The Countdown Starts Anew...

But this time there's no panic, no "what's she going to think of me" worries...

It's now...

... weeks exactly til Viki comes over to try to find a job!

It's Tuesday Night... It's Half Past Nine...

It's Crackerjack! (Go on... you know you want to...)

Okay, so it's not Crackerjack (target audience reference there) - What it is, in fact, is the very first blog post from my new house!!!!

Yes, the phone line issue got sorted, the broadband got arranged, and now I can stop putting in all those (unpaid) "extra hours" at work... because I am back in cyberspace from home! Woo and indeed Hoo!

Oh, heck... since this is a first, I should really have said something auspicious (no, that's not a typo... I didn't really mean to type "suspicious"). Let's see... can I claw this back and share something pithy and amusing with you?















Er... that'll be a "No" then!

Oh, well - new house... same old tripe...

Wrll, I'vr Had A Peoductivr Aftrenoon...

It's brrn so boeing hrer at woek this aftrenoon that I'vr ersoetrd to clraning my drsk - rvrn taking all thr krys off my kryboaed and clraning thrm individually.

Hang on... somrthing's not eight hrer... Oh, buggre... I know what I'vr donr...

*Swaps the "E" and "R" keys the right way round*

Hello? There... That's better!

Yes, as I was saying (or trying to) - I finally had enough of the boss complaining that my desk was needing cleaned (you should see his! Except you can't - not for all the piles of paper that's on it!), that I washed it, everything on it - even taking all the keys off my keyboard and polishing them with some evil-smelling foam stuff for cleaning office equipment... and now it feels really strange to type on it!

Well, you've not had a general waffle post from me for quite some time, have you? That's mainly because I've not really had anything worth generally waffling about. Work's been generally boring... except we've got a new part-time member of "staff" at the moment... a furry one... The boss has just got a new dog - not a puppy, she's about 7 months old... and she's gorgeous! She's a samoyed, and is just like a huge teddy, or a sheepskin rug on legs. As distractions go, she's pretty cute. At the moment, they can't really leave her at home alone, so when the boss' wife is at work too, the dog comes to us. My cats aren't that impressed though when I go home smelling of dog!

Weather's still bonny here - very rare for May. That's a good couple of weeks we've had now without rain. Hope we don't pay for this in July & August... especially August when Viki's here... Really don't want rain then, thank you very much!

Still loving the new house. Still not got very much further unpacking and things, but most of the boxes down behind my couch are to go up in the attic, and I need a big, strong man to help with that.

And that's really it.

Well, it's half past 4 now, and we've been shut for half an hour (we close at 4pm on a Saturday now), so I'm going to bugger off and get a coffee, have a wander round the shops, and then home.

I'll probably end up watching The Eurovision Song Contest tonight - yes, I am that sad! Come on... United Kingdom, Nul Points... PLEASE!

Okay... See ya laters!



ps. I hadn't REALLY put the "E" & "R" keys on the wrong way around... that was just for comic effect!

I LOVE BT!!!!

Update to my previous rant about the phone line fiasco at the new house:

Somehow or other, my brother managed to find out what the phone number for the line, but that was no help, because there was a bar on outgoing AND incoming calls, and it brought us no nearer to finding out who the line was held by.

Well, I was at work today, and the boss said "I got a message for you last night... Tell Alison to get the bloody phone line at her old house cancelled, because we're moving in there soon, and we can't get our phone sorted out!" (I hadn't cancelled the old one yet, because I didn't want to lose my old number... and it's a pal of the boss who is moving in).

So I decided I would give up... I would just cancel the line at the old house, lose the number, and sort out the new line at a later date.

After work, I phoned BT... and got a really pleasant surprise (once I'd finally got through to customer services) - I spoke to a really nice woman (Margaret, you're a star!), told her I had to cancel the old house line, but that I had wanted to transfer the number, only to be told that I had to get a new line put in the new house - for which they'd charge me £125.... She did a bit of checking on the account, and informed me that whatever the problem with the new house was, it had been sorted, and my old number could be transferred, and no £125 charge... and they would cancel the line at the old house within the next 7 days.

