HELLO From New Zealand

chevalier

Just read this article about Steve Jobbs written by Richard Branson. Thought it was interesting

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/steve-jobs/8811232/Virgins-Richard-Branson-Apple-boss-Steve-Jobs-was-the-entrepreneur-I-most-admired.html

I also liked this quote from another article on the telegraph website

" In China web users posted almost 35 million online tributes while on Twitter one of the most repeated messages talked about how three apples changed the world: “The one that Eve ate, the one that dropped on Newton’s head and the one that Steve built.”"

Karmacat

Thats a great quote, Chev, I like that.

chevalier

Yes I thought it was rather clever too Karma.

Well today I have been fairly successful so far (tis only early afternoon)

Have eaten a small frog and cleared out underneath our chest of drawers:eek::eek:. Was a good job I did as I found a ring (not a cheap one) that my mum had given me and I had mislaid amongst the dust bunnies:eek::T. What was a bit embarassing was I hadn't remembered her even giving me this one:o:o.

Also got the washing out, took the boys to have their hair cut (or in DS2 case clipped), and did a bit of food shopping.

yesterday I got the spreadsheet up to date. Made me realise that I hadn't paid the telephone bill OOOPS!. So lucky I did it really. Now just have to do the receipts in my purse and then I can start on the next thing.

Which is the minutes from the meeting last week. If you remember I put my hand up to be the secretary on the surf committee as no one else had offered. I was a bit shell shocked after it to say the least and have since had a cold and a permanent headache. This is in my defence for not doing it sooner.

As a starter I am going to go through the folder I have been given so that I can get a feel for how the minutes have been done. But if anyone has any pointers then that would be great!

Then I will type up a draft this afternoon/evening and send it to the chair to see what he thinks.....gulp

So this is quite a big frog, so I think I will eat it leg by leg or something:eek::eek::rotfl::rotfl:
chev

chevalier

In other news, I was quite surprised at my mum yesterday. My dad's ashes are being interred soon. Of course I would like to be there, but I simply can't afford the time or the money having been back to the UK twice this year already. And I don't think my returning residents visa is up to date either. I was therefore quite stunned that she had thought to not go to this. So I said that I wanted her to be there on my and my familys' behalf. I know they weren't married but I was a bit surprised that she was planning to do something else (though thankfully not sorted yet phew). She has agreed to go so that is ok in the end. But still it is funny how people think sometimes.....
chev

chevalier

Well yesterday was quite productive. I did the normal jobs, but also phoned up about a free course. It is basically a business admin and basic computer course. I can do the contents on my head (lol), but it is distance learning and free! But the best thing is that it will give me a qualification for all the things I SAY I can do but don't have that bit of paper for! Was feeling really positive. And then...

In other news have just found out that we almost certainly WON'T get the after event insurance that we need to defend the claim about the oil tank in the UK house. I am absolutely gutted. The barrister reckons we have a 55% chance of being successful, but after event insurers want a 60% success rate before they will insure us. !!!!!!. This is SO annoying. The claim if for £50,000 ish. If we lose with their costs and ours on top you could be heading for £80,000:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:. Ok we have the equity in the house - luckily but even so it is a hell of a risk to take.

I feel so angry about this. It looks like we will have to settle for something that REALLY wasn't our fault. God knows what they will take as a settlement either. I really want to avoid a charge on the house as that attracts an 8% interest charge and that is a hell of a lot when house prices aren't increasing.

We are lucky in that we have parents who we can go cap in hand to to help us out, but even so. It is SO galling.

MORAL OF THIS STORY ALWAYS CHECK THE FINE PRINT ON YOUR INSURANCE POLICY. We should NEVER Have been sold ours, as it specifically didn't cover oils escapes. But all too late now.

And no matter what it is going to effect the quality of life we can have here too.

So bearing in mind that this has been dragging on since 2007 what does anyone think they might take as a settlement.

I am thinking the max offer should be the actual costs they have incurred and NO interest. That would save us nearly 10k right there. But what about a minimum offer?

Week was going so well up until then:(:(:(
chev

MatyMoo

Gutted for you Chev. It must be such a worry to have that hanging over your head. Don't know if it is the same but I had a personal injury claim and was told that if I did not accept a reasonable offer and went to court and won I was unlikely to receive any more than the reasonable offer they made and I would not get my costs.

hypno06

I'm sorry to read that chev, and wish I had something constructive to say, but my knowledge of such things in non-existant.

The good thing is, and of course I know it is not ideal, that you have ways of covering the costs. And even though it will make a dent in your assets, it could be a whole lot worse, eg if you had no equity in your house with which to work.

I'm not trying to belittle the situation, it is a huge amount of money to be faced with when you quite clearly did not expect to have to do so, but your health and wellbeing is worth more than this claim is. I hope you know what I am saying, although I am not necessarily saying it very well!!

GreyhoundAngel

OMG Chev, that's a hell of an amount to need to cover :eek:

It must be heartbreaking to be such a small percentage from being accepted, I always feel that being the wrong side of something by a small margin is always a far worse feeling than being miles out :wall: and I'm not surprised you feel so angry about it :grouphug:

I'm sorry I can't offer any suitable advice on the settlement side, :cool:
The only imput I can make ... I know that neither the equity or the parents are choices you like, but look carefully into both options and see which one is going to put less pressure on you (financial and stresswise) and make your decision from there.

The only other thing that really springs to mind .... is that I guess there's no real harm in going in with a much lower settlement offer than you think they'll accept ... most of the time people will always upwards challenge a first offer anyway - bit like putting an offer on a house or something .... just a thought, and I suggest checking with the solicitor just in case. :A

Angel xxx

clippy_girl

hi chev, so sorry to hear about the oil situation still going on are there any kind of forums on here where people discuss such claims? or as GHA suggested i would have thought your solicitor should be able to maybe give you guidance as presumably they will do other similarish cases.

also re the job, have you thought of looking into mystery shopping? obviously i dont know what your area is like or the situation in new zealand but doing a quick 'mystery shopping new zealand' search appears to bring up some companies. you may be able to find a thread like the one on here that will give you further advice. just like here im sure it wont make you millions but its flexible so you could do some whilst the kids are at school and possibly some in the evening. fingers crossed

beanielou

Can only agree with Hypno.
Keep plodding.