OS Singlies - We Do It Our Way!

mum2one

decogecko wrote: »

Hi all

Having read the above I realised I belonged on this thread! I'm definitely a singlie.

I'm 32 and live in a happy household of one (plus my two cats, fluffy boy cat & drama queen kitty). I've been on my own for almost 4 years since my OH passed away. I love and miss him as person but not the relationship IYSWIM. Deep down I've always known that if I ever had a relationship like we had that there was definitely no-one for me. This has been very liberating in some respects as I don't have to worry about meeting 'the one'. I've pretty much accepted I won't have children as well.

I'm determined to be as self sufficient as possible in terms of doing my own DIY etc - I can paint, just need to learn how to wallpaper. You tube has been brilliant - it helped me fix my boiler (there was an error code). I'm keeping a look out for courses that teach basic plumbing so that I'm prepared in case anything goes awry.

Thanks for the thread Lavenderbees

Deco x

If you contact your local college they do evening courses in basic plumbing, car maintance etc - def worth a try xx

springdreams

kacie wrote: »

Bringing back the holidays topic from the last thread, I'm thinking of maybe doing one of The Sun holidays in future as a cheap getaway, but not sure about going to somewhere aimed at families and being on my own. I'll travel to cities and abroad alone but not sure about this!

I frequently go on the Sun holidays with just my DS. Our next one will be to Ballycastle in Ireland over the first May bank holiday weekend, and then we will be going to Holland for the May mid term break.

We both enjoy ourselves, as my DS makes himself comfortable in the swimming pools, biking and kicking a football around with the new friends he makes during the day, whilst I chillax with a book on the days we stay on the park. We have movie nights in the evenings. And we also get to visit loads of interesting places.

I'd not be able to afford to see most of the places that we go to if it were not for the Sun holidays.

I can highly recommend it.

calicocat

Bigjenny wrote: »

decogecko Iv'e recently done a basic plumbing course at my local college, 4 saturday mornings. Today have taken off the u bend under the sink as it was whiffy, not blocked, gave it a good clean, put it back and tightened all the other connections. Even if I never use the other things I learnt I will know if whats whats if I ever have to employ a plumber.

Last year I did basic plastering, would never attempt a big job but could do a patch.

I have been a singlie for 5 years since DH died and am not too bad at DIY.

Love the new thread

Oooo I like the idea of this. I will look up my local courses, the problem I have is working nights on a rolling rota and can never attend a whole course, worth me having a look though, just in case I can.


Also.....B & Q do some basic courses, however it is in limited stores.

skogar

Sorry this is so late. I saw the post earlier about storing pesto etc and thought I'll reply to that. A few hours later and it's pages ago. The perils of a popular thread! If you have a part used jar of pesto make sure the pesto is pushed down in the jar. If you add a thin layer of olive oil and keep it in the fridge it keeps for at least a week. Chicken pesto and crem pasta tomorrow night to use up the pesto I have left in the fridge, you can use it on pizzas too.

I have consulted Dracula ( the wee beastie) about the sharing of the bed He says that it is all his although he usually leaves me with a small corner!

Squiggly_Diddly

LavenderBees wrote: »

Hah! you don't live next to Calicocat, do you? She's been complaining someone is drumming while she desperately tries to sleep!!

:rotfl:

I was at a NYE parade, strangely on NYE , and the drumming was fab. Really calls to something inside me. Not sure if could do something regularly that made others depend on me being there.

And I live in a teeny terraced cottage, so practice wouldn't be popular!!

ETA you must be co-ordinated or you couldn't drum, methinks. Would love to try it.

Honest Miss, it wasn't me wot kept Calico awake...!!! It would drive me nuts having it go on next door too - all my practising is in a village hall with the group so far It works well in terms of who goes to what as it's a big group so people go to what they can but definitely not all. And the "calling" feeling was exactly what I felt, as had others from what they tell me. It's very tribal & earthy I guess - and you only need to be able to count to 8 which is do-able even after a long day!

springdreams

calicocat wrote: »

Oooo I like the idea of this. I will look up my local courses, the problem I have is working nights on a rolling rota and can never attend a whole course, worth me having a look though, just in case I can.


