Well its been a long while since I wrote an update and mainly due to the fact we have been very busy plus a brief wasted visit to the caravan in Somerset. Unfortunately we did have a lot of problems with the house which took some while to resolve and after engaging with the top management of Octagon developments we were able to finally resolve them all pretty much apart from a couple of things.
There has been a lot to learn about controlling the underfloor heating, air ventilating system, new kitchen and utility equipment and so there have been few mistake as well. There re t least 14 different thermostats controlling bathroom floors and room temperatures and when we moved in they were all on different settings, with incorrect dates and timing and other values and after some investigation we have installed a wireless system to control them all, it could not have been done before due to lack of internet. The site mistakenly covered the Virgin Media (pit) they call it with four inches of tarmac and steel plate and so there was a big problem but with a lot of shouting and stamping feet we got it resolved.
Our near neighbours are very nice and only 9 houses have been occupied for the moment with others coming on stream during the next few months and the good thing is that slowly but surely the delivery companies re beginning to find us without difficulty thus avoiding the challenges we experienced in the first few weeks of moving in. In early December they were able to move the side fencing and carry out some extra paving for us and so we have gained a good storage area and now waiting for help to put up the new storage units we have purchased. Needless to say COVID19 has had a big part to play to making our lives difficult so we cannot do what we want. In early December we paid a brief visit to the caravan with the intention of adding extra awning support rods which were due to arrive upon our arrival, but they did not arrive until we had left the site and now we are unable to visit to get them fixed up and so hoping there will not be to much snow.
The Utility Companies that the developers had signed up with were not our choice and to change should be simple but the British Gas Company were so disorganised that eventually I had to go to the ombudsman to get the matter resolved so that I can switch to my preferred supplier, two months of hassle with Brutish Gas was an absolute nightmare.
In the interim we have has the garden sorted with lots of new plants and its looking quite good if only it would stop raining as the ground is soaking wet and we hope that it does not damage the plants, we shall see.
The house now has vertical blinds pretty much everywhere for privacy and Jennifer is starting to make curtains but we are also waiting for some new built in furniture to arrive mid January and also new beds and so once this is all complete then we can finalise which curtains will go where.
We have had to cancel our trip to Florida until further notice as the state of Florida is suffering very badly with the virus whilst our travel insurance company would not cover us with all the problems and so we will have to wait till later in the year and then decide what to do. On 31 May 2021 will be our 50th Wedding Anniversary and so we have booked to go on an Eastern Mediterranean cruise starting from Istanbul and ending up in Venice, but will have a few extra days in advance of the cruise to enjoy some extra days around Istanbul, which should be great.
Well its now just after Christmas and unfortunately due to the COVID bug again our plans to have all the family stay with us could not happen but not knowing that the Government would change the lockdown rules we had ordered turkey large enough to cater for ten people plus extra with all the other stuff you buy at Christmas which is all now residing in the freezer. Oh well will eat it sometime. New Years eve was usually with friends but its most unlikely that will happen and together with Chelsea current poor performance its not been the best of Christmas. But better to stay fit and well rather than risk catching the bug… Oh well its 2021 in a few days and just hope that is better.
