Life is what you make it .......

startagain_2

To those of you who may have been worrying (and I know who you are) I am back and I am fighting fit....

"fighting" being the operative word. Having endured a 6th night of MrsF running the tumble dryer at night I decided to go in with all guns blazing. I sent an email to the BigBossMan at the Council asking how he intended to proceed with enforcing the agreement that was in place, broken for the 3rd time? I copied in BigWigs at my HA and sat back and waited for the replies.

Anti Social Man at my HA has written to BigBossMan after taking advice from Environmental Health. Quite rightly they have bounced it back to BigBossMan as he took it on in the first place and it is up to him to sort it now that it has reached crunch time. He has told him that if he can't sort it then he has to put that in writing and the Environmental Dept will take it up, but only then. I have said that I am happy for anyone to come round and listen to the racket or indeed measure the noise. It truly is mind numbing - for 4 or 5 hours at a time. You just can't concentrate on anything but the constant rumbling.

And.... I have given in and moved all my bedroom furniture into the second, smaller bedroom. The lovely bigger bedroom will just be a walk in wardrobe / dressing room now. Sad, but neccessary. MrF's late night shouting and swearing just leave sleep impossible. I am a bit stiff this morning but a long walk with MrT will ease that off. It is a glorious day here. MrT wasn't sure what on earth was going on and was mortified when I packed up his bed, rug and toys so I could get cleaning. He couldn't find me last night in the dark and was quite perplexed until managing to find me in my new location

My lovely boss at my little cleaning job was very generous in rewarding me for shampooing his carpet and I was able to treat myself to fresh flowers around the flat. Lovely!

I did a mystery shop last week in a local shop that does not stock the item that I was asked to research - I got a phone call on Thursday asking me to go back and research another item. They are paying me twice so I didn't mind too much, but it felt a bit iffy and I don't know if they twigged anything or just put me down to being a timewaster, but it was the same employee and he was very sweet so I gave them a glowing write up.

Work has been fine, just one more week until holidaying manager gets back but :T as it will mean that I am a little closer to moving offices and jobs. The interviews are due to take place this week for my position but I know that the interviewers are reluctant to appoint anyone in the absence of my manager so they may put off final decision until she is back, which will delay things slightly but I can see their point. It is VERY important that they meet her first

Not too much else to tell you, just poodling along and enjoying the sun and a calmer outlook on life in general. Even though I get annoyed by the Fatties I am really more interested in finding a permanent solution and teaching these people how to behave with a little consideration and respect for others, which seems to be sadly lacking in a whole generation of people in our society these days.
It doesn't bode well for the future if we do not do something about it now. This feeling of "life owing them something" without earning or deserving it is horrid and must be stamped out.

Rant over.....

Hugs to everyone and a special Hug to Horace who needs lots and lots of positive vibes at the moment.

SA
xx

Wordsmith

Morning, missus. I wasn't worried, no siree, not me. :whistle:

What a nuisance that F family is. But good on you for not putting up with it.

Yay to flowers around the house! They make a room so cheery to walk into, don't they?

Wot you up to today, then?

Horace

Sorry to hear that the Fatties are up to their old tricks again - hopefully the council will be able to sort them out i.e. evict them.

I spent nearly all day yesterday listening to my neighbour play his saxophone, mainly he was practising scales but at other times he would part play a tune. I don't actually mind his playing.

Fingers crossed you will be moving jobs soon and that MrT is not too traumatised by the move to a new bedroom. I think your employer should consider giving this manager some training - team leading would be good as would management skills.

Please don't fret about me - I will be ok:D

Hope you have a great weekend.

startagain_2

Hi Guys,

It is very remiss of me - I post and then sign off and not around to answer anything.... sorry.

I had a good day yesterday bar the fact that I attempted to slice my finger off while chopping up pigs ears for MrT and ended up in the A&E of the local hospital Luckily there was nobody waiting (!) and I was in and out in 30 minutes. Very large dressing though and it is making typing an interesting experience!

The Fatties have been very subdued this weekend - I wonder if they got a telephone call on Friday? The one neighbour who has time for them, and used to talk to me, completely blanked me in the street so I take it that word has got to her that I have stepped up the pressure. Oh, if only she knew my side of the story, but it doesn't look like I will be given the chance to explain. I don't like it when people take umbrage for no reason. I shall just have to live with it though.

The new sleeping arrangements are going to be just fine. The room is very quiet and comfortable. The only slight irritation is that I had it decorated as a living/study room and it is not really to my taste for a bedroom - very light and airy with a plain, light coloured carpet. In the next year I shall have it redecorated more in keeping with a boudoir with a darker, luxurious carpet. I shall wait and see if the Fatties move first though!

