FROM MOSCOW VIA MANCHESTER WITH LOVE PART 4

Moscow via Manchester part 4

Remember the Scottish drunk who wanted a fight with the lads? Well, he only got on our bus. The bus we really struggled for the first time getting on. I think because we were so tired and stressed and LC was not at her best as she too was out of sorts.

 

We went for the bus, but it was not there. The noise of the traffic was so loud and just as we went for our bus; the sirens of an emergency vehicle went past. Deafening us.

 

Well, Hub turned to me and said there was no bus there. The Scottish bad boy shouted to us.

“Are you two getting on here or what?”

Well, I think he was talking to us?

 

The bus was a mile off the curb. Well, OK, not a mile, but about six feet. Well as a blind person, you step down to get your bus and there isn’t one, you don’t walk onto the main fast flowing road, right?

 

We learned as we got on thanks to Hub and LC, as no way would I have been brave enough to walk and walk into the fast traffic, but the voices which were waiting with us for a bus were heading towards the road, so he followed.

 

On the bus, the driver asked Hub to push the button. Hub never has had to do this, so where was the button? Again, things like this make me just want to stay at home. Hub calmly asked where it was. The driver said

“There!”

Hub asked again in a calm voice, where?

Then a man showed Hub. We learned that the man was also a bus driver, training the fool who parked six foot away from the curb, who didn’t lower the step to get in and who didn’t have a clue how to talk in a civil manner.

 

We then went to try to find a seat. God, it really wasn’t our day.

 

A lady shouted at me

“There’s one. There’s a seat. The person has given their seat up so you two can sit together!”

OK, so I guess she was shouting at me? So where was this seat? I felt and could only find sweaty shoulders occupying the seats.

 

She shouted again, by this point, Hub had found a seat. I found one too. Then realised there was a one next to me so I called Hub to sit with me. The woman said that is the one I was telling you to go in.

 

Well excuse me, but how was I to know? If you can’t see and people say over there, over where? I mean, is it not common sense? Or do these people just have none.

 

Well the driver stopped and started the bus. Didn’t have a clue where he was going.

 

Oh God. Just get me home?

 

Hub and I did get home. Thanks to his amazing knowledge, bravery or madness.

 

Home sweet home, but we couldn’t go few, as our minds were  all over the place and I think we were in total shock.

 

Yesterday was bank holiday so he had the day off.

 

We stayed in, apart from taking our dogs to the local shop. Just to get out and our confidence back. Thank God Wagga tail worked well. We took the long walk there and back. Just to give her some work. Her head as ever is  all over the place. So I held the harness never really knowing in which direction she will go so always have to be on the ball, whereas LC is straight solid and focused.

 

But we got there and back.

 

I have a lot of work to do this week and a lot of reflecting.

 

My friends have their meeting today with the nursery, so I hope it goes as planned for them. I just pray I have picked a nice nursery. I do feel for the baby though, as it’s a strange country. Foreign language and to be left five days for ten hours, having said that, the staff sound so loving and I am sure they will look after the children there. It is a nursery with a difference for sure. It’s an organic nursery. They grow their own vegetables and have chickens for fresh eggs.

 

The children play mainly outdoors, in little houses made from wood in the forest.

 

So let’s hope the little fella has a great time?

 

From Moscow with love from Fifi Blogget.

FROM MOSCOW VIA MANCHESTER WITH LOVE PART3

FROM MOSCOW VIA MANCHESTER WITH LOVE PART 3

 

There was a metal fence, I was sure I recognized. Then Hubs IPhone behaved itself with the navigation. We just stopped and took a breath. It was so hot. The air was kind of damp as the rain made its blanket of moist threads. Hub said he knew how to get to the such and such street where he would be able to find his way back. I thought impossible. Just no one absolutely no one knew where anything was? Made me wonder just how they were getting around themselves? Anyway, we went past places that seamed familiar, but I wondered if that was wishful thinking?

 

Then we smelled the pastry shop. Hub said it was the one we use, but I didn’t believe him. I mean there are hundreds of bakery’s in our town.

He asked me did I want a coffee, but no I didn’t. I was shell shocked. I was shaking inside. I just wanted to go home and close the curtains. Cuddle up in bed and sleep my day away.

 

So much I wanted to spend time with my friend, her Son who I love and his baby, but they have their life to lead so why should they bother with us?

 

My Hub said let’s go across the road, there is our café, I said no it wasn’t. Well, LC didn’t think it was either, as we did the steps that would normally lead us to the café, LC would not find the door and she always does so well at that place, so I told Hub that we have found a bakers, but not the one we know, so across the road is not the café we know, Hub insisted it was, so back we went to the bakery to once again trace our footsteps. No, LC said not to do it so we had to weave in and out of the performing clowns and stalls with fruit and veg on. People watching as we did this time and time again. They clapped as the performers did their stuff.

God I was mortified.

 

Hub would not give up.  He was determined that he knew he was right.

 

You know what? He blooming was? I told him to stand still and among the musicians, we would just listen. We did this, I heard French music. I said I could hear the music and Hub said so we are in the right place as the café is French.

 

We followed the music; this was hard as there were loads of other musicians playing at the same time so we had to wait for a second break from them to hear our café music.

 

Through the door. Still didn’t know was it as shoe shop or an electric or our café. Until we got through the second door and heard the sounds of plates and so on.

 

We were shown to a table and my head in my hands. I reflected our exhausting day.

 

Hub told me to ask our friend by phone if they would like to go to our restaurant that night, I did and they want to wait a week until the baby was more settled. I was kind of pleased as I was not really in the mood to socialise.

 

Did feel sad though as Hub back to work in a couple of days so wouldn’t see them for a while.

 

Well, left there and the corner where we would head towards the street that lead to our bus stop were blocked by more musicians. O M G.

 

So we had to go down another street and find our way with our mobile sat nav

 

Got to the bus stop and guess what? A man was drunk and wanted a fight with some innocent young lads next to us. He was a Scottish guy and really not well in the head. Just really really asking for trouble.

Just let us on that bus? All we need now is a fight?

 

On the bus and you know what? Our day didn’t end there. Oh My God.

 

More later.

