Wow, things are a bit different

LondonLiz

Thanks Ceremony.  Good luck on your DFW journey.  You are right, we can't be hermits forever much as the cost savings are good for the bank balance, life would be too small and not fun.  Some spending is necessary for making life worth living!

As suspected did not get through to second interview.  They have offered feedback so once I am a bit less sensitive I shall take them up on it so that hopefully can improve.   Of course it could simply be my c.v. didn't stack up compared to other candidates but I knew I'd not done well - virtual interviews make me get verbal diarrhoea for a start.

Feeling a bit down, not just the job.  Being overtired always gives me the emotional wobbles and I've not had enough sleep all week what with work and because on Weds night new upstairs neighbors kept me awake to after 1am.  Went up at 12.30am and banged on the door and had a rant.  Person who answered door apologized and the singing and shouting at least stopped but the loud conversations went on for at least another half an hour, if at slightly lower volume.  3rd time in less than 2 weeks since they moved in they'd been singing and talking loudly with windows open.  The flat sold several months ago and the new owner has been renovating it, very noisily. I think the landlord  is now renting it as an illegal HMO and overcrowding it and there is no sitting room anymore hence the bedroom above me being so noisy.  Have complained to the managing agents who have said I'm not the only one whose complained and they have contacted the landlord.  Will report it to the Council if it happens again but it's really got me stressed.  What with the next door neighbors kids doing a Mo Farah on the floorboards most days & shattering glass with the shrieking,  I feel quite trapped.  Time to fix the flat up and try and sell eventually I think.  I'm a bit over this location and block and if it wasn't for Covid I'd get out now. I was a tenant for years and never acted so inconsiderately.

Well on that happy note I'm off to have a glass of wine (or 2..) and watch some non-demanding comfort telly (aka Downton)

LondonLiz

Back from a night away visiting friends who live in the countryside outside London.  Was worth the trip, a lovely relaxing evening just eating, chatting and watching a movie. So nice & relaxing to see them, even though they were were feeling disappointed as their son in Spain cannot come over for a planned family visit in just over a week now that the quarantine is in place.  Went for a walk today and it was a bit all over the show weather wise.  Started off blue skies and warm and the cycled between light rain, a proper downpour & chilly wind, and back to sunshine again x at least twice.  My raincoat and sunglasses were on off the whole time and my friend got really soaked as she'd optimistically not taken a jacket.  It dried out enough to have a pub lunch in the beer garden which was so nice and felt almost normal - the various social distancing measures notwithstanding.  I had a half pint to celebrate. 

Started feeling quite down on the train journey home and thinking too much.  I know its an accumulation fo feeling physically run down and fed up with everything; work which I'm not enjoying and not looking forward to getting up for tomorrow morning, the flat problems, my weight gain  no proper time off since Xmas and nothing to look forward to holiday wise, the stressful job hunting, the state of the world and the future in general. Yup, got proper sorry for myself.  Proceeded to buy and eat a whole bar of white chocolate and now feel queasy, even fatter and annoyed at my lack of willpower.  I feel like such a moaner and know lots of people have it far worse than me .  Anyway I guess I just have to suck it up and keep plodding on.

beanielou

Plodding is always good 😊

LondonLiz

Plodding away Beanie. 

Though went into central London yesterday and found it profoundly sad.  Department stores virtually empty and closing very early, no one looking like they were enjoying their shopping experience and staff seemed quite downhearted. Oxford St was a ghost town compared to what it normally would be at that time of day.  I'm genuinely concerned retail cannot and won't ever recover from this which will be sad as on line shopping can't  replace shopping in person, seeing and feeling the goods, buying something for fun or spontaneously.  Not to mention the hassle factor of true colours or trying things on  - buying bras online for example, is a nightmare of buying extra sizes and the hassle of returns.  I realised how insulated i have been staying in a small radius of home ordering on-line and only going out to the supermarket or the park for some exercise.    It's really bad out there.  I'm going  in to work for a day next week so it will be interesting to see  how that feels, though we are avoiding rush hours and not staying all day.

Anyway on MSE news I am swapping my energy supplier to one with cheaper standing charges.  I use so little gas (just the hob for cooking) the charge is the main cost and I can save quite a bit moving, even if the electricity saving is not huge.  Have certainly noticed I've used more electricity being at home since March so goodness knows what it will be like over winter.  And mine costs don't include heating as that is in the flat service charge so I'm only paying for hot water, lights and appliances. 

Work are starting to talk about me staying until October.  It's turning into "Hotel California" at this rate.  If I can use some annual leave for job hunting and to in effect work 4 days per week from beginning of September I'll stay on but I do really need to find something else, preferably perm or as long term as possible.