Horace, saxophone playing! It is my favourite instrument but I am not sure about the noise in a neighbouring flat... heavens. You seem to have a pretty rum set of neighbours. Very bizarre. That has to be breaking his tenancy agreement, surely?

I watched Holiday Hijack last night - it really reminds me of when I lived abroad and tried to show some of the tourists just how the locals live and how little money from tourism actually reached the areas away from the hotels. People were gobsmacked at the poverty and hardship just a stones throw from their luxury All Inclusives. We live in a world full of "haves" and " have nots" - the Fatty family could do with a day or two in a shack with no running water, cooking on an open fire, and one small electricity wire to run a light.

So, my last week at work without holidaying manager. Interviews are this week for my post - that will be interesting, if I get a chance to see them. Things are actually moving, at last, I just hope that at least one of them is suitable....

Off to walk MrT. Have a good day everyone.

Please someone :j Give Horace the break that she needs right now..

Big Hugs

SA

startagain_2

Good Morning,

I have just had a full 8 hours sleep for the first time in nearly 2 years :j Yes, it is a hassle having to sleep in the smaller bedroom in my flat but the peace, the solitude, the joy!!!!!

I have received an email from BigBossMan at the Council. MrsF has denied using the tumble dryer at night (surprise,surprise) and has deredged up the saga of the paint on her clothes when I sprayed the fence at Easter blah, blah, blah. I bet she didn't mention the big apology gift I sent them!

As a result, I am going to have noise monitoring equipment installed shortly. Apparently this is a result of my HA threatening them to do something more concrete or else.... I found this out at a meeting last night on an unrelated matter. It just happened that there were a couple of senior staff there who knew what was going on.
I just hope and wish that someone twigs that they are inappropriately housed - that is the crux of the matter.

My cut finger is healing well - it was very clean, although deep, and I think I will live!

Tomorrow is crunch day for my MS company. It is payday and let us see if the money lands in my bank account. It never has been on time which is very irritating but there could always be a first. I think I may well have done my last assignment for them. there is just so much hassle for relatively little reward. The other company however have paid me for my first job for them - less than 3 weeks after carrying out the assignment. Good stuff.

I am having one of those "lean" periods with very little money until I get paid. I don't mind too much as there is food in the freezer but I have got very little petrol and there was nobody at the HA last night to pay my expenses - a 78 mile round trip has used the last of my petrol. Urghh! It will be fine, I will have to be financially creative, as usual Roll on full time employment....

Did I mention that I have got a new job?

MrT is in rude heath and of pleasant disposition at the moment. He enjoyed our spell in the garden yesterday. The sun was shining and lots of people were stopping to chat and he got very involved with that.... he thinks it is all about him ... Bless.

Not too much to tell, things roll on. Only 4 days until the long weekend. It is feeling autumnal already in the mornings - sweatshirt time for the early dog walk.

Speak soon

Hugs

SA

Horace

Sorry to hear about your finger..pigs ears can be dangerous beasts, why not give MrT a complete ear?

I must admit that I am sensitive to noise as is my chum Sal - she is having more stress with her neighbour Miss Crystal Meth to the point that this morning she was going to get her own back by playing her electric ukelele:rotfl: My own neighbour is not too bad with his sax playing - he plays during the day and the evening and is always quiet by 10pm. More neighbours have moved into the other flat upstairs here's hoping they are quieter than the lads that have moved upstairs..last night there was too much effing and blinding going on and I feel sure they were having a scrap..sigh.

Last night I watched Extreme Couponing - I was amazed that people treat their shopping sprees like a military operation but I figure that it wouldnt work here a) because we don't have many coupons and b) because when we do have coupons we are limited to say 3 per shop. I was amazed at what they were buying and then in the end they were giving it away to charity.

startagain_2

Hi everyone,

The weirdest feeling has come over me and it feels like it has been a week already, in just 2 days. We moved offices yesterday and the upheaval and mess was just like moving home - yuk! And all being done while manager is away.... that wont go down well. The normal teething troubles ensued with phones and computers but we got there..... eventually. I hope it is a bit smoother today.

I have spoken to my future manager and we have agreed a start date of 12th Sept, regardless of whether there is anyone in place for my job. At least that gives me a timescale to work to. Only 12 days left and counting Bye Bye HB and Hello to WTC, more claims, more paperwork.

