make do and mend for tougher times

Possession

Yes Evie I am!
She hasn't asked to change the colour of her walls so they are staying the same. Really there's so little wall visible it doesn't make much difference.
DH seems down on the job hunt at the moment, hope he gets some news soon. I don't want to nag him to do stuff and I realise it's difficult to motivate yourself for long but I'd really like him to dedicate a bit more time and energy to it at the moment.

Evie74 wrote: »

Good evening all and big (((hugs))) to everyone in need, especially Kidcat - I really hope your luck changes for the better soon

Also (((hugs))) for you PAH - if you need a new door then the HA should be providing one, and that should be the end of it. You pay your rent and as LL it surely goes with the territory that they have to provide you with a secure front door!

And (((hugs))) also for Pips Mum - what a nightmare! You'd think it would be simple enough to transfer someone from one sort of payment to another; apparently not! I have so much to learn about the benefits system!

Possession - I would definitely go for a neutral colour scheme and then add accessories; saves expensive decorating in the long run! I saw your comments about the Aldi - are you in the town where a Waitrose has been opened on the same day? If so, my DH works there (at least, he does until tomorrow when redundancy kicks in) - you're about 15 miles away from me I think!

Fuddle - I have tried in vain to cut down the showers, but my hair gets so greasy I have to wash it every day. I have been told many times that I am making it greasy by washing it so much, but the only days I can bear to leave it unwashed are those when I am at home and not likely to see anyone - I couldn't possibly go to work without washing my hair first! :eek:

It's been a busy day Chez Evie. The kitchen renovation continues: I now have a sink and some taps!! Woo hoo! Still no oven though - I was at the back of the queue when they were giving out the patience, I'm afraid!

Work was manic as ever; I spent most of the day driving about to appointments. Got stuck in 20mph traffic in torrential rain on the M6 for an unconscionably long time, but at least I got to listen to Womans Hour instead of being stuck in the office:rotfl:

On the healthy eating front, I've been pretty good today so far, and I think I deserve a pat on the back for ignoring the siren call of DH's chocolate orange last night.:T It had better pay off on the scales!

Evie xx

fuddle

Evie74 wrote: »

Fuddle - I have tried in vain to cut down the showers, but my hair gets so greasy I have to wash it every day. I have been told many times that I am making it greasy by washing it so much, but the only days I can bear to leave it unwashed are those when I am at home and not likely to see anyone - I couldn't possibly go to work without washing my hair first! :eek:

I know, I'm sat as I type with just washed hair. It's difficult but easier for me as I don't work. The sheer thought of turning up to work on day 3 of not washed hair (done day 2 not washed hair, tied up when I'm late :rotfl: ) makes me recoil in horror.

I've read a bit today about not washing your hair at all makes for a naturally healthy, shiny head of hair. When the autumn comes and I begin wearing hats outdoors I'm thinking of giving it ago 1) to save shampoo/conditioner money 2) save of hot water costs as want wash downs more often and 3) for a healthy head of hair.

Anyone done this?

kidcat

PAH I think you have to definitely keep fighting, I know very little of housing associations however I am vaguely thinking there was some sort of statutory responsibility to have a customer panel or similar, so not having one breaches that. I will have a chat with my friend who will know loads more than I do and can clarify for me.

Pips mum- you have worked hard and paid into the system, now you need help and are therefore entitled to take out, thats the whole point of the welfare system. As much as current politics is attempting to demonise benefits claimants its wrong, the system us there to help those that need it for whatever reason.

Katie I hope all goes well with the goggies

Fuddle - I hate energy saving bulbs and my dad wont use them at all, he works on the theory that he has to switch them on hours before he needs them and therefore he isnt saving money at all!!

Evie - I am so in awe of you living through the kitchen dramas, I really couldnt do it. Our kitchen is very expensive and relatively new but I hate it, I would love to change the doors but would not be able to contemplate ripping it all out.

Evie74_2

Possession - I suspected you were there! DH's parents live there too, as do many of my friends. I am in a town beginning with E, about 15 miles from you.

Fuddle - I have tried dry shampoo (I think it's called Batiste or something like that) and was surprised how good it was. I have used it at weekends when I haven't washed my hair and have just wanted to nip to the supermarket (for some reason I always bump into people at the supermarket. And for some reason I always bump into my glamorous friend at the supermarket when I am in a scruffy tracksuit with unwashed hair, and she is tottering around the aisles in 4" heels, full make up and false eyelashes. Also she recently lost 7st, and I always seem to see her when I am on a PMT-driven sugar mission and cramming my trolley with bad things. If she wasn't so nice I'd hate her !!)

