November.2015.here.we.come

mum2one

£30 spend today, DD had to go to the opticians, and needed new glasses, she follws me, she had about dozen frames choose, only one fitted, but she'd set her heart on this one purple pair, the teens version was too small so she had to have the adults one, should have been £125, but they gave her u16 discount, so £30 gone on a gd cause!

Been and got the cinema tickets, I'm dragging dad with me, were taking 10 children to the pics, for cheapie £1 film as belated bday present.

Even managed to get 30 begging letters wrote (ok cheated as just altered the date from last one and hit multi print!), - they've gone off in the hopes we get some raffle prizes for the Xmas fayre. Thou it was throu gritted teeth, but its all brownie points for OU course!

Good news my student grant gone in £265, do need a new laptop, mine is past it, hold off for a month then get one, think may need to add a bit to it, don't want to go over £350 sorting the difference. The OU are briliant, they pay for my ink cartridges, paper etc all helps.

Paid dad £100 off what I owe him, fingers crossed my ESA goes in 2mor, meant to so fingers crossed.

Off to bed, intend to have a quiet day tomorrow, few hours study, book in rest of Octs, early Nov card statements etc, but at least be no spend day. xx

mum2one

What fun and games with the ESA, was meant to go in Fri, no money, had a panic, when I rang apparently the system was having probs moving me from IS to ESA, luckly didn't need any money ova weekend, as soon as money comes in pay the bills first, but it went in today, so bill paying part 2 tomorrow.

Good news, my loan, which is my biggest debt, I've been trying to sort out repayment since Aug, been hitting brick wall, so been paying bits and dabs, unfortunately not the full amount, but showing willing. They rang today, thought here we go, get threatened with court etc, couldn't believe how nice they were, they said they appricated that I had been paying, they apologised that i couldn't get anything sorted, apparently I had been allocated a case manager, but he didn't know he'd got me! But they've accepted reduced payments for 12 months, with a view to further reduced payments, and they didn't even try and push for more money, they accepted my first offer, just still having problems with one card company, who I thought would be easier to deal with, but I get a double payment in Nov, so reckon can pay the arrears off, and then their normal monthly payment is £5 more than what I was going to offer to pay, so think go down that route.

Been very proactive with OU, the main course, week ahead, one of my new ones officially starts 5th Nov, but I've managed to get 15 weeks work in 5 days, so that will take some pressure off. Think I have the equivalent of 8 weeks work left of a 6 month course, bar 3 assisgnments, but we're worry about that nearer the time.

I've got a govenerors meeting tomorrow, I'm really so close to telling the school to stick it where the sun don't shine, but the trouble is I need them, we're having probs with DDs ex-teacher, shes turned into a stalker, nightmare... and another pressure could do without, the school are looking into it, as apparently I'm not the only parent who is being stalked, we all have problems one way or another, I know everyone deals with them differently, but its a stress I could do without.

DD shes up and down, we're awaiting for her to see a councellor, (the gps recommendation - shes not coping with the other side of the family), it looks like that its going to another court saga, we sent a proposition to the ex, and to date he hasn't replied, got DD going I don't want anything from him, I know but the courts won't listen.

Since the bust up when her grandparents came over before her birthday, we have not heard a dickie bird from them which I'm pleased about and so is DD, as shes asked can she break contact with them as well, after the way they acted when we met them. In all honestly, I could jump for joy, i feel sorry in my heart for the gran, you couldn't meet a nicer person, but unfortunately the grandad has done everything possible to breech the court orders, he could hardly refer to DD by her name, it was all the child, now his lordship has a new son, and is settled, his son is the best thing since buttered bread, and can't be capable of half the things he did!!
All I want is a court date, (not really but!), so can at least try and move forward and get my DD back. Shes not coping with it, she asks whats going on, so try to be as honest and say look you may have to have letters from him, and she freaks out, she doesn't want anything to do with any of them, shes even asked when we go to Devon on holiday, can we look at moving down there and not telling anyone where we are, if only life was that simple!.

Very mse weekend, she had part two of her bday party, we took her + 8 friends to pictures (£1 movies), thou I must have done the toilet run 4 times, luckly seen the film before, we went to see Yogi Bear, then she had her best friend up for the afternoon.

I better be thinking of making a move to bed. Sorry about the ramblings, its the only place really let it out, as think our family been through enough, and to an extent still are...

Positive steps, pay some bills tomorrow, every pound a pound less xx

mum2one

my esa finally went in, thou as they say in one hand and out the other, but its going in the right direction.

Good news for DD she won 2nd prize in colouring competation at the cinema, shes got to wait till nxt wend to get it.

I know I wanted a court date, while I got one but its for next week while were away!! so now looks like be end nov, early dec.

mum2one

Back from the week in Devon, bar Friday it chucked it down somewhere along the days, worst batch was 24hrs solid, but it was a break, we got out and about a little bit, no open uni as dogle don't work and wasn't paying the sites prices!! compared to previous hols where we would have been out at the club everyngt, we didn't even go once, and the weird thing we didn't miss it. DD had a fab time, as she would go for walks with dad and Bailey down to the beach and via the 2p machines.... the 2 ngts she didn't go apparently Bailey dragged him into the 2p machines!!
Good quality old fashioned fun, maganed to get a few bits and pieces for christmas.

All fun and games to come back to, got new date fr court hearing a week on Monday, sos doesn't look like the ex is going to accept our proposal, he's that much of an a*se that he'd rather see DD suffer by having to have his letters...

