Me so sorry!

 First of all, I'm sorry blog! I've abandoned you and I apologise! It's been hectic lately..

 Alot has happened since my last entry, it's only been 10 days, but damn!

 Lets recap!

 What's the update on the matter of your apartment, I hear you ask? Well! Turns out I'm now the proud owner of a ground floor, 2 bedroom apartment in Kingswood Gardens! Sounds posh :D But by jove didn't it take some effort to get it!

 To start off, I had my first ever viewing of a property, so I wasn't sure what to do/ask and I had probably the worst viewee' (if you will). She was terrible, everytime I ask something she flashes a look of disgust, and when I don't ask anything she looks at me like i'm so nieve! Anyway, I complete my application, which then took some time for them to get through as they kept nit-picking problems. They then told me I needed a Guarantor - so my mum had to fill out another application (which was another £75!), and apparently there was also a problem with that.

 So eventually we got my cousin, Kelly, to be my Guarantor, since, as they put it, my parents weren't earning enough! Dispite them owning their own home and having life savings in the bank, but you know, that's not good enough for them!

 Aaaanywho, a few looong days later, I get a phone call from Loveitts, telling me they've accepted my application, yay! Now I only need to get my ass down to Coventry (the city of the annoying and oh-so-confusing ring-road layout), and sign for the lease. Oh sure! Why can't there be a Loveitts in Nuneaton? They sell property in Nuneaton, so why isn't there any offices here?!

 And another thing, I needed to bring my Guarantor, which made it slightly frustrating, as Kelly works in the week until 4pm (the convenient time of when Loveitts close in the evening), and I work on weekends. But luckily enough, she could leave work early on Friday, which was when I made my appointment to siiiiiign!! :D

 And now I have my own set of keys! :D

 However, as karma works in her unusual and sometimes questionable ways, there is always a downside to every upside. On the Sunday (mine and my mums first working Sunday of 2012) we got a phone call from my dad saying that my Grandma had just passed away, which caused them to book a flight on Sunday night to fly early Tuesday morning.

 I couldn't go. Simply because I don't want my last and past memories of the people I love to be of them suffering or in a bad way. Basically, I prefer to only recall the good memories, not the bad. Some people may call this selfish, or rude, not to go to the funeral of a loved one, but in my opinion, the ways in which people choose to mourn or to remember those who have passed away is entirely up to them, and people shouldn't be judged or wrongly accused of not caring or whatever..

 More tomorrow when I have more battery juice!

- January 14 - 

Friends know you never loose your head, even when under pressure. It follows, then, that in order to save face, you should avoid guillotines at all costs.

Unlucky Numbers: 4, 800

 After Sunday being such a shit day, and since i've missed a few days on the blog, I wondered what Sundays horrorscope was...

- January 8 (Last Sunday) - 

To get ahead in life, you must learn to control your temper. It will not only create obstacles in your career and social life but might also culminate in the uncomfortable condition known as spontaneous combustion.

To achieve success, keep your cool.

Unlucky Numbers: 492, 619, 758.

Update!

I've missed the last couple of days..


 I've been a tad busy with all the apartment business. I managed to get another viewing of the apartment so I could go through all of the questions that I totally forgot to ask on my first viewing!
 The woman who showed us around was.. well, a bitch to put it bluntly. She was a bitch the first time, and she didn't let us down the next time!
 There was a list of things that I noticed on our first viewing that I wasn't completely happy with, such as; the spare bedroom was painted a horrible pink, really mank. It looked like a doorbell outside that was broken also. Some lights didn't work and she couldn't get the heater in the bathroom to work. So on the second viewing I was looking out for them and hoping they would've been fixed (as I noted all the problems on my application).


 To my surprise, the mank pink room was still glaring at me, the doorbell or whatever it was outside still had wires hanging from it, but the heater however did work.. the dumbass didn't turn on the main switch -.-
 I asked her when they we're going to repaint the pink room, and she turned round and said to me in a bitchy tone that it wasn't going to be repainted, as the colour was bearable.. BEARABLE?! IT'S PINK! Ugh!
 She said 'unbearable' colours we're black or something.. Who the fuck paints their room black anyway?


 Anyway, here's the list that I made :) ([/] means tick!)


-Things to be Checked-


1) Pink wall has been repainted [x]
2) Doorbell or whatever fixed [x]
3) Bathroom fan fixed [/]
4) All the lights work [/]
5) Windows open and close properly [/]
6) Carpets/floors aren't ripped or torn [/]
7) Note the nearest fire extinguisher [/]
8) Ask about the £75 that I had to still apparently pay [/]


 When I called Loveitts yesterday to ask for another viewing, the woman on the phone said I still had to pay my £75, but I already payed one £75, so we asked Paula (the bitchy lady), and she said yes, we still had to pay it and it's for a guarantors form to do a police check on my mum. But my mum already has her official forms that she has paid for before, and she tried to tell Paula that, but the bitch didn't understand, so we gave up trying!


