A Ditherer's Diary (again)

Humdinger1

@Naomim late to the party; not yet on last page of your diary, but just wanted to say that you have done the right thing.  Caught between your DH feeling -who knows what - and an absolute scoundrel, what room for manoeuvre did you have?! Keep going, love your diary.  You're doing brilliantly though perhaps it's easier to see that from the outside.  Love Humdinger x

Naomim

Hi @Humdinger1 and welcome 🖐🏻

Saturday, 11yo and I had a lovely day at Madame Tussauds, we left there and got a tube to the O2 and had a Nando's lunch and then a boat up the Thames back to Westminster Bridge.  Getting off the bridge the Oyster card readers weren't working so I have been charged for a full journey. I've had to contact TFL for a partial refund.  The lunch and travel costs are coming out the days out pot.

Today a roofer came round. Obviously this all goes back to the shoddy builders and all the trouble we had with the extension.  He thinks the roof isn't pitched enough so the velux windows are sitting too flush and the water is coming in under them.  He is going to replace the flashings round the window and see whether that fixes it but until we have more heavy rain, we won't know.

This morning I went and got DD's new school uniform. Got blazer, tie, PE top, shorts, fleece & PE socks for £121.  Not as bad as some others!  Still need to get her shirts, trousers and shoes.  I did buy some trousers in M&S but she's a bit wider than taller so they're a bit slim in the waist and long in the leg. Think I'll return them and try somewhere else.  

Yesterday I returned my new birkenstocks to Next so a £55 refund to go back on the account and a tankini bought for dd but she didn't like it. I was too late returning the tankini so they gave me a refund card.  Last month I was late paying 😕 I must set up  a dd. It's the only account I don't have one set up for.  

And finally the 16yo. Am hardly seeing him these days. He's got a new girlfriend the past couple of months so obviously "young love" and all that. When he is here he's in his room asleep! They were going to Brighton today. He has use of my old Barclays account, my child benefit money goes in there.  I used to leave £75 on there when he was at school to pay for lunches as he used to get a meal deal in Mr T's on the way.   This month the money hit on the 20th and I forgot to transfer it out. He's done £140 in a week 😡  I have messaged him to say I have frozen the card and not happy! 

MrM's birthday and our 20th wedding anniversary next week. We've decided to have an afternoon tea so I need to get cracking and book the day off and book the tea! Then I can start my diet! lol

Hope everyone is safe and well.

Naomim

CRANKY40

If you've frozen the card it might be a while before you see him if he doesn't have bus fare 😁 There's not much going on between the ears at this age though is there, sigh? Mine gets £40 a month in his bank account which he has a card for and £40 a month in his savings which he can't get at. I have my fingers crossed that GCSE results day will prove that he's not quite as oblivious to real life as he currently appears to be.  

WinterWarrior

Oh my goodness, did he think the money fairies had been??

Naomim

@CRANKY40 & @WinterWarrior it's all gone on food! Bloody uber eats. 

I've sent him a link to a new restaurant opening in our local town to apply for a job. 

I must crack on and get his account opened. Just got no photo ID as his passport expired 

CRANKY40

We debated queuing up at Maccies yesterday and the  HT decided he couldn't be bothered. He asked could we order and I said no. He said he'd pay the delivery and I still said no. They charge £3 to deliver because "it's so far away" - that's what it says on their web site. I am short and fat and can walk there in 6 minutes. No way am I paying £3...... and then it asks if you want to tip them! Thieving bandits 😮

I've just redone the HT's passport. At least you don't have to mess around getting photos signed now. 

WinterWarrior

Excellent idea about the job, it sounds like he should pay you back. Even when no good with money you tend to realise when you’ve spent more than you should have 🤣
I’m now jealous about macd’s and Uber eats…none of that newfangled fast food or delivery up here…I can almost hear the kilts fluttering with horror at the very thought 😬

Naomim

McD's wont deliver to us but 16yo has varied tastes. He'd eat out of a bin!  Ah the home of the deep fried Mars bar. Down south we've just discovered curry sauce on chips! 🤣

@CRANKY40 I didn't know you don't need pictures signing now. Will investigate as handy for ID.

CRANKY40

If you have your photo done at a proper photo place they give you a code to input on your application which is your photo that was taken. If you've had a previous passport you input the passport number and the photo code and that's more or less it apart from a few personal details and paying for it. The HT's ran out 2 years ago but it still only took me 15 minutes to apply for the new one. We had the email to say it had been approved yesterday. 

WinterWarrior

I’m from Yorkshire so am ashamed to say I haven’t sampled a deep fried Mars bar. I remember being horrified that chip shops around here don’t know what a proper fish cake is! They think it’s like a mushed up supermarket offering and not a proper scollop with fish wrapped in batter…so sad ☹️

I didn’t know about passport photos not needing signing either. Mine ran out over 10 years ago and I’ve never renewed!