Two sets of friends outside of London in nice semi-rural locations have asked me to house sit during August. One is a bit far from shops etc so I'd to use a bicycle to get about but that's do-able plus another friend with a car lives one village over so we could meet up for a walk or garden drinks.  Both are massive houses, huge gardens and pretty locations so it will be a relaxing change of scenery, even if still working from home.

beanielou

House sitting sounds a great way to have a change of scene.

LondonLiz

I am so rubbish at posting - never get into a routine.  Got back Sunday night from the 2nd of my house sits.  Both were fantastic and the best thing I could have done to get out of the flat, which was really getting me down after all these months staring at the same walls. 

First place was in an amazing modern house with a huge sunny open plan lounge facing the massive garden and in walking distance to the shops (with only a  little Waitrose & an M&S Food as supermarkets so it was not a very MSE trip) but right on the edge of countryside.  It was too hot to go far though as the first few days were the really stinking hot 36C ones so I took some annual leave and just lazed around in flappy summer dresses staying hydrated and reading books in the garden in the shade, and binge watching Netflix at night. Second place was more out in the countryside and I had 2 adolescent cats to babysit who were super cute if a bit attention seeking when I was trying to work!  That house is old and quaint if a bit run down but again had a huge garden and is in a beautiful area for walks & views so although the weather it was a bit more changeable I got to go out and explore.  Plus went out for dinner in a local restaurant with a friend who lives a village away. Again spent more than usual on food & drink plus the train fare and a cab, but it was worth it.  I'm also definitely getting a cat as soon as it's practicable - it was so nice to have the company I realise I need to do that asap.  Though I need to do my flat renovations beforehand really , to minimize the disruption for cat and me.  And that's not imminent.

So back to reality, working from home again.  Have been extended to end of Sept and might be until mid October as a big project is kicking off this week and I can at least help get it started.  Reality check back at home from the quiet rural silence though - first night back was woken up at 3am by selfish noisy neighbors who must go to work early and apparently don't seem to think some sort of loud musical alarm and lots of crashing about might travel to other flats. Then second night same flat were talking and shouting at tops of voices well past any normal bedtime. So inconsiderate - I had a bit of a go at them and it seems to have helped a bit.  

Anyway have just applied for 2 perm jobs tonight, a bit unlikely I'll get an interview for either but worth a go.  In meantime shall plod along where I am and after bank holiday take some more days off so I can get some time for proper job hunting and all the other flat stuff I've been putting off. 

LondonLiz

Another week+ gone.  Feeling a bit flat again.  Other than a personal training session I feel I wasted the weekend doing not very much.   Virtually no housework done so everything looks like  a tip.  Really have to pull finger out.  I read other diaries and feel so lazy in comparison.

Did go out last week to the (open air) theatre which was enjoyable if a bit expensive for what it was.  You could see the social distancing in place in the staging for the cast (and of course in the audience)  which is understandable but aside from that I felt they'd not made much effort with the costumes & lighting and not used the stage space as imaginatively as they could have, so it was a bit disappointing on that front. And  I am trying to give some leeway; I wonder if rehearsal time was short due to lock-down or they changed the planned play to choose something easier to stage with distancing but even if that was the case creativity is free so although it was nice to see friends, do something 'normal and feel like we are supporting the arts it wasn't quite the experience I was hoping for. 

Had a dentist checkup Friday and relieved nothing significant is needed (I have a terrible track record on my teeth, which have cost an absolute fortune over the years).  Back for a hygiene visit next week with extra £40 charge for the additional precautions required - including installing air purifiers and they have to leave the room empty for an hour after aerosol producing procedures. 

Not feeling very inspired on the work front, it's a drudge now.  5 more weeks to go and then I am unemployed.  I've not had any sort of proper time off since August least year  - a week at Xmas  was the longest - so really do need a break for a while after I leave, but lets just hope it's not for TOO long!

Smashingitnow

Hi.  hope you do line up a role...the break would be relaxing that way. The house sitting though sounds wonderful!! Will you be OK for mortgage payments in November?

LondonLiz

Hi Smashingitnow thanks for popping by.  Yes I shall be fine for a while thanks.  I have a good 6 months plus of basic living standard expenses put aside but obviously not keen to spend them if I can avoid it.

So now living under Level 2 Covid. Whatever that means.  Have had to delay some planned visits to friends as they are all too far out of London to make it worth a day trip to sit in the garden for a few hours.   Still not clear if I could actually stay the night since they are outside the zone and the rules on that aren’t exactly easy to find details on, but not prepared to do it anyway.  Zoom will do for now.  Luckily my ‘bubble’ live 25 mins walk away and we are still able to catch up inside and they are always inviting me over – I think they get sick of just talking to each other!

