The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

ArthriticOldThing

Hello everyone and welcome to burtha.

It was sunny here until I put washing out and now the sun has hidden behind a mass of clouds - typical.:rotfl:

Gailey what an awful situation to be in. I know from personal experience how difficult the benefit system is now and I had only myself to worry about. The system does seem to be set up to punish people for daring to need benefits.:mad::mad: Sending you lots of (((((hugs))))). Try not to get too stressed if you can.

Great pictures Pops. Glad you enjoyed yourself.

I got my hovering done yesterday and had the expected bad night as arthritis complained but its dusting today - not as exacting though. Takes me all day to do simple jobs nowadays and I find it so frustrating, but at least they get done.

hugs to all who need them

[Deleted User]

JEM the same thing happened to DD2 and she put the phone in the airing cupboard (or as close to the boiler as you can if you don't have an airing cupboard) completely buried in a bowl of uncooked rice and left it there for a week or so and it recovered very well, might be worth a try pet, Cheers Lyn xxx.

lynsayjane

fuddle wrote: »

Gailey don't worry ok. It doesn't matter what the tenancy says at this time ok.

The last thing Gailey needs right now is to worry about whether she will lose her home because she's on benefits. I'm all for knowledge and power but right now she has enough to deal without surmising, don't you think?

I think maybe my post came out wrong. Another poster had suggested she contact the landlord to explain, I was merely suggesting that it would be advisable to check as it would be an un needed shock if she told the landlord to then find out it was an issue over the phone. I find it's better to have all the information to help know how to handle a situation.

Feel free to ignore, was only a thought.

nuttyp

Hi everyone, had a busy couple of days. The disciplinary hearing has been done, and I have to go back again. Another manager has to be there. The person I failed to ID was nearly 20, so not an underage. On the other side, got a call yesterday - said drunk collegue had arrived under the influence again. They were sent home and I was asked to come in again. Now yesterday I took my mum and DD to go n a cruise. So I didn't get home until 7pm. I rang to say I would be there about 8 and in the end I didn't go in.

Yesterday was mad busy, mum rang at 5am - crying as she had a bad stomach and felt sick etc. Now I know she is nervous - the last holiday she and dad went on was cruise. So I said to have a cuppa - everything can be cured with tea!! and to call me at 8am if she still felt she couldn't go. Roll on 8am, and my daughter turned up at hers all excited as she is going with her. So mum got dressed, lots of comforting words and she was ok. They left yesterday for an 8 day voyage around norwegian fyords. I recieved a message to say they are both ok, and overslept until 1030am!! Mum is fine, she is glad she decided to go .

Well I must dash as I have work, thankyou everyone for your support so far. Will catch up asap hopefully tomorrow morning x

[Deleted User]

Hang in there NUTTY when it's all feeling pear shaped we'll be hugging you tight pet, you'll be fine so try not to worry too much!!! So glad Mum and DD are on board ship and having a lovely time despite the nerves before actually leaving, they'll have a super holiday and come back full of it!!! Chin up chicken, Hugs and Love Lyn xxx

savingqueen

Hello toughies,

I have caught up with the thread and promptly forgot most of it , sorry went to bed too late (big talk with DH that needed doing and managed just about not to argue and sort things out) and awake too early (blasted posh cat, love him really but not in the early hours quite as much)

I am going round in a haze today - bonus is though nothing much is bothering me - too tired to care! DH's PC went kaput yesterday whilst he was working on something important from home. Had to pay for someone to come out and fix it, another unexpected bill, oh well. Been to first ever gym session - survived that! Only motivated myself because arranged to go with a friend. I'm not sure our times will coincide very well all the time so need to push myself to go on my own too.

Dropped my friend at her mum's who is poorly, will do some shopping next and then collect the same friend before school run. That's the day gone again. DH is working from home again today so may sneek a nap in when we get back from school, kids will be glued to the TV as its Friday.

I have also had 2 separate umbrella injuries! Old umbrella's spokes broke and I stupidly tried to fix and ended up with a nasty scratch. Replacement umbrella has a stiff catch and I managed to cut my thumb quite deeply on it. Only I could do that! Dropping lots of things etc at the moment, feel like a need a warning sign attached to me!

Hugs to everyone today - special extra hugs to Gailey and Kidcat. Glad you're feeling better jem - sorry didn't reply before, DH hogged my laptop for work.

Oh and the BIG Talk with Monsieur SQ led to us re-considering our original plans to move to place we looked at recently - that's if the finances can be sorted of course, which is a fairly big if. If we can't move DH has agreed to help me sort the house a bit, decorate and keep saving for the big repairs. The house gets us both down and we have had enough with 11 years here, condensation alone would drive the most patient person crazy.

ok stop rambling, get going - that's me talking to me but also anyone else who needs a kick up the bum

sq:)

sq:)

lynsayjane

Friday is definitely my favourite work day haha hope the afternoon passes quick as still loads to do at home.

Just had spicy pumpkin soup from the restuarant at work (glorified canteen!), was nice other than having a little TOO much spice! Will have to find a recipe for that and try it at halloween time when pumpkins are in attendance at the SM. Always wanted a recipe for pumpkin karoke that I like at !oY sushi so might do both

Glad to hear things went ok Nutty and that your mum managed to go on the cruise. Memories are always tough but I hope she's proud at taking this hurdle.

LJ
x

Mrs_Chip

Morning Campers!

Sorry things are so carp Gailey. I can offer no help, not knowing a thing about how the housing thing works, but there are lots here who do, so be sure you will get through it .

