OS Singlies - We Do It Our Way!

grousescot

Sitting here feeling sorry for myself and the messages I've read here of folk just getting on with things despite all kinds of trouble is most humbling. Especially all those decorating/renovations projects that are underway.

I've been in this flat for 8.5 years and haven't changed any of the interior aside from replacing the scuzzy carpets in both bedrooms with laminate to match the other rooms. Decorating is not one of my talents. I did have a go at painting my bedroom when I was about 16 (changing from light blue to yellow). I gave it three coats and afterwards kept noticing bits of blue that were still showing. I think my dad wallpapered it a while afterwards.

May I offer a male perspective on dealing with workmen/tradesmen/DIY? I've been fortunate enough in the two major pieces of renovation that I've had done turned up when agreed, did a good job and there were no last minute additions to the bill. (Although the guys who replaced my central heating boiler did leave behind their copy of a Certain Tabloid Newspaper so some stereotypes still exist.)

What I dread is having a crisis like waking up to find my pipes have burst and dealing with an emergency plumber whose is of the who-put-this-in-then-suck-teeth-scratch-chin school. I'm not very practical generally and I didn't pick up much about DIY growing up although I did help my dad with a few things. I can confidently wire a plug but that seems to be a skill not required any more with modern appliances. I just don't feel in a position to hold my ground with a trained professional even where I feel I'm having the wool pulled over my eyes. I reckon the unscrupulous can easily tell when a client isn't confident in asserting themselves regardless of their gender and will take advantage.


I'm afraid this place hasn't had a proper clean for a few weeks in areas that should see at least a weekly sweep/wipe down. I don't notice it much as I am partially sighted ans there's rarely anyone else around to notice, but the last couple of days I've been completely drained in the evenings when I was intending to make some inroads (call it man-flu if you like, I made it through my workday no trouble but collapsed on the sofa when I got home).

I think I can give myself the following challenges to meet before I turn in tonight (but not necessarily in this order).

-Go shopping for some fresh fruit and veg, use with recently made stock to make some soup to last the next few days.
-Deal with the mountain of washing up currently mouldering in the kitchen. When this has mounted up and I finally get round to tackling it, I usually allow myself to sip one alcoholic beverage at the same time. The logic goes, one cannot drink and work at the same time so if I am having a drink it can't count as work, however tedious.
-Deal with the bathroom
-Sweep and mop at least the kitchen and bathroom floors.

I must also have this done and be turned in by 11 as I'm supposed to be up before 6am but it's been at least 7am the last few workdays.

lostinrates

Well as lavender bees said I could be a singlie for the week, here I am.

Exhausted.

Grouses cot, like you my DH had few practical skills before we met, but decorating is a skill that requires practise to improve .....and its only paint. You can just keep adding layers. . Plumbing otoh, I have to admit, its a skill beyond my ken.

After a day of the electric people here and part of the not working heating system removed (cylinder) AND the pumps repaired I don't know why I feel exhausted, I didn't do all the work.

I was on my walking stick most of the day (I'm in my thirties but need walking aid intermittently) and could sleep now, but have to stay awake long enough to put my dogs out tonight. I have three dogs. One has a, seven hour max bladder. . I could shave slept from six right through to six tomorrow I reckon.

My house is filthy with mud from the guys doing the work, its not their fault, its revolting weather, and simply coming in with them. We have concrete floors which are hard to clean. And no heating, so the spilled water is just sitting on them, mud in my hallway. No point trying to clean it til its dry really.


The birds look miserable, the horses are board and miserable, the dogs are bored and miserable, the cats ......you get the idea!


I have to stay awake at least another hour....

BookWorm

sax11 wrote: »

Looking at peoples comments on here and everyone seems so cheerful and managing to get buy on their money. One question, how?

I'm thoroughly fed up with everything , just seem to work to pay bills even after massive budgeting and cutbacks.

On the plus side I've not had to get my washing dry - i still take it to my mum at the weekend (plus i have a damp problem in the house)

and suffering today with a cluster headache


Apart from that - same old

Hi sax11

Hope your headache has gone now

I can understand where you are coming from re: the above. Many a day I feel like that too! I sometimes feel like I'm the only one that is struggling ... but of course that is not the case. This thread helps with keeping the spirits up so make yourself comfy and have a cuppa

BookWorm

Evening everyone. Hope you are all keeping safe in the crazy weather

Flying visit from me tonight. I'm whacked and can hardly keep my eyes open. Will catch up properly tomorrow

Stay safe peeps x

springdreams

sax11 wrote: »

Looking at peoples comments on here and everyone seems so cheerful and managing to get buy on their money. One question, how?

I'm thoroughly fed up with everything , just seem to work to pay bills even after massive budgeting and cutbacks.

