NST: November 2019

Toni'sfriend

NSD No 17

Made my lists for next week. Goodness there's a lot on them. Hope I manage it all.

Emailed the lady who rents our holiday accommodation to us to let her know when we'll be arriving and emailed our friends with a list of things for them to bring with them as they are driving and we're going by train.

The Boy is coming for his Sunday roast dinner. Himself has prepared the veg (using up some sprouts for us, The Boy won't touch them!). Have made some more soup for the Boy's lunches so will have to put those in to containers when he brings them here.

Having a quiet day because it's going to be busy next week.

f0xh0les

Afternoon all!
I have laundered all the laundry that has come down the stairs, dried it and returned it to owners. No doubt DS1 & 2 will bring theirs down at some point. I do not provide a collection service.

Took myself off and did the food shop - went to her0n (vanilla rice milk and smoothies!) went to Mr T's (reduced non-meat sausages and vegan galaxy bars) and Wilk0 ( 2 hot water bottles and extra boxes of tissues)
Woke up with the sore throat from Hull, and a mild cough, so drinking copious amounts and it is being bearable. I need to get through volunteering tomorrow and then we can re-evaluate the being ill situation - currently it is not convenient.

Gratitudes:
DH cooked lunch - what a star!
Reduced sausages - it is an easy teatime favourite
I think I have enough shaved off this month's budget to sort my stupid car. Dh seems to think he can sort my seatbelt beep problem.

As of 8am tomorrow, we are on strike.
Stayed on NSD14

mothernerd

Okay no major physical activity is going to happen today. Have looked at the drain and bathwater has flushed another pile of grunge up. That will have to do. It may have to do until Wednesday. Pushing myself back into an upright position when I had slumped down was a major effort and even breathing was a chore a couple of times. I have brought the Christmas cards and one of DS3's shirts onto the bed so cards will be written and stamped ready to go later in the week and the shirt button will be sewn on (may do them all as a precaution.


I have had a shower because I didn't get one yesterday. I waited until I'd finished mauling with the grid and drainage system, then went back out to do 'gardening' and by then I was too exhausted to do anything but crawl back onto the bed. I have done a bung it into the oven lunch but can't face hunting for clothes and dragging myself out - not even to see the reindeer and I do love them.


Mostly been playing old songs which has made me tearful. Not only sad songs but Streets of London was on and I thought why are we still struggling with this problem? I am struggling because there are so many charities I want to support but really can't spare any more cash. I am too near the edge. I am comfortably poor but only one step away from dire poverty (where you cannot escape whatever you do) and it's making me feel vulnerable. So I'm going to try to do a little political without being party political.


My starting point is DS1's rant yesterday (he called it a rant) This was set off by a man on question time who earned over £80,000 pa and thought he wasn't in the top 50% of earners and every doctor and solicitor earned more than he did (don't shout at me). My house is worth less than this man earns a year and he's only 8 miles from me. Prices there will be slightly higher but he could comfortably buy a house like mine each and every year.


DS1 highlighted the moment but later wrote his 'rant' (more a stream of conciousness and a lot more eloquent than the ones his dad used to do - I used to struggle endlessly with each word striving for brevity and clarity).


He was struggling to understand the mindset of someone so blinkered (many of the problems we face here are equally prevalent in Bolton, where DS1 lived for many years) to anyone whose circumstances do not match his own.


DS1 said the only thing he had going for him was his intelligence (top one percent of the top one percent - I had him tested) and it had taken many years of hard work and setbacks to parlay that into a just above average salary. The parts that nearly made me cry were 'being born smart and with a mother who pushed me to develop my potential' and 'How could I cope if I couldn't think my way through thingsand hadn't had a parent who taught me that books and puzzles and challenging youself are more rewarding than sitting in front of a tv just because that was easier for her'. Ds1 realises how lucky he was to be born when and where he was but still hasn't had an easy life.


Today he has been backed up by a deputy head who says that after the C*!!* holidays they have children who come back thinner. Their parents are in work but generally forced into slum landlord accommodation which takes half their income and without the buffer of school meals they struggle. They have so little that any repair or extra need can push them into debt.


These aren't 'problem' children, they attend without fail but they come in shoes that are worn out because they can't add the extra burden of asking for a replacement, cold and wet because there is no bus or the bus stop has been damaged and not repaired. (I remember in the days when I had to visit the DHSS office, many women wearing sandals and a thin cardigan or raincoat in winter, because that was all they had - I myself wore Jesus sandals most of the time for a period of 5 - 10 years).


