Pippi’s pulling up her stripey-socks for the final sprint towards the Good-Life……………

Cheery_Daff

Morning Sorry for ringing you by accident at stupid-o-clock this morning - was trying to find some clothes that hadn't been worn solidly for 2 weeks, then a giant mirror fell over, and I nearly fell in the wardrobe, and I was carrying phone and clothes and stuff, and pressed a button by accident Hope I didn't wake you :rotfl:

Sorry you had to put pesky darwin back on the road just for us Hope you get it sorted

We've had a berlingo for about 5 months now - bought off ebay for £1000, including almost a years worth of tax (£206 I believe?) Ours is a 1.9 diesel, not sure what it does fuel wise, I think about 35-40mpg on average (going from what we read at the time rather than what we worked out). Not great, but better than our previous van, and at the time we balanced lower upfront costs with higher running costs (newer ones are more efficient, but we had trouble finding one in budget). We've taken the back seats out completely, and can sleep in it (probably shouldn't mention it failed MOT a month after we got it, we had to spend £400 on it, and recently spent another £100 having something else fixed!)

Busy busy today - back to writing... <yawn>

Karmacat

Cheery, I really do think someone could make a film of your life :rotfl: as well as Pippi's! In fact, it could be like that Sliding Doors one, and have the two of you in it :j

Lemon_Tree

Wik glad to see you back, i'd been thinking of you recently and was going to ask Pippi how you were but then kept forgetting and not seeing Pippi on here.

KC you're right it would have been good to see a video clip of Cheery's episode above lol

greenval

Hello Pippi
Thank you for thinking about me!
I seem to have spent the festive period lurking, doing things with snow or trying to hibernate. Oh and trying to defrost my condensate pipe with a hairdryer on Xmas day and Boxing day. Just confirmed the neighbours worst suspicions about me I think !.
I'm just starting to see bulbs coming through and keep reminding myself that we are now past the shortest day. Things can only get better.
How are all your 'temporarily potted plants ' surviving?
I think I have lost a few things in the garden this year despite them being 'established' shrubs, most noticeably 2 Ceanothus and a Castor Oil plant. I'll wait and see what happens.
My Physio's hens are laying again. they stopped when it was bitter here.
Good to see that you and Cheery met/had a cheery holiday.
Right, off to make a cuppa and count bits of lose change into bags!

Pippilongstocking

Cheery looks like we're a double act!

Don't worry about the call we were getting up anyway - white out here - so far and howling a gale!

Greenval lovely to know you're OK - I do wonder how folk are when I've not seen them about for a bit Plants are fine, were nestled under some snow for a bit then thawed - nice to hear the eggs have started again for your physiotherapist. I am sorry to hear you've lost a few plants - although it does open up a 'planting' opportunity.

Well today I had the joy of opening the quarterly electricity bill - I had to have a little sit down and a cup of herbal tea. For the shock. Its a downside to living up north - I guess.

£378.36

:eek:

To be honest its better than the last house (in so far as we don't have an oil bill of £115 a month as well) but its still scary. Thhis house is all electric and we've had a billion snow days. (that sound better eh?)

We'd budgeted for £150 in winter, £50 in summer (storage heaters go off from March to Aug/sept) so as long as the bill doesn't go up again over next 3 months it will be (fingers crossed) ok - money sucks huh?

I need to try and up the overnight electric stuff and reduce the daytime consumption for things like the washing machine, dishwasher etc. HOw can anyone claim to be green using that much electric???????????

Cheery_Daff

:eek: :eek: Pippi! :eek: :eek: Gosh, hope we didn't contribute too much to that - did try to keep turning things off! :eek: I guess you're right, at least it's not oil too - and you're within budget - so well done you :j :j but still - :eek: I think we're pretty much on target for £100 a month gas and electric here - but that's a green tarriff, gas central heating, and a bit of a draughty house (not as big as yours though, and it's not as cold down here!) Good luck! xx

Pippilongstocking

Cheery it would have been much less with you here bless - we use 3 of the bedrooms and the office and we had 12 snow days in December. I hardly think you made a dint me dear.

We suffer from lack of gas central heating (well no gas that would kill that one eh?) and horrible wind chill I guess - OH has a great deal at his house too - but although its ouch - the last house was about 250 a month for both electric and oil and it was never warm - at least its toasty here.

troglodyte

Pippi :eek: to the leccy bill. At least spring is sort of on the way - days are definitely longer, it was still light here at almost 5pm today, yay!

greenval wrote: »

Oh and trying to defrost my condensate pipe with a hairdryer on Xmas day and Boxing day.

You too huh? Our heating froze up too, twice, over the extra-cold spell. Lucky we have a wood-burner. And I don't think the neighbours saw us - it was too cold for them to go outside!

vl2588

That is most eek! I have spent just over £17 per month on gas and £17 per month on elec but that is a flat. However, they are pre-payment meters so I believe the rate is quite high. If you think of being jealous for a moment just bear in mind that I live in Stevenage (for my sins) :eek::eek::eek:. I guess this does explain why I am always so blimmin cold!

Lemon_Tree

i had a bill like that the first year i was in this place, but during that time i didn't know how to use the storage heaters so they were on full power constantly so freezing by the time i got home. Also as i didn't have a cat flap at the time, i used to have to leave the window open for the cats to get outside. I'm dreading this winter as i'm sick of being cold and the damp so we're actually using electric oil filled rads as well. Asked Oh to do the meter readings today before he went to work but seems like he forgot grrrr. guess i'll have to face the spider then.