The Adventures of a Debt Defying Diva

RainbowBridgeReturns

Hi INOD, I sponsor the pandas and love Prestonfield. My aunt and the uncle (who died recently) used to own a guest house right opposite it, and we had our reception there. Happy times.

Edit - Now you have got me thinking that it would be nice to go there again for afternoon tea, with my aunt, because I have not been to that area in years. (£19.00 per person). I think that will be a treat for May, if I have stuck firmly to my budgets.

ScarlettMcCain

Hi Rainbow, just wanted to say well done for sticking to your aims so far, and of course for providing us all with an interesting diary to read! Your March aims are very inspiring :T

I too have a difficult situation at work; I have to report to the MD (he is my line manager) and he's making my life difficult in many ways, the most recent being refusing me single days off as holiday. There's no company policy against this and other managers don't have an issue with people doing it, so I have no idea why he suddenly has a bee in his bonnet about it! However, I have an interview tomorrow so fingers crossed

Edinburgh is a very picturesque city, I used to live in York and miss it a lot - I now live somewhere with no pretty buildings at all! There are nice countryside walks but it's not the same as seeing beauty on a daily basis.

The afternoon tea would be a lovely treat for May!

RainbowBridgeReturns

Thanks for sharing your story Ruby. Unfortunately, I think that your approach of looking for another job, is probably your best solution. MD's tend to have all the power. I really hope that your interview goes well today.

I worked, for a short while, with a medium sized, family run business. Everybody was male, except for the MD's wife, who ran the office. She was a complete b**ch, and seemed to get pleasure from making everybody's life miserable. On one particular occasion, she was very abusive to the foreman, who happened to be her brother-in-law, to the point where the poor man, who was a big chap, almost twice her size, was reduced to tears.

When she wasn't looking, I had a wee chat with him and asked why nobody ever stood up to her. He explained that there had been various attempts, over the years, to usurp her, but she just came back leaner, meaner and more vicious, to the point where she had trained the work force, like Pavlov's dogs, to never cross her.

The following week I made a comment, to her, about the toxic atmosphere in the building and was handed my bags and my P45, and told to leave immediately!! In hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise.

Two out of three of my key items, were done yesterday, the other has been moved to Friday.

1. When I looked at my CPP claim form, I realised it was for Identity Protection, not card protection. I phoned up the help line, and asked why I had got the form as I had never had an income protection policy. I was amazed to find out that one credit card company, had charged me £10.00 a month for six months, for an IP policy, and then cancelled it, and then did exactly the same thing the following year. It would seem that this company had done this to thousands of other customers and my case is pretty cut and dry. She told me what to write and said that I was likely to receive about £150.00.

2. I sent a photo of the pineapple, to W*itrose customer services, and it did look awful. They responded by saying they were sending me a £5.00 voucher and refunding double the amount I had paid for the fruit, and taking the issue up with the supplier

3. I am moving my Wednesday night zumba class and spa to Friday, as an older friend asked me to help her with filling in some forms on the computer. We had a nice evening, and following my new determination to teach people to fish, I sat next to her and she did everything, with just a little bit of help and guidance from me. She was really pleased with herself.

Key things for today:-

1. Try not to rise to the bait if supervisor decides not to play ball and carries on as before. It will then definitely be time to move on, but I want it to be when it suits me, not her!

2. Carry on working through the washing mountain - two more washes today.

3. 30 minutes on the exercise bike.

Today I am grateful that I have taken my head out of the sand and begun tackling things that have been bothering me for yonks!

in_need_of_direction

Well done on starting to deal with the important over the urgent!

RainbowBridgeReturns

I love your one liners INOD! As a result of dealing with the important over the urgent I have had a much calmer and happier week, and all my goals, for the month, are on track.

Yesterday went well. My 'Supervisor' and I eyed each other warily and behaved impeccably. I think the truth is we are quite evenly matched and are both menopausal matrons spoiling for a fight.

I had a dream, last night, that we had the mother of all cat fights, complete with screaming, name calling and rolling around on the floor in unarmed combat. At the end of it we were best friends and said, 'wow, I needed that'. Years of pent up frustration, with the world, released in one almighty explosion.

I don't think this scenario would be socially acceptable, but it would certainly be a great spectator sport. In conclusion, I am going to deal with stress in more civilised ways, as it arises.

Today my key things are:-

1. Menu plan for the week and do online Waitr*se shop, utilising my £15.00 voucher, and sticking to £60.00 budget with another £10.00, in cash, for any extras.

2. Swap one of my a*dible books, that I have never read, for INOD's suggested book, Robert Kelsey ‘What's Stopping You’, and make sure my membership, which is on a three month hold, is cancelled.

3. Do a £15.00 mystery shop to keep emergency fund on track.

One Catch up item:-

Zumba class, this evening, and spa session complete with trashy mag.

I am grateful that I am not taking myself too seriously and that I am prepared to give myself time for all these changes to bear fruit.

BiteTheSilverBullet

Good morning, Rainbow!

Your plans sound brilliant. It's weird with dreams, isn't it? I dreamt the other night that my best friend was a cat but upset about something but there was nothing I could do because she was a cat and couldn't talk. I put her on a shelf then lifted her off and because we couldn't communicate, the only thing I could do was stroke her, because she was a cat.

You are a lovely person and congrats on sticking to your plans

RainbowBridgeReturns

Good morning BTSB, thank you so much for popping by. Your dream was really sweet.

You still found a way to reach her and comfort her, you just had to find a different way to connect. Profound! How are you this morning, I will take a trip over to your diary x.

BiteTheSilverBullet

I did tell her my dream, she was a bit freaked out! The full version is that I met her in a shopping centre and she was on drugs, she was wearing a tracksuit and had terrible skin, like krokodil users (do not google unless you have a strong stomach). I took her home and she turned into a scotty dog so I put her on a shelf, then she turned into a cat so I lifted her off and stroked her. I haven't been on hallucinogens, honest!

Trot forth and be your good self and lots of blessings

RainbowBridgeReturns

Lol! You must never say to me, "do not do something..." BTSB. I am the ultimate rebel, and was googling krokodil users, as I was reading your post (I love windows!). OMG !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why do people do that to themselves? I feel quite queasy!

Off to trot forth and conquer x.

BiteTheSilverBullet

Eeeek don't look at Krokodil! It's strangely addictive, in a horror type way. I can't believe how much it wastes people's skin, evil drug.

Good luck with the trottin'