went all ok as far as Milton Keynes and then the heavens opened. The motorway turned into river. We slowed but idiots were zooming past at 70mph, and most had no lights. John, my chauffeur, is an advanced driver so I knew I was in safe hands.
Then we hit a jam, the matrix advised us that there was a 90 minute delay between junctions 35-37.

We came off early and cut across country through scenic but wet views. We even saw lots of snow. We finally got to Brighouse at 11am, five hours after leaving home. Found Chris and Dawn. We had a good look at the V8 coupe that Chris has built. 32 valve SV unit installed. Runs, steers and stops. Looks stunning in the colour they have chose. Has a flip in the paint. Colour is Blue Grape.

Dawn, bless her, made us some much wanted tea. Then with me settling up the bill we was off home. Chris gave us directions for the M62. I stopped and topped up the Bear's tank plus filled John's car, diesel Fiesta. Then we was off. Plain sailing on the M62, dropped down onto the A1 and stopped at Bumble Bee's diner. First garage past the Ferrybridge services, south bound.

Cracking full breakfast for each of us. Then we said our goodbyes as we were not planning to stop anymore, John's home is Darenth in Kent. oh! Well! That did not go quite to plan. The weather was grim all the way to the M11 via the A14. The Bear lead the way with the Fiesta Ridin' shotgun. All going swimmingly well till junction 7. Then stationary traffic on the M11. No idea why. We both pulled onto the hard shoulder. I told John to follow me once we was off the motorway.

Said our goodbyes, again. I then lead John off at junction 7 and onto North Weald, then into Chipping Ongar. Stopped again and showed John the way to get to Brentwood then he could get back onto the M25 and over the ski jump and home.
My route took me through Stanford Rivers, Abridge, Chigwell and into Barkingside. Home, kettle on and chill.

The Bear has never ran so sweet. Used 'Alf a tank over the 195 miles.

A huge Thank You to John, Chris, Dawn and Paul for all there help with "Pooky Bear".

[Yeti]

I would be loosing out on so much that I have where I am - a 15 minute bus service, a town and a city with large hospital facilities just 8 miles away, a supermarket and a shopping high street just a ten minute walk away - but lacking the constant annoying drone of traffic.[/QUOTE]



I have all of these in Exmouth, although the high st shopping is better in Exeter about 8-10 miles away as is the large hospital


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[FLYING BANANA]

.................................................. ........... by all the offers to help whether is to help move or the paperwork. Totally amazed on how quick this has all happened. It's not sunk in yet.

My brother-in-law has offered to look after The Bear for me, going to leave her in his driveway. It's OK he will not drive it, he can barely drive the car he currently has. If it looks impossible to hit anything, he'll give it his best shot and usually succeeds. But he has heart of Gold and I love him to bits.
He has offered to let me stay when I'm back in London at anytime. His daughter wants to come over and help me pack.

My neighbour across the way, where Banana parks, has offered with any paperwork that may need explaining, and there's a lot of that. My neighbour downstairs has told me not to lift anything heavy out of the loft, he will do that. Wait till he see's the desk we have to dismantle. The loft was going to be my office/workroom whilst the new kitchen would have been Val's domain. Bought the biggest desk I could find in Ikea and built it up in the loft. Anyone want a 5' wide desk? Seriously if anyone wants? 5 draws, 1 cupboard and a glass cover on the top.

There's a drop leaf table to come down as well. Was reluctant to get rid when the flat had it's makeover back in 2009. A bit of sentimental value to it as well. My dad bought it from a furniture store in Forest Gate East London. The name of the shop was 'Courts', as you know they became a massive chain before going bust a few years ago. And it's good quality as well.

Got my good friend John coming to me tonight from work. He is going to stay over tonight as we are off to Baliffe Bridge to collect The Bear tomorrow. I have to be home by 7pm as I have yet another person that wishes to look at the flat.
Back down to the estate agents on Thursday morning, and out to dinner Thursday evening with a couple of friends and maybe a beer or two.

Going to have a chill out day on Friday, meeting my brother-in-law in the Founders Arms on the South Bank in London for a beer or two.
Saturday I have more people wishing to view. Nothing is cast in stone till the contracts are signed and the money is in the bank.

We still have the generator supplying our power, they came this morning and filled it up with more go-go juice. No sign of them coming to dig up the road yet.
Well I'll have to love and leave you for now. Got dinner to prepare for my guest.

Many thanks for all the kind words of help and support.

[Rev Jules]

Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA

.................................................. ........... by all the offers to help whether is to help move or the paperwork. Totally amazed on how quick this has all happened. It's not sunk in yet.

My brother-in-law has offered to look after The Bear for me, going to leave her in his driveway. It's OK he will not drive it, he can barely drive the car he currently has. If it looks impossible to hit anything, he'll give it his best shot and usually succeeds. But he has heart of Gold and I love him to bits.
He has offered to let me stay when I'm back in London at anytime. His daughter wants to come over and help me pack.

