Horace's Biting the Bullet Diary

Horace

This afternoon I revisited the charity shop with more donations and was asked by the chap if I wanted a cup of tea, of course it would have been churlish to refuse. Now when I went this morning the lady who volunteers said that her name was Liz but I didnt ask the chap's name. He must have been asking which is why I was offered the tea - we had a good chinwag and I found out his name and that he was 32 and an ex guardsman. I think that he has been a bit of a naughty boy in the past because he mentioned a court appearance where barristers were involved:eek: Anyway he seems to be fairly decent. He even told me that he would be in the shop again on Tuesday and kept suggesting that I volunteer to work there. It was rather nice being chatted up:D

Just back and the key wouldnt work in the lock again (the lock has worn) but the chap below me opened the door (I nearly fell in) so we had a bit of a chat and I told him that a young couple would be moving in and I had already said that he often has his little lad stay over so it cannot be noisy as it isnt fair if it is a school night. Again, I felt as though I was being chatted up because he said that he would miss me when I leave.

Now I am smiling - as it is great to be told that I will be missed, be offered mugs of tea etc.

beanielou

Happy days indeed.

Horace

I have already started changing my address details - so far I have changed my water bills and given them a moving out date and a moving in date. I will need to ring them as they are asking for a meter reading and I do not have a meter in the flat and I am not sure that the house has one either.

There is still much to be done but I am making inroads into it all, in reality there probably isnt that much to do but it feels like it.

I have spent part of the evening looking at BT for a phone line and calls, and Virgin for TV and broadband or even TV on its own and I will get the broadband from BT. This hub thing worries me though as everything seems to be wireless these days and my laptop is old (I don't think it is wireless) and I use a modem now that is linked to my computer and the wall (an old telewest cable one), I can see a modem being my next big expense.

I have started looking at contents insurance online - I will remember to buy via Quidco seeing as Topcashback still doesnt work for me:mad:

I was looking at redirecting my post and will need to speak to the post office as I am confused by it all - I currently receive post for two businesses here plus my personal post (the businesses are still me and one is the sole trader thing and the other is the Ltd company). I need to find out if a redirect covers it all or just one. It might be better to collect the post from the sorting office until such time as I have contacted folks and things have been changed.

Dinner tonight was a very old jacket spud (it had started to chit) with peas and a chicken breast.

I need to get milk but I was feeling a bit porky in my jeans so now I am dressed in my dressing gown and birthday suit:eek:

Chocforever

Hello

I have just moved and asked ST where the meter was in the new place. They were able to give me a precise description of its location (it was outside, in a communal area with several other meters), the serial number and latest reading they had.

I'm not sure you can just pick up your post unless you have a PO Box. I have just realised that if my post contains my name, even if afterwards there is a business name, they will redirect. If it only has the business name, they don't. I suspect a solution would have been to say the redirection was for two people and given the business name as the second person. It is more expensive though, the more names you ask to redirect. It takes 5 days for RM to process a redirection.

I have broadband. I occasionally use a laptop which isn't wireless and just plug a network cable in the laptop which connects to the back of the broadband unit. I'm not sure if it is self defeating if you always use this option, but I think it still gives the benefits of Broadband it's just that you still need the cable.

Good luck with the move and hope you are happy in your new home.

greenbee

Horace - I use my BT hub with cables for my laptop (wireless isn't good enough for work) and the wireless is only on for a limited time so that if we want to work at silly times we have to be plugged in, not using wireless in bed when we had the floor up we flood wired the house with network and telephone cables. There are connections for 4 cables in the back of a BT hub, and you can switch the wireless off if you don't need it.

Horace

I am learning new stuff all the time - thanks for the tips about broadband and postal redirectmion. I think I will act dumb in the post office and ask them (I need to go and get my car taxed anyway).

Nipped to mum's earlier as I wanted to drop off some jewellery as I am not leaving my expensive jewellery lying about in this flat especially on the offchance of strangers letting themselves in. Mum sniffed when she saw the box for my watch but it contains important details about the watch together with the serial number. She wants me to sell it but I will get a lot less than I paid for it so I am not willing to sell.

We staked her delphiniums and foxgloves. I had bought some pinks not realising that they were annuals so mum has offered to pot them into two terracotta pots that she will want back after the plants have died off. These will go around the back, I will not have pots on the front. I gave her £40 of B&Q vouchers and these will be put towards a lawnmower as dad has picked one out for me and if they go on Wednesday they get 10% discount. I need to get a single curtain for the one window in the front bedroom so I will go to the curtain shop up the road as I noticed that they sell single tape top curtains for £10 in their odd box. This will suffice until I can get some proper curtains.

Mum told me about an offer in the radio times so I asked her to write the web address down so that she needn't give me the page (I will only lose it), the offer is for 36 perennial plants for free (ok I would need to pay £4.90 postage) - I am sorely tempted but as yet do not know which address to put down as I do not know how long they will take to reach me. I know that they are Thompson & Morgan so would need an idea of delivery times. I will order online.

I feel as though I have a load still to pack - 20 packing boxes will be delivered tomorrow and this will help. I can dump loads of stuff - I have discovered magazines that are years old (kept for recipes but never looked at again), all these will be dumped.

beanielou

I dont think B & Q do the discount any more?

LondonGirl252

Hey Horace,

Thats really nice re the man in the charity shop and your neighbour. Pleased the move seems to be coming together, there's always so much more to do than you realise! I think you've done the right thing by picking the removal company, you have to make sure they'll look after your things.

I watched the Trooping too and loved it, I love the bands and all the pageantry of it and it's so nice that more crowds were drawn compared to previous years. I thought the Queen looked wonderful as did William riding with Princess Royal, I hope Prince P rests up as he didn't look great and he shouldn't overdo it

Horace

Back from the eye hospital £186 lighter but I now have spex that I can wear. Today, I plan to print off a Hospital Saturday Fund claim form and will send them my receipt so that I can get some money back:cool:

Came home via Northfield - looked in one curtain shop for offcuts but they didnt have any so went to the shop that I had originally planned to go to, I was going to spent a tenner on a single curtain from their odd box but then I found some material offcuts which had curtain tape on them and found one that will fit the small window. The material is cream with a cream pattern on it (not ideal but it will do until I get something better), I was expecting it to be a tenner but it was only £2.50:j

I have just picked up a box file of magazines which has promptly broken and the mags are on the floor. I am getting rid as I have too much stuff. Last night I sorted out more clothes and even found some of London twerp's clothes so they will be off to the charity shop too. I must list some items on freegle as I have a DVD player (needs to be plugged into the telly) and a video player that can go. I may even get rid of a small oil filled radiator as well - the large one will come with me as it may be useful in emergencies even though I will have gas central heating. The other one that I found near the recycling bins in Twickenham (at Sainsbury's or is it Tesco - I can't remember) will stay in the flat because although it works it always gives off a slightly oily smell.

Am off out tonight as it is Club night - at least I will have a cooked dinner. Much to be done still.

Millie2008_2

Howdy!!

In haste, as I am not meant to be on here (bad me), but have you thought about primrose hospice for respite care? I don't know a lot about them, but I am pretty certain that they offer respite and not just end of life care. I'm not sure what the criteria would be for being taken on, but you have described your dad as being very poorly in the past, so it can't hurt to ask.

Fingers still crossed for the job. OH has just been made redundant, so he is job hunting....so everything crossed for both of you xx