make do and mend for tougher times

fuddle

We use the water based B&Q paint now for the woodwork. Believe it or not it's much better than the gloss stuff. It's not gone yellow yet and washes straight out of paint brushes (and carpet with a bit of elbow grease )

Thanks for telling me about how he can't write untruths.

Looking forward to GBBoff master class at 7 tonight. That's the children reading in bed early then

Have you all got drizzle? It's 'orrible here. About to go walk out in it now. I'll see you on the other side of 3 looking a bit drowned. :eek:

boultdj

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

So do I seach FB for Mardywotsit?:D

I'm not on, but the cat is!

For crying out don't let my cat see that! she'll want to join and then I'd never get on the 'putor, I'v got to wait for her to go out or go to sleep with OH, in order to get on the chair as it is[ old tower type 'putor].:D

2tonsils

Pip posted:

''More recently, I just finished reading Michael Lewis' Boomerang, which explained how the Greek tax system has been abused over the years and how it is the poor people on PAYE who are getting stung to pay for all the austerity measures. According to Lewis, very little tax is collected from those who are self-employed. It's not that the laws aren't there, it's just that the tax inspectors and tax collectors are so corrupt that they aren't applying them. I don't know how true this is. What's your opinion?''

Lewis is right, almost all the self employed were declaring that they earned very little money....in some cases this is true of course, especially in these days of hardship.....but from next month they are all paying 30 percent tax of assumed income. At the moment the government here are judging your income on your belongings...if you have a large house, car or boat etc then they assume you have at least 20,000 a year income. Unfortunately we have a big very old house and an old car but they tax us on an income of 16,000 euros. Actually we get around 11,000 a year from my OH pension and not what they assume...and its taxed at source in the UK so we actually pay tax twice when we shouldn't do! I have complained to all and sundry but still had to pay three different taxes this year here. Yet the politicians have moved millions of euros out of the country to hide it in offshore accounts......

Businesses....well to start a business it will cost you 2,000 euros in business fees and licenses...then you have a solidarity tax to pay (1000 euros this year)......then taxes on top of that of 30 percent.....building taxes according to how big it is......social security insurance of around 800 euros a month for yourself and 400 for employees...all year round even if you only open in the summer. So its hardly worth trying to run a business here.....

It's true the poor people are getting stung by taxes...I know pensioners who are just surviving on 400 euros a month...but they still have to pay house/car taxes on top of that and any other savings they have...not that many have any money saved any more.....it's all gone.

2tonsils

Fuddle...to answer your question.....dehumidifiers are cheap to run and they make a vast difference to damp problems.

On the subject of paint, if you have any problems at all with damp or condensation do not use acrylic or plastic based paint as it will cause the damp to stay in the wall....ask me how I know....we need the whole hall way replastering........

Had a good day today, went to the gym, then the bank, then to Corfu town and finally to book my blood test for tomorrow morning. Just using up some liver from the freezer and the veg left over from yesterday. with a joint effort we fixed the washing machine which is now working perfectly again.

It was cold on the scooter this morning and very misty. Time for my warm scarf and leather gloves to be warn again.

grandma247

Pic you will never get bread like the stuff in the supermarket, they use special methods which give them more loaves per pound of dough. You could try putting a tray of hot water in the oven with your bread or let it rising a little longer but it will never be light as air or like the plastic stuff.

Re paint. Our newly painted hallway wood went dark cream after two weeks and it was dulux. I bought some one coat gloss at least 6 weeks ago from wilks (their own) and the banister rail is still white so it will all get done again now.

mardatha

All my woodwork is pale silvery grey, I got sick of re-painting white. And al the walls are painted pastel shades of sweetpea colours. I seem to need pale cool calm colours now to stay sane

Pooky

We had drizzle and thick, can't see the end of the drive (and it's not a long drive) fog here this morning......it's now gloriously sunny and registering 23 degrees in the house and 28 outside......madness! I've got a vest top on and still to hot. The cats are loving it and are all baking their bones on the patio.

If anyone wants to add me on FB just shout.:D

Popperwell

Hello Pip(Pam)
Nice to meet you BTW...

I appear to have missed someone knocking at the door according to neighbours(twice)but have no idea who it is(last Wednesday)and today. But if they won't put a card through the door, tell anyone they have been and don't arrive in a car/van with any name on it, it could be anyone.

I have had a couple(not many)of phone calls this past week but it never rings long enough for me to reach it. Perhaps only 4-5 times if that(no number is given that I can call back on)so I am not going to worry if it is the same people trying to contact me and I won't phone around just on the chance I may hit the right number...

They may not be connected and I am ex directory so only a few have my number anyhow...but it could still be a company selling something, the other week when I did reach it in time, someone was asking for Mum wanting to install kitchens...so obviously were looking through an old directory...

Well I am a bit worried as I have heard my HA is going around to tell tennants what we are likely to lose when the changes come in next year so it could be them and I doubt anyone renting will be getting "Good news!"

Talking generally now there has been a report today saying 10,000 new claims for HB being made every week now and these are all people who are employed and that mainly thanks to wages remaining static/low and rents increasing drastically in the last 5 years they need help and they reckon it will continue for at least for the next 5-6 years at least and the main two reasons given are greedy private landlords and a shortage of social housing. Also not enough properties to downsize to...

My HA is making big noises that they are building some new builds on the town but none are for single people to free up larger properties and I think they are only building perhaps eight. And when it gets brought up by tennants in general chit chat people say build some small, decent properties in nice areas...

Even the CAB have said similar to me a few times that we have talked that the town is short on small properties...

This will affect quite a few across the whole of the UK...well I say the UK perhaps it is different in Wales, Scotland and N.Ireland often it is...

fuddle

In my dream home I would have oak skirtings and doors and never have to whitewash the woodwork ever again!

Mar snob You indeed won.

Do you know what they are going to tell you pops? Nothing will be a shock will it? Sick of seeing the pinkness of their vans today. They're all over re-painting paintwork... in the drizzle!

Popperwell

Same horrible weather as Fuddle has here...we've had fog but it has been kind of cold, damp and dark all day and they said we would have nice sunny weather at the start of the week but I have no reason to go out so will stay put and continue to tidy my home...my food store is complete(kitchen cupboards and pantry too)as is the fridge/freezer.

Just have to do some hoovering and a little dusting...

Then I will go through the clutter I have put in the small front bedroom and get rid of anything not needed, return some items that Mum had from the NHS(not needed anymore)for home care...

Then whatever happens in the future(good or bad)there will be less to do...

If I can stay put I only need some cheap carpet...possibly a sofa and a mattress...or if not...I won't have much to take with me(a bed, food store, kitchen gadgets, Fridge/freezer, computers, TV, washer, tumble drier possibly a chest of drawers or wardrobe)Hopefully some books and my CD collection and small selection of clothes...

I don't think I have forgotten anything...

I was having a really good and untroubled day until this...one of my best yet and feeling positive so had managed to avoid seeing a Dr as I had planned to last week. Also though no heating is on I have not been cold to speak of...

I will be watching that new programme connected to TGBBO too aways ready to learn...and we have Nigella tonight too:)