What are you all up to
Comments
-
I believe Wales' standing charge is high as parts of it is very rural.
Sad to hear your news Tammy. Best wishes.
Had a lovely day. Went to the small market in Settle which miraculously had a stall selling artist materials, mainly for drawing, which let us buy MiLs birthday present and MrsWN just happened to find a couple of urgent items she didn't know she needed.😂
After lunch back at the cottage we drove over to Malham and walked with MiL to Jenny's Fosse, which she enjoyed. Called into The Buck for a drink. Cottage is cosy and quiet.
Hope new meds work out pooch Ttda.
0 -
Sounds as though everyone's enjoying the latest adventure WN. I have a good friend from Settle althugh she now lives in the south, when we were students we experienced the world's worst student "digs" together....which we still talk about!
If anyone's interested I dug out the BBC article about standing charges, scroll down to get the bad news
LINKDebsc, in our part of the SW we have escaped the extreme water prices suffered by Devon and Cornwall, we're on a meter but it's fairly reasonable, as long as we have a shower once a year (better not tell OH I said that as he'd oblige.)
But seriously we are ok in our part of the country.0 -
Thoughts are with you TG, it’s so difficult. We tried to get Dad home, but he was too weak, Ward Sister sorted out our hospital’s Purple Butterfly room for us, which had a bed, sofa, teamaking facilities, so we were able to stay with him for our last few days. It made a huge difference for us, we left them some money from funeral collection. They now have three such rooms I think. Pre COVID though, which has made things so much harder now.
Hope you all have a good break together WN. I doubt we will get Mum away for more than maybe a couple of nights now, she frets too much even an afternoon at our house. ☹️ Lovely area you are in.
Things are bad brue when places like Dartmouth and York see lots of shops closing sadly. Only place in recent years we have seen buck the trend is Totnes. Last visit was a couple of years ago, only saw one vacant shop, and that was being renovated. Our problems here aren’t helped by our local council.
0 -
Thinking of your OH Tammygirl. Good to read others news and that folk are enjoying trips and wishing those with health issues can be sorted.
On the water supply we'll be on a meter, we aren't here. Bigger house and same company supply and take away, quick question session on the phone to Anglian Water company and it seems our bill will be just over half our current 2 company's for supply and removal. The lady on the end of the phone seemed to think we'd be more than covered. However I'm sure the gas and electric won't be such a happy outcome.......
Jolly chilly here compared to lately! Damp start but didn't last. Dog had her groom which meant we had lunch at adjacent food place - lovely as usual. Not cheap but great quality local food. Last visit unless they're open when we pop back.
Back home to do more paintwork cleaning 😃 realise the cleaner isn't good on the moulding in our doors and skirtings. Doing it gradually. Yesterday swept all the blockpaving back, front and side after burning off the newly appeared weeds 😤 if we'd moved quicker that wouldn't be my job 😃. OH cut the grass, again shouldn't be growing on our watch!
Out to friends for the evening, hoping not to fall asleep 😴, to say farewell. 36 years in this house feels like such a short time.
0 -
Thanks to one and all for their best wishes.
We were asked if we wanted to move FiL when he approached the end stage but he was happy at the care home, the staff were wonderful and we had put up Christmas decorations a few days earlier which seemed to please him. We couldn't have asked for better care and I was able to be a friendly face as he slipped away. Why move people with dementia? Do they have to offer it as a legal requirement?
Yes, Ttda, it is a lovely area. We stayed here a few years ago on a CL and liked it and MiL, with FiL, used to come to all of these places locally for days out from Bury when they lived there so she is having a trip down memory lane.
1 -
Water meters for houses are discouraged up here, by various means, so we pay along with and linked to our council tax.......over £800 for water and sewerage for just the 2 of us.
Not looking forward to the gas and electricity prices from 1st April, they have not altered our direct debit since our fix ended in late January, but we have made extra payments to keep up with the bills. We expect our DD to go up to about double, but have heard nothing as yet. Having looked at where we can make savings, and switched off a few things, we will only have to top up by £15 this month, it has been sunny lately too, so more use of the power from the roof.
We will soon be away for 3 weeks, so that will help too.
