Would really appreciate peoples thoughts on a housing situation !

[randomxx]

Hi to all.

lt's an unbelievable time in life to find myself stuck in this position, just don't know how to look at it, or what to do about with it, if l can anything at all. 

Problem is, at almost 60, yeah l've mixed up details in other threads just a bit concerned some l know may also be here and haven't wanted any connection here that l might know, butttt, yep.

Thing is l didn't get anything out of my last house, the people l went into the property with as it was a big place, went broke.

Well , sort of lucky although maybe a curse , not sure anymore but l do still have a 1ac country property, 18yrs now, from back when l was married.

l can't work anymore for mh reasons but if l took care l can survive until l can get the pension- living at the 1ac place- it only has a small over nighter atm but l could extend and it'd come up quite nice .

Problem is, it's in a ting town, 30mins to the main town which is a really nice place and there's also a couple of tiny ones in between before that main buttttt, out where this place is, is tiny and out on it's own .

l always planned selling it about now but problems are now that for 1, even if it did sell, it's just a cheap little country block it'd only be a good deposit on something closer in- but circumstances now that'd mean a new mortgage and l'd have to keep working too, don't think l could stomach either of those especially the stress in trying to make it happen.

2nd thing highly possible it doesn't even sell anyway.

l know l'm lucky to at least have it and all , with the housing crisis and so many in worser positions , l just never dreamed l'd be living on it though and honestly, just don't know but it looks like l might be forced to.

l grew up in the city and have lived in some of the nicest places in the country but to have to settle on this place out there now- look the property itself is a really cute block and in a nice little back street- if l could put it on a truck to somewhere else it'd be really nice - but this town.

rx

[Eagle Ray]

Hi rx,

Thanks for putting those things in perspective. I just get overwhelmed, a lot of which is my overactive trauma response system. The water thing has worried me that it will all collapse and flood everywhere. I think because other things have become dangerous at times, I actually become fearful. For example, part of the bracket under the hot water system that was holding it about 1.5m off the ground collapsed and if the whole thing had crashed it could have taken down part of a brick wall and asbestos sheeting with it. I did manage to get a local handyman in to fix the bracket back in place, but he and the other local handyman are now booked up months in advance and it's very hard to get tradespeople from other towns to come here for anything else. A light fitting also crashed to the ground and smashed everywhere. The very heavy garage door has never worked. I can lift it manually myself with great difficulty, but with a ligament injury to my right arm and carpel tunnel syndrome, I'm just not doing that at present. The guy who came to service it could not solve the electronics issue. He said it needs replacing but would be very expensive. So it's just all of those things piling up. But I'm really trying to stay positive and have a "can do" attitude as much as I can. If it comes to selling, I can ask the real estate agent doing an appraisal what really needs fixing and what doesn't. I think they can organise repairs as part of what they do as well, if I go with them to sell.

I think it's good to take energy level and finances into account as you are doing. It's so easy to be gung-ho and think certain things are possible, but I've learned myself from doing that many times in the past that I have to pay attention to energy levels and really think carefully with finances. I have this ultra positive part of self that thinks I can do a bunch of things and it will all be fine. But if that part makes the decisions, I suddenly realise at a certain point that I've bitten off more than I can chew. So it's really good to dream, but there is that need for groundedness and more careful planning too. I'm bit all over the place, so focussing clearly can be difficult and I've made some life decisions too impulsively. So, anyway, you are likely doing the right thing taking your time with your decision process. It may be a subconscious awareness of those energy and finance issues that has kept you in that limbo state of trying to work things out, because you are aware of having to factor those things in and trying to make the best decision going forward.

I heard something about the Mildura area breaking records. It would be increasingly tough conditions for the fruit growers up there I would think. I would still love to visit up that way. I'd like to drive up from South Australia and then into Victoria, following the Murray all the way. I've seen near where it goes into the ocean at Hindmarsh Island in SA. My friend and I were there in 2001, the day before the bridge to the island opened. So we caught the car ferry across from Goolwa and drove the bumpy roads of the island. I remember seeing all these Cape Barron Geese. I think the island has been developed a fair bit since they put the bridge across. The Murray is a spectacular river.

You have a nice day too!

er

[randomxx]

Morng er

Haaa, wouldn't have pictured you for gung ho but yep, tell me about it and still paying. Sounds like a special time down there in 01, long way from home for you too hey. Haven't made it down to the mouth as yet by the time l'd gotten to the border it was just too damn hot so l headed over and down to the SA lower coast instead. The far ends the nicest imo , below the mountains, really beautiful. Still clean and with incredible sandy beaches yep, on the Murray and pebbly bottom, quite clear waters, really something.

