Create a new way

Hello. Someone very kindly compared my posts to self help books. Wow! I am chuffed that what I consider as my simple way of looking at things, is making some sense with some readers. I don't profess to be an expert in anything, except lorry driving, ha ha, but I like to think that my experiences at the University of Life have given me the grounding that I need to live a contented and fulfilling life.

I have always liked writing, gathering together the thoughts in my head, and putting them down in some sort of order. I wasn't very bright at school, I couldn't be bothered, just about scraped through, and hoped no one noticed that I wasn't taking it all in. I was hopeless at exams and couldn't wait to leave and went at the first opportunity. So for someone to say that a post has more wisdom that ten self help books, makes me very chuffed indeed.

I am sure that many of my readers have a wisdom far beyond my own offerings, going by the comments coming in. I love the little sayings and words of wisdom that you come up with from time to time, I write them down because they trigger more thoughts and ideas which I want to hang on to. You inspire me to explore issues further, to hopefully gain a better understanding of how things fit together.

Something that N said, struck a chord, 'I always make time for things that allow my creativity.'  She was talking about learning new hobbies to distract herself from events she would rather forget about. It got me thinking about how creativity can play a key roll in how we can deal with putting the not so perfect past behind us.

The way I see it, if someone has no creative instincts at all, they mostly rely on learning from others, they see how their friends, family, and work colleagues do things, and they follow suit. This takes less effort than thinking up new ideas. It's like going down a long straight road, and ignoring all the roads off it in favour of keep going mile after mile in the same direction, with possibly no end in sight. Changing direction would require a new way of thinking. I don't know anything about how a brain works, but I reckon that if you only stuck with the road you know, always doing the same thing in the same way, then you are only using half your brain. It's a bit of a waste, not using it to it's full potential. If you are not creative, how are you going to find your way through the ups and downs of life? Relying on others to show you the way will not work, you need to be creative in thinking up new ideas, and new directions.

So, back to distraction, N could have done nothing, and gone nowhere, but she made an effort, she recognized that by allowing herself to be creative, she could move on. Creativity means going in a different direction, give yourself a good talking to, to push yourself into something outside your comfort zone. It could be something quite simple, like bake a cake if you have never made one before. Or sign up for a pottery class at college. Or taking up flower arranging. The end product of creativity is learning new skills and expanding your outlook on life. It's looking at situations from a new angle, and finding a better way to get where you want to be. Surely that's got to be a good thing. Well that's how I see it.
Toodle pip

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Mindful gymnastics

Good morning, here we are it's the weekend again and I am listening to Sounds of the Sixties on Radio 2. It's sunny outside, so maybe a good day to go out. Sixties music always makes me feel happy, a little bit of jigging and dancing, ha ha. 

A question arrived in a comment, which I will answer now. 

Another question for you ( maybe you've written about it before, I'll check). You have such a great outlook, but even those with a cheery disposition have an occasional glum day. How do you lift yourself up, if one decides to come your way?

Hello bloggerette, and thanks for the question. I'm trying to think of the last time I had a glum day, there's not much that upsets me. There was a situation that was making me anxious and glum and sad all at the same time. It lasted a period of about two years, and I had little control over what was happening. Things have now been resolved and I am back to happy. I can't talk about the circumstances, but it was the actions of other people which was making me glum. All will be revealed when the time is right. Sorry if that sounds like a riddle. 

How did I deal with it? I learnt how to switch on and off. I got on with my life, keeping busy, distraction is a great way to blot out things. Siting around procrastinating is not going to resolve matters. All it does is make a little niggle into a great big festering hole. I cannot change how other people behave but I can change how I deal with it. 

I believe that all things will pass, they can hang around forever if you let them, or you can give them an almighty shove and move on. Now before anyone wants to shoot me down and say what about all the people with depression and suchlike, I am talking about how I deal with things. I know nothing about mental illness. 

I am really struggling to think about one reason why I should be glum, there is one niggle that comes to mind. I am getting older, and my time on this earth is limited :o( it's not fair, I have so much I want to do, but there's nothing I can do about that, so best to get on and make the most of the time I have left. My life is precious to me, I have to make it the best I can.  

Over the years I have learnt to build a wall of protection around myself to limit what gets through, I decide what I will allow in. I find that glumness rarely visits now, what have I got to be glum about, practically nothing. I have good health, live in a nice place, and have nice friends. 

I don't believe in worrying over small piffling little things that are not important. I sort things out in order of how much it will affect my quality of life. I put my thoughts in boxes, file them away if they are important enough to keep, jettison them into oblivion if they are not worthy of the space in my brain. I take things in my stride, if things go wrong I deal with it, or ignore it, depending on how it will affect me long term. 

Things and stuff are just that, possessions are things we collect as we pass through this life. We don't own them we just borrow them. These would come into my category of piffling little things that are not important. The way I communicate with other living beings is a completely different kettle of fish for me. My quality of life would be severely inhibited if I did not treat people in the same way as I expect to be treated myself. Saying that, it pains me to think that someone can be nasty towards me, when I don't understand why. But then I go back to the thought that I can't change how someone behaves, but I can change how I deal with it. Hope that makes sense. 

I think that how to deal with what life throws at you, is something that can be learnt. The mind can be trained in the same way as the body can, it's all connected. I often say, 'So what, it doesn't matter.'

Hope that explains it a bit, or has it baffled you. Bet you wished you'd never asked, ha ha.  Enjoy your Saturday. 

Toodle pip.

PS. I am still missing two addresses. Primroses Attic, and Aussie Cheryl, your bags are ready to be posted to you.      

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Trying to keep up

Hello, not long now and 2014 will be gone. It's been a good one and I am chuffed. Not doing a look back over the last twelve months, can't be bothered, I'm living for today, and looking forward.

I was wondering just how much of our lives will be taken over by computers in the future. After handing �180 over the post office counter, I'm a bit peeved that they didn't give me a tax disc to put in my car. I took the MOT certificate with me but Hilary the PO lady didn't even look at it, says it's all computerised now. There was no mention of an insurance certificate on the renewal form either, she said she didn't need to see it, good job I didn't take it then.

Having everything about drivers and vehicles on a computer is supposed to be a step forwards, but I think it will create lot's more problems. What about all the vehicles that come into the country from abroad, will all their details be on a computer as well? Will the authorities like the police be able to trace every one to make sure they have paid their tax and insurance, and the vehicle is roadworthy, or the drivers have passed their test? They already let lots of people enter the country illegally without the proper checks, how are they going to police millions of cars with no road tax discs in the windscreen? I can see the computers going into meltdown.

I think it's really strange to see empty windscreens without a disc, I'm thinking of making my own. It could be multicoloured, maybe a flower design, I'll have a think about it. Could make a fabric disc, or even a knitted one. There needs to be something in the space.

I was in the bank the other day, and the man in the queue behind me was getting a bit agitated because we weren't moving very quickly. As we were getting near to the front, I said I wouldn't be long at the counter. He had his phone in his hand and said he had made a ticket purchase on the internet, and the money had to be paid into a bank within half an hour, to get the special deal price. He showed the bank lady the details on the screen and she processed it. I've never heard of that system before. Amazing. Is that how shopping is going to be in the future.