When do you move B2? Will be 34 years this coming weekend since we moved in here and we remember it clearly.......we had not managed to get the gas connected so we were all huddled round an electric fire in MIL's sitting room!
0 -
When do you move B2? Will be 34 years this coming weekend since we moved in here and we remember it clearly.......we had not managed to get the gas connected so we were all huddled round an electric fire in MIL's sitting room!
13 sleeps 💤 😴 Monday 11th, they come to pack boxes on Saturday 9th. Not sure what we'll be left with on Saturday - I think we recall from last June! They'll pack and load on packing day leaving essentials for overnight. As we're being packed Saturday, usual working hours until lunchtime, but they'll work until its done. Lady in the office thought they'd be finished between 2-3. They arrive 0800-0830 so we'll see.
They arrive similar time on Monday load our stuff, little or all? and take to the depot to store overnight and deliver on the Tuesday, this is incase there is issues with exchange of funds and will save overtime or overnight expenses for us. I believe they'll leave here 0600-0630 so probably at the new house for 0830. We'll stay with son overnight.
We'll pick up the keys asap once we arrive 'up country' to new house,. Apparently it SHOULD all be done by 1pm 🤞🤞. Cleaners booked from 3pm onwards for deep clean together with carpets and oven etc. If necessary the ladies will work until 8pm. So it will all be clean and fresh for delivery.
Let's hope it all goes smoothly.
0 -
Thanks all for the kind words for OH. He called the home today to see how she was. Not good, won't take on fluids or food, they turn her every couple of hours and think she is comfortable. Hope he gets to see her tomorrow.
Went for a walk round the village this afternoon didn't go near anyone but we did pass the chemist, who has a sign in the window saying they no longer do LFTs. Checked online it said non available. OH phoned the chemist to ask where they can be obtained from, would appear nowhere is the answer, that is until the 1st of April when they start charging for them, he thinks £3 each. Care homes up here are still demanding you do one before you visit. It will be difficult for those who visit partners, parents or children every day.
It started to rain late afternoon, forecast for tonight -2 to -4 overnight Brrrrr
0 -
Sorry to read your news,TG.
With charges like that for water based on rateable value, Kelly, it's no wonder they don't want you to have a water meter!
Sounds like a fine day out, WN. Hope you miss the poor weather forecast for tomorrow.
Good to hear that pouch is doing well, tda. Hope the new medication helps with his arthritis.
Yet another fine, shirt sleeve order day today, although it has clouded up this evening. Just a couple of photo from our day out. Any ideas where? ( Francis you're banned from answering this). 🙄
2 -
Different evening for us yesterday, granddaughter is stopping with us and as part of her Childcare Course at college she got to bring home an interactive ‘baby’. She also had nappies, clothes, carry cot and bottles. So we had a ‘baby’ in the house for the evening. They really can cry! Then you have to guess what it wants. All monitored, for marks the next day, I was reprimanded for not supporting its head, for which she could loose marks, although head not at all floppy. It made an actual baby feeding sound, which took me back. As granddaughter has illnesses and needs plenty of rest, hers was monitored to not cry between 11pm and 6am ( if only that could be done for a real baby) I did help out once and finished a feed while she cleaned her teeth this morning, it was so strange just like a real baby.
3 -
That's an interesting experience Debsc. I was holding onto a real baby at the weekend, a neighbour's grandson, I had forgotten how heavy they can get after a few minutes!
Nellie, I'll join Francis and Kj in recognising the photo spot, a great place to visit.
Still quite pleasant here, the sun is out, the spring blossom is the best I've seen it for a few years.
Kj that water bill is a shocker ours is around £230 pa on a meter. You have so much water up in Scotland too!
I got up early to go to the hairdresser this morning, don't know why I booked an early appointment, woke up extra early just in case I forgot then had to wait as someone before me had forgotten his appointment! grrr Next appointment booked at a more civilised hour.
0 -
Ouch KjellNN, that’s eye watering. I would go all out to get a meter. Failing that, a bath every day, no showers, dishwasher on whenever I want, ahh bliss not having to think about how much water we’re using. At that price I would certainly use it. Might even forget the many water butts. It seems that London doesn’t do too bad for some prices, our son has 5 in his family, plenty of baths, washing machine and dishwasher on all the time and no water butts. His water bill is a quarter of ours. But I suppose someone has to pay to keep all the beaches in Devon and Cornwall clean for all the visitors!
