Pay per view

We are now officially pay per view - with regards to the boys that is!

Since Mr M returned from Afghanistan we have been locked into a battle with Cruella, she has been making it increasingly difficult for Mr M and I to see the boys - there has always been some excuse and plenty of avoidance. Now we know why, she has been planning behind our backs (for some time it would seem) to seek child maintenance for the boys via the wonderful (i say that tongue in cheek) Child Support Agency (CSA).

Some history:- Since they separated Mr M has always had the boys stay with him, for many years (when the boys were young and required 'looking after') they stayed with us more than they stayed with Cruella - not once did we ask her for any financial support - in fact we didn't contest her claiming the Child Benefit or Child Tax credit payments -even though it was us that were clothing them and paying for formal childcare. Money has never been an issue for us.

When we went to 50-50 shared care in 2005, there was never a case for child maintenance and we each paid half for all costs - school trips, uniforms etc.

Some facts:-

• Cruella sees the boys as independent and is happy to leave them without adult supervision from 07.00hrs to 20.30hrs and beyond.
• Cruella no longer 'needs' us to be unpaid childminders
• There has been extensive parental alienation going on since Mr M was deployed to Afghanistan and this is still ongoing.
• Since his return, Mr M has continued to pay half of all costs.
• Cruella has never approached Mr M to make him aware that she has made an application to CSA.

So we get the paperwork from CSA 3 weeks ago we fill it in and return it the same day. Yesterday we received the notification of the amount we are to pay to Cruella. It quite clearly stated that this is to be Mr M's contribution towards the living costs for both boys.

So before I tell you how much we have to pay to see the kids, here's a quick run down of our monthly costs prior to Afghanistan:-

• £140 fuel costs taking the boys to School
• £40 Tennis
• £100 clothes, shoes, school uniform for both boys
• £50 School lunch for both boys
• Total minimum costs £ 330

Annual costs would include half of all school trips and school holiday experiences with the last one being £580 for one boy!

SO.....

The wonderful CSA have ruled that Mr M must pay Cruella......... £185 per month and is no way obliged to make any further contribution. I'd call that a result!!!

Oh, and Mr M's parting shot to Cruella this weekend when she smugly hinted that she was going to 'screw him financially'.

'If you are referring to the CSA, I'm surprised it's taken you so long apply. I contacted them if February when you started being an arse and they advised that I do nothing until you make an application. Just look at the months you've missed out on!'

Her face was a picture - I cant wait until she asks us to pay half of some school trip or something, she'll be told where to get off. Our pay per view sbscriptions are paid in ful!!

Thanks, but no thanks!

Mr M is usually quite thoughtful, since he has mastered the art of Internet shopping, his gifts have become much more diverse & creative - usually I'm thrilled.


Now I don't want you thinking that I've become spoiled or ungrateful - really, I appreciate all that I have. However, his most recent gifts have left me totaly and utterly speechless (well almost, I did manage a 'you've got to be f*ing joking!).




So here you have it ladies, my newest addition to my underwear drawer - in both black and white I may add........

So forgive me if I pass on these. I'd just much rather have a pair of these:-

Number 3

I flaming well knew it - everything happens in 3's.

Last week I took a call from an advertising firm regarding 'an advert I'd agreed to place in a charity magazine in February of this year'. I could not recall any such call, but did wonder if in the euphoria of Mr M's return I'd agreed to help a worthy cause. The company informed me that the advertising space had been reserved & it was too late to cancel.
To the happy tune of £250 plus VAT.
So whilst I was a bit miffed with myself, I thought nothing more of it when the invoice landed through my door on Monday.

Until, I took 2 calls on Monday from different advertising firms regarding 'adverts I'd agreed to place on Charity wall planners, in february of this year'. Again the advertising space had been reserved & it was too late to cancel. To the happy tune of £199 plus VAT - one would give a 5% discount if I paid over the phone by debit card. WTF??

So February was the month that Mr M returned, does having lots of sex result in a complete loss of business sense and a desire to part with huge amounts of cash? I think not!

Tuesday Morning I decide to look into these a bit further, beforen I get the chance the phone rings and Advertising firm number 4 calls regarding 'an advert I'd agreed to place in a charity magazine, in March of this year'. Again the advertising space had been reserved & it was too late to cancel. Although they would offer me a £50 discount, so I'd only be invoiced for £249.00 plus VAT.

Enter the internet and the wonderful *google search*.

Within minutes I was able to see that all 4 'companies' have the same address - which is a mailing box in Manchester and telephone number. The registered address a house in the Manchester suberbs. They all claim to be affiliated with Charities & celebrities, yet when I emailed named charities they had no association with these 'companies' at all.
I was also able to see that there have been thousands of complaints from small businesses to the trading standards regarding these 4 'companies' and in fact they traded under many other names too.
I was also able to get free advice on how to deal with these companies.

Enter Mrs M, armed with phone & script.

Company No 1 - Started off very polite, yes we did contact you last week, yes we explained that you had agreed to the advert in February, no I can't tell you the specific date, no you can't cancel, yes the telephone conversation we had in February was recorded & forms a legally binding contract. No you can't hear the recorded conversation, it's only submissible in court.