FROM MOSCOW VIA MANCHESTER WITH LOVE PART 2

From Moscow to Manchester with love part 2

 

Well, at last, my friends arrived. I stayed for about fifteen minutes, then left. The baby is so cute. So very quiet though. It was great to see D, my friends Son. I met his wife for the first time too. I think they liked the flat. Not too sure. I love it but to them, it’s small I guess, though it is bigger than my house.

 

I learned that in Manchester, just after they picked the car up, someone crashed into the back of them. It was the other persons felt and he admitted it. Thank God they were OK.

 

I got in a taxi after standing out in the rain, as the taxi company got it wrong again and took three calls to them to get one sent out.

 

Got home, exhausted and dying for a drink. My baby girls were bursting. I let them out and after washing my hands, I made Hub a delicious cheese and mushroom omelette for his tea. Oh with bacon.

 

He came in and we just chilled for the night, though I thought of my friends and hoped they would be OK?

 

Little did I know, but they had no hot water. It was the next day when they told me that news.

But not until ten in the evening.

Oh I couldn’t stand the thought of the baby not being able to have a warm bath, and I knew that the agency would be closed as it was Sunday the next day and then our holiday we call bank holiday Monday. So again closed. No hot water for all those days?

Well, a few calls later, realised that there would be nothing we could do but go down ourselves the next day and try to fix it.

 

So Sunday lunch time, I asked my friend Ol if she had managed to fix it?    

But no. So the rain coats were put on and we braved the weather!

 

Oh my word. It was pouring. Anyway, we decided to take a taxi, though a very deer option, we had to get there and no way we could get lost in that, so the driver got us there in twenty minutes and there was no stress.

 

My D was there, and no Ol. She was putting the little boy to bed. Hub had not yet met him, so I wanted him to, so ask D if he would not put the baby to sleep until Hub saw him. Helene. I love babies.

 

So Ol brought a tiny parcel to us and what a cutie he is too. D was lovely. I love that lad. I still find it really weird that he is all grown up and has this lovely baby. D’s wife had gone home or somewhere that morning, so only stayed two nights in the UK.

 

After a while, babykins was put back to bed and we had a chat as Hub got the water back on.

 

We stayed about half an hour and then left our friends to their day as D wanted to go to bed as he had to get up to drive his wife back to Manchester, so was up from half four that morning.

 

Ol walked us down the steps onto the street. Oh it was pouring again. We asked Ol what direction the town was and off we went. We walked; we didn’t have a clue where the heck we were going... Oh God, there was loads of traffic and at more than one point, we were in the middle of the road, you know those islands where by there are cars in front of you and behind you? Whizzing around and the sounds of the tires on the wet roads made everything sound so much more dangerous and louder.

 

Well, we walked and I said to Hub I thought we were going in the wrong direction to the town, so we turned around, next thing I learned, we were in what we thought was a park. Then we took another turn. Hub with LC and me with my white cane. Passing by sounds I had not ever heard before as in shops and huge empty spaces which scared me as the empty spaces meant we were getting more and more lost.

 

Then LC took us over another road, and she did it on an angle. I hate it when she does that, as sometimes I think we are crossing two roads. Well, because she was stressed, she did her business. Oh God, could this day get any worse? Em

Yes.

 

We got really lost. Hub was getting rather tense. He tried to use the navigation on his IPhone, but it was rubbish. We stopped a few people but they were foreign or not from our town. We passed an undercover bus stop. Great, we would wait there for a bus. I asked a lady if she knew what number bus came there. She said only the number 3. No good.

 

We walked on. I found it incredulous that only one bus came to a huge bus stop, but never mind.

 

Hub thought he knew where he was, but he didn’t. We had never been there before. Not ever.

 

We stopped and waited to ask for more help, but every person who passed spoke in another language. The cold sounds of the wheels of suit cases passed us by. I wanted to cry. We were so lost and getting more and more wet.

 

Poor LC was in a state, bless her.

 

We couldn’t even call a taxi as we didn’t have a clue of the street name.

 

Then we realised that we were hearing sounds we heard fifteen minutes before.

 

So we turned around and tried to go back to where we started but ended up in a narrow street with cobbled walkways.

 

This city seamed so much bigger.

 

God I so badly wished I could see?

 

My Husband was becoming more stressed. We thought we had to cross the road, but couldn’t find a crossing, so had to take the risk and just wait until we didn’t hear any cars, this was hard as it is so loud our city.

 

OK, heart in mouth, off we went. Please God don’t let today be our last? I thought as we crossed the never ending road.

 

I mean never ending, as where was the path?

 

There wasn’t one. Feeling more and more sick.

 

One hour had now passed and at least the rain had stopped.

 

One and a half hours had now passed and my batteries were running low on my mobile.

 

Then we heard the sounds of a group. Playing music and singing.

 

Oh I didn’t want to walk right through them. We passed them, as we approached them, their voices and instruments got louder and louder. As we passed and their songs sounded quieter, the rain came again and huge vehicles passed, splashing the water into the air, making it impossible to even hear each other talking, trying to give each other idea’s as to where we were going.

God it was awful.

 

And then what?

 More later.

 

FROM MOSCOW VIA MANCHESTER WITH LOVE PART 1

The day had arrived. My friends from Russia were due to come from Moscow to Manchester, where they spent the night in a hotel. They would take a car from Manchester driving to us here. I had everything ready, the babies bed and mattress we bought a month previous, I had phoned for a taxi two days earlier, to make sure that I had a large enough vehicle to fit the bed, mattress and couple of boxes we had to take. I asked for a mini bus or a black cab, as the black cabs have room on the floor for the boxes. I told the girl on the phone that we had a baby bed in a flat pack to take to our friends flat. She told me that she didn’t think that there would be a taxi big enough for that. I told her that a mini bus or black cab would be fine as it was only a baby bed, so four foot long and it was a flat pack. She repeated everything I said and wrote things down. Well, my heart in my mouth as not only my friends were going to travel a long way first time driving in the UK, but would they like the flat I viewed and said yes to for them? Remember Bloggets, the flat my friend first wanted had fallen through? My friend D, his wife is a celeb and from a rich background, what I think is perfect, may be a shed to her? I so wanted everything to be right for them.