You know with your garage door could you just leave it up? l had 2 of those at my place , with 2 big garages but a storm blew the main door right off one night as well as sending the shed between the two over into the paddock next door, so l just left that door off from there.

At any rate if you do happen to decide on getting some work done one day you could run an add for the handyman, did that once got heaps of calls. There's usually still people around that aren't as know or that do bits and pieces when they can get it so maybe try that. Gonna need a hand with my place and some extra tools so l'll prob put a notice on the board myself actually hopefully find someone tooled up that wants to do a few casual hrs , shall see.Btw , are they giving away HW systems over there to ? Mine blew up but then l found out Vic Gov were giving away the latest in v high tech HW systems, fitted free and all, l scored one of those it was great.

But anyway yep that's the go , try not to overthink , as people tell me, let things play out if poss, pretty well what l've been trying to do. And l know all that but it's easier said than done bc l'm well aware of all that in my case , not to mention finances buttt, we see.

But yeah, Midura's v hot not uncommon to get wks of late 40s doubt l'd hack it long term myself that kinda heat drives me barmy. Was sorta funny that l had people from up there looking at my place down here bc of the heat.

Have a nice day hey, l'm on my way back myself. 

rx

[randomxx]

Ps, and don't worry about the tank even if it did collapse which l'd doubt anyway but all it'd do is just flood the yard for a few hrs and the ground will easily absorb it . A day or two and you prob couldn't even tell.

[Eagle Ray]

Thank you kindly rx. It really helps having your perspective. I’m quite sure things seem more scary for me than they actually are. I get a kind of gut level response looking at my place and thinking it’s all too much and I’m going to go under dealing with all of this. It’s to do with past issues of not feeling and being safe. So things in the present that are not nearly as dire as they seem can feel overwhelming. I think you are right, that there will be some people out there who can help out, but I may just have to search for them a bit.

With the garage door, I have a large stack of firewood stored in there at the moment, so hopefully no one would nick it if I left it open. Ha ha! The firewood came with the place when I moved in. I don’t use my fireplace very much anyway, just a few times in the winter. It does make things feel a bit more secure having the garage door closed because people can walk right through to the backyard if it’s open, unless I put a lock on the door to the backyard. Thanks about the tank as well. I feel a bit better thinking that the impact will be temporary if all that water catchment system fails. As far as the HWS goes, I don’t know if WA has had the same scheme you mention. After almost collapsing a while back, the system did eventually fully break down last year and I had it replaced, getting them to put it on the ground this time instead of up on a bracket.

When it comes to being gung ho, I have a part of self that’s like that and a part that’s cautious. It’s the cautious part that freaks out about the state of this unit, my future etc. Meanwhile the gung ho part thinks everything is possible and will be fine. One day I will find a balance. Sigh!

Yes, I can imagine the Murray would be extra special just down from the mountains. I’d love to see it there with the pebbles and all. I’m often curious about the source of rivers and want to see where they start. It always seems magic to me that this giant body of water has a humble beginning somewhere, such as up in mountains. Here in WA the source of rivers is often a catchment of lakes. The Swan River at Perth is later named the Avon River further up and its source is Lake Yealering in the Wheatbelt. I’ve been out there when the lake is full. It was such a peaceful morning standing on a jetty at the lake with lots of swans about. In some places, the start of a river is just a spring bubbling up from the ground. I think that’s how they often start in mountains. I could talk about rivers all day as I find them fascinating.

I hope you’ve had a good trip back down today and have a restful evening tonight. Bye for now,

er

[randomxx]

Morng er.

Ahhh, don't be so hard on yourself it's normal all these things get that way for us and only natural. Things can pile up around the place, wouldn't believe some of ours.

Exw and my place had 12huge Cyprus along the back fence all blue down like domino's in a row, the strip was 30mtrs long and 8mtrs high of fallen Cyprus. Then one da a storm blew another one down on top of my van and new car.

That was only a fraction of stuff goin on around that place but we got on top of it all bit by bit. Was gonna cost 4000 to get that row of Cyprus cleared up though so that was left and we wound up selling it like that. 

My last place had broken sewage pipes in the ground that leaked out the gully traps, some power thing that kept blowing up stoves,roof leaks in the bathroom sheds blowing down and garage doors ripped off just to name a few.'

lt can all be handful and worry for sure even for a handy bloke so ease up you eh but your place, sounds like it just needs a good going over which l know is a big enough thing for sure buttt, tis property isn't it eh.

No wonder we want small and simple right.

But yeah rivers are incredible and that one all starts from a spring eh, pretty amazing. The Murray starts from the snowy mountains but they build that part into a hydro electric plant 80yrs ago or something, shame.

