Chat About the Games Part Two

Just don't put the game over sleep is all I ask.

Hope you guys had a nice and peaceful christmas! I'm in 'clean up' mode after a busy few days and back at work tomorrow morning but will be updating either tonight or tomorrow afternoon, just a heads up. Cheers, Paul

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Most users ever online was 53 on Mon Dec 14, 2020 7:21 pm


WOW! I just noticed this! Wonder what was happening that Monday to get so many folks looking us over? Or were they all some kind of bots and not really folks?

53???

Bizzare. Doubtless bots. Thankfully we've never had a problem with spammers on here. Mostly the problem is a) real life and b) iffy internet or c) 'maintenance' but that only reared its head once (this year) which isn't bad in the 10 years or so we've been on here. Don't mention the year of on/off/what the hell is the forum admin playing at on our old home...

Updates tomorrow. Duty called and I had to use my time to play with my son online. He whupped me at stick fight: the game, we crushed a team of all star bots at Rocket League and I more or less spanked him at Shellshock and even Golf It, which I'm hopeless at. In real life golf I tend to bludgeon it for miles, impressive until you realise its the wrong direction every time. Golf is not my game.

Hope you've all had a decent christmas though of course with covid and the various rules I realise 'decent' is probably an optimistic view

As mentioned, updates tomorrow (I'm 'spare' at work so hopefully nothing will go wrong and I can spend all day on the laptop I'll lug into work with me. If something goes wrong I'll have to carry the thing round with me all day, which will be a disaster.) When I get home hopefully the slops I've put in the slow cooker won't have exploded all over the kitchen and me and the girlfriend will have something to eat.

Or be desperately searching for take out whilst I mop up.

Cheers, Paul

Predictably, things went pear shaped at work and I was pressganged into action (can't complain as I was there to work and not lounge about on my laptop!) which means my planned update to everything may well not happen in 2020.

To everyone, players old and new, I want to wish you all the very best for 2021. We've all had a year to remember for the wrong reasons and things may get worse before they get better, but for as long as anyone wants to play on here I will continue to run the games as I've done for the last 11 years, even if real life slows things to a crawl every now and again!

Right, I'll see what else I can update before my time runs out! Cheers!

Paul

Long shifts this week (basically with the time to get to work I'm out of the house for 12 hours every day up till Sunday) with the added complication that a colleague pinged for self isolation with covid symptoms. I was about an hour sat with him and others in the messroom (socially distanced but no masks as eating dinner). I expect to be pinged to self isolate at some point in the next 12-24 hours (12 hours have elapsed since I found out and no idea how quick this think is but so far I am 'green'. At some point the phone will ping 'red' and that will be it for 10 days). Flipside if I do have to isolate then updates should come fast and furious! Every cloud and all that...

Stay safe!

Cheers, Paul

Well ... Dang! Out of sheer selfishness to get lots and lots of posts done, I am hoping you get told to stay home for a couple of weeks. Out of knowledge of how bad it could be if you have prior medical conditions, I hope you don't have to and can keep on going to work like normal.

So conflicted!

Back up to speed tomorrow. Not been pinged by the phone for covid but five people at work (who I know) have in the last four days so things are getting serious (and as far as I know all had tests that came back positive including one 'super spreader' who had no idea). Been on nights and also house hunting. Put an offer in on a house yesterday but the seller is going to hang on for more bids. Can't blame em but I won't up my offer so got two more houses to view in the morning, one of which is a possible, the other just making sure it's not for me.

After that the day is mine so expect updates!!!

Will see how I get on with updates tonight but otherwise will try during the day tomorrow (working but will bring a laptop along).

Been to see a house today, liked it, put an offer in... and it was accepted The house prices have gone a bit nuts over the last 6 months (upwards) and at some point they will correct but had to pay asking price as it was a place that wouldn't last long if I dithered.

Now comes the 'fun' part. Legal junk, searches, financial probing... Oh and chucking a £25k deposit down. Don't worry I found 26p down the back of the sofa (couch to you David M) so I'm well on my way

Cheers, Paul

Huzzah!

Should be updating tonight. Aside from long shifts over the last few weeks (they are running less trains but the ones they are running are being done with less people because of covid which means if you are in work its for the thick end of 10 hours, plus getting there and back) am now running about gathering documents and proof of funds as well as various details for the house move.

