Horace's Biting the Bullet Diary

Horace

Jeepers - what a day.

I attended the call centre interview today - I wasnt impressed by their tardiness as we were kept waiting until 10.15 and then we were told that we could be there until 3pm, so I said that I had been told that I would be there for 3hrs at the most. They were unappy that my passport had expired so I explained that I was advised that it was ok to use by their HR department. Anyway it seems that I am not a voracious sales person preferring to be polite than sell hard which just isnt me at all. My details are being kept on file though but to be honest I wish they weren't because that whole call centre job thing is my idea of hell. I don't think I helped myself by saying that I dislike being cold called and as a result have vowed never to buy anything from a cold caller. We were kept waiting when it came to the interview and role play stage too because a member of staff was involved in a disciplinary and generally the whole scenario seemed to be extremely unprofessional.

Came back, and rang the jobcentre and the upshot is that I have an assessment on Friday morning of my numeracy and literacy and they jumped on the fact that I have great customer care skills because I have been self employed.

Went to parents yesterday and spent some time with Mum mainly - helping her in the garden, going to Ald* and the local garden centre where I bumped into a friend who was selling her seeds (savoury and sweet which she toasts at home) - it seems that the garden centre is being sold as a destination place because she had made sales to people from Somerset, South Wales etc who had all been on coach trips. She is pleased that the garden centre have given her another £200 order.

We talked about the house too and I am having to change my plans for the curtains in the bedroom because I have two windows and I cannot get a window pole for the smaller window so have to change my plans:( Mum is viewing the house on Wednesday afternoon to make sure it has been cleared of stuff.

Horace

Phew what a day - I have only just sat down at my desk. This morning I was in Brum at R*mploy doing job searches (bus fare refunded), I am there again on Thursday, Monday and Tuesday next week:eek: I got into town a bit early so nipped into Primarni whilst it was quiet and spent £8 on knickernackynoos (8 pairs). I also espied some glorious teal towels and I may go back on Monday to get some especially as they were reduced.

Came home via Ald* (spending £2.45 in there mainly on veg) and via the old fashioned curtain shop (this shop has been around for yonks) I handed over £10 deposit for two curtain samples which I am hoping to take to the house tomorrow (mum doesnt yet know that I am inviting myself to the visit). I only have the samples for 2-3 days.

Saw landlord's agent this morning and he said that I need to write to the landlord and give him 28 days notice that I am moving - I intend to move out on 28 June or thereabouts. Oh heck - how am I going to manage? I have to sort out and pack loads of stuff, arrange for utilities etc to be transferred, sort out post to be forwarded, sort out a removal man...eeek.

Horace

I have just checked my online account and am pleased to say that the first settlement instalment has gone in - it has cleared my overdraft and now I am left with a little under £5K in my account. I should pay off my Visa card and get rid - that is a little over £400:j I need to pay for my service & Mot, car tax and car insurance which is all due soon (the tax due in June, the service & Mot being done next week and the insurance in July). I would like to keep the money for emergencies for the house as I will need stuff for it e.g. bills.

I do have some money coming to me from Scottish Power as I was in credit in my old account with them so a little over £26 is winging its way to me.

It is a blessed relief not to be in my overdraft at all for the first time in months. (Must remember to sort out money for my FSB membership which is £120 but that is worth a lot more in the amount of stuff I get including legal helpline and other protection). Now I can also speak to my accountant re my accounts.:j

beanielou

Hurrah.
Great news of the month :j :j :j

You will be able to get your hair cut :j :j :j

Horace

Sorry I didnt check in yesterday - I was out all day and didnt get back until 6.45pm and it was basically too hot to switch the computer on.

I had a bit of a spendy day yesterday - firstly taking advantage of the Birthdays shop that is closing down so now I have a few cards and two lovely gift bags. I hit Ald* and besides food purchases I treated my house to a watering can for £2.99. Then it was up to town and after I had finished my workshop I hit MnS spending £104 on clothes but the bill could have come to more but I saved 20% on the tops that I bought (total saving £14.50). Now I have some smart casual clothes that are not weddingy type or scruffs - that should keep my mother quiet for a while:D I also got some Belvia bras in Wilkos as my own underwired things are painful to wear and leave me with lumps.

Now to the workshop - it was for MnS and you will be pleased to know that I was one of fhe 6 selected to go rorward for training. I start my 4 week training programme next Monday and it is highly likely that I will get a job at the end of it or at least certainly during the month following. I am really looking forward to it and can see myself working there already.

Today I went to a group assessment for the dole office - I am not overly fussed by this at all because it was sold to me as one thing when in reality it is something else. I was told it was a 16 week contract when in reality it could be a 2 week contract as it is to cover for folks on their summer hols - there is also no prospect of a job at the end of it as we were told in no uncertain terms. I know that I am likely to be called for interview as I have asked to be included in the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. Anyway I wont be able to work at my local jobcentre which incidentially as 5000 clients:eek: and I would have to select 3 centres where I would like to work. Another thing, they are offering an employability skills certificate which I already have having done one with the college in March of this year.

