June 2020

recently bid in an online only (of course) auction.  I received my invoice and was just about to pay when I noticed a charge for bidding online on their own platform plus vat.  I telephoned them and they said 'oh, that should not be on there'. They then forwarded me a new invoice, which I did not really need - so, another £22.33 saved.

I might seem like I am jumping on the bandwagon of the Daily Mail regarding Fly Tipping, but, a few days ago, we were sitting in the garden having a cup of tea (yes, a cup of tea, not a wine).  I said to Pete 'what's that pink thing over there?".  Pete replied "what pink thing?", so, I pointed to a plastic tub that was not in his eye line - he went over and saw it was a tub of pink paint that had been thrown over our fence - we were lucky that it did not split.  Only a few days later a Fly Tipper dropped his rubbish outside the neighbour's fence opposite our fence, however, this time, my neighbour checked their CCTV and spotted the name on the lorry and immediately contacted the company.  Why is it that people think they are invisible?  We had a fly tipper who left a duvet - he was smartly dressed and drove an expensive Mercedes.  Unlike the lady in the Daily Mail story we don't live in the countryside!

May 2020

I used Hermes, a parcel firm, to deliver three parcels for us, but, unbeknownst to me they never arrived - and I have penned an ode to them - of course, we shall never use them again!

Hermes Hermes Hermes

Wherefore art thou Hermes?

3 parcels via my office I sent

Now I know not where they went

They are not here, they are not there

Our customers wonder – are they in the air?

Stuck in the boot of van or car

Can Hermes deliver near or far?

No, it seems they cannot do

What I paid for, why or who

Dear All,

Our dishwasher lit up like a Christmas tree on it's control panel, thus culminating in its life long ambition to work on our behalf.  We went online (of course) and chose a new one.  We were lucky enough to have it delivered only five days later and at least they put it inside the front door, up the steps for us (it is heavy). 

So, just take out the old one and plug in the new one? Uh oh. A few days prior to delivery, once you turn off  you find the bottom fills with water - so,that's the first job,  then whilst ensuring downstairs mains are off, undo the wiring (wired in at back of kitchen with plug switch at normal level), pull out and place in front garden.  Second job - clean 10 years of gunk. Third job use extremely useful wheelie items to push machine into kitchen. Fourth job - unwrap and find you have a plug - but no socket - fifth job - take socket from conservatory - testing off/on with hairdryer and secure so you don't electrocute yourself at a later date (until such time as can replace socket). Sixth job - wire up - attach hose and shove in space - uh oh doesn't slide into place, just rucks up the lino - even used Glen's suggestion (by phone) to spray Mr Sheen to help it slide in. Seventh job - cut lino after trying with other implements/metals.  Eighth job  - find kitchen drawer doesn't open - get drawer out and plane off edge so that drawer can open.  Luckily I am married to a DIY expert.  Final job - time for cup of tea trying not to glide across the now extremely glossy Mr Sheen lino.

 March 2020

I chose a short break to Sardinia online.  Of course the system had me running back and forth until I was ejected.  I returned to the site and finally booked the holiday.  Upon printing up all the details it has us flying out from Luton - 36 miles away, but flying back to Gatwick - 5 miles away and was my first choice.  Obviously contacting the website confirmed that no changes could be made. When I manage the online booking with Easyjet 30 days prior to flying, I can also add luggage.  I just don't understand how it all went wrong.  However, everything will resolve itself - you just have to throw more money and time into it.

We were at the show in Dublin and received a text from BA saying our flight was cancelled that evening, but, we could re-book for 7am the following morning.  After the usual palaver of going back and forth on the ipad, I managed to re-book us for 9am the next morning.  Of course we then had to re-book our hotel and get up rather early for the flight, missing breakfast. In this case we were advised it was all due to poor weather but we managed to book a colleague on the 7.20pm flight that night - so the weather was bad for our flight - not his?

Peter and I popped into a 'modern' restaurant one evening after cinema.  Whilst we were settling in we were advised that it was credit card only and they could also help us navigate the menu.  So, we started to put our coats back on as we only had cash - the helpful member of staff said she would pay with her card and would accept cash, so, we sat back down and 'managed to navigate the menu' on our own.  I can see a time coming when it will be imperitive to have a credit card with you or phone pay as it does save the hassle in a business handling cash (which costs money to pay into a bank), but, I think we are still some way off of it (thank goodness).

No one could have foreseen our current situation (or maybe we all could have).  Then I had a great idea for a book - use the current 'it that should not be named' turn it into fake news - that all the Countries got together behind our backs and created this myth/pandemic to see how we could cope - what we would do - how we would treat each other (we do become kinder in bad times) - then I'd wake up and it would not be a story I had been reading, but, reality.  Keep safe.

I am sure many of us have been affected by the current situation, my meagre addition to this is our upcoming holiday to Sardinia in April.  The holiday company have sent a message to say we could cancel, however, if we do that we lose 50%, so, we shall wait and see if the holiday is still on, though, we may not be able to fly there!  We are covered by ATOL and I did pay by credit card.  It is a minor setback in a major clime.

I have been gamboling on the Island of Guernsey - no, of course, I haven't - the nearest I have to it was going through all our new stock.  We have added some new Bank of England Treasury banknotes plus Guernsey stock to the site and list some Guernsey here.  With all this time on our hands - I shall carry on sorting - I don't know how long I can string this job out before I have to move on to housework!

April 2020

It was a lovely sunny day and I went out to do some shopping, walking through the local park to the independent food shop.  As I passed (not closer than 2metres) anyone walking in the park I said 'Good Morning', it was a great feeling - everyone responded.  It's something we used to do in the old days before people were so tied up in their headphones and mobiles.  Maybe parks should be mobile free so that people could be pleasant to each other when life returns to normal.

I saw one the other day whilst we were sitting in the garden, then another a couple of days later, and surprisingly again, one today - aeroplanes are so rare these days.  Years ago we used to have Concorde fly over at 6.15pm most days and usually many aeroplanes fly over daily - now the sky is blue and vehicle free - it looks soooo big.

I was in the land of nod.  At 7.15am the smoke alarm sounded.  Well, it wasn't me that burned the toast - the smell of blackened bread reached me upstairs.  I understand that all new build/re-furbished properties have to have electric smoke alarms fitted.  At least the toast didn't catch fire or melt the kitchen cupboard door like last time.