All it's going to cost me is a one or two week overlap on line rental... and I can live with that!

Venturing Forth...

Harriet: That's right... You go ahead. I'll be out in a minute...

Harriet: Heh, sucker! This is far enough for me!

Minnie meets a local...

Harriet has a stare battle with another local (you can just see a white moggy up the far end of the planks)...

One Small Step For 2 Cats...

One Giant Leap For Catkind!

Both cats have been out today... wandering about at the back, sniffing around in corners, disappearing under sheds, meeting the local cat population (the phrase "Mexican Standoff" springs to mind... it was like watching an old western as the 2 honchos size each other up to see who's going to crack and draw their gun first), and generally exploring the area at the back of the house.

I've not seen Minnie so excited in a long time... I got cold, so came in and left them sniffing around, and Minnie kept coming running in, jumping up on the desk where I was pottering on the computer - her tail quivering - so she could "tell" me what she was seeing! It was like "Mummy... mummy... come and see...! There's this shed out there... I've been under it! And paving stones for me to roll on...! Come and watch me roll, mummy! Come on!" It was so funny!

And they came in no bother, and didn't head for the road this time!

This Week's "Arseholes Of The Week" Award....

... goes to those gits at BT who are messing me about over trying to get my phone number transferred to the new house!

I phoned them before I actually moved and explained that I was moving, and needed to transfer my phone number to the new house, and to get it ready for Broadband as well... at which point they informed me that the previous tenant hadn't notified them that he was leaving, so they'd have to get in contact with him to get his authorisation, and that would take 10 days.

So I explained to them that he'd been evicted, and the house had been empty for at least a month... And they told me to get the council (as landlords) to contact them and explain this, and they would cancel the line. Then, 24 hours later, I could contact them and set up the transfer.

So, I did this... and when I phoned BT later, they told me that the previous tenant had opted out of BT's line rental... so I would have to get in touch with the company that the ex-tenant was with ("Plug in a phone and dial 150, madam... That will connect you through to the company"), and ask them to return the line to BT.

Finally got a shot of a phone last night (my cordless one is in a box somewhere... probably in the attic), and tried dialing 150 this morning... and all I got was "The number has not been recognised".

So I phoned BT again, and they informed me that the line was still active, and was with another provider... but that it wasn't a case of finding out who and getting it handed back over - oh, no... I would have to pay £125 to get a new BT line put in! This despite the fact that there's an active line in the house already!

There's no fucking way I can afford to pay £125 for a phone line - especially one that's there already! And why should I when it's not my fault that the stupid ex-tenant decided to pay his line rental to someone other than BT!?

This is a major pain in the arse, because until I get a phone line, I can't get Sky sorted out, or my Broadband!

So, congratulations British Telecom on winning "Arseholes Of The Week"!

My Brave Girl!

I was washing my windows last night, and had the back door open, when Harriet appeared... She peeped out the door, saw I was out there, and tentatively came out - and that was her... she spotted the steps up from my little paved area to the lane behind the house that goes down to the road - and she was away, heading straight towards (yep, you guessed it) the road!

Thankfully, her attention was diverted at the last minute by the gardens and other houses on the lane, and she had a sniff around in them instead... before coming around behind someone's shed (the area at the back of the house is hard to describe... there's kind of a communal triangular grass area with sheds and things, and then some folk have peedie gardens, and there are houses up the one side... and the backs of houses up the other), having her first al fresco pee for a couple of weeks, and coming back in for her tea!

She was really intent on exploring... no real fear at all - It was ME that was the nervous, gibbering wreck!

No sign of Minnie wanting out yet... which is really weird, because she's usually the one who loves to explore and is first to want out!

Moving Pictures...

Gus, my plant (he's an AsparaGUS fern), has got a new home, and he loves it!

