MOOLOO'S continuing saga Part 4

Errata

COOLTRIKERCHICK has her own rag buying business. She might be able to give you a steer on rag prices.

Savvy_sewing

Errata wrote: »

COOLTRIKERCHICK has her own rag buying business. She might be able to give you a steer on rag prices.

Thanks, I will send her a Pm. at some stage.
Just back from seeing the teacher for Parents evening. Apart from DGD being a bit over active at times she is where she should be on her testings etc. Which is good to know. Although there are quite a few ahead of her on thier reading and writing I notice. But then there always are. The only concern the teacher had was that she didnt sit still and would forget to put her hand up to answer things. Normal 5 year old then. Good.
Obviously I look out for hyperactivity due to Mum's condition.

Savvy_sewing

Well DGD has succumbed to Chickenpox. Not that it is really bothering her. Except that she missed her last day at school on Friday and the Halloween Party she was due to go to after school. She has been quite lucky that she doesnt have very many spots and if she hadnt had a few spots I wouldnt have known that she even had it. We noticed on Thursday night when getting her ready to go to bed. So on Friday morning she went to her Mum's instead. While I went to babysit for my other granddaughter.
Over the weekend she has only had a few more spots. We have been doing her letters etc over the weekend, and reading books. At least she seemed to be taking more of an interest. Which is a relief.
I ordered the book recommended to me about Healing your Body. But at first reading it doesnt seem to be what I was expecting to read and I am not sure if it will be what I need, however being as open minded as I can about it, and I am going to try and embrace the affirmations in it as it cannot do me any harm anyway.
I managed to do some sewing again this weekend. On Saturday mostly hand stitching for the patchwork, but yesterday I was able to gather the bits to make some make up bags in the evening. Which always makes me happy.
Today I have work in the Charity shop, covering for the usual volunteers who cannot make it. Usually this would mean that the shop would be shut. So keeping it open during half term is important. Well I think it is. Luckily Molly's daughter is not at College so she is going to look after DGD today, and tomorrow she is going to be looked after by her Mum.
Things with her Mum are improved this week, and as her flat is coming on in leaps and bounds since she had the help of her carer to keep her on track, its possible for DGD to go there again. What a relief.
Right I better think about getting breakfast and getting dressed etc.

Savvy_sewing

Well yesterday became a very busy day. Molly's daughter arrived just before 9am and I left to go to the shop. I spent the morning sorting out the clothing, and putting it back in order, adding size cubes etc and making the display more appealing where I could. I didnt get a chance to go and sort at the offices. I came home while DGD was out at the cinema, and spent some time at the sewing machine. Finishing off 2 make up bags that I had cut out last week, and making a Makeup box bag. I had never made one of those before. I made it out of Cath Kidston fabrics, the one with the prints of the UK landmarks, for the outer edge and then the Stars for the inner.
I took it to show my Parents, when I went to Towcester to collect DGD and Molly's daughter. My Dad suggested making one with a Zip that goes all around the edges for mens things. So another idea to get going on. Mum loved them. I may make a few more for family gifts at christmas. Molly's daughter liked the box bag so much she had to buy it!. So I better get the fabrics out and make some more!. Didnt even get around to photographing it.
DGD had a very eventful day as we were no sooner home then we had to go out again. Dressed as a cat for her Halloween Party at the local Pub that DS helps out in. He was behind the bar serving more coke and lemonade than you could imagine. I haven't seen so many children in one room for such a long time. The DJ was brilliant with them, and the kids all had some games and other dance competitions etc to do. After a slow tentative start, DGD got in and enjoyed it all. The landlord and Landlady got in with the spirit of it all dressed up too. So a great time was had by all the children, and a few adults too. So it was well after 8.,30 when we got home. I was exhausted.
It was around 10pm when I got to bed. I squeezed in watching Wartime Farm. I really enjoy those series.
Today was another intense day. DGD went to Twin2's as her Mum has had the sickness bug. It was freezing in the house, so I gave her £10 to put the electric on and put on her heating. Well the heater in the main room. She needs to get the Gas put back on! Then she could have the hotwater as well as all the rooms heated with it. I will have to see what the carers etc can do to help.
Twin1 has managed to get a tumble dryer from Freecycle, so that means she doesnt need to have wet washing all over the flat!. Do remember that that is the theory, not necessarily what will happen!.
I worked in the shop this morning. Slow sales, as books are only 30p and 50p, I sold £9.50 in 2 hours. Dyer if you ask me.
I then had to go back and collect DGD. Since we came back she has been up stairs in her room playing. THIS IS A FIRST. She has been up there now for 2 hours.
I did buy a couple of videos for her, at 10p a through, not exactly the last of the big spenders. But that had her going straight up to her room, and it means that bonus. I have been sewing, gluing and sticking things, and reading my magazines again for some making inspiration. I am also able to have some Adult Tv on. Well I dont mean Adult in that way. Just daytime TV not childrens cartoons!!!!
Now its time to have a think about getting the dinner done and possibly a few more bits of sewing!. Yipee.

