Its tough, it will get better and guess what its freezing brrrrr!

TudorRose

Thank you maryb for your advice.

It has started snowing here in Cheshire and is settling on the ground.
Luckily I managed to defrost my cold water pipe before it started.

I feel for you nualabuala. There are times when with houses you always seem to be fighting a losing battle.

On the plus side today the Christmas lights were switched on in town this afternoon and we had a little parade with santa on his sleigh being pulled along by real reindeer followed by fireworks.

redlady_1

NB - I feel your pain with houses!! I am not sending hugs as I will leave that to everyone else. I will send vodka and an axe!! Far more beneficial!!:D

Chin up babe.

ceridwen

charlies-aunt wrote: »

With the benefit of hindsight, I would suggest not paying anything in advance and only paying in full when the job is completed satisfactorily... or get several personal recommendations.

The big mistake we made was paying up front - thought we were being fair by doing so (to pay for materials etc) but once the cash had changed hands, his attitude changed and we had an uphill job trying to get him in to start and finish the job - a days work was stretched over about 6 weeks - never turned up with the right tools/materials, his van kept breaking down, he was ill etc :mad::mad:

You live and learn ....and some mistakes are more expensive than others

I think paying up front is a mistake we probably all make at some point (assuming we are decent people ourselves - but I expect OTHER "nasties" dont...:cool:). I've done that myself:(:mad: - though I managed (eventually) to get my money back...:D

charlies-aunt

NualaBuala wrote: »

I am sitting here in floods of tears, major overreaction I know, because I have a burst pipe outside. I had drained the pipe and everything but it has still burst. It just feels like the last straw with this house. I feel I'm constantly chasing up uncooperative workmen and there are so many problems cos I'm cleaning up after cowboys. I talked to a plumber and hopefully he can come tomorrow.

Right time for some deep breaths and pull myself together.

Aww Nuala Buala - what rotten luck, sometimes it just seems to be one thing after another no matter what you do. Big ((HUG)) for you and hope its sorted soon.

Bad things do tend to happen to nice people - possibly because most of us don't want to make a fuss or any confrontation. I wonder if it doesn't pay to be nice as 'awkward customers' seem to get people treading on eggs so they don't upset them -maybe we all ought to try and get a bit more fiery, tough & nasty and kick butt to get results?

There are some brilliant joiners/plumbers/builders etc and they deserve every penny they earn but for a large proportion, the OS work ethic of "a fair days work for a fair days pay" and pride in a job well done has been replaced by "do the bare minimum in a half-assed way and rip 'em off to the max"


Hmmm...feel a New Years Resolution coming on! . . . although the vodka and axe offered by redlady_1 sounds like a good option too!! . . .

seasalt_2

Charis wrote: »

I'm currently listening online to the debate in Parliament about altering the clocks to save daylight. (Lighter Later campaign). Money Saving Expert just got a mention as being representative of public opinion, along with others like Mori, who do the polls.
:beer:

Charis, what was/is the MSE opinion? I heard on the radio that this was being considered and am really dismayed by the idea. I know they say it will cut down on road accidents/deaths which has to be a good thing but the thought of darker mornings for even more of the year makes me want to cry. I find it difficult enough now. Just when mornings are beginning to get lighter in March and the end of winter is in sight, the clocks go forwards and you are plunged backwards and have to do the last few weeks all over again to get back to where you were before.

Look after yourself and your back StarsandMoon. Hope you feel better soon and take care everyone else sliding about on the snow and ice.

()s Nuala. Hope your plumber turns up trumps tomorrow. And ()s to those living with the uncertainty of whether or not they or OH will still have a job after Christmas. Or worrying about heating bills...or cowboy building work...or...?

Hope the postie brought you sweeties Mardatha.

Fruball

Sorry, no time to catch up on the last couple of days posts - been mentally busy and had a few probs

Anyway - had to share this with you all

Went to MrT for milk and Friday night wine (and ciggies,,,, i know i know) and got the milk, wine, (really fancied some fresh flowers but didn't get any coz of the cost) and got talking to a man who was giving out leaflets for a brand new gym... I used to be a gym instructor for larger ladies and I adored my job, boss was a t**t tho so i left. Anyway, told this guy I had no money to join the gym but would love a job if he had one going and guess what.... I am going to see him on Monday Yayyyyy! I am working PT at the moment but its not enough hours for me and the job satisfaction of helping people achieve their goals is the best ever.

