Horace's Biting the Bullet Diary

Horace

One dear friend gave me an idea this afternoon to organise Diamond Wedding Anniversary Parties on the Diamond Jubilee. This is something that I am considering. I discovered too that he lost all his confidence and got panicky when meeting new people just like me and now he is gradually getting better and organising such events instead of whole weddings. I need to find my passwords for my websites so that I can start updating them - I feel bad that I havent bothered with them for ages:( I have a lot to write about eg. special occasions and the perils of copyright, the high speed rail network and what it means for Bham (at least my take on it) and other things.

I spoke to mum tonight - she is still feeling poorly and sounds really tired, she is exhausted looking after dad who seems to be pretty thoughtless and doesn't even think to make a drink for her so she has to do everything. She told me that dad had his hearing aid turned up today so hopefully his hearing will be improved so we don't have to shout - it can be mightily frustrating having to shout all the time. Must admit that I do think that some of his deafness is put on just to annoy mum and me. I wish I could do more but I have been told to keep away whilst mum is ill as she doesnt want me catching her lurgy:( They are off to see the solicitor on Wednesday..so watch this space.

Just looked at myself in the mirror - I need to get my hair done and will have to wait until I have a spare £20 to go to the college. Might also treat myself to some waxing and a facial especially as they are preparing for exams and treatments are 25% off their usual prices. I had noticed that my skin was getting very dry because despite all the lotions and potions, I haven't really been looking after my skin at all - so for the last few nights I have been applying facial oil before I go to bed..my skin feels plumper and less like a worn out dishrag:D

Still no sign of my HB cheque:mad:

Horace

despite the pigging out, I have lost enough weight to get into my navy pin stripe suit:j I wore it today and teamed it with a lime green t-shirt (couldnt find my pale blue one which co-ordinates with the blue lining of my jacket). I have been wearing heels all day too:(

I spent most of the day at R*mploy looking for work and having a meeting with my support worker. I have been put forward for a night shift as a shelf stacker at my local Sainsbugs which will mean working from about 11pm/midnight until 8am. I have been put forward to MnS and have been pointed in the direction of another job with MnS working as a money advisor on their foreign exchange. It was suggested that I apply to work for RBS but I dont think my credit history is good enough and I am not sure that I want to work for a boring bank anyway. I was asked to apply for a job as a telesales person in a call centre but I missed a call and when I ring back for my telephone interview I get a message saying that there is nobody available to speak to. I will try again tomorrow.

I have booked a mock interview too - instead of being based around admin which is my comfort zone, I have asked to be interviewed about retail as this will give me some experience. My own retail experience isnt vast - Saturday job when at school, running a canteen at work - nothing major but all involve selling stuff. As an added bonus I had my bus fare refunded and it seems that each time I attend R*mploy that I will get my fares refunded.

Had lunch out to the tune of £6.30 - I had a hot turkey bap with stuffing, cranberry sauce, crispy onions and gravy, a strawberry, banana and cream pudding followed by a large stroopwaffle (I ate most of that when I got home). I nipped to the court and was told that I hadnt applied for a financial order at all - I thought it was part of the divorce but it seems not as I would have to apply separately, therefore there is no need for me to attend on 21 May.

Must book my car in for service too as I have realised that we are getting extra time off for the Jubilee and therefore I will miss my MOT date of 5 June. Must sort out money with his nibs this week and see if he will give me my first instalment.

Still no sign of any HB coming through so if I haven't had a cheque tomorrow I will ring them as they normally send me a payment 2 weeks in arrears so I get two payments per month.

Horace

You might be wondering what all this hollering is about..weeellll..I have an interview on Monday with a call centre for a job as a telesales advisor (truth be known it is not a job I particularly want to do but it is at least a job). Whilst at R*mploy yesterday I was put forward for it and had to apply online, this morning I have had a telephone interview and the interviewer said that I had passed with flying colours and xhe never asked me all the questions because I came over so well on the telephone. The interview will take 3hrs and part of it will be a group session and part an individual session. The company is a global enterprise and the salary is between £13-£15K which isnt brilliant but beggar's can't be choosers. Needless to say R*mploy are over the moon, today they are putting me up for a 16hr 6 month contract with a media company in Brum - they had sent someone else who didnt work out but I have the skills and the experience so I am being put forward for it. For both these jobs I may be able to get WTC to supplement my wages too so it won't be too bad.

Rang about the HB and my cheque was sent yesterday. They also advised me what I should do when the time comes to move.

My car is booked in for service and MOT on 31 May so his nibs had better send me some money otherwise I am stuffed as cannot afford to pay for it.

On the whole things are looking up - this is the first interview I have had since I went to the poxy conference centre who only invited me in to see how far I had fallen (the cowbags).

Horace

The house is coming more within my grasp as the contracts were signed yesterday but not yet exchanged - there are a few issues that need to be resolved first. I supposed I had better start packing in earnest:eek: I plan to transport stuff in my car so all the small stuff can go that way and I will use a removal firm for the larger items of which there are few but they are bulky.

