Saturday 31 May 2014

In the last hour, I've gone...

... from cold when I woke up to hot when I had lunch to just right before I shaved me pits which made me cold then I turned on the shower and got naked, which made me hot so I turned the shower to warm and got in. 

I, predictably, got cold very quickly but couldn't see the shower dial thing without my glasses so I quickly washed my hair 'til it squeaked then washed my body, turned the shower off, dried myself, put my glasses back on and got out and dressed which, you guess correctly, made me hot.

I came in here and left the door open to cool me down but I'm cold again now!

Can't win!  :-(

My money again



I’ve just checked my bank balance again and I’ve got £505.82 in there. Take off £104 for the PPC and £201 for my credit cards leaves me with just over £300 for June and £404 in July which adds up to £704 so far, right?  I just need to find another £95 from my other account and I’m sorted!  Yay!  Then I need to save up another £600 for the insurance, warranty and breakdown cover in August and September and that’s it for 3 years!  Yay!

Screw you, spending addiction!

Friday 30 May 2014

That's all I'm buying now!

I've just renewed my PPC for another year but that's it now until I get the chair... I'd planned to get it so it's not an unexpected expense or anything and it's only once a year so it's no big deal but I'd forgotten about it until I read a forum message about it!  Oops!

Just need to...

Just need to not spend anything in June and I can definitely get the Aries chair in July!  Yay!

I can't remember if I've said what my monthly outgoings are, but I'll have £500 to play with after all my direct debits come out and the chair is only £799 so and the policies for the chair are £600 every 3 years but I'm £582 in credit at the bank after being paid today, take off £400 for direct debits just for May then it's only £250 a month from June onwards for my credit cards and I get £750 every 4 weeks in benefits so I'll be able to get the chair in July and the policies in August which will give me the freedom and independence I crave after more than a decade!

Just need to deny my spending addiction the desire to spend unnecessarily now!

Thursday 29 May 2014

Nightmare on N Street!

The plumber came this morning, literally 10 or 15 minutes after Steve's carer left and agreed to do it this afternoon.

So far, so good.

He came back this afternoon with the new toilet and cistern and set about removing the broken one from our bathroom.

Groove and cooly.

He then discovered that the cistern wasn't in the box.

That's when things started going wrong for the 3 of us!

The plumber went to get a replacement.

The poor man checked everything was in the box before he left the shop this time - everything seemed fine so he came back.

He was about to install it when he found a hair-line crack so he came and showed me and Steve and the plumber said it was just a cosmetic crack nothing that affected the stability of it or anything.

Steve and I both agreed that as long as it was just cosmetic then that was fine and the plumber said that it might just clean off after he'd put it in.

The poor plumber is definitely fitting it now so hopefully we'll be able to empty our bladders soon!  lol

Poor man!

Scratch that, the poor plumber has had to go back again because the cistern didn't fit on the toilet... the holes were about half an inch out!  He's going to try getting a slightly more expensive one this time... third time lucky!

Just what we didn't need!

Steve's broken the bottom of the cistern but I can almost guarantee M will blame me.  Again.

The plumber who fitted our new emersion heater is going to come over later and fit a whole new toilet.  Again.

Maybe I'm wrong, but M seems to blame me for things that are in no way my fault, constantly!  It's like she gets her bitchy head on as soon as she see's me or talks to me... like she saves it all up for me?

So unfair!  :-(

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Baths

Just got out of the bath and I'm wide awake now!

I'm thinking that just plain water wakes me up so would be good in mornings and bubble baths are better in the evening 'cos they relax me.

Just need to find an invigorating shower gel to use in the mornings now!

So tired!

I'm absolutely knackered even though I took a Pro Plus pill this morning before I came downstairs and I've taken all my supplements too!

Should I have a bath or not?  I'm sorely tempted by a lovely, relaxing bubble bath but don't want to fall asleep and drown!  The washing machine is on too so maybe that's using all the hot water?

What do you reckon I should do?

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Just finished calling the 6 cards and...

... I don't owe anything on any of my store cards - all 3 cards have been paid off and closed!  Yay!

