Horace's Biting the Bullet Diary

Horace

I have been to sign on - for some reason only known to me I arrived at 14.15 for a 14.50 appointment..still I was able to have a warm up and a doze. I have been given the details of a job that no-one has applied for yet as it has only just been listed - next thing I need to do is write the covering letter and email it with my CV across to the hotel in question.

The jobcentre told me about a job at the University I used to work for and said that I would be great at it, I dare say I would be but I am never working for them again and explained to the advisor why I wouldn't be applying - when I told him he could see my point of view.

I received a load of post today - mainly junkmail but I did receive my vouchers for Argos and B&Q. I also received a knock back letter from a GP surgery, however, they are keeping my details on file should another vacancy come up. No letters from anyone else:(

LondonGirl252

Hey Horace.

Best of luck on the hotel job, sorry about the GP one I'm sure someone will snap you up soon. Is the house going through OK?

Horace

House news - I phoned my mum last night (waiting until I could phone for free on a Friday night as I get Friday night and weekend calls free) and asked about the survey. Mum told me that the survey took place on Tuesday and that she was at the house again on Wednesday with a builder and a revised offer has been made as the initial offer was subject to survey - the revised offer is considerably less but still a fair offer.

The house has no lintel above the living room or kitchen windows and the wall is starting to sag above the living room window - stupid agents said "if you look other houses don't have lintels either" - mum's retort "I am not buying the other houses I am buying this one!". The house needs new lintels and as a result needs new windows front and back. The roof has no ventilation either and that needs to be rectified - now there is a question as to whether or not the roof has been legally re-done (I suspect not). The path in the back garden is dangerous and needs to be replaced - I might lift that myself and get rid altogether (or get some burly mates to help in exchange for food inc cake). Once again the agent is getting antsy about the offer so mum has said they either accept the lower offer or she will pull out of the purchase. The fuse box is dangerous and needs to be replaced but it is not just a case of replacing it - all the wiring needs to be checked and again this is cost (mainly due to the reams of forms that have to be completed).

I am starting to wonder if I will end up living in the house at all? Mum a bit narky that I didnt go and see a house in Ryde Park Road - I said that I didnt go because the road is the pits and has a bad reputation. She has seen another house in a nearby street which is up for sale at £114K which has a garage but this is too expensive. Both the builder, the electrician and the surveyor have said that the house is a good buy and it will be even better after the rectification works have been completed.

I was talking paint colours as well last night - Mum suggested magnolia throughout..I currently live in a flat that is Magnolia and although it is nice it is dead boring. I told her that I had £40 of B&Q vouchers so she told me to go and look at paint colours and get some tester pots and then when I was ready to buy paint that I give the vouchers to her and she will go on a Wednesday and get 10% off (Wednesday is pensioner discount day).

Am in desperate need of my new specs too - I have just been to the post box and my vision is really blurred I was expecting a call from the opticians at the eye hospital to say that my glasses were ready - instead of a call they sent a letter dated 20 Feb (received yesterday) to say that they were ready for collection and could I make an appointment to collect...I tried to ring but the dispensary was closed so now I have to ring on Monday.

greenbee

One of the good things about buying somewhere that needs stuff doing, and getting it done, is that you then know it HAS been done properly. Particularly with wiring. I had this place rewired when I moved in, and it means I don't have to worry about the crumbling 1950s wiring (just the crumbling 1950s wiring next door, which is attached...).

Paint your tester pots on to big boards, so you can see what the colour looks like in different parts of the room, and an even surface. It also means you aren't painting over patches. I have used magnolia in one upstairs south-facing room, where it worked well but is about to be replaced with a version of F&Bs 'poynting' which is a lovely bright, chalky white. The main bedroom is crown county cream, and the north-facing little upstairs room we use as an office is duck-egg blue. Oddly it's very cosy All the upstairs floors are boards, and painted white in the white room and on the landing, cream in the bedroom, and left natural in the office. Landing, stairs and hall are north-facing with little light, so we've used dulux wild primrose which brightens it. The living room is natural calico and the downstairs loo is homebase 'Poppy'. The kitchen and utility are still brilliant white, but I think that might change soon...

Enjoy choosing your colours, and don't rush. Live with things for a bit until you and the house know what's right for you. Better to slap on a coat of cheap trade white or magnolia if you're not sure as they are easy to cover.

Fingers crossed!

Horace

Your house sounds lovely Greenbee.

