Debt free in ten years-my new, more realistic challenge.

elizabethhull

You have such rotten runs of bad luck - I don't think there's anything to say, but send hugs and sympathy.
And yet in all your troubles you still find it in your heart to open your Xmas festivities to neighbours.

Being a bit busy at the moment with Xmas preparations, I may just 'lurk silently' for a while !!!
With that in mind, I would like to wish you and your family (and all the others who read this thread) a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS, with no disasters, just fun, warmth and kindness.

poohbear59 wrote: »

Last week we had some disasters here but we thank God that we are still here.

I noticed the kitchen ceiling was bulging and the following day it was cracking so I sent DS2 into the loft as it is single storey over the kitchen and there was a pipe leaking. The felt and insulation was sodden. I called out the plumber who put in the new heating pipes and he found the leak which was quickly sorted out.

The next day the ceiling was even worse so Mr P put some boards up as a temporary measure with a piece of wood standing on the worktop and holding them in place. All very rustic

Now it is bulging around the boards Mr P put in. It is a mess and could easily come down. The heating company promised me a builder to repair the ceiling but no one arrived. I phoned this morning and he couldn't get the builder here as he couldn't drive on the roads. Funny that as we can

They promised me someone today or at least a phone call but still nothing.

Then on Friday DS3 was sitting in the lounge and smelt something burning. It was the electricity consumer board. A hole has burnt into the box with the trip switches. We are so very thankful that DS3 was in the room at the time. Our bed is almost exactly above the meter etc which are high up next to the ceiling. We have lovely old beams close to the electricity fuse etc boards.
DS3 has acute sense of smell as he has to be careful when on watch on his ship. It could have started during the night AND we discovered that none of our 3 smoke alarms were working!!!!! We now have three new alarms which we will test every week.and they had arced and started to burn.

The electrician was around here during his lunch break so we only had the morning without power. It was caused by someone putting two bare wires into the same fuse (back of the switches)


On Saturday DS2 found that the ground floor toilet was overflowing into our porch. It was from the cistern overflow. We took the mechanism apart and our local hardware store found us a replacement part for 90p. It was inconvenient more than anything as the water had to be turned off for most of the morning.

Mr P says something always goes wrong when we are given money. The car always broke down if his mum gave us a gift of cash The pattern has still not changed


DDIL is back in hospital again but this time they are planning surgery. the big problem for me is that I have no idea what she is having done. I just hope and pray they can sort things out for her.

stressed.mum

Dear Poohbear,
I'm sorry you have had another run of bad things.
I feel for you and your DS, my DS1 has been suffering with depression for the last year, he has had to move back home as he struggled with independent life and has had some very scary episodes.
I can relate to how you are feeling, you begin to think things are looking up and something comes to knock them back again. My DS finally got a job interview last week and was really positive about it but is now very down again as they didn't offer him anything.
Hoping things turn a corner for you in the very near future
Much love
Stressed xxxxx

Verbatim

DS1 has been suffering with depression

I can relate to how you are feeling, you begin to think things are looking up and something comes to knock them back again. My DS finally got a job interview last week and was really positive about it but is now very down again as they didn't offer him anything.
Hoping things turn a corner for you in the very near future
Much love
Stressed xxxxx[/QUOTE]

Do tell your son to think of it as practice. I always think it takes a few interviews to get your eye in but once you start getting interviews it's just a matter of time before you're offered a job. I hope he gets there soon!

poohbear59

stressed.mum wrote: »

Dear Poohbear,
I'm sorry you have had another run of bad things.
I feel for you and your DS, my DS1 has been suffering with depression for the last year, he has had to move back home as he struggled with independent life and has had some very scary episodes.
I can relate to how you are feeling, you begin to think things are looking up and something comes to knock them back again. My DS finally got a job interview last week and was really positive about it but is now very down again as they didn't offer him anything.
Hoping things turn a corner for you in the very near future
Much love
Stressed xxxxx

I am sorry to hear about your son stressed.mum. Now I understand your name even more. I really do hope your son finds the right person to employ him. I feel that things are so much harder for our kids than it was for us. It sounds as though your son is going through the same sort of problems as ours.

Maybe being in North has made things worse. We lived in the affluent South as youngsters.

Much love to you too stressed.mum.

poohbear59

We still have a bulging ceiling held up with boards.
It is above the cooker and sink so a bit annoying. I don't expect to see a builder before Christmas. We have been told everyone wants everything done before Christmas. To us it is a celebration of the birth of Christ, and a time for family and friends to get together so having a perfect ceiling isn't an important thing at all.


We received a cheque from coop for just over £1500. As we used an agent to make the claim on our behalf for this one we have to pay just over £500 in fees. I know Martin always recommends we do it ourselves but this one was a long shot and I didn't know how to approach it so we went for an agency. And what a result!!!

October_Starter

Hope everything gets sorted out for you soon Mrs P. I am sure your DS will work through this drop. Christmas is a hard time for everyone.

Best Wishes

October xx

beanielou

Have a very happy time Pooh & family xx

Bubblesmum

Dear Pooh

I have read your diary over the last couple of weeks, with such admiration, you reminded me of a poem that was always by my Grandmas front door.

Give to the world the best you have
And the best will come back to you
Give of the friendship that all men crave
And your friends will be many and true
Give love, and love to your life will flow -
A strength in your utmost need,
Have faith and a score of friends will show
Their faith in your word and deed

May I send you Christmas blessings to you and yours

Mrs B

Verbatim

Merry Xmas Pooh and family.
I hope everything goes well for you over the holiday.

poohbear59

Thank you for the lovely poem Mrs. B.
Beanie and Verbatim Mrs B, lucky, granny elizabetull, stressed mum, pg, brizzled and everyone else I wish all a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year


Today we will be Skypeing with the family as for the first time ever we have the of our'children' away for Christmas.DS 3 was in Puerto Rico last night. DS 1 is on Orlando, DDin Norwich with her in laws,DB in Oz.

Last night DS2 went with me to Mass for Christmas. He seems to be okay ish. He has bought ingredients for a starter and spent a lot of time last night preparing it.