Improving my life in 2011

Mags30

Think I'll go out for a walk, I need some fresh air and to clear my head. Must get ebaying I think, I'm seriously short of cash.

Mags30

OK there's a positive in my stressful day dealing with blocked drains. The neighbours think I'm nice and approachable. I know that sounds a bit daft but while this is a desirable area to live in nobody is overly friendly. People just keep to themselves.

Today the guy next door told me he had hopped over the fence in my back garden at the weekend to check the drain/manhole because I wasn't there. It's really easy to access the next house from mine but he said he didn't because he was afraid the woman there would call the police on him :eek: She also slammed the door on him today. Thakfully he just knew I'm nicer than that and felt comfortable with checking my house

I was amazed that I had slightly more success with her. I left a note in her letterbox to say the drain cleaning company would be coming and would have to access her drain via my back garden if she wasn't available to let them in. I wasn't expecting a response, I just thought it best to inform her in case they frightened her and so that she couldn't accuse us of trespassing. She actually rang me to say she would be there to let them in. The guy next door was shocked/impressed having had the door slammed in his face:rotfl:I was so pleased that she considered me approachable enough to speak to. She just knows me to see so that was a nice compliment. The guy is equally nice though so no idea why she chose to speak to me instead of him.

I also knocked on another neighbours door this morning (I've been here 3 years but never did that before). It was the house at the end of the row where the sewer was overflowing. The lady who answered recognised me and was very nice. I told her I was just calling to say I got the note, was now aware of the problem and would co-operate with sorting it out. I think she appreciated that and was very friendly to me.

I also paid my share of the cost promptly and without complaining. I feel happy that they seem pretty sure I'm nice even though they mostly just know me to see.

I now have zero money until I get paid on Wednesday, not even the price of a cup of coffee but it's ok, I did manage to pay my share of the bill without adding to my debt.

I have a very apt screenclick dvd to watch tonight "Friends with money" :rotfl:

Mags30

"Friends with money" was a bit boring. Basically Jennifer Aniston's character works as a maid and has very little in common with her wealthy friends. One bit I did identify with was when she went round to lots of department store beauty counters to get samples of a $75 face cream, she ended up with 8 free samples. Sounds familiar;)

Conversations with the neighbours have stopped again, I expect we've gone back to ignoring one another.

I'm still feeling stressed about money and maintenance issues.

Not doing well with onepoll this week either.

Mags30

Came home to another note from the guy next door. A copy of the letter he sent to the landlord of the lady who slammed the door in his face. The blockage was in that house and obviously she paid nothing so he wrote to the landlord requesting a refund. On principle this was 100% correct but to honest I just couldn't be bothered dealing with it. But I think I should get him a bottle of wine and/or Easter egg just to say thanks because he's clearly an excellent neighbour to have and I think the neighbourly gesture would be appreciated.

vasseur

It's so important to get on with your neighbours as you never know when you might need them. If anything disastrous (god forbid) happens now you'll have at least one person you can call on. I don't really know my neighbours that well. Maybe the lady next door has had some bad experiences with (male?) neighbours before and doesn't trust anyone. You never really know what some people have been through or what makes them like they are.

I chat to the lady next door (she is also on her own) and there is a young couple next door with a new baby who I'm sure would help me out if I needed it but we're really no further on than 'hello'.

There is a man up the road starting a neighbourhood watch so if I can get along to some of the meetings I could get to know some more of them. This road is always mentioned as 'sought after area' in the estate agents, it's just the way things are now, people keep themselves to themselves.

Mags30

Oh I know neighbours are so important so it's good that this incident forced us to speak to each other. It's also why I think a bottle of wine tomorrow would be money well spent. The other lady who paid part of the cost was nice too. I'd like them to feel that they could call on me in an emergency as well. As you say people keep to themselves but 3 out of 4 of us were really nice to one another so that's ok.

