Horace's Biting the Bullet Diary

beanielou

Hope you feel better soon.
I hope it is not whooping cough.
Take care.

Horace

Well my being off sick has wrecked going to college - I have been off for 3 weeks and was told when I rang them on Friday that they will have to let me go for audit purposes. They told me then that I would be able to retake the one exam I failed and that they would phone me on Monday.

I did not get the expected call yesterday but had a rude awakening this morning at around 9.45 (I was still asleep) and it was college telling me that the paperwork was on its way. I was advised that I won't be able to retake the exam now as it is not necessary because I have enough credits for my level 1 exam certificate - I have done some things at level 2 and have been pushing for ages to do the rest of the exams at level 2 and have been constantly told by the tutor that she doesn't teach that level:mad:

I rang the DEA to find that he is no longer a DEA and he put me on someone's listing (it is a shame because he was brilliant but I am guessing that as he was always questioning management and made it his business to know the rules inside out that he was told he would be better doing something else). I advised him that I had been invited back when I am better for 6 months for job search, I shall be making darn sure that I get a job before then that way they don't get their money from the government.

Thought I was getting better but today I am feeling worse but despite that I am still going out tomorrow night because someone needs to go to the event to represent our park. We are trying to get some free sports training in the park so it is essential that I attend - other committee members cannot go as they have commitments. I shall wrap up warm.

Rang a company about a job today and then I discovered where they were - somewhere that is nowhere near a bus route which is no good for me. It is getting to the stage where I don't like driving and I shall be having a test soon to see if I am still fit to drive (this is being done at the hospital at my request). I also need to consider the bad weather so public transport will be better. I shall keep plodding on.

Horace

Not whooping cough - hurrah but still feel carp so I shall see my GP tomorrow.

I am feeling a lot better to the point where I have done some housework and have started putting away the Christmas decorations (they were taken down and boxed but I had no energy to carry them upstairs).

I am due to have a busy week this week - with calls to make, housework to do etc. I am dreading Wednesday as the weather will be foul and I have to go for a medical to see about getting PIP (the DLA replacement).

I had some fantastic news on Friday, our park has been awarded 420 wild harvest trees from the Woodland Trust - they will be delivered next month so we will have a planting session in the park and in a couple of years we will be harvesting nuts, sloes, elder berries, rosehips and crab apples.:j

I need to update my CV and send it to a connection on LinkedIn with a view to getting a job in the future. I shall keep plodding and I am betting that the lazy moo at the jobcentre won't phone me so I will have to call tomorrow to say that she hasn't called. I need to get sorted because I will have no money coming in and now that I have lost my training allowance, I will be £40 short each month too.

I am eating from the freezer at the mo - tonight will be outdoor reared pork steaks with veg (can't always afford outdoor reared pork but they started selling it in Aldi).

Horace

Saw my GP and I still haven't recovered from the chest infection (I am getting bored now), he prescribed a further course of antibiotics and sent me for a chest x-ray.

I had to attend a PIP assessment today - I arrived a bit early and had to ring a mobile to be allowed into the building well there was no way I was going to stand outside in the howling wind and lashing rain. At least it was warm indoors and I could have a snooze. Not sure how the PIP assessment went really - I was as truthful as I could be, I had to read something and as I hadn't taken my reading glasses, the only paragraphs I could read clearly were in 24pt and above. I explained about the magnifiers I have to use and how I use a black chopping board, a level indicator when I fill up my mug, how I have bumpers on my kitchen appliances and how I have had to have the house decorated in light colours with brighter lights so that I am not living in gloom. I had to say how depressed and isolated I feel due to having this VI - also the lack of funds means I cannot go out so I don't really socialise.

I had quite a long walk back to the bus stop - I could have hung around for a bus into the city centre but that would mean standing still and getting cold. Thankfully when I got to my stop I had to wait 4 mins for the bus which I got and then got off at the hospital and went in for my chest x ray.

Mum rang me and I was asleep on the sofa - I said that I felt cold to the core and she told me to put my gas fire on. I didn't - I don't like the thing and it shuts off when I think that it is locked on so I tend not to use it, instead I wrapped myself in a blanket and a thick woollen stole. I also ache from head to foot and I think this is in part due to being blown along the street.

Tomorrow I plan to do nothing - I have even switched off my alarm so that I can have a lie in. I was still awake at 2.30am today and had to be up at 7.30am - all I could hear was the wind and it is still windy now.

Horace

Woke up late. Figured out how to put the gas fire on so that it would stay on - didn't do much.

Miffed that I have managed to get a black mark on my light coloured carpet - gawd knows what it is but it is there and sticks out like a sore thumb.

Felt meh today - achy and had a bad cough more so than usual so I am guessing the being out in the rain for most of the day yesterday did me a bit of a mischief.

Must wash up my saucepans and get some sausages out of the freezer tomorrow so that I can make a sausage casserole, have sausage with fried spuds and eggs for dinner too.

Tomorrow I will watch the Olympics and the last episode of Australian Masterchef the Professionals.

Horace

Losing the will to live - I have spent the last fortnight trying to sort out some JSA I was promised phone calls but they never happened and my old DEA (now he only handles new claims) managed to get me an appointment with a DEA yesterday - she was useless and kept on at me for quitting the residential course that I was on, I had to keep saying that I did not leave by choice but had had 3 weeks sickness and was therefore booted out according to DWP rules. Anyone would think that I got ill on purpose:mad: I still attend the college but only for employment support - is this still a form of work programme? I have no idea.

I managed to sign on but was told to wait for a phone call - I will never receive a phone call from those nincompoops so I am now considering ringing and asking for an appointment with a manager not only to voice my concerns but to find out what the hell is going on.

I had to walk to the dole office in the pouring rain as my car would not start, I tried waiting for a bus but it didn't come although I did get a bus home. Today, I saw my neighbour who kindly jump started my car for me and I saw his wife too who promptly said that I looked fat (charming).

I was looking at courses at a college near me last night as I was looking with regard to the volunteering that I do - I have seen some that will benefit not only the Friends group but also me and future prospects for work and better still because I am on a means tested benefit then they will be free:j All the time I am continuing to look for work.

beanielou

How are things now?
a bit better I hope.

beanielou

Hope you are on the mend & all is well in your world.
Take care.