Birthdays
2nd Sarah will still be over 21 (Martyns wife)
5th Brett will be 15 (Garys son)
6th Laila will be 6(Garys daughter)
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Excuses
Well hello again!!!
As many of you will have noticed I have not touched this for many moons. The reasons are many but the main one I think is that on the 15th June 2009 something happened that made it seem like my world had started falling apart!!! It continued to fall apart for many months.
Over the next few weeks I will slowly recount all that has happened since that time in graphic detail telling it as it all went on (as much as this old brain will allow) haha.
As many of you will have noticed I have not touched this for many moons. The reasons are many but the main one I think is that on the 15th June 2009 something happened that made it seem like my world had started falling apart!!! It continued to fall apart for many months.
Over the next few weeks I will slowly recount all that has happened since that time in graphic detail telling it as it all went on (as much as this old brain will allow) haha.
PART 1: JUNE TO OCTOBER 2009
Well I suppose the beginning is the best place to start!
On 15th June I went for a treadmill test at Abergavenny hospital and it was found that I had stress angina and that was effectively the end of my HGV licence for the time being I thought. It turns out that my thinking was right but it was totally the end of it as I was not bad enough for a bypass operation but too bad to hold an HGV! Catch 22 situation.
I was told not to go to work but to go and see my GP the following day and was duly signed off. I stayed off work until 19th October when Next terminated my employment as I was no good to them with no licence. They had (bless them) tried everything to keep me, even to trying to persuade head office to acquire a 7.5 tonne vehicle for me to use as I had at that time retained that licence.
I went to the job centre on my way home and was told by them that I was to ring a number to give details to get unemployment benefit.
I did this the next day only to be told that as my chances ,with my skills, were less than 1% of getting another job I would be passed on to the department of works and pesions and get pension credits, thereby getting early retirement.
Well you can imagine my consternation, in one foul swoop I went from a joint income for myself and Sue of around £44,000 (thats around £850 a week) to a total joint income of £198 a week on pension credits.
TO BE CONTINUED !!!
PART 2: OCTOBER 2009 TO MAY 2010
CONT.............
Well the first place we went was to the CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) to see what we could do and basically to cut a long story short they took over the handling of our debts and negotiated with our debtors to bring everything down to a managable level.
The only problem that we still had was the mortgage!!
I approached DWP (Department of Works & Pensions) who agreed to pay the interest on the mortgage. I then went to our motgage lenders and asked to have the mortgage changed to an interest only loan on the understanding that we would sell the property before the term of the mortgage was finished to pay off the capital, this was duely agreed and the done.
Well the DWP with their usual efficiency, and problems with staffing, had a backlog? This went on with no payments from them by February 2010, despite repeated phone calls from me and being passed from pillar to post and things came to a head with the mortgage lenders!!!!!!!!!!
Early in March 2010 we started to get threatening letters from the lenders because there was by this time considerable arrears owing which we were assured by the DWP would eventually be paid.
Sue & I by this time were getting very frustrated with the DWP and not being able to speak to the person dealing with our claim.........................
Enough is enough and by March we had certainly had enough, so we decided to hand the keys back to the lender and move into rented accomodation, thereby saving court costs etc.
Where to move to was the next question?
There was no longer a need to stay in the area we were in due to the fact I no longer had to travel to work so we decided on the Devon/Cornwall border area as we had friends there and knew of a good church there so while we holidayed in the area in March we looked around!!!
We found what I considered to be a lovely bungalow in a village location, but Sue was not too keen. I felt the reasons were twofold, firstly it was a really dull day and secondly it was the woman from the estate agents who was really obnoxious. I, on the other hand could see past all that and felt it was the place for us.
Well we looked at a few other places and nothing was at all suitable.
We went back home at the end of the week having found nothing and I was quite despondent as Sue had not seemed to go for the bungalow!!