My Son was coming with me and he was going to put the bed together, but on the morning of the big day, his gf called to say she wanted to see him, so his plans changed. Thank God I had a number of a handy man who would come to my rescue. Sad though that my boy would not be there to greet our friends, but there would be plenty of time as they are coming on and off for three months. On and off as my friend Ol, is staying the full time with her Grand Son and my friend D, Ol’s son and his wife would be coming for a week, then away back for another week then away for a few weeks and back again for a month.

 

Well, I gathered a few toys we had bought for babykins and some food from the fridge that we got delivered the night before and some bags with bread and crisps in, just enough to give them a snack for when they arrived. I put my two dogs in their bed my LC was off at work with Hub.

 

The taxi had arrived. O

M

G?

Mini bus?

Black cab?

Em. Nope. Not really.

 

The driver joked with me and forgive me, but by this point I had a humour bypass.

 

“Morning love. They said at the office you wanted a black cab, we didn’t have one, so I came in a black car.!”

First I thought he was joking. I could have cried as I heard my Sons words

“Mum, this isn’t going to work. There is no way we can fit the bed in that? It’s tiny!”

 

What could go wrong next? Really. I had enough now. I went ever so mad with the driver as I told him how incompetent the member of staff was back at the office. I exclaimed that I had to be at the flat for ten as that is what time we were to meet with the man from the agency and in my head I’m thinking, if I’m not there, knowing the bother we have had with the agency, they will tell us we were ten minutes late, so they gave the pigging house to someone else?

 

Anyhow, long story short, Son and driver put the bed in this very small car, and we managed to get there, now what damage it caused in the meanwhile, I’m not sure as there were a lot of squeezing sounds coming from the man and squeaking noises coming from his car.

 

We arrived and the man was waiting for us outside as promised. He even helped teen to carry the boxes in the flat. The lady I have been dealing with was on holiday that weekend.

 

Oh, what would teen think of the flat? He has really good taste. You see I know what places are like mainly because of the feel of the place. I get good bad or indifferent feelings about houses. This one I liked when I looked around with my friend Di. Teen liked it. He described the living room to me.

 

The furniture was light wood with a hint of red on the edge of one of the book shelves. There was a huge red rug on the wooden floor and Oriental ornaments as well as an African  theme running through the whole apartment. I loved the lamps. The kitchen was basic, but clean. Everywhere was immaculate and this was another thing I liked about it. In the lounge, it had three windows. Two which lead to two Juliet balconies’ and one that lead to a larger patio with a garden cast iron table and chairs on with a huge cast iron floor standing jug and some planters. The balcony’s looked over the river. The boats passed by as teen was telling me about the view to the cathedral.

 

 It just felt so lovely. Cosy and at home. I wanted my friends so badly to get this same feeling.

 

I had never met my friend’s wife before. I know my friends Son since he was a little boy and that little boy would have loved the flat as would my friend Ol, but would the wife of D? Gosh, I was really anxious.

 

The guy left and soon after that, my Son did too. Oh boy was I afraid then? I mean there was I without a white cane, in a flat I didn’t really know how to get out of if there was a fire or whatever.

The intercom didn’t work properly either. I could let people in the main entrance, but couldn’t hear who was there. My Son did a practice with me so I could let my friends in, but he could hear me though me not him, so I could end up letting in whoever? Haha. Well, he left, it was just before half eleven. My friend Ol said the days before, that she would be leaving early morning. As I locked the door behind teen, I was on my own. But not for long, right?

 

Suddenly I realised, I had to find my way back to the lounge, to sit in a comfortable chair at least.

 

Gosh, that wasn’t easy, after I toured the bedroom, then found the cupboard and almost sent a lamp table flying, I found the living room, vie the kitchen. Not that you go through the kitchen to get to the living room, but I ended up in the kitchen. I learned the lay out of the living room pretty quickly.

 

Then I thought, the handy man is due at one, if my friends get lost, and are a few minutes late, then I could let him in. I kind of thought they would be there by now, but hadn’t left Manchester still.

 

So back out into the corridor to see how long it would take me to get to the front door. The front door onto the landing, not to the front of the outside world.

 

I’m not too sure I could live in a flat. I like to go to my front door and be outside. It’s rather like living in a box living in a flat, though the flat I learned was really lovely. As I found lamps, I put them on, it was a wet dull day and I thought it would make the place appear more homely and cosy. Were the lamps on? Hmm. Waited till they got hot then realised they were…

 

Zig sag

The pattern of the route to the door was slightly more complicated than one participated.

About four minutes it took me to get there, Oh, I found a chaises longs

I hadn’t noticed before, on one of the walls leading to the front of the flat. There were three tables with lamps on. One had a clock too and there was a chest of drawers with an artificial plant on and a large chest of drawers.

 

You really did weave in and out, as though going up stairs. Left, then right, left then right I learned that there were four rugs on the way to the door, problem is, I had to stay centre as on the walls were smash magnets like the deer looking lamps. One didn’t want to attach oneself too much to them.

 

Once I perfected getting to the front door within two minutes, a time I was proud of, as though running the London Marathon. I had to find my way back to the blooming living room. As when they came, I would open the door after letting them in via the intercom, I didn’t want to appear totally disabled in front of D’s wife. So afraid of scaring her off.

 

Sitting in the living room, no music or TV and not like I could do anything to clean the house, I got a really good feeling about the flat and kind of knew they would like it or was that my wishful thinking?

 

Then I decided enough sitting and I would go in the kitchen, try to put on the coffee machine. I hadn’t a clue how to work it. I opened the bag of coffee and put the remainder of coffee in the china pot my Son had told me said tea.

As you do,

Put coffee in a tea caddy, right?

Well, fact is, there was no coffee pot or sugar as a matter of fact.

Oh dam, sugar, I had forgot to buy this.

 

Let’s hope they are all sweet enough, right?

 

Now, how to work the machine? Well, feel for the wire at the back of the machine.

Follow it up to the wall, where it was plugged in

It was, was it turned on at the wall?

Yes.

So now to work out where the water goes and where the coffee goes.

Did that, now what to turn or push on?

Hmm. Two buttons, I can’t really go wrong right?

After a few moments, no sound from the machine, so I pushed another button, same one as before, just I may have turned it off. Then I called my friend Ol. They still hadn’t left Manchester.