That means my monthly outgoings are now £201 instead of £400 last night!  I is so proud of myself now!

It means that I can put £400 a month aside for the wheelchair and policies and still have £150 a month to play with starting next month!

I was thinking of putting £250 aside each month but I've almost doubled that now!

I've got a huge grin on my face now and I won't have to tighten my belt quite so much any more this year!

Woohoo!  :-D

That's 2 paid off... yay me!

When I moved to Gloucester, I had 3 store  cards and 3 credit cards.

I've just been told that I've paid off a second store card so I've only got 3 credit cards and a single, one and only, store card to pay off now!

Yay!

Good job I phoned up about...

... it's a good job I phoned up about one of my credit cards this morning 'cos I had 2 direct debits going to them but it should only have been 1 so I'm already saving myself over £40 a month on top of all the other direct debits I cancelled this morning!

OK so...

I've cancelled all bar 3 direct debits so as of next month, only £200 total will come out of my account... just gotta be sure to phone 2 credit cards and 3 store cards are set up again as I didn't know which direct debits they were!

Feeling soooo guilty now  :-(

I can wish/hope, can't I?

My first pay day today and I'm £82 in credit at the bank, which means I'll be overdrawn again on Friday  :-(

Maybe I should stop the charity donations for the rest of the year?  Just until I've got the wheelchair and policies for it?

That would make me feel so guilty though  :-(

Still, needs must I s'pose!  :-/

Monday 26 May 2014

And again!

I took my 8 supplements with 12 mouthfuls of squash this morning!

Yay me!

I'm getting good at this!


Sunday 25 May 2014

Did it again!

I've just taken my supplements again and drank even less to get them down this time!  There are 8 supplements and it took me one or two mouthfuls to get each one down!  I only drank about three quarters of a litre to get them down today!

I is ace!  I is ace!  I is ace!  :-D

Saturday 24 May 2014

I need some extra money right now! :-(

I need to find an extra £200 from somewhere by next week  :-(

It's just that I've got to get the Prescription Pre-payment Certificate (PPC) next week 'cos it runs out on 7th June then it's my mum's birthday on 24th and our anniversary on 29th which will take up most of my available balance until July then the wheelchair costs £799 so that's 3 more months which takes me until my September pay days, then Steve's birthday gift in October and a friends gift in October and November and Yule gifts in December... I can do it if I don't spend anything for the rest of the year which I just won't be able to do!  :-(

Well *I'm* impressed even if *you* aren't!

I managed to take all 8 supplements with less than a litre of water this morning!  It took half a litre to take my two prescriptions last night then several mouthfuls this morning because I was thirsty then I took my supplements with what was left in the 1.5 litre bottle this morning all with 1.5 litres of fruit salad squash!

I am ace!  I am ace!  I am ace!  lol

Friday 23 May 2014

Wheelchair insurance, warranty and breakdown cover is, potentially...

I've just found one company (More Than Mobility) that offers wheelchair insurance, warranty and breakdown cover that costs less than £600 for 3 years!  I'll have to get the Scooter Plus cover because the Aries is an electric wheelchair, not a manual one, so it's more expensive, but peace of mind is priceless and so worth the money!  I can almost taste the air of independence now and it tastes incredibly amazing after so long!

I can't wait!  :-D

Edit - More Than Mobility have now got my custom!  Just got to remember that after I've got the chair now!  You watch me forget though!  lol

Lloyds Pharmacy have said...

I emailed Lloyds Pharmacy about having solid wheels on the Aries instead of pneumatic ones and they have just got back to me saying that they can't put solid wheels on the chair, so I'll still get it, I'll just not go anywhere with gravelly or sharp bits on the path and I'll get solid wheels ready to go on it just in case I get a puncture.

No big deal!

Freedom and independence, here I come!

New colour scheme on my site?

I'm pondering on a new colour scheme on my site again.  I changed it to the current colour scheme back in September last year and I've got a craving to change it again but don't know what colour scheme to use right now!

I'm thinking of a paler colour than the purple that's there atm... maybe a paler purple?  Light blue?  Pale green?  Bright green with yellow text, like my first site?  lol

When I've decided on the colour, I've got to think about a texture... do I want a texture like I've got atm or something more obvious?

