How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

GreyQueen

joeck68 wrote: »

GreyQueen, your posts make me laugh so much - have you thought of writing a novel / a blog? you have a very natural, and very readable style of writing.


Aw shucks, thanks for the compliment. I have been invited to blog on the city's daily paper's site (I amuse their editor from time to time in the letters page) but never took them up on it as I don't think I have enough of interest to blog about.:rotfl:

grandma247

Jediteacher I am glad things are moving.
I too do not understand why councils put these people in nice areas because they certainly never enhance it. One of the families we had trouble with I am convinced were moved from another area because they were trouble with a big T . Some men came one night before they were evicted and I happened to look out of the window and saw someone get out of a car and thought I saw a flash of metal that looked like a gun so screamed down to hubby to get the police. It turned out to be a metal pole that they then used to smash the windows and door with. Fortunately the police turned up before anyone was hurt. I was called to identify the person 3 months later!! Needless to say I could not be sure so did not do more than say it could have been one of two faces. No idea what happened after that. If they had asked me to do it up to two weeks after I could have done it but I have enough to do so can't be expected to remember everything especially three months down the line.

Edited to say just read that back and realised it looks like ours was attacked. it was in fact the other family.

joeck68

GreyQueen wrote: »

joeck68 wrote: »

GreyQueen, your posts make me laugh so much - have you thought of writing a novel / a blog? you have a very natural, and very readable style of writing.


Aw shucks, thanks for the compliment. I have been invited to blog on the city's daily paper's site (I amuse their editor from time to time in the letters page) but never took them up on it as I don't think I have enough of interest to blog about.:rotfl:

Definately take them up on it girl!! You could blog about your allotment and OS ways, which is a hot topic for everyone at the mo....... I'm just finishing my degree in Children's Lit and creative writing, and starting an MA, and I wish I had half your talent, as it would make my assignments so much easier :T (in fact, come to think of it, maybe I should just get you to write them for me )

kidcat

gailey wrote: »

How cheeky.we had agents inspection sat felt bad as half way through clearing laundry onstairs and bathroom and she turned uphalf hour early just hoping its good report.

garden im embaressed by looks like scrap yard hubby has lots to take to tip.

Know what you mean about littletime.
between schoolruns,clubs and appointments plus trying tofit inshopping within that andhousework/cooking neverending.

imsure i got pta meeting this week andcake sale tobake for!
Eldest has party to go to next 4saturdays in a row!

Feel quite scared we half way through march.
not got much saved for xmas yet as spent it when skint in jan!

The last 6weeks or so been very hard as
singlehandly

found a bargain double buggy and brought it
researched and brought cheapbedroom furniture as oursfalling apart.
got youngest settled at nursury
spent weeks rsearching,going round garages and brought a family car.
Tried toensure have everything needed for newarrivalon strict budget most of his clothes are 2nd hand.

Lastfew weeks haveaccepted help and made hubby do more.
Havent done much cooking despite love cooking.
Amtryingto take it easy honest.

The house is not dirty just cupboard of doom and upstairs needs serious clutter in all 3bedrooms.
kitchen struggling tofit everything in as have breadmaker and slowcooker now.

when in labour was going to get freinds to comeover and lookafter kids.so just want everything organised in it place and easy tohand so they can look after them without me worrying did she find spare outfit,what state did eldest go school in,did we have any food in house or enough nappies for youngest.

Wonder if will go into labour on full moon:rotfl:hubby says sat night be good for him hes on a schedule although convinced he be early and need to declutter before he arrives.

Have a look at your calendar for next few weeks and choose what date would be the worst most inconvenient moment and I guarantee the baby will come then!!! DS7 was three weeks early - we had no heating or hot water as the plumber was messing us about loads, my dad was hundreds of miles away at a conference (giving the talk), all our driving friends were miles away at a big meeting, - I had an accident - OH had to leave me with the eldest two kids (writhing in agony) while he drove 20 mile round trip to get my mum to sit with the eldest two kids while he took me into hospital, I was home with new baby by lunch next day!!

OT - need some inspiration - the house we are buying (oh that sounds so good) has a cooker installed so I need to sell my two - obviously I want them cleaned and then gone before we move - so i will need some inspiration for meals with no cooker. Also cleaning the cooker - I need absolute brilliance (cant stand the idea of selling a dirty cooker or being judged for it being not 100%). OH cleaned them last time and they were no better for it.

BitterAndTwisted

gailey wrote: »

How cheeky.we had agents inspection sat felt bad as half way through clearing laundry on stairs and bathroom and she turned up half hour early just hoping its good report.

Gailey, what are you thinking of? The purpose of an inspection isn't to judge you and the way you choose to live in YOUR HOME it's to ensure that the landlord can (and should) fulfill their statutory repairing obligations. Nothing whatsoever to do with your housekeeping skills or lack thereof. Nothing! Your obligation is to hand the property back in the same state as it was at the start of the tenancy and how you live in the meantime is none of their ruddy business.

kidcat

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Gailey, what are you thinking of? The purpose of an inspection isn't to judge you and the way you choose to live in YOUR HOME it's to ensure that the landlord can (and should) fulfill their statutory repairing obligations. Nothing whatsoever to do with your housekeeping skills or lack thereof. Nothing! Your obligation is to hand the property back in the same state as it was at the start of the tenancy and how you live in the meantime is none of their ruddy business.

BitterAndTwisted - thank you so much for that timely reminder - am panicking about Friday and how they will look at us for the mess at the moment. Its easy to fall into the trap of worrying of how others will think of you.

