Pay Off Before Lay Off!

Habibiboo

:wave:

Aww, huge thanks P*M, MWC, Watty, A*M, Tilly and Alchemilla, we're a little better than we were but finding it hard to shake this grot! Appreciate your kind thoughts!

So, updates on recent lurgy-vested events

MFW actions: 2 NSDs but no MOP from working yet because I'm waiting for (a) overdue client payment to come in (b) spending on mum's birthday to be done with (c) costs for boiler repairs to be fully quoted! Still, at least in the meantime the money for council tax and water is staying in account as a MOP, so it's a start!

Grey clouds:

* Boiler gave up completely, plumber finally came round today (5th day of no heating or hot water). Coming back Friday with relevant part, but he's not sure that it will be the answer to the entire problem, although it is the most immediate one!

* OH still struggling, bless him.

Silver linings: having coal fire and stove for heat and having power shower, so at least we can be a bit clean and warm despite the boiler! Thank heaven for milder weather and hot water bottles too!

Daily Declutter updates: since my last post I've posted all my Fleabay parcels and a few more besides. Total of another 16 items out of the house = 81 / 365, plus another 80+ bobbins listed on Fleabay at the moment.

Simple Pleasures: birthday celebrations for mum's big birthday have begun! She loved her big family meal yesterday, which was very lovely and good food but very affordable! My sisters and I all have day off tomorrow and have planned a day of treats for her, starting off with what she thinks is just a wash and blow dry at her salon in the morning ... mwa ha ha! We've organised for her to be pampered too then to be whisked out for lunch and other treats, followed by shared tea and birthday cake with my sister's lad as they share the same day! All my sons are able to pop down (they all work weekends so none of them could come yest) so will be a lovely catch up with them too.

So, early night shortly to make sure I'm up for it all!

Hope everyone else is well and having a happy St. Paddy's Day! Thanks again for your kind and happy thoughts!

Pearla*Merle

Aww, the surprise birthday treats sound lovely, hope you all have a super time - and what a perfect way to get to over any lingering malaise

Poor boiler, but hurrah for the magic of stoves & power showers

PS. Great going on the fleabay exodus!

Tabatha_Kitten

Hope you get the boiler sorted soon Hbbb.
We hardly seem to have had our central heating on this winter just maybe an hour in the morning and an hour at bedtime and only then its if the thermostat goes below 16o.
Should make for a reasonable gas bill this time but on the negative side I have just worked out we have spent £300 on coal and £100 on logs since November.
I do love my little multifuel stove. Makes the house all cosy.

Habibiboo

Tabatha_Kitten wrote: »

Hope you get the boiler sorted soon Hbbb.
We hardly seem to have had our central heating on this winter just maybe an hour in the morning and an hour at bedtime and only then its if the thermostat goes below 16o.
Should make for a reasonable gas bill this time but on the negative side I have just worked out we have spent £300 on coal and £100 on logs since November.
I do love my little multifuel stove. Makes the house all cosy.

:wave:

Hi T*K

Yes,s tis true we've kind of had ours on too for just an hour or so at each end of the day, but it seems to make such a difference to the overall feel of the house that we're really noticing not having it!

I spent £120 on coal and £90 on logs in October 2012 and it lasted us last winter and this, which seems to be pretty good going (but I did buy massive job lots at the time which was a lot cheaper). We'll need to replenish before winter 2014 (Tilly will know how many sleeps there are till the depths of it) ... so I'm aiming to buy the coal in July before the prices go up in August.

I usually save all my Fleabay money from Easter onwards for winter fuel so hopefully I'll manage to make enough to cover it.

Glad your fires are keeping you cosy too - wouldn't be without ours, especially now!

Habibiboo

:wave:

Hope everyone's OK!

Today's MFW actions: none at all really, final spendy day for a bit though hopefully as myself and sisters all took day off for day of surprises for mum's birthday (the big day itself today)! Most of it budgeted for, but a little was irresistable extra treats for her! Normal MSE service will be resumed tomorrow.

Today's grey cloud: Boiler man phoned, he's done the pricing for the replacement part and (along with full service and labour charges) it'll be at least £400! Just hoping that his fix will work as he's not entirely sure that the part he's replacing is the only part that's playing up - there's something else he's got to look at once he's got that bit off to replace it, or something technical like that! So Friday will be a spendy day too!

OH already gone to bed with more hot toddy remedies and lots of hankies.

Today's silver lining: Caught up with all my bobbins today at mum's birthday lunch, they all work shifts and weekends but had booked today off to join in, so it was really lovely!

Daily Declutter: Recycled a wicker basket which just had oddments in it and lined it with fabric from my stash as a hamper-type "wrapping" for some of mum's presents (her Chanel she likes, Prosecco and some other indulgent items) - so 2 more things out of the house! Total = 83 / 365.

Simple Pleasures:

Part 1: Being with family for an extra special day.
Part 2: The greeting of pure, unleashed joy you get from two faithful hounds when you return home from being out for most of the day (which they are just soooo not used to)! Nearly wiggled themselves inside out with the pure joy of having me back! My feathered ladies just nagged at me, shouting from their run for a bit of freedom before it got dark, which of course I obliged with! All lovely to come home to!

Hope everyone else has had a good day and is staying free of lurgies.

Alchemilla

Glad you are ok.x

Habibiboo

Alchemilla wrote: »

Glad you are ok.x

:wave:

Ta hunny, just taking my weary self to bed now, am planning a quiet worky day tomorrow, to off-set today's energetic one, but totally worth it! Hope you're good! X

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Hello,

Returning to the magnolia tree theme, they are like dumb blondes, all showy and flaunting their prettiness too early when it is too cold, then shivering and dropping all their leaves.......

Btw, our boiler can't do separate hot water and heating either and we have just gone with it for years.... Do have an immersion though.

Take it easy,
Squirrel x

apple_muncher

Sorry Mr Hbbb is still lurgified. And very glad you weren't too affected and could spoil your mum. She's a lucky lady having you all round her.


SSS - love the magnolia tree info!!

Pearla*Merle

Aww, such lovely simple pleasures. :smileyhea Glad to hear you had a lovely day (and the basket of goodies sounded perfect).

Eek on the £400, hope the fleabay sales ratchet up & help soften the blow.