I wonder sometimes if we are all going to lose the power of speech. You see lots of people walking around looking at their hand held device, tapping away at it. Never looking up, ear phones in, totally lost in their own little world, oblivious as to what's going on around them.

When you go into a doctors surgery you don't report to the receptionist, you tap a few details into a touch screen computer. When you go to a supermarket there is no need to have any human interaction at all. You can go to the self scan checkouts. If you want to you can take a scanner around with you and check in each item as you take it from the shelves, then just hand over the dosh at the end.

You can pay for your petrol with a card at the pumps, no need to speak to anyone. You can play scrabble or chess with someone at the other side of the world. You can scan your books in and out at the library.

I don't think I can cope with much more automation. I wish it was all going backwards. Wish there was more smiley people to talk to. Wish people would go back to speaking on the phone rather than texting. I hate texting, it's alright for a quick question and a quick answer, but useless for long conversations.

Spose I must try and keep up with the changing trends, but it's sad that the art of conversation is dying. Ah, well, must get on. It's clocking off time and I want a mug of hot choccy, and the last mince pie. Toodle pip.

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I resolve to......

Hello on this sunny and frosty Sunday morning. It's looking very inviting to go out for a walk, but I'll give it an hour or two before I step outside. Enough time to tap out a few words here. I woke up thinking YEAH! a new year will soon be here, a time for making plans, thinking about the future, thinking about where I want to be in a years time. No, I'm not wishing my life away, but I want to get the best out of it. 

Picture source, Free Printable Calendars.

As with any plans you make, success is down to how determined you are to carry it through to the end. A halfhearted attempt at making New Year Resolutions without putting serious thought to it, will most likely result in failure. Ideas emerging on a whim without a concrete reason to follow them up, will eventually fizzle out. What seemed like a good idea on the first of January may not stand the test of time as the months go by. And go by they will, very quickly, if you keep putting off the start date to your plan. Before you know it summer will be here, and nothing has changed.

I won't be making any new resolutions, because I like to assess the situation month by month. My needs change throughout the year. I did not join in the sealed pot, putting money away religiously every week, then finding a nice lump sum when the time came to empty it a year later. Well done to those who find that kind of saving useful. I do save throughout the year, but I prefer to watch the figures rise on my bank statements.

Here is an example of how a one year commitment worked out really well. Louise from Ramblings of a Roachling took a photo of the same tree from the same spot, every month for the whole year. Take a look at the result, it's fabulous, I love it. I am inspired to do the same, but can I make the commitment to go out and do it? Not sure, so maybe a halfhearted attempt won't work.

So, a question. How many people are going to make resolutions only to see them bite the dust after a couple of months? Or have you got the will power to see it through to the end, circumstances permitting. It's a huge commitment to say you are going to do something for a whole year. Perhaps you are like me and won't make any new resolutions, and choose the month by month option.

I don't know if any of you read Down the Lane forum, but a year ago Richard introduced a new category, 'Frugal Diaries'. It was a place for people to record their frugal journey, to share their experiences, and to support and inspire others who may wish to take that route. It was also for people starting out, their struggles and successes. My frugal journey is right here, you already read it, but I joined the forum diary, and now almost one year on, the stats are quite interesting. Diaries are for looking back on what happened before, to help bring some clarity into your life, and to assess where to go next.

My forum diary is at the top of the stats, because I made the commitment to carry on. It helps me to keep control over my finances, as does this blog. When I write things down I can see things more clearly. Rather than muddling through I would rather see the words and figures on paper or on the screen. I often look back at old hand written diaries, and see a picture of how my life has panned out. I can see patterns emerge, I can see where I came from which gives me a better understanding of where I'm going.

Sadly some of the frugal diaries didn't make it past January, some made it to March, one to July, and two of us have reached December. What I'm trying to say is it's ok to start something with good intentions, but not much point if your heart is not in it. Don't be drawn along with everyone else, you don't have to be one of the crowd, better to make your own decisions because it's what you want to do.

I'm going to bang on about another related topic now. Faddy diets don't work. I know I've said it before, look away if you don't want to read. Controlling your weight is for the long term only, this is one area where a long term commitment is essential. No cutting out junk food for a month, no stopping boozing for a month, no stopping takeaways for a month, if you want to lose weight it won't work. Re educating your taste buds and recognizing which foods are good for you and which aren't, is the way to go. Now that the Christmas stuffing of faces is over, (yes I had a bit of naughty stuff),  maybe now is a good time to take stock. I will strive to keep my eating on track every day of  2015. Are you going to make that commitment? I already do it so it won't be too hard for me. One step at a time if you are struggling, and good luck.

Tell me your New Year Resolutions, I'm interested. Write them down somewhere, in a book, on a blog, anywhere but write them down. Will you make one big annual resolution, or will you make lots of monthly resolutions? Have you got any fantastic plans you want to commit to? If they are just pie in the sky don't bother, just stick to the smaller ones which have a better chance of coming to fruition. Yes, it's good to stretch yourself, fantastic if you succeed in fulfilling your dreams, but sometimes it's better to have several smaller achievements. It's entirely up to you what you do. Whatever it is, I wish you well.

Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip.

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Not getting hooked on tv

Hiya. Let's talk TV. Simplesista asked what I watched. During the day I had it on in the background while I was sewing. Escape to the Country, looking at loadsa money houses that people were considering buying, like going house hunting but without the effort of making the journey to have a look. I've had the TV on today as well, but switched off, once you've seen one posh house you've seen them all, gets a bit boring. A Place in the Sun is another one, couples look at houses nearer home and abroad, usually France. They've done very well for themselves in a fast pace work life, now want to get out of the rat race and grow veg and keep chickens. Nothing wrong with that but I think people have a romantic idea about it. The Good Life, an old sitcom on has a lot to answer for.

Last night I was channel hopping, my attention span is low, ten minutes of one programme and I want to move on. Saw a bit of The One Show, a magazine type programme, Got bored with people promoting their books, and new films they have just finished.

Tried a programme called Living on the Edge, but knew I wouldn't last long with that. It was about reindeer making a long journey across remote Norway. A heartbreaking scene of a young reindeer who wasn't going to make it, then as soon as the Sami people talked about using every bit of the animals they killed, that did it for me. Can't watch that.

I saw a bit of Coronation Street, that is getting dafter by the episode. Someone from Emmerdale is in it now, she takes the part of a cougar, a middle aged woman who goes after a younger bloke. Nick fell under her spell and had to snog her. My goodness, she was plastered with makeup. That's one drawback with a big hd screen, everyone has tons of slap on. Looks like they have piled it on with a trowel.

