BAD DRIVING

You know how much I love telling you all about bad driving? Well last night Rich & I were watching a programme on bad driving and it brought back a memory that I thought I'd share with you, which still makes with laugh and cringe!

About 16 years ago I was living in Ireland, in a sleepy village just outside Dublin and I suppose I was what you'd call a 'Corporate Wife'. Maybe I looked the part but really I was far too young and irresponsible for the role. Any how I was asked by my then partner to pick him and a female colleague up from Dublin airport, after a business trip.

The word female colleague freaked me out to start with, she was bound to be glamorous, slim and also highly intelligent! What the hell could I say to make small talk with such a person? 'Oh Hi, I'm Emma, I stay at home and make cakes & do finger painting all day with my 3 kids who are all under 10'. I could see her eyes glazing over now!

Next dilemma, what the hell do I wear to pick up 2 business people without feeling like a frumpy mummy but also without looking like a complete tart? Eight clothes changes later, I opted for knee length boots, opaque tights, shortish skirt and cream jumper, hair down. Yep, I'd got it, I looked fab.

Now to say I was nervous about driving was a understatement but dosed up on Prozac (that's another story), I got into the brand new Range Rover and off I went. The kids were with a sitter so I actually quite enjoyed the time alone, belting out a few 'Man hating' songs along the way.

It was the first time I'd driven to the airport and I was quite proud that I found the way to the car park. I pulled up to the ticket machine, opened my window and to my horror found there wasn't a machine. I looked around frantically to see if anybody else had the same problem but the other cars were all managing just fine, although none of them were in my lane, which to be honest, I was quite thankful for. I got out the car and noticed the ticket machine, phew! It was a bit high so I had to stand on the Range Rover skirts, on tiptoe, get my ticket and quickly get back in before the barrier went down again but I'd made it!!!

I'd arrived a bit early so I went and got myself a wine as I had no intention of driving home and needed a bit of  calming and dutch courage for meeting the glamorous colleague.

Out they came from arrivals, her looking every bit as glamorous as I imagined! We all traipsed to the ticket machine to pay before getting back to the car. Ticket machines also put the fear of God in me, I always put the ticket in the wrong hole or upside down but after faffing about in my handbag I pulled it out and inserted it. €55 the machine said. That can't be right I thought. I re-inserted it but no, still €55. Luckily there was  help kiosk thing so we went and asked why it was so much. 'How long have you been here?' ' Ermmm about 40 mintes' 'Hmmm, that's odd' replied the kiosk woman. 'Are you driving a bus' she asked. 'Ermmm no not really, although its quite a big car' I replied. She then checked her CCTV and there was me climbing onto my car, in my little skirt, christ it did look little, to get my ticket from the bus lane!!!!

I did try and laugh it off and glamorous colleague (never did find out her name) & ex partner were pissing themselves laughing but I've never felt such a prat! In hind sight 'Corporate wifing' or 'Airport Runs' weren't really my thing.

FRUSTRATION - buying a house in Spain

Well its been another two weeks of waiting for some news on this house and this morning we heard that it would be at least six months until anything is heard.

The bank have to put a notice in the town hall to see if anybody claims the land. If they don't then there will need to be another valuation ( €287) and the process will start again. If people start claiming the land then who knows what will happen????

What I find most annoying is that the bank are trying to sell an illegal house. You would have thought they would have done checks on the houses on their books and not wasted their customers money getting surveys done and paying a mortgage deposit, although that is re-fundable.

Whats next eh????

Buying a House in Spain -The House Valuation

A few weeks ago the bank contacted Daddio to tell him the house needed to be valued and they'd send a Valuer out the next day.

The day of the valuation day arrives and they go to the house to meet the valuer. No show!

Its now the next week before the valuer arrives. Not quite sure why she has to be met at the property, its not as if its locked or anything!  She establishes that the Casteral Document (Land Registry) shows the property to have 5000M2 of land but the Ecritura (Deeds) show 1700 M2 and it was changed in January 2017???? Another odd one is that there is a triangle of land, going half way through the pool which isn't registered to anybody!!!!

The property its decided is to be valued with 1700 M2 of land.

Ten days pass until the valuation comes in at €95,000. The offer was for €120,000.

No problem. Withdraw the offer of €120,000 and offer €95,000 and sort out the land issues ourselves. Twelve days later and ermmm no can do say the bank, it still needs to be €120,000. So then, will the bank lend €120,000 for a house that THEY value at €95,000???? The same house that they have had as a reposession for 9 years!!!!

I'll let you know............