It's time to begin.....

Kakiste

Last week of term this week- I'm off out ice skating with my form this afternoon. They're all very excited. (As am I) 

My younger cat has given up trying to climb the christmas tree- she's a bit sulky about this as she managed it multiple times last year when she was a kitten but as she is now cat sized she's too heavy for the artificial branches! Older cat has observed all this tree climbing with a look of derision and scorn at the playfulness but I found her carrying a bauble to the kitchen in her mouth yesterday so she could knock it around the floor! 

Kakiste

Happy christmas all. 🙂 Been a better one than last year; still a number of days where I had arguments started 'at me' where my takeaway from them has been 'what a ridiculous person he is' but all is mostly on track. 

I can't really do an end of year budget review as HSBC still haven't come up with the figures they are paying me in repaid interest and charges (the person handling my complaint their end is off sick but Ombudsman are chasing them) however even being very conservative I should be below my £8k target

SandyShores

Happy New Year Kakiste.  Have been following along and I'm glad things were better than last year.  Well done to you for staying so strong!  You are doing so well, good luck with your budget and everything for 2022.

WinterWarrior

happy new year Kakiste. This year will be your year I’m sure 🌟

bellevie

Happy new year, fingers crossed the ombudsman decision is in your favour x

GeorgianaCavendish

Happy New Year Kakiste! Hope HSBC/ the Ombudsman come back with a really positive outcome for you very soon. 

Although it’s not good to hear about the arguments being started at you, it’s very good that you can recognise who is being unreasonable. Hoping things get to a more even keel when normal life resumes, I think the holidays can have so many triggers for this kind of thing. 

Kakiste

Absolutely. The Ombudsman has already ruled in my favour in both cases and HSBC has agreed the terms of the refund of fees/interest but the person dealing with both cases (presumably the same person) is off sick so it's stalled currently until they come back/the case gets handed to someone else at the bank. 

Ironically after a much quieter holiday with far less arguments I'm currently having an evening of being ignored (I think I tempted fate by saying it'd been a nicer holiday overall) this is because........ (wait for it! These statements from him came in quick succession)

- I presumed he was in a mood with me by asking him if he was OK with me (he clearly wasn't) 
-He wasn't in a mood with me 
-He was in a mood with me 
-Why should he tell me why he's in a mood with me, I should stop being lazy and figure out what I've done wrong myself
-It wasn't all about me, how self-absorbed I am to think that I am the central effect on his emotions
- He wasn't even in a mood with me until I started hounding him
-I hadn't even asked him how he was feeling or whether he was in a mood.

All of these within 20 minutes of each other! (😮) I summised "So you simultaneously both are and aren't in a mood with me, which I either have caused by some unknown action OR by falsely assuming that I'm the cause and asking you why OR by not asking you about it (the latter two seem contradictory to me) Can I just short circuit this by asking "What did I do that has caused you to behave like this? Because I'm completely clueless" 

He responded that he didn't owe me an explanation about "why my !!!!!! behaviour impacts on him" and then said he "didnt deign to give me a reponse just because I demanded one" 

😮😕😂
In other words, he realised that he has literally nothing to nitpick over so couldn't commit to anything. Shortly afterwards (quelle surprise!) He found the fridge to be "too crowded" which clearly showed I hadn't been checking state of food in it, then went digging through the entire fridge and found a single 1p size spot on a cabbage that was going off and pronounced me "a child who is playing house, failing and leaving him to do all the adulting" and has now stropped upstairs. 

I am having a quiet evening reading MSE whilst drinking gin 😄 He's backed himself into a corner now so will either magnanimously forgive me tomorrow or want to explain for an hour why it was absolutely my fault.

What an absolute tool

SandyShores

Sorry to hear that Kakiste.  Hope you are okay, there's nothing worse than an adult sized baby ranting through the house.

Kakiste

Anyhow- as I have the time I'll waffle about Christmas. 

Went to candlelit carol service christmas eve with my daughter which was lovely as always and then came home and watched the muppets christmas carol (a tradition from when I was a kid)

Christmas meal was a winner; managed to get all meat and veg from waste food group in the 3 weeks running up to christmas so only had to buy crackers and goosefat! (£8 in total)

Managed to get my daughter a reborn doll (top of her list) for £40! (Second hand market around here is £150 starting price) but I found a seller who wasn't someone who collects them but had one randomly so that was a bargain. Also managed to get her a new switch game she's been coveting; also covered stocking presents. Husband actually paid for the rest of her presents (some lego sets, a baby yoda and lots of crafty bits) which actually equalled out to what I spent. 

I managed to get my family and close friends presents that were thoughtful and they liked but without breaking the bank (£150 all in for everyone's presents) 

I was bought a new coat! (Only owned one and it was really quite old- I think I've had it for 6 years) and this one is lovely, red wool with brass buttons- fitted really nicely but in a military style which is my favourite type of coat

Also been given a pair of Swarovski stud earrings, a bottle of fireball whisky, lush snow fairy stuff and a historical fiction book on WW1. 

Also been given 3 vouchers (Wilkinson, M&S and Waterstones) spent the latter two in town today after church; managed to get myself 2 pairs of M&S PJs and a notebook from Waterstones and a wall calendar (the calendar is for my daughter) 

SandyShores

Sounds lovely, you've organised so much and been given a lot too.  I love the sound of the red coat.