At 8pm I watched All Aboard : East Coast Trains. That was quite interesting, a documentary about life on the railways. Saw most of that. Then it was over to BBC 1 for The Apprentice. I haven't been watching the whole series so I had no idea who the finalists were. This week the five of them were grilled by Alan Sugar's entourage. They all presented their business plan in the hope that they would secure a �250,000 investment if they won. To be honest, even though most of the contestants are pretty hopeless at business, you've got to admire them for their balls to put themselves through the millstone over the ten weeks it has been running. The interviews were pretty grueling. Someone was found out for lying on their CV, someone else made claims about their sales which were a bit suspect, and their business plans were pulled to shreds. I felt the interviewers were unfairly cruel. If someone spoke to me like that I would tell them to stick it.

Following that I put on Crazy Christmas Compulsives, a programme about people who take the festive revelry to extremes. Someone was snowman crazy and had hundreds of them all over the house, every surface was covered. It was at this point I dozed off and missed the rest of the programme.

I am struggling to find anything to excite me. Maybe tonight will be better.

Thank you all for your comments on the 'Brilliant', post. Most of you do understand the reasons why I live a frugal and simple life. To say I put myself on a pedestal is totally untrue. I tell my story as it is. My plan when I left school was to work and provide for myself. Not to take money from the state, not to get married and have to ask my husband for money but to earn my own. That's exactly what I have done. I've been lucky with my health, possibly a good gene, but I think some of my wellness may be down to diet and exercise. I can't be held responsible for those who have not been so lucky, or those who have lost jobs, or those struggling on a low wage. Of course I feel sympathy for people who find themselves in those positions, but it is not my fault. I can only write about my experiences in the hope that there might be something there that will be helpful. Thank you for reading.
Toodle pip

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Anything worth watching?

Hello. I'm amazed. I'm sitting here browsing through the TV Guide I bought today, looking for programmes I might want to watch over the Christmas period, and I'm really struggling. I do keep up with what's on, on the catchup channels, and I often struggle to find anything on there.

The amount of channels listed in this magazine is mind boggling, it's that long since I watched a TV, I wouldn't know how to access it all. There are nine pages for each day. The normal five channels, turn the page and there is Freeview, Sky, Virgin, and Freestat. I don't know how many channels I will be able to watch, I think they subscribe to most of them, my problem will be trying to find them. Which remote will I need to use, which buttons will I need to press. It's going to be a flippin nightmare.

I see that one of my favourites is back, Last Tango in Halifax. I will be on a rota with another sitter, and unfortunately it's on a day when I will be back here, so I won't be able to catch that on a big screen, it's my night off, ha ha.

George Clarke's Amazing Christmas Spaces will be one to watch. Also marked down is a programme about lottery winners, how it has affected their lives, might watch that. I see Victoria Wood is on, and Julie Walters on the same night, love those two. A treat will be Call the Midwife, will watch that, and Paul O'Grady, For the Love of Dogs. Love that man. I see Morecambe and Wise are on, a show which hasn't been on the TV for 30 years, will be worth a watch.

I'm sure there must be more, I'll have to work out how to get the other channels.

Going through the TV programme guide used to be my ritual every week when I had a tele many years ago. That bluddy box in the corner ruled my life. I used to have a video recorder and set it to record things that I wouldn't be home for, or watch one programme and record another one at the same time. My goodness I was so disappointed if I missed something. Looking through this magazine now has reminded me that 99% of what's on is of no interest to me at all.

I shall be taking my sewing with me, that will keep me busy. And of course I will be chatting to you.
Toodle pip.

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Be grateful

Good morning. A quickie before I get busy for the day. I've just been reading the news, Mrs Beckham won an award for her fashion brand, there are photo's of her and her husband David, all over the papers. No this isn't a post about them, it's about jealousy. Why oh why do people feel the need to spout such vitriol about someone they have never met and are never likely to meet. I'm talking about the comments here, which inevitably follow on from the main article. Trolls are everywhere, looking for any opportunity to pull people down, it's sickening, and I imagine most of the nasty comments are born out of pure jealousy. Anyone who is  doing quite well for themselves is seen as an easy target.

I don't know the Beckhams, but what I see is a hard working couple who look after their family, isn't that what everyone should be aspiring to do? So why the nasty personal remarks?

Jealousy is an evil which permeates throughout the whole of society. I want what you've got and if I can't afford to buy it, I will steal it. You have a new flat screen TV so I want one. Your child goes to a better school than mine, so I will send little Billy there. Sam down the road has a new car, so I will get a bigger one. Mary is going to the God knows where islands for her holiday, I want to go. You see what I mean. It's like a disease.

Did you see the recent TV programmes of Sue Perkins travelling up the Mekong River? She met lots of people who have virtually nothing, yet still are happy with their lives. Why can't it be like that everywhere? I do despair. Watch it on the iplayer if you can. Did you also see the pictures of people getting into punch ups on Black Friday in the stores as they scrabbled for the bargains? And now they are trying to sell their big screen TV's on ebay. serves them right for being so greedy if they don't make a profit.

I don't care if people have more than me. Well done to the Beckhams for getting out there and working hard, and giving jobs to lots of people. So what if she doesn't smile very often, would you, if you had cameras pointing at your face every time you stepped out of your front door.

Jealousy can turn people into killers, it can start wars. Sometime in the future it will bring about the demise of the whole planet. I will not allow jealousy into my life and I will not allow it to eat into my soul.

I'll leave you with one thought while I go about my daily business. Toodle pip

Live with an attitude of gratitude.

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Too many choices make a complicated life.

Hello. Today has brought wind and some rain, but not as much as yesterday. It's also a little bit warmer. I've been sewing, working on the picture. Now I have two trees, a turquoise one and a red one. I was thinking I need three trees but not so sure now. I wonder if I ought to make a few smaller trees. I have made some leaves out of felt, think that's a good idea, but how many shall I make. All these choices. I suppose that's what art is all about, shall I use this colour, or that colour. It's nice to have the freedom, to take it in whichever direction I choose, but with freedom comes many more decisions to make.

Plenty of time to think today, while I sew. Am I the only one who thinks the fewer choices we have makes life a lot more simpler. I am limited by what I can buy because I have a small income. It is not so small that I have to go without, I have enough, but if I had less money my options would be a lot less, so there would be less to think about. I could cope with that. But if I had more money, that would give me more choices, and I'm not sure that would give me a better life.

I like things being simple. When my heating didn't work I didn't have to make the decision on whether to turn it on or not, whether I could afford to heat the house. There was no decision, it didn't work, end of story, so I managed. Making decisions takes discipline. I am laid back, I only make the decisions I have to make, on important matters, everything else gets pushed to one side and I say I'll deal with it later. Like, getting the dyson out, I think about it for a few days, and ignore it. It's not important that I clean the floor today, might do it tomorrow, or the day after.

In the supermarket there are far too many choices, I don't need twenty kinds of baked beans to choose from, or ten kinds of fruit juice or soya milk. And why so many different kinds of cereals. Bran flakes do me fine. I eliminate a lot of choices when I go shopping, I am blinkered as I walk down the aisles. I totally ignore the stuff I don't want, don't even see it. Every so often I will try something new, but only if it is a reasonable price, and only if I spot it while looking for something else. I skim over the shelves, not really seeing what is there, I just look for what I know I want. I have already decided before I go, what I want. I don't have to think about shall I get this, or shall I get that. My mind is already made up.

