Steve & Stephs Rollacoastered Life

Its been 5 months since I left Bremen and Im still fighting for my deposit. I remember how important it was that I transfered my deposit over when I first moved in, but there is no rush to give it back which really pisses me off. The deposit is about €1,200, so thats a fair whack in my opinion and to have to chase that for 5 months is a joke. I cleaned that place head to toe, never had a problem, the palce was looking fab wheen we left and of course I painted the whole joint before I moved on, so whats the problem? Argghhhh, so annoyed.

I called the lady about it today and they said there was a dispute over whether I had paid for the bins to be cleaned? I would have hit the person on the phone so hard if it were possible (and if it wasnt a lady of course). Anyway, she said 2 or 3 weeks until I have my deposit back! Joke

Time to celebrate! The tenants 1 year contract is up and its time for them to start tormenting someone else. I would prefer my house to be empty rather than keep them in, so to hear that they actually left on the date they were supposed to was abit of a shock, although if it meant paying an extra days rent, then its no surprise they bolted! They made every attempt to stay in the house, they begged for a renewal and then tried to get a mortgage, however, they were all a waste of time as there was no way I would sell to them and certainly no way renew the lease.. they have scared me out of ever being a landlord again.

So now that the house is empty, it means I have to find the £850 mortgage each month aswell as the £650 rent on where I am now EVERY month! Jesus.

The house has been up for sale and I had upto 10 viewings but no offers so to save me stressing, Ill put it up with an estate agents (although I hate the idea of paying them a huge fee!)

I received a letter today addressed to me. It was from a man I dont know who claimed to work for a banking institute. He stated that a man he knew with a similar name to mine had died and there was no next of kin to inherit the millions of pounds left behind and wondered if I was interested to help make a false claim if he could provide all the necessary documents.

The million other fraud emails I receive usually mention something about sending my account details or paying a deposit on a bargain car etc.. but this was a letter addressed to me personally and with phone numbers to get in touch.. thats something new!

Nothing surprises me anymore, the world is full of conning pricks. I just feel sorry for the ones who fall for it.

Today I rowed a 1000 meters in my best time ever..

1000m = 3:32 secs

I was soooo knackered

My Dad and step mum Dora were in town. Dad flew over from Texas and Dora flew in from South Korea to stay for a few weeks with my Nan and Grandad up Hartlepool. They popped down to Manchester and stayed over for the weekend which was great. It was abit daunting to play host to my folks as during the last 28 years, its always been me who visits them. Dad and Dora (aka DAD) has never been to a home of mine before so it was really great to have them here. They were hell bent on buying us something special for the house, but after a few visits to B&Q, MFI, Homebase,  etc.. it was apparent that we really didnt need any more tools, furniture, washine machine etc.. but one thing that couldn’t go unnoticed was our pathetic 12″ TV. I wasn’t gunning or hinting for a new TV, infact I was quite embarrased at the thought of them splashing out on a new plasma or something similar, but DAD being DAD, they gunned any objection and set of to Currys.

To cut a long story short, we now have a beautiful LCD 40″ HD TV sitting on a glorious stand accompanied with a Blu-Ray player whcih belts out the kind of quality that makes you drewl! Its awesome - Thanks D.A.D!

It was only a weekend flying visit, but having them here was awesome, there is something about having my Dad around that gives me a feeling I cant explain. A kind of safe, fun, father-son feeling I guess.

Another weekend on the floor though! Thats 4 weekends in a row now!

It wasn’t today, it was last week. I was in ASDA’s with Steph and her folks at the checkout. Suddenly this man runs towards the checkout and tries to run out the door, only there were trollies everywhere obstructing his path. He stopped, reached out towards the light shinning through the door as if to grab it and then started to shake rapidly. It was clear he was having an epileptic fit and was just running for safety, fresh air or something. In an instant after the fit began, he stumbled and fell towards the floor, but thw way he fell was head first, without any hands out to protect himself. His head hit the concrete floor and everyone in ASDA’s would have heard it. It was a very loud crack and even though there were soon enough peole around him to help and control his ongoing fit, I could see that there was dark blood slowly filling the floor space around his head.

The ambulance arrived within 20 mins, by that time we were leaving the car park. I often think about the man and wonder if he lived?

On the weekend that my house is officially up for sale, there is wide spread news that house prices fall for the first time in 13 years and the news wont stop headlining the ‘Credit Crunch’ stating that house prices are due to slump to an all time low! Apparently now would be the worst timing to be selling your house!

Now to me, its just too typical, its not bad luck, its a curse.. I couldn’t possibly sell the house until this week, so its a little to much of a co-incidence that in the same week the UK house price slump explodes into the news!

So.. a week ago my house was worth 180,000+, this week its worth alot less and according to the news, next month it will be worth even less.. I just don’t believe it!

Sothe time has come.. today is the first day I can officially advertise our house in the Isle of Man for sale. The tenants had always expressed interest, however,after all the troule I have had, I cant help think that their interest and pursuit was an attempt to prolong the selling. Eitherway I gave them the benefit of the doubt (again) but they fell short of the asking price and so today it went up for sale for the first time.

Going back to the days where Chrystals first made me realise that companies are just rip off merchants, Ive decided to try and sell it privately before going through the estate agents. If im successful in selling the house my way, im saving myself about 2k. Thats alot of money and there is no way I will let Chrystals or any other company get that for just selling my house.

Anyway, I really have mixed feelings about selling the house, for all the personal and emotional reasons I would like to keep it, beign that Ive put alot of work into the hosue and of course it was our first home, but for the practical reasons, I just have to sell.

Its going up for sale for 189,000. I dont expect that much but lets see what offers we have.

And I do praise the lord because I really expected something to go wrong.. the warehouse burnt down, the deliverey van drove off a bridge, the sofa was knicked etc.. so when the men actually arrived on the day they said they would and better still with the exact sofa we ordered, I was completely amazed.. and thrilled!

The sofas are so awesome, the most comfy sofas ever (in my humble opinion) but then again, after spending 11 months on that Ikea futon sitting on a table leg would have been comfier, however, all jokes aside, the sofa is really really comfy and ever time I sit down I start to drift off.. they are like doses of heaven (how corny I know) but honestly, sooo inviting and comfy. Chuffed as hell!

Stephs folks arrived for the weekend, which meant another weekend of sleeping on the floor.. that was the third week in a row! They arrived early on Friday but yours truly worked 30 hours in the first 2 days they were here so I missed most of the visit. Strangely enough Saturday night in was quite different and yet fun, we shared a few beers and Ken took to my guitar. It had been along time since he had sat back from his laptop/work and strum abit, but I was impressed with his musical ability, he’d kept that quiet! If there is anything that inspires me, its listening to others paying the guitar, and so when Ken strummed away all night, I was only too happy to sit back and admire. Although If he thought I was going to sing a long with him, he was very mistaken - thats beyond my normal duty!

Steph sister Alex has been good to us.. she let her folks bring her pink polo over for us to use as we wish until we have our own car to use. It also meant Steph was behind the wheel for the first time since he passed her test a year ago and more to the point, her first time on the motorway! But she rose to the challenge and drove her mum to Liverpool for the ferry on Sat afternoon. She also drove us back, so thats that problem dealt with.. just the job scenario remaining (yes she is still unemployed).

Her dad stayed behind for another night, during the evening he was at the Manchester City stadium. I managed to get him 2 seats in the corporate box  so he was delighted and fortuntaley they beat Tottenham 2-1 to make his day complete.