A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

VJsmum

GQ - have you been skiing with my DS? He has just slept for 13 hours straight. Hope it did you good.

I think you are right about politicians spending a year or so living like someone in deep poverty - They have no idea. I have no idea either but the very thought is enough for me. Although I come from a reasonably poor childhood, I don't think it could be described in the same terms as those you live by / deal with daily. We are very cautious with our hard earned cash and could probably splash out more than we do, but I am very insecure about not having cash in the bank and plans in place in case either (or both) of us lose our jobs.

I am having a domestic day too - house was an absolute tip as the cleaning fairies came to Stockholm with me and must have also come back with the flu. I took an opportunity to sort out DS room - changed it round and chucked some stuff he won't miss and cleaned it within an inch of its life. I then did our bedroom, the bathrooms and this morning have sorted and cleaned the kitchen - including the oven :eek:

In a minute I am going to do the hall stairs and landing and the porch. Then it's the biggy - the conservatory :eek::eek::eek:. OH is sorting the garden, which is where I really want to be.

DD has announced she wants to go back to being a veggie. I knew it was a matter of time, so some batch cooking is in order, I think.

Onwards and upwards

Byatt

All your stories help me appreciate what I do have and so be less "bitter" about my situation. Being on this thread has encouraged me to be more positive and make the best of things as so many people are worse off, and I'm lucky to have a roof and a small garden and can have pooch here, in a lovely part of the country. :A:A:A

Penny-Pincher!!

Padded out the Spagbol for tonight with frozen peppers, mushrooms and chickpeas. Probably will be able to stretch a further 2 meals from doing this.

Tomorrow we have Chops but DD's BF is here and over 6 foot, I'm not sure if I can stretch the 4 chops as he's a good eater, so have got out 8 sausages to do too and will have leftover sausages in a sandwich Monday. Think we will do cobs too and will butter some bread to go along with it.

GreyQueen

Evening all.

katieowl, your poor Mum sounds in a very invidious position. In my part of the forest, the LA has been offering big cash bribes and preferential treatment on the transfer list to anyone who is willing to move into a smaller home. The bribes get bigger every year. Plus, once registered for transfer, you choose which properties you "bid" on with no sanction against not bidding or holding out until just the right thing goes up.

What you've described (refuse one and go to the bottom of the pile) sounds like the old points-based system which we abandoned years ago. It was that way back when when I was offered my home. We were one of the last LAs to go over to a "bidding" system.

Has you Mum checked that the situation in her area is still as it was when she last enquired? Also, she is of the age to be eligible for sheltered housing and I know I'd prefer a nice little bungalow with a bit of garden to being on the 6th floor of a tower. Wouldn't fancy that now. I'm aslo a claustrophobe who cannot stand lifts, but I'd be struggling with that amount of stairs and I'm a generation younger than she is.

People can also mutually-exchange council and housing association properties.............

The crazy thing is, apart from the lack of smaller homes for people to down-size into, is that the rent charged for a council tower block flat in this city is comparable, and occasionally higher than, that of a 3 bed council home................:(

VJsMum, I confess it wasn't the ski-ing that did for me, it was the excessive quantities of schapps.........:p Glad your lad is back in one piece. I wouldn't dare take my arthriticky knees ski-ing but I have discovered that you can get up a fair turn of speed on a tea tray in the park, with sufficient snowfall and a good push from your mates. Problem was, there was a short, sharp drop-off at the end of the slope into a bramble patch, which added to the gaiety. :eek: The scars are almost healed....

Well, I prowled the c.s this afternoon and came away with a couple of useful little bits (total £1.60) and then went to the Magic Greengrocer where I bought 2 bags of bananas and 2 of apples for £1. Makes up a little for the absence of whoopsies in my life. I can actually see the floor of my little counter-top freezer for once. And it has frost on it, so must attend to that one day soon.

We've has another volatile weather day here, with patches of clear sky appearing briefly between torrential showers, showers which I have managed to avoid more by luck than judgement. Hope it's a bit drier tomorrow as need to do some allotmenteering. Debating whether to put the heating on; it's paid for in the rent but I feel bad about using it if it's not really necessary as it contradicts my green principles...........I think I'll just put a jumper on and enjoy the glow of "virtue".

Hoping everyone is warm and well tonight, love and peas, GQ x

mardatha

Very cold day here, with snow on and off and a really heavy shower just now that turned the world white again. I left my wee lettuces out last night in a milk carton tub and lost them.

westcoastscot

we've had hail showers between sunny spells - really cold in the shade though. Sorry to hear about your lettuce Mar- i'm going to start some sprouted seeds tonight and some peas for shoots.

mardatha

I forgot to bring them in last night - will need start some more . That north wind is a killer eh ? Was 3C this afternoon.

kidcat

No idea what the weather is like here, did hope to get OH to plant some seeds with littlies but as his mood has not improved it didnt happen.

DD17 much worse today so our living room is like hospital ward. Beginning to think she has not caught DS virus but may well have caught mine stuff instead.

Realised I havent sorted the car insurance out and it runs out tomorrow so need to make that tomorrows job.

elizabunny

Hi everyone, just trying to play catch up a bit with the thread. I have seen how concerned many of us are with ways things are at the moment. I think this 'down turn' is affecting so many of us in different ways and it's really quite frightening. I fear for our future after retirement. My DH has about 6.5 years until he retires. He really wants to -he's worked so hard and he's getting tired now. I can hardly bare the prospect of him having to carry on working. What is this world coming to???? Just because we are all supposedly living a bit longer, does not mean we are all capable of working for longer. How scary it all is. Compassion seems to be flying out of the window in all quarters.

jamanda

Not been on here much because since a couple or so weeks ago something on the site changed, and my computer invariably crashes as soon as I come on here. Also very slow loading/changing pages etc.

Best wishes for everyone struggling. Too many struggles to mention individually unfortunately.