When I drive my car I have my radio programmed to Radio 2, 3, and 4, that's all I listen to. I don't fiddle with cd's, because then I would have to decide which one to play. In fact I have only got about half a dozen anyway. My radio at home is tuned into Radio 2 and 4, and local Radio Humberside. If there is nothing on those stations I want to listen to, I switch it off. I can play cd's, records, and tapes, but rarely do, I like the quite. I can hear the rain while I type this, there must be a metal cover on my chimney pot, when the rain hits it the clinking sound echoes down into the living room.

I don't do meal planning because I don't want to think about what I am going to eat until half an hour before I eat it. There is no food prepping in my house, my cooking is quick and simple.

It's good to plan a holiday, but not to the point of stressing about it. The bus holiday I did, I didn't have a route, just a destination. No accommodation booked, take whatever I could find. Come back when I felt like it. No worries about missing a bus, there will always be another one. When on my walking trips, I don't plan exactly which route I will take, just a possible route, which always changes along the way. I make my choices while actually walking, because my mind is cleared of everything else.

I have decided not to go shopping this week, so that has eliminated a whole lot of choices.

Eliminating  trivial choices gives me freedom to think about the really important things in life, like happiness and contentment. I often say freedom to choose is very important, and it is, but I don't want so many options that I am overwhelmed. Making lots of decisions uses too much brain power, so I weedle out what is important and dump the rest. When I am deciding which way to go with the art work, all other decisions go out of the window. I want to make it the best I can so other stuff has to wait.

At this time of night I start winding down, it's time for relaxing, for switching off. I've just decided to have some rice pudding, that will be my last decision of the day.

Here is your question for today. Can you prioritize your options, switch off from those that aren't important, and decide which to deal with and which to push to one side?

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Going the wrong way

Hello, I'm going in the wrong direction, have you ever thought that? You start something and part way through it think hang on a minute, this is not right. Is it best to blunder on in the hope that it might eventually turn out ok, or is it best to backtrack, undo what you have already done, and make a fresh start? When you think about it, everything you do has a beginning, a middle, and an end. From a task that takes an hour or two, right up to the biggest task you will ever face, life itself. 

I try and break things down into segments, try and put some thoughts into the task before I start, then reassess the situation at regular intervals to check that I am going in the right direction. Ok, so impulse comes into it at some point, do something rash and it can all come crashing down, or it can be the best thing you have ever done. Life would be pretty boring if we didn't take chances.

Take life for example, do we constantly monitor our every action every step of the way, no we don't. We cruise, float, stumble, drift, march, wobble, and on occasions bulldoze, our way through it. We don't always get it right, so what do we do, carry on regardless and keep on making the same mistakes, or do we say oh fiddlesticks, I got that wrong, I had better change it or I am heading for disaster. Each and every one of us has the power to change direction, and as I am writing this I can go in whichever direction I choose, I like that. 

I woke up this morning and took ten minutes to sit up in bed and gather my thoughts. I made a start on the new artwork last night, an idea came and I ran with it. This morning, after a good nights sleep I wasn't feeling so enthusiastic, there was something lacking, I was not getting the buzz. What could I add to it, or change, to make it better? 

 For me, creativity is all about vision, when I look at it what do I see? What is it telling me? Often I have a complete blockage and it tells me nowt. I can study something for a month or more, and see nothing. Then without warning a light comes on and it suddenly dawns on me what to do next. Even then I may not have the complete answer, but at least I have a starting point. 

This is not working for me. First of all I saw blocks of colour on a vertical structure. Maybe separated by bright coloured strips of fabric, and dotted in sparkly beads and sequins. Like a mosaic. Maybe that would work, but not at this moment in time.  

When something doesn't look right try seeing it from a different angle, turn things around to view it from all sides. Now this is telling me something. I see a landscape with trees. The blocks have to go.

Now I feel better about it, knowing that I can change my mind at any point. Taking a wrong turn is not the end, it can mean a new beginning. That's what I like, new beginnings, new enthusiasm, and fresh starts.

Got to go, too much to do and so little time, some distractions today.
Toodle pip.

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Chickens part 2

Oh what a palaver, as Sarina said. Who would have thought that a simple observation, and yes it is my simplistic way of looking at things, would have created such a kerfuffle. Yes it was a silly response to the news article, but that's me, I chill. It started my day with a smile when I read all the advice on how to buy, keep, prepare, cook, and eat chicken, to minimize the risk of food poisoning, when all the time the most obvious answer was to not eat it at all. It was staring me in the face, a simple answer to a problem. The fact that the article talked about chicken was neither here nor there, it could have been contaminated broccoli, beans, or cauliflower. My answer would have still been the same, don't eat it. Anon sort of got it, he/she mentioned dropping a cabbage in a sewer, not looking for ways of washing it and cooking it to a high temperature. Contaminated cabbage would get binned. Simple common sense solution.

Jim, N. Yorks made me laugh, he took it in the good spirit it was intended. Jim, you carry on eating chicken, go the long way round and follow all the guidelines for minimizing any gastric problems with good hygiene, preparing, cooking etc, and you will be fine. I will take the short cut and not eat it.

The whole point of the post was not to get your knickers in a twist over something of which you have no control over. The article gave a percentage of possible contaminated birds, which made it sound like a lottery as to whether you had a clean or dirty bird in your shopping trolley.That to me sounded ludicrous, why would you want to take that chance? It wasn't about vegetarian versus carnivores, it wasn't a debate about the life and death of a farm animal from birth to plate. You chose to take it in that direction.

I apply the principle of common sense obvious solutions to most things in my life. I try not to over complicate issues, try not to worry myself silly over things that are beyond my control and I cannot change. I have a 'what will be will be', attitude now. I've done with worrying, been there, done that. Spent may years campaigning for women's equality in the work place, and I'm pleased to say that attitudes did change and I like to think I did my bit. I put myself in the front line with the media, as an example of a woman able to do a job generally thought of as a mans job. Although I was confident enough to speak my mind when I was unfairly treated, I realized that the best way of going about things was not to get my knickers in a twist, but to channel all my energies into doing the job well.

I don't need to get on a soap box now, because I have a more laid back attitude. Because I see things in a simplistic way, all I need to do is make choices that are right for me. I've done with stress. Sometimes it rears it's ugly head, but in the main it is short lived as I boot it out. I can do without complications. There are a lot of horrible things going on in the world, but I can't change them so nothing would be gained by spitting feathers and sending my blood pressure through the roof. As is often said, you can't change other people, but you can change yourself.

So, I'll let the young ones do the campaigning from now on, this old bird is content to withdraw from the battlefields, and get on with living a simple life. Got to think of the old ticker.

Thank you for your comments, they are wanted and are read.

See you soon.  

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Where has it gone?