Horace, I feel all sorts of emotions for, and with, you. Guilt because I don't post nearly enough on your diary - I just can't find the time to do it properly at the moment. Sadness because it is a rotten place to be, I know, and I want more for you - immediately!
Empathy - to be sure, by the bucket load. But mostly I have hope and I just know that you will be on the way up very soon. Big hug X

Where is sw and Wordsmith? I know Wordsmith gets bogged down in the intricacies of village life and her assorted workload but check in soon please?
sw - I hope you are feeling better and perkier. Thinking of you xx

MrT only gets a quarter of a pigs ear because they are large and he is small.... He gets one piece when I leave for work in the morning and another when I go back after lunch... and he is still getting a bit of middle aged spread. I wouldn't deny him his treats though, despite the frowns and tutting from the vet. He is sitting on my lap at the moment as I type, reminding me that it is almost time for his pre-work walk.

Not been paid by MS company - quelle surprise! At least I have got a tenner from the other company, I can feed myself and MrT for a few days and I have managed to put another couple of gallons of petrol in the car. Hey ho.

Seriously reconsidering going away in October. I am thinking that the money would redcorate my new bedroom and buy a new TV. Am I finally getting sensible? No, surely not!

Got to dash.... time is a ticking....

Hugs

SA

startagain_2

Pouring with rain and Market day in my home town - then it must be Thursday! I don't know what the % is but it seems like the poor stall holders get far more than their fair share of rainy days. We also get coach loads of day trippers on Thursdays - gonna be a washout.. I also face a struggle getting MrT out of the door for his pre-work constitutional. A fair weather walker, my dog...

The rain woke me up at 3.45am. I made a cup of tea and wrote a plan of action for jobs in the new office today, then dressed and went and did my little cleaning job. Back home and feeling exhausted.... at 7am :eek: A long day ahead, made worse by it being a fairly physical, labour intensive one involving moving loads of boxes and archiving files... At least it will keep me awake.

Young male colleague and I are getting on like a house on fire and really working as a team. If only things had been different when I started there, perhaps I wouldn't be transferring? Not sorry though, lots of plusses for me ahead, I am sure.

Two things bought everything back into perspective yesterday - I watched the documentary on the girl with giant legs on Channel5 last night and I was totally in awe of her guts, determination and acceptance of her condition.
Then, I spoke to Ex as I had been worried how things were after Hurricane Irene,which hit over the last couple of days and is now wreking havoc in the USA. He was saying that a few houses have been badly damaged and a lot of people moved out because they were worried their houses would get blown or swept away. Things have quietened down now but the power is off and the roads are barely passable.

At times like this I realise that I have got absolutely nothing to moan about.

Still not been paid by the MS company - so much for payday on 24th of every month. Never has been on time, why break a habit?
But... I have got my claim paid for my dental work - we are very lucky to have a company health plan that allows £50 a year for Dental, Optical, Chiropody services (each) so very handy. Off for an eye test next week - I know I need new glasses :cool: the ones I am using are 4 years old now and I can struggle at times.

Off to do a couple of surveys - another £2 in the kitty.

Hugs

SA

Wordsmith

Hellooooo! Sorry I've not been around. You make me sound as though I should be chair of the parish council, bossing everyone around, and a staunch member of the WI, or perhaps just a busy-body curtain-twitcher? Nothing very intricate about this village ... once you get past who is related to who and who is having an affair with who, and whether there is any connection between the two, and who is the father of who (and this week's gossip is that MrD is definitely not the father of BabyD born this week to MrsD, who very cleverly managed to keep the fact that she was expecting from all her neighbours and even her daughter [although, barely out of childhood herself, is a mother too, although the father of her baby is living with her and visiting his mother, although there is no father, is very easy because she lives next door to the mother of the mother of his baby and so they can do a collective visit], which we in the shop find very strange because we all guessed she was pregnant several months ago, but we haven't seen her recently because when she comes to the shop she sits in her car in very baggy clothes and sends in one of her younger offspring (both widely rumoured not to be MrD's either, although neither thought to be the fruits of the loins of the same person as the latest little one, and maybe not of the same person themselves)). I just keep my mouth shut, but it can be quite entertaining listening to what everyone else says.

Anyway, apart from that non-event, I have been very busy with work and so have not had a chance to catch up properly before now (I am at work, but writing this in between selling bottles of milk - the more expensive one because we haven't had the cheaper one delivered yet, and that's upsetting a few people). I did finish early on Monday but went home for a change and I don't have internet there, although if I did have I would have realised that it was a big mistake taking an evening off because I should have been busy but didn't know it.

But I'm here now! And you sound as though you have had a busy but fulfilling week.

There is a lovely picture in one of today's papers of a Jack Russell launching himself into the sea for a fine old play time. It was supposed to be somewhere in Ireland, but it can't have been anywhere close to here because we've had rain, rain and more rain, and a bit of hailstone, too!

What you up to this weekend then?

Horace

Sounds like fun Wordsmith, have you thought about writing a play for today that can be featured on tv? Or sneakily submitted requests about your dodgy neighbours to Jeremy Kyle so that the rest of us can partake in the mischief?:rotfl: