Friday 31 August 2012

Moving out

Loss adjuster came today.  My whole flat is saturated and will take 6 months to sort out.

That means we have to move out to an unfurnished property.  There is nearly nothing suitable. Plus we have to pay out for the deposit.  Lucky OH got a small windfall although some of that has paid debts.

We shall keep on looking but life is so hard right now.

On the positive side we are managing our shopping easier thanks to Aldi! 

Sunday 26 August 2012

Gone to the Dogs!!

Last night I took my family to the Dogs.  You may recall my telling you I had won a three course meal to the dogs.  We also had two drinks each free of charge.

All of us not flush just made £1.00 each way
bets on 12 races.  I actually came home £7.30 better off.

We had a great time, good food and good service.  The dogs enjoyed themselves - I had been before when I was younger and knew that there is local group that also looks after them when they retire.

Here is me and my sister and Mum enjoying ourselves:




Here is my husband, yougest sister and her husband in the middle:


It cheered me up no end!!

Friday 24 August 2012

Feeling low

Although life is okay I feel low so I need a little time to myself. I'll be back soon!!

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Quick update

Re escape of water, I called insurance company and demanded they send someone out to look at the damage.  I just want them to sort it and if we need to move out that we do so ASAP for health reasons or later if needed so the damage can be dealt with. Someone is coming Thursday morning.

Re employers they want another meeting second week of September!!  Not chuffed but trying hard not to let it get to me.  I'll have to apply for ESA!

Finally, I got a blog award a couple of weeks ago and need to blog about it.

Tomorrow I am going out with my sister.  Hope the weather holds!

Monday 20 August 2012

Good News and Bad . . .





Good News is that OH has been offered over 7k by way of a reimbursement of PPI.  We do not pool our money but he will pay my share of the mortgage for the rest of the year and he will give me a 1k to tide me over.

The Bad news is that we are almost certainly going to have to move out of our home for a few months whilst the damage to the property is rectified.  We had a guy come today to do a quote on the clean up and he said that his gadget indicated that our front room is at risk.  Therefore it would appear that it is unlikely to be used as a safe room to store our stuff so as well as moving out we have to find somewhere to store our items.

What is clear is that no one seems to appreciate the level of damage that has been done until they see it.  It is then that we are advised we should not be here but the insurance company will not communicate until we have quotes but these have taken 3 weeks and they are still not all in.  Grrr.  Well I am trying not to let it get me down.

Well tomorrow is another day so hope we have more good news not bad.  Have chased my employers for a resolution!!

Saturday 18 August 2012

More decluttering

More decluttering today thrown more furniture and rubbish out.  It's all coming on nicely.

I have far too much.

Aso been comping this evening so hoping for future wins.

In the meantime, am concentrating on not spending too much on groceries.  It's not easy.

Still no word from employers and I am very disappointed about that!!

Friday 17 August 2012

Another little win

I had to nominate someone who deserves a tea time treat.  I nominated my sister she works hard, has three jobs, five children and her husband is off sick.  I love my sister so much xx Anyway she won and they will send me something too.

How nice is that?!

Thursday 16 August 2012

Time with my family



Today I spent an afternoon with my daughter.  I don't talk about her much as I find it difficult to talk about family in any depth on my blog - mad I know. 

I got the bus as it is £2.80 return and it would cost me more than that to park!

Anyway she is always skint!  All of a sudden though she seems grown up.  Well she is 23!!She had the basics, helps her friend with her baby and today made her mum the most lovely cheese on toast.

Then we played Monopoly I left before we finished as I had to collect something on the way home. But we wrote down where we were for next time.

Well tomorrow back to the de-cluttering.

In the meantime, I got an email from Garnier to say that I have won a bottle of eye make-up remover on their latest comp on Facebook.

Did I mention that I have a school reunion on 1st September - arggghhh.  I am looking forward to it and anxious at the same time.  Would not have happened at all without facebook.  Do you all use facebook?

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Losing Weight

Been back at slimming worldscorns while now as the weight I had lost well most of it had gone back on.

I am losing about 2 pound a week.  Got just over a stone to go.  I am so pleased.  It's hard losing weight on a budget!!

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Possible more good news.



Having been on the list for over 5 years I am 3rd on one site close to me and 13th on the other. The first has 18 and the latter 84.  They will halve the lot on re-let but who cares. Should get one soon should do me good!!

Then after lots and lots of hard work I might have this:

Monday 13 August 2012

Some good news!

You know I have had a leak, well I filled in a claim form and sent it to the water company.  That was last week. Today I received a letter confirming that as a gesture of goodwill (water leak not their responsibility as it was indoors) they are reimbursing me £209.14 and that £134.09 would hit my bank shortly and the rest will be put towards the next bill.  My monthly payment is reduced by half a third ofehatnisnwas before we had a meter.  We are being so frugal.

I also found some candles today, have so many we are using those in the evening instead of our up lighter. We are trying so hard to cut down our household bills.

I really hope I hear from my employer soon re the way forward!

Sunday 12 August 2012

Bootsale Success



We arrived at 9.20.  Buyers arrive at 11 so that gave us plenty of time to set up and have a coffee - from our flask of course.  There were plenty of loos too we were so close that was handy!  We had so much room, they didn't pack us in.  Each pitch could have got four pasting tables in if they had wanted to and had enough to sell of course.

We made half of our profit before the buyers arrived!.

We didn't look around as we didn't want to be tempted into selling any money.  OH wanted a burger but didn't.  We had a packed lunch.

So after spending a fiver to get in we made £75.00 after that was taken into account of course we spent a tenner on a pasting table but that is still £65.00.

We left at 2.45.

Unfortunately, I got burnt despite putting cream on.  I kept on to OH to ensure he didn't get burnt and look what happened.

Got back and put some items on ebay to finish next Sunday so hopefully we should get a few more pounds.

We also tidied up the back room which we further decluttered yesterday and yes more tomorrow.  To be honest it is helping me a bit with my depression!

I still havent heard anything from my employer hopefully I will hear something this week.

Hope you all had a good weekend.  I am enjoying the closing ceremony whilst watching this.

Saturday 11 August 2012

Up early tomorrow to car boot sale

Third day today of clutter. OH was worried we wouldnt have enough but now we have too much.  we need £120 towards the excess and £10 for the pasting table we had to buy grr.  We also spent a lot of money on storage boxes to store items that are in the damaged area. We will make used them afterwards.  So all in all we need £200 to break even and cover excess it's unlikely but you never know.  The place we are going is ever so popular.  To be honest if we cover the storage it's better than nothing.

Perhaps we ll do another next week providing we do well and have something left.

We will take our own refreshments to keep costs down.

We are so tired I am getting over a cold and have had lots of giddiness and palpitations, poor OH is tired too and he has been feeling giddy.

I hope to have food news re our sales tomorrow. In the meantime pease feel free to leave a tip.

P.s I shall try and move the captcha as its annoying!!!

Friday 10 August 2012

Sold gold ring . . .

For £80 so £120 to go.  Have spent today sorting more items out.  Found it quite therapeutic.

Thursday 9 August 2012

Busy

Been busy decluttering ready for the clean up after the leak.  It is as bad as a flood!  We are going to sell items at a bootsale on Sunday weather permitting to enable us to pay the excess on both buildings and contents insurance. Need £200.

Chris found an old gold ring that he is happy to sell should get about £90.  I am also going to put some items on eBay.  Found a SAD box hardly used might get a few pound for that?

Anything we can get rid of will be out of the way ready for the clean up. Only the kitchen and lounge will be left as they are unaffected.

I am trying to be positive by using this as a chance to get rid of things we do not need or want.  I shall do more tomorrow.

We shall then finish off on Saturday ready for the bootsale on Sunday.

In the meantime, I have another session with my life coach tomorrow.  I am hoping they feel I am progressing nicely.

Speak soon.

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Ahem!

I had said I would try and post every day, must try harder.

