I spent yesterday morning in Dollis Hill and Neasden, north of us, doing more photography for Bleeding London. I shot 65 streets and got some interesting pictures, I think.
My enthusiasm for Bleeding London may have gotten me in over my head, though. I volunteered to help keep track of which streets still need to be done in the NW postcodes, and to help update the BL Web site. With what time am I going to do this? I'm not sure! Stay tuned!
Dave got back from Aberdeen yesterday as expected -- I timed my photo walk to be home when he arrived. He went grocery shopping on the way home (hauling his suitcase, poor guy) and then settled promptly into his position on the couch and began surfing real estate sites. For some reason, talking with his coworkers on the trip seems to have convinced him that we should buy a flat. I'm certainly not opposed to buying, but we only just arrived in the flat we're in now -- he just planted about a hundred plants in the back garden -- so I think we ought to live here a couple of years before we hasten down the path toward ownership. Despite the mold, I like our flat! (Besides, we need to talk to banks about our options.)
I think he's just sick of trying to deal with our management company. Can't blame him for that. But in the end, none of the repairs we've requested (well, except the mold) are urgent -- so I'm not quite ready for an extreme change in plans.
We had pork chops for dinner and watched some telly. We also Skyped with Dave's parents last night -- his mom has some health issues, so I know that's weighing on his mind. It's weighing on mine, too. It will be good to get to Michigan for Christmas so we can spend some time with them and really see first-hand how they're doing.
(Photo: Outside the Dollis Hill tube station, yesterday.)
Somehow I missed the mold post. We had an issue in one of our bathrooms in which the vent to the outside doesn't work optimally. Every few months the mold on walls from steamy showers had to be remediated. Finally the painter, after scrubbing off the mold with a bleach solution, primed and then painted the bathroom with a mold resistant paint. It has been over a year and not a single black spot in sight. The door needs to be fixed but till then a bleach scrub and mold resistant paint should solve the issue in the living room.
ReplyDeleteAngella has some good advice.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Dave is home. Sounds like he's a man on a mission. Gently remind him that if you own a place, ALL of the problems are yours to deal with and that's all there is to it. Not that that's so bad. It can be a good investment. And hey- you can dig up plants and take them with you!
I've never been much for renting but mostly because I don't want to live in an apartment complex or townhouse with shared walls and windows only at the ends and I must have a yard.
ReplyDeleteDollis Hill is one tube station I had never heard of before so I had to look it up on a map and of course, looking at the map brought back all kinds of memories of my walks in that area just last year at this time.
ReplyDeleteDave sounds a bit frustrated with waiting for things to get done. I have the same problem here, and I own...Can't find reliable people to do what needs doing...Good luck should you both opt for ownership...
ReplyDeleteI understand the desire to check out the folks in person - I always wonder if my dad is doing as well as he sounds on the phone...
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