Life Sucks, but we'll just keep swimming

I have been quiet this past week and have wondered about writing this post for most of the week.  I don't want to appear to only talk about annoying, upsetting things but something major in my life has happened and whilst it is negative it is major and is part of our lives.

So much has been happening with the house and because of this thing, we don't actually care.  We are in discussions with our buyers to reduce the cost of our house.  In the past month alone the boiler has thrown a dicky fit, the chimney has started leaking and damp has appeared in the kitchen.  If only we'd sold a month quicker!!!  I suspect the damp in the kitchen is down to a faulty gutter next door which is leaking, hitting our water butt and hitting the exact spot that is getting damp in the kitchen.  The buyers have had an independent report done and been told that it needs the damp proof course re-doing - sigh.

My Mum had cancer a number of years ago.  She had an op and Radiotherapy and away it went.  We'd just gotten home from a fabulous bonding trip to New York when we found out she was ill.  Over Christmas she thought she had a gallstone so was booked in for a scan.  We've found out that the cancer is back.  I am scared witless.  She knows I am.  We are trying to be big and brave and we will fight it.  Life sucks.

Love you Mum.  x

Selling the House

We accepted the offer on our house in early December.  We made and had our offer on our new place accepted later the same week.

We are now in the 3rd week of January and nothing seems to have moved forward.  Sigh.  Our boiler has decided now would be the perfect time to stop working.  Double sigh.  British Gas came down yesterday and quoted over £4k to replace it (that's the sale price!).  Triple sigh.  Although it is our boiler, we are hoping to be out within the next 6 weeks so are working with our buyer to find a solution.  H and I are hoping that the quote we get from a smaller company will be much more reasonable.

Our buyer was given our phone number to pass onto BG so we are now in contact and although it feels a little odd at times, we are talking to each other and know where we are in the scheme of things.  In fact, we are learning that things we are being asked "your buyers are demanding the answers to X, Y or Z" have certainly not been asked by our buyers.  You have to laugh.

Our seller (of the new house) is harder to deal with.  I don't feel like I should approach her and realise that she is doing her best, but with everything you can only move at the speed of the slowest person.  I am hopeful that she will catch up and we can finally have a completion date.

I am thankful that we only have 3 people in our chain, I am not sure I could handle a larger chain.

12 Days of Christmas Swap

Last year Jo at throughthekeyhole blogged about a 12 day of Christmas swap that she did with Lisa at jumbleandjelly.  They swapped a box containing 12 mystery gifts which they opened 1 per day from 25th December until 6th January.  I think many people who read Jo's blog were jealous.  I then forgot all about it, until late in 2015 when Jo asked if anyone else wanted to take part this year.  I jumped at the chance.  I had great plans at being creative.  Then we marketed the house, and I had to keep tidying it for viewings!!!! and my brain turned to mush.

I was paired with Ellie at feltabulous and we emailed back and forth to try and get an understanding of each others likes and dislikes.  I didn't get much time to be creative.  I was even late in sending out my parcel.  Thankfully, Ellie understood and I got my parcel packaged up and sent on it's way.

As soon as my parcel arrived I HAD to make myself open the box, take a glance and then go and hide the box on the tallest cupboard I could find so I didn't start open the packages.  It was SOOOOOOO hard Ellie.  Please excuse the quality of the photos, I have spent the past week meaning to take photos in daylight, but another and another day passes and I am desperate to blog about the swop so am going with the photos I took each day.

Look at all those unopened happies, just waiting for me.  Now can you see why they had to be put away.

I can honestly say that not one swop wasn't me.  I would have chosen every single one - except I wouldn't have been clever enough to make most of them.

Day 1- magnets and magnetic pegs.  I did smile when I opened these (I sent pegs to Ellie too).

Day 2 Cupcake cases and Malteser Mooses (yes that's a word).  The chocolate was shared and the cupcake cases are going away until December.  They will make December baking so much happier.

Day 3 Card and ribbon - a girl can never have too much card, or ribbon. 

Day 4 Ear rings.  My ears were pierced when I was 13 (I think) and have since closed up but I am DESPERATE to wear ear rings again, so I will, in 2016 go get them re-done.  When I have either had a glass of wine or feel super brave I will get them re-done.  These are perfectly me.  In fact, if there were on a stall amongst 100's of other ear-rings I would have bought these.

Day 5 Pens - oh yes please.

Day 6 Bracelet - My colours again.  So pretty.

Day 7 Bag Charm/Keyring (not only the charm but an explanation of each stone)

Day 8 Crafty Bits

Day 9 Star Tree Decoration

Day 10 Flamingo bunting - oh my happy place in the new house will look fabulous with this. (Photo stolen from Ellie, hope that's ok Ellie).  I can't wait until this is in my new craft room.  It is perfect.   I may have done a happy dance!!!!

Day 11 Flamingo notebook - I was happy sighing with this one.  How gorgeous is this?

Day 12  Flamingo.  She has had to be put out of reach as Anni showed an unhealthy interest in getting hold of her.  Unhealthy to poor Florence and to Anni if she got hold of her :-)

Jo, thank you for organizing and can I be in again this year??????  I am pretty certain (I hope) that I'll be in my new place by then, and unpacked so can be more creative.

Ellie, you ROCK.  Thank you for making me feel so loved.