 

Oh Why? Well, that sad news was to come.

 

Then just as the machine was making a bubble sound, the doorbell rang. Oh it was handy man time.

 

Now then, I had gone from the blooming living room and back, not done the kitchen and back. Haha.. Hell, bubble bubble echoed in the vast corridor and I answered the intercom, saying come in.

 

Come in? Em, who? I hoped it was steady Eddie?

 

Meanwhile whilst I waited for footsteps to come along the hall way to the flat, I hoped that the coffee had not started to overflow and drip down the highly glossy white kitchen units?

 

Eddie it was, he asked where he could park his car. I told him the code and said he could park in bay one and behind the gates,

On his way, he quickly pushed the buzzer and of course I couldn’t hear what he was saying, so just shouted like a mad woman, come in?

Haha. He did and said the code will be great, but the keys to the gate are also required. Oh God, of course they were, that is why the agency man told me that morning all about the code linked with the keys, right?

 

I hoped he could park his car as the parking space we had been told was rather tight and small.

 

Any way, he came in and built the babies bed in fifteen minutes and the coffee machine was OK. I don’t know what it tasted like, I was too anxious.

 

Eddie left and again on my own. By this time it was half one.

 

I was hoping my dogs would be OK as they had been left since half nine.

 

I spoke to my friend on the phone and she sounded a little flat and I don’t mean as in an apartment.

 

She said she had just left Manchester and she would explain when she saw me.

 

Oh Boy?

 

More later.

VOTE FOR FRAGRENCE AND THE BLONDE

Yesterday I went out with my friend Geordie. I love her. She is so tall beautiful and elegant. No, I hate her. Haha.

Joking, she is lovely. As for her height, we are about the same, but I am as wide as tall, she is so slim. We joke, as she is a few months younger than me. She thinks that’s great. But then calls me as I’m a natural blonde and she isn’t so we say one nil, but it’s so not, as she is so slim and has a lovely figure too.

 

Well, before we went out to drink coffee and chat, I had a plug in air freshener that was empty. I took it to her at the door as she arrived and asked her the question.

“Can you tell me please, what is that?”

She took it from me and in a slow voice answered.

“Yes. It’s

A plug

In

Air freshener!”

 

I thought she was joking, but nope. Serious. I answered

“OMG? I know that you clown, I didn’t think it was a cooker?”

I explained I needed to buy a new refill and needed to know the make of the plug.

 

Oh well, jog on

 

Anyway, time went quickly as ever and I learned of her great theatre trips she has been on and all about her builders she has in doing her house. I don’t envy her at all. And she is only about half way finished. Four weeks now they have been there. I can’t stand disruption for a week.

 

My friends in Mexico are still getting work done. It’s been about three months for them. My friend who had cancer cut from her stomach has lost so much weight. I guess because only half of her stomach is left. She I hope has no pain now though, just pain from the surgery.

 

OK, a date with white shirts and the ironing board now, then making tea. Before I go, a smile for you I hope.

Q: What do you call a duck that steals?
A: A Robber Duck.

 

Q: What did the bird say after his cage fell apart?

A: "Cheap, cheap!"

 

A teacher was teaching her second grade class about the government, so for homework that one day, she told her her students to ask their parents what the government is.

When Little Johnny got home that day, he went up to his dad and asks his what the government was.

His dad thought for a while and answered, ''Look at it this way: I'm the president, your mom is Congress, your maid is the work force, you are the people and your baby brother is the future.''

''I still don't get it'' responded the Little Johnny.

''Why don't you sleep on it then? Maybe you'll understand it better,'' said the dad.

''Okay then...good night'' said Little Jonny went off to bed. In the middle of the night, Little Johnny was awakened by his baby brother's crying. He went to his baby brother's crib and found that his baby brother had taken a crap in his diaper. So Little Johnny went to his parent's room to get help. When he got to his parent's bedroom, he looked through the keyhole to check if his parents were asleep. Through the keyhole he saw his mom loudly snoring, but his dad wasn't there. So he went to the maid's room. When he looked through the maid's room keyhole, he saw his dad having sex with his maid. Little Johnny was surprised, but then he just realized something and thinks aloud, ''OH!! Now I understand the government! The President is screwing the work force, Congress is fast asleep, nobody cares about the people, and the future is full of s**t!''

 

ACID IN MY HEART

 Hello Bloggets. My friends are arriving tomorrow morning. I will book a taxi and arrive at the flat before them, giving chance for the baby’s bed to be constructed. I have bought a couple of toys for him. I hope he likes them. I am anxious the apartment will not be good enough for them. I chose it for them, as the one remember that was picked, the stupid agency we are going through made an error and had to cancel it as children were not allowed. I know they will love the other flat, as it is lovely. As is this one, just much smaller. Also my friend Ol saw the other flat when she was here in December. This one Di, and I went to view.

 

I can’t wait to see my baby brother as I think of him. D, I have known him since he was eight. Now 33. I love that boy. He is of course not a boy, but to me will always be. Oh I am so scared that they will hate it around here, may be not enough for them to do? I have spent a while and written up an itinerary with lots of different things they could do as holiday makers. I’m not too good at that as Hub and I tend to go to the shops or on a holiday. We don’t have the luxury of going out for the day. Taking a picnic or something normal.

 

I’m still a little ill for what happened a week ago today. I don’t think my life will ever be the same. I have been re assured by a friend that all will be OK in the end and certain people will get their gifts in time.

 

Our boy is having his driving lesson today. It’s raining heavy. Typical. My friend was coming to walk the dogs with me today. Poor old BB has not been on a free walk for six weeks. I play with her in the garden with a toy to try to get her exercised.

 

Almost if not all of my plants and flowers I bought at the garden centre are either dead or dying. Fed up. I spent a fortune. My patio is covered in weeds. My garden lady said she had done them last time she was here. My Son says that they are high. I hope I am right in thinking, that they could have grown since then that much and she is not saying she is doing work and not. Last time she came, I paid her £15 to plant two pots for me. I’m simply fed up I just can’t get any gardener who will be honest. I thought she was a good person. I will give her another chance, but really, my last one was a man who had a huge company and he charged £125 for four hours work and some bulbs.

One before that charged £9 per hour, but then brought her son so charged £18 and ended up pulling down my back wall.

