Sorry I didn’t manage to visit many of you last week. I’ve been very busy working on my disability benefit form, and also I’ve been in my studio again! (This is getting to be a habit…)
It’s really great to be able to show you a “real” WOYWW post this week, even if it isn’t actually how my desk looks today. This was what I was doing last week.
Shaz will probably recognise the recycled box that I keep my spare die cuts in! (Lots of my stuff – storage boxes, and all my biros, are freebies from stoma supplies companies!!)
This is what I was up to.
Our 33rd wedding anniversary
I didn’t think I’d be able to make my hubby a card this year, but he was out for most of the day, and I thought, “this is no good…” so I took myself off into my studio and had almost finished his card when he came home. Loud panicky shouts of “YOU CAN’T COME IN!!!” from Shoshi as hubster approached the studio door!
This was the result of my efforts.
You can read about it here.
Here are some pics of my hubby tucking into our anniversary nosh at our favourite Chinese restaurant, “Yum Sing” which means “Cheers.”
It was excellent grub. You can see that he is wearing the watch I gave him for his 70th birthday.
Kitties
On the same day as our anniversary (24th May) it was Lily and Ruby’s second birthday. I simply can’t believe it… it seems like only yesterday that I could hold them both in one hand. Here’s Lily doing a birthday victory roll.
Shameless hussy. She’s always rolling over and exposing Absolutely Everything. Ruby is far more modest.
Well, mostly. On this occasion, she had just slipped off the cushion.
Birthday girls!
In case you were wondering about the title of this blog post…
Official Oldie
Those who have been keeping up to date with All Things Shosh of late will know that I am in the throes of reapplying for my disability benefit, which is a truly awful ordeal and which will probably end in failure if the statistics are anything to go by. I’ve more or less completed the huge nearly 40 page long book of a form, and done loads of accompanying sheets of detail and information. Right before I started this, my printer broke down. I have got to try and get it done on my hubby’s printer. Never rains but it pours…
I’ve got my GP’s letter and copies of recent hospital letters, and am waiting for a letter from the stoma nurse. I am waiting for a call-back from a volunteer at AgeUK who I hope will help me with all this, and go through what I have done and check it for OK-ness. This will have to happen in the next few days because the form has to be in by 10th March.
At the weekend, I was trying to find out something online because I was confused about the necessity of doing all this in the first place – I was unfortunately born a couple of years too late to be allowed to continue with my old DLA benefit – and I found myself on the Pensions page of the UK Gov website. I have been waiting to hear from them as to when my pension was supposed to start, and again, I am of that particular age group that falls right in the middle of their rejigging of the whole thing and they keep putting the pensionable age up. I didn’t think I would qualify until next year at the earliest. Anyway, I ran their quick check and found that I had achieved pensionable age in 2016! I phoned them today, and they have set it all up for me.
So, I am now officially AN OLDIE!!!
I don’t understand how it all works, but I will be getting more pension than my hubby. I told him to check his with them to see if there was a mistake. He’s worked many more years than I have… Anyway, I’ve got increments added onto my basic amount, and also a huge lump sum coming, too. This is the most amazing thing to turn up out of the blue, and incredibly, just at the right time, too.
Firstly, if I fail to qualify for the PIP disability benefit (which is most likely), and I have to appeal, this could take months to come through. During that time, the shortfall after my DLA payments cease will be more than covered by my new pension. I absolutely know that I do qualify for PIP because of the level of my disability and the degree of help that I need, and I am sure that if I am turned down initially, I will get it OK on appeal – I’ve just got to go through all the ghastly rigmarole of getting there. Knowing I’ve got the pension to fall back on has taken away a lot of the fear and anxiety I’ve been feeling about what to do if I am turned down.
Secondly, the lump sum is going to enable me to forge ahead and get my new power chair without having to worry about selling anything to cover the cost (although I probably will go ahead and sell the buggies and the furniture because I don’t need them, and the cash will come in handy. Not to mention the decluttering effect). I phoned a company today, who will come to you and give you a full demonstration wherever you want it, and it will probably take a couple of weeks for them to arrange it, and then it will hopefully be all systems go. It would be so great to get this sorted before the summer, so I can enjoy some great days out with my hubby. I will even be able to go on the beach!!
God is good. He has never let me down yet, and has always provided for my needs, just at the right time.
Birthday
It’s my 66th birthday tomorrow. We are having a small family get-together which will be fun.
Leaving the Burger King
I’m wary of getting political on here, but I came across this video this week, which maybe you’ve already seen as it’s pretty much gone viral. Anyway, can’t resist sharing it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGL-XJPuCuo
A cat funny to close.
Have a great week, everyone.
Hi Shoshi, love the cat funny! Lovely job with the card, and Happy Birthday for tomorrow to you. Isn’t it amazing that the kitties are two! Really doesn’t seem that long at all. Yes I recognise the box- my brand too! Thats very good news on the pension. Have a lovely week, Hugs, Shaz #7 X
Laughed out loud at the video Shoshi. Great news about your pension. It may be larger because you didn’t start taking it immediately you qualified. Glad it takes some of the stress off you with your PIP application though. Happy belated birthday to the kitties and happy belated wedding anniversary too. Love the card! Happy WOYWW. Sarah #12
Love your cats cartoon and love the photo of your own furry little babies (although they are no longer really babies). They are beautiful even if Lily is a little madam when it comes to posing for a photo shoot.
