Moving updates (aka the LEAST exciting topic in the world)

[blamebrampton]

I have remembered why we have spent the last 13 and 3/4 years not moving. If only I had spent the same amount of time not buying books!

I have packed four boxes, culled another box-ish of books I can let go of, and wrapped up all the kitchen pans we use rarely so they can be tossed into a box easily.

And looked at SO MANY HOUSES! As yet, there has been no perfect house. There was one that was rather good, but it is expensive, and the kitchen is frankly rubbish. The genuinely pleasant agent is  wooing us: they are redoing the kitchen and the rear decking, we should commit! But Mr B is balking at the price despite the fact I will cover most of it. Probably wise: my spare dollars should be spent on travel! (And possibly the occasional book.)

The places we are looking at this week are all further away from Erskineville, which makes me sad when it comes to my beloved village, but they have room for vegetable gardens and perennial borders! Which is one hell of a compensation!

Naturally, it is now that my snowdrops have all burst out in the front garden here. I wonder how they would cope with me digging them up and slapping them in a pot?

House-hunting does make you worry about your fellow human beings. There was the wonderfully converted old shop that had a magnificent bathroom that you reached by going into the main bedroom. It is a three-bedroom house.

'Sorry, guests, no weeing for you! We are shagging and while you will be protected from the view by a bit of wall, the sound effects will forever destroy our friendship.'

Then there was the one where every large room had been transected by a fresh wall. MORE ROOMS! With, er, less room in them. And a piano in one. Which is staying.

I admit, it was a tiny bit tempting.

The 'huge entertaining space' that would not have allowed for the kitten to be swung, let alone either of the cats.

The beautiful period masterpiece that had a splendid garden and sensitive renovations that integrated smoothly and was open to the idea of pets, but $100 a week more than even I could really think sensible. I really should have just rung around to find a regular freelance gig for that one.

The 'close to transport and shops' location, with 'inner city vibe' that is in the suburbs, and admittedly five minutes from the train or shops by motorway, but about half an hour by foot and 20 terrifying minutes by bike.

Anyway, we are in no rush and have several good prospects with no need to leave here before late September. Which gives me WEEKS to offload some more books.

And if you know anyone 5'10" in Sydney who wants to buy a late 1980s Miyata for around $300 (less for friends of friends), do send them my way!

I've just remembered that I owe a great deal in the way of kitten posting …

Comments

[winnett.livejournal.com]

don't get into a house you can't afford or is beyond your budget. I had plenty of friends do that, then the housing prices crumbled, their houses were worth half what they paid. Two forfeited their houses. Another, he lost his job and they couldn't keep up the payments. Just better if you don't. IMHO. Of course, that's the US, not sure how things work over there.

Good luck!

And i hated moving/packing. I do still have three boxes of books I have to get rid of.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Happily we are renting rather than buying at the moment, but it is excellent advice. I can afford the things at the top of our window, Mr B can't afford as much as I can, so I have been offering to cover him. But the compromise position is that we go outside my preferred area and I just use the extra money towards more deposit if we do buy here, or more travel! (or books. Just little ones!)

[ladyjaneva.livejournal.com]

(or books. Just little ones!)

yeah, that's how it starts ;-)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I did make a decision to buy one book recently entirely because it was 10cm by 10cm ;-)

[mama-pyjama.livejournal.com]

Snowdrops are lifted and sold 'in the green' here - we have one of Britain's largest collections of snowdrops locally at Angelsey Abbey. Their snowdrops are available in Jan/Feb/March only and the big local producers sell them in bunches of bulbs - not cut flowers.

Your snowdrops would probably be fine if you lift them now!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I've done it in the UK, but never here. It's been so insanely warm until the last two weeks that they were down in the soil sulking, now the cold snap has got a run on they have leapt up gleefully and I don't know what will happen if I take them out of the cold soil. But you are entirely right that it should work! And I have just remembered the tulip bulbs in the fridge ... Oops!

[(Anonymous)]

Yuk, I hate moving.

Friends had a lovely house in Erko, but was going to be too small for the then 3yo. They moved farther west to Dulwich Hill and have been very happy for the past 11 years.

Mind you, they had Balmain envy on another friend's place ... but couldn't afford the space they needed.

Cheers; Charlotte

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's the worst!

Dulwich Hill is fabulous. We're look at the DH end of Marrickville very seriously. Balmain is lovely, but if you don't drive it is diabolical to get in and out of. Damn Sydney!

[karinmollberg.livejournal.com]

I love the one with all the extra rooms, now all you need is extra doors...or maybe not, after reading comments above. The period piece must be very tempting as is the old shop; in case you need to get rid of some friends or just play jokes on them. Or the piano. Hope, you find the Perfect Place for a ditto price.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I have found one place that may be perfect, alas, the agent is not talking about it yet, we have to wait a week or two. Sigh. But wisdom has prevailed and we are going to get something well within budget so that I can travel more. France ahoy!

[ladyjaneva.livejournal.com]

May I ask: why are you moving? Do you want more of a garden?

I hate moving, you have my upmost sympathies. And isn't it truly astonishing just how much stuff and even more crap accumulates without one being conscious of it?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

We're renting here and the owners have decided they want to renovate to sell.

And YES! Some of it I am well across because I do embarrassing things like filing my fabric collection and numbering the boxes, etc. But I have somehow amassed a load of electronic hair devices: I have probably curled my hair twice in the last decade and blow-dried four or five screenprinting stencils but no hair.

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

Just wondering, where do you unload the books?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

We do a few things. For collectables and rare books, we usually sell online, for crap we're embarrassed to own or review books that were free in the first place, we pop them in a box out the front of our place with a note saying FREE, and for the remainder, the occasional yard sale, where even if you're only getting a few dollars a pop, it's better than the second hand bookshops can offer.

[i-autumnheart.livejournal.com]

House hunting is never fun; sorry to hear you have to move, but yay for at least not having to move in a hurry. Are you sticking with the inner west?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

We are. Mostly because we like to be convenient for people flying into Sydney ;-) And to not have me trapped in a house that needs a car.

I am over the whole project already. Though I have found the house I want. Now I just need to convince the realtor to give it to me :-)

[valkyrie17.livejournal.com]

Only 4 boxes of books? You're good. Last time we moved I had thirteen boxes of them. We've been here 22 years, and whilst I have culled a couple of times, I think there are at least 30 boxes worth of books on the shelves, and quite a few stuffed more here and there about the house…

Good luck. I HATE moving.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Yeah, alas, those four boxes represent about 1/22 of the book shelves being sorted.

I am so doomed …

ME TOO!

[valkyrie17.livejournal.com]

That makes me feel better. I worry about how many books I have sometimes:)

[alethiaxx.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is exciting news! Hope you find a wonderful place and the move goes smoothly.

[nenne.livejournal.com]

Best of luck with house hunting and packing and all. :)