Mooloo's little tapestry of life, 2016

Savvy_sewing

I was up, cup of tea, threw clothes on, DGD in her onsie and we were out by 6.45 this morning. Just after sunrise so beautiful colours emerging in the early morning light.
The day dreaming has been put to the back of the mind and what we need to do today takes the priority.
At 10 till 12 I'm teaching part two of the skirt.
No children this afternoon, so I should be able to tackle some more light hearted work.
I updated the website standards, and Biggest of Mooloo's is going to help me to develop an online shop on my website.
So we will be able to sell our things on the site.
It will mean upgrading my computer, and setting up a mail order section.
So a little post room area/station is needed and a trip to the post office on the way home required.
Probably a dig out of the digital camera too.

Savvy_sewing

SHOUTING from the roof tops.
EE and others of course. I finally have had a letter back from the council.
They have reduced my housing bill by £3162.09. Result
The letters are really difficult to understand, however the bill left appears to now still be £1190.87
But as it was near £4,500 before I can live with that one. I'm adjusting to my reduced income etc and the amount they are clawing it back at.
The Council Tax figures are still wrong!
They still do not show the CCP disregard before 11th July this year.
So it looks like yet another letter to them is required. The calculations for the Council Tax should agree with the Housing Benefit calculations afterall.
Oh well.
We live to fight on then. £40 a week difference is a lot to change the maths afterall.
The mind boggles as to why they still can't get it right!

Eager_Elephant

Excellent news on the reduced OP but I am still not sure if it is correct.


I am busy packing for my son to go to Uni and just popped on before bed but I will check our WhatsApp messages later this week and let you know if I think there should still be an Overpayment of any sort.


Not sure why they have not put the childcare in the council tax calculation as it is all done on one screen.


I agree that another letter will be needed as they must make sure it is right - but a pain for you and of course council tax expect the larger payments.

Savvy_sewing

I was up early again to take DS to his job, but went back to bed for a few hours afterwards.
It's catch up on the washing however my rotary drier has broken, so my friend has temporarily wedged it back together and hung another line from the pole one side of my garden to the tree the other side.
DGD had Brownie campfire yesterday and so her uniform needs to be clean again ready for tomorrow, so that load was on a quick wash and dry load.
The sun keeps coming and going out there and the weather really isn't making up its mind! When there are no clouds it's lovely and warm, but as soon as the sun goes it's chilly.
I should be out there weeding really.
Perhaps I will go and do 20 minutes. Better then nothing.
Although curling up with a good book would be good.

Savvy_sewing

Every time I went out the rain started. The washing came in, it would stop, get it out it started again!
I gave up.
I went back to Aldi to get mum her second matteress topper for the spare room. Ready for when my sister visits.
I would have brought home the rotary dryer from her garage, but couldn't fit it in the car. It's going to have to be a dry day when I can put the roof down.
I had instead washing hanging around the house, rather resembling Wishy Washy's house.
DGD had her bath and hair wash without too much of an arguement. We were in bed by around 8.30pm
However she woke me at 3am as she had wet the bed! That's not a usual occurrence thankfully. But I did struggle to get back to sleep and the alarm at 6 was too soon!
So what is in store today I wonder!?
The aim is to finish the jacket sleeves, then the cassock, and then any other jobs I have in.
I'd like to get some more photographs done of the shop, ready to update the website.
There are quite a few improvements since I started in 2014
On the home front, I'm always rather ambitious in what I want to achieve, and rather lacking in what I do do! So perhaps I'll just think positively and see how my energy goes.
I wonder if the council send through an update of their calculations for the council tax side of things?
I'm thinking that perhaps it will be in a second envelope as the first was rather fat again. It's still going to take a while for them to claim back the outstanding amounts. So I won't really see any changes until all that has been cleared, probably take a few years!
On the plus side, as DS got to go to work, he will eventually get paid for it which will ease the pressure slightly.
As long as they pay bills first!
She had started to clean the kitchen she said, quite proud of herself, but considering it was 5 days since I told them it should have all been done, and she should have started with the floor, and worked her way up from the baby's height!
I will be at the doctors on Wednesday morning, as I need a medicine review. So I'm not sure what time I will be able to do the shopping with them. Or my Mum.

duchy

*Robin* wrote: »

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!

Frankly the increased costs of washing and drying would wipe out any short term advantage , plus the reason cloth babies tend to train earlier is because they are uncomfortable. If they can't keep up with keeping the home basic clean for now then adding to the workload with more washing is probably not the way forward.

Mooloo they really do need to be in a town now, not just for DS's work but also so she can access mum and baby groups for peer support (and you and Biggest don't have to be a taxi service). That arrears has to be a priority.....but getting them to understand that might be the hardest task.

Savvy_sewing

duchy wrote: »

Frankly the increased costs of washing and drying would wipe out any short term advantage , plus the reason cloth babies tend to train earlier is because they are uncomfortable. If they can't keep up with keeping the home basic clean for now then adding to the workload with more washing is probably not the way forward.

Mooloo they really do need to be in a town now, not just for DS's work but also so she can access mum and baby groups for peer support (and you and Biggest don't have to be a taxi service). That arrears has to be a priority.....but getting them to understand that might be the hardest task.

I agree that she cannot keep up with their normal washing, so Terry nappies would be a disaster.
72 nappies in Aldi are £5.79 and last around 2 weeks I think.
I realise paying the housing arrears is important, but I am not stumping up the £1,000 as they have to learn that they have a responsibility to inform the council of financial changed immediately. They should also prioritise the payments to clear the arrears first before they do anything else.
I only paid the Bailiffs because they had too be done. But I would help them look at budgets etc, but I don't intend to just turn into a cash cow.

duchy

Oh gosh I wasn't implying you should pay it off , more it needs to be drummed into them that they need to make it a priority (or she gets her parents to help)

Savvy_sewing

duchy wrote: »

Oh gosh I wasn't implying you should pay it off , more it needs to be drummed into them that they need to make it a priority (or she gets her parents to help)

Sorry, I didn't mean it to come across as if you were.
They wanted me to guarantor a 12 year loan!!
So they could start again. Except I know that until they learn the value of the money, and the need to prioritise it's just going to be another disaster.
DS has work again today. This time Biggest of Mooloo's is taking him. So he has listened and shared his needs so to speak.
Tonight I'm babysitting for her again, as the other granny has the flu.
Last night I had a sewing lesson after the shop was closed and as DGD was out llama trekking it was ideal.
Although it would've great if I could get several people in at the same time.
I also now need to think about the next round of lessons to offer, as we are getting quite a few enquieries. Perhaps it's time to reserect the sewing Surgery mornings.
Will hat with staff about our schedule.
Time to open up the shop and get moving.
Have a good day everyone. Think positively and remember to be thankful for the little things. It sounds daft, but it has really made a difference to my view on my life and nothing seems quite as bad as it used to. There was a time when all this trouble would have had my stress levels into the stratusphere!

Almost-free

When a family has nothing bailiffs can't take anything - so paying them doesn't make sense .they have to go back to the office and report the family is in extremis. It would be better to endorse they pay rent regularly going fur ward and come to an arrangement about paying arrears. I also agree they need to be rehoused in a more accessible place - poverty is far worse in a rural area than in a town purely because of accessibility to cheap food etc and getting to and from places as your sons situation clearly illustrates.