It's a Baggy life.: March 2017

Friday, 31 March 2017

Wonderful day by the sea.

Two bottles of wine down with Baggy's sister, so here's a few photos! Creative Clara might be more coherent tomorrow, but as Debby will still be here, she might not be!!

When they got home, Baggy had her Birthday and Christmas presents from last year. Baggy's lovely sister had bought every member of the gang a present!!!! Spoilt Baggy.

Back to the wine and the Maltesers...........

Thursday, 30 March 2017

Really rubbish night's sleep for Baggy, as Freda Fretter was so worried about the total mess that Clever Bird had landed their finances in. Well to be fair, it wasn't exactly Clever Bird, it was: totally replaced roof, land purchasing, solicitor's fees, £1k on Hinge's operation, £2k on Dodgy truck, £3.5k at the dentist, new (or rather) a heating system at the soon-to-be-a-holiday cottage, replacement washing machine and probably stuff Hannah's forgotten, all in the space of a few months. However, there is no real excuse for the purchase of Billy Bob! And Clever Bird knew weeks ago that they were reaching a point of no return, living beyond their means. But, and this is a big but, when Hormonal Hannah is in charge of Baggy she spends money (regardless of whether she has any). She's always done it. And when Cal is worried about money, he too spends it. The whole "life is too short" philosophy also played a part. Result: total crisis. Lots of lovely assets; zero cash to pay the bills. Potential disaster. Complete panic. Three hours of turning it over in ever decreasing circles from 2.30am to 5.30am didn't help!

Furry Mama walked Minty Mutt early, having wrapped yet another order for the USA from Creative Clara's little Etsy shop, Realuv that arrived in the early hours. Then off to a local town to get the last of the savings out, to stick it in the overdraft. This put Hannah's anxiety levels to maximum. Baggy was a panicky wreck. Cheque obtained, Creative Clara went to post her parcel. Clever Bird had got the weight wrong, so the postage cost £8.10 and she only got £5.99. All that effort for £6 profit! She went to the bank with her cheque. The lady at the next window asked to make an appointment to discuss a loan. A chap cashed in a bunch of pound coins. Another lady changed her address. By the time Baggy got Clever Bird to the window, she decided to do all of the above. Plastic bags collected for Cal's pounds. A cancellation appointment with a loan advisor in three hours time.

Baggy whizzed home - using her human sat. nav. to get her out of town. She got lost twice, even with Calum giving her directions over the phone, (not that she was stressed or anxious and not concentrating). Quick salad while she found bank statements, policies etc etc and packed over £400 of pound coins into plastic bags, then back to the bank. She got there early to pay the coins in and have a look around Beccles. Except this is little old Suffolk and most of Beccles was closed for lunch. Coins paid in, she decided to have a cappuccino while she waited for her appointment. The last, very large piece of Victoria sponge cake was looking at her, so she had that too, anything to calm down Freda Fretter who was in a major panic - the entire £6 profit had now been spent!. "What would they do if they couldn't get a loan?" Selling Hairy Biker Hen's bike and Baggy's car would raise some cash, but nowhere near enough. And Billy Bob is going nowhere! Let's face it, they might need to live in him!

Clever Bird decided that honesty was the best policy in her meeting. She explained about the land, the solicitor's fees, the roof, the need to spend money on the soon-to-be-a, and the fact that none of the figures were going to add up, largely thanks to having five very expensive four-legged furries and the minor detail that Baggy earns nothing and just has a teeny-weeny pension! Thankfully over thirty years with the same bank holds some clout. A loan was offered. But it was suggested that a short term re-mortgage would be better. Clever Bird was delighted and relieved. So a re-mortgage is back on the cards. And thankfully, Clever Bird's only other option of selling number one furry's body to the highest bidder won't be necessary...........

Wednesday, 29 March 2017

Not stressed at all. Arghhhhhhhhh.

She felt a little calmer, until she remembered she was meant to be filling in mortgage stuff, before a phone call from the advisor. An hour later she was very stressed. Long story short, re-mortgaging will not be occurring. Now frankly, the mini-meltdown that ensued (no tears - more of a total brain shutdown), was well justified. There's only one person to blame, Clever Bird. Running two houses was never an option. The plan was one house, one business holiday let. But Hormonal Hannah's anxiety, lack of confidence and recent agoraphobia has meant that the business plan, is still only that; a plan, not a reality. Blooming woman.