Also.....B & Q do some basic courses, however it is in limited stores.

Just had a peek at what interesting and useful DIY type courses may be on offer at my local college, and there are none

And my local B&Q doesn't offer any either :mad:

I am doomed to remain fairly useless at DIY ... :cool:

Winter_Phoenix

Oooh, such a lot of interesting topics in this new thread! (And I've only just finished reading the old thread - I can't keep up!)

So just some points:
WILLS
Make a will even if you have very little to leave in the way of money/goods. Otherwise those left to sort out the admin. will have a hellish time, and when they've finished there will be nothing left. If you can't afford a solicitor, get a Will form from a stationer. If you can't afford a Will form, get a blank piece of paper and write "This is the last Will and Testament of (full name and address)." Then write your wishes as simply and clearly as possible. Get two people together who are NOT being left anything in the Will. Sign and date it IN THEIR PRESENCE, write "Signed in the presence of:" and get them to sign it and put their names and addresses and the date. It's best if you have an identical copy which you also sign and they also witness in the same way. (There is no guarantee that this could not be challenged in court over some technicality, but it's better than having nothing.)

According to the solicitor who drafted my Will, although getting married invalidates a Will, getting divorced doesn't. So if your ex is still named in your current Will, he/she will still inherit whatever you originally left him/her - UNLESS you have remarried since. (If you don't leave a will, your ex can make a claim on your estate unless he/she has remarried since.)

NEXT OF KIN
There is apparently no legal definition of this in England and Wales, so if you have no close relatives, there is nothing to stop you telling, say, a hospital, that your best friend is your next of kin. The hospital just needs a name on their form - they are not going to be able to check whether the person is really a blood relation or not.

LIVING WILLS
For £8 you can download a pdf file from
http://www.naturaldeath.org.uk/index.php?page=book-shop

Right, time I stopped reading/writing posts and sneaked off to iPlayer for a quick spot of Sherlock before bed!

ellie-g

I love this thread-so many interesting people posting about their lives as singlies. I'm in my mid 50s now and single with no kids. I feel so lucky to have the freedom to do what I want when I want. A few of my family and friends are happy in their relationships but many are not. I will be popping on to this thread regularly to see what pearls of wisdom are thrown up!

boddy

Another one in favour of singlies here. I rather like that word.

Been on my own that long I'm quite set in my ways. Really like being able to to do what I want. A few years ago an ex was in the area for a wedding stayed for a night. I knew when I said yes it was a mistake. After just an hour I couldn't wait to get rid. Favourite thing about being on my own. No one to answer too.

Done a bit of DIY over the years. Pulled part of a stone fire place out and plastered. Put skirting boards on and small bits and pieces. I've been taught how to use a drill but never actually done it. Hmmm.

Washer went kaput this week so had to look for a new one. Grrrr just after Xmas.

Lilyplonk

springdreams wrote: »

Just had a peek at what interesting and useful DIY type courses may be on offer at my local college, and there are none

And my local B&Q doesn't offer any either :mad:

I am doomed to remain fairly useless at DIY ... :cool:

IF your home belongs to a Housing Association - some of the larger ones actually do occasional DIY days. The one that I worked for before retirement - which is now also my Landlord - does this.

It's only very basic stuff - but it's seen as a way of getting tenants to take responsibility for some of the 'less technical' minor repairs eg changing a washer on dripping taps / putting up shelves without making all the plaster fall down / how to use a drill/sander / how to bleed a radiator without flooding the place / basic paper-hanging and how to prepare surfaces for painting etc.

They also do 'One Day First Aid Courses' / 'Seed Sowing and Re-potting Plants' / 'Committee Skills Course' / 'Setting up and Maintaining Community Watch Schemes'. These are all useful ways of building up a network of committed tenants learning to work together for the benefit of the local communities - all good stuff, especially for 'singlies'.