It was a hunker down day, weather was filthy, then I realised it was also Friday 13th, and after my week I wasn't taking any chances. Though the lead I bought, that I worried about not being up to the job, proved to be excellent. I'd got the window lead, which was thicker than I'd been using, but actually I like the finish better.
I also saw some nice glass paints on CnC, since I had my ten pound voucher I decided to put it to good use.
The leading took pretty much all day, with all the smoothing and cutting it can be quite fiddly. I'm thinking of adding a cross behind the bird, or some scenery.
Still no sign of an end to the PIP claim saga. I looked around a few forums to see if there were any useful addresses and I found one, the head of customer services at ATOS. So I emailed him, I wasn't expecting to hear from him until next week, but to my suprise he got back to me, and for the first time someone has actually apologised! There is still all the waffle about bringing in a new benefit etc, the truth is that ATOS have no guidlines, as the DWP haven't provided any. They keep moving the goal posts as too many are qualifying for the benefit. In the meantime people are suffering, even the terminally ill, who should be fast tracked, are being forced to wait. Meanwhile back at the ranch Iain Duncan Smith has his head stuck in the sand and is refusing to bring it out. I once had a sliver of respect for IDS, but no longer, he is a spineless piece of jelly who has realised that all his theories and 'good ideas' are impossible to put into action. So instead the public is fed a load of propoganda, told that thousands are better off on benefits, the truth is very few are, fraud is also minimal, there are actually very few benefit tourists. I don't agree with someone continuing to have children while on benefits, pay child benefit for the first two children only, that is how it used to be. And do you know why we have child benefit? It was brought in to help women, often women had no money to feed their children, some men kept all of their earnings, so the government of the day decided to introduce child benefit payable only to the mother so she would have some money, there were restrictions. And what of the poppy seller who had his benefits stopped for not seeking work, well technically the department was correct, except the poppy seller should have said that although he was selling poppies he was continuing to seek work. Yes I'm back on my soap box because it seems no-one gives a damn, the public are swallowing the propoganda, I found myself countering everyone of a friend's misconceptions about benefits. Could you manage on less than £80 pw? Think about it, you may get your rent paid, but you have to pay for everything else, electric, gas, food, water, don't expect a feast from the food bank, it is the basics, and you have to show you are in need of help. Many people get caught up in the system, their benefits stopped for no good reason, someone has input the wrong information. That happened to me when I claimed HB, some twit assessed me as having over £200 pw in income, I wish!
Off soap box.... back to glass painting tomorrow, well after the shopping I put off doing today - yuck.
Have a good weekend.
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