North East thread 5: The one where we move to Chat!

[Someaddedsugar]

Here's thread 5 everyone! I'll post a link over on thread 4 too.

I'm whispering this one @MrsEWeatherwax as I know not everyone is ready for Christmas just yet, but it's the Christmas bargains thread over on the Christmas board. I'm not sure where the HB is but I imagine it'll be on the retail park bit?

@PickAChew I can see what you mean about the ratio. As much as the house was beautiful it would go for a price far exceeding our budget. I did notice the questionable 'posters' on the fence on the corner house!

I see the double fronted house that was also on sale for a crazy price has now sold too. The demand must be so high at the moment as people are willing to pay massively inflated prices.

Someone posted this on the Christmas thread. I haven’t done the Christmas stuff but ywp is brilliant

Sorry if someone has already posted but Yorkshire wildlife park have their winter illuminations tickets up for sake from today.

Went last year and it was amazing

earlybird40 gets you 40% off and takes the tickets down to £12

Mention of Tanfield takes me back....

When DD was little we went on the train with friends to meet Santa (he gave her an odd looking frog soft toy!). All good, then were in the carriage waiting for return journey to start. Then in both slow motion but super speedy so I could do nothing to prevent it...a man in a polar bear suit on the platform leapt up very enthusiastically at the window of our carriage with face and polar bear hands pressed against the pane

DD screamed, and jumped across from her seat to the lap of my friend, traumatised by the polar bear.

Eventually we calmed her down, got home. Spent the next few days reassuring her about polar bears. All good. Following Saturday, went into Newcastle. At the monument there was a world wildlife charity stand with, yes, a man in a polar bear suit greeting everyone. I'm pretty sure I, 16 years later, still have the nail marks from where DD clung onto me....

I haven’t seen the placard man in ages. I miss the elderly gentleman who use to sing in the market place( it was like nails down a blackboard).
Also haven’t seen the busker with the harmonica and his dog. He was dreadful too. He was in Chester for a couple of weeks.
Last Saturday there was a woman singing and it was lovely.
I would love to do Halloween at Lightwater valley.
I love hearing about all the Autumn / Halloween/ Christmas activities.
Wonder if the pumpkin pick/ trail is coming back to the roundabout at Witton Gilbert.

Off to check out the bargains thread. Because my DD just want money/ bank transfer . And a stockings.

So according to the staff in darlo they are not getting pumpkins and we need to go to Stockton

Yes @Someaddedsugar if we're thinking of the same house, it's the second time that one has "sold". It really needed sorting out, as it was near derelict but I hate what's been done with it.

Zoopla is reckoning our house has gained 25% in value in the 4 years since we offered on it. I also still get the emails from rightmove for the 3+ bed houses between 150 and 250k that I originally signed up for and the houses that come through are becoming increasingly disappointing and more biased towards the cheaper parts of town and the surrounding villages that we were never interested in, anyhow.

We've just come back from our weekend away and it was so nice to have a break and be somewhere different! Amazing how quick you forget you were away though when you get back to the daily routine!

@PickAChew the outside looks quite nice but the inside just doesn't reflect the character of the house (my opinion of course!).

Zoopla do seem to be quite accurate with the prices at the moment when we've viewed and then found out what a property has sold for.

I'll be honest - the houses that are currently for sale make my heart sink. There's only been one (Holmlands Crescent) that's been somewhere I would want to live but then that's gone for a crazy price. The right house must be out there (hopefully) .

The bargains thread is worth a look @MrsEWeatherwax - even if it's just for gifts you never thought you needed! I can't imagine many people thought they needed a giraffe toilet roll holder (Matalan) but seem to have ordered one this year!

Maybe next year will be our year for the glass pumpkins @lifelongfrugaleer!

Oh I’m not giving up with the pumpkin Stockton were sold out but get regular deliveries just keep ringing and they will
Put aside. It’s easy to get there for me

Yes, there are a lot of project houses on the market. 2 in sight of ours and one if those is way overpriced for the work it needs. That Holmlands crescent one is absolutely gorgeous. A lot of the houses that come up that don't need a lot of work are town houses with very little living and kitchen space. I'd be happy to rent somewhere like that but I don't find them particularly homely.

