The Best Is Yet To Come

slm6002

DD1 has mocks this week so is madly trying to cram in as much late night study as possible.  My telling her early on to revise clearly didn't work and now she is panicking.  I am really wanting to go to bed but she is at the kitchen table going over things and gets scared downstairs by herself at night.  I will suggest maybe half an hour more and then that's it.  I am snuggled under duvet on sofa searching ways to save a few more pennies.
The builder is coming by tomorrow to plaster the walls.  Not sure why he is doing this before the window has been added but sure he knows what he is doing.  DD1's bedroom will then only need a door and smaller radiator before builder is finished in there.  If needed I can put her mattress back in there and desk and she will be happy.  Still no sign of carpet man, but he has always been reliable up until now so am sure he will turn up soon.
My dad came round to take away the roses from my pots in the back garden and mended the basket ball hoop.  I didn't realise there were as many roses as there were, but there are now some lovely empty pots that can be filled.

FtbDreaming

Hi! Well it sounds as if there’s some progress been made on the rooms… hopefully not too much longer to wait! 

I wouldn’t do the ikea order just yet. It’ll make life even more stressful if you're already cramped as it is. 

And as for the gardening you might find it therapeutic doing it yourself. And if the neighbours are still being moody they aren’t worth your headspace. You changed your plans and lost money for their sake haven't you. They should be grateful. Xxx

slm6002

Yes some progress was has been made.  Walls are almost dry now and he said he is coming back on monday to finish carpentry so hoping doors will be fitted, skirting boards and coving done.  He also said that the window will be here in about 10 days which I am assuming means that it has now been ordered.  He didn't however say that he would be fitting the window in 10 days - he is always very careful what he says in the emails between us!
I am really hoping that all builder work is completed by the school hols so we can have time to decorate and start back to school in our own rooms.
I have asked for a quote for replacing the hall radiator.  It has never heated up properly since I moved here and I assume it is full of sludge and limescale.  As they are emptying the system to replace / add the radiators upstairs it seems like a good time to sort this little extra job out - providing it doesn't add too much to the job.  Oh and I filled the holes today from previous pictures on DD2's wall.  Though builder may have done this when plastering but he didn't so I've done it myself.
I have emptied almost all of the weeds from the garden pots etc but missed some hiding behind my back door.  They are all ready to be filled with edible or pretty things in the next few weeks.  I must admit I have really enjoyed the sunshine this week - maybe because next door were away - they got home today. 

slm6002

Happy Mothers Day to you all.  DD1 arranged and paid for some yummy biscuits to be delivered for me.  There were just enough for 1 each luckily lol.  Also got a lovely card for them before they went off with XH for the day.   Got plenty to be doing but just having a little sit down.  Last night I collected my first Olio delivery from Tesco and put it on the app ready for people to come and get.  I still have a fridge full of salad leaves, but most other bits have now gone.  I've told my dad to sign up as one of the other gentlemen that does regular days is in his village.  It might come in useful with all of the talk of food shortages.  I got to keep some mango and strawberries plus fresh egg noodles that no one collected yesterday.
Today I am tackling mould patches over the windows.  Every year we have the same issue, but this year I am testing out tea tree oil as it is supposed to kill it.  Windows are wide open and mask on.  Hoping I can quickly repaint the bathroom which is the worst room even though we now have an extractor fan.  As uncle is visiting Easter weekend it would be nice to get that sorted before he arrives and while I cant do the other rooms as yet.

slm6002

Just a mini rant - I hate every other Sunday when they see XH and come home with the comments that he makes to them about things I do.  So wish him and his other half would drop off the edge of the world and leave me and my family to get on with our lives.  rant over - sorry

Four_Seasons

Rant away lovely, you are a brilliant Mom take no heed to what he says to the children, children are very savvy it wont be long before they see through him and her if they haven't started to already x  

Moneywhizz

That is so awful of your ex talking about you to the kids. If he only sees them for a few hours once a fortnight, you would think he could keep his thoughts to himself and just spend some happy time with his children. You have every right to feel angry and annoyed but Four Seasons is right when she says the children already see through him and know what a good mum you are. just so unfair of him to put them in that position. From reading your diary it is clear that you are doing a great job of bringing up your children and building a good life them. Hope your building work gets completed quickly, 

Humdinger1

And on Mothering Sunday! What a flaming cheek!!  I can confirm from personal experience that children do very quickly see through negative comments from parents and step parents.  I went from my daughter insisting on spending alt weeks to point blank refusing to go on holiday and telling me how pressurised she felt by EXH and his toxic wife. It led to her living with us full time with regular outings with dad and no time with stepmum.  Well, not after she stormed out on Christmas Day; drove to friends several hundred miles away and took the Yule Log with her! All over an imagined slight xxx

slm6002

Thank you to you all for your kind comments and support.  I am happy without him now and I know my life is good, its just that one day every fortnight that feels like he still controls me and messes it all up.  I hate it. As I say if he were to drop off a cliff no one would be worried, not even the kids really.  They see through it all, even the youngest.

Anyway all has resumed to normal for another 13 days.  The builder came over for what must have been no more than an hour.  He has put skirting board on the new wall both sides.  Thought he was doing the coving too but that hasn't been done.  I got a quick call but as I was at work it only lasted a few minutes.  He cant find a door to match - no surprise as they are as old as the house, but told him something similar is fine so they will be here on wed maybe - again no firm day to attach to the frames.  Still no word on the radiators which is the big job left in DD1's room.  Really want her in there asap to help with revision and own space as her mental health needs quite time alone for her to function calmly.

On a plus note, I will be getting extra money in my pay packet for cost of living increase that has finally been agreed at 1.75%.  It relates to the year just gone, and hopefully according to the finance lady it might be bigger for this year and hopefully agreed quicker.  To be fair it doesn't do a whole lot to my income as what I get from wages is pretty much deducted from benefits but it is nice to get it.

slm6002

It is cold here today and just want to snuggle on sofa again.  Just eaten chicken stew and dumplings which warmed us up.  

No sign of the builder yesterday or today, so I have sent him an email saying I would really like everything finished and ready to start decorating by the time we break up for the holidays next Friday.  There is really no reason (that I can see) why it shouldn't be possible, unless there is something I'm unaware of.  The living situation for the last month is starting to take its toll now.  Just need to get things back in their right places.

Update:  just got email back saying he is own his own as labourer hurt knee 3 weeks ago  so doing it all on own.  He is coming to do doors tomorrow, coving and hand rail Friday and then next Thursday is the radiators (including hallway one) and final electrics.  No mention of the window, but fingers crossed at least one room can be decorated and DD1 moved in over Easter

Extra radiator plus labour is £165.  I am not sure if good or bad really but the convenience of it all being done rather than having to get someone else in just makes sense.