In case you wondered, the men from Dewsbury didn't come back today. Or ring, despite us giving them the proper number (the other half hadn't changed his number on Paypal so they were trying to ring an empty house). So we'll both be waiting in tomorrow.
An introduction to the other half (OH) is in order I think - opposite sex, younger (ummm, toy boy!) and working - although that was in doubt for a while as he had been 'on the sick' for a long time this summer with a very painful right wrist - which in a joiner isn't a good thing. Very keen on CAMRA, so keen he often has the weight of Barnsley on his shoulders, but that sense of responsibility and fair play was one of the reasons I married him. No kids - but lots of nephews and he's very good with them too, that was another reason. Most available beer drinking men don't seem to like children, many make no secret of the fact that they actively dislike them especially if they crop up in a pub. He's good at IT too, but in a sensible, common sense sort of way, not over the top technical geekery. Ok, that's enough, I sent him an invite to this blog - the first in fact so he'll read this one day.
Invites to the blog - I'm only letting a few people read this at the moment, but I'm going to continue to use initials or other evasions rather than names for other people. You all know who I am, but that doesn't give me the right to talk about my friends and family on here (unless I'm being nice?)
Today's OU study went very poorly - I was fuzzy and tired. Last night I misplaced the cat, today I know I made some similar faux pas but it's late and I can't remember what it was. The tiredness has been building up for a week or so now - maybe three days a week outings is actually still too much - or it is when mixed with weekend bouts of gardening. It's like having a head stuffed with fluff - the grey sort that collects in the tumble dryer. That's a good analogy actually, the fluff collects because my brain has been spinning too much ...
Tomorrow we have a chap coming from our new estate agents. Yes, I took the bit in my teeth and told the young men up the road goodbye. Nine months and not even an enquiry about the old house - I know we're in a recession but surely that can't be right. So this time it's a town centre office with regular ads in the Barnsley Chronicle. And we've dropped the price AGAIN. I won't be getting that new kitchen any time soon.
I have been reading other blogs and someone was writing about changes to Council Tax Benefit - I met two women in the library on Tuesday who were supposed to be running a consulation about that, it must be one of those news stories that's even more secret than the voting for Police Commissioners! No-one had turned up to talk to them as the library had put up incorrect signage! Anyway, the blogger was talking about a consultation form she completed that asked whether CT relief should be reduced for second homes and empty houses - HA! We got six months free when the old house went up for sale and now we are paying the full rate on two houses - the OH's wage is just a bit too much to claim benefit on this house and there's no chance of getting anything for the old one. It used to be a year free. Exactly what services are we actually using at the old, empty, house? OK if it was to burn down I guess I'd be grateful for the fire brigade, but bins - no, police - no, and the other stuff - leisure, libraries, transport are all people dependent, so we're paying our share here in Cudworth surely?
Reading back on the last two paragraphs you probably now feel you've walked in in the middle of the story - sorry about that. Last year we bought a house here in Cudworth - near the OH's mum and in need of 'fixing up' so it would give us something to do, plus a much, much bigger garden for growing more fruit and veg. However the old house, in Barnsley, isn't selling, and we need to sell it to pay off this one ... I was hoping for a bit left over to get a new kitchen, as one of the things that needed fixing up was the 60's style, very small, ancient-gas-cooker powered kitchen. I have dreams of something pale green, with tall cupboards and an eye level oven, a central hob and a wall knocked though to the dining room so everything looks bigger ... ahhh.
Just seen the time, I'd better stop. I like this. Sort of like talking to myself, but not quite.
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