Scribblings from the Mitchy Side

So my digibox was being a smidge temperamental this evening, it kept switching itself off. Then on. Then off. Until I was ready to take an axe to the thing. In my annoyance, I maaaay have been a teensy bit rough in my handling of the box *coughs* because I managed to disconnect the dish signal cable. D'oh! So by the time I'd figured out the on/off woes were being caused by a dodgy power cable (must buy a new one), I no longer had a satellite signal.

Cue swearing and banging of head on desk.

However, there's a happy ending. After much muttering and cursing, I figured out I had to restrip the cable wire to refit the metal screw widget that screws the cable into the box and makes a firm connection. Took me 45 mins of faffing about but I did it! I got my signal back!

Now I MUST learn to keep my temper with inanimate objects in future!

Had a pretty productive day, today. I was late into work because I was finally able to go and get a new tax disc for my car. Blasted postal strike was perfectly timed to futz up delivery of my new insurance certificate. Of course, like a total dork (I R SO smrt) I forgot to renew online in time for the disc to come through the post so had to resort to the old fashioned way. Anyway, the certificate came yesterday and I had no problems getting the disc this morning. Actually, I was impressed with me, I knew where all my paperwork for my car was! First time! That's gotta be a record :)

Got the car back half a day ahead of schedule *beams* 's all MoT'd and taxed for another year! Hurrah!

Now hopefully it won't cost me any more money for a while *touches wood*

So now the decision to be made is: Given the amount that's been spent on it, would I be better off selling now and risking buying a clunker or hang onto this one for the duration, see if my finances improve over the next 12 months? Hmm. I'm thinking I might have to stick with this heap but I'll see. I might at least see how much I could get for it and what I could afford to buy based on that.

But for now, I have my car back! Yay! :)

You'd have thought a bracing walk home from town after dropping off my car at the garage would have woken me up, really. Especially given it's not that warm out there, there's a nip in the wind that really makes itself felt on your nose and hands. Possibly I'm sleepy because I'm now in a warm flat with a purring cat curled up next to me. Or, y'know, the fact I didn't get to sleep until gone 2am :P

Soooo glad I took today off!

Paid in the part of the loan that's for me into the bank today, so that it'll clear. I was hoping I'd not be overdrawn by the time everything's paid but that's not going to happen. Because they've written cheques to both Capital One and Northern Rock for the full amount I owe, I can't do what I planned and trim some cash off both to cover the management fees. I may see if the management company will go with a payment plan, as now that I'm saving £250 a month, it's more feasible.

But the big thing is I won't have Capital One or the mortgage people on my back now, both were starting to really stress me out. So yay for that :)

*makes notes to hide credit card somewhere safe so that I'll never find it again*

And now, more Without A Trace! *sighs happily and coils around mug of tea and the purring cat*

Public transport sucketh the rocks mightily.

I had it all planned, I did. 8.29 bus from WGC bus station, arrive around 9am in Hertford, followed by a 15 minute scamper to County Hall. I was on time! I was at the bus station for 8.15am! And the bloody bus never showed up.

*snarls*

At 8.55, I said "Sod it, Plan B" and scampered to the railway station to catch the 9.01 to Stevenage. Now, in scouting options yesterday, I'd noted that at 8.01, there was a train to Stevenage, followed by a train at 8.30 to Hertford. Silly, silly me, I thought the same would apply after 9am.

It didn't.

I spent 40 freezing minutes at Stevenage waiting for the 10 o'clock train to Hertford. A 25 minute scamper to County Hall meant I finally got to work for 10.40am.

*snarls*

The good news is that I will probably be able to get a lift from Wednesday mornings onwards from FogHorn although so far it's looking like I'll have to take the train home (she leaves earlier than me). Battleship, bless her, is putting out feelers to see if there's anyone heading back WGC around 5 or 5.30 who could help out. But if I get a lift in the mornings, that'll take the strain out of things. I don't mind training it back of an evening, at least I'm not in a tearing hurry to get somewhere on time. The big downside is it is expensive :( Going to cost £40 a week, unless single tickets are much cheaper than the websites are showing me.

But in even better news is Brook Street rang me this morning to tell me a plum permanent job has come in and I was the first match for it out of their database. So they've sent off my CV and are waiting for feedback. *crosses everything* It's a place I've interviewed before but different department, I believe. The salary and benefits are fantastic and if I'm still car-less, it's an easy commute by train up to Hatfield, where they have a shuttle bus to the company from the station. Oh pleasepleaseplease let me at least get an interview. I must be due a lucky break by now?

Regarding the car, Direct Line confirmed what I suspected and that is they will only write off a car if it's been involved in an accident. They were ever so helpful though, they did double check all the options and assured me I was dead right to ask. So that leaves trying to figure out how to scrape up the cash to get it repaired or seeing if I can sell it to someone/some garage. I'm not holding my breath but I am feeling quite optimistic that somehow it'll all work out.

I need my LJ today - I had a Very Good Day and a Very Sucky Day and need to witter about it.

( The Good )

( The Bad )

So what now, I hear you ask? Good question, I reply. Short term - Repair estimates are around £500 or more. I don't have £500 and I can't put it on the credit card. Options are 1) bytepilot and chum work a miracle and effect repairs. Not impossible but bloody difficult and not looking likely. 2) Ring the insurance company and see if they'll let me write the car off 3) Find a garage that will buy the car as is for whatever I can negotiate. Whichever route, I'm currently without a car. Short term, I should be able to blag a lift into work from a colleague who lives in WGC. There is also a bus route between Hertford and WGC which may go near where I live, so that's a possibility. Long term - If all else fails, it'll have to be option 3, even though I'll get peanuts for the car, it'll let me buy another cheaper car and I need wheels, for work and visiting Aunty Eve if nothing else.

So we'll see. But despite it all, I did enjoy the trip and the company, and it was a blessing I had someone with me when the car went bang. But I'd really, really like for nothing else to go bang now, kthx. Enough is enough :)

So. How bad was "Robin Hood" then? Am I going to be sorry if I bother to watch the repeat?