1 -
Getting a meter is extremely complicated, you need to pay for surveys and the fitting I believe. The price per 1000 litres or whatever is pretty high, and your rainwater removal still depends on rateable value or CT.
By the time you have got through all that, any saving is very small!
We have a 5 bedroom house, so would take a large family, who would use a lot more water than we do, and would not thank us for having had a meter installed, plus metering on houses here is so rare that it could make it difficult to sell.
We just think of it all as CT, and the price of continuing to stay here........£356 per month, for 12 months, this coming year. Would cost us a lot in fees and stamp duty to move anyway!
0 -
All change on the weather front. Woke up to a view of Ingleborough with snow on it and a howling wind that cut through you.
Eventually we all headed out to Skipton in search of MiLs main birthday present, plus there is a dress shop there that has dresses that she really likes and they actually fit her so she came back with 4 dresses and a top, plus the sheepskin slippers she wanted. No stopping this woman. Me? Oh, I bought a newspaper and a map and was a happy bunny. Shame that Rackhams closure has left such a hole in the main street there as most other shops seem to be hanging on.
0 -
DEBSC I relayed your post to MiL who was flabbergasted to say the least but agreed that it was a great aide memoire to your GD. Good on her. Does she have to take it "out" in a buggy??
MiL stated that she was allowed out of hospital after just 7 days instead of 10 when she had the current Mrs.WN and the ambulance driver who drove her home had to carry the baby into the house as the father wasn't allowed! She got a 30 minute lesson before leaving hospital on how to care for her. I think Grandmothers were expected to become tutors, and probably still are.
0 -
Not quite such good weather today, with some dark cloud and a chill wind, but dry and sunny at times, apart from an insignificant hail shower around 4:30 this afternoon. Big shop this morning, as we won't be near any supermarkets for the next week or so, then a walk along the esplanade before lunch. Walked past of the coastal path this afternoon past Greenan Castle.
0 -
Kj
I think you should seriously consider it. We pay £33 a month water and sewerage. I can't remember how long we have had a water meter but it must be getting on for 20 years. I seem to recall that when it was rates based, back then we paid what we do now! I am surprised that its not as simple as phoning the water company?
David
0 -
" I Think Grandmothers were expected to become tutors, and probably still are
"Not too sure about that, WN. I have only seen my Niece and her Grandson together for a couple of short periods but the one phrase that sticks in Brian's memory is " Not like that, mother !! "
0 -
No buggy but she did get a baby carrier sling. Some of the girls had to explain the crying ‘baby’ to other bus passengers on their way home. Granddaughter got very high marks for her baby care. Her little 8 year old sister has decided that she wants one but at over £1,000 each there is little chance of that.
0 -
No, it is far from simple!
Just had a look on the Scottish Water website, here are the MINIMUM costs....
Survey before installation......£162.50
Meter installation.....FROM £290.00 ..........depends on where they say it
has to go
Annual standing charges.....Water £166
to the nearest £ Sewerage £171
Rainwater collection £206
PLUS usage charges.......first 25,000 litres.......£6 per 1000 litres
above that...........£2.55 per 1000 litres
I have no idea how much we would use, but that is £543 before you use any water!
Then you have to pay if the meter needs a repair or an accuracy check
0 -
Move south, Kj, and you'll be rolling in it😀
1 -
Every country & even water companies have different charges it seems🤷🏻♂️. We were encouraged to get metered by Yorkshire water, free of charge. It costs £15 a month direct debit. I knew it was a keen price but I’m shocked at the high prices of others😳
0 -
Ouch. Mine is about half that with a meter. Mind you, our stately pile is far more modest than yours based on previous descriptions.
0 -
It’s shocking what some companies charge tbh🤷🏻♂️. We all get the same thing. My low cost may(in part) be due to my never using domestic water in the garden as I have an extensive rainwater collection & storage system for outside use, even the Dogs prefer that😊👍🏻
0 -
Kj
They certainly don't encourage you to change to a meter do they!!!!! What about new houses, do they come automatically with meters? Given that water meters are supposed to encourage sensible use of water the Scottish Parliament seem not to subscribe to this idea?
David
0