The agents said that I get the sun on the front of the house in the morning and at the back of the house in the afternoon. It is carpetted throughout - the living room carpet is green but as yet I cannot afford to do anything about it so will sling a large rug down on part of it to cover it up.

I was thinking brilliant white for the woodwork which includes the pantry (I cannot wait to get my hands on that), I will also get brilliant white emulsion for the lobby as that will brighten it no end.

Mum has said that she has some coffee coloured paint that I can have and I might put that in the kitchen (anything to cover the maroon that is already there). I think that if the house is decorated to a high standard throughout then it will be worth more than it is at the moment. The garden needs doing too - things can be done with a little help from my friends:D I already have seeds to plant so that I have veg, annuals and bi-annuals to look forward to. Handy for me is that the huge council nursery is about 10 mins walk at most away and they very often have days when you can go and buy plants - wonder if they have any jobs going?

I quite fancy a pale yellow in the kitchen - I also like the french sage green that mum has but I don't want to copy her (this is a grey green that is quite smart).

One thing that I must remember is that when I go out of the front door to take the key with me because apparently it locks behind you and you can't get back in. I did tell mum that if I was working on the front garden then I would use the door from the lobby thus avoiding doors that swing shut behind me. I take my front door key with me everywhere now as when my flat door shuts it needs to be locked otherwise all and sundry can walk in.

Horace

Is it silly to have driven past the house today to see the sold board up?

Another frog has been eaten - the divorce papers are completed, may yet show them to a lawyer friend because I am still unsure about the financial side of things.

Tomorrow I go and pick up new specs so on Wednesday my eyesite will be all over the place with bulging walls and me being off balance (it is always the same when I have new specs).

Horace

A few frogs chomped today - I went to pick up my new glasses and already I am not happy because I am convinced they have changed the prescription in my left eye. There is no need to change the prescription because I had a cataract removed in 2009 and my vision in that eye is -7 or thereabouts - I do not see how it can change.

I am not keen on the new optician - he is young and treats you like an idiot (not keen on his choice of glasses cases either - boring they are but thankfully I will recycle some posh ones that I had from last time). He also hasnt changed the nose pads on one pair of glasses like he promised..I only noticed when I got home.

The other frog was the application form - I have just finished it and it has been delivered to the college.

In between getting home from the hospital and tinkering with the application form I managed to bung some stewing steak into the slowcooker with some tinned carrots (I hadn't got fresh) a fresh onion, some stock, pepper and herbs - hopefully it will be done by the time I get back from the committee meeting tonight - it should be around 8pm

beanielou

Bah to glasses.
Well done on application form.

chevalier

Its funny how some professionals seem to think that because we need their services, that we are thick or something. And so get on their high horse. Yes these people have training, but we have to live with the results....
chev

Horace

Today has been an odd day - although I can see to drive I cannot see to use the computer:mad: This morning I headed out as I knew I had an appointment with an advisor who is helping me find work (she deals with people like me who are depressed), I forgot the time and forgot her number - as it happens I arrived half an hour early so sat down to wait as instructed by the receptionist. In that time I compiled an email to be sent for the business club (it is to come from the chairman) and then I waited and waited, at 10.45 I still hadn't been seen and in the end did not get to see her until 11am because the reception staff had forgotten to ring her. We then had a saga with the room because someone else had booked it for 11am - again this was due to reception fiddling the booking in sheets.:mad:

In passing I said that I would love a job working with plants - don't want the stress of an office and plants don't argue. She handed me details of a temporary job at the council working as a florist/glasshouse operative, the pay is £6.08 per hour, working a 5 day week from March to September - ideal as I would roll out of my house walk up the road for 5 mins and there work would be:D Nowhere did it mention NVQs in Horticulture nor floristry qualifications as I discovered from the agency advertising it but nevertheless I have redone my CV and submitted it along with a covering letter. I have worked in a garden nursery before and love gardening so fingers crossed, I will find out tomorrow if my application will be considered.

Afterwards, I headed to B&Q and looked at paint - I came home with loads of colour charts. Things might not be all magnolia after all:D I also looked at a lawn mover for £39 - only a push along one powered by me but I wasnt keen on the grass collecting bag so I have had an idea - I will ask my gardener chum if he knows where I can get a decent one from that isnt going to cost the earth. I noticed that dutch hoes were £6.99 for a cheap one up to £35 for an expensive one because it had a name on it. All details being stoed away.

Might need to get the glasses changed - I can see ok to drive but cannot see the computer - everything is blurred - so if my spelling is rubbish then I apologise - I just cannot see:(