'supporting each other through really tough times'

sevenup01

Congratulations on the house move Fuddle:j
I will happily join in a healing circle with you all too please.
I hope the missing cat comes home soon. My Jerrry went missing for 2 weeks a few years ago but came home safe and sound. We think he had got trapped in a garage even though we leafletted and door knocked.
Talking of door knocking - my door went last night at half past midnight when i was asleep. I told my cousin to ignore it as it was probably nothing but the dog was going mad so she went downstairs to check. Good job as it was my eldest daughter who had missed the last bus and walked the hour from town to here!

fuddle

Used to be free but from October we have to pay for pest control http://www.durham.gov.uk/Pages/Service.aspx?ServiceId=431

kidcat

Fuddle we have had all manor of pest issues in our rented places, each time the LL either sent pest control out or agreed that we should get council out and then invoice them directly. Pest control is a LL issue and if your neighbours are complaining its important that you let him know. If he chooses not to do anything then that is his problem - but I strongly advise putting it in writing, you need your deposit back!

katieowl_2

I'm with Fuddle on the heating. Yeah it's great to save money, but really one shouldn't make oneself cold and miserable! It's that whole 'hair shirt' thing, when you feel really sorry for yourself, is when you fall off the frugal wagon bigtime and do a naughty spendy thing (well I do anyway )

I'm not in w*rk today, they've decided instead of closing on Sunday to run the place with one member of staff *eyeroll* I'm pretty damn sure it's not legal to do it (?anyone know - it's a cafe) but I DID win the not serving the normal range of food battle, so at least the girl who's in is only serving Tea/coffee/cake and soup. If it's as quiet today as it was yesterday, they still won't cover the expenses of the day.

DD has managed to pick up an Xmas job which will help towards her hours being cut, for the time being anyway.

I've got to get my backside into gear today and make some fudge and choccies for the stall. I also need to trial a couple of my Xmas lines. I've got two recipes for a fruit and nut salami which you can just nibble or stick on a cheese board, and I'd like to see which one we like best. I made a batch of 'squiffy prunes' yesterday (prunes with spices in port and red wine) nom nom...they are really tasty!

Kate

[Deleted User]

Thank you so much for your good wishes and especially for the healing circle. I started turning the corner yesterday and wrote two posts and did about 20 rows of knitting Today I know I am on the mend and my energy is returning fast. So I have spent a little time ridding this house of flu germs, starting with us, showering them down the drain, then a complete new change of everything, bedding, clothes, towels etc and anything I can wash at 60 is getting done, to go out in the sun asap. Anything I cannot wash at 60 is getting extra rinsing water and will be out in the sun this week. Mattresses have been UV`d with a special little vac cleaner, pillows changed for washed ones and I`ll wash the used ones as soon as I can. Anything I have had near my face has been soaked in milton ie toothbrush head, steamer and my neti pot. I could not survive without my neti pot and have ordered a load more salt and a pot for dd who gets sinusitis a lot

https://www.shopholistic.co.uk/viewprod_NOSEBUDDY.php

Right, I know this recovery has been speedy and my immune system has kicked in rapidly, here is how it happened for me as I am not on meds. Dh is different as he is on asthma meds and has mild copd so I had to start him on antibiotics and steroids just in case. He is taking longer to heal

Herb tea: me, thyme and elderflower
dh, thyme and elecampane

Both: vit c, NAC, elderberry and zinc also echinacea. Echinacea will cease in a week or so, NAC will shortly be cut down to 1 a day and elderberry, vit c and zinc taken throughout winter

me: manuka honey UMF 20+ 1 tsp 3 times a day. Horrendously expensive but have only taken it for 4 days and just keep in the fridge. Dh, costco manuka 10+, we both will take daily 10+ all through winter

Dh has made an immune boosting juice every day, today is carrot, apple, celery

Food has been easy to eat and digest ie mainly soups and no meat, just a little fish. Today will be transition food ie lots of garlic,ginger, onion, some broad beans, kale and pasta with just a sprinkle of parmesan. I also have a dark red compote on the go, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries, all frozen

I took cold/flu meds 4 times as it was so hard to cope but we were always taught that secretions are good and the body`s way of healing so I mainly put up with the horrible mucus

I am so grateful to have turned the corner

kidcat

katie - I know you are making fudge and you sell on a stall, have you considered making alcohol flavoured fudge and putting it in a wine glass (pint glass for beer), wrapping in cellophane with ribbon etc as Christmas gifts to sell? I bought one of these yesterday and if I can get myself organised will be doing them as teacher presents this year. They were selling really well.

fuddle

I'm really worried about my deposit kidcat but I have all manor of evidence and he doesn't have my money, it's in a scheme. I have proof to cover every issue that has come up. Hopefully should there be an issue he won't have a leg to stand on because I need every penny of my deposit back for this house. I am scared though.

kidcat

The rats could be an issue only if you dont tell him, if you call him and then if he says he isnt doing anything, just write him a quick note - you can say the neighbours have complained again and leave it at that. As long as you can prove you told him you will be fine.

katieowl_2

kidcat wrote: »

katie - I know you are making fudge and you sell on a stall, have you considered making alcohol flavoured fudge and putting it in a wine glass (pint glass for beer), wrapping in cellophane with ribbon etc as Christmas gifts to sell? I bought one of these yesterday and if I can get myself organised will be doing them as teacher presents this year. They were selling really well.

Yes I'm going to be doing three flavours for Xmas, Vanilla, Choccie and Rum and Rasin. Not sure how I'm going to pack it yet, my normal packaging is in brown kitchen paper tied with string with a little chi-chi label tucked under. I picked up some white noodle boxes and was going to come up with a way to use those, even if I pack the stuff in cellophane first.

I have a whole load of kilner jars I bought when Julian Graves went bust that have proven to have a really bad airtight seal- grrr - any suggestions for what I can flog in those???

Kate

kidcat

My understanding of the rental deposit scheme is that the onus is upon the LL to prove you have damaged the property not upon you to prove you havent. So if he has pictures of the property as it was when you moved in and then pictures now, anything he says is damaged you will be asked to explain.

You have made massive improvements to his property and I assume have his written permission each time so I cannot see that you will have any issue at all.

Our last rental the agent had pictures of everything twice, but I wouldnt sign the inventory until a second set of pictures were added with problems listed next to them - it meant when we left that the agent didnt even try to withhold the deposit as it was clear that the carpet had been ripped and damaged in many places, so the extra damage was to be expected with hoovering etc.