Well Operation Shrew was 100% sucessful - in fact 200%, as I caught two! So two very angry shrews were released back into the wild (well our yard) this morning, screaming their tiny heads off - they certainly make a big noise for their tiny size!

Surprised to get two, I am now wondering if there are more - I will put some more mealworms down and see if they disappear.

We have a nice treat booked for Saturday week, we are going by coach to the Malvern Autumn Show. Mr & Mrs Next Door are going to, so it will be good day out. We have not been out and about very much this year, I hope I can cope with the crowds, I was never very good at the best of times, but I'm no longer used to being in bustling places, so it will be interting to see how long I last before I get the heebie-jeebies!

[Deleted User]

SQ Hugs to you too petal, sounds like you need some today. I'm sorry but I giggled over the umberella related bits, that's the kind of thing that happens to me all too often and it's nice to know I'm not the only one!!! BUT I'm really sorry you got hurt, I didn't laugh at that bit!!!!! Have yourself an afternoon nap, you'll be much more co-ordinated if you do and feel so much better. Hope you and MrSQ can agree the course of action you'll take over the house and that will settle you down emotionally too!!! You don't need a kick to any part of the old anatomy my girl, what you need is a hug and some happy thoughts, consider yourself HUGGED!!! Love Lyn xxx.

gailey_2

hauxwell wrote: »

You can always tick on a housing benefit application form that you don't want your landlord to be contacted. This is perfectly acceptable and the council will be fine about it.

Thats what I did thanks.

I dont really have much to do with landlord hes no kids very affluent hes wont be interested in our problems.
The property is managed by agency who quite snooty at best of times and useless at best times.

we been here since may 2005 never paid rent late.
we had to change date last time hubby changed jobs and they were funny about that.

Our contract says he can give us 2months notice.
He also keeps us on one year contracts which expires end march 2014.

Although we would love to move cost moving privatly agents fees, 2months rent , 1k deposit removal costs make it impossible so only option is to stay here as social housing hard to get.

Im not sure if its easier for social housing to be in arrears if they more sympathetic as freind when she lived council flat and paid in installment and papers yesterday focussed on bedroom tax and people in arrears but in private they would just give us notice they all heart.

Hubby literally just rang.Hes doing agency work today for removal company and could be a long day.

Hes just had phonecall from the company he had interveiw for.

Hes got the job:j

but its low basic half what he was on.
after 4weeks training he has opportunity to earn commision.

But have no idea how this will effect housing benefit or tax credits guessing we get some but not as much.

so game plan is.

hes taking new job as only decent thing about right now.

hes will continue agency work on days off.

New job hours much more sociable so allows me to find somethng as problem before was old job he couldent guarantee specific days or evenings.

will continue doing surveys, mysery shops selling bits and peices like always do-might be dong jumble sale tommorow.

I had possible business idea wanted to pursue at start of year that havent maybe worth looking into.

I wanted to start my running, possibly join wi groups and find new toddler group -so going to focus on those things.

Want to get house right never enough storage and forever decluttering.

May sign up for couple free online courses.

so trying to stay positive just every day this week hes come home with more bad news and hes so down and trying be strong one all the time is tiring.

This morning i enoyed school run left early so had enough time, was sunny and dry, all the diffrent coloured leaves, kids loving whizing on scooters admiring how pretty the school is in autumn.

So yes trying to take pleasure out of little things.

have huge urge to paint my front door blue as saw it on nearby house looked lovley.

This week i have deep cleaned and decluttered kitchen and lounge looking ok.

Got enough reductions now for weeks worth of food.
making leek and potato soup later with potatoes from garden that makes me .

The debts im sure we will work it out still hoping if work our buts off we wont have to go dont dmp route as worked so hard last few years and the loan ends early 2015 so aim was to be totally debt free by 2015 so then we can move bigger house and go on nice family holiday.

Hubby said its made him think how much he never knew how hard it is for people out there who lose their jobs, how little rights employee has, how he feels he would like to do some charity work.

A food banks just opened here so maybe might volunteer for that as I stepped down from preschool commitee so this year just running breastfeeding support group and on school travel commitee since 4year old got knocked over the other week determined to campaign council for crossing this year.

I quite like idea maybe doing charity shop putting my old retail skills to good use as its nice to just get out and speak to people as some days feel so lonely.Since this has happened sort of isolated myself from people freinds and family.

Meeting up with close freinds tonight but really dont want to share my woes.

Eldest has 2nd half of b&q workshop sunday where shes building hedgehog house think its fab scheme although leting 7year old loose with a saw bit scary.

So onwards and upwoods and will keep up appearances of old life but start a new chapter and hopefully further down the line will look back and think its made us stronger that we changed course and survived.

We both now feel really sorry for unemployed people, employees on zero hours or no pay workfare .

Guess least this means no signing on every 2weeks.
We still waiting to appeal his job.
but wonder what happened to innocent until presumed guilty.

Job centre said as hes been dismissed its his fault and that there would be 3month delay in same way as he could have just resigned and not been able to claim.

keep telling hi we fighing this chin up hold head up high.
his confidence been badly knocked by this.

its been 1whole week now and seems like a very long one

shed a few tears in private.
put brave face on for kids
try to cheer up hubby
told no one real life whats gong on.

Hope everyone else has good day.

I have so much laundry to do , washing up,

pm school run we picking blackberries and feeding ducks stale bread-simple pleasures, suns out reduced burgers and wedges for tea