Horace's Biting the Bullet Diary

Horace

Today I have been pondering (ok I also fell asleep on the sofa). I took some stuff to the charity shop this morning, went to the bank and the post office. I then ducked into the market because I wanted to see the new outside market which was complete and utter carp with only 4 stalls selling rubbish. I went inside to see Kev the sweet man as I wanted some old fashioned sweets and I had a long chat with him and another long chat with his mate who runs the lingerie/clothes shop (he sells old Next & Principles stock), I bought a bra from him too. Well we had a good chat about the market and how it could be improved and then the clothes chap went to find the market owners because I had some good ideas on how to increase the footfall. Well, the owner's wife has zero personality and was totally unsociable - I guess she was playing shop. On the other hand her husband had a bit more about him but he runs an events theming business providing stage props etc (he doesnt organise the events himself). He came out with all sorts of nonsense and suggested that I organise a charity auction and take a cut of the profits - he wanted me to auction off artwork which quite frankly was rubbish, I am no artist but I could certainly do better:rotfl:

He tries to be gimmicky to draw people in but what he can't seem to grasp is that people won't go back if the stallholders are not in attendance or the stalls sell things that people don't need. Stallholders are already leaving because there is no footfall and I know that the clothing chap has given notice and is leaving although I got some garbage from the market owner saying that the clothing chap would be taking over a third stall - he is leaving and going back to Bham Rag Market and won't be having a stall of any kind in that market.

The chaps suggested that I have my own market stall which I would consider, however, it would not be in the local market because of the lack of footfall. I know that I could make that market work and already have some contacts with farmers markets. Their answer is to speak to the local council and get them to run the market - I said that I would not trust the local council to do anything and since they got their hands on the town market it had been ruined (this particular council chose to demolish the market hall and turn it into a carpark and they moved the market to the high street that no-one visits because it is full of banks and charity shops). Instead of emailing people, they should be picking up the phone and talking to them because it is the only way in which they will get stall holders.

Tomorrow morning I am off to see Mum and we are going to Worcester - I have seen a television online in a sale but I want to see it in the flesh in a shop first, then I will give mum the money and send her to a different branch where she will haggle the price down further because she knows the manager there:rotfl:

I should do some housework - the floor needs vaccing..but I don't feel like doing anything so I will leave it until tomorrow afternoon.

Aesop

Horace, you are just so sensible. Why has someone not snapped you up yet?

I am trying to get our Director at work to invest in free marketing, as we basically have no money to pay for marketing. The lady I work with does not seem to understand this although she has seen the figures. She keeps saying our Director should invest in Marketing.

that is all well and good, but the lady I work with has no clue on marketing, and her original leaflet selling our product was extremely childish and did not pull anyone in!

our marketing manager has no interest in marketing us, he is counting down the days to his retirement in 2 years time!

we have a 16 year old in charge of promoting us in social media, who takes insult if you suggest things to her! I told her she needs to follow the bigger companies we work with and are associated with on facebook, and she should post daily so we can get our information on people's newsfeeds, and hopefully this will get shared or seen by someone that will take on our business.

She looks at me with her "I am listening and am going to totally ignore what you say" look.

The people I work with just do not care that if we do not start making money, the departments will get closed down. There is no work out there, and these people are going to have real difficulty getting another job! Let's just say - 3 of them have had breakdowns due to "the pressure of work", one constantly going sick if she feels the slightly bit pressured, and takes to sulking daily!

sorry to rant on your diary

wish you were closer, could try and get you to convince our director she needs to hire people who know what they are doing.

I found some local interest today that may boost our suffering coffers, because I bumped into a contact who was very interested in what I had to say.

LondonGirl252

Horace, that must have been so scary about your Dad and I'm glad he came out OK

Horace

Rant away Aesop. Must admit that I cannot abide kids that give you that look - there were a few of them on the telly the other night when Margaret & Nick from The Apprentice did a programme about older people and the workplace. I was rather pleased in the end when the 77 year old was taken on as a waitress for one shift a week over the 16 year old who was told she hadnt got the job.

I went to see Mum & Dad yesterday - I was there from 9.30am - we did our shopping in Worcester (at the trading estate), Mum bought me a 5x magnifying mirror for my bathroom and some velvety coathangers. We spotted a sideboard too but alas I am not yet ready to have one although one is needed. We looked at curtains in Dun*lm and I may have changed my mind about colour schems after falling in love with a curtain. D*nelm were fab because we had to take back the blind bought for my bathroom as it was too small (despite it being measured) so they gave mum a credit note to last for 2 years - we used it because I bought a different colour blind (as they didnt have the colour I wanted so I had pale blue instead). I looked at televisions and Mum pointed out that I should be looking at 32" screens and not 26" plus I could get a larger screen for less than the cost of the 26" ones. After our little shopping trip we went to the local garden centre and had a look at their plants before settling down for a pot of tea and we shared a slice of cake - we sat outside too.:cool: Must admit that I really like that particular garden centre as in their loos (spotlessly clean) they have a sign on the wall saying that they have 67 branches around the country all of which are close to motorway junctions and inviting people to stop - they have kids play areas, allow dogs to wander and there are always bowls of water outside for dogs. They have great food and free wifi.