So this deputy head (who is above the £80,000) says take the extra tax she will pay each month, in fact take it twice or three times, it's less than she spends on a bottle of wine. In the fifth richest country in the world, 34,000 chldren shouldn't be living in poverty.


So please please vote, encourage everyone you know to vote (they have two days left to register) especially young people who are massively under represented.


I'm not saying how you should vote but please consider:-
three old people a day die from inadequate care (paid carer's are often on poverty pay)
thousands of sick and disabled people have died after having their benefits stopped erroneously (many have had them reinstated after their deaths)
Women of my age were cheated of their pensions - those who were over 59 had in many cases been pushed/ opted for early retirement redundancy or redundancy expecting that their state pension would kick in within the year. Many were already sick themselves or caring for others. Our state pension is far below that of many European countries.
service veterans are more likely to be divorced, homeless, unemployed or in prison than the rest of their age group (and may have MH or addiction problems)
most of us need our NHS and should not be at the mercy of speculators and privateers.


Rant over


Today I am grateful for our NHS, for having time to rest because I really need to (although I do have some decisions to make and I'm getting close to crossing non-essentials off the list) and for one of my children saying nice things about me - I get the blame for everything, it's nice to get some praise.


One last thing to think about - I lived through the 3 day week and productivity stayed stable. Workers were happier, better rested and therefore accomplished more in less time. If everything that needs to be done can be done in 3 days (and the company still has the same amount of cash to dole out) then why are we all pressured into working all the hours we do under great stress. Exhausted workers make passive, compliant consumers - too tired to do anything more than slump on the couch watching mindless tv and guzzling takeaway. We should all be working 3 days, spending more time with our families (sorry f0xh0les) or doing the things we love and making wiser decisions about what we really need.

crazy_cat_lady

Mothernerd - thank you for making me feel a lot better about the flea situation. It really does help me to feel a bit better knowing I'm not the only one that struggles to get it under control.
Also agree with your political statement. I saw that man on QT last week and was shocked that he couldn't understand his earnings were so high. I am a teacher so I see all of these things you mentioned, my mam is a WASPI so I see that too, and I see the world ahead for my kids when I got to go to uni for free and just made it onto the housing ladder. The only way to try and get change is to vote for it. I almost cried last week because I need a doctors appointment for dd and can't get one. I tried online every day and rang when I could and there's just nothing... I earn less than half of that £80k in a 'profession' but would still happily pay more tax for improved services.

Toni'sfriend

Don't think it's a rant at all. You make very many valid points.

I rent from the local authority. Half the houses in our estate have been bought and the the others are either rented from the council or rented privately. A great community where everyone looks after everyone else. We know if someone on their own hasn't been seen for a few days and check if they are ok, look after the local children and no one will ever go hungry here. But, yes it must be hugely difficult for those who don't have this community support. I wish I had the answer on how to solve all these problems but I don't. In the meantime all we can do is our own little bit no matter how small to help out those in need. And I have to say, Mothernerd, you do more than most.

Toni'sfriend

CCL - I am also shocked at how much some people think average earnings are. I'm retired, paying tax on a very modest company pension (worked from age 16 to 62 and never claimed a benefit) but I'd be happy to pay more tax if it improved services.

apple_muncher

Well said, mothernerd. As ever.

Karmacat

Thank you for your eloquence, mothernerd. Just like your DS, there's no rant there, just facts and logical thought and a passion for justice.

DawnW

Coming out of Lurkdom to say, well said Mothernerd :T:T:T

I used to be a higher rate tax payer, and did not resent it at all.
Not now, as I am retired on a small work pension . state pension / small self employed earnings, but I would pay more to ensure that children did not go hungry and people could get a GP appointment in a reasonable time.

thriftylass

mothernerd wrote: »

So please please vote, encourage everyone you know to vote (they have two days left to register) especially young people who are massively under represented.

This ^^^^^

I so wish I could vote. I'm European, with settled status and have paid tax here for the last 16 years, married to a Brit with British children. And I can't vote (because I don't have the 1200 quid it takes to become a citizen). However, I always vote in the local Scottish elections when I'm allowed.

GO VOTE!


Sorry, sneaks back into her hole. I've just been lurking again rather than taking part properly. However, that seems to still have a positive effect on my habits.