Horace's Biting the Bullet Diary

Horace

Nipped out after lunch for a walk to Northfield and my now favourite store. Had to wait in all morning for the chemist to deliver my meds and I now have 16 boxes of eye drops in the fridge and no room for food other than the crisper and the door shelves.

In my favourite shop I got myself a large box of Rice Crispies (own brand not kelloggs but they taste the same), another box of cornflour for mum for her store, a pair of gardening clogs and a large tub of granular cleaning gloop for my hands (mum has the same and swears by it). I picked up the Easter leaflet for her as well (I read it first) and noticed that they have some teapots in next week and I know she is looking for a new teapot.

I cannot do any more spending now until next week - I will have to eat from my store cupboard - it may be onion and carrot soup as I have loads. I have other bits too so I won't starve.

Horace

Feeling sleepy today, I got up had my breakfast and fell asleep in front of the news. It is the dilating drops that are causing the sleepiness which is frustrating as I have work that needs doing today but I don't feel like doing it. Really need to type up the minutes of the committee meeting and finish the online application form for the NHS job I have seen. I also need to do the washing up and do a bit of tidying.

Horace

I confess not much typing done at all although I have done some research on the internet and done the washing up.

Lunch was a spam & branston sandwich.

I have just had a chat with the virgin media salesman who came a-visiting and he has given me food for thought with regard to my move to the new abode. Although I would be a longstanding customer I would be classed as a new customer at the 'new' house and would be in line for some new customer benefits. I would get a new modem and a new HD tv box. He suggested that I get 10mb broadband as in the coming months everyone who is on 10mb will be upgraded to 30mb at no extra charge and those currently getting 30mb will be upgraded to 60mb as standard. The move is likely to fairly easy as well. Now I need to think as to what I want - ideally, I would like the tv as there are channels that I watch avidly that just aren't on freeview. Virgin broadband is better than BT for sure...anyway it is all food for thought.

I am feeling majorly sleepy today and I know this is due to the dilating drops that I have to take in one eye at night. I am already bored with taking 2hrly drops in my left eye but if it soothes the inflammation and make my eye comfortable then I have to put up with it. I hate my eye feeling as though someone has removed it and rubbed it all over with coarse sandpaper before re-insterting it:(

Oh I have also washed my hair and it feels fab. The tutor at the college commented on the condition of my hair on Monday saying that it was glorious - I said that it must be the Aldi shampoo that I am using and she reckoned it was my conditioner. Somehow I didnt have the heart to tell her that I don't condition my hair each time I wash it and at that point hadn't conditioned my hair in at least two washes prior to my appointment.

MrsPorridge

My Mum never had a single grey hair (she died when she was 75) and she spent the last 40 years washing her hair with washing up liquid (the cheapest one she could get) which she used to decant into an ancient shampoo bottle - bought at east 45 years previously!! She never used anything else on her hair. It had never seen a drop of conditioner and the only time it saw shampoo was at the hairdressers once in a blue moon. Makes you wonder doesn't it?

Horace

MrsP it does make you wonder. Alas I started to go grey in 1998 and that was due to critical illness so I have been dyeing it ever since because the roots go very grey:( My gran used to dye her hair too and she was still sporting brown hair when she died at 85:D

I do have conditioner at home - I still have two bottles of Keratase (different varieties) which I rarely use. I do use a Keratase volumiser which I spray on before I dry my hair but then I also use another brand of volumiser too.

I only use a 10p sized blob of shampoo but will pre-wash my hair and then rinse then wash it again. Aldi shampoo all the way for me now.

Didnt do much yesterday and switched off the computer at lunchtime. Today, I need to play catch up until such time as my eyes get tired.

Chicken out of the freezer for dinner tonight - once it has thawed I might bung it in the slow cooker but on a high setting to turn into a casserole.

I was asked by UW to provide a meter reading when they emailed me, however, I had been advised that someone would come out - it seems that information was wrong. The twit on the phone gave me a number to ring with my meter reading but it turns out that he gave me a number that is no longer in use:mad: I have difficulty reading the numbers on the meter but had a lucky break yesterday as a meter reader came to read the landlord's meter so I asked if he could read the numbers off my meter. Thankfully, I only need to provide one reading to UW as I have switched back to Scottish Power. Must remember to check with Scottish Power about the money that I have overpaid because I am in credit with them.

