mtbc: maze L (green-white)
Mark T. B. Carroll ([personal profile] mtbc) wrote2023-05-20 05:04 am

Settling somewhat into the flat

The dust is starting to settle from our move to Glasgow, at least for me. Most of our intended furniture is now assembled, or at least will be by the end of the weekend. There are certainly plenty of shorter- or longer-term to-do's, ranging from wall-mounting the television to getting the stovetop replaced, but the flat is becoming increasingly livable. There may even be space for both my cross-trainer and musical instruments, raising the challenge of making time for both; that space will be the last to be addressed.

We still have some administrivia, like today I may find the cable for the printer, thus fill out paper copies of the doctor registration forms, and get those applications submitted. At least all that can burn more slowly than recent months have allowed us. And, living with my family is a great help as they share the load most welcomely. Also, as we acquire more storage, we can properly sort and store the rest of our effects; some temporary chaos remains because my previous focus was more on getting things here at all, figuring that they would then turn up in unpacking.

Our flat suits me well. We're second-floor, not up against an adjacent residential development, so I feel there is at least some privacy; we have large windows and mostly I leave the curtains open. We have plenty within easy reach on foot, including the heart of Scotland's largest city, plus there are plenty of buses. Given that I work from home so can avoid commuters, driving is fine, especially now that I know there is plenty of parking, albeit in metered bays for more central locations like ours. I think we did well in judging the fine balance between what we needed and what we could comfortably afford.

In furnishing the flat, I've spent a lot in one-off purchases, now we need the gas boiler replaced too, but at least the credit payments will be manageable. It will limit vacations and suchlike for quite some time though. I expect that we'll get to visit my family in England this year but returning to Southeast Asia may have to wait until next, and visiting the US for perhaps some years yet.

My eldest happened to be nearby around their birthday so I got to walk over a couple of times and say hello, which was great. I've not been able to see my kids as much in recent months, with all the property viewings, the move and setup, etc. Maybe next weekend, here's hoping.
maju: Clean my kitchen (Default)

[personal profile] maju 2023-05-20 11:32 am (UTC)(link)
Sounds like a great location!
wpadmirer: (Default)

[personal profile] wpadmirer 2023-05-20 04:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Sending good vibes on everything getting settled.
armiphlage: Ukraine (Default)

[personal profile] armiphlage 2023-05-20 05:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Is the gas boiler for heating water for baths and such? If so, would a heat pump water heater be a better option for you? Higher up front cost, but (depending on local energy costs), lower operating costs.

I'm getting a heat-pump water heater installed on Thursday.
armiphlage: Ukraine (Default)

[personal profile] armiphlage 2023-05-21 05:22 pm (UTC)(link)
There might be grants available or interest-free loans available from your local government, although I can't find one specifically for domestic hot water heating.

Oddly, air-source heat pumps in your area seem to be a lot more expensive than in Canada, despite having a warmer climate to deal with.

https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/heat-pumps/grants-and-funding/
thewayne: (Default)

[personal profile] thewayne 2023-05-20 06:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Glad to see it's coming together.

I would definitely pack printer cable with the printer! Then again, odds are that the next printer I get will be purely wireless.
emperor: (Default)

[personal profile] emperor 2023-05-21 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Glad to hear you're settling in :)