"Simply not solvent!

Seaxwyn

lovelybirchtrees, how lovely to hear from you! I've kept a look out for your name, and hoped you had left the boards as you were sorted now with the extension of your caretaking job and Lloyds (was it Lloyds?) dropping the interest .

The drawers went today actually, to a furniture restorer who was delighted to have them.

Worrying about your large client but just because things move from print to online doesn't mean they don't need editing. Are you sure you can't get the work anyway? I do almost as much online work as print these days. Though the furniture work is probably more satisfying in a different way.

I'm going to continue at the shop until the shopkeeper's legs are better (she's had an op and needs to rest) or until it seems wise to stop. They really need more help than I can give them but have a thing about not hiring strangers, really they'd like to keep it in the family but their daughter has understandably moved away. Perhaps I should make it my mission to find them an acceptable employee.

Meanwhile I have a vague fantasy that someone will see me in the shop and ask me to ghost-write their memoirs or something like that.

Today I had the lovely surprise of receiving a box of chocolates in the post. Not just any old box, a classy collection of dark chocolates (my favourite) from Hotel Chocolat. It was from my godfather. I am torn between eating the chocolates and giving the box as a birthday present to my friend, who I know would love them as much as I would and I won't otherwise be able to get her anything half as nice. What would you peeps do?

Sea78

ooh a difficult one - what would you feel better doing - enjoying the chocs and relishing every gorgeous bite, knowing it was bought with love for you or giving it to some one who would love it loads and appreciate you?? Not helped have I?

Seaxwyn

What would you do Sea? Both options are so inviting!

Sea78

Well, in the situation I am in, I would be sad, but I would give it away! Sophia opened a few gorgeous looking presents as she is now at the age where she knows what she gets, so I can no longer censor, but had she not opened them now, I would have so gien way a few of the presents she got!! How bad am I? Also I have given away a whole load of stuff I would have love dbecause I know others would have too.

But that's me.

Sea xx

Seaxwyn

I am the same! I will give it to my friend, reckoning that the pleasure of receiving it was the best bit, I don't have to actually eat the chocolates too. Then she can have the same surprise (and she will be surprised as usually I give her a cheap book from waterstones even though I know she doesn't read much).

hypno06

I would eat the chocolate........no surprises there

Hope you have a good day Seax x

Seaxwyn

Astonishing and wonderful news. OH has been paid £2000.13 this month by the art school.

I thought it would be less as he has not worked so many hours in December. I am beginning to trust that he knows what he's talking about when he explains the university's pay system. I assumed he was living in some kind of cloud cuckoo land denial but it seems they pay a weird mix of arrears and current month.

So next month he will get a lot less pay. Luckily I have stashed away enough money for January and February's direct debits and my tax bill, so we should be OK.

Hoorah, I suddenly feel solvent. Also glad that the pressure is off OH. He is really struggling with marking huge piles of essays (many of them very bad), and also dealing with the news that one of his brothers is terminally ill (aged 55) and another is about to become a father again (aged 59).

Sea78

Gosh - what a day!! Such a shame about his bother - and my goodness at the 59 yr old dad to be.Fabby about the wage - is he giving you some of it again?

Sea xxxx

Seaxwyn

He has agreed to pay all the bills for food etc, and he has already bought all the Christmas presents. He is really being fine about money now that he has some. OK he spends on things I don't consider 'necessary' but really he's not extravagant.

He is lobbying me to open the box of chocs I mentioned rather than give it to my friend though.

dreams_R_free

Wonderful news about the pay-packet, Seaxwyn:j . It must have boosted his confidence no end to know he can be a bread-winner again, and yours to know that you can meet debt/payment commitments without too much hassle at such an expensive time of year. Here's to the both of you:beer:

I can see where he's coming from re the chocs, but it would have been such a memorable gift for your friend and would have given her and you such pleasure. Remember how delighted you were to unwrap them in the first place. Would her pleasure at receiving such an unexpected gift outweigh your's from eating them ? Tricky one this!