FYI

[jocelyn plummer]

Sounds exciting Moo--J's son's postcode is SE22----

 

[LadyArowana]

We live close enough that it's convenient, but not so close that you can "just pop in" without calling to check first - which works both ways of course!

Lucky you, personally speaking, 13 hours on a plane = not far enough !

 

[angrybird]

what a beautiful home you have ! and that wooden paneling is to die for,
I hope you will be very happy where ever you choose to lay your hat x

 

[Moo]

Oh, don't rub it in!
We've just returned from yet another house-hunting safari to SE London....

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Don't do it Moo. Your house is too lovely.

Sure, families can be mildly diverting - but that is what Skype was invented for, surely? 8)

 

[Penners]

that is what Skype was invented for, surely?

Skype is one of those ideas that seems wonderful in concept, but in practice is actually awful.

When our son, daughter-in-law and grandson spent 2 years in Australia, we agreed that we would Skype every week for a chat and a news catch-up. The trouble is that after five or ten minutes you run out of things to say and nobody wants to be the first to say, "Right then - we've run out words this week. We'll talk to you next week".

It's a bit like a hospital visit. When you're obliged to make conversation, it's invariably stilted and artificial.

 

[LadyArowana]

that is what Skype was invented for, surely?

Skype is one of those ideas that seems wonderful in concept, but in practice is actually awful.

When our son, daughter-in-law and grandson spent 2 years in Australia, we agreed that we would Skype every week for a chat and a news catch-up. The trouble is that after five or ten minutes you run out of things to say and nobody wants to be the first to say, "Right then - we've run out words this week. We'll talk to you next week".

It's a bit like a hospital visit. When you're obliged to make conversation, it's invariably stilted and artificial.

That never happens to me

 

[Penners]

I have metaphorically stapled my mouth closed, in order to prevent myself from uttering the obvious response! :wink:

 

[Flyfisher]

that is what Skype was invented for, surely?

Skype is one of those ideas that seems wonderful in concept, but in practice is actually awful.

When our son, daughter-in-law and grandson spent 2 years in Australia, we agreed that we would Skype every week for a chat and a news catch-up. The trouble is that after five or ten minutes you run out of things to say and nobody wants to be the first to say, "Right then - we've run out words this week. We'll talk to you next week".

It's a bit like a hospital visit. When you're obliged to make conversation, it's invariably stilted and artificial.

Under the circumstances described, I tend to agree, because of the enforced formality of a pre-arranged schedule. A conventional telephone call would likely be just the same.

The trick, I'd say is to use it far more informally and frequently. Since Mrs FF has been using an iPad we've been using skype a lot more than we used to - from trivial things like calling me in the study when dinner is ready or having a quick chat with FF junior at uni (usually an incoming call requesting money :roll: ).

 

[Penners]

usually an incoming call requesting money

You'll be familiar with the Americans' love of bumper stickers - I once saw a great one in California which read, "Money can't buy you happiness, but it sure keeps the kids in touch".

 

[Moo]

That's absolutely brilliant!!! I shall treasure it (and possibly have it framed).

 

[Moo]

Don't do it Moo. Your house is too lovely.

This morning we made a list of all our furniture and identified the few pieces that we'll take with us (assuming that we end up buying the little house we've got our eye on), and the many that will have to go either to auction or the charity shop.
In some ways I wish I'd wake up and find it was only a dream. But on the other hand I'm rather looking forward to getting my teeth into another Project.

 

[Penners]

In some ways I wish I'd wake up and find it was only a dream.

You're not alone.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Decisions like that are sooo tough Moo! My Son has got much of the larger bits of excess Family stuff packed away in his little stable man's cottage on the end of my ex's barn and I still have a small storage unit for which I am thankful because I have needed to swap a few bits around as we have got used to this house. Books are the biggest problem, it sticks in my throat to reduce the number of books around the house, but there is nowhere to build in a bookcase or stand a break-front, so most of those are in my little store-- not much use there though! I've done well at Auction with bits of china, and Preen-- the charity for disadvantaged people - have been glad of curtains and bedding-collected it too!
As you say, it's the prospect of a new challenge which lifts the spirits. xxxxxx

 

[Penners]

books...most of those are in my little store-- not much use there though!

That's only because you haven't equipped your little store correctly. Now, if it had an armchair and a kettle.... :wink:

 

[JoceAndChris]

I'm much happier now I've decided my big collection of literature can go to charity. For a while I thought I'd want to get nice vintage or antique copies of the classics (mine are all mainly Penguin Classics), but now the kindle's invented there seems little point. The only books I want to keep are the ones Gareth has given me, some other friends' presents ( including several very useful ones from you Joss! Love the Jocasta Innes, and the "Decorative Borders made the print room!)
But big messy bookcases of paperbacks you're unlikely to read again - no. I'd sooner buy sculpture and paintings.

I'm also much happier being closer to my parents, and though Chris would probably disagree, I'd love it if they could sell their house and have a cottage built for them in the spinney. They're both very private, space respecting kinds of people, but I'd enjoy a daily natter - in fact I'm sure I'd like that more than they would. They'd never have dreamed of downsizing to be nearer us in the South, which is why I think Moo is just so sweet. Chris' parents, on the other hand, are feeling the distance very painfully and are planning to sell their Somerset house and their Sheffield bolt hole and buy a nice house in the Peak District - which is all very exciting - I'll be pushing a period property!

 

[LadyArowana]

I'd sooner buy sculpture and paintings.

Be afraid.... be very afraid............... you know where that road leads, or have I not warned you enough! It starts quite innocently, and then the next thing you are all the way to "well they will ship it from Bologna, and you are going to be in London anyway and at least it isn't an elephant"...... which is OK right up to the point the man from UPS leaves you a huge crate upside down in the middle of the living room.

 

[Penners]

That's a sizeable living room you have there, Milady. Keeping the car in there is a novel idea, too, but I suppose it helps the problem of big city parking.

 

[Penners]

For a while I thought I'd want to get nice vintage or antique copies of the classics... but now the kindle's invented there seems little point.

Little point?! Joce, I'm truly astonished! I'd have had you pegged as a true lover of books - not just for their literary worth but also as things of beauty in their own right.

The Kindle is a convenient little gizmo, but you don't keep one instead of your books. It has to be as-well-as...

Besides, think of all that insulation that you're getting rid of!

 

[FamilyWiggs]

The Kindle is a convenient little gizmo

It's driving the whole UK recovery from No2's bedroom in this household. :shock: He's had one for a little over a month and it's costing me an average of a fiver a day in new books from Amazon. He's always been an avid reader, but at 9 this has really caught his imagination. :lol: Still, think of the petrol/carbon savings over buying all those traditional books.

And Joce, the great thing is many books out of copyright (pretty much all the classics and about a million others besides) are free.

We now have 2 kindles, and 4 kindle-alikes (iPods/iPad-kindle apps all linked to the same family library) and so there is probably a 50:50 chance that at any time during the day at least 1 of the four of us is reading on one. That level of reading never happened before the Kindle came along. they're just brilliant.