I am going to finish the online application form for the NHS job that I have seen - it has a scary 4 page long job description yet the job is a jobshare at 22.5hrs a week:eek:

I need to get a job and am fed up with dealing with poxy agencies who lie through their teeth.

LondonGirl252

Hope your eye is feeling better Horace that sounds really uncomfortable.

Any movement on the house?

Horace

I spent most of yesterday at my parents. Firstly, I went out with Mum to Morrisons as she needed a joint of lamb for dinner (Dad will only eat lamb from Morrisons), we had a bit of a mooch around the plant stall outside too. Then it was back to prepare dinner and read the Sunday paper whilst we waited for Dad to get up (he gets up at lunchtime). We had roast lamb for dinner followed by steamed syrup sponge & custard. Things stacked in dishwasher and other items washed by hand (I dried up and Dad went to read his book). Didnt speak to Dad much at all:( Helped Mum in the garden and then came in for a cup of tea and then Mum put Time Team on which I watched - I also had a pork sandwich for tea followed by a homemade cupcake (none of this over the top icing on it just simple homemade lemon icing).

We had a chat about the house because we are all getting frustrated by it even our solicitor is losing patience. The vendors havent provided the documents that have been asked for - eg. deeds, transfer of sale from the council - all they keep saying is that these documents are at the house. We don't have keys to access the house and the vendors are too lazy to go and get them (one executor lives in Stourbridge which isnt a million miles from the house:mad:). They are also using a solicitor that isnt very experienced in conveyancing - talk about slow. Our solicitor has been asking for these papers since the beginning of March. His letter about the carpets has been acknowledged but no comment has been made, we do know that they won't pay for the chancel insurance. Mum and I are wondering if the house has been left to various neices and nephews who all have to have a say in the house selling process which is why everything is taking so long:mad:

Somehow I can't see myself living in that house until the end of May!

Whilst reading the paper - a Dunelm Mill booklet fell out which Mum fell upon with glee - there was much oohing and aahhing as curtains were spotted that would look nice in a bedroom. Things were earmarked so that we can go and look at them - even a nice vintage looking clock for £4.99 and some rather posh looking table lamps for £9.99.

Mum asked me about lawnmowers and I said that I hadnt got one yet was planning to buy a manual human powered one from Argos and was immediately told to buy an electric one. They scare me to be honest as I am fearful of cutting the cord and this is something I could easily do as my vision at times isnt always that hot IFSWIM? Apparently, according to her manual machines get clogged - I will ask a gardener friend of mine for his opinion.

Am bored with the eye drops - only another week of taking them 2hrly though. My eyes are feeling less gritty which is a good thing.

Forgot to add that I left Mum's laden with goodies - 4 cupcakes of varying kinds, a small apple pie, 2 lamb steaks and a cottage pie. Silly me said that I had already got bread when in reality I haven't I could have had a chicken breast too but I have already got about 6 left in the freezer. Maybe I will collect it over Easter.

Horace

Jobs done so far today:

Put washing up away.
Washed my smalls and some t-shirts and these are now drying on the clothes horse in the lounge.
Done the washing up.
Planned dinner for tonight - beef grillsteak with chips and peas. Lunch will be a spam sandwich.

beanielou

Not to be nosy but do you get DLA?

Horace

beanielou wrote: »

Not to be nosy but do you get DLA?

Unfortunately I do not get DLA - I did apply for it but was turned down because I can plan and cook a meal for myself, I had a lot going on at the time so didnt appeal the decision. I am hoping that when I move I will be able to get some assistance from Birmingham Gateway as they will come and look at my house and make things easier for me to see. It sounds mad when I am still allowed to drive although I do restrict myself to driving in daylight hours only. My eyes get tired more easily because I only have one to look through, the other has very limited peripheral vision:(

Feeling meh today - I had a dreadful night's sleep - I went to bed at midnight as usual and I tossed and turned for ages then I got up thinking that I needed the loo, I didnt so it was back to bed for more of the same. I just could not switch my brain off at all and my head was pounding.

Went for a walk earlier to Northfield - clutching £1.89 as I wanted milk and bread. Ummed and aahed about getting a 6pt bottle for £1.69 or a 4pt bottle for £1.00 - looking at the cost per serving the 4pinter won (4pt at 44.5p and the 6pt at 49.9p). Walked home again, praying that it wouldnt rain heavily until I got in - it didnt and it remains dry.