AND if that wasn't enough, i got back to the car and realised i had forgotten ciggies... walked back into the shop and they were just yellow stickering the fresh flowers I got 2 Finest bouquets of red roses with lillies, and white roses with lillies for £1.50 each

Hope everyone else has had something nice happen to them today

Keep warm and happy folks xx

ceridwen

NualaBuala wrote: »

I am sitting here in floods of tears, major overreaction I know, because I have a burst pipe outside. I had drained the pipe and everything but it has still burst. It just feels like the last straw with this house. I feel I'm constantly chasing up uncooperative workmen and there are so many problems cos I'm cleaning up after cowboys. I talked to a plumber and hopefully he can come tomorrow.

Right time for some deep breaths and pull myself together.

Yep...take care of yersel' Nuala. I think we all know about the "last straw syndrome":cool:.

*****************

Anyways:
Speaking generally about "taking care" - I am pleased to note the number of OS'ers who have taken to heart about "keeping a good store cupboard" and are seeing the benefit of this now.

Now for anyone who - for whatever reason - hasnt got that "good store cupboard" yet and is starting to run out because they cant get out/stores in some places are starting to run a bit short - can I just make the point here - COME ON HERE and ask us for substitutes for common ingredients in recipes if you cant think what to do.

There will be people who are running out of everyday things like milk or eggs or whatever - and wondering how to cook dinner because of it. Well - as I said - come on here and we will put our collective heads together and work out what ingredients you can use instead.
Can't have anyone going hungry now then....

Fruball

Sorry NualaBuala about your burst pipe I would be in floods of tears too - I hope its sorted tomorrow (((hugs)))

greengoblin

Today has been horrific I'm now going to the pub . . . . . . . :beer:

Hopefully monday will bring no-more dead sheep and no more stuck machinery in very boggy but very important wetland habitat which has now been mullered trying to get said machinery out - oh dear god I hope Natural England aren't going to come and do a SSSI inspection in the next few years - explaining away the 2 foot ruts could be interesting. In fairness though the sheep have been moved and are now safe and putting on weight which is the most important thing. Bloody members of the public and their dogs off leads when EXPRESSLY told not too (my favourite being "Dogs need to be on leads in the marsh area" Visitor " I know" WHY ISN'T IT ON A FRAKING LEAD THEN *cough*. Livestock husbandry over 1000 acres in the p*****g snow is not a bubble lol . Rant over Pub . . . . . .

katholicos

Haven't had chance to peruse the new posts yet, but just want to have a bit of a moan ...bloody cars!!!! Last week i got a flat tyre and had a retread put on, well today, driving across a busy junction/cross roads thingy my right tyre went kapput....i just about made it to a safe place to stop the car...frustrated drivers were peepingh their bleeding horns and mouthing off at me...and while i sat freezing my butt off waiting for the garage to send someone out to me only 1 person stopped and came over to me to ask if i was alright. A nice young man, a white van driver no less! I thanked him for asking and he said ' yeah i see you have two flats'...'two? I said'....'yeah, haven;t you see the other tyre?'. Well hells bells, i had a look and both front tires were done for.

Anyhow, eventually the mechanic came out, jacked up the front of my car and then drove me back to the garage to get out of the freezing cold. I must have been there about an hour before they managed to sort my car out (which, fortunately was only 5 minutes away from their garage). Bless them, they fied the car but also gave me a bill for £140.

I had just been given some Christmas present money from my uncle, and the other money in my purse was to pay bills etc, but of course I had to scrounge around in my purse and bag to find £140...normally i have less than a tenner on me at any one time so it was a good thing...in a way...that i had the money on me before i paid the bills or bought myself a present with the money my uncle gave me this morning.

It was minus 10 when i started out this morning and when i got home a couple of hours ago it was only 8 degrees in my living room, the heating is now on but the thermometer is barely touching 10 degrees celcius. I made myself a hot water bottle and have sat with my feet on it and i'm now all wrapped up in a big cardi and a blanket.

Never more true was the saying that it never rains but it pours, there just seems to always be something going wrong.

On the upside i just phoned my mum and told her about the car problems and she and dad have offered to give me £100 towards the cost of the tyres, so with the £50 my uncle gave me today to buy myself a present, it will have covered the cost of the tyres and having them fitted.

Life seems such a bloody struggle sometimes.

The other day (don't know if i mentioned this yet) i had a bill from HMRC and have been asked to pay them back nearly £400 they overpaid into my account. I told them months ago that our circumstances had changed, but when i hadn't heard anything thought that we must still be eligable. Obviously that was not the case at all. Well all i can say is that they can;t have what i ain't got to give!