Bad news is I should have started this process last month really because it's going to cost me a couple of grand in tax I could otherwise have avoided. Doh. Never mind, it is what it is...

Updates later on today. Chaos at work right now with flooding cancelling trains all over the place meaning loads of people in the messroom (a bad thing with covid). I thought I was in trouble yesterday with symptoms (chest felt like someone was sat on it, lost voice, coughing etc) but today seem to be better. Fingers crossed, even though I squeak rather than talk.

Apologies for being sluggish since the start of the year. With the house hunting/work it's kind of taken up all my time. Hoping things get more relaxed over next few days now that the house buying progress has started. I mean, what could possibly go wrong...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7Kc6Sfla3I

Sliced Bread and the Second World War

Sliced bread outlawed in the US in 1943. Fun story. Put a smile on your face.

Update over the weekend. Had a crazy couple of days (work, seeing kids, dentist and house stuff) culminating in a survey on the house revealing some iffy bits I need to get my head around. Hopefully nothing deal breaking but it will involve spending thousands of pounds of *somebodies* money. Hopefully not mine...

Update tomorrow. Had kid this week, work (murderous shifts) and have just spent three hours of my life (not getting that back...) concocting a report on the house survey and both my Mum and girlfriend (a Doctor of something or other so she's pretty smart) suggest I walk away from the place. I'll wait and see what the other side say. I was about to get stuck into updates when I saw the time and I'm out of it. Bedtime after I gobble something for dinner then up at 3AM for work.

Living the dream.

Sorry about this week chaps, got lots on my plate but need my relaxation/release of putting your characters in death defying peril. Anything to take my mind off this house thing

Cheers, Paul

Admin wrote:Update tomorrow. Had kid this week, work (murderous shifts) and have just spent three hours of my life (not getting that back...) concocting a report on the house survey and both my Mum and girlfriend (a Doctor of something or other so she's pretty smart) suggest I walk away from the place. I'll wait and see what the other side say. I was about to get stuck into updates when I saw the time and I'm out of it. Bedtime after I gobble something for dinner then up at 3AM for work.

Living the dream.

Sorry about this week chaps, got lots on my plate but need my relaxation/release of putting your characters in death defying peril. Anything to take my mind off this house thing

Cheers, Paul

I always forget to look here till afterwards. Sorry to hear things have been so messy - and intense this last week mate. Trust that you get some clarity soon, good to know you are not in peril just our characters

Sj

Updates later today (at some point). Having to ring round roofers and builders to get someone to have a look at the house I'm wanting to buy and give some idea of the financial disaster I'm about to jump into... or walk away from. Problem is everyone is 'really busy' and so far no positives just 'leave a message' or 'can see it in a few weeks not sooner'

these things are sent to try us...

Admin wrote:Updates later today (at some point). Having to ring round roofers and builders to get someone to have a look at the house I'm wanting to buy and give some idea of the financial disaster I'm about to jump into... or walk away from. Problem is everyone is 'really busy' and so far no positives just 'leave a message' or 'can see it in a few weeks not sooner'

these things are sent to try us...

Ugh, mate, take your time things can wait if you need to, let this be one less stress to stress about at a time like this.

Sj

I'll need this to de stress! Already had sleepless nights, cold sweat and getting cold feet about the house now. Initially was to beat the stamp duty holiday but I think I'll be ok there (qualify as first time buyer after five years of renting). Now either have to get this sorted or walk away and start the whole process again.

My solicitor didn't help with her reply of 'it's an old house you'll have to accept there are issues with it'. Perhaps, but maybe I'm better off buying a house with less or no issues? Nnnnngh, need a wall to bang head against. Ah well, back to the ringing around...

Over here, the seller has to make the house livable before it can be sold, has to pay for all repairs. An inspector has to approve the home beforehand. When I sold the only house I owned, we had a hurricane days before the buyer was about to sign on the dotted line. A tree fell on my house, punching a hole in the roof. Had to spend $5000 to fix the roof before it was allowed to be sold but the good news was that the buyer was willing to take the $5000 and do the fixing himself, figuring he could do it cheaper and pocket the extra, and this was allowed. Unless you are a person who loves DIY, stay away from fixer uppers. Or unless you have lots of money to have other people fix it for you.