I will need to sort out a locksmith as the locks will need changing because we have no idea who has keys plus the front door needs a latch lock on it so that I can put the latch on when I go to the car/front garden because at the moment the door will slam shut behind me and I will have no way of getting in. There is much to be done e.g. change over my virgin stuff (won't be having a phone line from them), the utilities, council tax, electoral roll, car, bank etc and I need to arrange mail forwarding.

I must admit that I am still not holding my breath because the vendors could still change their minds. Mum is quite rightly miffed that her solicitor's fees have doubled from the price quoted at the start because of the length of time he has had to wait for the vendors to pull their fingers out. This could all have been sorted in March if they had been sensible:mad:

Mum is a tad upset that I am considering a telesales job and even a shelf stacking job because she thinks I am worth more than that - I am but I view it at least as money coming in giving me breathing space to look for a more suitable alternative because I never stop looking for work.

Horace

I have had a busy morning - firstly I wandered to Ald* (a nice 2mile walk up hill) where I got some essentials eg a lof of bread, some of their own brand teabags, some yoghurt and some undercarriage liners - spending a total of £5.05, I wandered home again. On the way home I stopped off at a door shop to ask about doors and replacing locks on upvc doors - they were most helpful and have said that they would charge a call out fee of £25 and £15 for the door lock. The shop smelled heavenly (to me anyway) - it smelt of wood and unfortunately for me I have fallen in love with a beautiful solid oak door which looks very traditional. They really were helpful in the shop even advising me on upvc doors and how to replace the barrel myself if needs be and how the doors lock as they shouldn't really lock themselves if they slam shut. I have their card and will call them when the time is right.

I also stopped and spoke to a chap about his lovely front garden - he explained that the garden is not as good as it should be because folks keep pinching his flowers and he can't even have a hanging basket up at the front because it would get pinched:( I espied his rather nice small petrol driven mower which looked brand new but turned out to be about 20 years' old and he was telling me that he uses a gallon of petrol a year. We had a bit of a chat about lawnmowers, gardens and plants in general - he was positively beaming as I went on my way because my comments about the state of his garden had made his day.

After I put my shopping away, I decided to drive to the other village as I needed to pay in my HB cheque which arrived today, I withdrew £10 from the bank. I decided to go into the papershop and picked up a multi bag of cheddery biccies which had 3 free bags in which cost in total £1 and I treated myself to a bag of peardrops for 75p. Then I wandered into the butchers as I am bored with having cheese sandwiches for lunch so I bought some of his homecooked meats: pork loin, beef topside and turkey breast and I bought myself a large New Zealand lamb chop which I will have for dinner tonight - I spent £4.45 in the butchers.

I have been to sign on too and they are chuffed that I have an interview on Monday. I did say that it was a job that I wasnt particularly keen on doing but it is a job that I could do that would earn me a crust.

Horace

Wow - I have just had a call from the jobcentre which caused me to have a mild panic but it was nothing to worry about, they were inviting me to apply for a temporary job for 16 weeks working 37.5hrs a week in the jobcentre. They gave me a number to ring which I must ring on Monday to apply but unfortunately for me I cannot ring in the morning as I shall be at the interview so will have to ring when I come out. It would mean that I attend a group interview, a face to face interview and if selected would be trained for 2 weeks. The salary would be £16K pro rata. The chap who rang told me that he started working in the jobcentre as a casual 20 year's ago and he became a permanent member of staff.

Isnt it strange how the universe is already starting to work in my favour?

MrsPorridge

Horace - talk about several buses coming along at once! Good luck with it all and keep us posted.

Horace

Feeling strange today - got up a little late and was confused by the tv as I switched on to watch BBC Breakfast and instead got Saturday Kitchen - it took me a while to work out what the time was as the tv scheduling had changed. Must admit that I did have a little blub when the Queen was on the tv in her armed forces tribute especially when they had the flypast. My friend's son was interviewed on tv too and I know his mum is justifiably proud and was probably at Windsor Castle herself today:cool:

Also spoke to soon to be ex hubby - I hate talking about money so although I skirted around the issue at first I did ask that he deposit some money into my account to pay for my car service and insurance (so I will be getting the first instalment) - I gave him my bank details as it easier to do a transfer online than it is to faff around with cheques. If he doesnt do it then I know where he lives:rotfl:

Not long back from the village where I took some books to the charity shop and nipped into the chemist to get my prescription filled and then I nipped into Tatco and came out with Cravendale Milk at the same cursing that my favourite coffee was half price and I cannot afford to buy any (well, I can I have a £15 gift card but I want to save that for something special), anyway I have gotten used to drinking tea from a bone china mug.

Also done a load of washing which is current drying on the airer.

beanielou

All sounding good me thinks.

Aesop

beanielou wrote: »

All sounding good me thinks.

nice to see you back Beanie