Interesting thou - email off the "other granparents", we'd heard nothing since they'd been across, and I don't know, whether its me being cynical, apparently he wasn't well when he got back, and his blood pressure worse, he's had to rest, not been on the computer, please don't tell his other son how ill he's been he'll only worry (ok!!) and the usual he wants to see his grandchildren, but doesn't want any stress......... I had steam coming out of my ears, surely she could have rang and said he's not well etc this is the score, or dropped a letter, it was left on bad terms as what they had done by sending photos and all updates to other son, who is now blue eyed boy of the family as he has produced a grandson... yet 2 yrs ago he wouldn't mention his own sons name without a load of crap following it. There planning on coming across in the spring, to me it was left on bad terms, they continually breached what I had asked themnot to do. also the solicitor, kept referring to DD as the child, (she has a name) and then gets in contact to say he doesn't want any stree.

Please if anyone thinks I'm being unfair, or can see another view, plz say, I won't be offened, the whole situ has caused so much hurt here it doesn't get discussed.

Can't believe were nearly at the end of Oct, as usual money awful at end of the month, but just about bearable... think £100 overspent, but I know wheres its gone so got to try and plough back in Nov and then all got to get for xmas is mum, dad, and DD.

Good bit made £30 on ebay cleared out some tops and skirts don't wear, so aall helps out. xx

mum2one

Updated to do list Oct...

1. Fill in diary - all OU courses, tutorials etc main course - DONE

2. Plan finances, as changing from IS to ESA, dreading that not going through. - half way there, all Oct and Nov goings out planned

3. Got to give mum £110 back, she lent me in Sept - DONE

4. B204 course offically starts on 8th Oct - to be 3 weeks in advance by half term week. The other 2 start Nov, wait till then - main course 1 week ahead, course 2, 16 weeks ahead, course 3 - upto date

5. Write Halifax chase up bank charges saga, as under the old system been charged £1200.... letter done, printed just need to update interest on spreadsheet - go tomorrow (done)

6. Do a new SOA - as with ESA assesment I'm losing £120 per month (nightmare!!) the loan company are digging heels in, everyone been ok with reduced payments - At mo losing £16 per month, end dec be worse....

7. Finish sorting xmas presents - all done, just dd, mum and dad, even wrapped and delievered 1st batch

8. Sort cards - named ones - ha;f way done

9. Upset the bank when I take in DDs change! - the bank were nice as I'd bagged all the coins in sets.

10, Use another diary (mid yr ones) and set all payment dates in - Oct, + Nov payments all in, most of Octs cards etc been paid, just loan, and mum, etc to pay - all [paid

11. Sort out money, as opened a new account, with the idea that transfer bill money across, pay by cheque (create paper trail), so know thats dead money - work in progress, given myself 6 months to raise the equivalent 1 months spare outgoings

12. Sort our items Vistaprint, as many freebies as possible - 4 sets of orders on route - recieved, (got 2 x calenders, 3 x diaries, couple small bits to order)

13. Got diabetic check up blood test (this week) docs follow up next week, need to ring for eye check at hospital! Blood test done, flu jab done, follow up call booked in with GP, and eye appointment at hospital - got cancellation so been Thursday all looks ok. (done)

14. Await patientally for new court date... Nov 8th

15. begging letters for school pta for christmas craft fair - 30 begging letters wrote, so far 5 set of donations arrived

16. Make christmas cake at weekend - got all ingredients - first batch of xmas cakes made

17. Follow on flavoured vodka, so far have Pommegrate, want christmas pud flavour, limoncello, and another couple flavours - have pommegrate, christmas pud, and cherry (that will do!)

18. Bag of clothes list on ebay - done, sold 5, relisted again free weekend

19. Promised DD she could have a sleep over, - need to arrange some crafts to do - didn't get sleepover, had friend up for afternoon

20. Gut dining room, and put rest of items back in bedroom. - ok 1 big fail....

Npt bad, out of 20, 1 fail, 3 in progress, but 14 completed and £30 better off,thank you ebay! xx

mum2one

Some good news, my old OU tutor is teaching a course that I'm doing, but I'm in a different tutor group, and we stay in touch, he's emailed to say he's had his schedule for this course and if I want to go to his day school, no probs at all, brilliant, as nearer for me, and all day not split over 2 evenings as my allocated one is, also as dad comes along as career, (bag carrier, driver, general dogs body as he says), says having to keep explaining why dads there. Really nice just something simple, but is so positive. xx

BEAT_THE_DEBT

Glad you had a nice break It rained on ours also but i think if you didnt go anywhere because of the rain you wouldnt do anything. Old fashioned fun is the best kind . Reading and supporting as always .
BTDXXX

mum2one

Good news for once, DD went and picked her prize from cinema, she had came 2nd in a colouring comp, she got 2 free passes, and they can be used anytime including 3D films. Think she wants to see Arthur Christmas.

Just pd some more money off debts, its in hand out the other twice as quick, but its taken me over the next £500 level. Still some more left to pay, but no Open Uni fees this month, that saves £34, gone off another debt, all helps.

My one course had a good head start and have done all the theory work up until mid Jan, gives me chance to get the other courses sorted out.

Sounds daft, but nice to have something positive to say, insteading of moaning about the world xxx

mum2one

What a day, got email from solicitors, reply from his lordship, if I could get my hands on him I'd throttle him, he's been slandourous, hoping my solicitor will earn his money, its court on Monday. (help).

have finally seen sense over the other grandparents, after all went wrong when they came across, not heard from them, then get an email saying he's been ill all the stress we gave him, so spoke to DD about what she wants, she's said she only met them last time to please me, and that its been the best thing them not being in touch, all they seem to do is upset her then send money to say sorry. So told them were causing stress, then bye bye. Feels a relief.

Saves some money as I don't have to post parcels to Ireland, DD has to see a councellior, to try and help her come to terms with it all.....

xx

taxi73

you have to do what's best for DD as she's the most important thing...hopefully it'll all be sorted soon xx