Today is a new day!

poorbutrich · 18 October 2010 at 4:49PM

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED wrote: »

I want to place an order with you and nearer to Christmas publicise your story in the local press and advertise your business in the process, and I would like you to work with me over the next few years as a "role model", (his words!). I meet so many people in the course of my work who are disabled and on Incapacity because they have lost their confidence to work. I would like to reach out to them using your story and with your help. Well, right then I was filling up I can tell you. He gave me his hanky - it was clean!It was such a lot to take in, so unexpected. He wanted me, thats right me, to help him. Im just me, but he wanted me. Well, Ive jumped at the chance. Who wouldn't. Not least my Kl team, The Shining Stars may just have to be called The Extra Shining Stars! because we could have others who didn't know about the business who may have disabilities -or not - but want to join despite whatever challenges they have after hearing my story. And even if that doesn't happen, how fantastic to be giving to the community in a real way, speaking from the heart and experience and helping others. Im not sure how it will pan out but he is adamant he wants it to happen saying we will be seeing a lot more of each other in the course of working on this "campaign" for want of a better description. So, time will tell... I am just wowed over.

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Brilliant! At last someone has realised what all of us diary followers already know! Well done P&F! You win, your MP looks good, and the success that you've carved out despite all the odds is given proper coverage.
So exciting!

Verbatim · 22 October 2010 at 12:48PM

Just caught up on your amazing week! WOW and super well done PAF. You determined keeping on going has really paid off and you deserve all the good luck that I hope this brings you.

jamieboy · 24 October 2010 at 5:01PM

Hi P&F, I've been following your thread for a while since my daughter pointed me in your direction. I noticed in 1 of your earlier posts that you had sold some paintings, can you tell me the best way to get a painting valued.

Also would like to say congratulations on how you well you are doing dealing with everything especially Social Services, well done.

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED · 26 October 2010 at 7:22PM

jamieboy wrote: »

Hi P&F, I've been following your thread for a while since my daughter pointed me in your direction. I noticed in 1 of your earlier posts that you had sold some paintings, can you tell me the best way to get a painting valued.

Also would like to say congratulations on how you well you are doing dealing with everything especially Social Services, well done.

Hiya Jamie boy, nice to see you!

I take my pics to a local auction house here. I like the simplicity of leaving them with them and not have to arrange postage to the buyer etc. At the time of taking them in they tell me how much I could realistically expect as a min, I arrange a minimum I am happy to accept, and then go from there. I currently have 3 in for a auction nearer to Xmas so hoping for a good sale and it takes a couple of weeks to receive the chq in payt. They charge commission of course, but its comparible to ebay. All the best

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED · 26 October 2010 at 7:59PM

Latest in Complaint re the Education Welfare dept. Feel a little naive to say the least. What was said at the appointment and what has been written to me by way of confirming the outcome of the meeting are not quite the same. They have not corrected the info on the referral which says I have "great difficulty caring for dd" and that was a big part of our conversation. They have said the "lateness" matter should have been resolved by the school, and not referred to them at all, so thats good. They have also confirmed that with regard to the issue of dd's emotional upsetness, they have no evidence of it and as far as they are concerned this was info from the school. So, I have responded to the Head of Complaints in writing, once again asking for the correction to be put in place regarding my parenting abilities. The Education Welfare Officer originally backed up her statement of how I have "great difficulty" by stating that in my diary in 2006 I had said, "things are becoming hard to cope with...". What she failed to do was complete the sentence from my diary which states this was in relation to the number of falls and tripping up I was "suffering" whilst working and as a consequence of what I believed to be stress dealing with the aftermath of my dh murder. so its completely out of context and made to look worse. So, as I say they will have my letter by now. The corrections have to be right. Whatever, they will keep hearing from me if they don't get it right. I will not stand for lies written about dd or me. Yes, I have a disability, yes, I have health issues, but I am and have been able to care for dd since she was born and to have anything else on file is simply untrue! Must dash, mum just bringing dd home!

Verbatim · 26 October 2010 at 11:02PM

Good for you. Quite right to persist. Did you mention the MP?

poorbutrich · 27 October 2010 at 12:47PM

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED wrote: »

