hanging my head in shame

worried_jim

For the past 3 years I have taken the last week of July and the first week of August as holiday. For the last 3 years it has p1ssed it down every single one of those days here on the south coast. Never again, I cant afford to go abroad so I have to make the best of the British summer so this year I've changed to the last week of August and the first week of September. So far its p1ssed it down every day since Friday, it was so bad yesterday at the local air-show I didn't hear a single aircraft.
Right now at 1.30pm it is 18c outside and blowing a gale, I believe this August is going to be the coldest on record. I haven't sat in the garden since June.
The p1ss poor weather has given me the opportunity to do some decorating, painting all the wooden surfaces, three days in and I am well bored and looking for excuses to do something else. I have discovered that it is not very moneysaving to buy cheap own brand paint, spend more money on Crown and Dulex and get a proper job done first time.
The highlight of my time off so far was Friday night spent in the pub where I met a delightful lady who is a year younger than me and a grandmother ! To cheer myself up I might go and sniff some paint thinners in B&Q. Ho hum.....

worried_jim

Well it's now Wednesday and it is still lashing down, that's every day of my British summer holiday so far. I have finished all the decorating that I had planned, but I may do a little more.
The racist pensioner has given me £100 for my holiday which I am very grateful for and I may put to good use in B&Q for some more paint, I may as well since I wont be spending any of the next fortnight outside in the sun.
I have managed to lose 15.5lbs in the last 26 days which has meant a lot of will power and Bran flakes ! It has also meant that I have spent sod all on food so I may save up for a week in Greece next year cos I cant take any more UK summers- ever. I hope the rain stops soon and not the day I go back to work either.

worried_jim

Since becoming more money conscience when I had my Lightbulb moment back in November 2008 I have been keeping a careful eye on my energy spend/usage. I have just completed another year’s worth of figures and I can see quite clearly how my energy use has increased last year, this is due to the really cold winter that we suffered. The cost is not a true reflection of extra consumption as I was paying slightly less for energy last year as opposed to 2008-2009 due to British Gas reducing there prices.

Year kWh CO2 Cost
2008 - 2009 11,795 3,502 £589.46
2009 - 2010 13,339 3,747 £621.08

I consumed 1544 kwh more energy due to the Freezing winter hopefully there wont be another repeat of this for another 30 years and this year I will try to beat the £589.46 spend of 2008 - 2009 if it is a like for like winter.

I have now finished six days of decorating and it has rained on all of those six days so I am glad that I had planned to do that and not go out for the day or attempt to read the mountain of books I have to get through outside in the garden, but this morning there is a big yellow thing in the sky emitting both light and warmth which is a strange sensation for Brighton in August, I wonder what it can be and if it will stick around next week so I can actually have a holiday and go out and do stuff.

worried_jim

In case anyone missed it here is the Fourteen days in May death sentence thread-

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2616461

worried_jim

I have really been enjoying this series of the X factor. When it started years a go I wasn't interested but then as time went by I started to watch the first few weeks just to see the nutters and the saddos who think they have talent, then last year I watched the whole thing and really enjoyed the live rounds with people who could actually sing (a bit). But, I find myself growing tired of its predictable cliches that repeat them selves every week and I sit here shouting out the obvious at the tv. Every week now there will be be a really talented person and 40 seconds thru there very good audition Simon raises his hand to stop the music and then debates weather they are any good before asking "have you got anything else you can sing?", and of course thay have and they are just as good. Its pointless and obvious.
Does anyone else play the X factor gay game ? Every year we get cute looking boys/men professing that they are all about the clunge (copyright inbetweeners- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLP-Lg1qk5U ) and as soon as they have won they start professing their love for their fellow man. Joe McElderry was out before his first album ! So this year as soon as they walk on stage I am outing them by shouting at the tv so by Christmas when the inevitable happens I have the smug satisfaction of saying to myself that I knew all along.

worried_jim

As of the end of the month I will be looking for a new lodger. This has really thrown a spanner in the works as I have a £555 bill due at the end of the month that I will be unable to pay now unless I fill the room immediately. Last time it took me two months and cost me £90 in advertising. I am a bit peeved that Ian is moving out so soon as he told me he wanted somewhere long term and he has only been here for nine months but he wants to be more central to town.
If I don't fill it quickly that means another year with out Christmas as last year I couldn't afford to visit family or attend the office party as the room is vacant and I use that money for living expenses. As a consequence with the worry I am having sleepless nights at the moment, I know that I will get everything sorted out eventually but it is really hard in the meantime and it is hassle I could do with out.
October could be the first month that I miss my Payplan payment since I started the plan in November 08. Last time the room was vacant I had my second job to fall back on but since giving that up in February due to health reasons I have nothing else.
Knowing my luck the car or the boiler or something else expensive will break in the next few days.
The struggle continues.....

worried_jim

Well it was nothing of mine that broke, it was Ian's father. He has just been rushed to hospital and from what I can make out in a distressing call from Ian is that it doesn't look good. I have met his Dad a few times and he is the friendliest chap, a real pleasure to talk to, Ian sounded devastated as he was at his parents when it happened and he called me for a lift to the hospital as they wouldn't let him in the ambulance and he was in tears. I can feel a real bad couple of months coming on.

NorthernLas

Jim - Have you tried spareroom.com? You can advertise or look for people wanting a room in your area.

ampersand

Hello Jim, I post little atm, but was just struck by your downturn in tone and events.
I am dashing out now, but promise to be in this evening to see how today has gone for you.
You're right about English summers - can't stand the things and this is the first time in years I've not been gone to ma belle France for mai-ish>septembre-ish, for sad reason known to some here.
Heard on R4 the other morning that sunshine quotient for August was 46% of some norm they have in circles meteorological, with 4 times as much rain, temps 28% lower than mean average etc.etc. meaningless, I know. I rely on sun, light, blue open sky, for BIG sense of soaring spirit and feeling tan, luxuriating in every element of it. On this side of the world it is my essential bankable, to see me through winter until the year lifts its head out of sleep and into life again. Not here, not this year.
Like you Jim, never again.
-à bientôt:)
[and I do it all on smell of oily rag-it can be done, Jim. Think you just need a bit of a lift atm]

worried_jim

NorthernLas wrote: »

Jim - Have you tried spareroom.com? You can advertise or look for people wanting a room in your area.

This looks like a really good site- I really appreciate the tip!