What about the image at the top of every page?  A photo of Mitzi again or something cute?  Should I use an artists work or a PSP tube?

We shall see soon enough I guess!

Thursday 22 May 2014

Do I really need 2 electric wheelchairs?

I've been thinking, right, do I really need both electric wheelchairs?  Would it be better to just get the Aries?  It does everything I want except raise the seat and the Lugano only raises 6.5cm! 

I figure that for less than half the price I get only 5 miles less per charge of the battery and I can stand up when I need the extra height which I would pretty much have to do anyway with the Lugano and I can use the other £700 to buy 4 solid wheels so that I don't have to worry about getting stranded somewhere with a flat tyre!

Good thinking by me I think!

Wednesday 21 May 2014

I really *have* decided about which wheelchairs to get now

OK, so this is my final decision.  Honest!

I'm getting the electric wheelchair I saw first (the Aries that goes 25 miles per charge) to walk Mitzi then save up for my ideal chair (the Lugano which goes 20 miles per charge) after that.

Why did I choose that?  It's £200 more expensive than going with the 6 miler (the Capricorn)!

The main reason is that I would only need to charge the Aries up once a week, it goes 25 miles on a single charge and I can stand up temporarily when I need the extra height.  It will also mean that I can get used to being out and about alone again.  It also folds up and the battery charges up offboard which is great for our narrow hall!

I've also bought several extra things for that chair and I've got my eye on a security pouch which wouldn't work on the Capricorn or Lugano from the picture I've seen of the Aries!

The only very minor negatives of the Aries and Lugano is that they both have pneumatic tyres which could leave me stranded if I get a puncture!  I'm going to email Lloyds Pharmacy about getting solid tyres on both of them so that I don't have to worry about it!


Steve got good news this afternoon!

Someone from Social Services came out to see Steve at lunchtime today and he's entitled to free help because he's not on benefits!  Yay!

He was also told that he may be able to get PIP (Personal Independence Payment) as well!

Tuesday 20 May 2014

ASDA have got my custom for Vitamin C pills!

The hubby very kindly bought me a bottle of chewable Vit C pills yesterday because the Simply Supplements ones have Rosehip in them which made me retch if I didn't eat immediately before taking them... I took the ASDA ones before even having a drink and they were fine!

On top of that they are suitable for vegetarians and are made to be chewed too!

Now I just need to take my other 8 supplements every morning!

Monday 19 May 2014

That's an added bonus!

We've just had a surprise visit from someone who's folded our laundry and taken Mitzi for a long walk around somewhere or other around here in the car - our little girl is going to be totally wiped out bless her little heart!

Our little girl is only a small dog (a Westie) and the woman who came is going to take her around the park just up the road from us or Plock Court or something? 

Mitzi is going to be asleep early tonight!  lol  She's wiped out for a couple of hours after her morning walk with me so her little paws are going to be exhausted when she gets back!

Apparently we'll have to pay for it, but I reckon it'll be worth it if she can help us with things like that a couple of times a month!

Sunday 18 May 2014

Just got back from taking Mitzi for her walk

Mitzi was a good girl on her walk today, thankfully!

She wee'd a Mitzi-standard huge wee and didn't pull so much that I fell over so I'm a happy bunny right now!

Mitzi is ace!

Saturday 17 May 2014

Scratch the last post :-(

I'm going with the 6 miler after all - the 10 miler isn't adjustable after all - they got the 10 miler mixed up with a mobility scooter with a similar name  :(

So, I'll be getting the 6 miler and my ideal chair instead  :-|  More expensive that way, but it means I can walk Mitzi with the 6 miler and get my ideal chair at the start of next year.

Or should I get the chair that I originally thought of to walk Mitzi with 'cos the seat doesn't rise but goes 25 miles per charge so would only need to be charged once a week and my ideal chair for doctors and dentist appointments and just generally shopping on the High Street because the seat rises 6.5cm and goes 20 miles per charge so would only need to be charged up a couple of times a week and would give me more freedom.

