The Quest

mum2one

:hello:

Lula-Hula wrote: »

Have been avoiding the Quest all day today .

First of all I've been seething about work ( again :rolleyes: ) Boss back to old tricks of giving cheaper workers my share :mad: consequence is that I've not broken even this week & am very cross with myself for having a spendy week; that always happens when I know everythings' about to fall apart .
What a prat your boss is being, you need to know where u stand, doesnt he realise that people have bills to pay!!


The xbf called while I was working :mad: was as unpleasant as possible & he seemed to get the hint.
Well done
Two hours later he turned up with his dog asking how to get to somewhere we used to go walking that's bout 3 miles from his house & all of those in the opposite direction from my house:rolleyes: . Was so angry about Boss that I just told him to go away & shut the door .
The dog excuse - fall for the soppy eyes, the good thing is the dog got extra excerise, all for nothing for ex

Rang leaflet man who told me that yes the job is still mine but they might have to change some wording on the leaflets so should be starting in a couple of weeks. Actually quite relieved as that means no half term hassle & now feel reassured of job & maybe if I can find another few hours work somewhere else can tell Boss to shove it .
At least u get a week without haveing to worry or cart dd with you.
My lovely neighbour over the road brought over some photos she took of DD & I when we built the snowman, I was so touched it really cheered me up . We took her over a card & some cookies to say thank you & she was delighted ; karma restored.
ah thats lovely,.............I love cookies.........
Xbf rang again :mad: he's got a job :eek: only part time & working as a carer which made me laugh as he's the most self obsessed git in the world
Bet that wont last when it gets messy!!
... he only ever rings to talk about him or tell me what to do; todays offering was to host Ann Summers parties :rolleyes: Cannot think of anything worse - just going to one was ordeal enough So fed up with him.

We have new neighbours in one of the fields at the end of the garden ; 2 lovely pony/horses ( dont know the difference ) they're great & will attempt to make friends over the week end .
Ah they sound lovely, extra shopping carrots, apples, polo mints, extra strong mints usually do down very well

Chekced online banking for the first time this week which was pretty stupid as I realised I got the date of one of my direct debits wrong so.... the rent was about to bounce tomorrow morning :eek: Rang the bank immediately & a lovely lady who is now my new best friend just changed the rent standing order to monday so I could pay money in tomorrow & will then change it back to friday again as of next week :cool: . She reckons it wont even be noticed :j . What a brilliant service - fully recommend co operative :A .
U fell lucky with the bank, not often that they go out of their way to help someone.

Think I need to check banking everyday from now on :rolleyes: .


Feeling completely wrung out with highs & lows at the moment & family stuff waking me up in the night so going to sneak off to bed now to catch up on sleep

G'nite
lula
xx

Lula, hope u get a better nights sleep tonight, even if you have to catch up in a daytime get ur head down for a hr or so.

Hope everything ok, if you ever need a friendly fellow mser to chat to, sound off to etc, js just pm and if I can help I will. xx

[Deleted User]

Hi Lula hun,

Sounds like you had a day and a half yesterday :grouphug: hugs to you.

:mad: to xbf...good for you for telling him where to go.

:mad: to your boss! Just keep thinking that what goes around comes around and they will get there comuppence (sp?) when you get a job that pay you more money you can say bye-bye

Aawww to the horses, not much of a fan but I'm sure DD will love them.

:T Superb that the bank helped you out like they did, not every bank will so good stuff there.

Hope you managed to get some rest last night and well done on the debt reduction...it's going down brilliantly

Catch you later,

Tea
x

Lula-Hula

Much better day so far, Thank you both Tea & mum2one for usual support & huggyness - you're both :A


popped to nearby town & paid money into the bank :rolleyes: also went into tesco - well, it's the only free place to park . Spent a rather scary £30 but of that £ 23 was on groceries & there were loads of bargains to be had; giant squash still at £2 so grabbed another one, chicken sauces at half price so grabbed 2 of those, pasta sauces also half price so grabbed another 2, & got some cheapo rice so loads of meals there & also buttery spread stuff on offer, malt loaf on bogof ( DD's favourite lunch thing for school at the moment :rolleyes: ) & giant boxes of persil £2 off so very bargainous :j . We're getting low on softener but I'm convinced my favourite will be on offer again soon so holding out. It should be noted that I havent bought any since July last year when the giant lenor was 2 for £5 & I stocked up . No we're not scuzzy - I love washing but with 57 washes in each bottle it's just lasted ages

Bought a sweet card & heart shaped photo frame for DD in charity shop ; £4 total but it's a charity that benefits rather than shop shareholders so .

