dunroving

Well of course, that's because you can't see "fairies", they are invisible.

Could have done with some car fairies this afternoon when the local Skoda dealership charged me another £400 for replacing the timing belt, servicing the A/C and repairing the brakes.

I wish I could find one of those cars that just needs an oil change once a year.

cheers

Last time you mentioned your car you said it was a Subaru I think.
So you went from an old car that has a good reputation to a newer car that has a very good reputation

You are consistent !

cheers

Yes that sounds bad but you should be over the worst of the repairs. £400 is a lot to me but people pay that much over there for a weekend in a hotel and they don't bat an eye. (Not you I may ad)

Cheers

dunroving

It also cost me £450 about 6 weeks ago, for a regular service and some expensive repairs to the suspension. So, that's close to £1,000 in its second year with me (but it is now 9 years old). It's the labour that costs most of the bill.

It's a very driveable, reliable car but like all cars that are over about three years old, it needs more than just an oil change every year. Either that or more "car fairies".

Last year I think it cost me just £350 in services and repairs.

dunroving

I had the Subaru from 7 years old to 13 years old. I've had the Skoda so far from 7 years old to 9 years old.

Old and with a good reputation. That's me all over.

Englishmum

Ha ha. Currently sitting in a cafe on the DFDS Seaways car ferry from Dover to Dunkirk staying in Brussels tonight then back to "home" in Swizerland tomorrow night.

Earlier today I took the car ferry from the Isle of Wight (where my daughter lives) and it costs more than crossing the English Channel to France! ferries to the IoW mile for mile are the most expensive in the world

feelbritish

One of the reasons we are re-thinking IOW but are going there 1st week of June for a holiday and look around! Mind you we have expensive ferries here too!

dunroving

Do residents not get a special deal on ferry prices?

cheers

My understanding is that they give the locals a cut rate if they live on the iow.

feelbritish

I think they do! I have also heard somewhere, or read it, that the residents are seriously thinking of "purchasing" Wightlink to make it a "crown" corporation and not just a money making, share holder corporation! Will let you all know what we thought of it when return

robin1234

I've thought about IoW over the years. Beautiful quiet place, reasonably priced property. On the one hand, car ferries are expensive, and there is no alternative of flying .. unless I'm misremembering, there is no scheduled air service. On the other hand, you can take the ferry as a foot passenger and then take a train (or, probably, a coach.). I don't know what the passenger fares are like on the ferry. Also, I don't know if you get a discount on the ferry (as a foot passenger) with the senior railcard.

robin1234

Yup, looks like there are senior discounts, senior railcard fares, and also a twenty trip pass on WightLink for 110 pounds. (Not senior-related.) That seems a very reasonable price!

Englishmaple

Thanks for that Elizabeth. I'm just starting my third application form - it's very time consuming. There are a fair few jobs being advertised around town (kitchen staff at the local pub is one) and if I haven't had any interest in my applications in another few weeks, I am probably going to do exactly what you suggest! I just wanted to try and get something that was paid at a reasonable level if I could (17 - 20K would be nice).

My biggest issue is my health - my arms are painful from the computer use. I went to the doctor and he's given me a referral to the physio on the NHS (yay!) who may be able to help with exercise suggestions - I've been told it will take 2 - 3 weeks to get an appointment to see them but that's tons better than what I've been used to from Canada.

I've also ordered an exercise mat rather than waiting for my stuff to come from Canada and I'm going to start doing some strength exercises on it when it arrives - there's a little bit of space in the landlord's living room to do that.

I can't set up my laptop ergonomically where I am so I'm doing my best but using the computer so much without an ergonomic set up is painful. When I've got a decent job, I will probably look around to find some other accommodation if I can afford it so I can set things up more ergonomically (or maybe I won't have to use the laptop so much at home! - that would be nice!). When my stuff arrives, if I can figure out where to put it all(!) I may be able to unpack my Kinesis keyboard - I think using that would help.

Since I last wrote, the job centre have refused to pay me NI contributions - apparently I fall foul of the 3 month rule where you have to be in the UK for 3 months before being considered for NI contribution payments. I did receive a very confusing letter from them this morning saying that if I continue to sign on at the job centre they may be able to pay me NI contributions ... so I don't know what that's about but I have another appointment with them next week.

I've been trying to locate "two ticks" employers in Hampshire to apply for jobs as employers in that scheme are supposed to be disability friendly. But there's not, as far as I can see, some kind of two ticks list/database which categorises employers by area - which is irritating. So I locate jobs I'm interested in and then go to the employers website and see whether the employer is registered with two ticks or has some kind of disability friendly statement.

I do like where I am though in terms of location and that's a bit of a problem for me because realistically there are more jobs in other places like, for example, Southampton. But having returned to a place where I lived before it's been quite nice meeting people again that I know (if only by acquaintance) and I like the peace and quiet of this little town. It's quite surprising how quickly one can get attached to putting down roots and the thought of another move for work (or better accommodation) is an upheaval ...! But I'm trying to stay open to everything although this last few days I've been very tired and it's been quite cold and wet and rainy.

I think all the excess nervous energy I had to move has gone and now I'm realising it's down to me - to put the time in to doing job applications and getting some work and sorting out a car for work if I need one and moving again if I can ....!

I remind myself that I only arrived April 18th in the UK. I think, with hindsight, if I had had a good friend I could have stayed with, and just chilled for a few weeks, it would have been nice. Instead I plunged straight into job applications and sorting official stuff out and it's been quite tiring. That said, I have only done 2 applications so far (am working on a third) - but they are just incredibly time consuming. Hoping I get faster as I go along. But also conscious that I need to take more breaks from keyboard work because of the pain - but its hard to relax without having a job to go to ... ho hum, life's little challenges eh?!

I also find myself at times really missing bits of Canada and a couple of people I knew well there a lot even though a chunk of me feels very much at home here. I know this is normal but its a hard place to be and my heart will, I think, feel a little more settled when I have some work in place and more of a space to call my own.

Englishmaple

I love the Isle of Wight - I should look it up on my job search!

BTW I don't have (or qualify for) a senior railcard and I wish I did - have been quite shocked at how high the rail fares have risen (was looking at train fares to Yorkshire recently).

robin1234

Train fares are an obstacle course. I honestly don't know how people who are not conversant with computer utilities etc. get good fares. I was in north Norfolk for three months at the beginning of this year, and fares from Norwich to London are spectacularly cheap if bought in advance. But if you show up at the station and want to buy a ticket that day, which was how we typically bought tickets back in my day, you'll pay ten times as much.

I bought my senior railcard for 30 pounds, it is valid for a year. I made the money back easily on just a few trips, and since I plan on going back next winter, it will still be valid then..