Moving forward and upwards

MovingForwards

Skinty, I don't watch normal TV, so no licence needed. Admittedly, when I first moved up here we were watching things on TomBo's PC monitor, but that was just silly as it was too small. I ended up buying a used TV and that's been connected to his PC ever since. We only watch it in the evening, if he's working then it's not on unless I put a memory stick in it. 

We've got wood chip / mulch between each section, I wanted slabs but got overruled on that one!

Ren, we've got several builders sacks, for spud growing next year. They will be put where the greenhouse was and make better use of the space. Technically, I can have 4 bags, one for each season. Rotational will be something else in it the following year.
I grew spuds in shopping bags this year 😁

My planting will be a mix of garden, tubs, bags, sacks, hanging baskets and anything else I can get my hands on / improvise with 😊 

In a way I can take over the communal bits too with more pots and tubs. There's 6 flats, 3 of us step outside, only 2 of us have used our gardens 🤫

A lot of people in my gardening group were affected by blight, I was being very attentive to what was going on in the garden!

MovingForwards

Made two jars of green tomato chutney today, they are now in the pantry and will hopefully be ready for Christmas, just need to find some nice cheese to go with it.
I've never made it before, had to scale down the recipe and had to substitute a few things for alternatives. I did try the spoon a couple of times, it seems ok, but TomBo didn't seem too impressed.

I will need to get a chair for the kitchen if I'm doing things like this next year, as by the time I had finished I was fighting back the tears.

Managed to have a shower sitting down on my folding stool.

Tea is shin of beef, veg and pasta, almost like a chunky Bolognese.

Irenadler

Oh dear, I forget I am preaching to the (money-saving) converted, lol, kudos on the shopping bag spuds! 

Hmmm, stealth gardening, now there's an idea...

MovingForwards

I'm definitely a convert! It's hard to believe how quickly I've turned everything around!
I will treat that space as an overflow, it may not be needed if I can be as methodical in the garden as I have been with everything else 🤭
Over the next few months have a proper look at your garden as I'm sure you could find a few extra places to grow things.

I will be popping to see SIL, mini me and furballs this week; not sure what hours BIL works. Got sent a photo of the furballs and they asked for food. Still got lettuce and other things for them.

MovingForwards

Spent hours on the phone, online and emailing trying to get the gas / electric sorted out today. The guy had closed the complaint as resolved, which is why I never heard further from them, got another complaint on the go and several people trying to resolve it / the whole issue. 

I've still not had anything come to this address from a utility company. Although that doesn't surprise me because even the meter point companies can't get the addresses right, the electric one thinks we are all of the same building number eg number 1 with no individual flat identification eg 1a or 1 1FL, if they can't get it right, how are the utilities supposed to.

All I want is someone to acknowledge the meter numbers are all mixed up, allocate my flat numbers, get the addresses right and then have a company say yeah, we will have that flat.

The next step is to write an email to the two potential companies, the two meter point companies and 0fg3m, let them thrash it out and get told off at the same time; will do that in December when I'm off and can collate everything properly if it's not been sorted out.

I've a splitting headache and my ears are ringing so I guess it's going to turn into a migraine.

Roll on the weekend 😶

atrixa

Utility companies are sometimes awful to deal with. A well-known electricity provider caused me a lot of stress years ago trying to sort out my economy 10 meter. I had to go through the ombudsman in the end. I wish you the very best of luck and hope you feel better soon!

MovingForwards

I've never known anything like this Atrixa, normally it's a case of call them and account is set up. Even when I've lodged complaints with utilities, it's been resolved. Never have I ended up spending 5 hours in one day trying to sort something out. Several phone calls, about 10 emails with various attachments, checking different sites to show where some of the problems are.
Having to start at the beginning again, knowing that the numbers the carrier / provider give me are not for this flat and I've got evidence they are not otherwise I would have my gas and electric company and be paying them! So once more the one company will try and take over, that will get stopped at it's a neighbours property not mine and I will be back to square one 😐

MovingForwards

It was MOT day. Had a nervous afternoon waiting for the call, but she went through with no advisories. Hopefully over the next year I can build the car fund back up again 🙈

Had an acknowledgement from the utility company this morning, let's see what happens this time.

Noticed on one of the threads the tax man has set up a quick claim t-x r3li3f p0rtal for those working at home. Apparently it covers people to March 2021. 
I've had to set up another online account as mine doesn't cover personal tax, only business, which is odd as it lists all my jobs, tax numbers and NI record. Waiting for my address to update so I can submit my claim. This is the first job where they haven't updated my address with the tax office; if ever I move I know to add that to my to do list.

Waiting for a few dry hours so I can pop outside, do a little weeding and tidy the patio. TomBo is still dealing with the monster stump, acts as an outlet for him and he takes his (work) frustration out on it 😊

Due to the weather, I'm not doing much aside from work. Perhaps now is the perfect time to do the bits inside 😀

I don't know if I will hit my £5k savings target this year.
In a way I'm sad about that, but I also know there wasn't a full 12 months to raise the money. I've purchased a home and all the expenses that go with it, got a few things for the home and had that car repair bill.
Although I've put things on the CC, for ease and the protection offered, I've cleared the CC each time and quickly. It was a choice to raid the savings or put it on the CC and not put as much away each month, balancing itself out while having the safety blanket of keeping money in the bank.
Whatever I did would have seen savings dip or have them slow down. I feel I made the right choice.

Only 8 days until payday. £52 in the bank, although £47 of that is earmarked for breakdown cover and bank fee.

Having pie tonight 🤗

Skint_yet_Again

What a hassle with the utility company hope you get it sorted quickly. 

You have done so much buying your home & paying your credit card I think you have done well to save anything. Good news about the MOT 🤗

Irenadler

Very odd utility company - you'd think they'd be keen to sort it out and get paid!

Gold star for persevering so long, I think I would've given up after hour one....

I think you have the right approach well sorted - buying on credit card and clearing it, but, still saving and not dipping into it.... I don't think I will ever dare get one, at least not for a very long time, until stuff is sorted....