We came home via Aldi - as mum needed to do some shopping in there and she bought me some velvety coathangers (these were cheaper than the ones she had just bought me in Worcester). We got home and had lunch (dad was up by this time and glued to the tv). He is unwell and I think that the fall knocked him about a bit but he won't admit it nor will he see a doctor. He has fixed the cabinet - it has new legs and where he fell with it, it had broken the bottom so mum has put a piece of vinyl in it so that if I put something in that is wet then it won't soak through.

I thought I was just staying for lunch but it seems that I was staying for dinner too - I came home with a load of fruit and mum gave me two posh saucepans as I only had one that I could really use (I have frying pans but don't want to rely on them). She also gave me another present - it would seem that when the charity shop came to clear out this house, they left behind a pile of tea towels and some vintage embroidered tray cloths - mum washed them, starched them and ironed them for me:cool:

On our shopping trip we saw a sideboard - it would look gorgeous in the house (but alas I am not yet ready for it) it was reduced from £650 to £249:cool: I said that I would consider a secondhand one from a charity shop but mum said that she and dad wanted me to have something new for a change because for the whole of my married life I had had to put up with secondhand and second best.

Mum was going to come around today but the weather was dreadful, I forgot that I had an appointment with Remploy so will need to attend tomorrow (I have the jobcentre on Wednesday - what joy), I will go and have a wander around the rag market as I want to look at nets. Mum might come around tomorrow but she will let herself in and she knows where the key is for the back door and the door to the front.

I didnt do the vaccing but the vac is now downstairs ready for action - I cleared the kitchen side, swept the floor, did a load of washing and hung it out in the side lobby, sorted out my craft things and put them away.

Today, I took a cutting from my mint and hope to root it so that I can give it to mum.

Stupidly bought a small chicken today which will have to be cooked as I do not have room for it in the freezer..doh.

Aesop

Horace wrote: »

but mum said that she and dad wanted me to have something new for a change because for the whole of my married life I had had to put up with secondhand and second best.

what lovely parents

glad the house is coming together, you sound so cheerful, you have been so positive through everything, but you sound so cheerful.

Horace

I may yet have a second hand sideboard - I went to view it today and it is a gorgeous Ercol one circa 1960's but it could have been made yesterday as it has that retro look. It is rather smart and has been restored plus in the right hand cupboard there is a pull out cutlery drawer. I do like the new one that I saw in Homesense, however, the Ercol one will hold its value and is better made - the other one is a bit too modern for my tastes.

Nipped into to see mum today after I had been to look at the sideboard - I came home with a punnet of peaches, a bunch of carnations (she took 6 cuttings off them and they will be rooted), 3 mini ice creams (look like mini magnum types but cost £1.99 for a box of 12 in Aldi), a loaf tin (I said that I would be making banana loaf) and she gave me some paper inserts so that I don't need to grease the tin. Lord only knows what I am going to do with all this fruit - I am overloaded with the stuff. I think that I will poach some of the peaches and I will use grandma's poached pear recipe (poaching them in lemonade instead of a mix of sugar and water). There must be something wrong...I am becoming domesticated:rotfl:

She and dad may come up this week to fit the bathroom blind and to install the tv cabinet they have bought for me - I can then get rid of the trolley into the charity shop.

Had a chat with the dole office today and as a result I am going to go volunteering for 3 days a week, I have applied to my local NT property so fingers crossed. I have a meeting at the dole office on Friday too.

Livng here has made me more cheerful - even though I am not totally unpacked (just my bedroom and the spare room to do). I like the peacefulness of the place and I feel safe too which is really important - here I am not jumping at the slightest sound and I sleep soundly in my bed at night.

I found room in the freezer for my small chicken - I was out at the business club last night and we had half a chicken so I am all chickened out at the moment. I think I will do my baking tomorrow as I havent gotten around to it today - I have been looking for a decent recipe and think I have found an easy one on the internet.:cool: I havent baked anything for years:cool:

Wordsmith

Volunteering is good. What will it be at?

Horace

I am in the process of applying to a local NT place to be a volunteer and they have come back to me with a list of jobs from Tour Guide, Garden Guide, Room Guide, Meeter/Greeter so now I am preparing the application form and need go give two referees before getting a call for an informal chat followed by a formal visit to the Hall. I have discovered that I would get travelling expenses reimbursed so that is one less worry...Mum was particularly concerned about this.

