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Moving, Not Moving



Only a month ago, my sister was thrilled to have an offer accepted on her dream home. When I saw the details I could see exactly why she’d fallen in love with the property, a beautiful Edwardian gem, treasured not trashed by the couple who’d lived there for many happy years. Last week, my sister and her family went on holiday for a much-needed break as my youngest niece has been quite poorly. They could relax knowing that a moving date – 14th not 13th September, as her buyers were superstitious - had been set and they were about to exchange contracts. And then, the day before exchange, the buyers had second thoughts and pulled out. Just to make things even worse, it rained all week and my sister discovered that something was moving – they’d taken a family of nits on holiday with them. Where did the good luck fairy go?

Our own attempt to move has been thwarted at every turn by the most bizarre and unexpected twists; a house with a private water supply... but, it appeared, no legal entitlement to the water, houses that are for sale one minute and not the next, potential buyers who... no, don’t get me started. In the process we’re racking up legal bills and throwing money down the drain. There must be a better way of doing this?

On a happier note, my lovely younger daughter known here as Rose (or PonkyRose – do all families have their own language?) has given three years of very solid work to a company who have, quite frankly, given very little back. Tomorrow she starts a new job that she’s very excited about, with a publisher of high quality books for children, and the good news is they seem very pleased to have her too! Here’s to you, Ponky, well done, darling, we all hope you’ll be very happy!

Painting is 'Under the Pier with Nets' by Tom Tomos

Comments

Jane Lovering said…
Just sold my aunt's flat (it's okay, she died, we've not sold it out from under her). Lovely sea-view, and it took us two years to sell, so I feel your pain. We get so attached to the places we live in, when someone doesn't like it it's like they're telling us our lives aren't good enough for them.

Well, sod 'em. Someone will come along for yours, just as your sister will find another house to love as much as the one she lost. And now I sound like a relationship column....
Flowerpot said…
Oh it's such a fraught business, moving house, isn't it? Great news about Rose but I do hope you get some good news on the house front soon. Take care xx
Pondside said…
I love to move house but the selling kills me every time. I think it must be more difficult in the UK though, than it is over here.
Big sympathy for your sister and the nits - I remember, years ago, when our Lillypad brought them home from Guide camp - it felt like it took forever to get rid of them.
Frances said…
I do like your caption, Moving, not Moving, with its many possible interpretations.

Chris, how I hope that all these various house hunts get settled fairly soon. It must be a drain (sorry for that water reference) having legal considerations come into play.

Tom's Nets is a greatly interesting picture. I have been looking at it for quite a while, and keep finding more to see.

Congrats to your daughter on starting work at a place that appreciates her!

Thank you for your sweet comment.

xo
Fennie said…
Ouch! That hurts! Pity your sister. But then we all have our fair share of horrendous house moving experiences, I suspect. Do hope you have more luck. Congratulations to your daughter. You'll just have to write a children's book now.
Pipany said…
I don't believe it Chris! We call Isabella Ponky too! Can't even remeber why now, though I suspect it has to do with an obscure song I saing to the children. Hope things work out in regards to the moving, poor souls x
Pauline Barclay said…
Oh Chris it wil get better on the housing front, I promise you. We've been there more times than we care to count and still say never again....but we will do it again, I know! Lovely news for your daughter, wishing her lots of luck and enjoyment in her new job.
Keep smiling, it's easy to say, I know, but we are there with you....we are....hugs x
HelenMWalters said…
Well done to your daughter.
Leigh Russell said…
Good luck to PonkyRose. I hope she's very happy in her new job. Moving house is a nightmare. I hope it all works out for the best in the end.
Moving is pooh. We once had a buyer who failed to exchange contracts because that very morning she had decided to go and look at another house further up the road.
Well done Rose. My daughter had a similar experience with first job and was very happy indeed in the second!
Urrghhh! Just the thought of moving house. Never again.

Love the PonkyRose pet name.
Best of luck to Ponky with her new job - it sounds very exciting!
xx
Liane Spicer said…
Yikes. Hope things turn around soon on the housing front. The best of luck to your daughter!
Lane Mathias said…
Your poor sister. What a bad run of luck. I hope things look up for her - and for you too. These are wobbly times, in what the TV house guru people lovingly call 'property'.

And well done to Rose. And the best of luck in her new job.
Your poor sister having to deal with those rotters who pulled out of the sale the day before the sale went through.

Good luck with your own house sale, it sounds like a nightmare. Good luck too to Ponky, I hope she has a wonderful time in her new job.
Milla said…
fantastic about the signing (haven't been keeping up with blogs so much it being the holidays). Lord, your moving saga drags on!! Ours took TWO YEARS. 9 "buyers", so painful. Keep the faith, it will happen, but never when you expect it.
CC Devine said…
Hope you get to move soon! Such a stressful time but good news re your daughter.
Chris Stovell said…
Jane, you can come to Gracelands and give us the benefit of your wisdomosity any time. Do hope you are right about my sister - I really feel for her.

Fp, it's terrible - we are almost past screaming point! Thanks for your good wishes.

Pondside, my sister's family all have really thick hair... must be nit paradise, but not much fun for my sis.

Frances, hello and thanks for all your sweet comments too. Tom will be pleased about his painting. Will pass on good wishes to Ponky!

Fennie, my daughter started today and the titles of the books are wonderful! I don't think I'll be writing for children any time soon though!

Pip, I'm amazed - we've never found other Ponkies! I'm sure PonkyRose and PonkyLily would like me to send their regards to PonkyIsabella!

Thanks Pauline, and thank you for stopping by when you are having such a very horrid time. I hope you feel better soon.

Helen - thank you very much.

Leigh, thank you - I'll pass that on to PonkyRose!

Elizabeth, I think this is our most horrendous move yet.. since it's more of a stuck than a move! But, thank you.

BSM, good to see you and thank you. PonkyRose started today and it sounds really exciting, so pleased for her!

Liane, thank you for both (still haven't done that tag - so sorry!)

Lane, thank you - I do really feel for my sis - she's had a rotten time.

Debs, I could be seriously cross with the folks who upset my sis- but there, what goes round comes round. And thank you - hope you are feeling better.

Milla, hi, yep, moving saga has been endless - have very little else to blog about it's dominated so much! Hope your boys are ok at the start of term.

CC, hi, good to see you - just read about your trouble, poor you, hope you are feeling better.
Posie said…
I love the painting by your talented son... I couldn't take my eyes off the colours as I was reading your blog, I kept getting drawn to it. Great news for Rose too...you must feel a very proud mum, I just love proud mum moments, you can't beat them. I hope it goes well for Rose.
Awful about your sister's house falling through, after watching all of the TV programmes about house moves I see how rare it is to find your dream home. I have never experienced buying or selling houses.
Posie
Maggie Christie said…
Congratulations to Rose and I hope she'll be very happy in her new job. Why is selling a house such a frustrating business? Perhaps when Mercury stops being retrospect on September 12th things will (literally) move - am I clutching at straws here? As Milla says, keep the faith it will happen.
Chris Stovell said…
Posie, Tom (DH) now very happy to be have his paintings admired and to be taken for my son! But, yes, very proud of him and Rose. Thanks for your good wishes.

Mags, Ooh, that pesky Mercury! I'd really like something good to happen for my sister, she certainly needs a boost.X

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