It appears that credit is starting to flow again - littlewoods sent me a 'voucher' for when I apply for a catalogue.....riiiiight :rotfl: .

Yes, i'm very impressed with co op bank, particularly considering how little I put in there . When job situation more secure i may well apply for one of their credit cards, rate not brilliant but certainly better than my current one :rolleyes: .

Swimming tonight & tomorrow we may have to visit local rspca place.... have convinced DD that a dog is not right for our lifestyle right now but I am prepared to rehome a cat. Have seen a very cute all black one ( my favourite type - they go with everything ) who's about the right age - need to co ordinate it's approximate demise with DD's leaving school age . Saw her friend with the greyhound's mum this morning scrabbling around on the grass to collect it's 'waste' :eek: & she called out to me " big dog - big poo :rolleyes: " that kind of sealed it for me.

On that note I'm off to make a start on the washing mountain ...
bye for now

lula
xx

makeup

Hi Lula

Sounds like a good week - I think Co-Op sound like a great bank, sometimes you manage to get someone human and helpful on the phone and it makes things so much better!

I agree about Waitrose - I love their sausages, they taste sooo good! I used to work above a Waitrose and was always in there and I love that everything you buy is - more or less - ethical - certainly more than Tescos.

I think the counselling is a good idea, even though you are in stronger position than you were in before, it is good to have that chance to talk through things with someone who isn't involved. Even the process of just talking about problems can give you new insights and ideas.

I hope you have a fun weekend with DD and make friends with the horses!

moo2moo

La Redoute are joining Littlewoods with their manic postings this week. I've had the fantabulous offer of £15 off when I spend £100 on their overpriced tat.

Can't say I agree with the comments on councillors. I was made to see one at age 13 in a group session with my dad and my little brother. Councillor had been misinformed and asked how we were coping with my mums death to which my dad replied shes not dead yet. We still had to endure many sessions of drawing pictures showing how we were feeling in crayon and openly telling a complete stranger how were were feeling - as kids we were trying to pretend everything was hunky dorey so as not to upset Dad. My little brother helpfully pointed out he was feeling like a large spliff which didn't go down overly well.

If it something you want to do I'm sure it will be a beneficial experience.

Hollyberry

I too have been touched by the long-reaching arms of Littlewoods marketing carp this week (;) now have visions of a goldfish with an advertising banner) and have failed to be even slightly tempted. That's another fine piece of recycling...

Glad to hear that you are feeling a bit better Lula - what a daft boss! As Purpletea pointed out, there is still plenty of time for karma to work its way to him.

As for the counselling, well I reckon it's a try it and see, although it clearly doesn't always work well as per moo's experience. I am now on my second counsellor since the summer - first one was ok-ish but got a new job, but the current one is brill and has a very warped sense of humour. I see him monthly, and always feel much better afterwards. If you get the right person, it can be great. Really hope it works out for you - you spend a lot of time helping other people on the threads here, so there must be plenty of good karma working your way.

Lula-Hula

Well good evening all & thanks for all your comments,

Moo- sorry you had such a grim experience with counsellors, I certainly wouldnt have coped with one at such a young age & even now the thought of group sessions makes me cringe. It's only a 6 session course & I'm feeling quite positive about it.

Makeup - glad to have found another waitrose fan - we had fusilli for tea tonight & it's the real deal, all properly twisted up like a helter skelter rather than that tasteless tesco stuff thats look like a bored teenager doing a saturday job made it... " oh a couple of twists will do yawn" :rolleyes: .

Hollyberry - thank you for your kind words, although I'm probably more of a thread 'botherer' than any help . this whole place suits my vaguely 'sybil lke' personality; a thread for every mood . Good to hear that you're having a positive experience with counsellors & I definitely agree that having someone completely neutral is beneficial.

Anyway... I've broached the dodgy subject about what to do with mums ashes in a conversation with dad & it rather degenrated somewhat. He'd planned to bury them & plant a tree at his golf club. In my wobbly moment earlier this week I felt they should be somewhere more accessible & today suggested that. Dad responded by saying it was a good idea but that as the golf club were so warm & enthusiastic about his plan that we now had yet another dilemma....

His typically irreverent & humourous suggestion is to nip down to the local vets & buy a pet urn & have a fake interrement at the golf club where we all look rather solemn & if asked why there are cats on the urn then we just remind them how much mum loved cats :rolleyes: . We can then reconvene at the real location later. I do apologise if this tale causes offence to anyone; although we all loved my mum dearly & miss her greatly, we are not short of humour & dad has always been full of mischief & was frequently simultaneously horrifying & amusing my mother with his irreverence & humour. Having already had a secret funeral it doesnt surpise me at all to have to indulge in yet more subterfuge & I know mum would have found it all funny too which does help.

