Mooloo's little tapestry of life, 2016

Savvy_sewing

Well things went well yesterday. Pleased to say.
I did a better food shop at Tesco before I came home, and I've now done a menu plan at last.
Today I have cut the lawn, no mean feat the size it is. I've also cleared out the shed as you couldn't get in it before. But now it's all tidy and room to move. Hopefully we will be able to find things now. Although my spade has definitely gone missing, along with the bike cover.
The paddling pool was left out and really does need maintenance and a good clean. But I don't have the energy anymore.
3 loads of washing done and out on the line.
Now I'm sitting in the garden, on my reclaimed little patio with the garden chairs and glass table all dusted off.
Even a few getaniums in a pot or two in the corner.
Although the weeding still needs to be done. But it can wait. It's cup of tea time while DGD is out playing.
Typically now I can sit out the sun has been obliterated by grey skies, and a light wind.
I better keep an eye out for rain.
I'd also better see what is actually dry now, so I don't tempt fait.

Savvy_sewing

Productive day yesterday in a way, but wasted my evening in front of the tv.
This morning I have been awake since 5.40 and gave up trying to go back to sleep at 6.15 although we don't have to be up until 7.30 really. Though I'm often up before 7 as I like a slow start to the day.
Not sure if it was my dream I woke from, or the too-ing and fro-ing of vehicles next door. I woke just as I was drowning in soft sand!
So I've been trying to tell myself positive thoughts and not let my subconscious worry about the whys.
I've my cup of tea just made here beside me, and I'm pleased to say it must have been cooler last night as the little jug of milk didn't go off as it had been doing lately.
I've checked my bank balances, paid the wages, and moved odd amounts into the various savings pots. Starting to build them up as best I can after all my spending.
DGDs birthday is on the 4th Oct so I want to get her presents sorted out.
She wants a drum kit! Erm in this house nope. But I might see about lessons. I know my DGS 1, who has been adopted and is her age, loves his drums and has lessons.
That's one thing the letterbox told us.

On the schedule side, I have quite a lot of work come in, the Thermal Bag needs a bit more filling in it, then I've one lady who needs her 6 items for tomorrow, and a set of curtains need shortening. Just to mention a few of the jobs. It's going to be another busy week. I'm happy to say that I have enough in the bank for the rent, the wages, and the bills for the month.
So as we are still nearly two weeks from the end of the month I know I must be doing something right.

Savvy_sewing

Over tired now because I was awake so early. Both staff and I felt rather out of sorts today. I did manage to finish the Thermal Bag, and sew around £142 worth of alterations. Although I didn't get the curtains done.
However I left at 4.30 as soon as we shut and collected DGD early.
She is starting Brownies again now, and I am lucky that I had kept back one tshirt and pair of trousers, the hat and scarf. Although I didn't keep a jacket so I will need to look out for one. For the first time in a while I'm glad that I hadn't done all the ironing or they would have been gone along with all the other sets I had.
This evening I am going to have to just relax as I'm so tired, and once I collect DGD I hope it will mean we can have an early night. I'm hoping I will feel less sluggish tomorrow.

Savvy_Sue

Mooloo wrote: »

I tried to print off some trouble shooting sheets but my printer hasn't been used for so long it tells me the ink has dried up! At somewhere around £50 last time I bought it I'm not thrilled, as replacing it is infuriating.

Sometimes you can bring inkjet cartridges back to life by pressing the nozzles onto a paper towel, but if you're not often using it then it may be worth taking them out of the printer when you're done, putting the 'clip' on them, and keeping them in the fridge.

Frankly if you're spending that on ink, you need to change your printer ... What make / model is it?

dktreesea

Is it a laser jet printer? We have a laser jet printer for which the ink costs around £50 a time. I can get a bit more out of it by taking it out and banging in a few times. Also, I have changed the auto print option from 600 down to 300 which makes it last longer.

Savvy_sewing

It's a very old printer, HP950 it's a big chunky thing that was a fax machine too.
I will have a play with it when I get to the shop.