Ahh didn't realise there was a NE thread! Hi everyone 🙂

Hi @Sofiegiraffe! We used to hide in the coronavirus section, as last year's local restrictions is what prompted the group to form.

🤞🏻 @lifelongfrugaleer!

I agree @PickAChew - I also find the layouts quite off-putting with the kitchen/bathroom spaces in the more modern townhouses.

Hi @Sofiegiraffe. Nice to have you join us!

Does anyone on this thread collect the Disney cards from Sainsburys? We've got a load going spare and happy to post them out. I can't be bothered to list them all on the swap thread so thought I'd just see if anyone wants a bulk lot 😂.

I’ve got some Sainsbury’s cards too that are not wanted

I’ve got Disney cards too. Going to ask at work if anyone with younger children want.
I’m going to check Stanley Home Bargains weekly for pumpkin.
Hope all the people on EBay get struck with them! I’ve heard some have bubbles in glass, which is acceptable for £3.99 but not £25 including postage.

Also went to see Moon at Cathedral, was amazing. Had good day pretended to be tourist and visited the museum near cathedral too
Feeling quite anxious about students returning but the international students never seem to have gone away! There is a massive testing site on palace green.
My DP’s will be due their third jab soon. I’ve booked my flu jab, but won’t be due my third jab until about Christmas.

Just seen Ushaw has a Halloween event on 30/31 October, looks good, wonder if I’m too old.
Also just seen the Lanchester food market (Sunday ones) have been stopped . They are now going to Rowlands Gill. It’s such a shame.

@MrsEWeatherwax never too old for any event in my opinion!

We had a drive up to see the festival set up at Ushaw College on Monday and it looked really good.

We're going to see the moon this weekend so hoping it's not too busy.

I'm trying to get my flu jab booked (paid for rather than NHS) but all of the chemists are fully booked until the end of October! I'm guessing lots of early bookings this year with Covid in mind.

My DPs and OH's DPs haven't heard anything yet about their boosters but hoping they get dates soon.

Went up to Broom House Farm with DS this afternoon once I'd logged off from work and it was lovely and peaceful but nice to see quite a few people still there at 4ish having coffee etc. The hot chocolate I got was amazing!

I'll be due my covid booster, late November. I had my Flu jab last December. I'll be glad of the cooler weather to hide my droopy boobs under thick clothes when I spend a month with an inflamed shoulder!

@Someaddedsugar CLS Boots/Superdrug had flu appointments for beginning of October

It’s wasn’t too busy when I went to cathedral. The moon looks amazing even when you are waiting in queue. Even I took some great photos. You can even stand underneath it.
I lit some tea lights and it was so peaceful and thought provoking. I paid a donation for both entry and my lights.
There aren’t many evenings available.
I’m getting my flu jab free because I’m over 50. I miss when you could just go to the pharmacy in Sainsbury’s and get done then and there!
Next time we go to Broom house we are going to get cake and coffee/ hot chocolate.
Can I ask PickAChew why will you have a inflamed shoulder? Do you always get a reaction? To flu jab I mean.
I really have to be a grown up and not scratch it( I always scratch it and make it sore).

If you have sweet tooth, a new waffle place has opened on way up to cathedral. Called Waffle on, it’s bubble waffle place. The waffles are very very nice.

@MrsEWeatherwax do you know why theyostoppithe market at Lanchester? I used to enjoy that.

@Gilead the Facebook update stated they are now unable to use The Kings Head car park because it has new owners. And the parish council won’t let them use anywhere else the organisers could think of.
Parking was an issue.
If you are on Facebook they put a status on. I would share but in don’t know how.
I’m going to see if I can re find update.

They aren’t allowed to use village green because of flower planting. And they are unable to use cricket club because again parish council said no.
It’s now going to Derwent park Rowlands Gill on the 31 October. It’s such a shame. I really wanted to go, but kept getting sidetracked and I thought it was just going to continue, so thought I had loads of time.