The black lump in the middle of this photo is Minnie in her new favourite spot... the back of the sofa. Well, actually, her SECOND favourite spot... Her favourite spot is MY seat of the sofa!

Moving Pictures...

The living room is beginning to look more "lived in" and less "lived in by a commune of hippies", as you can see by the corner where my computer desk sits...

However, behind the sofa lurk a multitude of boxes and crap still...

And I've got a new friend... She was out the back one night when I went to put out my rubbish. As she headed towards the back door, I managed to intercept and speak to her... Then I went in, and an hour later I went through to the kitchen, and she was still outside meowing!

And she came back a couple of nights later!

Moving Stories... Back Up To Date...

First full day back at work today.

Woke up and debated walking to work - but the lure of an extra 20 minutes in bed, and a leisurely getting ready, were too strong, so I got a taxi. That said, I was actually at work 10 minutes EARLY! I don't know... there's just something about getting up in a nice, warm, new house that makes getting up more pleasant.

Not much else to tell you, really. So I guess I'll bugger off and have a look at one or two other blogs while I'm waiting for my brother to arrive because we're going to Lidl to do a quick shop. Might see if I can buy something cheap and cheerful for the house.

Catch you soon (probably tomorrow after work, when I'll be misusing the office computer again)... God, it kills being without internet! No SausageNet, no blogging, no Orkney Forums - I'm missing out on all the fun and gossip!

Moving Stories... The Last Few Days...

Forgot to say, I got my mattress, sofa and chair delivered "yesterday" (yep, still on catch-up), so at least I had a comfier sleep last night, and have somewhere to sit!

Now, if only I actually had TIME to sit!

Sorted a pile of boxes this morning, and I've actually got the living room almost livable... shame the bedroom still looks like a bomb-site... and there are a lot of boxes still hidden behind the couch in the living room.

Cats are coming out of the corners a bit... Harriet's even been in the window-sill, peeping out at the world going by. And they're eating now, which is good. They're still very clingy - wherever I am, that's where they are!

Cursing all the utility providers - without boring you silly with the ins and outs of the various telephone conversations and / or visits I've had with satellite providers, BT, bank, post office, etc. I am still without phone, internet (hence using the work computer to blog) and Sky, and I can't get my mail re-directed as quickly as I'd like!

Honestly, take my word for it... Never move house!

(That said... I'm still glad I've moved. I don't miss the old house at all. This is finally a space that's MINE, without any unpleasant memories associated with it).

Moving Stories... The Last Few Days...

Had to go into work for an hour "this" morning (remember, it's really Thursday), to do the wages.

Then back to the boxes and chaos - after firstly going to the furniture store to book a mattress and a sofa and chair (not the one I'd originally booked, but this one's much nicer), then to the council to hand in my keys to the old house, and one or two (more like twenty or thirty) other things I had to do...

Cats still freaked out - I'm a little worried, because they've hardly eaten anything since yesterday morning. There's a lot of traffic passes the house, and they jump every time a car goes by... if they're not hiding under a table, or behind a box, or down behind a pile of bags... Poor Moggies!

Managed to get one more day off work tomorrow, but them I'm back on Thursday.

Moving Stories... The Last Few Days...

Yep, it's not really Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday (as you might have guessed if you'd spotted a glut of posts all arriving at one time) - It's Thursday, and I'm abusing the computer at work in order to get caught up with some blogging and keep you posted on how things are going / have gone...

So, we'll start with Monday - D Day...

And it was utter chaos! People coming to take furniture away... then coming back to take furniture I was keeping down to the new house... family coming to collect boxes of ornaments and / or books to be stored and sorted out later... then several runs with boxes and bags of all the stuff that was coming with me...

Got down to the new house myself for the first time about 9pm, and gasped in horror at what I found...

I'd reserved a bed and a sofa and chair from the council Furniture Store (donated items which are then done up and available to buy at very reasonable prices) - and the base of my bed had been delivered... but no mattress or headboard! And the sofa and chair hadn't been delivered at all!

