Uphill

After this mornings deep sink-hole of emotion, I pulled myself up, out and back together. I phone Jo and had a chat again and was one again fine. We talked and chatted and she said that she's going to call the Benefits Agency, and would let me know what happens.

Time passes, I potter around (because I'm still kinda walking around in a daze, or, as I said to someone earlier, like my head is up my arse) and Jo calls back after about half an hour. She called them up, spoke to them and all was very helpful. She will be getting money in a week or two, and added to this, they said they would advise the other agencies to call her and sort her claim.

So I take the number and call. Speak to a guy who, while helpful, didn't actually do anything for me. No no, for some reason, they can't sort any of my claims out. So I get given - get this - EIGHT phone numbers. For three different benefits.

I call, and get transferred. I call and speak to someone that can do nothing. I call and get given another. I get called and told the person I need isn't in, try this... And on and on. I must have been on and off the phone for nearly two hours. I drained both handsets flat.

I managed to sort ONE of the three out. One. Another is sending me a new claim form. Another is sorting it but sending me some paper to sign, so that's half-but-not-completely sorted.

So then I decide to call the housing people and let them know what the plan is. The same people that told us they'd take one of us off once we knew what was happen. Ho ho, not so lucky. Legal this, jargon that. I write a letter, she writes a letter, they "process" them, they draw up a legal document, we go to their office to sign said-document, then once it's approved (!!) Jo is taken off and no longer bound.

So I decide finally to call the bank. "Please remove Miss Baylis from this joint account" because all the bills and suchlike I am keeping on are paid from that account, and all my money is paid into the account. Easy Peasy. Pffft. Letter this, form that, attend in person...

Seriously, I am so glad we're still the best of friends here because can you imagine trying to do this when you hate one another?!

GAH.

Anyway. Things are moving, we're sorting out as much as we can. I spent the afternoon in town with Ruth, not because I needed anything, but I needed to get out and be busy. We had a coffee, did her shopping, came home, got Jaysen, and now here I am. Jaysen has done his homework, and we're planning on a picnic dinner for this evening.

As for the weekend, Jo is over tomorrow in the morning and we're going to sit and sort out the bills - who's is what's and blah blah blah. Also in theory, Jaysen will be going back with Jo, and Tam will be staying with me. Of course, if Tam doesn't want to see me - not letting her dictate or anything, and I won't take it personally, but it's likely she will want her mummy.

Otherwise, we're looking at options for getting Jo her place, and I am hoping we can do that as soon as possible. There's not a huge amount left to do - not really - but there's not a lot more progress to be made till she has a place sorted and we can do the "Yours, Mine, Yours, No YOURS" and so on...

Now, me and the boy are taking the dog for a walk. Busy busy busy!