Such a lot has happened....

..in the last couple of weeks. Firstly the Imag-e-nation forum will be no more ...sob sob....but the online shop is still there and stocking more crafty stuff...yay!  I've not been able to get on the computer..due may I say to me being absolutely shattered... and youngest hogging it. He's found tribal wars and is totally addicted....at least it's stopping him from getting bored. He's still unemployed and the job centre has told him he can't apply to go on the scheme for the long term unemployed...why?.....he's been unemployed for too long!!!! Utter madness.
My paths and front privet hedge has been ripped out and I'm now waiting for the work to renew my paths and put in fencing to resume...the bank holiday has got in the way.  I finally made an appointment to see the doctor about my hearing. I've always had some hearing loss... I was born that way...but lately it has become a bit of a problem. When your 20 year old tells you that the tv is too loud then you know there's a problem. Any way..got a hearing test done and was told that on the preliminary results my hearing is very bad...and that I'm certainly a candidate for needing hearing aids. I just have to see the doctor on Friday for a referral to the hospital. Also had an appointment at the job centre. An appointment was made by letter telling me that a query had arisen with my claim for incapacity benefit. A couple of days before the appointment they telephoned me and changed the appointment date. I asked what the query was. Was told not to worry, it was only to check that I am in receipt of all the benefit I'm entitled to.  Attended the re-scheduled appointment..was kept waiting for 30 minutes and then was interogated.  How many bank accounts do I have?..How much is there in my bank account?..Do I have any savings?..Do I own any property?.....Have I ever done any work, paid or unpaid, while claiming benefit?.... Who else lives with me?  I asked why all the questions.  Was told ...and I quote.."that it has been suggested to this department that I am not as ill as I make out and that my claim is therefore no longer valid." In other words some malicious person (and I have a good idea who) has contacted the department with this claim. I was fuming to say the least. Anyway..signed my statement and was told that it probably wouldn't be going any further as I have been assessed by a medical examiner within the last 12 months and been accepted as too ill to work. Wouldn't mind so much.....know that they have to act on information received....but they already know what date my asessment was...they have it on file.  Change of subject now. I've managed to get most of my crafting goodies unpacked. I might be able to get down to more crafting now that I have a good idea where to find most of my stash. I've missed a few ATC swaps and lots of challenges...got a lot of catching up to do.

Still a lot to do...

.on the decorating front. I've so many jobs that need doing in the garden and house.... but not the energy to do them as quickly as I would like.  Bought myself a new bed.....when I realised that I'd had my old one for....32 YEARS!!!!!    Needed a wardrobe as well but I couldn't afford the one I really wanted as well as the bed....so as a quick fix to that problem I bought one of those self assembly wooden ones with a canvas cover. When it was delivered.... nearly 3 weeks ago....the screws to put it together were missing.  Have been in touch with the suppliers and twice now they have said that they have been despatched. Not happy about this...I've got a wardrobe in pieces that I can't use yet, and my clothes in cardboard boxes taking up valuable crafting space....gggrrrr!!! I'm  still trying to catch up on the computer as well. Took piccies of a card and some ATC's made and swapped but not had the time to upload them yet.  It's another lovely day outside so now I'm off to have a potter in the garden.

I'm still here..

..and still trying to get organized. There are stil a lot of boxes to unpack...and most of them are in my bedroom making it an obstacle course. Some of my craft stuff is unpacked but not all. It's not worth unpacking untill the decorating is done. A start has been made on that front. Just have to wait for son to have a day off work when he can do it. In the meantime....Monday was my friend Anne's birthday...and although we have chatted on the phone we haven't met up since before Christmas!!..so it had to be a ladies wot lunch day.  I made her a card and although I say it myself it has been one of the best one's I have done in a long time..was really chuffed with it, I even made a box as well.

I used FSS flowers, embossed them with a large ball tool for dimension, stickles glitter glue for the centres....my butterfly dimension punch.   Sponged the edges of the card and butterflies with blue ink pad and added a few self adhesive gems.....and although it doesn't show up on the pic, Sakura clear glitter pen. The text is computer generated.

I still have a lot of catching up to do on the computer but I'm slowly getting there. There are so many blogs that I have not had much chance to visit as yet..but I have made a start...there's so much that I've missed!!

I'm not getting it back...

..until next Wednesday... my stuff... that is. My living room carpet has to come out of storage and be fitted first and that isn't happening until Monday for delivery and Tuesday for fitting. I was hoping to get some crafting done this weekend but that plan has gone out of the window. I've got some ATC's I want to do for 2 swaps and I'm not sure that I'll be able to get them done in time. I know what I want to do, so if I can get organized as soon as my crafting stuff arrives I just might be able to make the deadlines. Wanted to do some gardening as well, but as all the tools are in storage no chance..except that I had to go to the library to pick up a book that I'd reserved and as I was in the area I popped into a little hardware store and picked up a hand fork for a pound. Cheap ..but it has done the job for now. I've spent a couple of hours in the gardening tidying up a little. Going to know about it tomorrow though..I'm already aching and it's the big shopping day as well. Will be totally wrecked for the rest of the week....feels good at the moment though..I've been itching to get out there.

At last it's finished...

..and I should have my stuff out of storage by the weekend.  just a couple of things that need to be done(telephone socket to be attached to wall and back security light being wired in). I promised myself that I would take it easy over Easter..but I ended up cleaning the outside. The white upvc windows and doors are once again white and the paths swept. I can see my garden again...and it's looking beautiful despite being neglected. I have an abundance of flowering bulbs which makes me temporary blind to the weeds that I'm sure must be there somewhere. There is decorating to be done but I'm in no hurry with that. Son is going to emulsion everywhere for now. The kitchen and bathroom are decorated and have new flooring...and all the doors have been glossed.  It's lovely being able to have hot water on tap without having to wait for it to heat up.....and the best thing?..not having to get out of bed on a cold morning and make my way downstairs to use the loo!  I have 2 now....1 upstairs ..1 downstairs.
I have a lot of catching up to do on the computer, but I will be able to spend a little more time as I won't be so k********ed after getting up at 6.30 for the last 9 weeks!  (I can lay in now till 8 o'clock..lol. Still too early for me though)

No title...

I HATE LIARS!  No details.....you know who you are

It just isn't....

..happening. With the house I mean. No floor tiled last week. Got a leaky radiator which the plumber came out and supposedly fixed ..it still leaks but only when the radiator is turned on. Was supposed to come out Friday to fix it again..... but no show.  My liason officer is on holiday until Wednesday and I can't get hold of her temporary replacement...who, by the way, is supposed to visit every day. Not seen him since last Thursday.  I've got a long list for him. Perhaps he has guesssed that and is avoiding me. I have a schedule for this week which includes the fitting of white goods tomorrow...but no way is that  happening until the floor has been prepared and the tiles laid.  Roof finally finished and saffolding down.....but the scaffolders managed to rip my phone line away from it's wall fixing so it's hanging very low. What's made me angry is that they should have reported it and didn't. The guttering is done..except the down pipe isn't connected. If we have heavy rain my neighbour's conservatory will get the full blast of that. The rear security light isn't working and the back door has to be slammed shut to be able to lock it....my neighbours will love that...NOT!!!!! .(young children and shift work)..and....I now have a leaking kitchen radiator, and a very fast dripping hot water tap in the kitchen. The decorator has turned up and almost finished. He would have finished today except the patch plasterer decided to turn up after the painting was done. Other than that everything is hunky dory. Well not really but I'm trying to look on the bright side..having trouble seeing that at the moment.  I've had enough now..want it finished and done with. Can't get my stuff out of storage until the work has been signed off, and that just seems so far away at the moment with all the niggling little things that need sorting. Somebody needs to pull their finger out and get the job done.

Work has come to a halt....

..again!  Plaster patch was supposed to be on Monday.......decorating the kitchen and bathroom yesterday and today.......floor prepared for flooring Thursday and laid Friday. yesterday had a couple of blokes come and replace 3 radiators that were taken off when plastering was done, and the loft insulation was finally done...only 3 weeks late. I'm still waiting for a plumber to repair a very small leak on the upstairs toilet....not a major job but I can see it becoming one if it isn't repaired very soon. Still got the scaffolding up....got a new roof and facias but no gutters..just hope it doesn't rain. The really anoying thing is I'm getting up at 6.30 every morning to be ready for the work to be started at 8 oclock, and no one is turning up! I could have stayed in bed and got some much needed rest. It's really taking it's toll now..I'm very tired and in a lot of pain. My hands are very swollen and walking upstairs is extremely difficult and painful.....I'm almost crawling up them.
I haven't been able to spend too long on the computer, hence my absence visiting all you lovely bloggers out there. Hopefully I will be able catch up soon.

House update...

Finally..work has been done on the house. The roof is almost finished.... I have half a kitchen....and a complete bathrom with bath, toilet and power shower. Also got a new downstairs toilet with small handbasin and radiator fitted.  I should have skirting boards and internal doors by Friday (no bedroom doors at the moment and downstairs doors don't shut 'cos they don't fit new frames) It means another week of getting up at 6.30 and I'm exhausted by the early evening....very early nights for me. Not that I'm actually doing much.....you can't when you have workmen all over the house...just moving boxes from one room to another when they need room to work. Right..I'm off  for a bath and then bed. Night all.

More problems with the house....

......the chimney breast needs plasterboarding and skimming again.....it isn't flush with the new gas fire that will be installed. This was supposed to be done on Wednesday but no plasterers showed. New gas supposed to be fitted Thurday and the first inspection due....again no show. Friday all the plumbing was to be completed ready for the downtairs toilet and kitchen refit which should have started ..guesss what?...NO SHOW!!!!! That's 3 mornings I needn't have got up at 6.30...I don't do mornings and all this early rising is really taking it's toll. Got some good news though.....my new roof is finally being put on. They say it should be finished by Tuesday and then the scaffolding can come down. The neighbours will be happy about that..it's knocked out their sky. Had a lovely lie in this morning as well......bliss. Not counting on anything going  right at the moment.....it's Sod's Law...if it can go wrong ..it will.  Even the keyboard is playing up...press the space bar or any punctuation keys and it deletes....