Although I love my parents to bits and appreciate all they have done/are doing for me there are times when they drive me nuts. I admit that today I did not wash my hair and I have been wearing scruffs including a shabby fleece - Mum turned up to do a couple of hours in the front garden. I got moaned at at the sight of me and the fact that the hallway and stairs needed to be vacuumed - I know they do, I hadnt got that far. I was told that I had to get up at 7.30am and have breakfast before cracking on with work. As if I hadnt done anything before she arrived - I had cleaned the loo and the bathroom (these are separate) vacced the lounge/diner, cleaned the kitchen and baked a banana tea bread made from scratch. Whilst mum was here I cleared out and tidied the shed and found more expensive terracotta pots.

I thought I had got rid of her at lunchtime as she went home to make dad's lunch with the parting comment that she may be back later..She got narked because she rang and I didnt answer the phone (phone is downstairs in the living room) because I was upstairs, I had made a start on tidying my wardrobe and sorting out bags and boxes of clothes. I was forced to ring her back to be told that she and dad were on their way. Firstly, they built a tv stand for me (although my tv is too heavy to sit on it) and then they spent ages faffing around with the blind for my bathroom to the extent that mum said that when we come to do the kitchen blind, she will pay some one to fit it as she cannot stand dad faffing about..today he couldnt understand maths:( Anyway I now have a new blind in the bathroom, the offcut has been partially used to line the shelves of the cupboard that he has repaired and fitted new legs to - I even have a oiece of blind fabric covering the vinyl that has been put on the bottom shelf to protect it from any water as there is a massive crack in it caused by dad's fall down the stairs.

Whilst they were here I did a load of washing and hung it on my line and made several trips to the bin. Mum even tried a piece of my cake (I don't consider myself to be a cook or even a baker) and she said it was rather yummy (not bad coming from the queen of cakes):j I want to know why it is that now that the parents have gone home (they went ages ago) I cannot get out of the backdoor - it isnt locked but the wood has swollen up to such an extent I cannot get the door open either from inside the kitchen or outside in the lobby (I had to go out the front door, open the side lobby door to gain access to the back door). I think the door needs shaving.

Having your parents as landlords is not a good idea, mum is particularly critical and I am not sure she knows how many hours there are in a day. She expects me to do too much because there is no way on this earth that I could do everything she expects unless I get up at the ungodly hour of 4am and go to bed at midnight:eek:

MrsPorridge

Horace its a really difficult position for you. Years ago Dad lent me some money and we agreed a sum to be paid back each month - without any interest. the money would be paid back within 3 years. Well it made my life sheer hell! I was living away from home. Every time I said I was going out or they phoned and I wasn't there I was made to feel that if I could afford to go out then I could afford to pay back the money. I went on holiday and there was uproar. I vowed there and then never, ever to borrow from parents again. In the end I took out a loan from a bank and just paid the parents back in full (not mentioning the loan) saying that I had saved up more than I thought I could.

Its so very difficult isn't it? We can't live with them and can't live without them! My Dad pontificates about stupid people who get themselves into debt etc., etc., -- he would be horrified if he knew that I was one of those "stupid people".

We are all different and some people are very good with money and some very bad with it and whichever you are its hard to see the other's point of view.

Nothing really to offer in the way of advice other than to say that you aren't the only one

Horace

Today I have been lazy. I got up at around 7am - watched a bit of tv, had something to eat, washed my hair and then pootled off to the jobcentre to see the new advisor. This chap is doing his best to keep me out of the Work Programme which I am due to attend on 21 September. He put me in touch with the Learning Hub at my local hospital - it is great as they help you find a job within the NHS and you get to try jobs out and you are tipped off when a job is due to be released so that you can apply. Must admit I quite fancy being a ward clerk or even a hospital porter - I don't know if I can be bothered with overly stressful jobs anymore.

After the dole office I nipped into the village and parked on Sainsbug's (free for 2hrs) and then walked up to the credit union and deposited my refund cheque from Scottish Power - my account now has £207 in it:j I would not say that I was a regular saver but when I get spare money I put it in there. After that I wandered into some of the larger charity shops that sell furniture but they had nothing. I went into Aldi and came out with sausages and toilet roll, back to the car - dumped my shopping in the car and nipped into Sainsbug's and bought a magazine (woman and home), a loaf of crusty bread as well as cheese and pork pie (both the cheese and the pork pie were on BOGOFF).

I rang the Learning Hub and I am now on a waiting list and will have to call them in the second week of September although if folks drop out or not turn up then I will be moved further up the list. I am a bit cross that I was not made aware of them before because I could have been working with them sooner..oh well.

Had lunch and must admit have spent all my time on the sofa sleeping:( I have so much to do as well. I must register with a local GP as I will need eye drops soon and need to see someone as my knees are killing me - I keep feeling as though they are clicky and I feel as though they belong to somebody else - they havent been right since I moved house.

I think I will have sausage, bacon & egg for dinner tonight with maybe some tinned tomatoes seeing as I have a glut of them at the moment:rotfl:

Oooh err....how embarrassing I have just looked out of the window and there are two squirrels b*nking on the top of the fence..oh my oh my:o