Four weeks till I leave work.  It’s still busy but not quite so manic now the handover is virtually done and I’m just finishing various things off and helping with back office stuff so the new perm person does the really hefty part of the job.  It’s definitely a sector I’ll be avoiding in future if I can. It’s full of ungrateful, privileged, entitled people from (mostly) quite affluent backgrounds, who loudly and frequently moan about their less than demanding working hours, comfortable white collar jobs and generous pay & pensions and have no idea how insulated from the real world they actually are.  Yes I’m glad to be leaving before I say all that to someone! I have loads of leave to be paid out as being an interim job I wasn’t able to take proper holidays even before Covid less alone after it when my hours shot up to stupid o’clock per day.  So am effectively paid through to at least mid December then will be digging onto the savings.  

Have applied for a couple of jobs and 2 more close next week so that’s a weekend task.  Not motivated at all, have really gone off certain aspects of what I do but it’s probably too late for a total career change at this stage, even if I knew what I really fancied doing instead and I don’t. Never really have tbh, not like some of my friends who had careers mapped out from an early age.  Plus right now it’s difficult to compete for jobs outside your skills and experience when there are others more suited on the market. 

I’ve spent a bit in the last week or so.  A new Kindle on Prime Day since my ancient one has stopped charging up.  It was about a third off normal price.  Also ordered a new waterproof padded coat given I’m walking more to avoid public transport and although my old puffer jacket is still very warm it’s not much use in the rain.  Got it on sale for half price and then 10% more off for signing up to the nuisance emails.  So £50, but I am pining after a another coat on Amaz*n which is a gorgeous dark purple and heavier filling so warmer BUT £78. It’s actually £105 in stores even on sale so it’s a good price but trying not to order it as well to compare them both, as you can see where that would end up.  Let’s hope the cheaper one is fine and I’m not tempted.

Have also paid for 4 more personal training sessions.  I've been going roughly weekly lately. We’ve been out in the park for months but not sure how long that will last as winter kicks in.  If I don’t have a job by end of January I may have to stop or cut frequency right down since it is a luxury.  He’s also not put the session price up for absolutely years and is now hinting about that.  Perfectly reasonable but it might be the crunch point to decide what I can really afford.   However it does get me out of the house and doing some exercise and I need that for the mental health benefits as such as the physical so will be hard to give it up.  My gym membership expired before lockdown and I’m not renewing given the current situation-  especially as my gym were not the greatest at cleaning even before Covid so my trust in their hygiene standards for the virus would be low.

I still have no working washing machine (long story) so have to go to the Laundromat again.  I’ve eked out with the hand washing of the underwear & sportswear, and the bedding has lasted far longer than is normal for me but I really need to do a load now.  Machine must be ordered this weekend.  I am in product analysis paralysis mode and anxious about making the wrong choice.  Once I do that, I then have to sort out installation as it’s not straightforward (of course it’s not) partly hence the indecision.

So that’s the update for now.  I shall try to pop on more often and even get up the courage to comment on some other diaries I regularly read and admire.

LondonLiz

I just got phoned by an agency about a job.  Short term contract doing something that won't be very nice to do and not the greatest pay rate but if I got it would take me well into January so here's hoping.

Have not ordered washing machine (still dithering) or been to launderette (too lazy). Have one more pair of clean wearable knickers left.  I’ve already gone through all the ones that lurk at the back of the undie drawer –“comfy old favourites but elastic now dodgy”, “uncomfortable lacy ones for sexy times” (that have got cobwebs on), the “I forgot these ride up and give wedgies unless worn under one specific pair of jeans” ones.  Today is the ‘slightly too small but too nice to chuck out’ version. I am not resorting to the thongs/g-strings (what was I thinking?!) that do just need to be binned.

Did go and buy some curtains on the weekend. £20 on Amaz*n Marketplace and a total bargain.  My ancient bedroom wooden Venetian blind broke weeks ago and is not closing properly.  I've been pinning an old sheet up.... so glamorous and not that effective at light blocking.  As I have a very bright security light shining into my bedroom at night had to do something but was reluctant to buy 'new new' as I am planning on some flat redecorating early next year and don't want to commit to the  colour and 'look' yet.  I’ve been trawling charity shops as was willing to take anything cheap no matter how ugly so long as they fit my odd sized window but couldn't find anything.  These are so nice I might well keep them. Or they can go into the spare room in due course.