Live on £4000 for a year - part 4 (Oct - Dec 2008)

lingojingo

Janey - hope I can get this link to work, it's a series of articles by a journalist who's Mum is suffering from dementia. Quite a harrowing read simetimes, but it might help to know you're not alone. Yesterday she was remembering the good times with her Mum. Imho you could write it much better, your posts are often entertaining and alwyas very readable even through the sadness.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/series/lookingaftermother

Penny2myName

Janey51 wrote: »

If this disappears I am finishing the bottle of Baileys :mad:

Looks like you were destined NOT to finish the bottle off.

Janey51

lingojingo thank you so much for that link. It has made me cry but made me realise that I am experiencing the same as other people.
I just wish Mum didn't keep saying she wants to kill me and that she has never loved me.


I am now the proud owner of fat cat Milly.
Milly and her sister (both 13) were left at the vets by their owner who was moving and said she didn't want them anymore
Milly is black and very very overweight because she and her sister were locked in the house all the time. The foster carer said Milly's coat was badly matted and it took her ages to get it smooth. Now, it is thick and glossy.
Milly purrs a lot. She is sitting having a staring match with 2 of my cats but things are quite calm at the moment.

I hope she settles in and contributes to the heating element of the household by occupying my knee when vacated by Cat 1, 2 or 3

I have made a cat litter tray by cutting down a plastic storage box and I am using newspaper for cat litter. After a couple of weeks, I hope she will be going outside because I will have to keep raiding the recycling bins for newspapers if she doesn't

Frugaldom

OK, so I have just lost a really long post whilst replying to everyone and am mad at myself for not copy/pasting... apologies to everyone, I had responded accordingly and had only asked one question:

How does everyone else decide who to give their Freecycled stuff to?

Off to scream now

whitewing

Oh Janey, Your mum does love you; it's just the illness talking. If she didn't love you, you wouldn't do all the things you do for her. Nor would you have so many happy memories of her.

Take care, and make sure you are getting enough rest as things seem so much worse when you are tired.

Frugaldom

Trying another quick message.

I've just had an email from MSE about my 'phones' question. I had read a really good offer on here but BT never mentioned anything about it when I phoned and the link on MSE led to an outdated one. Anyway, it has now been updated by them and there IS a current BT offer! :j

Hopefully, this means that the line installation will cost only £29.99 rather than the £124.99 quoted during my first call to BT and I now have the link to the appropriate section to quote the notice number, all thanks to Moneysavingexpert.com Previously, I'd have stropped at the BT telesales girl and then had to go along with whatever they said but not this time! This time I am sticking to my guns and taking advantage of [strike]a[/strike] another brilliant offer! Don't you all just love this site? :T :beer: :dance:

PS - Janey, I have emailed you

cw18

nykmedia wrote: »

How does everyone else decide who to give their Freecycled stuff to?

My tumble dryer went to the first person to ask.

But of those who got in touch, if I'd done it on "merit" I think she'd have got it anyway (single Mum who had just got her own place for the first time -- been there done that (though I was lucky and had a trust fund that came to me as I was buying the place), and so has DD (who qualified for a grant from the Benefits Agencies, and then we managed to get several items second hand -- and cheap -- through a "wanted" advert I posted at work).

Think my freezer (and fridge/freezer) will be "first come, first served" as well, as I can't really think of a fairer way But they won't both go to the same person -- which is something I'll have to watch for as they're likely to go up at seperate times -- next month for the freezer)and January for the f/freezer - just in case I need the extra fridge space over Christmas (which I will if elder DS is home for more than a few days!).

lyndasharp

Had a very frugal weekend and only spent £2. Dad visited for the weekend and had a look at the house I'm buying. He wasn't as horrified as i expected, thought it was very nice! He bought lunch today otherwise I'd have spent more. I bought the drinks - mulled cider, fantastic. We used our National Trust cards and went to the apple day at the NT property nearby. I had apple fritters for dessert, and I'm now inspired to make some for my tea this evening, as they were just so delicious and I hadn't had any since I was about 10!

Marru

Just a quick one as DD is climbing on me.

I need to transfer my business landline to residental one but BT wants awful lot ot money so Nyk please please tell me about the offer so that I can get it sorted and then save in the long run in the line rental costs.

Janey: congratulations re new Cat!!!

cw please tell me that you live near me, I have been trying to get a freezer from freecycle for over a month without any success.

DD wants me to feed her so better go,

Have a lovely evening everybody,

Marru

cw18

Marru wrote: »

cw please tell me that you live near me, I have been trying to get a freezer from freecycle for over a month without any success.

No idea, as I can't figure where you're from
ETA: Just got back a bit further, and no I don't live anywhere near you unfortunately


All I've gleaned at a quick look is that your DD is in the same school year as my younger GD (saw mention of you putting her name down for reception class from next September), and that you were off to Cumbria (a day out for me).
ETA: Also gleaned from the post I just found that you're only 3 years younger than me -- frightening to think I have a GD 2 years old than your DD !!!!