Anyway, I digress - the dry shampoo is good for a quick fix but wouldn't hold the grease at bay all day. Good for a school run, though, I'd say!

Evie xx

GreyQueen

Evening all. Reporting from a hard day at the salt mine and am sitting surrounding by clothes airers and with blouses hanging from the curtain rail above me. Oh, the joys of living in cramped quarters............


PAH, my blood is boiling on your behalf. If I may make a small suggestion; call your HA and tell them you want to make a subject access request under the Data Protection Act 1998. The HA will be classified as a Data Controller and will have to give you copies of all your files. There is often a token fee chargable (circa £10) but it will be money well spent, IMO.

At the same time, go for a full-on formal complaint proceedure and make it quite clear at the outset that an unsatisfactory (to you) resolution will see you going to the relevent ombudsman. Not sure who it is for HAs as in my workplace it would be the local government ombudsman. Bet someone on MSE somewhere knows, sure enough.

Effectively, you're bringing out the very big guns, the nukes and the missiles. Make it clear that you'll get the MP in on it and raise merry hell until it gets sorted. The best of British luck.

My council treats SuperGran like an unexploded bomb since a certain high-level meeting involving her, our MP of the time and two of the biggest cheeses.....I often joke about it. And I'd have paid damned good money to be a fly on the wall for that one............:rotfl:

Been grafting hard at the salt mine where all sorts of things were breaking, being stolen, springing leaks, developing mold etc etc. Haven't had to do my most persuasive stuff today, the kind of calls which are so delicate that I wonder afterwards if I missed a career in international diplomacy or even possibly hostage negotiation............. Never mind, tomorrow is yet another chance to shine like a penny in the gutter.:D

Fuddle, shocking though it may be to people who know me, I only wash my hair once a week. Anything more than that reverses the good effects for me. I have very thick hair, both the individual strands and the number of them and it is tied up/ pinned off my face and neck. Hairdressers are constantly telling off one of my pals for washing her hair every day and ruining it.

A few years ago I tried that no-shampoo thing out of curiousity. After a couple of weeks it felt rank, then it went lovely and soft and fragrant and the only reason I gave up on it was that I developed dandruff really badly which I'd never had before and couldn't stand being the centre of my own personal blizzard.

And that's entirely TMI, I suspect. Nursie will be fetching my tea and medication about now. Laters GQ x

Evie74_2

GQ - I've often wondered whether that no-washing thing with hair actually works, so thanks for the report! I have very fine hair, but lots of it (and very long) so it looks greasy and horrible very quickly. I have never been away from work long enough to try out the no-washing thing, or even long enough to cut back to every-other-day. Well, unless you count two lots of maternity leave, but for some reason it never crossed my mind when I was [STRIKE]living it up at home as a new mum[/STRIKE] struggling with small people :rotfl:

Evie xx

fuddle

I developed dandruff really badly which I'd never had before and couldn't stand being the centre of my own personal blizzard.

Love this. :rotfl:

Going to try a baking soda (is that bicarbonate of soda?) and apple cider vinegar (if I can find it) rinse the next time I wash.

Evie, my aunty used to use talc on her hair, I'm guessing that it would be the same as that babtiste stuff.

Interesting reading http://www.naturemoms.com/no-shampoo-alternative.html

Possession

I know just where you mean Evie.
Just made 2 jams - rhubarb and strawberry, and gooseberry. But seriously undercalculated the number of jars needed and am left with not enough sterilised. Fuming. :mad:
DH has gone on a rare night out and am left with 2 jam-mad children and DD's room only half sorted. Will have to do something as can't actually see her bed at the moment. Aargh!

Evie74_2

Fuddle - I bet talc would work just as well (might make you look a bit grey though!) I don't think baking soda and bicarb are exactly the same thing; expect someone will probably be along in a minute to tell the difference! Might try the vinegar thing though (although maybe at a weekend in case I end up smelling of chip shop :rotfl:)

Possession - Yay for yummy jam - boo to not enough jars! I have been known to stash jam in tupperware-type boxes when I've run out of jars. I kept it in the fridge and used it first as I was worried about the lack of a proper seal. Not ideal if there's loads extra though!

Evie xx

Evie74_2

Just thinking - has anyone "seen" Popperwell today? I haven't spotted any posts from him today - hope you are OK Pops!

Evie xx