One before her charged £20 per hour. Did the whole summer and when my Mother in law came just before she died, was shocked telling me that no way a gardener had done anything in my yard. When I went around the garden with her, oh my Lord. The weeds were six foot high. A neighbour had told me that she had seen him on many occasions sitting at our garden table reading a newspaper.

That is just the gardeners I can be bothered to write about. Oh there was one who rather than planted things for us, he removed them and took them to his garden or sold them. He never came back.

 

We can’t see, so take the money and run.

 

Same with painters and so on. Now I have a little group of workers who will do things and I can trust like my lovely electrician and he also is my handy man. But his business has taken off now and is so very busy. I wait for a month before he can come.

 

I’m sorry I have not been on here much of late, just had a lot on here and not felt well enough to talk or write. My fingers are numb and my head is closed. My insides are burning but acid I hope will drain away and kill all in its way. Leave my body and return the sunshine.

 

Thank you all for standing by me. Thank you for your messages on my fb page, or email. I’m grateful. X

ACID BURNING MY HEART

 Hello Bloggets. My friends are arriving tomorrow morning. I will book a taxi and arrive at the flat before them, giving chance for the baby’s bed to be constructed. I have bought a couple of toys for him. I hope he likes them. I am anxious the apartment will not be good enough for them. I chose it for them, as the one remember that was picked, the stupid agency we are going through made an error and had to cancel it as children were not allowed. I know they will love the other flat, as it is lovely. As is this one, just much smaller. Also my friend Ol saw the other flat when she was here in December. This one Di, and I went to view.

 

I can’t wait to see my baby brother as I think of him. D, I have known him since he was eight. Now 33. I love that boy. He is of course not a boy, but to me will always be. Oh I am so scared that they will hate it around here, may be not enough for them to do? I have spent a while and written up an itinerary with lots of different things they could do as holiday makers. I’m not too good at that as Hub and I tend to go to the shops or on a holiday. We don’t have the luxury of going out for the day. Taking a picnic or something normal.

 

I’m still a little ill for what happened a week ago today. I don’t think my life will ever be the same. I have been re assured by a friend that all will be OK in the end and certain people will get their gifts in time.

 

Our boy is having his driving lesson today. It’s raining heavy. Typical. My friend was coming to walk the dogs with me today. Poor old BB has not been on a free walk for six weeks. I play with her in the garden with a toy to try to get her exercised.

 

Almost if not all of my plants and flowers I bought at the garden centre are either dead or dying. Fed up. I spent a fortune. My patio is covered in weeds. My garden lady said she had done them last time she was here. My Son says that they are high. I hope I am right in thinking, that they could have grown since then that much and she is not saying she is doing work and not. Last time she came, I paid her £15 to plant two pots for me. I’m simply fed up I just can’t get any gardener who will be honest. I thought she was a good person. I will give her another chance, but really, my last one was a man who had a huge company and he charged £125 for four hours work and some bulbs.

One before that charged £9 per hour, but then brought her son so charged £18 and ended up pulling down my back wall.

One before her charged £20 per hour. Did the whole summer and when my Mother in law came just before she died, was shocked telling me that no way a gardener had done anything in my yard. When I went around the garden with her, oh my Lord. The weeds were six foot high. A neighbour had told me that she had seen him on many occasions sitting at our garden table reading a newspaper.

That is just the gardeners I can be bothered to write about. Oh there was one who rather than planted things for us, he removed them and took them to his garden or sold them. He never came back.

 

We can’t see, so take the money and run.

 

Same with painters and so on. Now I have a little group of workers who will do things and I can trust like my lovely electrician and he also is my handy man. But his business has taken off now and is so very busy. I wait for a month before he can come.

 

I’m sorry I have not been on here much of late, just had a lot on here and not felt well enough to talk or write. My fingers are numb and my head is closed. My insides are burning but acid I hope will drain away and kill all in its way. Leave my body and return the sunshine.

 

Thank you all for standing by me. Thank you for your messages on my fb page, or email. I’m grateful. X

ANGELS OUT IN FORCE

Good morning Bloggets. Today is day three of heat and sunshine outside. Hubs job still going very well. He had a long day yesterday, out from ten to eight to quarter to ten, so almost 14 hours. But he’s fine. I love his job as he is home, so that is sorted. My friend’s holiday apartment sorted. Nursery for my friend’s baby sorted. Then a bombshell explodes. I won’t go into it, but believe me Bloggets, it’s unbelievable. Not eaten and lost a stone 14lbs in weight, but I can afford to in fact more. What I can’t afford is the nightmare I have had over the past four days.

 

Egg shells are all over my floor at home and I’m walking on them trying not to crack them.

 

I can tell you, I believe in angels. I have done for a long time now, but this weekend they came out in force. I have a friend who has very strong beliefs with angels and I cried for her help. She gave me that help. She has been amazing and I am eternally grateful. I have some lovely friends who have been there for me though apart from their beautiful words, nothing they could say stopped the bleeding from my veins and build the pieces of my broken heart. I hope to share of my story one day, to help others, but for now I won’t. I can’t find the energy and it’s not the right time. But a lesson for sure. When you really really need help, ask for help from your angel, you may not know their name. Everyone is supposed to have an angel, I don’t know the name of mine, I just say my angel or angels. Some will be reading this now and thinking I am ready for the asylum. Yes, I would agree, but not for talking about angels, but for what has happened to my family this weekend.

 

Onwards and upwards now. Another day another chance and so much more to do and work with and on.

 

My wrists hurt from typing. I’m weak. I am dizzy and have a headache only given by red hot blood rushing to my brain. That is what it feels like, as the devils fire has visited my soul this weekend.

 

Now friends will phone me and email even come to me for information. I won’t give it so please don’t ask. All I can say is I am grateful to Dearest Manisha for what she has worked with and her time and words. To offers of support from Trix, Magda, Debbie Jo, Lisa and Elisha. Manisha knows the full story. As for my other girls, they know the cake mixture, but not the icing. I can’t talk of it. My darling Husband has had his arms opened for me and my x has helped too. The lid has been popped and the fizz has exploded.

 

Mopping up the mess right now and the birth of new, the seedling I hope will grow to a bloom of colour for years ahead for others to enjoy and admire!