Good advice. The one house I owned with the wife was a total money pit. I was younger and on good money so I worked 12-14 hr shifts then started again when I got home with repairs and renovations. Too old for that now.

I've even handed the sellers agent a copy of the survey to let them know what I'm up against. At this point I figured why not, I'm about to pull from the sale anyway. If they can get a contractor in to at least get some idea of costs that would help (I'm still getting my own in though). I've given myself a deadline of this time next week. By then I'll have some idea of the costs involved or I'll have drawn a blank and I will make a decision. Gut and head both say the same. Buy a house that isn't a fixer upper. Hoping some expert will tell me it's just a few hundred quid here or there but I think it will be thousands.

Admin wrote:Good advice. The one house I owned with the wife was a total money pit. I was younger and on good money so I worked 12-14 hr shifts then started again when I got home with repairs and renovations. Too old for that now.

I've even handed the sellers agent a copy of the survey to let them know what I'm up against. At this point I figured why not, I'm about to pull from the sale anyway. If they can get a contractor in to at least get some idea of costs that would help (I'm still getting my own in though). I've given myself a deadline of this time next week. By then I'll have some idea of the costs involved or I'll have drawn a blank and I will make a decision. Gut and head both say the same. Buy a house that isn't a fixer upper. Hoping some expert will tell me it's just a few hundred quid here or there but I think it will be thousands.

I had a friend who was a quantity surveyor who did a lot of his own DIY work and helped me out on more than few jobs. He always, and I mean always, said a job would take so much, so long, so difficult and without fail he always underestimated. It always costs more, especially as you uncover one thing and it leads to finding something else that was wrong. Old houses are great, but they always require a lot more work. I am guessing from what you are saying Paul you do not want to come home and have to do x...y...z before you can eat your tea, open a beer, or watch something. I'd say you already know this yourself mate.

Sj

I was in my late 50s when I last moved, about 4 years ago. For the first time, I didn't rent a U-Haul and did the move myself, even though I was just moving to another apartment in my apartment complex. I paid big to get a moving company to do it. Still spent 2 months buying boxes and packing all my stuff in them for the movers to put on their truck. I would pack 2-3 boxes a night when I got home from work. If and when I move again, I'm gonna pay even bigger money to get them to pack AND move it.

Kind of make or break day today. Spent the last two and a half days trying to get in touch with builders/roofers who will actually go out and look at the place to give some idea of the bills involved. Ended up having to pay people for their time which is fine (fuel costs, might take an hour or so etc).

Meeting the seller at the property and a roofer that the sellers agent suggested... who it turns out has been the one maintaining the property whilst it has been rented out. Hardly likely to be impartial and happy to point out all the rubbish work he's been doing, hence having to get people in.

Friends, family, work colleagues all been saying the same thing. Find another house. Determined to at least talk to the seller and see what can be done but I suspect after the end of play today I will be wiser with regards this place. To my untrained eye I can't see the problems (the roof looks ok to me) but there is damp around the base of the building and the surveyor has done his job it seems. We'll see.

Updates hopefully later on. Been on night shifts, barely any sleep and head all over the place. Also dealing with the house. I should have walked away but have had two lots of quotes now and things don't look quite as terrifying but still that I need brave pills. Waiting to hear back from mortgage broker about what I can borrow and will make a decision from there because I need to chop a chunk off the asking price and a) need cash in the bank to get stuff done or b) they don't go for the price drop and I walk away. Too much needs doing (the house would be fine to move in and patch up as I go but at some point will need doing and I don't think I should pay for it) to simply pay asking price.

The sellers have said they will negotiate but I'm not sure they will come down to what I am asking for (about 25-30k off) All of the prices quoted as estimates and in my experience it's never cheaper than the guessed price, always more expensive.

I'm up and down like a yoyo with this, it's consuming my waking hours (and nicking hours off me when I should be sleeping) and it's coming to a head. In the next couple of days I'll either be walking away from it or taking a deep breath and hoping I'm doing the right thing.

Apologies for the delay guys. I know you understand but it's been frustrating/terrifying/practically impossible to sort out but might be resolution one way or the other this week.

One can but hope ...

Cheers, Paul