Monday, January 30, 2006

Sock it to me

How annoying when you've just finished a carefully sorted wash, to find a sock on the staircase that'll have to languish a week or so until there's enough fodder fo de washer!
Spent a couple of days trying to contact the IR to see if it's true as I thought I heard, on a radio prog, that if you pay your tax even if the return isn't completed, that you can avoid the £100 fine. When I finally got thro I was so surprised I didn't even hear the voice talking to me from my mobile on the desk. Having checked with someone, the tax person told me it is not so and suggested I complete my return online .. but I do believe you have to get a password that can take 7 days so I'd miss the deadline anyway.
I know, I know. My own fault!
I at least did manage to tell tax person that I'm no longer self employed so would they please stop taking NI contributions from me. She said she'd put me thro to the right no., which was continually engaged so she couldn't. Think I'd better just write 'em a letter.
Would that I were as careful with my pennies as I am becoming with my time!
Just getting back into the morning routine, or at least forming one.
It's get up, wee wee, run bath, fill kettle, make tea, pour cereal, take out lunch (prepared night before) eat breakfast, bath, teeth, hair, make-up, dress, wash up, then do anything else I can fit in before time to leave.
I saved a little time the other morning by proggling my ears with a baby bud whilst en route upstairs to dress, etc. Probably a bit silly. If I'd tripped I could have proggled deeper than I'd intended!
Bath ... the landlord when mentioning putting up the rent agreed that a shower would be a good idea. I had the tiling done in, what? Oct? Nov? Haven't heard a thing since!
Saw quite a nice 2 bed apartment for sale today - online. Think I need, still, to sort finances to figure out exactly how much I can afford. Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?
Went to a lovely dinner over the weekend at Rob and Henrietta's. I suppose there must have been 7 or 8 couples spread over two dining tables.
OH, I don't mean spread over! Seated at!
After the main course half change tables so it makes for an interesting mix and lots of different conversations.
I think this was the third such dinner party I've attended, Roger and Sue, Steve and Sally ... just noticed, I'm writing the guys' names first.
Just seems to flow better, not being discriminating!
Also makes for some very lovely meals!
These are Ian's friends. I had a touch of the collywobbles at the first en masse meeting when I wasn't 'hiding' behind my camera but it was unfounded. Was just me out of the socialising loop for so long and being a spectator on the fringe.
I'm just chomping my way through some Fox's Glacier dark - Licorice and Aniseed sweeties. Yum.
I wonder if aniseed is addictive?
I've had SO many dreams - and strange ones at that - since I've begun this new job.
Can't recall anything specific but I'm sure I never used to have such active nights, except if I'd overdone it with the nutmeg on my night-time milk drink.
OK, got to get down on the floor now, next to my filing drawer which I've dragged out of its cabinet so I can go thro the files and pick out info for the accounts.
What will I have to worry about when I've done these?
I expect I'll find something!
I'm never short on ideas!!!!

Tag, you got me GW

Tagged by GW:

Four jobs you've had in your life: Secretary to the Adjutant of the Honourable Artiillery Company, Company of Pikemen and Musketeers (the Lord Mayor of London's official guard). Secretary (p/t) for Roger Whittaker, shelf filler in MacFisheries, photojournalist :)

Four movies you could watch over and over: Amelie, Le Diner Au Cons, The King and I, Wasabi

Four places you've lived: Torre (Portugal), Dallas, Bishop's Stortford (Herts), Wheatley (Oxon)

Four places you've been on holiday: St Lucia, Paris, Apapa (Nigeria), Loch Maree (etc etc)

Four websites you visit daily: Hotmail, Yahoo front page for horoscope, I'm struggling for two more daily ones!

Four TV shows you love to watch: Who do you think you are? That guy with a double-barrelled name (Hugh Fearnley-??) who grows his own food and cooks for the whole village. Not The Nine O'Clock News. Billy Connolly's antics.

Four of your favourite foods: Liver & Onions & Mash, Smoked Haddock, Mussels, Kidneys Liegiose (can't spell that).

Four places you'd rather be: Anywhere with my kids. Under canvas on a British summer's day. Swimming nekkid. Cuddling wiv my sweetie.

Four albums you can't live without: I'm fickle, it changes but I always go back to these: Mozart at Midnight; Best of Cesaria Evora, Best Rock Ballads in the World Ever. Vivaldi 6 double concertos, cos I love the one for two mandolins, strings and continuo.