 

With love for now, as that is all I have the energy to write. X

I'M BACK

Dearest Bloggets. I'm back. Just. Rather tired and very mixed up. But tomorrow, I hope to be blogging again, after the most painful three days. I am not sure I can write about in detail, but I will be writing for sure. I have missed you all. What have you been up to? x

THE AGENCY 1 & 2

OK, the story and the ending all in one.

Bloggets. Well, what a fun couple of days?

Not!

My friends are due for a three months holiday next Friday. The agent that we booked through in December paying the deposit and so on for the two flats, have given me a head ache.

Telling me yesterday that we couldn’t have the second stay. The best flat. Why? Because she has put someone else in.

Well, my friend Di came to the rescue today and this is the story.

Are you sitting comfortably? It’s a long one Bloggets, so put your feet up with a nice drink and here we go, on the Fifi chugga chug express!

               

Way back in December, my friend Olga told me that her, her Grand Son her Son who I have known since he was eight now I think he is 33, his wife, and perhaps the Nanny, would be coming over to the  UK May till late August.

I spent a few days trying to find an agent that would take three months of rental.

Most agencies only do six months accommodation.

Well we found one. We went to meet the girl I shall call Sharron.

Sharron showed us around the most stunning apartment. We loved it. Then we went into a house from hell. OMG?

Floor tiles coming up, damp all over the walls. Foisty smells. Then the best bit, to get to the bedrooms, no, not a staircase, but loft ladders.

The house was a mess, so small too. Hideous. I was embarrassed.

Anyway, we said then that we would love the flat from May till end of August; Olga thought that it would be until 28 of August. That was fine but for the first three weeks, that would not be available as the three lads who were in the flat, were not due to leave till end of June. But we were re assured that there would be another flat that we couldn’t see for some reason I have forgotten but it was the same as the one we loved. Same block, just two bed rather than three.

Fine we would move after three weeks. All sorted.

 

Wrong. Nope, we got a call saying that the two bed owner didn’t want a child in her flat. Back to the beginning and my friend and I went to view another flat as my friend Olga, had gone back to Russia.

 

The flat my friend and I viewed, was nice, nothing special, but modern, clean and in a great location, looking over the river.

 

We said yes to the flat for the first part, then I confirmed the big flat for the rest of the stay, stating end of August.

 

Long story short. My friend due a week today, agency phoned saying that they could only give my friends the flat until July. I called to say we paid a deposit. We stated August. Answer, sorry, it’s been let out.

 

I phoned my friend. I told her that we could look at a couple of two bedrooms. My friend was not happy. Nothing worse than an unhappy Ruski, right? Hahaha.

Anyway, my friend told me that the whole trip would have to be cancelled. So the deposit would be lost of just under £500 and the nursery school deposit as well as the nursery would have to be told  at short notice we didn’t need them anymore. This was going to be embarrassing, as I booked it months ago, again after spending weeks and weeks on the phone to try to find a nursery who would take the little boy. Internet searches and so on. I literally had to fight for a place, soon learning that I had to say my friend’s child, rather than my friend from Russia.

 

So when I got a nursery that said yes, I then told them they were from Russia. See, private nurseries would have taken the little boy, because you were paying a huge amount of money, but, he had to be three and he is only three months over two.

 

The nursery I found is perfect and my friend loved it too. Then I heard that the same company with the same policy were opening five minutes from where my friends flat was going to be. So I stupidly thought this would be better as the other one, is a forty minute drive away, so began to make plans to go to the closer nursery.

 

Well, a couple of weeks ago, my friend said she didn’t mind driving that far. I do worry about her driving in the UK, as she won’t understand roundabouts and so on that we have over here and in our tiny island, there are too many cars on the roads. I know she is a great driver in Russia, but the roads there are straight.

 

So a couple of phone calls later, I have been told they will accept the baby in the nursery further away, but my friend would have to stay with him for a few days. All sorted, though still waiting to talk with the blooming manager who was to call me back who didn’t bother, though I have left messages, to clarify starting date and times.

 

So I shall phone back today and ask for an email so it’s in writing.

 

OK, so back to the flat hunting, my friend Di said she would go with me to look at another flat they had. But my friend Olga the night before, told me a two bedroom flat for the second place, would be no good, as how can she, her Son, his wife, their child, her Mother father and Brother, stay in a two bed?

Say what?

How many are coming now? Hahahahahahehehh.

Em, panic dot com!

 

Hell, I had just read too that if there are additional people staying, more money would be expected to be paid. Oh and the nanny, is no longer coming. This is good as the stress of getting her into the country would be pretty bad, as she is from the Philippines and I know of people who have had difficulties getting into the UK, we are not the easy country to get into anymore.

 

Well, they had one three bed flat on their books. One? So if this was not suitable, what to do? Em stuck there sadly.

 

Oh I had no sleep the night before the viewing. My body in knots. I want so badly for my dearest friends to have a lovely holiday. And would love my D, my friends Son to live here too, as I adore him.

 

Off Di and I went on the bus, chatting all the way, she’s great and we get on so well.

 

Had a lovely walk to the flat, she was amazing, she found it straight away.

 

OK, met with Sharron. Dizzy as ever. I told Di before we met with Sharron; she would do a silly little run with her high heels on. And she didn’t let me down.

 

So the shoes came running towards us and we walked into the main entrance of the flat. OK, it smelled clean. Of disinfectant actually.

 

Went up in the lift to the apartment.

 

Oh my God, I really hated it. I shouldn’t have really, but I just felt like the kitchen was like one would imagine a student accommodation to be like.

 

It was so basic too. It had the cheapest equipment in. It was tidy, clean, but not at all homely.

 

Di is great, oh what a team we would make professionally, as I feel smell and just know how things should be when it comes to houses. I know how to make a house into a home, as I always say, outside my land, I am hopeless, but once in a house, fine. And this place was simply awful and dull and depressing.

 

The worst thing about it was it had the most ridiculous staircase inside the flat itself to another two bedrooms. The en-suites were open plan, the shower and basins were in the bedroom. The toilet was in a cupboard. God I hated it. The stairs inside a flat I struggle with too, this kind of makes it into a house? Or maisonette as they called it. The stairs were open wooden and a horrid thick chrome rail, as if in a huge department store. And  they twisted around so a spiral staircase and in one of the bedrooms up stairs, there were five doors, one into the cupboard, one into the toilet, one into the wait for it, room with the washing machine? One into the room from the flat and one to the landing of the flat where the lift was. How flipping ugly?