Mrs M - I did not agree to this advert, the proof and invoice you've sent are extremely poor quality - my 13 year old could have done better with his laptop and HP printer. I've been looking into you registered business and am confused as to why you are registered to a mail box, which is shared by 3 other companies. I'm also concerned as the charity you are representing have emailed confirmation to me that they have no association with this company. I've also taken legal advice and despite your attempts to bully me into paying, your alleged telephone conversation is not a legally binding contract.

Company No 1 - I've cancelled your order, goodbye.


Result!!

The same followed for company number 2, 3 and 4.

It was extremely amusing to have the same conversation with the same person (pretending to be someone different everytime).

The worrying thing is that if they'd only contacted me the once, I'd have probably stumped up the cash, assuming that I'd been to loved up to even care what I was agreeing to - talk about scamming!!

Waiting for number 3

Everything comes in 3's - right?

1) The hassle with the budget airline that kept me on hold for 75 minutes, then wanted to charge me £100 to put right their mistake...............

2) I pay £22.95 for Saturday morning delivery of my new camera. Parcel Force claim they attempted delivery (which they didn't) and I finally get my item on Monday morning. Too late for the wedding that I had booked on Saturday afternoon.

3).............here's hoping it has nothing to do with Volcanic Ash.............

Still on hold

We've booked flights for next week, whilst printing off the boarding pass I noticed the airline had spelt my name wrong.

No worries, i'll just ring the airline & ask them to amend it - easier said than done!

I've been on hold for the last 62 minutes and at 10p per minute i'm none too happy.

I guess thats what you get booking with a budget airline!

AARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!

Time to celebrate!

I know I've been quiet for a while, but I've been really, really busy.
I've had me an interview to prepare for and boy did I prepare!

Long story short.................... I applied for a job last year & was unable to attend the interview as I was out of the country. They refused to re-schedule the interview (really nice people!).
My Director of Service was livid & pulled a few strings for me to spend some time on the area - which I did & had a terrible time.
The job was re advertised in January and I applied, the job was then advertised again (to attract a broader base of applicants is the official line - to avoid me having a fighting chance is the non-official line).
I had an interview last week.
They offered me the job on Tuesday.



Say hello to Mrs M - the new Deputy Modern Matron for assessment & treatment services. Hours of work Monday to Friday 8.30-4.30. No more weekends, No more shift work, No more bank holidays, No more working Christmas or New Year.

I'm so excited - I have a secretary allocated to manage (amongst other things) my diary, which is electronic (wow, I'm used to wiping bums!!)

I get to be best buddies with Trixi Lee - rather than having to work with her & be buddies (which is hard on both sides sometimes as I can be a stroppy cow - i know!).

Oh and the best bit - with 7 years less experience than Cruella, I'm now 4 management levels above her - Sweet, sweet Karma!

Oh and a salary raise into the bargain!!

let the celebrations begin & the Mojito's flow!!

Would the real Mrs M Please Stand up? Part 10

It's been way too long, but if you want to catch up Link back to this.

So there was I, living with my parents. In my old room. Bliss!

I never missed a day at work throughout, it was my sanity saver. The one thing I was good at and besides, my best friends were there - why would I chose not to go?

Mr H gathered momentum as the good boy jilted. Even my parents bought into his pity party. I was the one painted as the bad guy. I was the one who had left him, who thought I was above my station. I was the one who must have been messing around. It was obviously all my fault.

I didn't say a thing - to anyone. I took the blame, I listened to the rumours, I put up with my parents siding with Mr H. put up with 'our' friends turning into 'his' friends. Why? Because I was free from him.
My heart broke when his family cut me off completely though, yet I still couldn't bring myself to tell them why I'd left. He was their son, brother, grandson, nephew, they didn't have to know about the bad things - who was I to tell them? Even when his father ridiculed me and openly accused me of having an affair with another woman (his drunken logic being that I couldn't possibly have chosen another man over his son), I still didn't tell anyone anything. His Mum (L)refusing all contact from me cut like a knife - I love L so much - and still I kept shtum!

From the July until the November I continued to live in the same small village as Mr H. I tolerated my parents inviting him for lunch, or out for drinks (they felt sorry for him and blamed me). I never saw him nor spoke to him. I just went to work then came home to the comfort of my bedroom.

At work I continued to go from strength to strength. I really blossomed into a confident young lady (I was only 24!). I saw Mr M every day at work and our friendship grew. He was having problems with Cruella - I listened, but never once did I share my opinion, not once did I hint that he deserved better. He was married - end of story, out of bounds!
I'd been asked out for several dates, but after a disaster with a prison officer (another tale for another day) I decided I quite liked being single!

Towards the end of November I began to feel stifled, my parents were beginning to question my motives for leaving Mr H - was it just a case of me thinking I was better than I actually was, had I tried to be a good wife, was I having an affair? (I think the fact that I'd been out socially once since leaving Mr H would have answered the last question). I started looking for somewhere to live and within days had fallen in love with a little two up two down. Nothing to look at - but it felt right.

I put an offer in on the house on 1st December. Mr H moved his 3rd Girlfriend into my old house on the 2nd. I still paid his mortgage. He still threatened to slit my throat if I stopped.