I'm lost again now  :(

I've finally decided!

I've finally decided what I'm going to do about getting a wheelchair.

I'm getting the 10 miler chair and 2 spare batteries (it runs on 2 batteries for some reason) and no other chair or batteries... I'll get the chair first then get the spare batteries later on so that I've always got 2 fully charged batteries whenever I want to go out and about.

When I've got the chair, I'll put another £200 a month aside in case I decide later on that I need a bigger range per charge when I'll have the money ready for it so will be able to get it straight away instead of having to save up for it and deny myself things I'd like to get, like I'm doing atm!  It will mean that I can still put £50 every 4 weeks towards the extra electricity charging the batteries will use!

Now I just need to hear back about the insurance, extended warranty and breakdown cover!  lol

Took Mitzi for her walk at 7.30 this morning and...

... felt sleepy as I went out of the door but I'm wide awake now!

We went the other way today and met our neighbours on the other side of  us and Mitzi tried to chase their people carrier - silly girl, but apparently that's a typical Westie thing!

Bless 'er likkle 'art!

Friday 16 May 2014

Update on the second bank from yesterday

Whoever I spoke to on the phone yesterday didn't have a clue what she was on about!  I don't need a new debit card with the second bank unless there is something wrong with the card, which there isn't!

I was on the phone for 3 minutes, 7 seconds today and most of that time was logging into my account!

I was on the phone for 5 times as long as that yesterday and the woman I spoke to was pretty much useless!  She solved the card reader lock out within seconds then signed me up for goodness knows what else!

Tsk!

Just taken Mitzi for her walk and...

...we went a different way today.  She pulled on her lead almost constantly which made it hard for me to walk and I almost went base over apex several times!  Naughty pup!

Thursday 15 May 2014

That was harder than it needed to be and it's still not sorted!

I've got 2 different bank accounts with 2 different banks and I've got online banking with both.  The first one was easy to set up and use, the second one is harder than it needs to be!

With the first one, I just need my unique number to start with, then my pin and password and that's it.  I'm in.

With the second one I need my account number, sort code, 15 digit ID number, security number, a password and a card reader just to change a phone number that's 16 years old! 

I couldn't remember my pin on the card reader so it locked me out.  I phoned up the customer service number to unlock my card because there's no way I can get into a branch to unlock it myself.

The woman I spoke to said that she would send me another PIN number through the post and I need to call again to order a new card tomorrow.

In the meantime I can't use my card or online banking or telephone banking so it's a good job it's not my main account!

Maybe it's good that I need to know so many security things, but instead of taking less than a minute to sort out what I originally called for (to unlock the card reader) it took 17 minutes 58 seconds and I can't use anything until I get a new card, pin number and security card through the post at the start of next week!

What a PITA!


Wednesday 14 May 2014

How do you get thinner thighs please?

I've always hated my thighs but thought it was all in my head until yesterday when I tried to put a pair of jeggings on... they stopped half way up my thighs and refused to go any further.

I bought 2 pairs of size 12 leggings from Littlewoods yesterday and they were delivered this morning - they fit over my thighs and I've got the grey pair on now.

So, my question is, how do I make my thighs thinner please?  I walk Mitzi every morning and walk to meet up with C and H a couple of times a month but my legs just won't let me walk any further so other than cosmetic surgery, is there any other way to thin my thighs please?

I know exactly how they got to be so big - I injected Growth Hormone into them 6 days a week for 5 years as a kid which made my thighs grow but didn't do much for my height  :-(

I rely on long skirts, leggings and loose trousers now because of the Growth Hormone but I'm determined to reduce them so that I can wear jeggings as well as leggings and feel that I'm not being looked down on.

I'm just not physically able to go further than the end of the street and back more than once a day so if there's any other way to reduce them at home, I'm willing to consider most things!

Tuesday 13 May 2014

Size 12?

I've just had lunch (2 cheese and tomato slices) and I'm going to try on my new size 12 jeggings now... if they fit I'll be over the moon!  lol

Edit - I'm not size 12 yet... my thighs are too big  :-(

So far today...