 I also made a list of questions that I made sure to ask this time, since before it was our first time viewing an apartment (and we viewed three) so we wasn't sure what to ask. This time I was prepared!:


 I also wanted to run the taps in the bathroom, kitchen, the bath, shower, and flush the toilet so I know they work properly, but they cut off the water :(




-Questions I asked-


1) Are pets allowed?
2) Where do we put our rubbish?
3) Can we decorate? (repaint, drill holes for pictures etc)
4) Can we fit an electric meter so we can pay it using a card?
5) Does anyone else have a key to the property, if so, who? (such as previous tenants)
6) If we need anything repairing, who do we report to?


 Paula seemed completely oblivious when I started asking questions.. she didn't seem professional at all. When I asked if pets we're allowed she said "What kind of pets?".. Uhm, an elephant? What kind of stupid question is that! So I said a hamster, a cat, that kind of "pet" (I replied whilst mumbling dumbass!). After she stared blankly at me for a few seconds, she finally said not really, but she knows of a guy upstairs who has two dogs, and Marie has a cat.. So, lady, is that a yes or a no?!
 I don't care, i'll get a cat anyway :)


 When I asked where do we throw away our rubbish, she didn't care to actually show us, but simply replied, somewhere outside.. -.- And when I asked if we could decorate, she also seemed unaware what this was too.. So I told her "Like drilling holes for pictures?" She said sure, aslong as you put it back to it's original state if you leave.. Oh so the mank pink bedroom doesn't count for putting shit back to how it was? DUMBASS!


 Anywho! My Mum said that we have some spare paint in the garage, so I can go over the pink and also the horrible brown that's currently painted in the bathroom before we start to move in the furniture. I can also find a guy in the yellow pages to go over the carpets and give them a good clean :)


 Apart from them few things, everything else is fine! And I can't wait for them to say whether I can get the apartment or not! :) Hopefully it's mine :D


 Time for todays Horrorscope! (including Monday's and Tuesday's)

- January 2 -

Finding the time to pursue your dreams can be difficult, especially when a restless spirit continually tries to take possession of you. Just keep your eyes on the prize and a bottle of holy water in your pocket- everything else will take care of itself.

Dark days: Monday, Friday

- January 3 -

With your good looks and easygoing nature you're destined to attract many admirers. Some will have your best interest at heart. Others will attempt to lure you into secluded parks where no one will be able to hear you scream. True wisdom is being able to tell which is which.

Unlucky numbers: 81, 203, 205

- January 4 -

You possess great courage and are unafraid to lead the charge when the battle cry sounds. This resolve will be invaluable to your commanders when you take part in the coming war between vampires and humans.

Beware of: Real stuffed animals.

新年快樂

Happy New Year! But in Chinese :D (relying on google translate of course ^^)


 2012, the year of the London Olympic games and coincidentally the year the world is supposed to come to and END! :O Oh my gush
 But do we really believe that? Are you one of the nieve majority that actually believe it.. Or are you one of the bunch that say they believe it to freak out those who actually believe it for funsies.. or maybe your one of the pompus few who, of course, don't believe a word of it!
 I'd have to put myself in my own category of 'in the middle'. Did the Mayan prophecy just simply run out of room? Or did they purposely do it for a laugh? Or maybe it's just a whole load of Wikipedia bollocks!


 You've heard it everywhere, and now you'll here it more than ever before since we're now in the year of 2012 and the end is apparently nigh! When the day of 21/12/12 comes, and we're all shitting ourselves as all our ancestors point and laugh at us, as it turns out it's just another normal day, and we're all crying over our maxed out credit cards because we've gone and bought a shit-load of pointless crap that caused our now-infinite debt - maybe then we'll stop being so gullible!


 Anywho!


 So what did we accomplish last year? ("Last year" - sounds so long ago, but really, 'last year' was only yesterday ^^). Did anyone do anything to remember for years to come? Did anyone even go through and succeed with their last years' New years resolution? I didn't! Mine was to loose weight, and congratulations, I just ended up gaining the bastard! *facepalm*


 But on the bright side, after I made a list (I had to!) of all the things I accomplished last year, it put a little smile on my face :) Here it is!