When I switch the computer on I have the MSM page come up, this has recently happened since I updated the Skype connection. I don't really want all this stuff flashing in front of my eyes so I am going to have to change the settings to get rid of it. However, what greeted me this morning was the headline.....
Campylobactor in Chicken : How to avoid it. It's about the new findings that the chicken tested from all the major supermarkets and butchers has found that 59% carried the bacteria. The point of the article is to advise on how to minimize the risk from eating contaminated chicken. Well I can tell you how to do that, and it came to me in a flash. Never mind all the washing utensils and surfaces, and cooking till piping hot, I'll tell you an easier common sense way on how to avoid it....STOP EATING CHICKEN. Seems sensible to me. Does anyone else get it? Common sense, where has it gone, I think we need to send a search party out for it  :o)
Busy sewing, gardening, doing stuff, might go shopping, but I might not, depending if I have time. Sunny day want to get the churchyard finished. Toodle pip.

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Sharing bloggy links

Good morning.
Every morning when I wake up I hoist my body into an upright position, and prop myself up with pillows. I then close my eyes and ponder. What shall I do today? Is there anything I have to do? Be somewhere at a specific time? Or have I got a free day to do what I please? Organizing my day is important. I get the most pleasure out of it when I am productive, when I am useful, and when I can make a contribution to to the wider society that I live in. Looking after my mind is as important as looking after my body. So in the morning I lay in my bed, planning what I am going to do.

My friend is going on a ramble today, it is too far for him to take his dog, so I will go into his house at midday and get Lady out for a walk. I will sit in his conservatory for a while, reading a magazine which he leaves out for me to do the crossword, while the dog bimbles around the garden.

Today I am expecting a packet in the post. My nephew has sent me some seeds and I need to get on with  sowing them in pots. I hope it doesn't rain because I want to tidy up the bushes and hedges in the back garden while I have the electric trimmer. Then the job will be done and I can give it back to Barry.

Next job is to make up some of the veg I bought yesterday into stews and curries, and freeze portions in margarine tubs. I wont be able to eat it all in the next couple of days so freezing it will give me some cheap meals over the next few weeks.

I have a few crafting projects on the go, but these are not priority at the moment. I will be picking these up at odd times in between other jobs. Now the weather is getting better, I shall be outside a lot more. Litter picking needs to be done once a week, and I want to do one full day walk every week, so map reading and planning is priority now.

Blogging is always priority, so I spend a few minutes pondering about what to write about next. Sometimes an idea comes out of the blue, other times I still haven't come up with anything at nine o clock at night. That's when you get the drivel, ha ha. So, planning makes for a better post, hopefully. The idea for today's post has come from reader Gam Kau. She sent me a link to another blog, which I have checked out. This led me to another blog, and another, like you do. So my idea for today is to send you off to have a look at other useful and interesting blogs. It's good to share knowledge, life is a learning curve. Enjoy your reading, but be sure to come back to this one tomorrow. Thank you Gam Kau for getting me started on this.

Lois is a mother and grandmother who is into living in a small space, and making something old into something new and useful. Look at her Blogroll for lots more linky's.
Living Simply Free blog

Daniela is into frugal, obviously. she does DIY, painting, thrifty, and has an Etsy shop. There are adverts on this blog which I am not keen on, but the content is good if you can ignore the adds.
Frugal Aint Cheap blog

Buy Nothing is a project started by two friends. As it says, there are ideas for making things from what you already have. Anyone can start a local group, it's all about people getting together and sharing their knowledge. Random acts of kindness are encouraged.
Trash Backwards blog

Kathy writes about exploration of ideas, stories and information, that can lead to a more happier, simple, peaceful and compassionate world for everyone. No topic is off limits. A thought provoking blog.
Smart Living blog

Katherine is a very crafty lady. It's not all about pillows as the title suggests, but lots of fun and quirky ideas for small crafty projects. There are a lot of upcycling ideas as well.
Pillows a la Mode blog

There's five to be going on with, that will keep you busy for a while. Toodle pip, I must get started on my plan for today.

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Recycled teenager

I was just knuckling down to write a post tonight when the phone rang. Once we get chatting there's no stopping us, so blame my sister for this non post. Did someone say there was a budget today? I think I missed it. I caught a mention of it on the car radio on the way back from town. Don't know much about it though, the journey only takes about eight minutes. I called in the library as I remembered that they have Newspaper discussions and wanted to know which day and time it takes place. It's on a Thursday at 10.30am, wonder if I ought to go to that tomorrow, will think about it, it's free.

While I was there I picked up a free copy of Mature Times, does anyone else get that? It always looks quite interesting on the front page, but when I get inside it I can't find anything to grab my attention. I think I must be at an in between age, somewhere between a teenager and a pensioner. In fact half the time I don't believe I am a pensioner, I'm more a recycled teenager. I am certainly not old, which is the age that this paper seems to cater for. I have to flit through it quickly as I find it quite depressing. There's adverts about getting your bathroom adapted if you have mobility problems, funerals, hearing aids, stairlifts, life insurance, care home fees, retirement homes, and super strength cod liver oil.

One advert caught my eye. They are flogging a book called Mature Guide to relationships, love and sex. It's a book designed to help you nurture and develop existing relationships, or help you find new ones. It will help you to make improvements to your marriage, and help those who are single to plan a future relationship. It claims to give practical, down to earth and humorous advice about sex, love, and those bumpy bits. Oh my word, a sex manual for wrinklies. That is something I am definitely not in need of. Surely it's like riding a bike, once you have mastered it you never forget.

There is a picture of Dr Hilary Jones on the back page, he is the advisor to the health company that sells the cod liver oil. He is getting on a bit, but still looks in pretty good nick, and quite handsome for his age. Probably a bit too old for me though, ha ha. Unless he's a recycled teenager.    

My brain is shutting down for the night, I'm off to bed. Toodle pip

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Disgusting !!!

If I was living with someone, these would be my disgusting habits. There would be verbal punch ups between me and my other half, they would swear and curse, and slam doors, and stamp around a bit. They would tell me what a slob I am, and demand that they have their own fridge which would have a lock on it and be out of bounds to me. They would order me to keep my mitts off their food. 

But luckily I don't live with anyone, so I can do what the hell I like in my kitchen.

I can bite a chunk out of the cheese and put it back. Nice set of gnashers eh!

I can eat the peanut butter straight from the jar with a knife. Yum, love it.

I can dip into the big tub of plain yogurt, with a dessert spoon, and eat one spoon, or six.

I can take a swig of milk straight from the carton and put it back in the fridge.

And I can eat my stew straight from the pan. No need to mess a plate up.

It's bliss living alone. Come on you singlies, confess, what do you do when no one is looking?

Lynn, the bag is on it's way.

Catch you tomorrow. Toodle pip.

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Blown away

The wind is battering us tonight in North Lincolnshire, it almost sounds as if it could take the roof off. We have had heavy rain this afternoon. I was out with Lady dog, she normally would walk for hours, but today she dragged me back after twenty minutes. Graham, Lady's owner, was out on a ramble with his pals, must be mad, ha ha. He leaves me the TV programe magazine out to read and do the crossword, so I sat in his conservatory listening to the rain on the roof.  I had to dash back home through the rain. Best to stay indoors with weather like this. 

