Thursday, June 17, 2010

Waiting again

Right now we are waiting again – this time there is a delay regarding the loan. Just a formal thing really, but it seems to be a problem. Everything else goes smoothly at the moment, so we hope that the loan problem will be solved in time, so that we can buy the apartment as soon as the other formalities are completed.

Meanwhile the whole house selling and apartment buying business reminds me very much of a dance like this one:



You move forward, backward, to the side, in circles, and by this slowly reach the end of the line. A dance is much more pleasant most of the time, though ;)

Saturday, June 5, 2010

More Steps Forward

We are still moving forward slowly but steadily with regard to our new home. Within the following two or so weeks the paperwork should be completed, so that we can hopefully sign the contract before the end of this month. Afterwards it is up to our architect and the craftsmen to get all the renovation work done while we are packing our things. This is probably not the greatest way to spend the summer days, but we are determined to move before the days are getting colder again!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

A Small Step Forward

Today we completed the extensive paperwork which is necessary to get a loan. Now the agreement has to be drawn up. From our side we leave this part to our broker who has been doing an excellent job already, while we know nothing about such things, and he will then explain all the small print to us. So all we can do now is wait – once again. Not too long this time, I hope!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

One Step Back, One Forward

The potential buyer doesn’t want the house now – the heating contractor made a quotation for a new heating system which everyone regards as far too high (we knew it before, that company is notorious for it) and which he cannot afford. So now we will take up a loan which we pay back when our house is sold, so that we can at least move forward and buy the new apartment. We hope to be able to do it sometime this month, so we can move before my birthday (July 24). Of course, the apartment needs some renovation, but that should not take too long. In the meantime I will dedicate myself to the task of packing up all our stuff, the mere thought of which horrifies me – at least until I can actually start with it.

Our weather is still like autumn, but at least I’m feeling a little better now and I do not think that it was gastritis; instead I had a migraine for the past two day, but that is over, too, for now.

So I see my life in a brighter light again ;)

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Frustrated

I’m in a state of frustration these days.

Firstly, because the decision whether our house will be sold soon or whether we will have to take up a loan is dragging on and on at the moment. The potential buyer is waiting for a quotation by the heating contractor and what his bank will say on the quoted price or something like that. Hopefully we will know more before next weekend.

Secondly, because the weather has suddenly decided that it is autumn, so we are having rather low temperatures and lots of rain. According to the forecast it will remain like this at least until Friday. We had switched our heater off already, but now it is on again and I only hope that we do not have to buy any more oil!

Thirdly, because I’m not feeling well and wonder whether it is gastritis or just the weather – could be the weather, as I’m reacting extremely sensitive to it, but until either I or the weather get(s) any better I cannot tell.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Strange World...


Why is there so much hatred against Israel? It is a small country, the only democratic one in the Middle East and constantly in danger of being overrun by its neighbors most of whom deny this country the right to exist. Despite its faults and political errors (which are not worse than those of most countries in the west none of which is in such a dangerous situation) it should have the sympathy and support of all democratic countries and people. Instead one gets the impression that Israel must be one of the worst human rights violators in the world and the biggest threat to world peace! This is completely incomprehensible to me - unless, as a German journalist once put it, Israel is said to be the biggest threat to world peace, because it is a thorn in the side of those who are really the biggest threat to world peace, but naming these people / countries is politically incorrect and dangerous, too... It is not dangerous to demonstrate against Israel, because they do not send their terrorists out for suicide attacks on civilians in western countries - others do and therefore it is probably better to appease those by bashing Israel!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Monday, April 12, 2010

Home Again


On Friday evening we returned from our London trip and meanwhile I have also returned home mentally (after our trip to Armenia last year it had taken weeks to get my brain set on “home” again). We had a great time and I was happy to see the town again after 22 years (I do not count a very short visit in 2005 when I wasn’t able to see much of it). Many things have changed, but the megacity atmosphere which I enjoyed so much during my year there was still the same. Also the weather was nice most of the time (except one day with rain). Hermann was very impressed and found London “addictive” – I completely agree on that ;) If there is one place I would really find it perfect to live it is this crazy megacity!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Our House

It is "inofficially" sold now, and we hope that it will be "official" very soon. Before this will happen, though, we will enjoy a week in London, so I now say Happy Easter already to those who celebrate it!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Waiting...

After having resolved on taking up a loan to buy our new apartment everything is now on hold again. The reason is that last Monday we had visitors who are very likely to buy our house. If they do we don't need the loan. We hope that they will finally decide in the course of this week, because we can hardly wait to move forward and therefore we need to know as soon as possible whether we will have to take up the loan or not. Our plans are to buy our new apartment in April, so that the necessary renovation and maintenance can be started soon and we will be able to move sometime in May or June and enjoy the summer in our new home already :)