1) On the 9th June, I finished college and passed my Health studies course
2) I went on holiday with Robin to Cornwall for the second time on 16th June
3) I got 3 new Tattoos
4) I went to Sweden for my 18th birthday :)
5) I got 3 new piercings (Labret, Helix and Septum)
6) I pierced my Septum myself!
7) I managed to begin and end my gym membership in the same year
8) Betty had her first birthday (My car!) on the 27th April :)
9) Robin came to England to live on the 8th November
10) It's been a year since I passed my driving test (16th December, on my Nans birthday)
11) Robin applied for his National Insurance number :P
12) I shamefully went to the council to see if I could claim any benefits ^^
13) My brother moved to America! Go John! :D
14) I went to London, stood infront of Buckingham palace, walked past Number 10, Looked up at Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and nearly went on the London eye (queue was too big!)
15) Me and Robin applied for our first apartment together :)
16) Oh! And I started my first blog!


 So, an eventful year indeed! There has also been some downs, but their not even worth jotting down as they're now officially in the past! Leave your worries and problems behind in the last year, that's what I say! There's no good dragging them into the new year, as you'll have to bare the burden of carrying them through another 365 days.. so what's the point? Exactly, there is none!


 Anything I'm looking forward to in the new year? Yea, there's a few things; Seeing if I get this apartment, and starting a chapter of living without the parents, but really, it will probably just end up feeling the same ^^. There's also a tattoo project that i'll like to work on, advancing in my baking profession, maybe travel somewhere new (me and Robin wanted to go up north and visit Scotland), and definitely loose some god damn weight! I hate you Christmas!


 Aww, no I don't, I love you Christmas :D But why you so mean to me? :( Stop forcing people to buy me chocolates!


 So what will your New Years Resolution be? Will it involve travelling, giving up something, making a new addition to your life? Or maybe it might just be something small, like to promise to do atleast one wordsearch a day :)
 Mine definitely won't be to loose weight, since I've had that for the last few years, and it hasn't worked, so maybe if I don't mention it, I can trick my body into thinking I don't care :D Muahaha!


 My brother has started his new year in America, which is something I never would have thought. Just goes to show that anyone can go from doing nothing, to travelling the world with an entire new career in a matter of months if you put your mind to it.


 Happy New Year Bro! :D


Oh and by the way, Robin got me a cool little book of misfortunes, so everyday i'll be posting the 'Horrorscopes' if you will, up on here :D


Todays Misfortune:

- January -

The Month of Plagues

Plant to avoid: Wolfsbane

Doomsday device: Icicle machine gun

Evil omen: Pentagram-shaped snowflake

January 1

Your indecisiveness will prove to be your biggest shortcoming. When faced with a tough decision, such as whether to confront a horde of hungry zombies or retreat to a dark, windowless basement, remember that your first instinct is generally your best.

Beware of: Clowns with sharpened teeth

Argh!

 It's all paperwork crap!


 A week or so ago, everything was fast.. Monday we went to see Marie, Tuesday I went to the council to see if I could get any help, then I phoned up Loveitts to book an appointment to view the apartment, and first thing Wednesday morning we viewed 3 different apartments. When I got back from the viewing I got sent the application form, which I immediately filled in and sent off on the same day.


 But Christmas is delaying my progress! Damn you!


 Today however, I get a phone call from Loveitts asking me if I had made a decision on whether I want the apartment or not.. Of course I do! I sent you my application over a week ago!
 Except this time, I was asked to fill in another form to send off.. I've never wanted the post to be delivered asap before, but if there's going to be a time in which Royal Mail should get their asses into gear, it's now!
 The anticipation is killing me!


 Thought the only problem now is that i've already pictured having all my stuff in there, waking up in the morning, going into my own kitchen, pouring my own cereal into my own bowl (and then having to wash it up in my own sink!) etc etc. And if someone else was to get the apartment instead of me, or if I was declined.. well I don't know.. Or atleast I know i'd be very frustrated :P


 Though I don't see why they would do that :D


 So fingers crossed!
And hurry up Royal Mail!

Christmas is Nigh!

Oh yes, can you feel it? ^-^

People are crazy at Christmas! Why do people feel the need to leave all their christmas shopping to the last few days of the christmas week, where the shopping centers are packed, the stores have next to nothing on their shelves, getting into town and finding a car parking space is a nightmare, and everyone is stressed!

Their loss ^-^ I managed to get in all my stuff at the beginning of December, and just went for a stroll in some of the shops in the last week :)

Like Michael Bublé, I love Christmas :D Despite England isn't well known for having a white one, you don't necessarily need snow to have a good un' :)

Though we are one person down this year, my brother! He's currently travelling that vast western country of America, and he's doing an awesome job! He's been so many places within so many different states, and in such a short period of time! He's only been out there since August, and he's already beat me on travelling locations! And he's also richer :P Damn him!

