greent's mfw journey

greent

Mattress shopping has been set aside for the time being - just can't decide and the imminent lockdown means no chance of having a look at/ lie down on any. Current one was from Bens0ns or Dr3ams (next to each other on a retail park, so I can't remember which one we bought it at!) 11.5 years ago and is a deep nicely sprung one with a memory foam top and then a super fleecy/ woolly top cover) and cost over £1k (I remember being shocked at the cost!) but is definitely showing signs of ageing now. 

We have lights in half of our kitchen now. A very strange tradesman came and started the work yesterday and is coming back tomorrow to finish. Thankfully I'm at work, so DH can deal with him - he's just a bit weird and doesn't listen and keeps moaning about previous work we've had done.... there is absolutely no chance he will be back to do any of the other work we mentioned to him originally! I actually don't think he'd be capable of doing it to the standard we want, let alone the fact that he is weird. Still - working lights will be good - not had those since Feb!!

2 smkts visited today and lots spent already - no stocking up, either. Crazily busy out there and the toilet rolls had already been bought out! (good job we didn't need any! ) I'm glad schools are remining open, but I totally get why people are confused about all the rules. I don't get the panic buying, though - it'll only mean the shops start putting restrictions back in place again  

Tahlullah.H

There is nothing worse than weird people in your home.  You can't quite put a finger on it, but you just know instinctively that they are weird and you don't want them around.  He will be gone soon and hopefully his workmanship will stand up to scrutiny.

Luckily I went shopping prior to the latest England lockdown and there was no issue of stockpiling evident.  Not so sure if I were to go today.  Glad you have everything you need.  It's going to be a long month.

f0xh0les

I have an enhanced 'axe murderer alarm' sense as well.  It is our superpower.

Karmacat

f0xh0les said:

I have an enhanced 'axe murderer alarm' sense as well.  It is our superpower.

Exactly!  I gently back away from people like that.  I'm glad its DH dealing with him, greent.

Suffolk_lass

f0xh0les said:

I have an enhanced 'axe murderer alarm' sense as well.  It is our superpower.

That phrase is coming to live here now! Love it

greent

Well the weird builder chap has gone - SO much mess! And he didn't take any rubbish away with him - including whole  (new) sheets of plasterboard. Plasterboard given away on fb00k, along with some timber and some timber was used in chiminea. I even found plaster dust - and lumps of plaster - in the fridge.... Clearing up is still continuing - DD and I are bottoming out the kitchen totally and using it as a pre-Xmas clean. We did the same to the family room and also had a move-around of things in there and took out a large storage box in there and dismantled it  for storing for now (I love it and have my eye on it for a grandchildren's toybox at some future point ) and set some things aside for CS, sold some bits via fbook and gave away a leaking beanbag (had already stitched it up several times) for someone else to re-use the filling. Looks much better in there, even if there is one wall that is bare plaster... Oh - and the chap sent us a text for the bill amount (not even a proper invoice....) at around 7.30 on an evening - and then had the cheek to chase payment around 3.30pm the next day - I was always planning on paying him that evening (was at work all day, which he knew) but didn't appreciate being chased so quickly. (And the payment was into a personal account, not a business account... but that's his business, not mine) Very glad to have got rid of him -and there is no way he's getting any more work from us, or a recommendation!

Moving on- I have paid off the small mtge on the BTL - well, the balance is nil and there is interest of less than £5 to be applied, so I shall just let that happen at month end if their system doesn't make it happen before (suspect unlikely) We had 2 regular savers mature and I couldn't find anywhere to stick it all at a reasonable rate - have opened 3 new ones at 'ok' rates and thought that some of the money could be put to use getting rid of the small part, where we are being charged interest at 2.5%. We'll get the money back when the sale eventually completes anyway (that's another story - so slow - our sols appear to be super slow even without lockdown...  I can see I'm going to have to become an annoying customer who chases them often to get them to do anything... sigh..) We do actually have enough liquid funds (in instant access accounts and PSB) to clear all of the rest of the mtge - almost tempting, as the sols seem to charge us quite a lot for dealing with the mtge co to redeem it - one to ponder, perhaps.

I have no work booked in now until Jan (which I'm happy with - very busy recently for me!) so plan on using lockdown #2 to try and get Xmas sorted as much as possible and also to use DD (as she has finished her Masters and is just awaiting her results) to help give the whole house a pre-Xmas clean/ tidy - she has nothing to do other than apply for jobs right now (not as though she can meet up with friends) and there's only so long you can spend on that! I don't want her looking every day - am happy with every other day and even then not hours looking - she has some preferred sites bookmarked and some alerts set up (but from personal experience I don't always trust the job alerts) and that'll do - I don't want her to spend so much time that she becomes disheartened at it - it's a tough world out there right now for anyone job hunting, let alone a recently-ex student with no experience other than bar and shop work! 