On the DFW front i've been positively angelic & had 2 nsd's in a row. We spent the whole day yesterday clearing out DDs room :eek: :mad: . It was horrendous but at least i didnt find any food this time. We filled the dustbin with rubbish & 2 bags for the charity shop. We were meant go to the local rspca place to take them & look at cats at the same time but DD declared it a pyjama day so we stayed in & pottered instead .

Still getting intermittent emails from the xbf :rolleyes: the last one was asking what the word I'd called him was & declaring that the more time he spent away from me, the more he liked me :mad: . I responded by saying that the word was either a narcissist or ar*ehole I really couldnt remember, and likewise as the further he was away from me , the more I liked him... & not to spoil it by getting any nearer . He just walks right into them :rotfl: .

Must watch top gear,
bye for now

lula
xx

Lula-Hula

Hello,

Forgive me if I sound deluded ; I'm on day 1 of a serious detox :eek: . Sarahb started hers on saturday :A & I decided to kick myself into gear & do one too. I've got a brilliant book that my mum gave me a few years ago & it's full of great recipes, healthy diet tips, destressing techniques, exercise & meditation stuff... the whole shebang . I did the detox previously & felt so healthy afterwards & lost weight too so here I am; with a cup of peppermint tea & so looking forward to eating fruit tomorrow.

Quite timely I think as I had a note form the boss today saying that as we've lost so many customers we're now only going to be working 3 days a week :rolleyes: . I'm not surprised at all, have been expecting it which is why I went & found the leaflet job. The drivers rounds have been swapped about which means I wont start work until midday now on a monday & on tuesdays & wednesday probably not til about 1.30 or 2 which is rubbish in some respects as I'll have to do that work in the evenings :mad: but then it does mean I can get out & do the leaflets for a couple of hours everyday & will have 2 days aweek free to either look for more work, do allotment stuff etc.

It's really going to be a whole new way of life which I'm choosing to embrace rather than fear, & it will provide the opportunity for the changes I've been yearning for.

Financially it's pretty bleak & I'm in the process of working out a new budget & am going to have to cut back again. The heating was turned down another degree last night & I may have to see about getting quarterly bills again - although last time I enquired they wanted a £250 deposit :eek: :mad: . Time to say goodbye to accident insurance I think & I may have to cut the present budget too. It's quite tricky as I'm still waiting to hear how much the water rates & council tax will be for the year & whether tax credits are going up or not. That is another problem in itself; to qualify for working tax credits I need to do minimum 16 hours a week & last week for the first time ever I was under, only just but until I start the leaflet job then things are very tight, so of course I went to the co op & spent £12 on healthy stuff for the detox :rolleyes: DD can eat it all too so I'm not being selfish just a bit stupid .

I did make another £60 payment to CC1 today which brings that down to £ 3,556 & the total to £ 6,040 but as I need to make a minimum payment of £80 to CC2 by the 1st March I'm not making any more overpayments until I know all the figures. I am pretty deperate for the leaflet job to start as I've calclated I can go another 2 weeks only on current income before I have to start using savings / CB. If things dont improve then i'll just have to write to CCs & say I can longer afford minimum payments & take it from there...

I can feel another headache coming on so will head for bed now & dream of apples :rotfl:

G'nite
lula
xx

makeup

:grouphug: For you Lula at losing your hours from your job.

That really sucks!

I know the council tax in my borough has been frozen for next year and the same for quite a few other boroughs - one (Hamm & Fulham) even dropped it by 3% So fingers crossed your borough is the same.

You seem pretty good at budgetting already so don't think I have any useful advice that you would need - but if you do decide to cut your present budget, I've done quite a few cheapie pressies in past and happy to share ideas on here.

I'm also jealous that you are managing the snappy put-downs with xbf - I never manage to get those in......oh well!

At least you will be super-thin from eating nothing but veg from allotment, drinking herbal teas and walking for miles with leaflets....

mum2one

Lula - sorry to hear about your hours, dont suppose you have a contract that says minimum hours, on the positive you have the leaflets so they should be able to make the minimum 16hrs/
Good luck with the detox, I'd be climbing the walls after 6 hrs!! Youve donr so well with the overpayments on the credit cards, if you have to cut back to the minimum then there have to lump it
Its a long shot, but the water rates, can u have a look on the companies website and see if they have any figures floating around.
Can you not put in for a council tax rebate? xx