Little bear is well dressed

Little bear came dashing in from the newsagent with OH, absolutely thrilled. "I've seen an eagle!" he announced happily. OH stood behind little bear and shook his head. He mouthed silently, "Crow."

On another note, little bear is very happy. I have been raiding my friend, ebay, and I have just totalled up my spend to @£40. That is including postage and has netted six shirts, ten t-shirts, three sweaters and a lightweight, leather look bomber jacket from Next that looks unworn. The shirts and t-shirts are okay, but little bear really, really loves the jacket. I know he didn't sleep in it (or at least he wasn't wearing it when he was calling for me at 3.30am because he couldn't find his rat) but he came downstairs in it this morning.

Little bear is currently fine for socks, undies, vests, school wear and jeans. With a little luck I will not need to buy him any thing more until the new school year in September. The clothes I have got are fine for a five year old to play in, some look as new. After looking at some of Matalan's stuff, it really has paid me to get the stuff from ebay. Earlier in the month I also got him four pair of pyjamas (another £28 spent there, but they were all new) and Matalan aren't doing pairs of pyjamas any more, they are selling tops and bottoms separately, and I certainly couldn't have go four pairs of pyjamas for that - it would have cost at least £10 more. And two of the pairs of pyjamas were Dr Who pyjamas, with cheap transfers that I know will not wash well, but cheered little bear up.

All the 'new' clothes have been washed. They have joined the huge, vast, heap of ironing that seems to have tripled in the last four days. I know what I will be doing for the next few evenings.

Ebay again

Fell for looking at yarn on ebay, and bid on one item. It was extremely inexpensive and did not have any bids. However it was described as having 'a few bits of cat fur on it but that should fall off while you are knitting'.

Evil cat sheds as a hobby and often is surrounded by a drift of floating bits of fur, so I'm not in a position to complain. It will be charmingly familiar

Where's my postie?

Received an email from an ebay seller, letting me know that the registered post parcel they had sent me was returned by the Royal Mail as 'not called for'.

WHAT?!

I'm always in. I am never out, I am always in the house. If I am not there is a good chance that either darling father is or that nice Mr Next Door is working on a car outside and will take a parcel for me, if I have nipped to the shops.

And, and, and... There was no card through the door saying that they had tried to deliver. So I had no way of knowing that there was the parcel waiting for me. I am so cross. It was something that was personalised and quite important - name tapes for little bear's new school uniform. Fortunately I am so over active on the shopping that I have ordered them well in advance (partly to spread the cost).

And fortunately for me the nice seller has let me know and is posting them back out normal mail.

Even if I hadn't seen the new postie I would know that my normal, reliable, safe postie wasn't around this week. I hope he is on holiday and is not taken off this route. All the local delivery people know that I am always in and that next door will take parcels if I am not.

Better, normal service had better resume shortly!

Ebay bingo

I came across the idea of ebay bingo a while ago. You ask where a delayed item is and you get a long message detailing a tale of woe and disaster.

Yesterday I got a line, when I asked where something was. I got a holiday, a funeral and a member of the family in the hospital. You only get full house if the budgie died.

I feel a bit heartless, and I truly hope that these bad things have not happened. However it is such a cliche that I look sceptically at irate and badly spelled messages insisting I am wrong to want my item this month.

Also, I feel it is a bit unprofessional. Even if your house had a direct hit from a Triffid, the professional response to 'where is my item' is surely, 'I'm really sorry, I have had a few delays, it will be in the post today.' or 'I'm sorry that you haven't received it, please can you let me know if there is a glitch with your post at that end and I will check at this end. If all else fails I will refund/replace'.

And I am a bit grumpy because I have a cough that makes it hard to talk and I sent my usual, 'I'm really sorry to bother you but I haven't yet had...' message that is really polite and nice and I got shouted at. And the message that shouted at me wasn't even properly written - if they are going to tell me off, the least they could do is punctuate!

I won't leave a negative because I feel that unless it is a truly horrendous experience, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. And I won't leave anything. However there is no way to block a seller. I don't want to buy from this seller again, and they are a business seller. I hope that a few months down the line I don't try and buy something from there again.

I am considering creating a 'bad seller' list and referring to it. It just seems a bit over dramatic. I haven't really had enough gruesome experiences to make it worth my while.