But he's still got something to open! I got him a little something for Christmas, something pretty cool, practical and mail-able ^-^

So when you (or should I say 'I') come to open it tomorrow over skype, you'll still be apart of the Christmas day you've loved for the past 21 years :D Your not missing it this yea bro!

And by the way, Happy Christmas Eve!

New Home?

 9:30am sharp! She was there, we we're there.


 She seemed nice enough, despite her loud leopard print faux fur coat *cringe*. I thought there were 4 available apartments, two 2 bedroom and 2 one bedrooms, but apparently one woman was so desperate for a place that she took the one that I was hoping to look at - one of the two bedrooms on the highest floor, damnit! :(


 Oh well! First off she showed us the available ground floor apartments, which happened to be one of the single bedrooms, and the last two bedroom. The single bedroom apartment was ok.
 "Just ok?" I hear you ask? Yeah.. it wasn't exactly thrilling, but then again, I already knew what the layout was going to be like since Marie has one of the single bedroom apartments just above it, and i've been there a few times.


 The single bedrooms are like so: As you go in, it's blue carpet throughout. You go into the 'hallway' or 'lobby' whatever you want to call it. Spacious enough. The living room was rectangular, with 4 double wall plug-sockets (can't have enough of those little delights!). The bedroom was, well, a little bit disappointing really, I thought it would have been bigger, there was still wallpaper/carpet roughly 'rolled' up in the corner and just a view of an iron fence looking through into the carpark around the back of some shops. The bathroom was fine, however it didn't have a shower, just a bath. Not really anything to whine about but i'm more of a shower gal, but, meh.


 Overall, i'd probably rate it a 5/10, purely because of the lack of shower and the size of the bedroom. Although the kitchens are lovely, a nice pine wood effect and space for a washing machine and a fridge, but then again, only a under-the-counter fridge and we didn't know where we would put the dryer without it being in the way within the kitchen :P


 The second apartment we viewed was the last of the 2 bedroom apartments, right next door to the one bedroom we'd just seen. First impressions was the cover on the doorbell was off, but to be honest, I didn't even notice that, my dad did ^^.
 So we wen't in, and instead of walking straight onto a carpet floor, we we're pleasantly greeted by a section of wood-effect lino, which was definitely a plus, since noones wants a shitted-up carpet as soon as you enter the place - a lino is much easier to clean :)
 Also, directly to our right was a nice sized double-doored storage 'room' for coats, shoes, a mop - generally anything you want to store in there that you don't particularly want on show :) And just up from that was another same sized storage room with the boiler in, and some shelving. So far, so good!


 As we entered the 'lobby' if you will, which was a pretty nice size by the way (probably the size of the bedroom in the previous apartment -.-), the floor was a lovely textured cream, as apposed to a random blue, and around it was the allocated rooms; kitchen, living room, two bedrooms and the bathroom.


 We walked into the "master bedroom" and it was nice - spacious (alot bigger than the other bedroom), the carpet was a slightly off-cream colour, which without sounding snobby-professional, complimented the magnolia walls! ^-^


 The other bedroom however, was rather shocking. I'd seen a glimpse of it just as we'd walked in, but I just thought my eyes were tired or something, but nope.. Bright baby pink walls greeted us as the faux-furred woman opened the door! Argh!
 If there's anything I dislike in the world, one thing would be baby pink walls. The woman tried to justify this by saying the guy who previously lived here painted it for his daughter.. then I feel greatly sorry for her.


 Anywho, dispite the colour, which she had told me could be repainted (which i'm hoping they will do rather than me!), the room was a pleasant size. Good enough for what we had planned it for; the dryer and a guest room for anyone who wants to stay over, or even just a room to store our lovely shit :D


 Next room, the bathroom! She opened the door to reveal a quite modern bathroom with a shiny bath tub and shower, and a lovely wooden mirrored cabinet on the wall :) Although it was kinda awkward when she couldn't get the bathroom extractor fan to work :P oh well, just another thing they'll have to fix!


