Flying solo

*Robin*

Dear Diary, :hello:

Paying the price of stupidity today..
Honestly, it was just a tiny sip of Bai!eys last night, to celebrate Fosterling's baby.. After all, a toast made in tea or water isn't any good, is it?
But dear oh me, I feel like the Zombie of the Fens today..
Pathetic. All my own fault, so no sympathy please.

Oh goodness: Got an hour, then need to be bright enough to look at camper-vans with a mate. Lord help her, I'm going along as 'the voice of experience'. All three months' worth (although did check out about fifty before buying one..).

Thinking about that, I really under-estimated food storage space. Am used to stocking up once a month, freezing CD's meat etc. Only having a caravan fridge with a tiny freezer box is costing a fortune - even when shopping with a 'strict' list..

For example, yesterday. Needed bread, lemons, chicken and ham for CD, and cleaning fluid. Came out with a mattress topper - yes it was a great deal; got a king size one which can be cut so both DS and I benefit - but the bill was five times higher than planned - aaargh!

Spends:
Groceries - £10
Mattress topper - £40

Brightspark87

Robin sorry to hear about your tenants. As one myself I long for a landlord like you! Although as parents have a rental property too, I understand the issues with bad tenants as well. I hope you can get it all sorted and you can still get back to the Nest without too many issues. x

*Robin*

Sparky - I'd love to have you as a tenant! :beer:
Can't decide whether the current T2s are just unworldly - as is often the case with 'big-brain' people - or... Well, I don't know what!
Some of the things the neighbours have told me beggar belief - feel like I've been cringing internally and apologising for days.. :cool:
Both T2s are going to have to do some fast-talking next week, that's for sure!

Anyway, their dog is now having a slightly better time than she was; allowed in the house and a friend of T2's comes over to walk her.
DS, CD and I have returned to town for a break from it all, and to stock up on fuel, gas and dog food.
Divo Four says his bed is quite comfy enough so I swapped the king-size mattress topper for a single - £10 back in the kitty.

Our internet connection died for a while; eventually discovered - during a second half hour call to Mumbai costing all DS' remaining credit - that the dongle has been connecting itself to his smart-'phone all night every night - gobbling up all the allowance, and more - aaargh! :eek:
Excess usage bill for the last six weeks is over ninety quid! :mad:
..Reckon there must be a fault in the dongle's 'off' switch so we're now removing the battery when not on-line - that'll fix the wretched thing (we were not offered a replacement)!

Spends:
Groceries top-up - £20
Gas - £24
Fuel - £50

*Robin*

Dear Diary, :hello:

It's been a day of highs and lows; now am so over-tired I can't sleep. Divo Four has moved into his new room and CD doesn't mind if I'm up half the night..

The highest high is that I think we've found a house to replace the income from DH's flat.. Don't want to say too much in case it jinxes the deal, but the garden is beautiful - very overgrown at the moment though well stocked with herbs, flowers and fruit trees, and there's even a perfect place to site a bee hive!

The first low came in the form of an email from T2. Basically denying everything the neighbours have - individually - told me about their behaviour.
Bad mistake. :cool:
If they'd said: "Yes we know we've caused a nuisance; we're so sorry, we haven't been coping since we became parents.." Then I'd have a lot more sympathy, and the inclination to work with them towards a happy solution.
But to accuse half a dozen honest, respectable people - all of whom have known me for at least two decades - of lying outright; does not bode well. :mad:
..Am on here as a safer alternative to firing back a message telling T2 exactly what I think about their attitude - better to save that for a face-to-face meeting.


Feels odd not to have Divo Four in the camper-van, I'd quite got used to living with him again..
After we dropped off DS and had been introduced to two of his new house-mates - who were both very welcoming - CD and I went for a lovely long walk through woodlands and fields; her second of the day, because we'd also had a good look around the area where this potential investment house is. Guess that's why CD is sleeping so soundly now, and probably why I'm over-tired too.

The lowest low - can't stop thinking about poor Divo One and DIL; they're not coping well. DS is managing to get DGS to school, but he said DIL just spends all day in bed weeping. It is hard, the first time.. Actually every time the grief of loss gets worse - but it's not the moment to say that.
I wonder if DIL would like her sister to visit? DS1 is his own boss so he can stay at home for a while, but he's obviously foundering. Hmm, think Divo Four has Sister's number.. The window fund surplus could afford her flights if she can get some time off?
Right. That's a plan; written on the To Do List.

Lord; look at the time - sleep or not - go to bed, woman!

Spends:
DS4 for 'phone creds (call to India re internet dongle) - £20

please-let-me-be-lucky

No wonder you aren't sleeping Robin, so much going on!

Lovely news about finding the property, but poor DS1 and DIL . I totally agree grief over loss gets worse each time and you are very kind to think of the 'Sister plan'.

I hope you get some rest (me too now that DS2 has settled!). :mad: to T2, but I wont rile you up any more about that!! Xx

Brightspark87

Oh Robin, you poor thing firstly with the naughty tenants and then all the worry about the family.

Very generous of you to try and help your DIL in such a kind and thoughtful way. xx

Knit_Witch

:mad::mad::mad: to T2 - not what you now or any other time really!

Your poor DIL having been there I know how she feels , I hope the sister plan works

Dansmam

Hey Robin, not impressed with tenant denial, they can't know what they're up against in terms of neighbours. Sure you'll fettle `em (love that northern fettle,word, means you'll sort them out and not in a way they'll necessarily like). As for the support plan, if it's not going to be cryable-outable without other support, what a lovely practical thought to fly sister out. Worth every penny and more I would think. In fact beyond price. Hugs x
Girls on Croatian farm, milking goats and chopping apples/hulling berries. Sounds like peace, until they travel on. I am so grateful for the generosity of the world....

missrlr

Robin I think you have to invoke the behaving in a tenant like manner clause and not causing distruption to the neighbours clause of the tenancy agreement and state any more complaints you will evict them forthwith.

Don't get into discussions about it simply there has been a complaint multiple complaints in fact about x behaviours these cease or the tenancy does.

Hope the possible new place goes ok fingers x

Love and light to all xx

*Robin*

Good morning Diary and Wise Internet Friends, :hello:

..And what a glorious, warm sunny morning it is!

Thank you everyone for your comments. :T

Yesterday I used too much energy clearing up at homehome - cutting back some climbing plants which had completely covered the garden wall and were making a spirited bid for freedom across the pavement (yes, not keeping the outside of the house tidy is another failure by T2).

Did have other things to do but noticed the house-sitter had left windows open when she went out again :mad: - which is not only a security risk but also invalidates the insurance - and the poor dog was once more locked outside. The easiest way to stop the dog barking is just to talk to her, so that's what I did, while chopping away the plant over-growth.

In the evening T2's friend turned up, saying the house-sitter had actually gone for good! Friend was forced to cancel her own plans and drop everything, without notice, in order to stay with T2's pets until they return! :eek:
..That galvanised me to write a strongly worded email to T2, along the lines Missrlr suggested.
But the good news is that Friend is doing a much better job; dog now seems happy and has stopped barking.


On another tack, The River are offering a free tenner in exchange for buying a £40 gift voucher. Despite having reservations about the company's moral stance - not contributing as much as it should to the UK Exchequer - I do use them for sourcing items not easily available or much more expensive in Spain, and will have to stock up on things like Turmeric and Front!ine before heading South, so went for it.
Martin's put an article and link about it on the main site, for anyone who shops at @mazon.