Two things in the last twelve hours have made me happy with my friend ebay. One item was a pair of new trainers for little bear. Almost immediately I got a polite email from the seller saying that they had mistaken the stock level, they gave a brief explanation that didn't involve drama and an instant refund. I have left positive feedback. And I bought a hat for little bear for some fancy dress coming up. I noticed that it came from a supplier of fishing hats and the note on the description said that they were being sold inexpensively as the supplier had sent the wrong size hats. The hat was inexpensive and arrived the next morning, well packed and without drama.

But I am going to try and stay away from my friend for the next few weeks BECAUSE I HAVE NO ROOM

Ebay is OH's acquaintance

OH is tolerant of my ebay habit, but he doesn't indulge himself.

So I was surprised to find him sitting at the computer, little bear on his lap, carefully perusing the Doctor Who figures on ebay. OH muttered something about looking in on an acquaintance.

OH and little bear have an ongoing play story where there are baddy daleks and goodie daleks and it has got very soap opera and complicated. Apparently Grandma Dalek can't be doing with the Cyberman who runs the corner shop and she thinks he always gives her short change - and there is something up with his cheese. Grandma Dalek likes a bit of cheese but it gives her wind.

Terry Nation must be spinning in his grave!

Setting targets again

I am not doing very well at the moment. I am spending too much, the house is in a dreadful state and I feel exhausted.

So, no spends on ebay for thirty days and I get a pair of unnecessary titanium multicoloured craft scissors. They look pretty and I can stress again and again to little bear that they are MINE

It may take some doing.

That is stage one.

I need help

I've just bought some MORE yarn from my friend on ebay. I don't care how good a bargain it was - I HAVE NO ROOM!!!!!!!

My friend

You can get all sorts on ebay. Yesterday I got 50g of ground cardamom as I was having trouble finding it anywhere and I wanted to try a recipe.

The seller also sold dried mistletoe which made me wonder, but each to their own.

In fact, these days I automatically start looking on ebay if I can't easily find it at Asda/Sainsburys/Tesco etc.

Of course, Amazon has its own pitfalls. Little bear's basic Spanish dvd sort of accumulated all sorts of other bits in the ordering and I am about to sit down with my new cookbook that I really didn't need and don't have room for.

Must stop looking!

Ebay is my friend

My shopping has come home to roost. The nine blankets have finally arrived. They are gorgeous, clean, immaculate baby blankets. I will stash the best for gifts and the others may well turn into cosy cushion covers.

Little bear has graciously condescended to wear one of the gilets that arrived today. Sigh. He will only wear short sleeves and he won't wear sweaters. He has made a brief foray into trying to wear all three at once, but that was not entirely successful.

Even with postage, three very good quality gilets which little bear may actually wear and nine very lovely cot blankets all for under £20.

Of course, not spending £20 and saving the room is also good, but little bear needed the gilets (or at least something to help warmth) so only the blankets were an extravagance. And I can see uses for all of them, it would be just a little better if I had room.

Smoke Free

I was looking on ebay - I'm feeling a bit low and was definitely not looking at 8 kilos of wool for a ridiculously reduced price and besides the auction will be over by the end of Monday.

Well, anyway, after not looking at the 8 kilos of yarn in actually quite nice colours I spotted something. And it came from a smoke free, pet free and child free home.

Smoke free is understandable because if you do smoke you cannot smell it the way a non smoker can. Evil cat's mission obviously includes allergens so you wouldn't want something covered in cat hair going to someone with extreme allergies, which covers pet free. I am not sure about Child Free.

There are some odd people in the world.

Ebay again

Little bear was sliding down the fireman's pole (handle of sweeper) and fell and broke it. It is not repairable.

So I have spent another £25 on ebay. I await the promised triangular, yellow, lightweight jobby that I hope has some suction.

It is so hard. I don't have the energy to trawl round finding a new one, all weekend all I have wanted to do is sleep and I need to do serious shifting of rubbish next week before the new boiler installation. So of course I pick it up off ebay. Sigh.

I noticed a large enamel tin with potatoes written on the side of it. It is likely to be quite mouse proof and I am tempted to get it. But not just yet. I think I will hold off from any purchase not absolutely desperately necessary. Just for a little while.

Too friendly

I am still buying things on ebay. It is so disheartening. But little bear needed pyjamas that didn't have a gap between top and bottom and with all the weather and health problems I couldn't get into town. I also think I may have got a bargain, but who knows? The ones that have arrived are GORGEOUS.

