The Diary Of Onebrokelady Aged 60 And A Half

Onebrokelady

Newstartforme said:

Onebrokelady said:

Woke up this morning to a message from the lady that is collecting the chicken run asking is she could come today but I wasn’t feeling too good and was still in bed so I said no 😀 I told her I was going to put it all in the front garden under my window so she can come and collect it at her leisure which she agreed was a good idea. I wasn’t  intending to do it today but once I got up I got a bee in my bonnet so decided to make a start and see how far I got and I managed to get the whole thing moved 🍾🥳🍾so now I don’t need to be here for her to collect it. I swept up the first leaf fall too while i was out there, there’s loads more to come down but I learned last year that it’s a bad idea to let them all come down and then try and clean them up. Hopefully I will sleep tonight because I won’t be thinking about moving the chicken coop and what a pain it will be 😀  I will pay for it tomorrow but at least it’s done and I really enjoyed being out in the garden as the weather was lovely.

I had a wake up call today as well and I’m sitting here feeling very grateful for what I have. I’m a member of a retirement group on FB and there was a post today from someone in their late 50s who lost their job several months ago, this person is single so get UC at £400 a month and that’s all they have to live on 😳 they are planning to sell their house and downsize then live off any money left over until they get their state pension but in the meantime they can’t afford their bills and can’t have the heating on so are going to be freezing cold all winter, they said their clothes feel damp in the drawers ☹️  I couldn’t live like this and I’m very lucky I wouldn’t have to because I know both my daughters would offer me a place to stay if things were that bad. I don’t know if this person has family who can help.
 I am so glad I carried on paying into my NHS pension over the years even when I was really broke and I had plenty of times where I was going to opt out and stop paying it but I didn’t and for that I’m thankful to past me for thinking ahead. It’s not a massive pension but it’s making the difference in me not having  to cut too many corners. I know I will have to sell my house at some point in the not too distant future but I’m not relying on it to be able to live. It’s clean and nicely decorated and warm when I need it to be, I have money to put food on the table without having to think where my next meal is coming from, I can go out and meet friends or family for coffee if I want to and I can pay my bills without worrying. My budget is tight but I’m used to that and although it’s tight I’m not existing I’m living a nice life in comfort so yes I’m feeling very grateful tonight .

Lovely post from you OBL but how sad for that person , to work until your late fifties and be in that position is just awful and not always so easy to get another job at that age . Glad you got the chicken run all sorted x

I know I felt really sorry for them and really we are all lucky because that came happen to anyone. I am relieved the chicken run is now out of my way 😀

Onebrokelady

jwil said:

Glad the ESA is sorted.  Such a shame for the person on UC.

Thanks I did feel really sorry for them, thinking about how stressful the last few months have been for me but at least I had my pension and some savings to fall back on 

Onebrokelady

Cherryfudge said:

I wonder whether the person on UC has had all the help they are entitled to? It doesn't sound as though they have. There's this for instance: Help with your energy bills: If you're on benefits or have a low income - GOV.UK and of course there are food banks depending on what's available in their area. They might be able to get advice from Citizen's Advice, and local libraries often have details of what's available locally.

I did think that but they are a single person and that is the monthly allowance for a single person, there were lots of replies pointing them in the direction of extra help but they had enquired about most of it and still hadn’t got anywhere ☹️

Onebrokelady

I can’t sleep so I’m updating my diary 🙄 then hopefully I will get some sleep at some point. 

I didn’t go to ikea on Monday because I was too tired and I woke up late so i decided to stay at home. I did go out and do some bits in the garden though. I had a lovely rhododendron that sadly died after many years of flowering so I took that out of its pot and put my newly rejuvenated azalea in instead and I’ve planted some heathers in with it as well, they all like ericaceous compost and I had a massive bag of it to use up. 

Today I went back to rehab but was very early so went for a wander round Lidl and they had some really healthy rhododendrons in there for £5.99 I couldn’t get one today because I had shopping to do but I think I will pick one up on Friday to replace the one I lost, I’ve got some compost left and a spare pot 🙂

I AM going to Ikea tomorrow ( I’ve got to go because I promised DD2 I would get some plantballs 😀)  I’m wondering if they will have their Christmas decorations now 😬 I shouldn’t be buying any because I have enough but I do like to look . I’m just going to check the sofa I like is what I actually want then I might order it while I’m there, I’m terribly indecisive though so who knows.

DD2 had a message to say her sofa is being delivered between 13.45 and 16.45 on Thursday so that’s good as it means I don’t have to stay over on Wednesday and I can take my time going over there as she will be at work. 

debtfreewannabe321

Just catching up, so glad your benefit was sorted out for you, what a relief!

And reading that post about the person with only £400 to live on.  I don't think many of us could manage that little. That would be my water, gas/electric and council tax for the month (or was the £400 after all bills) nevermind any food. It makes me feel grateful reading that post too ♥️🙏🏻

amber03

We’ve just had a smaller ikea open not far from where I live. Been very busy in there which isn’t a surprise. They have run out of meatballs at the minute. That’s the only reason I go. 

milann

Happy sofa shopping. I’m so pleased ESA has come through for you. The support group makes such a difference doesn’t it 👍 
Life must be hard for the person living on £400 a month. Like you say…..count your blessings 👍

Onebrokelady

debtfreewannabe321 said:

Just catching up, so glad your benefit was sorted out for you, what a relief!

And reading that post about the person with only £400 to live on.  I don't think many of us could manage that little. That would be my water, gas/electric and council tax for the month (or was the £400 after all bills) nevermind any food. It makes me feel grateful reading that post too ♥️🙏🏻

The £400 was for everything 😳 they had stopped paying their council tax ☹️ and were in debt with their energy company 

Onebrokelady

milann said:

Happy sofa shopping. I’m so pleased ESA has come through for you. The support group makes such a difference doesn’t it 👍 
Life must be hard for the person living on £400 a month. Like you say…..count your blessings 👍

Thanks Milann it does make a massive difference to me that for sure 

Onebrokelady

I went to Ikea and sat on lots of sofas but decided to go for the EKTORP that matches my chair. I liked the Hyltarpe range because it’s got one long sofa cushion on the seat instead of three separate ones so appealed to my tidy mind but then I thought I always sit in the same place so it would wear unevenly so I decided against it. 

I didn’t order it there and then I went home to ponder a bit more then just told myself to get on with it so I’ve orderd it to come on the 3rd of November and then I’ve also paid for it to be assembled because I put the chair together myself and it was a pain in the bum so I’m not putting myself through that again 😀 I’ve also got the footstool which will go with the sofa as well as the chair, I can use the footstool with my current sofa but it’s slightly higher. The sofa was £470 with my Ikea family card so not too expensive. 

Today I had to go to DD2s to wait for her sofa to be delivered so I didn’t meet my friend for coffee and they didn’t turn up until 5.30 pm ,the time slot was  2.45 until 16 45 so I could have gone for coffee after all. The sofa does look lovely 🙂even the cat likes it, she wouldn’t sit on the other one 😀

Tomorrow I have my next rehab session so that will take up most of my day by the time I get there and back. I get into town to get the second bus a bit early then I go and get a vegan sausage roll, a doughnut and a coffee from GREGS and I go and sit on the green by the cathedral to eat it. The rehab starts at 1.30 so I have my lunch before I go 😀 it’s been lovely because it’s been really sunny and warm so I can sit outside. It’s very got to pick up a prescription from Boots as well but will do that on the way back because it’s up the other end of town.