Lily started school today. I have slightly hidden her face.
You may remember when we had the driveway done a while ago. They did the path at the same time but didn't rip the old one up - just put the bitumen over the top. We had some issues with cracking which got really bad lately and grass and other weeds started growing though. Himself contacted the chap who did the job and he said he would fix it. Today they rocked up and started ...
It turns out the old path was just poured over an even older brick path!
All ripped up and properly prepared. We should get the bitumen laid next week when he has a larger job.
And he won't talk price with Himself as he says he should have done it properly the first time. How's that for service in this day and age. We will get some slabs of beer for his workers and a bottle of something nice for him.
I love the way these two squeeze onto the chair. Inevitably she is there first and he decides to join her and just shoves her further into the back of the chair. The way bits of him sort of hang off always gives me a giggle.
How are these for some mighty fine whiskers?
I know this is 100% down to their own own mismanagement but I fully understand the pressures that put them there. Especially in her case - I would hate to be an insecure young mother in these days with all the mummy shaming that goes on (when she took Sally to a mothers' group in the very early days she was criticised BY THE OTHER MUMS for not having her in "proper" clothes; she was in a onesie but that was considered pyjamas. The kid was 3 months old FFS). Hopefully we can help them through this and they can put this all behind them. It will mean some massive tightening of belts but they can do it.
I invited him to stay for dinner and asked him what he wanted. He chose a tuna broccoli mornay which is a favourite comfort food from his childhood. My baby is hurting and it makes me so sad.
The heavens have opened and it is pouring with rain. Sort of matches my mood right now.
I’m glad he told you. Now you can deal with the issues and start to turn things around. That makes him a wise man in my books
ReplyDeleteWe really needed this rain. The paddocks were starting to look very dry
You might have to grow more food to help them
It was a difficult conversation.
DeleteWow, that is rather good service. There are always unknowns for such jobs and the company is making good, so ensure you give it a positive review.
ReplyDeleteThe cat whisker photo reminds me of John Howard, former PM, not the actor one.
I think a mother must talk sternly to Three. WTF were you thinking? Make sure he understands, is repentant, pledges that he won't do it again, and then bail him out to a degree. I do understand the pressure to spend from a partner and society, but you don't have to be caught up into the melee.
I had an adventurous afternoon and managed to get home just before the rain hit with a vengeance.
No matter how old your boy gets, he still seeks the love, advice and nurturing from his mum.
Max was originally Johnny. There must be something in the whiskers.
DeleteWe did have a serious talk last night. There is a lot to the whole mess but the biggest thing is the ease with which youngsters can get credit. He is very ashamed and embarrassed.
I look forward to hearing about your adventurous afternoon.
I'm sad about the pressure that drives spending, particularly from other young mothers. Just when you need support, too. And it's hard to be the one who can't really afford to keep up. I wonder if their peers are in fact also in debt, or getting regular bailouts from parents? Happens quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteBut I hope he'll be able to right his little ship. Must be nice to be a cat in a good home!
It is so easy to get credit these days, Liz. I think a lot live on plastic. And pay day loans
DeleteLily is darling!
ReplyDeleteI hope that Three's problems can be resolved. It may take some time. He and his wife are lucky to have you.
She is a delight.
DeletePerhaps it is because my county is poor indeed, but I never have heard parents criticize other parents for how their child is dressed. The bulk of William's clothing is second hand, but it is all name brand and it is all nice stuff. I suspect that most parents are doing the same.
ReplyDeleteThe interesting thing is that William's mother (my daughter) really chafed at wearing thrift store clothing. It was a very big deal to her. I think that it meant a great deal to her to buy William new things. Between you, me and the fencepost, really, the new clothes were of a lesser quality than the second hand clothing. They are going to be in trouble financially for probably forever because they eat out frequently, because their clothing is new, because they buy new movies and games every payday. In short, all the things that she really thought were important as a child, she still thinks are important as an adult, It is heart breaking really, but I cannot save her. You are lucky that your son is willing to sit down and work it out, talk it through. I'd give anything for that to happen.
Pay day loans are predatory and targeting the poor. They should be illegal everywhere, in my opinon.
How sad that your daughter thinks like this. William is lucky to have you and your wisdom.
DeletePay day loans are evil.
Nice to see someone standing behind their work. Same thing happened with us, a plumber though, he fixed the work with no extra charge.
ReplyDeleteMoney is always hard and the difference between need and want. Marriages involve two people raised in two different families who often seem to have different ways of dealing with money. In my own family, debt was the worst thing. I was also fortunate to always have a family to fall back on when I was young and stupid, or at least I knew they were there. I just realized that my parents made me feel safe financially. They didn't help but I knew they would.
It was the shoddy job done by the original path layer but Jordan fixed it anyway. A really nice bloke.
DeleteAmy has a lot of baggage from her childhood and that is part of the problem.
The Stalker
ReplyDeleteThey used to call it layby and you didn’t get the goods until you paid for them
I often wonder how young people have the latest of everything on the money they earn . It’s modern society and social media, everyone wants everything now . What you want and what you need are two different things as we oldies know . It’s easy for we oldies to say this to kids but youngsters live in a different world and they have different pressures . Its great though that your son can talk to you about it, Mums and Dads have lots of knowledge about the necessity for budgeting wisely
I don’t think we ever stop worrying about our kids…my baby son is 45 and my grandkid thinks it’s both weird and lovely…go figure♥️
Layby was perfect. I am glad that some stores still do it.
DeleteSadly, a lot of youngsters think we are old and stupid and don't understand the issues of modern living. They forget that some things never change and money is one of them.