Have grasped the nettle..........now to deal with the ensuing rash

See look I am back.......in fairness I have just been listing stuff on Fr**gle. I wouldnt wish the clearing of this house on our children.................although this is a long way off yet but I do understand what you mean!

My grandparents where 'keepers' and reusers - a product of their times I think but when granddad was ill and had to be taken into a nursing home my grandmother began giving things away - things that her grandchildren and children would have happily had but we didnt realise this until she was was taken ill herself and my aunt and I decided one night just to set to and start sorting - we thought she wasnt gong to make it through the night and where waiting for the call and even if she did she wasnt going to be coming back to the house to live. My aunt and I, her nearest relatives, both lived on the other side of the country so although it sounded a bit heartless it was a way of dealing/coping with the inevitable..............she did survive surgery and went to a convalescent home where she was very happy and died peacefully a few weeks later. We where glad that we had 'broken the back' of the clearance. The saddest thing was that she had given away so much that we valued but kept a lot of mundane 'stuff'. We also had a lot of callers including the vicar - my grandmother a faithful and life long member of the church. He was very interested, too interested, in some larger 'pieces' and let slip that nan had already 'donated' a number of items to church fairs etc.................long story short seemed he had had quite a few things FOR HIMSELF and kept coming back for more picking an choosing what he wanted:eek: He was given a firm but polite NO from my aunt ( I would not have been so polite!). Funny I have only really thought about all this today and all this was over 14 years ago...................

Back to munching an elephant!

Today I have been looking at finances - need to shift some CC debts ( well all my debt is on CC:() onto 0% deals. I tend to bounce between 2 cards which give me, a 'loyal' customer, regular 6 month or 12 months deals plus I have 1 card on a very long deal which I overpay by fixed DD every month, 1 card I pay off each month 1 card with a 15p balance which I will pay today and close:j

Now as the debt has decreased I have 'loaded' the 2 cards I bounce between so all the debt will eventually come together I one place - its my own way of doing it and suits me. Wiggle room is a bit tight at moment because the current deals I am on are coming to end almost at the same time and although I could swap the debts over onto new 0% deals ( I always pay the fee on top of the first months payment too) I thought I would try and see if I could get the very long 0% deal currently featured in latest MSE email - waddya know............took me 5 mins to get another long 0% deal with a ridiculous credit limit - very scary. Now I am not going on a spending spree but for those people who are not in control of their spending it is till very easy to get silly amounts of credit :mad:and I thought all this sort of stuff was being brought into check:eek:

Anyway off to pay my 15p and close card and get back to decluttering..........................:D

OK going to have another moan.............I will be dying my hair purple next;) Who decided to mess around with hot cross buns? OK I quite like M&S apple cinnamony ( I know not a real word) ones but double choc chip ones............:( Bought some yesterday not realising they had been corrupted. What next - chicken tikka all day breakfast variety! OK I could make my own but I have other priorities at the mo.

Any way moan over. Up and at those priorities now.................

Crisps and free champagne in the sun sounds bliss! I got over a bit of an emotional hurdle and am now on a roll............ keep finding things long forgotten - letters, cards, pictures, dreams and there have been a few tears. I am here on my own today and I am glad of that means I can exorcise a few ghosts without a need of explanation! This morning have filled 4 bin bags for CS,2 large paper recycle boxes have filled the wheelie bin and have an army of freeglers calling to collect bits and pieces - including a broken radio a broken laminator ( both can be fixed but frankly cant be bothered and dont need either!!) and a large box of ring binders and folders............amzing what people will collect and I am happy its not going to landfill.

In a amongst all that I have stripped the 3 piece and washed all the loose covers and 8 cushion covers, 3 throws and pair of curtains from 'office' Nearly all dry too in this weather. All the cushions are outside getting an airing having run the vacuum cleaner over them first. Going to strip beds and wash all that then finally wash all cat cushions and bedding:)

Along the way I have been taking photos of things for Eb*Y which I will list over next few days!

Just thought I would polish of last chocolate hot cross bun - not a fan but hate waste - with an afternoon coffee and catch up on here whilst listening to afternoon drama on radio 4 - perfect BH so far!