I bought rock salt - the steep concrete steps to our front door are a death trap if it gets icy again.

I bought black tomato seeds for darling uncle, so he could have bragging rights in his local. They were only pennies and he will pass them on (he really can't see seeds v well) and enjoy all the chat about it - developed in Siberia, apparently.

Last night I bought some mouse traps after dear heart assured me that he would deal with any remains. I am ashamed of myself for feeling squeamish, and I probably could do it, but I really don't want to.

Ebay is so useful for me, but it is also somewhat of a temptation as well. I shall rethink some targets - I need to curb spending, but being able to pick things up from ebay when I can't get out myself is a wonderful help.

My weaknesses displayed

I really need to stop trying to chat to the current parcel delivery man. It just seems to baffle him.

He normally calls extremely early, often half way through a nappy, So I shouted happily, 'there's someone at the door, there's someone at the door.' and charge downstairs, open up doors and see him hiding under the peak of his cap. I am not sure what he expects me to do.

This was forcibly brought home this morning as he almost fled as I commented on the wrapping of the latest parcel. Poor man. I had bought some unnecessary yarn. It is completely unnecessary, and a moment of madness, from ebay, of course. Well, it arrived in immaculate condition, exactly as described and the poor parcel man could see exactly what I had bought, because it wasn't wrapped. It was ten balls of yarn, in their plastic bag, with no other covering. Not a sausage! One label had the address and another had the postage.

I am not complaining so much, however, as the poor seller actually lost money on the postage, and it was very inexpensive to start with. And part of me rejoices that the packaging was only the minimal. It is so frustrating to throw out/recycle layer after layer of packing. So I left glowing feedback.

Must remember not to talk to the parcel man.

Spending again

I have bought some clothes for little bear. I bought four tops from Matalan at a very reasonable price, and I am sure that they will do well.

I also did some hunting on ebay. You see, if you are a private seller and put something on ebay for 99p you do not need to pay any fees. So I search for items at 99p, boys clothing, little bear's size, time ending soonest, and I have managed to get five long sleeve tops for little bear for just under £9 (inclusive of p&p of course), and a selection of jeans for him.

I really think that it is a good way to 'hunt' on ebay. The only thing is, you have to watch out for the postage, or it can be silly. Even so I am awaiting the outcome of my bid on a lot of four pairs of jeans - the postage is £5, but my maximum bid is 99p, so I will see if I win that. I think the postage is worth it in that case.

Interesting packaging

Ebay is my friend, as previously mentioned. Normally I buy UK only, because I sort of understand the way the UK works. I have bought incredibly successfully from the Netherlands and Turkey (Yarn Paradise is for knitters what a all you can drink for a fiver happy hour is for alcoholics, and their service and product are very good). The latest 'risk' I have taken is buying a present for my sister in law that came from Taiwan.

Now, with this particular item it was not a fake or a 'nearly'. It was an item that I had not seen anywhere else. It was not particularly expensive, so I bought it.

It is lovely, it is immaculate, good quality and exactly what I wanted. The condition in particular was unbelievably good. It was unbelievably good because I couldn't believe that it had managed to get from Taiwan to here wrapped only in a carrier bag with 'Fashion' written all over it. It was a reasonable carrier bag, better than the flimsy ones you get veg in on the market, but certainly less sturdy than a bag for life.

I think I would order from them in future, but not anything fragile.

Shocked at shopping

Ebay is my friend. Little bear is due to go to a birthday party. I thought I would have a little look, though far more inclined to send him in something he has already got (especially after extremely sensible advice on here!).

And especially when I saw one of the outfits on ebay. Now, this is genuinely an outfit for a little boy's sweater and pants, age 2-3. It was £120. I nearly fell off my chair. What!!!

That amount covers most of his clothes so far! And he has lots and lots and lots of clothes.

I don't think I could, even if I won the lottery I don't think I could pay £120 that would be too small within a few months and would probably get juice on anyway. On cashmere - who would make clothes for a little one out of cashmere? The world has gone mad.

Shopping!

Today I had gone 31 days without spending any money on ebay...