Getting down with people asking me what I do all day.  One person even said I must have the life of Riley!!  Yes feeling suicidal, no income, feeling inadequate yet life of Riley here! P.S I am no longer suicidal but I was. Comments like that do not help ggrrr!!

Monday 6 August 2012

Too many shoes?

Open Closet Decoration2 Open Closet Decoration

I have 55 pairs of footwear excluding slippers.  These are not mine I found this on another blog.

I had to do out my shoe cupboard because of the leak and I decided to count them.  I knew some years back I had about 44 but threw about 15 out.  Yes some knew.  Most of mine are not like in the picture, some are, some are practical.  I threw one pair out but then found another pair of trainers. I have had to take stock now I havent got an income.  I need a new pair of trainers and like sketchers so I am saving Amazon vouchers to pay for them.  I do not buy many pairs of footwear each year.  I buy a pair of trainers every few years, I look after my shoes really well.  Some are probably 10 years old.  Am I in the minority?  I do know that other than those sketchers I am after I am not buying any more shoes in the next twelve months as there really is no need!!

How many shoes do you have?

Sunday 5 August 2012

Proud to be British

As I am at home most of the time due to my  illness I have had time to watch a lot of the Olympic Games.  I especially enjoyed watching the Judo, cycling, athletics but my favourite is the tennis.  I am so pleased for Andy Murry at last he has proved he can beat Federer.

I was at my sister for a barbecue and my sister kindly put the end of it on for me having been sneaking peeks at my Ipad to see the score.

Well done Andy Murray you deserve it and then to get a silver in the mixed doubles well you rock!

Look how proud he is. . .

Saturday 4 August 2012

My win . . .

I received this yesterday at around 4 p.m.

What do you think?

I know the picture isnt great, I took it with my phone.

Well that was the good news as well as winning an amazon voucher the bad news is that our leak appears to have been going on for a year and underneath our carpets in the hall, spare room and bathroom is wet and there is black mould.  It looks like there is some in our bedroom - not good I hae asthma!  Also there is the damage to vinyl, carpets, door frames.  The free holder pays the building insurance and says we are covered for some things not vinyl that should be covered by our house insurance who says our building insurance should cover it.  Also went we looked at the insurance policy it says we are not covered by the buildings insurance for water damage.

I hope it is not too expensive, with no income and the Occupational Therapist saying it may not be a while until I can work even the £100 excess is a pain. 

Nevermind I keep telling myself!

Friday 3 August 2012

Mixed Bag




Firstly an update on my mental health, I had my first proper session a month ago.  I found it quite difficult.  I was given a book and some behaviour forms and discussed the cycle of depression.  I had asked the coach to assist me in lifting my mood.

Then last week I went again and we dealt more with anxiety as I felt my mood had been lifted.  Before each session you have to answer risk questions and questions on depression an anxiety.  The bad news is that I was assessed at my intake and proper session as being severely depressed and anxious, the good news is although I am still severely anxious I am moderately depressed.

Secondly, work issues have still not been resolved but I am hoping they should be by the end of the month.  I saw my G.P today and he signed me off for a further month, and I saw the Occupational Health who had been asked by my employer to undertake a review.  I think it went well she said I was not ready to go back to work at this time would be at least three months before I could even consider comtemplating going to work!  Not being paid is a pain, short on money.  Getting all my shopping from Aldi now.

At least I am on a winning streak, I won a Lurpak Apron whoop whoop lol and a dinner for six at my local dogs stadium worth over £100 includes some drinks.  I also won another prize must be worth over £100 but I shall save that for tomorrows post.

Finally, my random acts of kindness for the last few weeks have involved informing holiday makers not to park in the carpark outside otherwise they would get a ticket.  They find the signs ambiguous so if I see people hanging around I open my window and let them know.

Right now I am getting better slowly I know and getting more into a routine, I am going to try and post every day this week even if its a line or two.

Thanks for bearing with me guys xx

Sorry

What with the leak and other stuff I am sorry I haven't been posting.  I shall pop on later!  Money is so tight eek!