She's also had Baggy sticking her head in the sand, ostrich-like, as to how exactly they were going to pay for land, solicitors, a new roof, work on the holiday cottage and so on. Mind you, she's always worked best under huge pressure, albeit not usually self-imposed! But once she'd got her brain to un-shutdown, she phoned another holiday letting company (the other one still hasn't called back!) and arranged to meet one of their experts at the soon-to-be-a-holiday cottage, next week. Time to stop faffing!

Meanwhile, Hairy Biker Hen might be selling her motorbike. Let's face it, as bikers go, she really isn't one! She tried, but riding pillion might be the way forward! So, if any Baggees want an "as new" Kawasaki 650Ern, you know who to call............

Tuesday, 28 March 2017

Carry on, carrying on.

Note to readers (my lovely Baggees): For the avoidance of any doubt - every character in this blog is me!!! No Baggy was harmed in its writing.

Baggy's daily state!
Depression (Black = really bad/Grey = not great/Blue = okay/Yellow = sunny day): Blue.
Anxiety (From 1 = barely any to 10 = gibbering wreck standard): 3.
Tears: None.
Pancakes (Yes/No): No.
Syns (Baggy is allowed 8-15): 18.
Weight in her terrifying naked state (Stones and pounds): 12st. 5lbs.
Overall day: 😇

Grotty Groom was having none of Hormonal Hannah's excuses today, she was determined Baggy was taking her to see the horses. Firstly Furry Mama took Minty out in the mist. It was blooming freezing! As she opened the kitchen door, both cats decided they were going out too. Freda Fretter started to worry about them, but even more so about the featheries. Great plan of Clever Bird's: feed all the birds in the village and give them a safe haven to build their nests, then let two killing machines out! But critters will be critters, so Furry Mama left the cats to it while she walked Mint. Both cats were back in the kitchen when they returned. There were no feathers. Phew.

Creative Clara then shot into town to post her latest Realuv parcel off to the United States, then Baggy took Grotty to the yard. The mist was burning off and it was warming up. The Boys were out in the sun. Grotty decided to brush Wessles and do his physio. exercises in the paddock.

The state of him! That's what you call a very happy horse! Fortunately he rather likes being groomed and was quite happy for Grotty to get on with it. Until he wasn't! He's very good at letting Grotty know what he wants. So she stopped. At least he was half done.

Spot the large animal on the ground of his paddock:

By the time she was home again, the weather was glorious. Gloria Gardener really wanted to be outside, but The Domestic Goddess really needed to carry on with her cleaning duties, ready for Baggy's sister's arrival. But first Clever Bird decided to brave a phone call to the solicitor who had still not returned her call from yesterday morning. The less said about that conversation the better. It put Hannah into a flap, but at least things are now moving forward - very expensively!

So it occurred to Clever Bird that she'd best sort a re-mortgage out. Another long phone call. By now it was already lunchtime and no goddessing had occurred. Gloria decided to do a bit of weeding in the front patch. Any excuse to be outside. But needs must. Finally she got going on the kitchen again. It took a while, even after yesterday's efforts, but:

She even almost got on top of the dining room.

As long as you don't look too closely Baggees:

But she's getting there, she just needs to keep on carrying on. The sitting room is also nearly there. Tomorrow, The Goddess will be on another mission. Well, as long as it's not too lovely a day that is.............

Monday, 27 March 2017

Operation clean up.

After yesterday's day off, Baggy was totally exhausted! Clever Bird reckons it was the sea air. So when the alarm went off, as there is so much to get on with, Baggy went straight back to sleep. Typical. However, The Domestic Goddess has a major challenge this week, Baggy's sister is coming to stay on Friday! Baggy loves her sister lots and this will be the first time that she's seen the house since Baggy and Calum moved in. Obviously, Debby has mixed memories about the house, same as Baggy did, because of what happened with their father's sudden death there, and their stepmother's consequent deterioration. But Baggy's excited about showing her how she's made it hers and Cal's home now. But there's one very big problem. And it's a HUGE one. The house is a total, dirty, mess. Because Gloria Gardener has been dominating Baggy, The Goddess has let things slide. plus as she's been bringing more and more stuff over from the soon-to-be-a-holiday cottage, there's stuff dumped in pretty much every room. Now it probably doesn't really matter, but Debby's house is always absolutely immaculate and Freda Fretter doesn't want her to think Baggy's is a mess. So, operation clean up commenced today.

