Greying's Gaining Ground - with Gratitude & Grace

maggiem

Very sorry to read this Greying. It's so exhausting the continual struggle to keep everything going. 

Your diary title seems so apt as everything you do is with gratitude and grace. Thank you for that. Wish there was some way to help. 

peb

Just sending love.
We love having you about BUT if you aren't feeling the love then I wish you well

Busy_Mee

Also sending a virtual hug xxx 

facethemusic

I feel like I may be becoming a "poster" rather than a "lurker" 🤣.
If your mushrooms are getting "dry" in the pan, add a teaspoon of water, it sizzles off but seems to help with the not sticking but not dilute the flavour.
As for house buying- I rented forever for various reasons, managed to get a deposit together last year. For ages all the properties in my area were WAY out of my budget, or awful, until my "almost perfect" house appeared and I'm now happily a very mortgaged home owner in a delightful house that brings me masses of joy- your future home is out there and on the right day it will come in to your life. 
LG sounds delightful- my 8 year old DD still has whines about new food, and declares things to be "yuck" before they are tasted! 

Mrs_Money_Penny

Take care. Sending a virtual hug. Have always loved your diary. xx

beanielou

Not sure you will read this.
But I strongly want to say you are not letting LG down.
Really you are not.

Cheery_Daff

Aw Greying lass, have a hug ((((((((((()))))))))))) I'm so sorry things are so rough. 

You are doing all the right things. I can guarantee LG is having a good life, and will thrive, whatever challenges are thrown their way. You will find your home, you will. 

Have another hug lass. Do come back xxx

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning!

Thank you to Everyone for posting such supportive comments - I greatly appreciate it, and thank you for taking the time to post.

So, slight update.  I had mentioned to a third party organisation that I was having technical issues, and they immediately offered to help.  Their support is limited* but it is enough.  *The resource is limited, their help was proffered immediately, generously and without strings, for which I am VERY grateful.  I do not have to complete a 40-page form, wait for 6 separate committees to convene, nor cosy up to the bosses cousin to get this assistance................

So, ultimately, in a few days time, we will be in a less precarious position, the playing field will be slightly levelled, and at least if things don't work, it won't be us letting LG down, it will be an inanimate object that does at least come with some backup technical support.

I despair of this diary not being a 'Greying finds a home' diary, not really because of supply issues, but more my inability to have even a penny - not one cuss.ed penny! - spare towards saving for any new home!  There is nowhere left to turn - we can't give up; takeaways, buying new clothes, holidays, gym membership etc etc - because we haven't had those things in so long anyway.  What I thought would be a short-term restricted grocery budget, has become the norm 🙁 and there doesn't seem to be any way that DH's wages will return to pre-pandemic levels, in the foreseeable future.  And as I have said before, whilst having DH at home 'more' is entirely valuable, our household income now barely matches our outgoings.  Had we not sold Greying Towers, we would have been sunk sooner, by being forced to meet CT and energy bills for an empty house.

facethemusic - I entirely agree that 'our home' is out there.  It's almost just as well that it isn't coming along at the moment, as we aren't adding to our ability to afford 'something'.  And purely co-incidentally, 3 properties came onto the market yesterday, which were discounted under 'our' criteria, but most certainly 2 of them, were well within budget/available budget, and I couldn't help but think that for someone, they offered (relatively speaking) tremendous value for money - you could get 'alot' of house for the prices that were being looked for.  Interestingly, the third house was 'sort of' in an area that we would certainly consider (but are less likely to find something affordable).  But it was for sale at the absolute top of our 'notional' budget (would have to secure a mortgage), and basically, needed a complete gut and revamp.  The modernisation budget alone would have to be close to £50k (on top of a steep asking price) I would have thought - to buy you a house that has access issues, and would put you at the mercy of considerate - or not-so-considerate, neighbours........  Whilst the garden of the third house was quite big - you weren't actually getting more 'house' than the first 2 offerings.  But hey, location, location, location!

So, whilst an immediate pressure has been lifted, by the very kind intervention of an organisation, I am still having worries about money (in the short term), and how things will change for the better in the long-term.  Having said that, and having heard on the radio this morning about people having to be evacuated from their homes, I do realise that we are b.l.e.s.s.e.d. and I don't want to give the impression that all I do is whinge and moan.  99% of the time, I am happy with our lot, and am PERFECTLY happy for us to cut our cloth according to our income.  But just now, it seems like we are powerless to improve our situation.  And it doesn't help when double-denim clad, ill-informed, idiots spout off in the media, just because they can.  They don't seem to twig that you can be trying VERY HARD, 100% of the time, and still not manage to make any headway, in improving the lot for your family.  

I'm out of (new) ideas, out of energy and almost out of grocery budget (but have enough for essentials to last until the end of the month, and the menu plan has been done).   I've had enough.  Like most people, I suspect.

Not too sure if that won't make for a boring diary to read.............  [very much sending SELF up there].

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Aw Greying, have another hug ((((((()))))))))I'm SO pleased you've been able to access some support with your technical issues. Really pleased. 

I heard the other day of a place near us that gets rid of supermarket food at the end of its sell by date. They do feed into the food bank and various other charitable schemes first I understand, but their priority is to reduce waste, so if any fresh stuff is left after servicing those places, they give it away to anyone who is passing. Apparently they are open every single day for a couple of hours, and most days can't get rid of anything. Might there be anything like that near you that might ease the pressure on the squeaky food budget just a little? It was called waste not want not or similar, will check...

Sending lots of love to you all xx

Busy_Mee

MadVix does very well with the togoodtogo app, but I think you have said in the past that there might not be too much saving because of the fuel costs. 

Have you rechecked any benefit entitlement in your new situation. May be worth plugging your new rent and DH's reduced earnings into a working families tax credit calculator.  It doesn't sound "right" that you are managing on so little.  

Wracking my brains for practical support but also sending a very large virtual hug for emotional support too x