Tonight I have made a big pan of Tuscan Lamb, well that's what it said on the packet of sauce mix. Thought I would add new flavours into my stews, so picked up five x 20p packets from the Cash and Carry. Potatoes, carrots, onions, frozen peas, chick peas, and red kidney beans. plus a handful of Quorn pieces. It was chuffin loverly, four meals in one pan, just need to warm it up in the microwave tomorrow. Beats cooking :o))   

So, it's been a day of sewing again, and playing with George. He is getting used to me a bit now. He has to stay in the room by himself, it wouldn't be right to let him wander around the house. No point in going through the stress of him meeting my cats and them seeing a new cat in their territory. I don't want to have to separate any punch ups. He is fine in the room, he can sit on the window sill and watch the comings and goings on the road outside. One of my lovely readers has offered to send a donation towards his food. A very kind gesture indeed. Thank you.

That wind is not giving up, glad we are snug inside. I saw some pictures of the wind and rain in the papers. Can someone tell me why people are struggling to hold on to their inside out umbrellas in 90mph gusts of wind? Isn't it obvious that an umbrella is not going to last very long? Why are they trying to use them at all? And also, why do women insist on wearing the shortest skirts and the flimsiest ballerina type shoes in such atrocious weather? Are they nuts? Why don't they travel to and from work in trousers, boots and a warm jacket with a hood, and carry their day clothes in a bag and change when they get there? Makes sense to me. Just wondered.
Anyway, less of the pondering. It's Dragons Den tonight while I rack up the miles on the cross trainer. Best give it ten minutes to let my dinner go down first though. Toodle pip.

This made me titter.
  

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Pssssst, any bad habits?

As the title says, have you any bad habits? The reason I ask is that bad habits could be costing you money, and if it's money that you can't afford to waste, then you need to break the habit. As well as emptying your purse, bad habits can also be detrimental to your health. Maybe it's time to look at what you do in your daily life. I am constantly scrutinizing mine. Changing bad habits for good habits could give you a better quality of life.

For instance, whenever I am in a large building and need to access the upper floors, like the hospital audiology department at the hospital, I always use the stairs. Bad habit using the lift, good habit climb the stairs, = better for health.  When I park in a supermarket car park, (only use the free ones), I park well away from the shop. Bad habit to cruise around looking for a space to squeeze into closest to the door, good habit to walk a bit further, and choose a quiet spot where you aren't going to get your doors bashed by the person in the next space when they get in and out of their car. Less likely to get your car damaged so kinder to your pocket in the long run.

More good and bad habits.
Bad habit, stick a pack of dishcloths or J cloths in your supermarket shopping trolley. This is a lazy bad habit which is costing you money. Good habit, cut up old towels, tablecloths, pillow cases, and sheets, into handy size squares. Find a second use for them. When you have finished using them as dishcloths, relegate them to floor cloths and other dirty jobs.

Bad habit, pick up a newspaper and a bar of chocolate on your way to work. There is nothing in the newspaper you need to know about during the working day. A bar of chocolate every day will make you fat and sluggish and will block your bowels up. Good habit, wait until you get home and get the news from the radio, television, or the internet. Chocolate is a treat, no more than once a week, and only as a reward when you have earned it.

Bad habit, getting the hoover/dyson out every day. Uses lots of electricity, and surely your house doesn't get that dirty that quickly to need cleaning every day. Good habit, actually look at the floor. Small spillages can be swept up with a dustpan and brush. Make a rule that shoes are taken off when anyone enters the house. Animal hairs are a nuisance I know, get used to them. Put throws on the furniture which can be taken outside and shaken.

Bad habit, leaving it until the last minute to get ready and go out. Leaving yourself short of time means you have got to drive faster to get to that appointment. Driving fast often means not concentrating fully on what you are doing because you are worried about being late. This way of driving is going to cost you more money. Harsh acceleration and braking means more fuel is used, and more wear and tear on your car. The brakes wear out quicker, and so do the tyres. Good habit, Give yourself plenty of time to concentrate on your driving. Smooth acceleration and braking is kinder to the car, and will cost less in petrol. You also have a better chance of getting there in one piece, and in a better frame of mind. Good for your health, less stress.

Bad habit, driving past filling stations even though you will need to top up your tank soon. You watch the needle hover on the red, you are looking for the cheapest deal. It never comes and you have to stop at the next garage you come across because the car is about to splutter to a halt. You end up paying premium price because you have no choice. Good habit, you keep your eye on the fuel gauge when it gets to the quarter full mark. You start looking before it becomes an emergency. Supermarkets are generally the cheapest places for fuel, fill up when you get your shopping. Get to know the best places in your area and fill up when passing.

Bad habit, bottling things up. Something is not right in your life but you are reluctant to talk about it with anybody. You battle on regardless, putting on a brave face so people around you have no idea that inside you are suffering. You try to hold things together, try to carry on with your day to day routine. This is bad for your health and well being. Good habit, there are some worries which need bringing out into the open. When things begin to fester, and your worries are beginning to impact on how you function, then you should seek help. A good friend or family member may be the first candidate, but if that is not possible, there are professional organisations with caring volunteers that you can turn to. Letting go and getting it off your chest is the first step to a healthier lifestyle.

Bad habit, is to get all your shopping in one supermarket. Yes it's convenient, but it will cost you more. Good habit, know the prices of the items you buy on a regular basis. then if you have a choice of supermarkets shop around for the best deal. Cherry pick at a range of different shops.

Bad habit, using your oven far more often than you need to. If you are batch baking all well and good, but an hour of heat in the oven is more expensive than fifteen minutes on the hob. Good habit, make meals in one pan, or use the microwave or slow cooker.

Bad habit, drinking fizzy drinks every day. They are bad for you, even the diet ones. You can become addicted to coca cola. Good habit, drinks made of mainly water with a splash of fruit juice. Don't buy them ready made, get a carton of juice and make it up in a bottle.

Bad habit, going to the sandwich bar every day for lunch. If you are skint you can't afford it. Good habit, save pounds by making your own lunch at home and taking it with you. Home made food is far more tastier than mass produced stuff anyway, and you know what's in it. Access to a microwave at work? Batch cook your own ready meals and take them to work. Take soup in a flask, or salad in a plastic box.  

These are just a few of my suggestions, there are many more. It's all about habits and doing things differently. Challenge yourself, turn a bad habit into a good habit, for the sake of your purse, and the sake of your health. Bye the way, your health should come first every time. If you bugger that up you are in for a rough ride. Money problems can be solved, if you mess with your health you are stuck with it.
Have a nice weekend, I'll be back tomorrow. Toodle pip

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Village gossip

Well it's getting on for eight o clock, so I suppose I'd better write something here. So what do you write about when you haven't anything prepared? When you haven't done much to write about except potter about the house doing little jobs like cleaning the cat's litter boxes, washing the pots, changing the bed, and cutting fabric up for a rag rug. I usually manage to pluck something out of the air, even if it might be a load of waffle. I can say anything I like really, it's my blog. I can say stuff it I can't be bothered, but I won't because I can be bothered. Let's see what I can ramble about.

