Here we can all be heard for a little while. Part 3

geminilady

I love Gitdog does Santa Paws fetch him a present?

elsien

He gets a stocking from parent, and I am still looking for a Gitdog proof toy. Not sure such a thing exists.

i_want_to_believe

These last longer with my dog than anything else I have tried

https://www.therange.co.uk/search?q=indestructaball

dekaspace

Relative really stressing me out again, last week "borrowed" £85 from me after much begging despite knowing I am on benefits and only get £63 a week, got a text last night but didn't realise till this morning begging for another £55


This relative was fine until their partner died and their mental health deteriorated, in the past year alone was contacted a few times because they went to loan sharks when they couldn't pay a bill then I had to pay 3x the amount the same day to stop them being beaten up, its no excuse but their mental health means they are in denial about consequences and expect bailed out.

elsien

As long as you keep giving it to them, dekaspace, they will keep asking.

Perhaps you could point them towards Stepchange or one of the other debt charities?

seven-day-weekend

After my last post about closing the door on forty years of friendship, I just thought I would post something about another friendship; nice this time

Last New Year, some friends and I and my husband spent the time with another set of friends who live down south.

Anyway, over the course of the break, one of our friends felt it necessary to tell our hosts a few home truths. This happened around the dinner table, so we were there too. This caused the female host to leave and go to her daughter in the Midlands, leaving her husband to cater for us on his own for the rest of the break.

This all created a dreadful atmosphere, as you can imagine, and we left at the first opportunity.

After we had been home a few days, our host rang me (not my husband) and asked if I agreed with what our other friend had said. Well I did. I had not joined in with the discussion at the time, nor had my husband, but afterwards we had said together privately that what our other friend had said was true and that it was something that needed saying. So I tried to answer very tactfully by glossing over the fact that I agreed and putting some positive spin on it, when our host rang.

The phone call finished on good terms, but it made us feel very awkward about visiting again, because some of the things our host had said to our other friend could equally apply to us (although they had not and still haven't said them to us).

We were trying to think how to break the ice, because we don't want to lose their friendship. Anyway my husband had a brainwave. He is a talented amateur artist and has sold loads of his pet portraits. So he found a photo of their dog and sent them an original portrait for Christmas.

It worked, the man phoned, delighted, and asked when we are coming to see them. It was agreed that they will let us know the best dates for them (they have a lifestyle that means they often have loads of people at their house).

So, a long-term friendship saved. So pleased! Hopefully we can break the ice on behalf of the friend who upset them in the first place at some point.

Thanks for listening.

whitewing

deka, you must say 'no' to your friend. You can't afford it either. If they do get beaten up, it is definitely not your fault. There does become a point when people are beyond your help.

I say this as I realised this year that I am the person who works their socks off to make everybody happy at Christmas as I love Christmas and also I was so disappointed sometimes that I 'control' it myself. I get very good value for money but I think I still need to cut down.

Must get on as I have a lot of end of year stuff to do at work. It is just about manageable if I work hard and will be so much better being off next week without it hanging over me.

whitewing

SDW, I liked your post.

elsien

I'm feeling a bit sad - decided to stop Gitdog's training nights as he's not getting so much out of it anymore. We've been going for so long it feels very strange to be saying goodbye to people. However there is currently still agility to keep you all entertained.
Hope everyone is ok and coping with any mixed feelings that this time of year can bring.

onomatopoeia99

Does that mean gitdog is fully trained now? :eek:

It's my last day at work then Christmas with my brother and his family. I have an invitation to turn up a day early (tomorrow) as they have some friends coming over and are doing a meal etc, but I'm dithering. I've met their friends before and they are nice, but I'd quite like a day off from people before getting in to the hurly-burly .