Okay, 4.5kg of wool, four birthday presents, a collection of Hairy McLary books recommended, a cute rain cape for little bear (he will look adorable, but I got the wrong size, fortunately he can 'grow into it' so he will be totally sick of it by the time it fits), sandals for little bear and two replacement feeding bottles for little bear's night time feed later, and I feel all light headed.

Also the total is scary. It is not unreasonable for what I bought. The wool (if remotely like the advertising) is a complete bargain for a sweater and a blanket. Sandals I will get from ebay though I am obsessively strict about shoes. The presents are not particularly expensive and are for dear heart from me, dear heart from little bear, darling father from little bear and darling brother from little bear.

What it has made me realise is that I need to watch impulse spending. Seeing the total all in one go was a shock but I suspect I could have easily spent twice as much on impulse spending alone.

So now all I need to do is find another target that I want enough to stop me spending on ebay for another month. Hmm.

Ebay calls even stronger

One thing led to another and I put 'cinnamon' into the search engine of ebay.

There is a storage box made out of cinnamon bark - it calls to me, especially if it does actually infuse the sugar kept in, for eg apple pies and banananana cake.

It may not be there when I can buy again after 11 July - but I am not losing my chance of the wool. I can take that risk.

But if it is there...

However I need to think of some way to earn it. I am doing very little and not getting very far doing that - but I am not getting anything from ebay that is not a 'need' or a reward.

Two things have been brought to my attention with this item. One is that I really need to keep the 30 day interval between shopping on ebay up - otherwise I will be impulse buying ridiculously. The other is that I really do want the strangest things.

Also this may be a good incentive for me to actually do things when I can.

Ebay is calling

I have four more days before I have earned the wool by not spending money on ebay. Not that I am counting...

So I am going to make a list of all the things I actually want to get from ebay. I shall buy them in a flurry of giddiness. Then I shall set myself another target to keep off ebay for a month.

Ebay is just too useful, you can get so much on there. I wouldn't know where to start to look for things if it didn't exist. Silicon loaf tins are the prime example, I wouldn't know where to look if I couldn't start at ebay. Clothes for little bear are another blessing. He has had so much from there and we have been inordinately lucky with our bundles.

All I need to do is stop the impulse buying. Easier said than done.

Dithering again

Well, there are 25 days to go before I have gone a whole month without spending on ebay. I am not going to manage to go that long. Tomorrow we are going to get new shoes for little bear so I am going to get him a pair of welly boots in the correct size and have seen some extremely inexpensive, nice welly boots on ebay - still cheaper than the local shops including postage and ideal for bouncing in summer puddles. Also I think they look a little gorgeous. I will want some sturdier ones for winter, but obviously I don't need to buy those in June.

I digress. I am dithering again about spends. You see, I've also had a bit of a browse for some tops. I got a huge heap of tops just over ten years ago when the slinky material came in. I love that stuff - easy wash, dries quickly and it is non iron. However, regrettably, the heap is more like a small puddle. After a decade nothing looks the same, and stubborn grease spots, cats claws and tumeric powder have taken their toll. I need some new tops.

But I can't find any that I like. I think I am looking for tops that don't exist. I want long line tunic styles, with not too low a neckline, and none of this empire line or smocking. I want either slinky or jersey material, no buttons, easy care, plain and not patterned and in a limited range of colours. Not pink. Definitely not pink. I don't want to spend much money on them, as I still remember roughly how much I spent on the heap now puddle of tops and I am going to always be comparing the cost to that. I am going to be rummaging in the charity shops as opportunity arises, but as I am a 'fuller figure' my experience is not so good. It is amazing how many people do not slim down enough to donate lots of 'big boned' clothes to charity.

I have gone through the clothing stores on Quidco and there is nothing that I really feel drawn to, at least, not in the shops that I can afford. But there are two tops, slinky, in the colours I like on ebay. Currently they are inexpensive, but are likely to creep up in price as the auction nears its end.

Part of me is saying, well if I get little bear's wellies I might as well bid on these tops, I may not get them, and I will be starting again with my no ebay challenge anyway. And part of me is saying that I have at least half a dozen functional tops, I don't go to fashion parades, I can scrape by for a summer. And then I think how hard it is to get these slinky tops and how in winter they are ideal to layer under sweaters. And I could do what I normally do which is put my bid in at the (actually quite low) amount I am willing to pay and then walk away which is my attempt at being sensible.

I have a few days before the auction ends. Days of dithering here I come.