 

Di said that the couch in the living room was blue, the two chairs were cream, so they didn’t even match and it was so bare, no lamps, nothing, for such big rooms. Oh it was just horrible.

No way as bad as the house we looked at, but the house, you would be able to do something with if you bought it, I’m not too sure what to do with the flat? I mean, like the house, the bedrooms were in the loft, but a better set of stairs, well, at least not a ladder, though they were lethal, and dopy Sharron, said wait for this one too?

It would be better if you took your shoes off using the stairs? Well, fine, unless you wore slippy socks? I mean, shoes have a bit of a grip, socks don’t.

 

Oh she is just unreal; I had no confidence in her. She would ask a question, and then when you were answering, she would talk about something else. She really just didn’t listen.

 

I told her that I wanted the flat we initially agreed with. I was not going to back down; she told us that she couldn’t as she had let it out to four other individual people. I told her to tell them she had overbooked and give us our flat, but in nicer words.

 

I also told her that we had found another agency and would go elsewhere, now, we are talking £10,000

Yes, you read right, that is how much they would lose if we didn’t go with them.

I also told her my friend was famous in Russia and with connections. Haha. I said that they are going to come at least once per year, possible twice and how much money they would spend with the right agency. I had told her at eight in the morning over the phone that I had media connections and this would not make good publicity and another few facts that made her decide to take us to the office and sort something out. I said what, find other accommodation for the other people who were taking our flat? She insisted that we couldn’t have the other place.

 

Got to her office and OMG? Just wait to find out what happened next?

 

Chapter 2

So, she asked us if we would like a coffee. I said mine white without sugar. My friends white with no sugar

Fifteen minutes later, I turned to my friend and asked her if Sharron had forgotten about us? I then told whoever would listen our story. The receptionist was lovely, professional too and tried her best to get a place for our friends. After another five minutes, she said there was nowhere, unless I was to get a place some miles away. I said I really need that flat we were supposed to get. Then the manager was involved. I told her of Sharron’s cockup too. She was great, she said she likes a challenge, well not quite the answer I wanted, I wanted her to say how bad this was and she would get us a place. I tell you now, they would have to turn off the lights and lock me in, as I would have hugged Di bye bye and camped overnight in the office.

 

I couldn’t even smell the coffee by the way. My blood pressure was getting higher and I was becoming more and more determined that we were going to get something perfect that hour friends would be happy with. As a person came in, I told of my story again. I thought

“Ladies you can all watch how much scene I can make here.

We paid a chunk of money to hold the flats and how dare she give them to someone else. She even sent me an email saying she had made a mistake.

 

Then, the door opened. I was dying for this coffee though thought my coffee would be spiked as really I was starting not to be as patient as she would like.

 

She said in an unusual calm voice.

Come upstairs. As that is where the coffee is. In other words, come out of the way of public.

 

As we got half way up the stairs, there was a door onto the street. A man came down the stairs and opened it for us to escort us out of the building.

Well, my friend Di asked

“Are we being evicted?”

 

Sharron told the man we were “their friends and not to leave the building. He said sorry and lead us upstairs. He then gave us our coffee. Turned out both cups had sugar. I said I asked for no sugar. He said Sharron said both with sugar. I said she can’t even get that right. Oh she is the most annoying person. She askes a question then to talk over your answer.

 

She was at her computer and turned to me and said

 

“You can have your original flat.”

Say what?

I, mean, what?

What did she say?

We can have the flat; remember the flat that had four different bookings. The flat that was impossible to change. Well, I gasped. I gulped my coffee down. I needed a brandy I hate brandy. I needed something.

 

I didn’t care if it had sugar. Perhaps I needed it for the shock?

 

I had to keep asking her over and over again. The flat we viewed in December? The flat we wanted? The flat our name was originally down for? Then my friend got up from her chair and sat behind Sharron and looked over her shoulder. She kept making spelling mistakes as was really anxious and felt intimidated for my friend checking every fine detail that she was writing, pulling her up over everything. I made her write everything down and she emailed Olga and myself then printed everything off and my friend read it all and it is all legal.

 

Then because my friend Olga only had 24 hours to pay the money if not in full, she had to pay half. I contacted Olga, she didn’t have the money then, I mean by this point it was 8pm in Russia. Anyway, she paid a chunk and I contacted Sharron today and all is still fine. Well, with Olga, other disaster in my life right now. It’s never ending. I’m flat and basically at my ending, one thing sorted, and another starts. It’s never ending. I’m going away for a bit. But seven days till our friends come and let’s hope they get their flat? X

THE AGENCY 1

Bloggets. Well, what a fun couple of days?

Not!

My friends are due for a three months holiday next Friday. The agent that we booked through in December paying the deposit and so on for the two flats, have given me a head ache.

Telling me yesterday that we couldn’t have the second stay. The best flat. Why? Because she has put someone else in.

Well, my friend Di came to the rescue today and this is the story.

Are you sitting comfortably? It’s a long one Bloggets, so put your feet up with a nice drink and here we go, on the Fifi chugga chug express!

               

Way back in December, my friend Olga told me that her, her Grand Son her Son who I have known since he was eight now I think he is 33, his wife, and perhaps the Nanny, would be coming over to the  UK May till late August.

I spent a few days trying to find an agent that would take three months of rental.

Most agencies only do six months accommodation.

Well we found one. We went to meet the girl I shall call Sharron.

Sharron showed us around the most stunning apartment. We loved it. Then we went into a house from hell. OMG?

Floor tiles coming up, damp all over the walls. Foisty smells. Then the best bit, to get to the bedrooms, no, not a staircase, but loft ladders.

The house was a mess, so small too. Hideous. I was embarrassed.

Anyway, we said then that we would love the flat from May till end of August; Olga thought that it would be untill 28 of August. That was fine but for the first three weeks, that would not be available as the three lads who were in the flat, were not due to leave till end of June. But we were re assured that there would be another flat that we couldn’t see for some reason I have forgotten but it was the same as the one we loved. Same block, just two bed rather than three.

