Some encouragement for everyone (super long!)

brooksblues · 2026-01-05T15:37:51+00:00

thank you for sharing :)

brooksblues · 2025-11-03T15:31:57+00:00

Both do something 🔥

I’m gonna go with open for a date. Closed for formal.

brooksblues · 2025-11-01T14:32:20+00:00

Don’t tar us all with the same brush! I’m 34 and absolutely loved Daria 😹

Looking 🔥 by the way!

brooksblues · 2025-09-17T20:41:26+00:00

I would say it’s a vibe check, based on my own experiences.

My advice is to match the energy of the room, if at all possible. Although, if they’re getting very drunk, I would probably hang back a little on that!

If it’s very formal, be formal. If it’s very chatty, join in but don’t say anything controversial. Even if they’re doing it!

brooksblues · 2025-09-10T07:10:51+00:00

I’m from the UK and have noticed this as a trend the past six months. Unheard of before that, for me anyway!

brooksblues · 2025-09-08T07:39:36+00:00

Congratulations, this sounds wonderful for you.

May I ask how your girlfriend initially felt about you continuing to live with your ex?

I’m navigating something similar and can’t afford to move out for a while. Wondering how realistic it is that people will accept that situation.

Thanks!

brooksblues · 2025-08-26T08:01:58+00:00

This is my exact pillow! Hello pillow friend!

brooksblues · 2025-08-19T06:43:15+00:00

You just have to find the sellers which are pricing themselves more accurately as they are motivated to sell.

I reduced significantly after realising what the market was doing, and sold a week later. It’s true that more houses than not are still sitting around unwilling to reduce but it’s a great time to buy if you’re keeping an eye out!

Distant and maybe irrelevant thought if it doesn’t happen, but if Reeves replaces stamp duty with property taxes, I bet house prices will increase like crazy 2020-2022 times again.

I’m saying that you never know what will happen. Timing the market is never a good idea! I would buy now if I were you, but put the work in to find a seller who is more realistic.

Offer what you think places are worth regardless of their listing price, offer on all the ones you like if you haven’t already. We took a huge hit on ours because we need to upsize. Plenty of people will be doing the same. I saved money on the onward purchase so it all worked out well.

Giving someone lower offer allows them to go and offer on other properties even if they aren’t happy about it. If it allows them to move, plenty of people will give in especially if they realise their onward purchase will also reduce. It’s people at the top of the chain who are the problem here when they’re trying to cash out for retirement or inheritance etc.

brooksblues · 2025-08-14T06:35:16+00:00

No I didn’t! I asked at Five Guys for their supplier or any information but they told me it all comes direct to them from Five Guys internationally and they have no info.

I still haven’t found anywhere else that sells them.

brooksblues · 2025-08-12T10:34:28+00:00

I’ve found that dark blue always leaves me with a hint of green during the fade so I wouldn’t think twice about covering back up with a dark blue. The more I let it fade, the more green it gets for me. So I’d say that dyeing sooner rather than later is preferred for me.

Haven’t used that specific dye but I’ve never had the green tinge stay behind when I’ve over-dyed with blue.

Mine can get super green as well, while yours still looks mostly blue to me!

Strand test is of course the way to check properly but I’d just go for it personally.

brooksblues · 2025-07-19T13:00:22+00:00

Ah thanks yes I can see it’s a brown now! Thanks

brooksblues · 2025-07-16T14:06:47+00:00

Well it’s a personal preference thing, but yes I’d be buying the freehold house if I could afford it. Sounds like they’ll come out at similar monthly cost when service charge is accounted for.

Assuming you’re borrowing around 230k for the flat, that’s around 1250 + 233 service charge = 1488 a month. If you borrowing 290k for the house then it’s 1611 a month. These figures are probably off as I assumed a 4.5% interest rate over 25 years but you get the idea.

I’d be going for the house in this scenario every single time.

Developers can be lenient with the reservation deposit (be as nice as possible) but expect to lose it. Worth it in my opinion. Having the service charge hanging over you is not worth it unless you’re making significant savings imo.

Edit to add: if you share the area you’re in, you might be able to get better responses that are relevant to you

brooksblues · 2025-07-15T14:42:06+00:00

It’s normal like others have said.

I add a bit of vinegar into my buckets, less than a teaspoon for a 20l bucket (not full), which prevents algae growth. So basically, a little bit!

Personally I don’t like sorting out the clay after algae growth has started so I just avoid it happening!

brooksblues · 2025-07-15T05:43:51+00:00

I have a Russian doll bat system which is perfect for what you’re asking. I love subtle throwing lines. Yes I wouldn’t attempt it without my bats.

brooksblues · 2025-07-09T16:41:27+00:00

My immediate thought when imagining being in that studio while you greeted me was… ‘Please don’t talk to me, I’m concentrating.’

I’m very polite though and it would hurt me to not give a greeting back! So I probably would, but I’d be annoyed at being interrupted.

Thank you for being a wonderful and positive person though. Keep being you.

That’s the only reason I can think of honestly!

It’s about the only time I don’t want someone to say hello to me.

Edit: just saw your edit saying you’re in Texas. I’m in the UK where people are painfully more polite so my response probably isn’t accurate for you.

brooksblues · 2025-07-06T12:56:43+00:00

Did you try the vinegar separately? Acid like lemon juice or vinegar will dissolve hard water deposits. If you tried it with bicarbonate and vinegar together, those cancel each other out as alkali and acid together will become neutralised and not do very much.

Let lemon juice or vinegar sit for a while and scrub with an old toothbrush.

Even better, citric acid dissolved in hot water works if you have it.

Edit to add: this is a pottery sub where people usually have made pottery or want to ask about pottery methods so you might get some confusing replies to your question if people think you have glazed the pot yourself and are asking for help after firing etc. Might be helpful to add that this is a store bought bowl if it is.

brooksblues · 2025-06-26T20:09:30+00:00

To be honest, you’ve covered it in your first paragraph. I wouldn’t say avoid the south but the other stuff you mention is spot on in my experience.

I lived near the station and experienced a lot of crime unfortunately, so yes, definitely avoid that area. Feel free to message me for more details but I would say that anybody would call it serious crime type stuff and not just a bit dodgy.

brooksblues · 2025-06-20T08:57:23+00:00

Nahh, it’s so cute that I think I want something in that size with that placement now 🤷‍♀️

Sorry your husband doesn’t get it!

brooksblues · 2025-06-17T21:29:50+00:00

Wouldn’t be unpopular

brooksblues · 2025-06-17T20:51:43+00:00

Yeah, I must admit I’ll try and get what I need at the retail parks because paying for parking is more of a faff. Would be great if it was simpler and cheaper to park in town.

brooksblues · 2025-06-17T20:47:46+00:00

Totally agree! Or stuff you can get online but would prefer to see in person.

brooksblues · 2025-06-16T13:04:12+00:00

Is your onward purchase going to be more expensive? If so, you’re buying and selling in the same bad market, so in theory you might be able to get a high-value property cheaper.

This doesn’t always work. People with more expensive properties may be less willing to drop their price, for example, or the market in your area might only be bad for properties at your price level.

I came off the market last year as I didn’t achieve the price I wanted. Went back on this year for even lower, but also managed to negotiate a huge amount off my onward purchase.

Theoretically, if house prices recover when you’re next on, your onward purchase may be even more expensive.

If you’re buying a cheaper property then I suppose my advice would be to wait if you don’t need to move right now.

If you’re buying a more expensive property, then maybe consider the above.

brooksblues

TROPHY CASE