5th December, 2010
Had a lovely conversation with Ruth & Kev today. It took place after she texted me with quite flabbergasting news. She and Kevan were putting the bungalow home of 35 years on the market with the intention of buying a two bedroomed, duplex apartment in the Cottonworks some fifteen minutes away from where they currently live.
This is wonderful news. Ruth is a lovely girl and I sincerely hope she and Kevan will be very happy. We are going down to Surrey on Tuesday but only for a week and then we will go over to see Ruth & Kev..
6th December, 2010
Last night was the coldest in Huddersfield records ever. It reached -18°C although we didn’t feel it in our flat. We were colder than both Finland & Iceland. Regular readers to this Blog will well know my Green credentials. I am well into it. Now I am getting my reward. The new development within which we’ve bought an apartment has a biomass installation and we are guaranteed to save at least 10% on our energy bills because of the biomass supply. We are also promised 40% reductions in CO2 emmissions whatever they are. The kitchen is kitted out with low energy efficiency equipment and the laundry with low water consumption appliances. Pauline & I will probably bid for Ecologist of the Year awards in twelve months time.
7th December, 2010
Icy day. We had to go out to do a tour of the Banks. It is disappointing to report that £350,000 deposited in three major banks has only made about £1200.00 interest in six months. Pauline had to go for a mammogram which was great fun. Our builders phoned to say they had received our ‘holding deposit’ and to make an appointment for further talks. We are going down to Surrey tomorrow.
8th December, 2010
Positively balmy last night. It only got down to -4°C. Today is the 30th anniversary of the shooting of John Lennon.
If he had lived, he would now be 70 years old. Exactly six months before the death of Lennon, Pauline & I had the most serious experience of our lives. We were involved in a terrible traffic accident on a bend going in to Oldham. In the thirty years since, there have been so many accidents on that bend – many of the fatal – that it has been officially designated an accident black spot and has ‘traffic calming’ alterations to the area. In our case it was June 15th, 1980 when a man in an old Ford Cortina who was driving too fast on his way to work out of Oldham span out of control, across the road and into us. We were trapped in our car – a brand new mini – and had to be resuscitated by ambulance crew.
After two weeks unconscious in hospital and two months recuperating at home, we went back to work but it soon became apparent that I wasn’t coping. I had to take another term off before I was anywhere near better. It took me quite a few years before I was really over it. Pauline, meanwhile, completed her degree while she was recuperating. Thirty years ago. I really can’t believe it.
With these thoughts in our head, we set of for Surrey.
9th December, 2010
Woke up in Surrey – our new home – and set out to learn about Woking. We drove to the Peacock Shopping Centre to buy me a pair of shoes that won’t skid on snow.
It was very cold all day. Woking seems to have plenty to offer. Particularly, it has a number of Greek, Italian & French restaurants and a theatre which regularly puts on Opera.
We drove round the back of our new development and took this photo:
10th December, 2010
Going to the sales office of our development this morning to sign all the paperwork but also to ask a few questions about the finishing of our property. When we got there we signed all the papers and fixed a moving in date of March 18th. That will give us about three weeks before we go to Greece. We will leave England on Tuesday, April 12th, be in France on the 13th, Italy on the 14th and Ancona on the 15th.
11th December, 2010
Today is the first mild one for weeks. We are up to 9°C. We are going in to Woking today to look at a fitted wardrobe company and carpet sellers. We will watch the football later. I phoned Eurotunnel to book another crossing. Just in passing, I mentioned that we had not been able to fulfil our booking a couple of weeks ago because of the weather and the girl said we could go any time free of charge because of that. I have booked for Tuesday.
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