Yesterday I caved in, and the Bank of Mum was seriously opened, as DS and his beep beep GF finally admitted they were in dept, the bailiffs had been, and they were at the point of no return.
He wanted me to be a guarantor on a loan.
Amigo loans. I said no. Instead I went over and went through there income, expenditure etc.
I paid off the Baliff with my Credit Card! That is a huge ouch. As all my debt was being carefully managed, and on 0% deals.
But I realised that they don't have enough coming in to cover the current outgoings, so paying off a loan would default immediately and if I'd been guarantor I'd have been stuck paying their 12 year loan anyway! Well I retire in 12 years!
So I know you will all be shouting at the screen at me right now.
The second obvious thing is that without transport they are buying their shopping in the village one shop. At a huge cost, which means they are either not eating, and only feeding the baby, or they were robbing Peter to pay Paul. Finally juggling all the balls fell down!
So I have agreed to take them food shopping to Aldi, on my Wednesday mornings, ( you know that precious day off I just sorted out for myself, to see Mum). I have tried to tell them to sort out a menu plan, shopping list etc but they are going to need working with I fear. I also stumped up £60 worth of shopping, I took DS to Aldi, and bought everything I could think of from toothebrushes, to nappies, to milk and inbetween.
I gave him the shopping receipt and told him that he should use the prices on it, to cost out their meals plan/shopping list for the next week.
The third big problem is with no transport and very limited buses in the village they are stuck, DS used to get a lift to his job, but without the lift he can't get there, and if he looses that job they would be in even more dire straights if they had to sign on. Looking on the Entitled Too website, they would struggle to meet their basic needs, never mind not be able to afford the buses to the nearest job centre some 20 miles in either direction.
So I have with Biggest of Mooloo's, told him that we will take him, ( it's a 7.30 start in the middle of an airfield).
So Saturday mornings will be a very early rise, as some Sunday's.
Next, dolly daydream wants to exchange to one of the new houses being built, except they are in rent arrears of around £1,000. So that's not going to happen. She is the one who pays the proportion of the rent they have to find, out of the Child Tax credits that go into her bank. However if she is short she doesn't. Big big mistake. So I have told her that until they have been upto date and on top of things it's not going to happen. That she must pay the rent before anythingelse. Then with her being at home then she needs to look after what they have got, look after their Son, and learn to cook!
Meanwhile DS needs to help her get the place straight, then he also needs to get his license renewed, my Mum has agreed to help me get his bike fixed and back on the road.
All this is going to have a monetary effect on me certainly for a few months, probably for a lot longer. But I'm not going to just give them money.
It's all going to go down on their debt.
Once he is mobile both Biggest and I will be on top of him, making sure he goes and looks for better work, not just two or three days Paintball Mashalling! He is a father now and he needs to act like one.
I know that the actual chance of getting paid back is probably zilch, but I will try to see about getting it back even if he only commits to a few quid each payday.

After sorting him out, it was a visit to Biggest to give her her new curtains for her sitting room. With a quick change around, there is now no Red in her front room, and she's much happier.
Then on to my Mum, and back to Aldi with her to do our shopping.
A quick lunch with her, then back home to pick up my friend who started a new job in the Antique Cellar, and back to my house for a couple of hours blitzing!
So DGD's bedroom, the kitchen and the bathroom are all done.
Then dinner. And an early night.
Today I have evening lessons to teach. So another busy day ahead.

Friday we won't be eating out at the pub, I'm supposed to be helping my neighbour sort out her budget, etc
( getting good at that one!!)

grandma247

Mooloo I can understand you needing to help because i would probably have done the same. Good for you for doing it in a way that gives them no other options. Hopefully if you all keep up the pressure on them they will start to grow up and become responsible. I hope that work continues to come in in bucket loads so you can cope.

*Robin*

One really obvious thing for DS & Missus: They have no need whatsoever to be using disposable nappies. Stick an ask on Freagle/Whatever it's called near you, and get them a washable set!

The Mum is home all day, no reason why she can't keep a washing cycle together, and it's likely Babe will be clean and dry much earlier than if kept in disposables.

If they've got a garden now's the time to get digging ready for early veg crops..

..Mooloo, you're a saint!

Toomuchdebt

Mooloo I don't mean to sound harsh but how on earth will they ever learn if you keep rescuing them??? Let them get to rock bottom for goodness sake and they will be fine.They will learn to cope on the money they have and not spend more. I do appreciate they're family but you yourself are not exactly rolling in money are you? Other families manage perfectly well on the money they have be that benefits or wages or a mixture of the 2. Why is your son not able to? He has a g/f and a baby-why are you sorting out their mess? You're enabling them to just keep on as they are because they know someone will always help out. I know you love them but you're not helping them by always rescuing them financially. Do you really think they will change? They need to have a LBM of their own, not have mum bailing them out!

pollyanna_26

Oh Mooloo I pop in to try to catch up and am so sorry to read that bank of mum has taken another hammering . I can't remember if your son is one off the offspring that need support and recall little of Dolly Daydream . What happened to the bike he had for work ?
I now they live in an isolated area but they sound as if they could be classed as a vulnerable family . I am aware services are very hit and miss but is there any chance of seeking support for them ? Even something like Surestart or whatever they call it now . If you keep on you aren't going to reach retirement age !
You've worked hard and long and the point has to come where you say enough .
I agree with the terry nappies post . Had them for the eldest two in the early seventies and they were still perfect for the last two .
Really think this one through love , I know you have a big heart but
you already have more than enough on your plate , you've done all you can to change the situation and it hasn't worked . I suspect even if you could pay off everything they owe and relocate them to dolly daydreams dream home everything would be back to square one soon . Consider yourself and DGD . Life cannot go on like this .
I am not meaning to upset or offend but I worry about you and this situation is not fair or sustainable .
Look after yourself where possible .
polly x