Now, bear in mind that this is after 9o'clock at night, and absolutely nothing can be done about it!

Anyway... back up to the old house for the last run to grab the last couple of things - and the cats! Now, Harriet had appeared about 6pm, and we'd trapped her inside, but Minnie only turned up at 10pm when we arrived back. Managed to chuck them both in cat carriers and zoom down to the new house.

Spent half the night on the living room floor, surrounded by boxes, before aches and pains forced me into a kind of half-sitting, half-sprawled arrangement in my computer chair for the rest of the night, huddled under a single duvet, with 2 terrified and seriously freaked-out cats around me!

Not a lot of sleep was had, that's for sure.

Oh, and I've had to have my poor cockatiel, Paddy, re-homed... sob.

Back To It...

I'm just taking a short break to blog, and now back to packing boxes... BOXES! AAARGH! I'm surrounded by the bloody things... I swear they're breeding!

If I'm not heard of for a while, I'll be packed in a box somewhere!

Take My Advice, People...

Don't Ever Move House!

I know I've just said I'm excited and looking forward to being in my new house... but, my god, it's a stressful business packing up your life and trying to decide what to keep and what to chuck, and where to put all the stuff you're taking with you in your new house... and that's before you have to deal with things like re-directing post, sorting out your phone, and Sky tv, and electricity, and all that other crap.

Moving house last time was much easier - I was 9 years old, and just had to pack up my toys and pick which bedroom I wanted! That's 25 years... hopefully it'll be another 25 before I have to do all this again!

Moving Stories

No photos today, I'm afraid... partly because I've had no time to capture the scenes at the house on film (well, digital pixels)... and partly because the scenes at the house are kind of like the scenes witnessed by UN peacekeepers when they first go into some war-torn country after the reigning dictator has been ousted!

The place is strewn with boxes, bags and god only knows what else!

Been spending money (courtesy of the local council... because I'm down-sizing) yesterday and today - Great fun! Paid for the carpets (and got £30 off the price - yippee!), yesterday I bought a new fridge freezer coz my fridge is too big, and I've got a separate freezer - which there's now no room for, and today I bought... a new microwave (mine is a big one, and it's old), a new kettle (mine is all scabby inside), sheets (black), quilt cover (pink), quilt, pillows, bathroom cabinet, squeegee thing for washing the windows, cushions for the chairs... and even treated the cats to a new litter tray and bowls!

Monday should be my first night in the new house... and I'm so excited!

The only drawback is that I've not got the phone sorted yet (tried today, but there's some problem that means it can't be done until Monday... so I might not be able to blog on Monday)... and I've got no aerial or satellite dish - so I might not even be able to watch TV! (Not that I'll have time, I'm sure - I'll be cleaning, unpacking, and trying to find places for everything!).

Well, I've done enough today... I'm going to see if there's anything edible in the freezer (I made the mistake of putting all my cupboard food down to the house a couple of days ago... all that's in my pantry here is - wait for it - a tin of soup, a packet of butterscotch Angel Delight, and a pack of Strepsils!).

See you the morn!

Moving Pictures

Ladies and Gentlemen, to go with our carpets... we now have lino!

Hallway...

and Kitchen...

With any luck, by the start of the week we should have a bed, a sofa & chair, and a fridge freezer too... and then everything else!

Moving Pictures

Ladies and Gentlemen... We have carpets!

Living room... nice chocolate brown...

Bedroom... Er, you might want sunglasses for this one!

Tomorrow we should (fingers crossed) have lino in the kitchen & hall...

Moving Pictures

Last room to see - The Sitting Room.

Nice big front window - Shame that all you can see is the houses opposite...

Sitting room door at the left, kitchen is through the door to the right...

Looking out of the sitting room to the hall and front door...

And the mystery stain on the floor (one of two), which everyone is taking great delight in informing me is blood... I don't believe them, but if it starts seeping through the carpet (which is being laid as we speak), then I'll start to get very worried!