Sunday 6 October 2013

Life's little ups and downs . . .


We have been busy harvesting our apples this week.  These are from the cooker/eater at the end of the drive.  They keep quite well, in cool conditions, and are a good dual purpose apple.

Whilst we were picking them, the phone rang.  It was the new agent, who it seems had had a change of heart about the valuation she had given.  Cold feet more like (as there had Been A.N. Other Agent or two before her, which we had left for very valid reasons).  We have discussed the situation over the weekend and will discuss it further tomorrow with her, but I think we are coming off the market until spring and then take it from there.  I was very disheartened though, as I thought finally things were coming together . . .


So what do you do when you are down about things?  I work very hard to take my mind off my worries.  Or I go for a long walk.  In this instance, I gardened and set to to clear the area at the side of the gate, where I have a little garden over my old dog Tara's grave.  It had got very overgrown this summer . . .  Now a good bit clearer, as you can see above.


I bought these lovely little Cyclamen to brighten up the edge of the driveway for when we had the house video done.  Redundant now, as that won't be happening until the spring . . .


Our house, dreaming in the autumn sunshine and waiting for a new family to comem along and fall in love with it.


Perhaps I should put my own advert up - "Own a piece of history" - or "on the trail of the White Queen" . . . as our house sent men to support Henry Tudor at Bosworth and were rewarded for their loyalty.


Torquay jug (an old one) which came my way recently (Malvern was it?)


A LOVELY Torquay Scandy pattern puzzle jug (in that you can't drink easily from the little spouts!!)

A little Torquay birdy pot (looks like a parrot to me!) from last week.





This was at yesterday's Antiques Fair we went to.  The photo does not do justice to its tactile appeal - it is highly polished from two centuries of use.  Described as a spice box, I think it looks more like a sewing box inside.    Solid mahogany anyway, and the lid slides across so easily.


An indulgence fortunately more than covered from today's car boot sale . . .

12 comments:

  1. Love your little slidey box. So sorry about the agent and holding off till the spring. Where do the months go? Why don't you advertise it privately over winter and just see what happens. There seem to be loads of people doing it these days on the internet. Since you have the video.....

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  2. Selling and buying a house is a nightmare! Hope it goes better in the spring for you. Hold on in there and it'll go alright in the end!

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  3. I don't think I have ever seen the front of your home... Beautiful !
    I love the Tudor reference.

    cheers, parsnip

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  4. That is not a bad idea of Em's, you have such a gorgeous house, wretched agents ;(

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  5. Love your recent purchases. So sorry to hear about the house and agent and the wait till Spring. Your house is really beautiful and I would have thought all the history would have been such a selling point. Perhaps Em's idea is worth considering?

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  6. Em - we decided the video could wait until the spring too, especially as our old cooker is gasping its last (main oven gone as well as cracked ceramic hob and two rings will only do flat out or off . . .) We have decided to "hide" the house over the winter so we can come on in spring as a fresh property, complete with fresh price . . .

    Kev - thanks for your comment. I need a break from painting, if nothing else! Though having said that, I have just seen a gorgeous Farrow and Ball colour, Cats Paw, which is exactly the same colour yellow which was used in this house in late Georgian times . . . Hmmmm . . . I think I know what my husband will say about a) repainting and b) the duller colour though!

    parsnip - I hope the historical link will still be relevent come spring. Glad you like the front of the house too.

    thelma - we think it's gorgeous, but we are biased!

    Robin - Happy to put stuff on hold at the moment, as it gives us a chance to play catch-up. We plan to turn the Junk Room back into The Library over the winter, so watch this space!

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  7. Your house is beautiful - I'm sure that the right family will come along in the Spring and everything will fall into place. Jx

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  8. Thanks Jan. I am a lot more confident about it happening now we have the new agent on hold, and the property market seems to be reviving.

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  9. Well, I think it's lovely and hope that the right buyer appears when you re-list in the spring. Meanwhile, doesn't a Library sound delectable ?~! Happy October and may you get the break and concurrent rest you crave.

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  10. You have a lovely house, good luck with the sale.

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  11. Thanks Cait. We think so. Just have to find a Londoner who agrees with us!

    Lynda - The Library sounds very grand doesn't it? I have at long last persuaded my husband that the small stables outside, filled with his "useful bits of wood" need emptying, so that come the spring, any Fleamarket stuff can go out there . . .

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  12. I can't believe that your house is so difficult to sell, it's so attractive and full of history. Maybe no bad thing to wait for Spring and start fresh. The garden will be full of flowers and blossom and look really pretty.

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