On teh subject of Xmas - I think I shall go and see what I have already under our bed  

Karmacat

You sound like you're really planning lockdown 2 very well, greent, I hope your lovely DD is finding it okay too.

apple_muncher

When will dd hear about her grade? I bet she is so glad to have finished and submitted it.

greent

Karmacat said:

You sound like you're really planning lockdown 2 very well, greent, I hope your lovely DD is finding it okay too.

It's going ok, thanks karma - DD is feeling it's all a bit 'Groundhog-day' but she literally has nothing to do at the mo - hence why I'm using her to clean and tidy everywhere - we sorted things like the craft box and dressing up box today, which she enjoyed - made a change from bottoming out the kitchen cupboards She did, however, receive notification of 2 job interviews today (need the old clapping emoji.....) so that's cheered her up

apple_muncher said:

When will dd hear about her grade? I bet she is so glad to have finished and submitted it.

She is very glad to have it done, apple She gets the dissertation grade next week - so can then theoretically work out her overall MA grade but doesn't officially get that until sometime in Jan when she gets the transcript back. It does mean, though, that she is officially NOT a student from the date she gets her dissertation grade (and so could apply for UC if applicable (which it's not - she has too much money in savings (about £9k when everything is added up, inc her H2B ISA and premium bonds) -although also has almost £60K of student debt.......)


Sorting the kiddy-craft and dressing up boxes has resulted in loads of things going - random bits binned, some bits recycled and most of the craft stuff and some of the dressing up stuff going to my nephew - obv not until after lockdown, but it's boxed up ready to go. I've also sold a lump of granite worktop which has been stored behind a sofa in the family room for maybe 7 years? - it's being collected tomorrow -and have bids on several smaller items on flebay - feeling quite positive about the clear out. 2 more now-too-big items of my clothing have gone into ragbag today (stretched out, so not suitable for selling at CS) - currently being stored in the shed until I'm able to get rid of it. I WILL get (most of) this house sorted out!   

Xmas prep is slowly moving along - I have most of my mum's bought and think I have everyone else's who doesn't live in this house apart from my best friend and her husband. Not really made much progress with people from this household, sadly My kids aren't very good at wanting 'stuff' at the best of times, and C0vid just seems to have enhanced that. (They are super good at not wanting to get rid of the stuff they do have, though! )

greent

So Nov has been a very spendy month!! Clearing out the old (non working) stereo (recycled) means the old (separate and working) record player also went, as it ran from the stereo (listed it on flebay). Ordered DH a new bluetooth one from JL (only place they had it in stock) Also ordered DH a new fitness watch (his f1tb1t broke ages ago), a new microwave (ours was getting very dodgy and we've been waiting for it to actually blow up!) (old one recycled) and a robo vac (extravagant purchase, but vacuuming is something I really dislike doing!) so am hoping I only have to drag the dys0n out occasionally going forward

Xmas presents mostly sorted for DH, DS3 and me DD has bday next month as well as Xmas so she'll end up with some money as well as presents, as I've ran out of ideas! (and I have to give some to my mum) DS1 I am probably a good way there, can just top it up with a gift card/ money for a small amount. DS2 has a bday in early Jan and has NO ideas what he wants except for a Dr Who scarf (bought) - argh!!! He is super unbothered by any trends and 'things'. Sigh.... will most likely put some money in his PSBs as part of it. Only other person I then need to finish is best friend and hubby - we have bought them tickets to a comedy night and am then giving them something to open of posh chocs, posh condiments etc - and some beeswax wraps because I have a spare pack  

Clearing out (with DD's help) is going well and I have lots for CS when they reopen Also have been selling on fb00k and flebay and the kids have made some money out of that as well

We are going to put Xmas lights up outside today (assuming weather stays ok) - don't do the trees until after DD's bday, but outside decorations are acceptable! The Xmas mugs/ glasses/ teatowels will also start being used from 1st Dec  

DD got 65 in her dissertation - she would obv have preferred a higher mark, but 65 enables her to do a PhD in the future if she chooses She is still job hunting, but not excessively - there isn't a lot around at the mo.

BTL sale is not progressing at all Will contact est agent this week and suggest it's remarketed, as buyers and their solicitors are not replying to anyone... It's been 3.5mths and our solicitors haven't even received any paperwork/ queries/ contact at all from theirs yet.