Four people to tag with this:
Squid Vicious
Kat
Scarycheri
Runa

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Latest successes

They're only small but even so, a success is a success!
I have managed to get on a waiting list for a new dentist. I have a hygienist visit booked with the old surgery and if I have an emergency I gather dentists HAVE to see you, so though it may be months (I was told) rather than weeks, at least there's hope!
Also read thro the pension info, last night, which I've been given for the new job. To be honest I'm not a lot wiser though it's set out very well. I wonder when that financial advisor gets back?? I think I know which one I need but I need advising.
This evening I've composed a letter, ready to mail to my former husband, asking for help with answering the questions. Without his help, having looked at the questionnaire, I think I'm stumped.
Had to run the gamut of a picket line today, going into work. However, there were only two guys on the line, one with a placard together with a non-striking member of staff to welcome us in, so I just smiled a nice smile and said "Good morning!" to them all !
A suggestion has been made to have an office get-together to enable the new and old staff in the building to get to know one another, which I think is a good idea.
It's dress down day tomorrow.
One young guy who came into the room late, mis-heard the announcement and said: "You're joking????!!!"
"A dressing gown day???"
OH, was chuffed to see today on the internet version that I've got front cover on Lincolnshire Life magazine!! Yayyyyy. It isn't actually in the shops yet, maybe arrive in a couple of days.
It's the piccie of the Turner Prize winning artist Grayson Perry, who was dressed as a lady, cos he likes to do that.
There's a link at the side, here, for a gander at the mag cover.
Also looked at The Journal, online and found they've used half a doz piccies of the Caistor Sommeliers' dinner in December, including a piccie of Ian and myself. Of course I didn't take that one!
It'll be time to send out a couple of invoices, shortly.
Think I'll then close the business account - maybe do two lots of accounts at once???
Hah, fat chance!!



Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Success

I'm beginning to think that one success a day, however small, is good!

Mine, today, was finding which organisation manages the car park opposite - the District Council couldn't help me - and asking the land owners to send me a form to 'bags' a space if one comes up. No guarantee, of course, that I'll get one but at least my name is down and I reckon I have a fairly good reason for wanting one ... double yellows both sides of my road, outside the property.

A guy further up has a drive in which he has two cars and a further one in the park in the unallocated spaces.

I gathered, a month or so back, when I challenged a guy who was taking photographs of the area ... didn't challenge him until I saw him include my car in the picture ... that the whole of the parking area is to be posted, or bollarded. That was the day I was still in my jammies, yelling at him, across the road .... "Excuse me ... what are you doing????"

I figure the financial advisor must be on holiday cos he's not available on his home no., either.

Ok, I've got plan B in action and looking thro the endowment stuff I don't seem to have had a statement for last year. I emailed the insurance company for a copy, last night and at least got the email addy right cos I've had a reply saying it's been forwarded to the policy department.

Baby steps!

All my holidays from work have been OK'd so I have odd days and a week or two to look forward to. Now just have to think how best to relax on them.

The egg/bacon/onion turnover tasted good! Reminded me of my childhood.

I've washed up, ironed and thinking now about whether I have the courage to look at the accounts.

No, I'm still thinking ...

Bought a couple of dvd's. Audrey Tatou of Amelie and A Very Long Engagement fame was recommended to me in He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. Got that from Amazon for almost £7.
I had also read a jolly good review of Le Diner Au Cons so trotted down to the library to see if they had it. Apparently they considered buying it in in 1998 but did nothing about it.

How come, in Tesco I found it, yesterday in the international section and a sticker on it that read 'NEW' . Anyway, I decided to buy it. The price was a bit 'ouch' and I could have got it cheaper online but when all's said and done, I've sometimes kept the library dvds so long that I could have bought them, so at least this one is mine and though I'm not one to read a book twice (dunno why, just dont care to ... maybe cos when they're mainly thrillers I usually guess 'whodunnit' fairly early on and there's no point in reading it twice when you really DO know who dunnit!) but with a French language film it's always fun to to try translate and not be five minutes behind the action. Not saying I'm NOT five mins behind but the odd word correctly translated gives one a happy feeling.

