Secret Garden

[BriansMum]

Hope this works, a shiny new thread girls - come on in .

Your agent would do well on jackanory

If only he were that good at telling his lies.

Oh...and our buyer emailed me this morning to say she was booking the survey early this week. She seems to be ignoring the fact that the money side of things is far from tied up.

Shall I reply to her?

I would be inclined to let her waste the cash on it

I replied to her and just said something along the lines of, "before you book in your survey you really should be aware that our reduced offer was turned down. So the chain can't proceed with your current offer."

Her reply was, "How annoying. I think we will go ahead with the survey anyway." Then a load of guff about how their current house is very small but expensive and they can't really afford it since having kids. I am sure that this is true, but it is also irrelevant. I don't get doing a survey when you have been told your offer is rejected.

So today I predict that the boss of our agency will call me to lean heavily on me to accept their reduced offer. They are working on the assumption that we will buckle and "find" £10k because they think we are motivated to move before the schools deadline. A month ago I was very motivated, but I found out last week that if you are moving house, you have until 1 March rather than Jan 15 to apply. Anyway, I don't trust this woman; don't want to undersell our house, and I feel that ok with losing the house we want to buy. Whilst I am still keen on it. It isn't my "dream" home; will need lots of work and hassle to get it nice, and it is very genuinely at the very top of our budget.

Have nice days everyone.

Lag sending you hugs- I think you are doing exactly the right thing and I wouldn't trust her based on past behaviour.

The house will sell eventually - I think just need to agree a contingency plan with dh about when you move to meet that 1 march deadline.

Also we had a house that we offered on and it fell through- ended up here which must prefer.

School concert this morning - e is an elf

Thanks Gig. Break a leg E

I will be honest - have seen more involved performers (which went for a few of them there). There were about 4 kids who threw themselves into it- rest half joined in and struggled to keep still (mainly as had hardly anything to do). Has been a lot more animated this afternoon on playdate so i don't think I have given birth to a little performer .

Any more news lag? Off for check up now

LaG, you poor thing, I agree , you're doiung the right thing. They have messed you about so much, got carried away when they made the offer, what a load of rubbish!!!!

Gig, glad acupuncture helped a bit but I didn't recommend, must have been someone else. Your comment about the play made me laugh, I will let you know how Ethan gets on as a sheep on Friday. I've been trying to get him to sing me some songs from it, all I get is We wish you a merry Christmas with a Supermaaaaan thrown in

Meal out last night with other Mums, a little delicate this morning as a result so lovely wintry walk today instead of driving over the moor to skiing, More snow forecast for weekend.

The latest is hilarious.

Our buyer has forwarded me an email from our agent to her sent last week encouraging her to accept her offer from her buyer on the grounds that he (the agent) would be able to knock me down by £10k.

All the worst stereotypes associated with estate agents are being proved true.

Isn't superman a traditional part of Xmas
Deb? Sounds like you had a fun night. Any house update?

Lag- it would be funny about your estate agent if it wasn't so stressful . Are you just letting her get a survey?

Waves to everyone else.

Am looking forward to maternity leave now- am tired, sore and have a load to do before I go which is somewhat stressful . And could do without working after e in bed and generally feeling huge sore and that everyone else having fun (it's Xmas party time - I loath them but hate feeling like this and whilst I don't begrudge dh his long lunches etc could do without it being now when need extra help).

Sorry very selfish post

Oh what a palava LaG! Is your house actually still on the market? If not I'd be sorely tempted to call their bluff and say that unless they go with the original offer by the end of the week you're putting the house back on the market. Will you be having words with the agent?

Hello all, feel like there's a lot to catch up on!

LG, can't believe your estate agent was stupid enough to put that down in an email - what an idiot! I really feel for you - what a bloody nightmare this has all been, I think you're handling it remarkably well I have to say.

Thanks for all the kind thoughts - not sure whether the ADs working or not yet, but have only been on them a week so think too early.

As for supply of volunteering, neither an option at the moment cos I have DS2 full time and we couldn't afford childcare unless I was working. I think I have to accept that I can't really do much now until he starts pre-school in January 2013. I just have to find other things to fill my time and get my head round a different life!

Must go, it's bedtime then a girls' night out . Love to all xxxxxx

I'm very envious that it's bedtime for you Stitching - we've not had tea yet!

Leo I am sat here working if that makes you feel better -and agree that house should be back on market on those terms.

Booooo to work Gig. How you feeling this week? DS just gone down - he's a bit constipated, poor thing, so we've spent a lot of time in the bathroom singing Christmas songs tonight!

Still working but counting down days.

Any house news?

Also any tips on getting sick smell out of carpets? One of edies friends threw up on our stair carpet (typical as knew had been lucky as e not particularly sick child and has always managed to avoid carpet) and it really stinks.

Have you tried bircarb Gig? When DS wee'd in our bed (nice) we did lots of washing through, bicarb, steam cleaning, bircarb, more steam cleaning (you get the picture) and it worked (saving us the expense of a new mattress thankfully). When do you finish up at work?

That's a good Idea Leo- those old fashioned remedies often the best.

Next Thursday is last day- it wouldn't be so bad but have one big thing that needs to go today . Once that gone will be hopefully easier but it's stressful. Yesterday I was hoping baby would arrive early as would be less painful .

What are everyone's weekend plans? An going to put up rest of decorations and maybe make some mince pies. Oh and picking up new pram

Hi all, sorry to hear you're feeling rough Gig .

Off to Paultons Park to see FC on Sunday - very excited .

That looks great stitching.

Got horror paper out for work (a midnight last night after working til 11 the day before- I did an old gimmer eye roll at the role call of sick people calling in yesterday). So tired but result day today putting rest of Xmas decorations up and making mince pies.

Leo- how is Xmas book hunt going? We have that postmen one (second hand) and its ok but tbh I prefer (if you domt mind nativity story theme ) Jesus birthday party . There is also the surprising cute father Christmas needs a wee (lots of counting of snacks) . The reaL favourite for me is this one first christmas

It is based on king James version so lots of bible language (I am not religious but don't mind explaining ) but the illustrations are exquisite.

On another note I realised I have done very little to prepare for birth this time- including visualisation, hypno practice. I know it's late but any good tips that worked for you.

Oh and Leo - new bugaboo is lovely

Rest not result - bloody iPad

Morning all, busy weekend here, Dad and his wife over yesterday delivering presents, then today Mum arrives for 2 nights, flying visit to see both Ethan and Tristan intheir school plays tomorrow. Saw Ethan on Friday , he was a very serious sheep, who looked quite lost on stage, the others were lovely, and the main character got serious stage fright and spent the whole play on her Mum's knee in the audience!

Hi to everyone else, hope you're all OK, glad you got your work finished now Gig,

Gig - I would buy one of the natal hypnotherapy CDs and put it on your iPod. Then every time you go for a nap or to bed, stick it on and fall asleep to it. I just meant my vbac one to a friend otherwise I would post it to you

Back later..

Thanks lag- have one on iPod from last time and did manage some sneaky rest/visualisation. Dd and dh got cold and neither at their best today.

Sat on sofa now with e watching mickeys twice upon a christmas for the 100th time