We agreed to go down a couple of weeks later and have a look at some more houses and flats but nothing seemed like the right place and Sue agreed to look at the bungalow at St. Giles-on-the-Heath again. Well this time the weather was beautiful and even the woman from the estate agents was pleasant. I think that the latter may have been something to do with the question I asked her in the shop in front of her manager "do you have to work really hard to be that obnoxious, or does it come naturally?"
Well push coming to shove we had all the paperwork done and the move date was 4th May 2010. We moved in on that date with the bungalow full, as was the garage having the overspill.
The keys were posted registered post to the lenders a few days later and here we reside!!!
As a postscript by the time we moved we still had received no mortgage interest from the DWP.
You may think that that is the end of the story, alas there is still more to come which I will continue another day!!!!!
Well the first place we went was to the CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) to see what we could do and basically to cut a long story short they took over the handling of our debts and negotiated with our debtors to bring everything down to a managable level.
The only problem that we still had was the mortgage!!
I approached DWP (Department of Works & Pensions) who agreed to pay the interest on the mortgage. I then went to our motgage lenders and asked to have the mortgage changed to an interest only loan on the understanding that we would sell the property before the term of the mortgage was finished to pay off the capital, this was duely agreed and the done.
Well the DWP with their usual efficiency, and problems with staffing, had a backlog? This went on with no payments from them by February 2010, despite repeated phone calls from me and being passed from pillar to post and things came to a head with the mortgage lenders!!!!!!!!!!
Early in March 2010 we started to get threatening letters from the lenders because there was by this time considerable arrears owing which we were assured by the DWP would eventually be paid.
Sue & I by this time were getting very frustrated with the DWP and not being able to speak to the person dealing with our claim.........................
Enough is enough and by March we had certainly had enough, so we decided to hand the keys back to the lender and move into rented accomodation, thereby saving court costs etc.
Where to move to was the next question?
There was no longer a need to stay in the area we were in due to the fact I no longer had to travel to work so we decided on the Devon/Cornwall border area as we had friends there and knew of a good church there so while we holidayed in the area in March we looked around!!!
We found what I considered to be a lovely bungalow in a village location, but Sue was not too keen. I felt the reasons were twofold, firstly it was a really dull day and secondly it was the woman from the estate agents who was really obnoxious. I, on the other hand could see past all that and felt it was the place for us.
Well we looked at a few other places and nothing was at all suitable.
We went back home at the end of the week having found nothing and I was quite despondent as Sue had not seemed to go for the bungalow!!
We agreed to go down a couple of weeks later and have a look at some more houses and flats but nothing seemed like the right place and Sue agreed to look at the bungalow at St. Giles-on-the-Heath again. Well this time the weather was beautiful and even the woman from the estate agents was pleasant. I think that the latter may have been something to do with the question I asked her in the shop in front of her manager "do you have to work really hard to be that obnoxious, or does it come naturally?"
Well push coming to shove we had all the paperwork done and the move date was 4th May 2010. We moved in on that date with the bungalow full, as was the garage having the overspill.
The keys were posted registered post to the lenders a few days later and here we reside!!!
As a postscript by the time we moved we still had received no mortgage interest from the DWP.
You may think that that is the end of the story, alas there is still more to come which I will continue another day!!!!!
PART 3 :- BANKRUPTCY! May 2010 to June 2011
CONT................
Well we settled into the bungalow well but still had the enormous debt problem!!!
On advice from CAB it was decided that the only coarse of action for us was bankruptcy.
How to pay for it was the next problem? £450 each, total £900, (had to be paid in cash as courts trust no-one lol) the only assets we had left were the car and my beloved motorbike!! Well the bike had to go and sold quite quickly as the spring is a good time of year for it.
All was arranged and on the 11th June 2010 we attended Newport (Gwent) County Court and were duly declared bankrupt with debts of around £60,000, Sue understandably found this a real trial but bless her she coped and was much relieved when it was all over.