My 'loss' was my neighbour's gain yesterday! I bought a fashion woolly, in a sale, reduced from £25 to £2.50, just something I could keep at work if it gets a bit chilly. Unfortunately the hanger size was NOT the woolly size, which was 3 x smaller! Fortunately, since it was sorta trendy, Anna was delighted to have a new woolly!

Oh, I may have found a new NHS dentist. Not an easy thing to do nowadays. Mine's gone private with a £15 monthly charge (not v. good for a family budget, huh?) Even for me, alone, it's not actually amusing especially when a new crown - the mostly likely treatment I would need - would cost an additional £200-£500. So my two-crowned bridge, if even one of the tooshies goes, could cost from £600 to £1500 to replace.

No, that isn't funny!

Mind you, I'd look pretty funny when I smiled!

I do, still, smile occasionally :)

Monday, January 23, 2006

I hate finances!

I've got an endowment thingy that I've had letters about telling me it's going to fall short by about two-thirds the projected payment. I don't understand. I don't understand! I've just read the policy and I still don't understand.
I'm about to look at one of these claim4you companies to see if I can answer the questions they want answered. They're scaring people into using them, saying 85% of people who try to do it themselves dont get anything. One wants 25% of what you get to do it for you. Which is a bit steep, why not a set rate? I mean, it takes as much time for them to deal with it for someone who's got a £10K endowment as a £25K one, huh? A couple of thou is quite sufficient.
Anyway, I'm as confused now as I was before.
I phoned a 'financial advisor', someone who set up my pension which I gained from my ex, but didn't yet get a reply. Also, I suppose, on a no win no pay basis it's fine but . ..... I can't even be fagged to finish what I was writing!
Finance stinks.
I was of the era where hubby did the finance and I did the house and kids, etc. Why'm I suddenly supposed to be a finance expert????
No, the accounts haven't got any further.
I spose I'll just go over to the claim4you site and give away as much as I would have gained. Ah well, at least it'll be dealt with.
I'm all at sea.
I've just baked an onion, bacon and egg pie.
I can't remember when I last made pastry.
I didn't have enough pastry to put a lid on the pie so it became a turnover.
I thought I had sinusitus and a stye.
Stye's almost gone but it appears I have a snotty nosed cold.
I am not a happy bunny.
I did do one useful thing today, I took my decree whatever to the pensions peeps to prove I'm divorced so they can work out my pensions forecast.
I think I'm probably worth more deceased.
I've got a pensions document to go thro for work.
I'm just as at sea there.
Why can't I get my head around this?
Don't like, not happy.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Today

I got out of the bath the wrong side today.

I tripped myself up cos the towel was wrapped around the wrong leg.

I hope I don't do that again.

I've got a sore throat and a stye. I can see what's gonna happen. Now I'm working with lots of people I'm going to get every bug going that I've managed to avoid for 15 years.

Sigh.




Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Here endeth Pyks blog

It's been great fun, a place to have a little talk with myself but Pyks has run its course.
Maybe a novel next?
I wish!

Friday, January 06, 2006

Very taxing

I hate it when those ads start appearing on TV about getting tax returns sent in. They make me nervous.
Makes me think of Pam Ayres' poem "I wish I'd taken care of me teeth."
I wish I'd done an hour a week on my accounts.
However, spilt milk, no use crying and all that.
I have made progress in the last week and got to the point where I needed to fish out last year's records to grab the cheque/paying in books and first month's balance, etc but could I find them?? Nope.
I believed I hadn't actually collected them from the accountant so phoned him at the beginning of Decemeber to see if they had them, still.
Nope.
Stalemate.
Turned the house upside down ... which wasn't a bad thing since I've turfed out all sorts of rubbish, but also 'wasted' time by finding interesting stuff to browse, too.
I'm a 'keeper'. I've got old diary pages and an archive of all my newsclippings, which all takes up quite a bit of space and not sure I'll ever need them again but .... Maybe I'll have to resort to getting a long ladder and exploring my loft space??
Feeling at a loss today I phoned the accountant again and the receptionist if the records just sit THERE awaiting collection. When I gave her my name she said "Oh, I think we have them here."
She got back to me after asking the person who deals with my affairs and said: "Sorry, we don't have them."
Stalemate.
"Would you PLEASE ask them to look again??? I really don't have them!"
......
"Hello! We DO have your records!"
Hello, I really need these useful people.
Must be one of those days ... The postman brought me a tax return and repayment reminder.
In fact, come to think of it, the accountant hasn't harrassed me AT ALL about getting my accounts in to them for the last year so either they've forgotten about me (and my records) or they just know I'll do it last minute.
I have a sneaky feeling it's the former!
Well, now I'd better get sorted and go collect what I need.
No wonder I get nervous. I wish I'd taken better notice when I did accounts at college!
Just revisted my bete noir about claiming for an element of rent in the accounts.
I did suggest to the accountant that there should be a claim but he pooh-poohed this.
Then I got me a copy of the Writers' and Artists' Year Book which states quite specifically: "if the claim is based on an appropriate proportion of the total costs of rent, light and heat, cleaning ... ." so I feel justified and having another go at him about this and wonder if it's claimable in retrospect if I'm right.
Just had a word with the tax office to warn them it's all gonna be late, of which a note has been made but the fine will be automatic and mentioned this rent issue to my 'customer manager'. She suggested showing Ac. a copy of the book. I mean, how many photojournalists does he have as clients? The only other person I know, in this area, with a similar job does his own accounts (now I know why) so maybe the Ac doesn't know it all!
Postie also brought me my civil service pensions pack ... more papers to read through.
Now I know why people have secretaries to deal with paperwork.
Somehow, as a secretary, it was always easier to deal with other people's affairs!