But first Furry Mama walked Minty Mutt. Then true to Baggy's new regime, she was going to take Grotty Groom over to see the Boys. But as Furry Mama walked, Hormonal Hannah started to put Baggy into a bit of a panic about just how much there was to do to get the house straight. Plus Clever Bird needed to speak to the solicitor about the land (again). And she needed to call a holiday cottage letting company to get someone to help and advise her. And cancel a dentist appointment. And call about getting a mortgage. And speak to the Bank. And, and....... Suddenly it all got way too much. Clever Bird decided that it would be best if Baggy got the gang moving on these things and took Grotty to the yard later, when they'd actually achieved something. Especially as the horses might have been out anyway. Decision made, Baggy got home and made phone calls. The solicitor would call her back. The holiday company would call her back. The bank would call her back.

Baggy set The Goddess in action. She decided to start with the kitchen. It seemed a logical place to start, especially since it was the worst room of the lot. Seven hours later, she had finally got a half-decent kitchen. Baggy felt a bit dizzy. It occurred to Clever Bird that it was gone six and Baggy had eaten nothing all day. Time for a salad. Only the kitchen to finish off and the entire rest of the house to do. Sorry Wessles and Joey.............

P.S. The solicitor didn't call back. The holiday company didn't call back. The bank didn't call back. Seriously, what is the matter with everyone?

Sunday, 26 March 2017

A day off!!!!!

Quick stop for cappuccino and a bacon and egg sarnie.

Then a wander past the boats on the River Blythe.

It was actually quite a long walk. By the time they'd wandered around Walberswick, muscles were pinging. Not Minty Mutt's you understand Baggees, Furry Mama's and Cal's. They were the ones feeling eighty. So they decided to shorten the walk back by getting the ferry. This was a first for both Baggy and Cal, even though they grew up coming to Southwold, and certainly for Minty, who's never been on a boat before.

Getting off was interesting. Freda Fretter thought Mint was going to have a broken paw as he stuck it over the side of the boat as it swept towards the quay. Fortunately, Furry Mama whipped it out of the way at the last second. Finally back at Billy Bob it seemed like a good plan to have a salted-caramel ice cream.

Home via the scenic route, to get some extra charge into Billy Bob's battery, they dropped Mint off at home to sleep. Baggy changed into Grotty Groom's clothes and they headed off to see the Boys. After grooming all the mud off them, they tacked up and got ready to ride. Wesley has lost so much weight, that when Grotty checked his girth, Clever Bird realised that Baggy would end up on the deck unless Calum held her stirrup. She asked Cal, who manoeuvred himself and Joey to assist. Grotty hopped on and re-checked the girth. It was way too loose, but Baggy's fingers couldn't tighten it. "Please could you help Cal?" asked Grotty with one of Baggy's legs sticking up at a forty-five degree angle, so that he could get to the girth straps. Joey and Cal came over. Wesley decided to say "Hi" to his brother, in the usual horsey-manner of blowing up his nostrils. Joey squealed like a stallion and tried to take a chunk out of Wesley's nose! Wesley panicked and cantered backwards along the concrete yard, with much clattering of hooves. Grotty's right leg was still sticking up in the air. Bizarrely at this point, Hormonal Hannah who had had Baggy shaking like a leaf at the thought of riding Wesley, relaxed completely!

Baggy finally managed to get the girth kind of tight enough and they headed down to the indoor school. Once in, they spent a very happy, relaxed twenty or twenty-five minutes, walking in lines, circles and serpentines. Riding as a pair and separately. Neither Boys put a hoof wrong and seemed to enjoy being ridden. They both looked lovely in the mirrors, now that they are no longer obese lumps, now all they need to do is build their riding muscle back up. On the way back up to the yard, Grotty was so relaxed that she virtually dropped the reins to let Wesley have a stretch. Once back in the stable, Grotty did Wesley's carrot stretches. And managed to retain Baggy's fingers. They decided that Joey would benefit as well. He'll do anything for food!

Over a cup of tea, Calum and Grotty both realised how lovely it had been to ride again. Both had big grins on their daft faces!

Home to a lovely dinner cooked by number one furry. It has been so lovely to have a day off for once! Happy Mother's Day Baggees..............