Eager_Elephant

You seem to be enjoying yourself at the charity shop which is great. How has your pain levels been since you started there - I expect keeping busy keeps your mind off the pain?!

One thing that confuses me is how the shop is sustainable - if since you have been there they are taking more than ever whatever was going on before? How can they afford to pay rent, ctax, water and elec etc?

Are you the manager (volunteer) or are you just a helper who is good at organising them?

Savvy_sewing

I am not sure what their over heads are. As I am only a volunteer then I am not really at liberty to know. I am only a volunteer who is organising them, but they are keen for me to help them.
I believe that the last 3 years the shop has probably been slowly getting less and less sales, and the shop open less and less as the volunteers are getting too old to work the shop. The customers (i.e. the disabled people) who use the Link Centre come down with thier carers to the shop for a couple of hours at a time, but there is little that they can do to generate much. But it is a big part of thier Day and they love to go down. The carer is a paid carer who is paid via thier other services really. I am not sure what the council tax water etc will be, and I am not sure but they may be there on a rent concession as far as I can see.
I would love to know, where we are going to go from here, but they are having a meeting next week with the Volunteers and myself to introduce me properly to them all, and to tell them what position I am in. So from there I suppose it means that I may be the "manager-volunteer". But I am not sure.
I know that the Carers that go to the shop and sort room are now looking to me to what they should be doing, looking for etc and are taking my ideas on board.
I am still having pains. Alas, but as I am only there for around 2 hours at a time, I have the rest of the day to recouperate. Well sort of depending on the family demands etc. My left arm doesnt like it. But now that I know that I am not doing any physical damage by working through the pain. I am just getting on with it.
I am also trying to do some "brain retraining" and going through some affirmations that are supposed to be helping me "loose" the reasons for my pain in the first place.
I do not understand any of it really. But if I can try and change my pain signals, I am willing to try anything.!
The obvious thing is that if I can cope with this on a regular basis I will be looking for getting back to work, as soon as possible.
Alas where the shop is, and the fact that it is voluntary, Unless I become a miracle worker, and get the takings up high enough for the shop to sustain itself, and a wage, and to find funds to cover the help in the centre itself, the whole reason for the shop, then I am not going to be able to stay there long term.
However anything that I can do to help turn the shop around, is giving me a reason for trying. My girls are customers of the outreach side of the charity, and although there is some funding from the council to cover thier care, it is not covering the extras that they do with them.
This week twin1's carer is not there as her son had a bit of an accident and put something in his ear, so deeply it has had to be removed by surgery, so she is not around this week. No doubt there will be a difference in Twin 1's place, as she has been ill for the last 48 hours as well.
Tonight DGD was supposed to go out trick or treating with her Mum, but as she was ill I am not sure that that will happen. I am not going to mention it, as I am really not much for the whole thing, although I know that my friend Molly loves it all. So we may take a trip up to see her later. At least DGD had her party at the pub on Monday.
Today is actually a day where I have no plans. Amazingly enough.
I dont have councilling, so therefore DS has to take himself to sign on, and I havent booked the hairdressers as I have DGD. My hair will just have to dry itself.

*Robin*

Mooloo, I've sent you a pm.

Savvy_sewing

Gosh, for a day that had no plans I was busy.
Biggest of Mooloo needed to have her hand held figuratively speaking, while she dealt with her finances. Looked at what she had to pay, what she could reduce etc. All of us on here know how to do that one!. I must admit it was a hard long drawn process as the two grandchildren were playing/fighting as they do and the number crunching was getting to me giving me a headache. To top it all at lunchtime I realised that I hadnt put my gabapentin (or anything else) into my bag, so it was well after 3pm before I got any meds meaning that when we did go around the supermarket I was struggling a bit.
I was pleased that Biggest did a shopping list and had a budget, and she managed to get her shopping, and a cheap bottle of wine all in her allotted amount. I think she was thrilled too. As we were packing it back up for the car, she was saying "oh and thats enough nappies for a week, and more, and there is enough potatoes and burgers for several weeks etc" So we are going to both try and do our shopping and fuel our cars on the same day each week, and see if we can stop our odd spending etc that we seem to have got into. (and running the car on fumes!).
I have to admit that I need to rein in again. I havent stuck to my own budgetting for quite a while, and although I am aware of my balance each day, as I check it on line, etc, I am forgetting to keep my savings topped up, or keeping the funds in for the bills that are annual. Time to re do it now, before Christmas and not afterwards.