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Another new year, they just keep a'coming around

Into the new year and had a lovely time with Ian and his great friends but found time to nip over back here to spend some time with my friends on NY's eve, too.
It got a bit exciting at Steve and Sally's when the candles with plastic decoration around them, on the mantle and which had Xmas bunting along it, caught fire and spread black smoke up the wall and we all coughed! It was discovered by a guest hunting for the port while the remainder were either in the smoking room (not the room that was smoking) or still watching the NY's fun and aftermath of the London fireworks on the telly.
I finally got some accounts keyed in ... took my chitty file to Ian's and sat peacefully, no phones ringing ... not that they do that much nowadays except for calls from gyms (see below) and keyed in a year and a half's worth of receipts.
Need now to key in stuff from my bank balances. I should have done some today but the day just disappeared. Since I stopped work mid-December the days have just zoomed by and I've rarely had to get up early and when I have there's usually been an opportunity to go back to bed or have an afternoon nap.
I think I just got plain ol' worn out the last few years of all work and little rest.
It will be nice to leave work at work in future, hmm, and a regular income which should be much more encouraging for a potential mortgage application if I get to go ahead and buy a home.
I've been looking on rightmove today to see if there's something in this area which I can afford outright .... da answer is very definitely no! Or at least not at the moment. A patch of land with planning consent but I don't think a Lego house would be much good!
Maybe a bijou cottage in Brittany ... or Spain or Portugal or Bulgaria or or or .... I think I'd better just keep an open mind.
I enquired today of the council the cost of a season ticket at a car park near the new office. It's £5 a day or £70 for a month, which includes all the council's car parks.
I'd noticed a piece of land with a big sign declaring it 'private parking' so rang that company and they can off a space and a key to the compound for about £1 a day. Now that's a bit better, huh?
I just have to go there and exchange money for key.
I could have joined the gym nearest to work ... only about 10 mins walk away and for £40 ish a month enjoy free parking and the gym's facilities but you have to contract for a whole year and while I'm sure I could benefit from a year's worth of work outs and SHOULD make exercise regular, especially if I'm to be desk-bound, I'd rather do it in slots of 3 or 6 months.
Also, it can be a bit of a dicey area to walk in on darker nights. Hmmm.
One of my favourite films was on TV last night ... Wasabi ... starring Jean Reno. I missed the ending and it's so long since I saw it that I can't recall what it was!
I have to confess it wasn't natural exuberation this time but probably something to do with the couple of pints imbibed over at t'pub and the Baileys nightcap.
Well, time to apply the cream .....




How's yer belly off for spots?

