A slightly belated update due to the need to get ready for Christmas as well as get the house in shape; and a bout of sickness that threatened to cancel Christmas but we managed to shake it off in time.

BT and Sky were true to their word with phone available by midday on Thursday (17th) and TV installed and working by 11:30 on Monday (21st)

I got an e-mail from BT around 8am on the Monday to tell me the Broadband was active and the ADSL hub was delivered by a Postman wearing shorts (there was at least 4 inches of snow on the ground and the temperature was below 0) at around 11am; I was told that the maximum download speed would be around 5.5Mbs but my tests are showing just under 8Mbs – workable although I will miss my 20Mbs cable

Mary has done her thing and we have living and dinning rooms that feel like home and a functional kitchen and bedroom; we will be making a few more trips to the charity shops as we now know we can’t fit everything in – but then we knew we were downsizing and we just do not need all that stuff you collect as three children grow up.

Bottom line – we are in and comfortable – and the bank balance is going to be healthier due to a much reduced mortgage 8¬)