Sorry you are going through so much to get what you rightly deserve, but so glad you have received some good luck and a bit of money to help fill the short fall for the time being. Let’s hope you get the disability as well. You certainly deserve it after all this effort you are going to with that form.
Congratulations on your wedding anniversary – what a feast you went to. The table looks laden with luscious food and it has made me hungry and longing to go to a Chinese restaurant. Also I cannot leave the congratulations there and must say Happy Birthday to you dear Shoshi for tomorrow. Hope you have a lovely day.
Hugs, Neet 5 xx
I hadn’t heard of those Angelina fibres before, like the sparkle! And Congrats on your anniversary too, the Chinese meal looked yum. Fingers that you get that powered chair cos it looks amazing!
Hugs LLJ 8 xxx
Happy birthday for tomorrow Shoshi! Hope you can sort your disability benefits – sometimes they make it difficult to claim, hoping people will just go away. Happy birthday to Lily and Ruby too – sounds like it’s birthday season in the Shoshi household. Hope you can get one of those turbo charged wheelchairs – you could be up to all sorts of naughtiness in those LOL. The Brexit clip is quite funny – I haven’t seen it before, but my husband recognised it playing in the background. I know what you mean about keeping your blog out of politics – you don’t want to fall out with people over silly things like that and people tend to lose their sense of humour when it comes to Brexit. It will be interesting to see what happens next! Enjoy your celebrations!
What wonderful news about your pension. God is indeed good and you know that you dont need to stress during the process of applying for PIP (and appealing if necessary). Love the look of a chair you can use to go on the beach and look forward to hearing how you get on with the demos. Love your card for your hubby (and the look of that Chinese) and the kitties made me smile as ever. Happy WOYWW! Love & God Bless, Caro x (#15)
What wonderful news about your pension. After all that work and worry you can now relax and enjoy yourself, your husband, and the kitties.
That’s a lovely anniversary card, and a great view of your anniversary meal. Goodness, that was a lot of food! Happy WOYWW from #1.
That IS good news about your pension – but how awful that you slipped through the net and didn’t automatically start receiving it… I wonder how many times that happens! I wish you continued luck with the PIP form.
The Chinese restaurant looks amazing, and i am very impressed at the dexterity with the chopsticks! I use a fork on the rare occasions I eat Chinese! Happy birthday for tomorrow. Much love. Helen #3
Hi Shoshi,
I’m so pleased for you about the pension and being able to order your new chair straight away. My goodness, what a relief that must be! Takes the pressure off you finsncially until your PIP payments get sorted. Happy birthday for tomorrow, I hope you have a lovely day. I didn’t realise your husband’s birthday, your wedding anniversary and your birthday were all so close. Plenty to celebrate! Have a lovely week Heather x #11
Hi Shoshi, you’re luckier than us. Because were born in 1954 and only 65 we haven’t qualified for our state pension until this year. I know if you delay claiming it you do get a bigger pension when you claim it. Lilly is a sweetie and what a show off too. Have a lovely creative week and a happy WOYWW, Angela x17x
Hey Shoshi….Long time no chat….was thinking of you last night so came by your blog to see what you’ve been up to…..I’m praying for you on your disability going through the 1st go around!! What a wonderful blessing to find you are not eligible for your pension!!!
Praying all is well with you and you’ve been enjoying your creating….missing watching your videos of you creating!! Take care….wishing you a blessed week!!
Penny
Well I’ve missed your birthday, nevertheless, many happy returns. And happy anniversary! My lovely friend Mary had a wall of stoma supplies stacked in her spare room. Until you looked closely, it was all craft stuff!! Like the card you made – you do know the Angelina fibres are heat fusible and colour minglable? Lay a thin layer of them under a sheet of paper and press with a cool to warm iron, where fibres touch they’ll fuse. Much easier to handle and manipulate!
So sorry I’m late commenting – I’m struggling getting everything done this week, but thank you so much for your visit to mine! I wish you a very happy belated birthday and your anniversary celebrations look very yummy too. It seems like all your celebrations are in the same week. Such good news about your pension, at least some of the stress is off you now as you say – I hope it all goes smoothly for you and you get it on the first attempt – fingers crossed. I do love your card and I recall you introduced me to Angelina fibres a good few years ago – I have a tiny bundle of them that I have only played with once and then put them away and forgot about them! You’ve made me think I should get them out again.
Diana x
Thanks for your visit today Shoshi! It would have been wonderful to meet you at the crop, but I guess it’s just too far for you to travel from Devon. This was the first meeting that was within a day trip’s distance for me, but even then I couldn’t have made it there and back on public transport. If only someone could invent teleporting! Good luck with those forms – I can imagine it’s very frustrating! xx