Travelling On

Karmacat

I've just been through about 10 pages of my diary, making a note of kitchen alterations suggested by everyone, its been great. Thank you again, all of you. I definitely want to get it going.

Karmacat

I'm so glad I did the kitchen renovation notes yesterday evening - stopped me obsessing about other stuff quite so much!

Today is an at home day, another "work" day. So:


- dishwasher is filled up and on.
done


- I've done SB - and on the travel questions, I've inputted details for a trip I'm actually interested in, which feels quite odd!
done


- get the recycling and the rubbish out of the house and garden.
done


- back up the computer. I'm continually meaning to do more scanning, but I can back those up separately on a usb stick. I really need current documents backed up, so I'll do it no matter what.
fiddly bits done, now just a question of letting the external disc do its thing.


- activate my card reader for my new current account, test it by paying latest cc off.
- hop on to HMRC, and start inputting. I don't have any figures to input yet :rotfl: but there's bits of admin to do before you do that, and it will be good to check out the account. Shouldn't take long this year.
- go for a bit of a walk, I need that. I can pick up the Sun holiday voucher thing while I'm at it.
- bit more garden pruning, there are still a few brambles leaking through the hedge from next door, as well as more that have rooted themselves here
- a late addition: promised an online acquaintance I'd try out one of her recipes, something from stores that eats vaguely like fried bread, I think thats the one!

rtandon27

Karmacat wrote: »

...another "work" day...

This has had me laughing KC - you are as retired as OH & all he does all day is 'play' :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Karmacat

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I know, I'm starting to see it myself, hence the quote marks! :o:o

But all that stuff needs doing - and lots of it is everyday, actually. Everyone needs to sort their rubbish and recycling, everyone needs to do the other stuff too, if its relevant to them (people who don't have gardens tend not to do any weeding ). I need to somehow catch up enough so that I only have a couple of days a week that contain a morning's "work".

Anyway, I had a long lunch, then for my walk I went into my local high street, bought some slipper sox for my brother as a (very) late Christmas present, from Marks so he can take them back if necessary which I'd told him already, then bought the Sun on the way back. I've put the slow cooker on, just cooking beans and split peas, to be used in various meals. I might do other stuff later, but right now, I'm going to have yet another cuppa tea and watch a dvd

ETA - tell me, RT, what does your OH actually do? I'm fine with playing by going out, but I don't have the energy to do that every day. Playing at home ... genealogy (though that can become work, its so detailed), craft work (haven't done any for years), writing (though that gets to be work near publication). Reading is my go-to relaxation Achieving something in the garden is wonderful, though, unalloyed pleasure
:j:j:j

Karmacat

The only other thing I did yesterday was start to sort paperwork into date order for tax declarations. The only things that *matter* are the French paperwork and the savings accounts - though maybe a declaration that I'm under the £1000 limit will be enough, I don't know, I'll check before I go any further.

Two leftover items from yesterday need to be done this morning: activate my bank's card reader, so I can pay my cc and take full control of my current account, then log on to HMRC and faff about with the account settings as above.

I'm having the afternoon off :rotfl: U3A group, online family history :j

[Deleted User]

Karmacat wrote: »

I'm having the afternoon off :rotfl: U3A group, online family history :j

Sounds fun. I hope you enjoy it and find it useful:j.


I need to get on with renewing OH's driving licence today without fail. It doesn't expire until mid March. Over-70s have to renew every 3 years but a new photo isn't required every time so it's free to do. He likes to be prepared and is always ridiculously early (IMO anyway) for everything. Good job one of us doesn't always leave things to the last minute though:rotfl:. He keeps reminding me to do it (he's a technophobe and has nothing to do with the online world) but there is a postal route too which I think he'd feel happier taking. I can't see the point of doing anything the slow way when there's an instant and free option. Even the return addressed envelope they included in their reminder needs a stamp:(. I think he worries he's entering the unknown by letting me do this renewal online:rotfl:

Karmacat

Nice one, CBC! I'm all for instant and free - my new passport last year was a great example of that, no photo booth, no stamp, no recorded delivery, instant information by text message from them, it was great. Sorry your OH is getting spooked, though :rotfl:


I confess, I'm getting spooked myself **sigh** HMRC are completely part of the Gateway thing now, so I got myself sorted on it, new to me, and then I reached a page telling me I might not need to make a declaration, jolly good, go through the system (except I didn't have the exact French numbers, so I'd have to do it again anyway) and **then** they say to make self assessment declarations you need the *old* log in details. But if I'd been able to see where to use them, I'd have used them in the first place **sobs quietly, then loudly, into hanky**.

And though I obviously took care in filing the papers for the first part of the tax year 2017-18, the papers for the second part are all mixed up in 2018-19 in other words, I've made even more of a pig's ear than usual.

**And** of course, in 2017-18, the declaration year in question, there are dribs and drabs of probate money - some from institutions, which came to me and then two thirds out to my brother and sister, and some that went to my brother and a third came to me.

I'm retired! Why isn't this easier! **stamps foot**.

/endrant, sort of.

[Deleted User]

Success! OH's driving licence duly renewed online (a nice, easy process with no glitches, thank goodness:j). OH is very happy:rotfl:. He's even gone so far as to say he plans to 'treat' me for doing it. That's an event to celebrate in itself:eek:


I'm sorry you've had so much angst with your online self assessment submission. Many of these websites and systems are just not fit for purpose IMO:(. I'm just thankful I still have my marbles (well, most of them:rotfl:) and can cope with most of the dealings with bureaucracy that OH and I need to do. Even though I don't do much for him online (although he might trust it as a reliable method once his replacement driving licence turns up safe and sound;)) I usually fill in and send off most of his paperwork etc. I honesty feel that these official organisations make things as difficult as possible for people. How really old people with limited experience of dealing with bureaucracy cope when suddenly having to do it, maybe after the death of a spouse who used to take care of all that, I'll never know. No wonder so many elderly people get scammed and ripped off:eek:.


Must get off my soapbox now:o. I just think it's an indictment of the system when a perfectly intelligent, organised and computer-literate person like yourself has to jump through so many hoops and be caused such frustration. I hope it didn't put a dampener on your day:kisses3:

Goldiegirl

My husband reaches the advanced age of 70 in three years time, so I'm delighted to hear that the process is straightforward. Our current driving licences are the 'pink' versions, nearly 30 years old, so the online application will be new to us, when the time comes.

I feel KC's pain - although computers are supposed to make life easier, it so frustrating, sometimes

badmemory

Wait until you get state pension & they stop you filing self assessment. They call it a simple assessment. Well it would be simple if they got it right. They get the state pension direct from DWP, well one of them got that wrong. They are supposed to get the interest on taxable accounts from the banks. They only got a third of it. It didn't make any difference to the bill but you still have to check it because if it's wrong it's your fault.



Actually it was about 20p too much but having had to put the interest right I decided their need was greater than mine. Looking forward to 18/19 bill as if they make the same mistake to my state pension it will save me at least £50. As the DWP pay it they must have it right.