Countdown to Christmas 2021 (thread 2): the end of winter can't come soon enough!

[NoWordForFluffy]

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We stayed up watching Sherlock and now I'm wide awake. I'm unimpressed! 😂

At least we finally made it to thread 2...I doubt we will do as many this year!

We paid £500 per month for years in rented (which was a bit expensive here at first but was secure and the rent didn't increase in the 10 years we were there - same house is now being rented for £850 per month) and were only able to really save in the last few years when our debt reduced and wages increased.
Like Fluffy said, it's a vicious cycle of mortgage being cheaper but being unable to save the deposit because rent is more expensive than it should be.
I personally think that lenders should accept proof of a renter paying their rent in full and on time reliably for 2 years in lieu of a deposit (my example is always us paying rent but unable to save a deposit so couldn't get a mortgage compared to SIL who had never paid a bill as she lived at home but was trusted with paying a mortgage because she had saved a deposit). It's such a stupid system.

Wreck when you've done your course would you look to possibly change job which would allow you to change location? That may make it easier to buy.

Well dh earns more than me and if we were to move to a cheaper area he would earn even less than he does now.

I agree with crazy that ability to pay rent for years should be used instead of a deposit.

We are in shared ownership and it has been amazing although I have heard horror stories so you need to pick a good HA. We are able to be in a 4 bed with 70% share for the same price we were paying for rented. We also got it on a 100% mortgage. Going by what others are selling for here it has risen in value by about £50000 in 4 years too!

I've signed up to Credit Ladder so our rent being paid gets reported to our credit file.

Now to get the next 5 years out of the way! 🤣 The last almost-8 (since having kids) have gone pretty damn fast, so there's no reason the next 5 shouldn't!

How did you get the 100% mortgage, Most?

It was offered by Principality at the time, I was very surprised I have to say!

Afternoon.
Headaches must be catching. I've had one for a couple of days - it comes and goes but I suspect too much sewing and not enough sleep. It has brought a twitchy eye with it too.
DH plonked himself down on the sofa after lunch and there was an alarming thud...the cats scattered it seems firm enough, but I suspect, at 20yo, we might be sofa hunting once lockdown comes to an end.
I keep thinking I'll come into the living room one day to find just some feet sticking out of it with a muffled request for assistance 😂😂😂

😂😂😂

Our dad once had a deck chair incident which led to a similar result. 🤣

My Auntie - on holiday with us in a lovely, but slightly neglected cottage - sat on a wicker chair and her bum went straight through. She couldn't help herself for laughing and was firmly wedged 😂😂😂

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It's very frosty here today 🥶 dc back at school and me back to my normal work. Well sort of. My normal team, wfh. Ds has already cried about school, he finds it so difficult poor thing.

Our two are struggling too, Wreck. DS always does and DD has felt the effect of lockdown and now also doesn't want to go (we suspect both to be diagnosed with ASD at some point).

Turns out he was worried that he wouldn't know where to put the work that he's done at home (they have to bring it all in) and that was causing massive anxiety, on top of everything else. Poor things I hate the schooling system here. Even I was confused by his literacy on Friday.

Morning. It's cold but sunny so I'm breaking in the new washing line - it's all excitement here 😂

Wreck did you manage to calm DS down? I think everything is going to make them anxious at the mo, purely because it's been so long.

Fluffy are your dc being investigated for ASD?
My nephews whole team have told DSis to expect it - he's showing classic signs already but he's too young to be sure and he has CP too which complicates things more.

Yes I did, we had a chat and hopefully he will be ok.

I'm about to throw my work laptop out of the window

DS has been referred, Crazy, but not DD yet. She masks really well (as does DS at school).

I think CP and ASD are closely linked and often come together. Why will know more though.

It's a bit unsettled here. The towels are on the line though!

Afternoon everyone. The weather is quite calm here thankfully, bright but not much sun. Had to drive DS to school for his testing, his school starts back properly Weds. Bit sad to see cases have slightly risen in my area.

Hope your DS is alright Wreck, my DS was worrying about the testing this morning. Walk away from the laptop at high speed time for a cup of tea I feel.

Enjoy the line Crazy

Yes there are quite a few children with CP and ASD in my school Fluffy

My morning post disappeared🤔
Oh well. Nothing important and nowhere near as exciting as a new washing line 🥳🥳🥂
I've cleaned the ensuite and the loos (DH can do his bath as I don't use it) emptied the litter trays - my life couldn't be more exciting.
I've also sorted out the bombsite of a garage so I can now dance in there
Hurrah.
I think even I, hermit that I am, might be getting a bit pissed off with lockdown.

Oh, and can I invite you all to my "virtual" birthday party on Friday when I'll be 49, fat, menopausal and hairy and hopefully quite drunk
living my best life 🙄

You need to slow down and keep some excitement for this afternoon puss
Drunken party sounds good though 🥂

I have enjoyed my line although it is a bit wonky Marshmallow. I did 2 loads and cleared the basket 🏅

Fluffy nephew was a premie and I'm assuming it's linked to that in his case. He has physical disabilities (unable to walk unaided but is getting bloody fast with his frame) and has speech delay - but he's also very 'particular' about sounds / textures / touches etc (cannot cope with short sleeves and pulls a hat on tight to calm down when he's over-stimulated for example) so I think we're all just waiting for him to be old enough to get a diagnosis.
I will say (biased as I am), he amazes me. He's so happy most of the time and he's fearless. He makes me anxious because he just tries climb things etc with no idea it may be an issue. His new favourite thing is to star at you grinning, let go of the frame and just stand there until his balance goes, and he'll try and say loads of things now he is back to having regular speech therapy (my current favourite is him singing "tin-g tin-g little star") ☺️

I need to get back to work but I have no motivation and it's an afternoon of reading policies and regulations 😩

Wonky lines are the best Crazy wow you've been busy, I thought I did well taking everything off my radiators. , Hate those afternoons they make my eyes bleed.

Crazy my son has a CP and asd diagnosis. When he got his it was quite rare to have a diagnosis of both. It used to be CP with autistic traits. I would like to think things have moved on nowadays though.

How old is your DS if you don't mind me asking why? My nephew is 3 so still very very young to be diagnosing anything - for now it could easily be that he was so frustrated because he couldn't communicate but that is improving loads now (he goes to a special nursery where he sees his physio and occ health in a better setting because he used to sit, clinging to my sister and go completely stiff in the hospital)

I'm up for a party, Puss! Just tell me where to be!

Did your washing dry, Crazy?

I think times have moved on generally, with medical issues. Once upon a time, many CMPI/A babies would've just been 'colicky' instead of getting diagnosis and treatment. Thankfully this has changed!

Fluffy I, hoping things have moved on as some of the older attitudes are awful - dsis has had a few comments from elderly people about nephew being carried / in a buggy / pointing rather than asking for things because they assume he is being babied 😡

The washing did dry 🥳 I've missed having a washing line more than I realised

I've started the second half of my Christmas cross stitch rather than taking a break to do a different one as planned. I couldn't help myself

Crazy my son is 22, he will be 23 this year. He was a late CP diagnosis which I tried to get from 18 months but was told I was neurotic. His ASD (or rather atypical autism diagnosis was official at 13 but unofficially from 10).