So off back to Devon to get on with our lives, we both had found it very hard dealing with what we imagined to be the stigma associated with bankruptcy, but it seems that that is no longer so bad as it was years ago!!!!
We have very much kept ourselves to ourselves since the bankruptcy as this is a village after all, although the locals have been very welcoming we are still concerned about what they may think of us and what we have gone through?
We have been very reliant on God to provide for us over the past few months which He has done with great goodness and at times even generosity. Also I am so pleased and thankful for the support and prayers we have had from members of Launceston Community Church which we regularly attend.
Another bonus has been how much we have seen of family since we have been here as we are only a short distance off the main A30 they call in to see us on the way to and from holidays in Cornwall, they also come to stay this is such a beautiful area close to Dartmoor.
Well back to the subject! In Feb 2011 the house in Wales was at last sold and all the debts attached to that sorted. We are now asset free except the car which is essential here as there is no bus service to speak of, also it is very necessary to get Sue around with her arthritis getting worse all the time.
So on Friday the 10th June 2011 we are being discharged as bankrupts by Newport CC and will be totally debt free from that date!!!
Also from that date we will no longer need to look back, all the trials of the past 2 years can be forgotten and we can look to the future!!!!
We have a 3 week holiday planned in Scotland in Sept/Oct with my wonderful brother Mike who has become a great friend again.
Finally some thanks for help and support over this difficult period of our lives,
Our families
Launceston CC, especially Mervyn and Rachel, Chris and Jayne and the support of the house groups
Also I thank God daily for what He has done in financial and moral support and encouragement, even His forgiveness because I still try to do things on my own even though I know I should rely on Him more!! After all HE HAS BROUGHT US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, THANK YOU JESUS.
Well we settled into the bungalow well but still had the enormous debt problem!!!
On advice from CAB it was decided that the only coarse of action for us was bankruptcy.
How to pay for it was the next problem? £450 each, total £900, (had to be paid in cash as courts trust no-one lol) the only assets we had left were the car and my beloved motorbike!! Well the bike had to go and sold quite quickly as the spring is a good time of year for it.
All was arranged and on the 11th June 2010 we attended Newport (Gwent) County Court and were duly declared bankrupt with debts of around £60,000, Sue understandably found this a real trial but bless her she coped and was much relieved when it was all over.
So off back to Devon to get on with our lives, we both had found it very hard dealing with what we imagined to be the stigma associated with bankruptcy, but it seems that that is no longer so bad as it was years ago!!!!
We have very much kept ourselves to ourselves since the bankruptcy as this is a village after all, although the locals have been very welcoming we are still concerned about what they may think of us and what we have gone through?
We have been very reliant on God to provide for us over the past few months which He has done with great goodness and at times even generosity. Also I am so pleased and thankful for the support and prayers we have had from members of Launceston Community Church which we regularly attend.
Another bonus has been how much we have seen of family since we have been here as we are only a short distance off the main A30 they call in to see us on the way to and from holidays in Cornwall, they also come to stay this is such a beautiful area close to Dartmoor.
Well back to the subject! In Feb 2011 the house in Wales was at last sold and all the debts attached to that sorted. We are now asset free except the car which is essential here as there is no bus service to speak of, also it is very necessary to get Sue around with her arthritis getting worse all the time.
So on Friday the 10th June 2011 we are being discharged as bankrupts by Newport CC and will be totally debt free from that date!!!
Also from that date we will no longer need to look back, all the trials of the past 2 years can be forgotten and we can look to the future!!!!
We have a 3 week holiday planned in Scotland in Sept/Oct with my wonderful brother Mike who has become a great friend again.
Finally some thanks for help and support over this difficult period of our lives,
Our families
Launceston CC, especially Mervyn and Rachel, Chris and Jayne and the support of the house groups
Also I thank God daily for what He has done in financial and moral support and encouragement, even His forgiveness because I still try to do things on my own even though I know I should rely on Him more!! After all HE HAS BROUGHT US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, THANK YOU JESUS.
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