GreyQueen

joeck68 wrote: »

GreyQueen wrote: »

Definately take them up on it girl!! You could blog about your allotment and OS ways, which is a hot topic for everyone at the mo....... I'm just finishing my degree in Children's Lit and creative writing, and starting an MA, and I wish I had half your talent, as it would make my assignments so much easier :T (in fact, come to think of it, maybe I should just get you to write them for me )

He he, there's a thought.......wossit worth gal?! :rotfl:Anyroad, I read the terms and conditions on the newspaper site and didn't like the bit about them owing the copyright in perpetuity.

Maybe one day I'll get my finger out and try a book on OS-type thingies but at the moment I'm so exhausted with sleep dep and the ME/CFS that I barely make it thru the day. Have got unpacked groceries (tins and packets) from 10 days ago and my flat is decending into Chaos (as per Flylady: can't-have-anyone-over-syndrome). Loved that book!

Will be touching base with my friend and neighbour SuperGran later this afternoon. She has been trying to reach a Japanese friend since last week by phone but can't get thru. Friend has a 3 month old...we're telling ourselves it's likely just the phone lines in chaos not necessarily meaning that anything has befallen them. SG went and bought a map of Japan and I'm going to look and see if her town is anywhere near the disaster and hoping to find it is not...... poor beggars. I can't look at those pictures without feeling like crying. It would be bad enough with one family with their house reduced to matchwood and some of their relatives missing but when its people by the tens of thousands.....just look at those piles and piles of wreckage and think where the heck can those people start to get that cleared up. Like the end of the world......:(

Anyway, on a cheerier note, I have seen that several of you confess to being current or past call centre slaves......and do you find the following true in your jobs?

GQ; Can I take the first line of your address?
Caller; Katie
GQ; Katie, where do you live?
Katie; Bloggs Road.
GQ; What number on Bloggs Road?
**Katie gives first line of address, GQ loads file.**
GQ; can you confirm your name for me.
Katie; Katie.
GQ; Katie, what's your surname, please?
Katie; Katie Smith.

GQ; Can you confirm your postcode and date of birth please?
**Need these for security checks**

Questions appear to confuse Katie Smith (a psuedonym btw). We get there in the end. She's a grown woman not a 3 year old.

Or here's another:

GQ; Good morning, you're thru to (insert council name, my name is (insert real name) how may I help?
Caller; Are you human?
GQ; (cagely, in case she is being wound up by a secret shopper) Yes.
Caller; You're really human, you're not a computer?
GQ; I'm using a computer but I'm definately human.
Caller; Oh. (sounds disappointed) and hangs up!!!!!!!!!

And those were without the benefit of the full moon. We're due to have a SuperMoon this Friday with a very close passage in its orbit so I expect all the loose screws will be calling us.

We also get people calling us to complain that they can't get thru to another organisation. What can your local council do if you can't get thru on the Tax Credits Helpline? Why are you queuing in the Town Hall to tell us this? Do people ring up Marks and Spencer to talk about Next? Or Sainsbugs to complain about Mr T? Perhaps they do........:rotfl:Urggh , my head hurts, think I overslept and am now too tired. It's all Idiot Boy's fault.

fedupfreda

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Had to laugh GQ, got it bang on the head with the call centre thing. Some days I spend my entire day going round in circles banging my head on the wall - IYKWIM!

gailey wrote: »

Had to chuckle at grumpy moany pensioners remarks.
I seem to be a magnet for them every time im on the bus/bus stop.
Or the death stares at the doctors waiting room when my toddler dares make a noise.Dident think they could use their free bus pass during peak times which would be commuters.

Not in some places - but our local council (Bedfordshire) has decided, in its wisdom, to continue to allow free bus passes to be used at any time, including peak travel. I have no problem with that. Just wish people wouldn't complain about travelling in a packed bus when they know its packed at that time - and they have voluntarily chosen to travel that early!. Complain to the bus company! The poor driver can't do anything about getting another bus laid on. Its not his decision.

Another pale skin/green eyes/freckles combo here - but I don't have the red hair - more of a gingery brown. I always wanted red hair (sob!) However I have the temper to go with it - which has caught a few people out in the past How on earth I manage to keep a lid on it at work I will never know. Thankfully its not got me into trouble - yet.

Butterfly_Brain

gailey and fedupfreda I live in Bedfordshire and welcome the Council decision
I am disabled and have to use a bus pass and some of my hospital appointments can be at 8.45am or earlier.
What about the disabled who work ?
Do you think that we should only do jobs between 10am and 2pm? Or maybe do nightwork so the likes of you don't have to put up with us

maryb

Butterfly Brain
I understand why you feel defensive, but part of the point of free travel for disabled people is to prevent social exclusion leaving them stuck at home. If they are working that doesn't really apply. If they are earning a salary then it's not unreasonable to assume they would be able to pay for bus travel at that time same as any other employee. So free travel at peak time IS a pure perk for them.

I do accept that if hospital appointments mean you have to travel in peak time then it helps if you can use the buses. But then again, if you are in an area where you don't get free peak time travel, it's probably the case that a lot of people want early appointments if they are working so that they don't have to take too much time off. So I should think it wouldn't be hard to get a later appointment if that is less popular, and not just have to accept an appointment at 8.45.

I may have to stop driving at some stage because of glaucoma in which case I will qualify for a Freedom Pass (I live in London) So I can see both points of view.