'supporting each other through really tough times'

mardatha

Shegar, some trees here are just starting to turn green, and my beech hedge has only 2 green bits in the whole length of it. We're usually 4 weeks behind Edinburgh because of being higher up.
I'm spending every single dry minute outside, after that horrible endless winter. And it'll be back soon enough!

Possession

Looks like being another lovely day here. We need to do something nice to cheer up DD, she's thoroughly miserable as DS got invited to go to the seaside with a friend at the last minute and is away until Monday. Honestly, when they are together they argue all the time but she's heartbroken that he's gone. Can't say I like it much either, but he'll have a great time.
DH has now been signed off work as the anti-depressants are turning him into a zombie. I have my fingers crossed it's going to get better.
In case anyone hasn't seen there's a good deal on Father's Day cards here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4628615

Mrs_Chip

Morning Everyone

I have the yellow ball again - hooray!

Glad everyone is being able to make the most of the good weather - makes us so much happier I think.

Pops - I think the HA are now being unreasonable. They know your situation and that it is difficult for you clear rubbish away (no car, limited mobility) and that you have been doing what you can in the house - for them to now give you just six days to clear the rest of the items is just not acceptable, especially as they did not mention this on their previous visit.
This is why I would have pinned them down to specific issues that they had - by dint of either incompetence or design they are causing you much more grief than is necessary.

I have 36 tiny rhubarb seedlings to pot up today, and a load of little gem to thin and put into suitable growing spaces - I shouldn't complain but we are working tonight, and really I want to be in the garden!

We worked yesterday lunchtime, but I had to hand the proceeds over to OH to pay 2/3 of the bill for yet another part for the van :mad:, how can one vehicle break down so many times???

Have a great day everyone!

mardatha

Was talking to the RV yesterday about vans Mrs C. Remembering the fruit & veg van that was painted dark green and smelled of earth and tatties, and the grocer with racks of tins, and the bakers van with buns cakes and bread, and the butchers van who also had fish.
Where I lived we had no shops until I was about 10 and everybody queued up at the vans. Also nobody's mum worked then - we were all in and out of each other's houses all the time and often got chased by mums
Most of the mums went to the tattie picking in a bus, I can remember the old clothes and the headsquares. I think that was good money because everybody seemed to go.

Mrs_Chip

My mum did the same Mar - she worked in the tulip fields, picked apples, tatties, rhubarb, peas, mushrooms. We went with her when we could - I can remember seeing my little baby brother sitting under a great big rhubarb leaf!

Not sure if the money was good, it was all there was work wise. When I left school best that could be offered locally was working in the Mousery - and there was no way I was going there, the horrors stories of having to dispatch escapees by bashing them on the bench was enough for me :eek:.

[Deleted User]

Morning all, another bright day but the breeze is up and making the Isle of Wight Round the Island Race quite interesting I believe!!! Have been up quite a while and the house is cleaned, the ironing done, the dogs dinners are cooking and I have a large casserole in the oven very low as I got lots of pork loin at an affordable price on my last trip into town, that will be truned into pasties and a shepherds pie over the next couple of days after having it as casserole today.

SQ if you haven't tried growing at home before, a good place to start would be clear the areas you would like to use and buy in some bags of Horse Manure and dig them in well, to feed the soil. You won't be able to grow root veg in the beds this year as the nutrients in the soil will make then fork and split but you might try some lettuces, a couple of tomatoes and maybe some runner beans. A courgette or two will grow themselves and give you lots of veg for very little other than watering it. Things like radishes are very quick to grow and it's a lovely feeling the first time you harvest and eat something you knew as a seed!!! I would say GO FOR IT but keep it simple until you feel confident to try things that aren't so easy to grow, after all, we all had to start at the beginning and learn when we first decided to learn how didn't we? You'll see, in a couple of years time you'll be filling your freezer up just like we do!!! Cheers Lyn xxx.

When I was little back in Kent it was Hop Picking that was the autumn job for Mums and strawberries in the summer. Apples, plums and cherries at various times in the year too, I loved it, being free to run the orchards and make dens in the hop fields was magic when you were 5!!!

kidcat

My mixed leaves are already shooting up in the mini greenhouse - they were only planted last weekend, am so pleased to be growing again

Its beautiful here again today, so after dance class we are off for a few hours to make the most of it, am thinking of a Trust place which is free to get in, take a picnic and then just buy ice creams

Popperwell

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Pops - I think the HA are now being unreasonable. They know your situation and that it is difficult for you clear rubbish away (no car, limited mobility) and that you have been doing what you can in the house - for them to now give you just six days to clear the rest of the items is just not acceptable, especially as they did not mention this on their previous visit.
This is why I would have pinned them down to specific issues that they had - by dint of either incompetence or design they are causing you much more grief than is necessary.

Yes that's a good point...may have to take this further. The point also is at this rate no one will dare have any personal possessions for fear that they'll say its hoarding when for many especially in their own homes it would just be classed as a home and memories. And are they doing this to all their tennants? Or just have it in for some? Big Brother comes to mind. I have a mixture of anger and fear. At this rate each room will be basic and have no personal touches.

As it is a private home, they can't do anything but my neighbours garage is so full he doesn't put his car in it!

If there was a fire or an emergency there is not one room that I could not escape from or the emergency services could not enter.

And again we have smoke alarms, carbon monoxide monitor and no naked flames anywhere unless I was to light a candle/tealight.

Mrs_Chip

I am sure there is no reason to be fearful - but they are not helping are they?

Perhaps you could ring them on Monday and ask to speak to whoever is in charge, explain your situation and say that to tell you on the previous visit that the third one was just a formality, then to send another letter wanting more action in six days, is not reasonable.

I would tell them that is physically impossible for you to clear everything in that time without incurring expense, which you cannot afford, and suggest a schedule (based on bags being taken each week by the bin men) by which the rubbish will be gone. I cannot see how that could be seen to be unreasonable, and if they do not agree I would start to consider that they are harassing you.

Popperwell

I should not have to defend myself but I have talked about this on my blog and soon will be posting images to show just how uncluttered my home is and how little I actually have.

I have asked my friend if she can be here again for their visit and I am thinking of contacting(as I was told that I can my MP)

I thought this was all over...I can't help but think they are using the case of the hoarder as an excuse...but its funny that the HA never have had a problem in the five years since they took over the property and the previous local authority/council(never ever had in forty eight years)