Steve's re-enabler has just arrived with someone else who was making notes so maybe the re-enabler is being assessed or something and I've already walked Mitzi so I've just got my online assignments for my online communities to do then that's it for the day!

Edit - the re-enabler was being assessed... the assessor asked the re-enabler why she only took the tubi-grip and pads off his legs instead of taking the dressing off, washing his legs and stuff... apparently the re-enabler got it right!  Yay!

Monday 12 May 2014

I'd give anything to be able to...

... work again, if only for a week, but that's never going to happen now 'cos the brain damage is with me for life, the Korsakov Syndrome stops me walking further than the end of the road alone and the psychotic depression would make me sound mad even though it's well controlled with meds!

:-(

Feeling really good right now!

I've literally just got back from having lunch with C and H and I'm feeling really good right now because the place we went to was on a really steep from the car park into the Inn and I didn't fall over at all! 

OK so I was clinging onto C's arm for dear life and my quad cane has never been used so much since I've had it but I managed it!

I had a stuffed mushroom and I think the coleslaw had dairy in it because the first mouthful of it tasted very strongly of milk or cream, but there wasn't very much of it so I ate the lot!

My knees are killing me now though!

It's H's birthday tomorrow so I gave her two of the gifts today and the third one will be emailed to her at some point tomorrow, just in case her other gifts didn't arrive in time!

So tired!

I didn't get to sleep as early as I hoped last night and I woke up early this morning too, so my body is protesting about how little sleep I've had!  :-(

I had a shower to wake me up and wash me hair but my knees are killing me now!  :-(

Sunday 11 May 2014

Yaaay!

I've just worked out how to put the date and time on each of my blog posts and I've put a groovy background on it too - do you like it?  :-D 

I've also added a few pictures and a contact form too!

I've also written 4 less posts in 2014 than the total amount I wrote in the previous 3 years!

Memorial page for my twins

If you want a homepage but don't want to pay for it and you don't know html then take a trip over to wix.com - it's free, easy to use, no knowledge of html needed and there are loads of templates too!

I created a basic site in memory of my twins yesterday to see just how easy it was to do things without knowing html and without paying anything for it and within half an hour I'd gone from not even knowing wix existed to having a site online!

All you need is an email address and you're good to go!

Saturday 10 May 2014

Decisions, decisions

I've just spotted a different wheelchair that costs £169 more but goes 10 miles on a full charge of the battery instead of 6.  If the seat raises (I've just emailed Lloyds Pharmacy to ask) then I'll get that one, but if it doesn't, I'll get the Capricorn instead.  Sorted!

Friday 9 May 2014

Getting nervously excited now!

I'm on about getting the wheelchair, not cooking tea!  lol

In about 6 weeks time I'll have paid for my electric wheelchair and I'll be arranging to get it delivered and installed then the only thing that I have to keep an eye on is that I don't go more than 3 miles in each direction so that I'm not stranded in the middle of nowhere!

I can count down in weeks now until I get my freedom back!

That first trip into Gloucester will be magical!  I just want to re-familiarise myself with the route and the shops that are down there now after more than a decade, then I can slowly build up the distance that I walk Mitzi and we can explore all the little side streets and stuff too!

The air will smell so good the first week of having the chair!

I can't wait!!

Quorn cottage pie and...

I'm going to do tea tonight for me and 'im.  I'm going to have Quorn cottage pie, but what goes with it?  What shall I cook for Steve?  Do I dare to do pasta bake or shall I stick to something like hamburgers and chips or wrap sausages with bacon or something like that?  I'm far from a chef but I enjoy cooking as long as I don't forget about getting the food out of the oven!  Yes, seriously!

I'll go and have a look now!  lol

OK, so we're having Quorn hot dog sausages and potato wedges for tea and I'll do it all!  Yay!

Going to give pasta bake a try next time... you watch me screw it up!  lol

Steve's doing vegetarian spag bol for us instead  :-/

Thursday 8 May 2014

What should I do?

I can afford £250 a month for the electric wheelchair but do I save up £1500 and just get the wheelchair of my dreams or do I get my freedom sooner (July) with the Capricorn chair but only go 6 miles and having to recharge the battery every day but be able to go out on my own again?