Fine we would move after three weeks. All sorted.

 

Wrong. Nope, we got a call saying that the two bed owner didn’t want a child in her flat. Back to the beginning and my friend and I went to view another flat as my friend Olga, had gone back to Russia.

 

The flat my friend and I viewed, was nice, nothing special, but modern, clean and in a great location, looking over the river.

 

We said yes to the flat for the first part, then I confirmed the big flat for the rest of the stay, stating end of August.

 

Long story short. My friend due a week today, agency phoned saying that they could only give my friends the flat until July. I called to say we paid a deposit. We stated August. Answer, sorry, it’s been let out.

 

I phoned my friend. I told her that we could look at a couple of two bedrooms. My friend was not happy. Nothing worse than an unhappy Ruski, right? Hahaha.

Anyway, my friend told me that the whole trip would have to be cancelled. So the deposit would be lost of just under £500 and the nursery school deposit as well as the nursery would have to be told  at short notice we didn’t need them anymore. This was going to be embarrassing, as I booked it months ago, again after spending weeks and weeks on the phone to try to find a nursery who would take the little boy. Internet searches and so on. I literally had to fight for a place, soon learning that I had to say my friend’s child, rather than my friend from Russia.

 

So when I got a nursery that said yes, I then told them they were from Russia. See, private nurseries would have taken the little boy, because you were paying a huge amount of money, but, he had to be three and he is only three months over two.

 

The nursery I found is perfect and my friend loved it too. Then I heard that the same company with the same policy were opening five minutes from where my friends flat was going to be. So I stupidly thought this would be better as the other one, is a forty minute drive away, so began to make plans to go to the closer nursery.

 

Well, a couple of weeks ago, my friend said she didn’t mind driving that far. I do worry about her driving in the UK, as she won’t understand roundabouts and so on that we have over here and in our tiny island, there are too many cars on the roads. I know she is a great driver in Russia, but the roads there are straight.

 

So a couple of phone calls later, I have been told they will accept the baby in the nursery further away, but my friend would have to stay with him for a few days. All sorted, though still waiting to talk with the blooming manager who was to call me back who didn’t bother, though I have left messages, to clarify starting date and times.

 

So I shall phone back today and ask for an email so it’s in writing.

 

OK, so back to the flat hunting, my friend Di said she would go with me to look at another flat they had. But my friend Olga the night before, told me a two bedroom flat for the second place, would be no good, as how can she, her Son, his wife, their child, her Mother father and Brother, stay in a two bed?

Say what?

How many are coming now? Hahahahahahehehh.

Em, panic dot com!

 

Hell, I had just read too that if there are additional people staying, more money would be expected to be paid. Oh and the nanny, is no longer coming. This is good as the stress of getting her into the country would be pretty bad, as she is from the Philippines and I know of people who have had difficulties getting into the UK, we are not the easy country to get into anymore.

 

Well, they had one three bed flat on their books. One? So if this was not suitable, what to do? Em stuck there sadly.

 

Oh I had no sleep the night before the viewing. My body in knots. I want so badly for my dearest friends to have a lovely holiday. And would love my D, my friends Son to live here too, as I adore him.

 

Off Di and I went on the bus, chatting all the way, she’s great and we get on so well.

 

Had a lovely walk to the flat, she was amazing, she found it straight away.

 

OK, met with Sharron. Dizzy as ever. I told Di before we met with Sharron; she would do a silly little run with her high heels on. And she didn’t let me down.

 

So the shoes came running towards us and we walked into the main entrance of the flat. OK, it smelled clean. Of disinfectant actually.

 

Went up in the lift to the apartment.

 

Oh my God, I really hated it. I shouldn’t have really, but I just felt like the kitchen was like one would imagine a student accommodation to be like.

 

It was so basic too. It had the cheapest equipment in. It was tidy, clean, but not at all homely.

 

Di is great, oh what a team we would make professionally, as I feel smell and just know how things should be when it comes to houses. I know how to make a house into a home, as I always say, outside my land, I am hopeless, but once in a house, fine. And this place was simply awful and dull and depressing.

 

The worst thing about it was it had the most ridiculous staircase inside the flat itself to another two bedrooms. The en-suites were open plan, the shower and basins were in the bedroom. The toilet was in a cupboard. God I hated it. The stairs inside a flat I struggle with too, this kind of makes it into a house? Or maisonette as they called it. The stairs were open wooden and a horrid thick chrome rail, as if in a huge department store. And  they twisted around so a spiral staircase and in one of the bedrooms up stairs, there were five doors, one into the cupboard, one into the toilet, one into the wait for it, room with the washing machine? One into the room from the flat and one to the landing of the flat where the lift was. How flipping ugly?

 

Di said that the couch in the living room was blue, the two chairs were cream, so they didn’t even match and it was so bare, no lamps, nothing, for such big rooms. Oh it was just horrible.

No way as bad as the house we looked at, but the house, you would be able to do something with if you bought it, I’m not too sure what to do with the flat? I mean, like the house, the bedrooms were in the loft, but a better set of stairs, well, at least not a ladder, though they were lethal, and dopy Sharron, said wait for this one too?

It would be better if you took your shoes off using the stairs? Well, fine, unless you wore slippy socks? I mean, shoes have a bit of a grip, socks don’t.

 

Oh she is just unreal; I had no confidence in her. She would ask a question, and then when you were answering, she would talk about something else. She really just didn’t listen.

 

I told her that I wanted the flat we initially agreed with. I was not going to back down; she told us that she couldn’t as she had let it out to four other individual people. I told her to tell them she had overbooked and give us our flat, but in nicer words.

 

I also told her that we had found another agency and would go elsewhere, now, we are talking £10,000

Yes, you read right, that is how much they would lose if we didn’t go with them.

I also told her my friend was famous in Russia and with connections. Haha. I said that they are going to come at least once per year, possible twice and how much money they would spend with the right agency. I had told her at eight in the morning over the phone that I had media connections and this would not make good publicity and another few facts that made her decide to take us to the office and sort something out. I said what, find other accommodation for the other people who were taking our flat? She insisted that we couldn’t have the other place.

 

Got to her office and OMG? Just wait to find out what happened next?