As for the crazy lady I did mention to the others who were !!!!!ing about her that who knows what issues people have. The cheeky (and very good looking) drain guy was laughing at me explaining to her that if we don't unblock the drain that within a few days nobody would be able to flush toilets, use sinks, washing machines. But clearly stating the obvious worked best for her. I also told her that it was absolutely nothing to worry about (not stricty true) and that this guy would sort it out in 10 minutes if she could just let him in :rotfl:

Buffythedebtslayer

we have one bonkers guy who seems to collect newspapers.....and a nice lady who's son lives with her - they are lovely.

sorry home ownership is proving such a pain in the !!!!, hope it is sorted soon? and that crazy lady doesn't do what ever she did to block the toilet etc again

xx

Mags30

Thanks Buffy, to be fair to the crazy lady the drain cleaning man thinks it isn't her fault and that there is a minor problem with the water main. Anyway it appears to all be ok now, I have the washing machine on and everything's working fine.

In much more interesting news I had my first Avon order delivered tonight :T It's a few years since I've had an Avon rep. I waited until she arrived to wash my hair and do my skincare because I wanted to use the new products. I got one of the €10 skincare starter kits (well 2 but one's for my mother), a few half price hair products and a linen spray.

The verdict: It's OK but I don't love it or anything. I think it's worth round about what I paid for it but the things I bought were on offer and massively discounted from their recommended price. There is no way I'd pay the recommended prices because for that price I could get Clinique type brands. (I feel the same about No7 at Boots)

The skincare kit has a full size eye cream so that's good value. I sprayed the "lemon and basil" linen spray on my bed and I really like it. The hair mask didn't do a great job of de-tangling my hair but then the lotus shield serum did work quite well. So it'll all go into rotation with all the other cosmetics I have stockpiled around the place.

A fish pedicure place has just opened here, the first one where I live. I dropped in today to have a look. I definitely want to try it even though I've read the bad reviews. The lady running it is a nurse so I expect her hygiene standards are good.

I also tried on the Reebok easy tone exercise leggings (they possibly have a different name, that doesn't sound quite right) and they felt HORRIBLE. The material is really heavy and it feels like you would sweat loads in them, not nice at all. I know I wouldn't wear them so they are now crossed off the wanted list.

Had my lunch at S*bway as a mystery shop. I never go there unless it's for mystery shopping. Not sure why, there isn't anything wrong with it but I am more inclined to go to cafe type places. I think I should develop a Subway habit so I can get refunded for my lunches!

Despite trying on clothes and enquiring about the fish pedicure, etc I didn't spend much, still feeling about maintenance issues. Although it is much more "me" to be talking to the Avon lady and the pedicure woman than to the neighbours about drains

I didn't get the wine, will do that tomorrow.

Mags30

I think the neighbour really likes me :rotfl:He came out to me this morning when he saw/heard me bringing in my bin (the glamour!) to tell me that the crazy lady's landlord rang him and the refund is in the post :T I got the impression that he just wanted to talk to me, he didn't really need to tell me that.

I bought the wine to say thanks today, I was just going to leave it on his doorstep but he seems to have disappeared now, car gone, blinds down, maybe he's gone away for Easter. I'm not leaving it at the door unless he's around to get it.

And before anybody gets any ideas about me and the neighbour he has a live in wife/girlfriend/partner.

I am loving the sun today. Thought of @shoegal when I saw 3 separate women driving cars with the roof down, hope you are enjoying yours in this weather

Rather delighted that I got the free Origins cleanser today :T Didn't have to join a scrum for it either, although there were only 3 left when I got there.

I'm really tired but I'm going to try and do a few surveys.

Mags30

Forgot to add that my hair was in gorgeous condition today after using the Avon products last night. I think it was the lotus shield serum in the orange bottle that did it. Wondering if small orders annoy Avon ladies :think: I gave her another order for €14 and while I'm happy to buy a few things from her I definitely won't be putting in any big orders.

@polesalot How much do you order from your Avon lady?

Off to the toiletries thread where there are some Avon ladies to ask about this