I'm in the same boat as you - however, I do have a mortgage and am a single parent, which takes a chunk of my money. The cost of living going up, but salary not for roughly 5 years now is what has made it much harder for me coupled with no bonus for 3 years.

I don't get any child support from my ex, nor do I get child or working tax credits. So it can be really hard at times to cope. But cope you do ... just take it one day at a time.

mum2one

I agree re money sometimes I could just curl up in a corner and cry, I'm a single parent trying to get child support from my ex - thats the biggest joke going and when I do get any its £5 a week...... he's willing to let his daughter go without but his precious stepchildren and new child - the sun shines out of their !!!!.

I'm so lucky I've got supportive family and some really good friends, who to be honest are my rock.

Its so annoying letter comes home from school - £185 for a fri/mon trip... I don't get any reductions for being on benefits as the trip in not on a school night.....

I know I'm in debt, part of that was being stubborn and trying to rob Peter to pay Paul, instead of asking for help earlier, I was too proud, but now I'm on a DMP, I feel like I have my life back, but to say its between basic and branded! Get there but that is with the support of my family.

I think I would be too stubborn and set in my ways to settle in a relationship.. thou no harm in window shopping!! x

moneyistooshorttomention

I think this seemingly endless absolutely appalling weather is getting to us all, even if we are safe from flooding. It's just dragging on and on and ON and being so darn awful.

I can understand the getting through a day at work and then coming home collapsing drained. If a job is very draining in some way or other, then sometimes there is only enough energy to get through the work part of the day and none left for you at the end of a day. I can resonate with that...been there...had the teeshirt. Friends who were teachers used to comment that they kept going throughout the academic year and then "collapsed" rather and perhaps got a dose of flu or something at the end of each academic year (ie once the adrenaline stopped flowing basically).

LIR
It can be pretty exhausting having work done on the house for the day, even if you aren't the one doing it. I think it's all the endless cups of tea/coffee expected, having to have "eyes in the back of your head" syndrome. My eyes and ears are always on Full Alert Mode when workmen are in, courtesy of that hard-won experience of knowing that it helps to at least minimise them making mistakes and/or doing things in a different way to what I require/etc. I'm not the world's most "tactful" person...so I struggle with the "Remember what sort of words you saw someone else use in that type of situation to get things sorted out properly without the other person staging a walkout". Most of the time I manage to dredge up some form of "tactful but firm" words to cobble together from a tv programme I've watched or book I've read that I think will do the trick of making it plain "Sort it OUT you wotname!!:mad::eek:" without them staging said walkout or find a way to prevent them Doing a Walkout until its done or they just won't get paid. I go into Panic Mode if I don't have either the money they require to pay them still there safely in my hands (and them wanting to make sure they get it) or loads of their expensive tools round the place and haven't got any leverage to ensure they've GOT to sort the job out. Definitely calmer of mind when I know I'm holding their tools and my money there as a "hostage to fortune" until its finished. Would help if I wasn't in a part of the country where they have such a tendency to take their tools with them each time they go and/or using YOUR tools/etc in the first place rather than their own! (maybe because they're doing the "rush onto another job whilst they're still on YOUR job syndrome" that seems to be rather prevalent in this part of the country...

moneyistooshorttomention

"Haggis merchant"...duly borrowed and added to vocabulary:rotfl:

I looked it up online, but didn't find anything.

Guess it translates into "someone who bodges with a bit of this, then bodges again with a bit of that" and comes from haggis being made up of a "bit of this" and a "bit of that" and included in the ingredients is stuff that some of us wouldn't fancy the thought of eating..

boddy

Morning everyone.

I'm still around I've just been quite busy. The kitchen guy measured up about a week and a half ago. No word from him so I txt on Monday but no reply. Think maybe another txt today to see what's happenning. Typical. I'm emptying stuff out the kitchen anyway which is good as it needed a declutter.

I can not understand why more help us not being given to those in flooded areas. Is it cost? Shouldn't be. If those firms that are avoiding tax paid up and MPs expenses were cut right down. Oh I could go on. I'm thinking the weather is strange too. All these storms. Makes you wonder what's behind it all. Sorry for the rant.

Well it's shopping day with my daughter and lunch. Must remember to drop bags off at charity shop.

spirit

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

. Definitely calmer of mind when I know I'm holding their tools and my money there as a "hostage to fortune" until its finished. Would help if I wasn't in a part of the country where they have such a tendency to take their tools with them each time they go and/or using YOUR tools/etc in the first place rather than their own! (maybe because they're doing the "rush onto another job whilst they're still on YOUR job syndrome" that seems to be rather prevalent in this part of the country...

:eek: :rotfl: :rotfl:

made my morning! thanks for that.