 Onward to the kitchen! I must admit, the kitchens in these apartments are really nice, a lovely clean bright wood, all neatly fitted and tiled walls. Due to this apartment being on the side of the big block of apartments, the layout is different to the first one, and Marie's. As apposed to the kitchen units going up and along two walls, this one goes all around the three walls, and the sink unit looks out through the window onto a neat patch of grass that's fenced off both sides with sturdy dark brown stained wood, that also has the view of the trains that occasionally go by... I wouldn't say it's the view of all views, but it's a better view than what the first apartment had to offer :)


 As she showed us the living room, I was quite happy actually. The living room was alot bigger than the one bedroom apartments, the carpet was a nice clean cream, and it generally looked nice and tidy (yea, I know, even without anything in it!).
 The view out of this window was the continued patch of grass that lead around the side from the kitchens view with the dark brown fence behind it. Again, it's not the best, but what we had was neat enough that I didn't care, and also, alot better than a view of an iron fence and some cars ^-^


 Overall, quite impressed! Much so that I didn't care if I saw the last apartment or not, which was on the top floor, mainly because I knew what the layout was going to be like. Even so, not to assume anything, we continued onto the last apartment. It was pretty much the same as Marie's. Same kitchen layout; full fridge freezer could fit in and room for a washing machine. The bathroom had a shower aswell, which was what the first apartment was lacking. Same size bedroom, same living room layout, and not forgetting, the same random blue coloured carpet :) However, it also had no available room for a dryer, no real space for someone if they wanted to stay over, and it didn't have the spark that the 2 bedroom apartment gave :(


 As I mentioned yesterday, I love my lists ^-^ so I made a list of the pro's and con's of the two apartments (Yes, only two, since I was that disappointed in the first one bedroom ground floor apartment, i'm not even going to consider it :P

 Single Bedroom Apartment (No. 20)

Pro's:                                                      Cons:

- It's on the top floor, which makes           - Only had one room, and that 

it quite exciting :P                                    room was pretty small

- It had available attic storage                 - Despite attic storage, it can be

- There was noone above us                       quite annoying to keep

- Views we're slightly better                       venturing into

                                                            - There was only one place to

                                                               put the dryer and it's an

                                                               awkward place in the kitchen

Double Bedroom Apartment (No. 15)

Pro's:                                                       Cons:

- Alot more overall space                         - It's on the ground floor

- More easier accessible (and handy)       (although this can be a pro :))     

storage                                                  - There is a pink room!

- There was a more convenient                    (however can be repainted)

place for the dryer (with available               - Broken bathroom fan

window)                                                    (also can be fixed)

- If someone wants to stay over

they have their own room, and not

the sofa

- More modern and nicer bathroom

- Lino by the front door for muddy

shoes

- A bigger hallway which makes 

the whole apartment feel larger

(and is!)

 Can you see a clear winner? :D


 I've already been emailed, completed and sent off the form for my tenancy, and i'm now just awaiting a yay or a nay! Woop!

Ooooo Progress!

 Today me and Robin took a little trip to ze town centre of ol' nunny, and walked into the council house and asked for a house!
 Well, it didn't quite go like that.. we actually said that we had found an apartment and we'd like to know if we could get any help paying for it :P


 It's aaaaalways the same. You go somewhere specific to get something done, or get some answers, and all they do is just give a phone number.. which then in the end either leads you to go back to where you started, or leave you confuzzled!


 In this case however, the small spectacle'd woman behind the counter actually gave me a few answers.. but then gave me a number ^-^
 So I rang it! You know, livin' on the edge an' all.


 Due to Robin currently unemployed, and me on low income, they said they would give me a hand with my rent. Happy days! So I immediately phoned up Lovetts (the company currently owning the set of apartments in which I want to live!) and I have an appointment to view 2 of them tomorrow morning :)


 The anticipation is killing me! But in a good way, you know?


 And sooo much things to get on with!


 Oh, and by the way, I'm a list kinda gal.. I lurve making lists! I even make lists about lists!


 So in order to keep my head from spiraling out of control trying to memorise the list (ha!) of things I have to do.. I just make one :D


 Here's my 'To-Do' list so far:


1) Go to the apartment viewing at 9:30am tomorrow morning
2) Make 100 mince pies for Christmas day down at the Jailhouse
3) Somehow figure out how i'm going to bake 100 mince pies when I have work Thursday, Friday, Saturday AND Christmas day
4) Possibly look for more Christmas stuff
5) Find places to get cheap cute ginger kittens (this one's optional for now)
6) Get Robin to wrap my goddamn presents already! I want to shake them :D
7) Wrap my brothers present! Oh yes John, you may be in America, but I still got you something :D
8) Figure out which day i'm going to pipe the chocolate buttercream onto the Christmas logs that my mum got as a dessert option at the Jailhouse
9) Probably bake more mince pies for the days up until Christmas day


 Gosh!


 It may look a little chaotic, but it's a lot less stressful knowing you have it written down somewhere :)


 More tomorrow after my viewing at my possible future home :D