This morning I am going to grab a few hours while Molly's daughter helps with DGD, and pop to the shop to see how its been doing, and to get the new fittings down there. But while we are on half term I havent really the time to do much for them. We will be able to do more when the kids are back at school.
I have also offered my services as Granny to help Biggest with her daughter next weekend and several occassions over the next couple of months, since the other family have let her down. So I will not be free to go to the shop everyday. But I will get more time with DGD2!.

There was some Wool in Aldi yesterday, so I bought a couple of balls (Big ones 400g for £6.99), and started to knit a skirt from a Mollies Makes pattern for DGD. Alas I couldnt for the life of me get the pattern right. I either had too many or not enough stitches. So I will have to see if there is anyone else who knits that can have a go at the sequence and see where I am going wrong. I would love to knit the skirt for DGD. But all I ended up was rather frustrated after unravelling it 3 times.!
Time to get on and tidy up. Being out and then being too sore to do much, the house is imploding in on me again! (mmmm wonder why that happens so much..........)

Savvy_sewing

Spent yesterday babysitting for DGD2, obviously as it was half term I had DGD1 as well. In the afternoon when Biggest of Mooloo came back home we stayed for the afternoon and had tea with them before coming home. I was really tired so had a lie down for an hour or so which was good of Biggest to have DGD while I did.
In the evening I was waiting in for my Asda delivery, except it never came. After a 20 plus minute wait on the phone they couldnt get to the bottom of it either. The local store was not answering. So I told them to cancel it. By then it was after 10pm. I wanted to go to bed.
Although it was well after midnight before I managed to as DGD decided that was a good time to start being sick. So she has the bug now as well.
Another meeting with her friends cancelled for the day! Poor thing what a wash out her half term has been. Her Mum cancelled on her, the chickenpox and now the bug as well!.
We will be staying in, and living off of the storecupboard stuff then.
Time to get creative in the kitchen. Although she will probably not be eating much. oh no, sick again. Better go

Savvy_sewing

Well the weekend and halfterm are over. DGD is back at school today.
Things will get back to some sort of normal soon.
I was out of sorts and feeling ill myself yesterday. So not a lot has been done. Today I was OK, but out of sorts, and rather tearful at the school gates. Then I was wrestling with my emotions all day. I tried to switch off and I sat watching last nights downton abbey, and then the first 3 episodes of Merlin. Never get around to watching them normally. But I still feel on edge, and rather restless.
I havent been into the Charity shop since Thursday, and I will not be going this week, I dont think.
Tomorrow I have a Manual Handling course, 1pm- 4pm and then there are a few meetings at the offices on Wednesday.
I am not sure if I mentioned that there has been some adverse remarks about "me" on the local gossip pages of FB. I was mentioned as someone who had thrown out some charity donations etc that were made to the offices during the week.
To start with I wasnt there, didnt do it, and feel so frustrated that I dont have the opportunity to defend myself in this case, as I am not a subscriber to the relevant pages. So I am living in complete frustration and annoyance. I shouldnt really be bothered about it. But I am.
I have told those in the office that I will not be going back until after the meetings on wednesday as the gossip has started with a family member of the volunteers. (So obviously they are disgruntled that I am going in and making changes.). I would rather that they spoke to the volunteers properly about me, and my efforts and explain my position. And also while they are at it, make sure that the member of the group knows that it was not me, or anything to do with me, that thier donations were thrown in the bin!. (Wish I could have said I was then I could have at least have known what I was supposed to have done!.) As you can see, its really really bugging me.
Maybe thats why I am feeling so frustrated and restless at the moment. And breathe!!!
I have lit the scented candles in the front room, and am hoping that the scents will help to disperse my stresses and bring calm upon me once more.
Tomorrow I have the baby for the morning, so one goes to school and then I get the other one. Not that I mind really. I did say I could do it. Will be a busy weekend as well as I am having the baby for the whole weekend. Thats a first. So a bit scarey. I know I will cope, as lets see what I have done over the years when I thought that I couldnt. But it still feels rather daunting today.
Twin1 has not seen her daughter dispite all the plans as she was ill all last week, but she was on the phone a few minutes ago and said that she will be here on Thursday, and will have DGD on Friday evening/Saturday morning for me. So I will have a bit of a reprieve from both of the girls together.
Biggest of Mooloo tells me that she has spoken to her Dad and he is going to see if he can have DGD1 for a weekend soon. Fingers crossed as he told me it wasnt possible until the new year after the cold weathers etc have stopped as he is on call. (Works in the service department of the local Highways).
Oh good the scent of the candles are beginning to sweep around the room. Calm will follow I am sure. (OK< so I hope it will).
Easy tea tonight. Turkey escalopes and Pasta (DGD choice) with sweetcorn. I would have prefered rice but she loves her pasta and it will not harm.