I think I said recently that I would go with the Capricorn didn't I?

Such are the joys of brain damage I suppose!  :-(

I've got to pay for a replacement prescription pre-payment certificate at the end of May which will save me £85 during 2014 but it's £104 I forgot to account for!  :-(

It means that I'll be £104 worse off than I was thinking but it's only once a year so it'll be worth it which is another reason for me to go with the Capricorn too... :-/

Wednesday 7 May 2014

I've decided...

Just me again!

I'm going to not spend anything until I'm paid at the end of the month when I'll get my prescription pre-payment card and a couple of trousers and I'll still be comfortably in credit so that I'm that much closer to buying the wheelchair - just got to sort out the insurance and breakdown cover and extended warranty for it now!

I'm a greedy pig :-(

I've already had a small pot of melon chunks and 2 slices of carrot cake as well as bringing a multi-pack of chocolate in with me and it's only 10.25am!

*sigh*

Tuesday 6 May 2014

Got to remember...

Got to remember to re-apply for my pre-payment prescription card on the 8th May so that I can get it sorted for when my current card runs out - you watch me forget!  lol

Monday 5 May 2014

My spending addiction

According to Steve, I should get a letter about renewing my pre-payment card so I'm going to leave it until 19th May and if I haven't had the letter by then I'll do it online... sorted!

Also, having a bath seems to drown my addiction 'cos it hasn't niggled at me since I had a bath yesterday!  Yay!

Sunday 4 May 2014

Prescription pre-payment card - now or later?

I pay almost £105 for a year's pre-payment card for my prescriptions.

My current card runs out on 7th June.

Do I give in to my spending addiction and get it now or do I wait until I'm paid at the end of May?

So far, so good today!

I woke up at 7am instead of 6.30am with my alarm, oops!

Let Steve's re-enabler in, walked Mitzi and I'm about to have a bath - nothing spectacularly wonderful to most people but I'm feeling like I've already achieved a lot!

Just got to resist spending anything until July now!  If I'm careful about my spending then I'll be able to afford everything I want and still be in credit at the bank by July... just got to focus on that now!

Saturday 3 May 2014

Yaaay!

I've just worked out why I haven't got £400 in my bank account... I used it to pay off my overdraft!  That means that I'll be able to stay in credit and pay Steve back the £250 I owe him at the end of May then I'll be able to get the Capricorn chair in July, stay in credit at the bank and still have £75 a month to play with if I want to!

Spending addiction - if you're kind to me I'll let you spend the £75 however you want to... clothes, chocolate, books, magasines... anything you want is yours if you leave me alone until I've got the chair!  Deal?

Friday 2 May 2014

I've done it! I've done it! I've done it!

I'm back in credit by £253 and I've got £1,003 available to spend if I include my arranged overdraft!  Such a good feeling!  If I don't spend anything between now and July, I'll be able to comfortably afford the wheelchair and still be comfortably in credit too!

Screw you spending addiction!

Thursday 1 May 2014

That was a bit pointless, wasn't it, spending addiction!

When I haven’t got my glasses on I can’t see.

When I’m naked I can’t leave the house.

When I’m wet it’s dangerous to use electricity.


So why did you start niggling me while I was in the shower just now?  Not going to happen any time soon so get used to it!  I will beat you if it’s the last thing I do!

I’ll make a deal with you, spending addiction, you can get one pair of trousers or one skirt from Littlewoods at the weekend if you leave me alone until then, deal?

Me V spending addiction

I've just checked my balance and I was £461 overdrawn so I asked Steve if I could move the £250 in the joint account into my personal account and pay him back £50 a month for the next 5 months so as of midnight tonight I'm no longer overdrawn and I'm one step closer to freedom!

I can see it now... as of tomorrow I'll no longer be overdrawn and only 2 months away from getting my hands on a wheelchair that will give me so much more independence and freedom... just need to remember to get an extension lead so that I can charge it up after using it each day!

I can taste it now... just need to not spend anything until July now!

You've got a fight on your hands now, spending addiction, and I'm going to win!