I believe that's a sort of jolly greeting. In fact I just googled it and didn't get much of a response. It means, of course, "How are you?" I'm not sure what the response is supposed to be, if there's a proper one, like Ca va? and you say Ca va. Which seems a bit daft but the cheek kissing that goes with it is nice!
I was watching some young people greeting each other, in Geneva, few years ago and they exchanged Ca Vas and the girls/boys exchanged kisses and the boys shook hands. That was really civilised. I suppose the high five is a different method of greeting one's friends but we Brits with our 'How do you do?", which we don't really want answering is a bit stand offish, but it's what we say, eh?
We, as a family in my childhood, didn't do the kissing thing. Simply said hello to people. When I moved darn sarf and into the cheek kissing circles it was a bit scary.
I used to worry silly about giving dinner parties. Of course I only invited people I liked and who were friends but still I'd worry for a week or so about what to cook and by the time I'd finished cooking it I'd lost all my appetite. Also worried about whether I was supposed to do the kiss thing on greeting people and saying goodbye.
Went to one friend's for dinner and was astonished that she'd only thought about what to cook and bought the ingredients the same day!
Oh-oh ... methinks there must have been some insecurity lurking, huh?
I'm much more spontaneous nowadays. Yes, I've had my insecurity wobbles but I've been touched by people over the last couple of years or so, their stories when I've met them to write or take a piccie, or have got to know people and then found something befell them.
One lovely lady I hadn't seen for a while I caught up with at a coffee morning. We passed pleasantries and as she was going out of the door a friend of hers told me that the lady had been widowed and then she chattered on a bit, padding the story out and I was actually shocked and upset by the news and just took to my heels and raced after the lady, threw my arms around her and hugged her.
We chatted for 10 mins or so and when I got home I printed out a photo of her husband which I cropped from one I'd taken at a function and mailed it to her.
She was really happy to receive that and we continued to hug when we met.
Don't suppose I'll see her much now.
I don't think I'm a fair weather friend.
I think I'm a bad weather friend.
I'm there for people when they're having a bad time and I try to make them smile and feel better and then I disappear when they're up and running.
I found when I lost my mother that rather than having people cross the road to avoid talking to me, I preferred to talk to them and discuss the situation. A catharsis I suppose.
I interviewed a WWII Veteran and as he spoke the tears ran down the cheeks of both of us. I continued to see him at various functions and we always had a hug and kiss and guys (Rotary)would look a little askance at this but it was just friendly in remembrance of the tears we had shared and of the friends he had lost.
Actually, the guy showed me some of the Special Services paraphenalia he had, a string saw type thing, a knocker-outer-er and a stilleto knife and a book on unarmed combat. He even said 'take them home and look at them'. I didn't like to say no and hoped to God that I didn't get stopped by the police on my way home! A walking armoury!
I had a spending spree today for some work garb. Taking a leaf out of Jenny Joseph's poetry book I decided I shall wear purple (though I don't consider myself 'old') ... and shades of ... but not a red hat. Well, I HAVE worn a red hat but not with purple. Mind you, if the hat fits, wear it!
I bought so much I haven't the energy to take the tags off yet! Hope it fits cos I've definitely gone up a size, sigh.
I keep getting calls from the two gyms I visited. I do wish they'd stop calling. I see it's their number and just don't take the call. I mean, I know when I want to go there ... when I'm ready and when I've decided which one to go to ... I reckon it'll be the one with the toning tables so I can just lie there (do I mean lay there? I get fed up of wondering which is correct) and let the tables do the work and I'll do the aching the next day anyway!
Hang on ... sherry ....
OK, I'm recharged ...
I wish I hadn't given them my number now. Surely they have plenty of people with new year's resolutions visited them in scores by now??? Or maybe the resolutions didn't get beyond Jan 2nd?
I'm resolved to do it - when I'm ready!
I sure won't be using the sauna and steam room facilities for a wee whilie.
I've got spots on my belly!
I had a similar rash in the small of my back last summer and put it down to lots of work and being a fixture for hours on the sofa with my back pressed into the cushion, while I worked.
However, I recalled having something similar and more widespread a few years back when I'd had flu and was on antibiotics (and incidentally keeping myself well wrapped up) and was told to stop taking the tablets since I was probably having an allergic reaction.
So I read the instructions on my current medication:
May cause sweating and itchy rash, if this occurs stop using immediately and see your doctor.
So I did.
But she thinks it's v. probably a heat rash so I'm to continue taking the tabs and prescribed a cream.
I've just read the possible side effects of the cream: "if the rash gets worse during treatment, you may be allergic to it, in this case, stop using it and see your doctor."
So next time someone enquires how my belly is off for spots I suppose I should tell them it's fine and covered in them!