Do you want a bit of village news? There are contractors in the next street digging the road up to put new drains in. This has to be done before they can make a new parking area for residents who at the moment have no off street parking. When it is done they will be able to park their cars in front of their own houses. How do I know this? Because I am nosey and I asked a man who was digging the hole.

Several street lights were not working a few weeks ago. Someone came and fixed them. Now the telecoms people have come to replace some telegraph poles. They are making a right mess, driving their trucks and JCB's over the grass verges.

We have two cheerful postmen in our village. They come in a van, and wheel their trolleys around delivering mostly junk mail. As you know I don't like junk mail, but if it keeps them in a job then so be it. They are always friendly and say Hello.

My friend who has been cutting the grass in the churchyard has now retired. He had to have a pacemaker fitted, this was a wake up call. He is 73, and was going to carry on working until he is 75, now he can relax a bit and go rambling with his friends, walk his dog, and go for a pint in the club. I am pleased to report that his job was advertised and a new man will take over looking after the churchyard. I am happy that it won't get neglected and run down. This new man is newly retired from his full time job and was looking for something part time. Perfect really, and he lives close to the church.

There seem to be a lot more dogs in the village, it's nice to see them being walked. It would be nicer if all the owners picked up their poo. I took Lady out for a walk this afternoon, and she couldn't have done her poo in a more convenient place. On top of another pile which had been left, and right next to the dog poo bin. Clever girl, ha ha. Tesco nappy bags are very cheap for this not so pleasant job, only 35p for 300, so I don't know why people don't pick up.

We get a newsletter every so often from the Conservative party. We used to get a church newsletter but they couldn't find enough volunteers to carry it on when someone stepped down. We have a parish council who do a newsletter, and several notice boards in the village as well as the notices in the shop windows. I have a thing about notice boards, I have to read them, wherever I am, in any town and any village. I am just nosey, I want to know what's going on.

When I moved to this village someone was supposed to move in with me. We looked at houses together. He said he wanted to live somewhere away from other people, in the countryside, in a cottage with some land, down a lane. I had a feeling that wouldn't be quite right for me. I was beginning to have doubts about the relationship, would it work. Then I found the house I am living in, he said it was ok for him. I chose it because it has space around it, big garden wide road, not living on top of your neighbours. It's close to the village centre, and I can see people walking by. I wanted to be part of the community but still have my own space.

I was right to choose this house. He didn't move in with me, my doubts were correct. Imagine what would have happened if I had moved to an isolated cottage and then the relationship broke up. I would have been on my own and lonely. I'm glad I went with my gut instinct, and let my head rule my heart.

I love my life in the village. I can shut myself away in my house if I don't feel like speaking to anyone. I like my own company by the way. Or I can go out and about in the village. I know lots of people, I have friends. I know lots of dogs and their owners, in fact I can hardly get out of my street without meeting someone to pass the time of day with. The neighbours around me are friendly. It's funny really, I like living here, but then I also like going away to visit other places. I think I have the best of both worlds. This will suit me for the time being.

What do you like about where you live? If you were to move would you choose somewhere different? Told you I am nosey, ha ha.
Toodle pip.  

 

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It's funny how things change

The comments on yesterdays post are an interesting read. A right mixed bag on what constitutes an emergency and what doesn't. Thank you all for airing your views, and welcome to the new readers. Sorry I haven't welcomed you before, I do take note of the new faces which appear in the sidebar, and I do look at your blogs.

I think we have got it pretty much ok here in the UK when it comes to things we have to pay for, and things we can get help with. I reckon we have little to moan about compared to our neighbours across the pond. Not wanting to get political on this issue, politics always seems to creep into it when austerity, scrimping, managing on little, and feeding the poor, come to the forefront of conversation. I am not into bashing the system, because in my mind there is no difference in the parties that govern our country. It's a bloody hard job to have, and I wouldn't volunteer for it in a million years. That's not letting them off, just stating my view. No, I am not a campaigner at all. so no politics please. .

My stance is that we have to do the best we can with what we have, we owe it to ourselves, which is what this blog is about. I look at my home, my life, my income, as my own little powerhouse. It is my domain, I decide what I do with the resources I have within these four walls. I could go down the pub and pee my money up the wall, but I don't. I could splash the cash on a flat screen TV but I don't. What I do instead is to monitor every penny that comes in and every penny that goes out. Everyone has that option, some do it amazingly well, some just scrape by, by the seat of their pants, and those in between make an fairly decent job of it. Monitoring movement of money in and out, and making a plan is essential to survive. Sorry, I am getting a bit preachy now, don't mean to be, will move on.  

Something Sue said reminded me of how it used to be, the pleasures of saving up to buy kitchen utensils one at a time. Yes, I remember that. Not that I ever did it, but my friend did. She had a boyfriend not long after she left school, things were getting pretty serious, one thing led to another and they became engaged. After that she started buying bits and bobs from homestyle shops, bedding, towels, utensils, pots and pans and suchlike. She made a list of what she had, and asked for household items for Christmas and Birthdays presents, and stashed them all in a 'bottom drawer'. Every so often she would empty the drawer to show me what was in there, everything had to match, and it was all lovingly put back in after inspection. This went on for a year or two, and by the time she got married she already had most of what she needed to make a nice home.

It's funny how things change. I haven't heard anyone mention a 'bottom drawer', for years. Shame really, because it was a symbol of a serious relationship, a commitment to a future together with a partner. It all seems a bit rushed these days. Mind you, you can set up a new home a lot quicker now, and probably a lot cheaper, by visiting car boot sales and charity shops. There wasn't any of those options when I was a mere slip of a girl.

My friend with the 'bottom drawer' is now a pensioner like me, she is in the process of giving away most of her stuff. She wants an uncluttered life, so her bottom drawers are slowly emptying. It's funny how our priorities change.

Where is this post going? I have no idea, I've come to a dead end, so I'll finish :o)
Toodle pip.

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A bit of an emergency

I've been reading in a few places just lately, about emergency funds. Here's a discussion on MSE. And another one here on Frugal Blog. How much do you save to put in them, how much should you aim to have in them, and where do you keep them. Everyone has their own way of dealing with this, some squirrel the money away into a pot, or a separate bank account, some just don't have enough spare money lying around. My pension gets paid into the bank, I have never thought of it as savings because it doesn't stay in there long enough. It swishes round and round, and gets used for something eventually, sometimes in a matter of weeks, often within the year.

I don't consider it as an emergency fund either, it is just spare working cash that is available should the need arise for me to spend it. It's like a float, to keep me afloat. My float isn't a large amount, enough to dip into it if I have to for bits and bobs that need paying at certain times of the year, mainly for planned bills which always come at the same time every year. I have just paid my car insurance, I have saved enough cash for that. Last month was the road tax which was paid in full. The utility bills are always expected so I know approximately how much I will need for them.

