15months to debt free - I hope

ladyholly

Sorry I have been MIA for a couple of days although not sure why. Its cold and frosty here this morning but the sun is shining. We both enjoyed Annie but I kept seeing, in my mind how Paul O'Grady would have played Miss Hannigan and couldnt help thinking he would have been better. The children were fantastic and their dancing kept better time than the ballet we went to a couple of weeks ago.

I think Bear is gradually learning to trust us again but is reacting more to other people and dogs so we are having to be extra vigilant. I think he was more worried by the woman screaming and swearing at Mr LH than the dog although both have affected him. We did chuckle though. Although the police havent got back to us so we cant be sure the partner of the woman that started the problem brought his dog out immediately after I left the green area where Mr LH was with Bear. We have never seen them out at that time before except the day of the incident. Coincidence? It was a shame that Mr LH was about to leave anyway so it might have looked as if he was running away. We are just carrying on as usual.

Pre Christmas cleaning is progressing but very slowly. Finances are just plodding along although I have, for the first time managed to track all the supermarket spending. I am trying to cut it but there are certain things mainly for Mr LH which are not negotiable so I am finding it very hard. I am using the discount sm more but that has an energy cost and it means I miss my usual bus so am half an hour later home. This doesnt really matter but does give less time before Mr LH gets up when my chance of getting house things done diappears.

He astounded me yesterday when I said that all being well by after Christmas we should have enough to get the hall landing and stairs done. He looked completely blank and said do what? I told him decorated and and new carpet. He just looked amazed although I have been banging on about it for two years. The wallpaper is coming off the walls and the carpet literally has holes in it but he still doesnt think it is a problem. I will wait until the car has its MOT at the beginning of January just in case there is a big problem but I will then start with the estimates and i have told him to think what he wants. I really dont care as long as it is clean, looks decent and I am not in danger with the carpet.

It has been a spendy week although the theatre didnt cost anything as it was already paid for and I used my buss pass to get there. I have however, booked another 3 shows for next year so that will be 4 in all before July.

Now I must get on with something useful Kitchen here I come.

foxgloves

Thought of you today, @ladyholly, as there's a big article in the 'Guardian' Saturday supplement about the rise of behaviour problems in dogs post-pandemic. I am not a dog-person, as you know - I actually read it because we adopted our current cats during the pandemic - one of them almost certainly  dumped or abandoned as a young animal during first Lockdown. I found it an interesting article & it made me think of you & Bear as I was reading it. If you haven't already seen it, you would probably find it interesting.
F x

ladyholly

Thank you foxgloves. I have just read the article. I was aware of many of the problems it talks about. What is more worrying is when the police came the other day they said they are dealing with more cases of problems with dogs than ever including a lot of bites. They are pressing for all dogs to be on a lead all the time in public. This would be a huge shame as dogs are pack animals and need the company of others but it will happen if people don't look after their dogs properly and allow them to run up to people and other dogs with the owner often saying it's ok he/she is friendly. No its not alright and no dog should be allowed to approach without permission.

In Bears case he was in Bosnian kennels for about two and a half years then transported to the UK and spent a further 3 months in kennels before being adopted by lovely but first time owners who didn't really know what to do they did a great job but.....  He was there for almost 10months and has now been with us for about 10months. All this for a dog who is we have been told is just approaching 6years. It's not surprising he is very mixed up. He is making slow progress but it doesn't take too much to knock him him back into the mind set of I am going to react before I get hurt either physically or mentally. He is almost perfect at home unless we have an argument when he hides. Outside it is different. The world is full of scary people dogs noises etc. We will get him right but it is a long and very slow job as he is very stubborn and doesn't want to listen.

jwil

You're doing great with Bear considering.

I'm glad you will be able to get the hallway done soon. 

ladyholly

Just decided Christmas is on its way. My first viewing of an advert for a certain brand of whisky that features a game bird. They only seem to advertise in the run up to the festive season so in this it is always seen as the start.

A very little bit done in the kitchen but nothing much else. I have taken everything off ebay as I spent 20minutes in the queue to post a couple of items last Monday and spent the rest of the day in pain. . I will restart listings just after Christmas when the post office has quietened a little.

The utility staement came this morning and surprisingly we are £35 in credit. They dropped our payments so much during the summer we used up any surplus so are starting again. I have put the money away so am not too worried as there is almost £500 to use during the winter. It has been so cold today that the heating has been on for much of it but it is only set for 19C which is much lower than previous years. Mr LH is being very good about it.

I think he has finished doing stuff on the car so I should be able to tidy up the conservatory not that we are using it while it is so cold.

Off now to finish watching inside the tower on My5.

jwil

I do the same with eBay.  I'm giving it another 10 days or so then pulling the listings until after Christmas.  Too much hassle with Christmas post.

Royal mail are offering free collections on parcels until (I think) the end of Jan.  You can buy the postage online and then book a free collection.  You don't need to be able to print the label as you can request they bring it with them.  I don't use RM for eBay any more, but used this the other day to post a parcel to family and it worked out really well.  It might be worth considering if it will save you a trip to the PO.

ladyholly

I use the PO as it is convenient for the SM and having things collected is a pain as our postmen tend to arrive about the time we take Bear out. It also seems to the the usual time for the courier companies in this area. It also means Bear gets something more to wind him up when there is a knock on the door but thank you for the suggestion.

ladyholly

This will be very short as I am feeling lousy with a cold which has come on during the day. I have however cleaned the oven which is a job that gets done rarely so I am very pleased with that. Roast lamb dinner, not money saving but quite enjoyable and made a change.

Bear got close to a local dog that he sees regularly and he did pretty well. The owner of the other dog is very good and is well aware of Bears problems. If we can get them together over time it will be a big win as it is a lab who is quite a bit larger than Bear.

Off now to nurse my cold.

beanielou

Feel better soon.

foxgloves

Get well soon.
F x