Not sure how I have done with the tests - the literacy one will be fine, the maths test was bad - I hate anything to do with maths and must admit that there were two questions I didnt answer and 1 question where I hazarded a guess. They expected me to have a Grade C equivalent of GCSE - I was only ever Grade 3 at CSE level despite taking maths twice (stayed on for a year for retakes and A levels but got bored after the retakes and left).

In other news - I went to see the house with ma and pa on Wednesday afternoon, what was annoying was that mum had booked an hour long appointment so that we could measure up yet they had only booked for half an hour so the chap showing us around thought we were there for a house viewing and he had to clear off for his next appointment at 3pm. It was all very rushed but we noticed that only the beds had disappeared from the house - all other furniture remained e.g. horrid sofas, wingbacked chairs etc. The vendors had mysteriously changed the carpet in both the loo and the bathroom from navy blue to a bluey/green which was definitely paler. The bath aid was still on the bath and this belongs to the council - the vendors had told their solicitor who then told ours that it had been removed (the fibbers!). We had a minor disaster too - when measuring for the kitchen blind. dad managed to knock one of the oraments off the window sill into the sink which promptly broke (eek) this was caused by dad not being able to hold anything steady as his hands were shaking violently In the rush to leave - he also left his toolbox on the side in the kitchen (I hadnt noticed him leave it otherwise I would have picked it up but he was behind me so I didnt see. The estate agents are vile and thoroughly dishonest because when we were chatting with the chap he said that he was surprised that we were measuring up and thought that we were there for a viewing - he then babbled on to say that he had shown prospective buyers around only last month! Our offer was made and accepted in February so what the hell are they playing at showing prospective buyers around?

I am now worried about mum because she really was angry with dad on Wednesday, I am also concerned that she isnt getting enough to eat and she said as much to me. Their dinner on Wednesday was one lamb chop between them as dad cannot eat a whole chop and as lamb is expensive there is no point in getting two for one to be thrown away - mum gets the smaller end of the chop (the bit with the most fat). He has also started moaning about not liking peas so from now on she is not to cook peas for dinner nor does he like cake after all the years mum has been baking his favourite cake (my grandma's recipe) which he always asked for and always took to work with him - he has now decided that he never liked it. He is becoming really selfish and insensitive and I am sure that all the nicotine that he has consumed has now addled his brain. I feel sure that he has Parkinson's too because his hand tremors are really bad

Horace

Well I have done my personal work - 3 letters done and in the post, one sent recorded delivery to the tune of £1.55:eek: I wandered by the greengrocers and espied a tray of Pinks for £1.50 - they are now in my kitchen and I will take them to mum for her to look after until I move in as I plan to put them in the front garden.

I took a whole load of glassware to one charity shop, treated myself to a gardening magazine and a paper before heading into Tatco as I needed some butter - came out with butter, strawberries, a reduced price low fat dinner, some reduced ciabatta buns and two large jars of my favourite coffee seeing as they were half price:j The jars are now in the store cupboard where they will remain until I fancy a coffee - right now I am in tea mode.

Now I must stop spending as I have been a bit spendy these last few days and I need to put some of those spends onto consumerpulse.

beanielou

Sorry to hear about your dad,
Great news on M& S though :j

Millie2008_2

I'm sorry to hear about your dad too

I hope you get the M&S job- my cousin used to work for them and they treated her very well

I'm feeling spendy at the moment- pair of jack wills flip flops and a cheapy dress from H&M today. Must stop. I blame the weather

chevalier

Horace wrote: »

I am worried that they will leave a whole lot of stuff in the house, in the hopes that you will be so keen to exchange that you will put up with it, and then you have to dispose of it at your expense. So make sure someone is on the ball about chasing this up.

I am now worried about mum because she really was angry with dad on Wednesday, I am also concerned that she isnt getting enough to eat and she said as much to me. Their dinner on Wednesday was one lamb chop between them as dad cannot eat a whole chop and as lamb is expensive there is no point in getting two for one to be thrown away - mum gets the smaller end of the chop (the bit with the most fat). He has also started moaning about not liking peas so from now on she is not to cook peas for dinner nor does he like cake after all the years mum has been baking his favourite cake (my grandma's recipe) which he always asked for and always took to work with him - he has now decided that he never liked it. He is becoming really selfish and insensitive and I am sure that all the nicotine that he has consumed has now addled his brain. I feel sure that he has Parkinson's too because his hand tremors are really bad

I too would be worried about this. I guess your mum needs to think of meals like spag bol, where if there is some left over, it can be had for another meal. Is she a very traditional meat and two veg type of cook? If she isn't getting much meat then she probably needs to have a good multimineral or multivitamin with iron, to keep her well. As she is your dads main carer then he IS being very selfish. However his sudden dislike for certain things could be a sign of something being wrong with him. He should be checked out? Also can your mum access respite care for him at all. Sounds like she really needs a break from him. Could she go on holiday on her own, and you look after your dad for a few days?
good luck with it.
chev

Eyebright

Hope the M&S thing works out Horace!