Anyway yepppa, got back ok thx for that, good sleep. Now it's back to what to do with this joint hey, bloody bloody. Well l'll lay low for easter did a shop on the way back so to hell with it all for now.

Have a nice day hey.

rx

[Eagle Ray]

Thanks rx,

Yes, people do sell places with all their flaws, so perhaps I don’t need to worry so much about everything that’s wrong with my place. I’m extremely conscientious and think of the next people. I was so programmed to think of everyone but myself that I worry I’m letting someone else down if I haven’t managed to keep the upkeep of the place to a certain standard. But the previous people sold it to me with flaws they kept hidden from me, so that’s probably the norm. I suffer from categorical honesty, so I tend to tell people if stuff doesn’t work. But some of the stuff is obvious as well, just like all your cypress trees that were down, so those things are out in the open.

I would so love to go to the Snowy Mountains. I’ve only been to South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, and obviously travelled a bit here in WA, but still so much of Australia I haven’t seen.

Glad you had a good sleep. Have a lovely Easter break,

er

[randomxx]

Not good l'm afraid.

Damned if l know, it always comes back to the same.By rights, l had a really nice day today. Talked to my d this morng, saw my brother later on had a few beers. Done a few things round the place since l got back, even put pegs in marking out where l'd extend and other stuff.

The night rolls around and it's low, really really low, sickly low. And then it becomes what am l doing, l don't wanna be here, l don''t wanna build this place, l just don't like it here, l have truth be told zero interest, l just don't.

The bigger trouble is , l'd be going against myself to try, do it, and whenever l've done that in life when it's as strong as this l've gone on to hugely regret and pay the price later on. 

My brother said the other night ahhh, give it a few more mths and l thought yeah, that's a good idea. It'd take me at least that long to figure out and find something else anyway so l'll automatically be here at least that long yet probably a lot longer soooo, it still has the chance to change my mind but atm, well !

[Eagle Ray]

Hi rx,

That gut feeling you are getting sounds pretty strong and I tend to agree that going against that probably won't be good. It does sound like deep down you really don't want to be there - like you say, zero interest.

Do you think the isolation is the big factor? That is what most makes me want to leave here.

I think what your brother says makes sense too. You don't have to try to leave immediately. You can take the time you need, knowing that you do ultimately want to leave but you have that time to explore your options.

Anyway, just think of the gut feeling as information. It's telling you something and that can be useful.

I'm glad you had the nice day anyway. Take care,

er

[randomxx]

Morng er.

Yeah, the isolation's a real biggie. Although around my place and the town too it's quite pretty, drives to other towns once your a few k out though it's just out there.Not particularly nice country most of it's just huge baron open land and farms.No lifestyle places or at all either.

But the other part of it's the people, that needs time though l still can't tell just who's around, as in outsiders, like B, like me, although thankfully there does seem to be a few at least but the die hard locals though are pretty bushy/country though for sure and l just don;t fit in that sort of thing. 

With no shops it's really hard to tell who's coming, gong and about and l just haven't felt like going for walks.

But yeah ofc , gut feelings everything especially if it's loud. What's made this such a tousle though is that it comes and goes so much, next minute it feels quite nice and it's like yeah, l could work with this just do it to hell with it if your miserable bad luck that'll prob settle down in time.

The other part of all that is wth else can l do if l don't, yaknow.

Maybe more time and l'll be here anyway sooooo, prayin that sheds more light.lt probably will.

How are you going anyway and how's things there ?

thx er, you too.

rx

[Eagle Ray]

Hi rx,

Your situation sounds so similar to me. There are pretty surroundings here too and I'm very grateful for that. But, like for you, working out the people situation has been hard here. Still minimal connections at best.

Like you I fluctuate between wanting to get out and feeling sure I can't be here, and then having those moments of thinking it's quite nice and maybe I can make do. But then if I think of being here long term, it just does not feel right. I feel restricted and isolated and I can feel how much I want to break out of that.

So, anyway, I'm going ok thanks. I've been through some rough weeks recently but just had some med changes and started a new antidepressant, one that doesn't have the usual side effects that other have and is also easy to come off again without side effects. I'm hoping my brain will slowly get into gear and I can at least get my place a bit more organised and then make a more informed decision from there about where I may go to in the future.

Anyway, I totally empathise with your situation. I think if the housing market wasn't so insane it would take some pressure off and just open up other possibilities more easily. But I guess that's how it is, so we just have to navigate forward as best we can.

Just keep exploring possibilities and listening in to yourself. And I think you are right that with more time that will shed more light on things.

Bye for now,

er