Latest in Complaint re the Education Welfare dept. Feel a little naive to say the least. What was said at the appointment and what has been written to me by way of confirming the outcome of the meeting are not quite the same. They have not corrected the info on the referral which says I have "great difficulty caring for dd" and that was a big part of our conversation. They have said the "lateness" matter should have been resolved by the school, and not referred to them at all, so thats good. They have also confirmed that with regard to the issue of dd's emotional upsetness, they have no evidence of it and as far as they are concerned this was info from the school. So, I have responded to the Head of Complaints in writing, once again asking for the correction to be put in place regarding my parenting abilities. The Education Welfare Officer originally backed up her statement of how I have "great difficulty" by stating that in my diary in 2006 I had said, "things are becoming hard to cope with...". What she failed to do was complete the sentence from my diary which states this was in relation to the number of falls and tripping up I was "suffering" whilst working and as a consequence of what I believed to be stress dealing with the aftermath of my dh murder. so its completely out of context and made to look worse. So, as I say they will have my letter by now. The corrections have to be right. Whatever, they will keep hearing from me if they don't get it right. I will not stand for lies written about dd or me. Yes, I have a disability, yes, I have health issues, but I am and have been able to care for dd since she was born and to have anything else on file is simply untrue! Must dash, mum just bringing dd home!

Well done for spotting this and not just assuming that it would be corrected. Keep going - you are amazing!

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED · 30 October 2010 at 9:22AM

Verbatim wrote: »

Good for you. Quite right to persist. Did you mention the MP?

Yes, hi Verbatim

They know about the MP and what was funny was I told them I was seeing him on the 16th October, and so they arranged the appt with me for the 15th!! Oh, Im so cynical!!

Seriously, I WILL go back to the MP if the need arises. Will wait and see..

Take care, hope you are well

POSITIVE_AND_FOCUSED · 30 October 2010 at 10:02AM

Well, this week been quite a stressful one. However, Im fine now because I have a November2010 plan which is very achievable!

Kleeneze, received an order, value £500, that was drenched from something leaking so it had to go back and had to wait a few more days for the repacked parcel to arrive to deliver, then I placed an order on thursday, thought I had submitted it, was gaily driving around picking up more catalogues and I suddenly thought, have I submitted my order fully, came back home as it was niggling me so and sure enough I hadn't so my order arriving would come a day later. Only 24 hours late you may think but that in itself was crucial. I needed my commission from that order to cover a bill. So, plan b. Mum is lending me the money I need tomorrow - £75 - and Im paying her back tues eve after Ive done my deliveries. So, its not the end of the world, problem solved. Then there was my morgage payt, now overdue. but Ive sorted it. With the delay in getting my damaged order delivered, my cashflow went up the wall, so I am now paying £400 of my mortgage next thurs, and the remaining £200 the following week. Once thats done I will be back to being upstraight with everyone, as I want it to be. With the ways the days and dates fall next month all will be well and as I have now got £231 less expenditure from doing an overhaul on my finances! So, the long term looks good. Its just a blip right now! I am not prepared to give up, I know I can crack my debt and be financially secure. I just need to keep focused on what I am achieving and not worry about the odd blip but to say I haven't been feelng desparate about it this week and weeping would be a lie!

Then theres the colder weather. There was a couple of days this week where it was wet and cold and I need to get used to it. In the cold light of day it does effect me, I can not deny it but the answer is to just keep going.. The heating on full blast Im afraid for a while together with blankets etc over me!
Dd snuggling up too!

And then, a guardian angel came along in the form of one of the charities who have us under their wing, the lady came round and dropped off some food, rice, pasta, biscuits, tins of tomatoes, tuna, corn beef, cornflakes, weetabix. It was like opening a stocking. Oh I felt then this is Gods way of saying, hang in there Lou, you will be ok, keep strong, believe in yourself, others believe in you, you just need to! And then later that same day, the same lady called me and said would I like a turkey at Xmas, well my plan was to have a chicken, so of course I said yes, and promptly cried. Its just so generous, and Im sure its my dh way of looking after me and dd. It may sound extreme, but I genuinely hang on to these moments and look at them as a way in which I know all will be well, that giving up is simply not an option. Anyway, last eve I cooked corn beef hash, today Im making fish cakes which I plan to cook with rice and a white sauce. Its been a life saver!

I also told her about my MP meeting, and shes taken a copy of my original letter to my MP in which I quoted the charities who have supported us since dh murder which included hers of course. I wanted to utilise the opportunity to highlight the needs of funding for charities, you see. So, shes taken that away for her boss and hopefully if anything comes off with the MP, I can do my bit to campaign for them!

Other news, focusing on other areas where I can progress financially. Putting 5 things on ebay later, and 5 on there tomorrow. Restarting my team building in a bigger way, speaking to more people, doing a Xmas Newsletter to everyone, getting my Xmas cards ready for my customers, all 1500 approx!, my dd wants to help this year which will be great! Focusing on sales too which have been fantastic. Im acutely aware that without the debt I would be managing extremely well and I know full well without Kleeneze we would still not be going as we are. So, everything very proactive and feeling positive. My mind certainly is so much clearer when I know I can meet the bills and I am succeeding - just - with some very appreciated charitable help!