Update, May 2024
An email update to let you all know how things are going here, with news on Canalside Homes, Mike's progress, teasmades, and graveyards!
I wanted to send out an email update today (a day early!) to let you all know how things are going here. I'm feeling more contented with the longer days and glimpses of sunshine, are you? It's great to see (and hear) more narrowboats on the canal passing our house. There seems to be something new every day!
Mike's news
Mike is still well too. The hospital are keeping a close eye on his progress. The pacemaker is going fine and doing its job. They gave us a monitor for our bedroom which sends a live feed to Good Hope hospital and allows them to spot and analyse any issues as they arise. It's fascinating to know that they can log in and see how much the pacemaker is 'pacing' or whether there has been any atrial fibrillation. It's amazing stuff!
Mike has reduced his hours at his present job and he has been incredibly busy during his days off, building on his existing financial services background in anticipation of joining Chris Hazell Mortgages as a mortgage advisor. This will allow him to work from home and we'll have more flexibility to work hard or to relax, entirely on our own terms. We are really looking forward to this, and it will be a real treat to both be working in the property industry at the same time! He can't offer advice yet, but if you need any help we can certainly recommend Chris Hazell, who is very experienced and highly rated. If you call Chris, please let him know that you found out about him from me.
Canalside Homes
I have been working on canalside homes and sending out new property lists nearly every day. As you may know, you need to be a paying member to receive my lists. There is no ongoing commitment, so you can subscribe for one month (£5) and then cancel straight away if you want to.
Here's an example of one of the properties I'm featuring today, which in on the market through my old estate agency group, eXp. I have spoken to the owners myself - they are lovely canal people - and I highly recommend a look at this one!
Teapot Hall is a proper canal cottage on the Macclesfield Canal, with strong mooring potential (it should be a straightforward reapplication for an existing site). It's a truly characterful semi-detached cottage with a lovely garden, and it has great potential to embrace the way it is now, or to put your own stamp on it. It's set in a beautiful rural location overlooking an old swing bridge with fields around it. For all the details please click here:
Teasmades!
I've also been upgrading and developing my world famous teasmade website. Yes, really! I'm currently publishing a book about the history of teasmades and digitising all my instruction manuals.
Property and 360s
Of course I am still doing my freelance estate agency services, including my 360° photography and tours. You can see some of my work on this page.
Genealogy
As if I didn't have enough to do, I have recently been enjoying exploring my local graveyard, where I am now a Find a Grave volunteer. It sits right next to the Coventry Canal, so it's just a short walk up the towpath from our house. I'm sure to be adding some more local and canal history to this website whenever I allow myself a sufficiently lengthy genealogy fix!
Right, then... it's time to carry on looking for canalside properties! Speak soon!