I am wondering what people's definition of an emergency is. Unforeseen circumstances I would imagine. Something out of the ordinary, like something breaking down perhaps. The only real emergency I can think of is something which threatens life, for instance, my cats being run over, or taken ill, and needing veterinary treatment. If I was taken ill, or had an accident, and for whatever reason became immobile, that would be an emergency and extra funds would be needed to assist me.

So, what is an emergency, what do people need money for quickly? Perhaps living in a single person household may have something to do with why I can't think of any more emergencies. I can put up with things not working, whereas a family member might be up in arms if the tele breaks down, or the cooker  gives up the ghost. If my fridge broke I would need to find another way to keep my food fresh, so a new fridge might be on the cards. But I wouldn't have to rush out and get one immediately. It's the middle of winter, flippin cold outside, I could keep a few items in a sealed box in the garden, till I could organise another fridge.

Those who have been reading a long time will remember that my heating and hot water system stopped working. It wasn't an emergency. I couldn't afford to replace it, so I found another way of keeping myself clean and warm, I lived with it. Strip wash in the kitchen and wearing loads of clothes in the house. Eventually I got a grant to repair and replace it.

If my gas cooker breaks down I can use the microwave and the kettle, and the slow cooker. I even have a good sized camping stove which I could get out and put a new gas bottle on. If the kettle breaks I can heat water for a drink in the microwave or on the gas cooker. If the washing machine breaks I could hand wash in the sink. It wouldn't be very convenient in the winter, so I might have to visit a launderette until I got a replacement.

If the car breaks, I could get the bus into town to do the shopping, or go on my bike. It would be a bit inconvenient, but when push comes to shove, I could do it. It wouldn't be an emergency, because there would be an alternative.

The house is insured so any emergencies should be covered. Not sure about frozen pipes though, but I'm not too worried by that, they haven't frozen in the seventeen years I have been here.

If the computer broke, that wouldn't be an emergency, because I have two of them. Or, I could go to the library and use their computers free of charge. If the Dyson breaks, I have a brush and pan.

So, a multiple occupancy house would probably be more prone to emergencies than mine, because people have different views on what is an acceptable standard of living. I can live with just the basics. I am interested to know what other people think of as an emergency. Why do you have an emergency fund, and what would you spend it on? I can only give my perspective from a single persons point of view, and from someone who does not need frills in her life. Feel free to add your own perspective.
Toodle pip.  

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Psychology of selling

One of the topics of conversation I had with Uncle Stan at the weekend was customer service. As well as painting pictures all his life he was also a hairdresser, and at one time he had a chain of shops. Indeed he still does cut the hair of his friends, so maybe I should change the word 'was', to 'is'. Stan has the gift of making people feel comfortable and special, without being overbearing and intimidating. Some of his customers started coming to him from a young age, they then got married and had their own children, which they also brought into Stan's shop for a haircut. So you can see that he really knows his stuff when it comes to keeping  customers happy.

I have spoke briefly about my own two small businesses in previous posts, one was an introduction agency, and the other a mobile shop selling fancy goods and giftware. Both of these required a certain level of good customer service. It is lucky that I am a people person. I love meeting new people and am able to chat, and equally important I am able to listen to what they have to say. With face to face interaction, body language also comes into the equation. Eye contact, gesticulation with the hands, and relevance of the words which come out of their mouth, are other traits one has to master when dealing with customers. Nervousness is often over compensated with waffle. Saying that, I do waffle a bit myself, but I put that down to living alone, I only have the cats to talk to here, ha ha.

You know how it is, you get an inkling about someone when you first meet them. You watch their facial expressions, you take note about how they position their body, whether they invade your space by getting too close, or appear to be moving further away from you as you speak. I pick up on all these little signs, I think it's natural to.

Putting all these little idiosyncrasies into one package, it is normal to form an opinion about the person in front of you, it's a process of natural selection. You select who you want to spend time with and who you would rather walk away from. When I ran my businesses I was friendly towards everyone, after all they might buy something from me. When you run a people business it's a very fine line differentiating who is your friend and who is your customer. There are times when the line is blurred, and it is possible that someone can fit into both camps.

The customers who bought giftware from me were definitely customers. They paid for a product and took it away, I only ever saw them once or twice a year so there was never time to build up a friendship. Yes we had banter at the various shows I attended, and that made for a nice working environment, so there was a certain level of customer service there.

On the other hand, I saw my customers from the agency business almost every week at the social gatherings I organised. It was my job to meet and greet, to introduce members to each other, and to get the ball rolling for them if they appeared a little nervous. With this level of face to face interaction it was inevitable that many of them became my friends. In fact it was a brilliant way for me to widen my circle of friends.

The edges became very blurred, on the one hand they were my friends, on the other hand I had to ask them for money. There was a three monthly subscription to pay to cover my costs. Asking for money has never been my strong point, but I had to do it. Most were happy to pay, but I suspect some weren't. Understandable really, they had made new friends through the meetings, and gradually dropped out. That meant I had to continually advertise for new members. When running a business you need to build up strong relations with your customers, which is what Stan did. You need them to come back for more.

It was through these experiences that I learnt about my strengths and weaknesses. I was never going to win the Apprentice, I just didn't have the balls. What I did have the balls for though, was to drive a 75 tonne truck, ha ha.

Don't want to go off topic, I started this post with an idea in mind, it has already veered off at an angle, ha ha. Customer service, what is it? I once bemoaned the fact that I didn't like being hassled in shops where the assistant pounced on me almost as soon as I went through the door. A few people slated me for that, saying the poor assistant was only doing their job and was trying to earn a living. Everyone has their tolerance level, and I for one don't like the pestering aspect that some assistants display, in some instances it is verging on bullying. And me being my stroppy self, will always walk away from that.

Transferring customer service skills to the internet is a different kettle of fish, you don't have the facial expressions and the body language to evaluate. The on line seller only has the basic tools of keyboard, photographs, and videos to assist them in pulling in their customers. Selling on the internet is supposed to make it easier, and it is in some cases, where the product sold is based on an item which is almost identical to what you can buy in a shop. A fridge is a fridge is a fridge.

Selling yourself on the internet is a lot harder. Someone who is good with words can tell you what they think you want to read. They want you to buy into them. A word perfect sales pitch is easily spottable, is that a word, ha ha. But, you cannot see their face, so you are never sure if what they are saying is the truth. Insincerity has the effect of turning me off, can't stand bullshit, creepiness, and false impressions. To suss out the genuine from the fake, consistency is the key. Give it time, read read read. You can then decide whether you want to walk away or stick with it.

What has all this to do with money saving, you may ask. Well, good customer service is what you get when someone recognises you as a fellow human being and does not try and rip you off. Good customer service is about letting the customer walk away in the hope that they might one day come back. It is not about grovelling, bullying, pestering, and demanding. It is up to you to form your own opinions on what you see and what you read. Look behind the facade of advertising. Some of it is in your face, but there is such a lot which is subtle and devious. When money is tight you need to learn the difference between those who are desperate to relieve you of your cash to line their own pockets, and those who do not ask for anything in return for your friendship. It's up to you to look after your own interests, no one will do it for you.
Toodle pip.

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