My neighbour across the way, where Banana parks, has offered with any paperwork that may need explaining, and there's a lot of that. My neighbour downstairs has told me not to lift anything heavy out of the loft, he will do that. Wait till he see's the desk we have to dismantle. The loft was going to be my office/workroom whilst the new kitchen would have been Val's domain. Bought the biggest desk I could find in Ikea and built it up in the loft. Anyone want a 5' wide desk? Seriously if anyone wants? 5 draws, 1 cupboard and a glass cover on the top.

There's a drop leaf table to come down as well. Was reluctant to get rid when the flat had it's makeover back in 2009. A bit of sentimental value to it as well. My dad bought it from a furniture store in Forest Gate East London. The name of the shop was 'Courts', as you know they became a massive chain before going bust a few years ago. And it's good quality as well.

Got my good friend John coming to me tonight from work. He is going to stay over tonight as we are off to Baliffe Bridge to collect The Bear tomorrow. I have to be home by 7pm as I have yet another person that wishes to look at the flat.
Back down to the estate agents on Thursday morning, and out to dinner Thursday evening with a couple of friends and maybe a beer or two.

Going to have a chill out day on Friday, meeting my brother-in-law in the Founders Arms on the South Bank in London for a beer or two.
Saturday I have more people wishing to view. Nothing is cast in stone till the contracts are signed and the money is in the bank.

We still have the generator supplying our power, they came this morning and filled it up with more go-go juice. No sign of them coming to dig up the road yet.
Well I'll have to love and leave you for now. Got dinner to prepare for my guest.

Many thanks for all the kind words of help and support.

Hi Bob.
Its a massive upheaval, we had lived at our old address for 52 years, and we made a snap decision to downsize, it took 12 weeks for two parties to make their mind up about buying our house and we had packed everything we were going to take with us and sold a lot of other stuff we did not want, still had not found a removal company at that point in time, then out of the blue
on a Monday afternoon a phone call, they wanted to exchange contracts and move in on the following Thursday, panic is not the word, we found a small company to move us, loaded everything Wednesday, for the off first thing Thursday, the guy we had bought the Bungalow off of, said we could move in that day, because we could not sign the contract until the Friday.

Bob all I can say is the very best of luck and we do hope your move wont be so traumatic,

Dawn and Julien

[keithst24]

Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA

............................... On the house hunting. Will need a snowplough soon.
The mortgage provider, the one the the buyer is using, apparently have been trying to contact me. Well, I haven't moved, still here. I think they have been given the wrong phone number, not by me by the way.

I've been in contact with the buyers Dad who has told me the business about the mortgage provider. Anyway I have passed on my landline number as well, hopefully they will contact me in due course.

So as I've not been venturing out I have started packing away my extensive model car/plane/train and ship collection. Spent 6 hours boxing them up today, and not even half way through. But some of the collection has brought back many a memory. Val bought me quite a few rarities which I'll be keeping for a few years yet.

Naturally enough there is a large MG ZT collection plus a few MG SV's and Lola MG's. There is a MG ZR saloon and a MG Express in the making. That's without the Roils-Royce collection, some very rarities in amongst this lot.
Jaguar XJ 220's are another collection with a few rare ones all in 1/12th scale. We have two East Midland police cars, plus a one Grampian Police car, one of only 99 made. And one in kit form, waiting to be built.

The two 1/8th scale Lamborghini's will be taken down, when the time comes, by me to there new home.

Running out of room to store the boxes. Might have to think about renting some storage down the West Country. Once the snow melts.

MG Lola

I got my T shirt on tonight Bob


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[FLYING BANANA]

.................................... I have today got yet another estate agent coming at 16.30 to give me a valuation on the flat as a one bedroomed flat instead of two.

I have said all the way along it has only one bedroom although it was built with two. The last straw came when, as I thought, the new buyers mortgage provider finally got through to me to arrange a viewing on the 5th March at 17.00. So I carried on packing. At about 16.00 on the day the mortgage provider phoned to say that the visit was cancelled as the buyer had withdrawn there application. What? News to me.

So I phoned the buyers Dad, he said that it was all in hand. There had been a slight mix up over the application for a mortgage on the 2 bedroomed flat as the mortgage provider had learnt, from other sources, that my flat only had one bedroom. I said well that was true. But the buyer had requested a mortgage for 2 bedrooms.

So it dragged on and on. Finally on Tuesday 13th I was informed by the buyers dad that they were unable to secure a mortgage and it would be best if I put back up for sale via the agents.
I was livid, not helping as I was a tad unwell, at what he said. Brought me very close to tears. I said that I had taken it off of the market at the request of his ex-wife. So many promises that have turned out to be empty. His ex-wife won't answer the phone to me.

So many dreams destroyed over one phone call.
I considered getting a builder in to convert the flat back but the cost and the thought of all the upheaval would be too much for me to bear. I would never be able to recover the cost and then I would definitely not want to move.

So today is the visit to "The Chance Saloon".