DECEMBER: Call centres, Bah Humbug, and hopes for 2012

Thursday December 1.

I know I said I was going to stay inside until my appointment at the doctor’s at 17:50 but after I settled in last night and got warm I realised I needed a few groceries so I may just pop down to Morrison’s or go all the way into town as there were a couple of things I wanted to do but forgot, I’ll keep one eye on the weather for now plus Thursday is kitchen day so I want to sweep and mop the floor and reorganize a few things.

Strange day from my perspective at least, having not being able to sleep earlier I felt awful later and had to drag my carcass out of bed later. I got into town 10 minutes before the Credit Union was due to close only to find a note on the door informing people that they would be closed that day at 12:45 and sorry for any inconvenience. That same note was not there yesterday when I looked at the opening times, Grrrr! Not to crestfallen at rushing into town for that one thing I decided to browse the same floor in the Coop. As is usual with the Coop everything is more expensive than most places though I did pick up a cloche for the microwave in the sale for 99p and a utensil holder for my steak knives which was just as cheap Had I any wine on my wine rack I would have bought an Italian Corkscrew for 50p but there is always next time.

Continuing the bargain theme I went to Poundland just for a tea towel holder I’d seen in there a week before but the staff had decided to park a great trolley of stock in front of the utensils and I got fed up with waiting. I did actually come away with a new mop and some Jacob’s biscuits for cheese both for a pound and cheaper than the alternatives, £3.00 for the biscuits, and £5.99 for the mop at Morrison’s.

I stopped of at Bond’s as I had time for a quick pint before my appointment with Doctor Bruce. I told him about the move to my new move and telling him I felt mentally tougher, something I hadn’t thought of before but it is definitely true, I certainly feel a little more confident. I told him my concerns about the feeling of someone constantly pushing down on my diaphragm and straight away he asked me if I had stopped taking the Lansoprazole tablets. I had to say I had misplaced them in the move. I physically gave myself a slap on the wrist and he gave me a script for some more though I did later find the original tablets. I should be okay now he told me to come back in a week if the problem was still occurring and gave me a blood test form and now Mr Pin Cushion has another appointment on the 6th with the phlebolomist at 12:10. I dropped my shopping back home and did the tedious journey up and down the stairs to check my mail and electric. £2.00 it cost yesterday, far too much. More tweaking required. Having sorted that and got a £10 mobile top up from Baby Bro XXX I went to get a few things from Morrison’s, I got everything except mushrooms, not one in the whole store! A couple of hours in Bond’s at £1.25 a pint and a chinwag with my best mate Steve I told him unless I was bored I wouldn’t be out until after the weekend. I need that fridge desperately and have looked at the other furniture Items I need but I will wait until I see the lay of the land when I’m back online before any major decisions.

Thought for the day:
Why do gynaecologists ask women to undress behind a screen if they are going to look anyway?

Friday December 2.

It was just before midday when I was wondering how long I would have to wait in for Virgin or if they would turn up at all, I didn’t have long to ponder as they turned up at 12:15. I left them to it and did the washing up mopped the floor and started the last of the laundry. There was a technical problem but they were done in around an hour. Before I sat down and got online I cleaned up the bits the Virgin team left and vacuumed up the carpet. The laundry was done so I put it out on the line and mopped all the floors. It’s time now to put my feet up and go through the 292 emails that I have accumulated over the past three weeks.

Almost 4 am now and I’ve spent the last eleven hours going through my emails. I had a brief chat on Yahoo Messenger with Julie and emailed a couple of people. I only stopped when it started to rain to get the washing in and to make a curry. Kitchen reeks of Madras right now but it is delicious and I will have some in a couple of tortilla wraps later. I had a nice surprise around 9pm when Cliff phoned and told me he had found a fridge for me on EBay and was going to collect it. God bless my baby bro, he went all the way to Sheldon in Birmingham to get me a fridge and it is a nice one too, it is in the kitchen waiting for the Freon or whatever gas it uses to cool it to settle then I can switch it on, tomorrow afternoon most likely 18 hours should be enough time. The only disappointment I had today was Ireland’s tough draw in Euro 2112, Spain, Italy and Croatia but the Gaelic spirit in me says “Bring it on!” England had an easier draw so the pundits say but they haven’t beaten France since 1997 and Sweden even longer than that and joint hosts Ukraine with home field advantage will be no pushover.

Thought for the day:
Give a fisherman a fish and he will eat for a day, give him a net and he can catch all the fish he needs for life, give him a boat and he can make a fortune holding stupid, arrogant westerners for ransom after they ignore Department of Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice not to sail across the Indian Ocean where Somalian pirates are active.

Saturday December 3.

Cliff rang me this afternoon literally 30 seconds after I plugged the fridge in. He was at Morrison’s just down the road and asked me if I needed anything. I only went there last night so no, I didn’t. He had to get the kids home for their tea so couldn’t stop off today, the kids will have to wait for their poster and a play on the grab machine.

The side door was open so no traipse up the fire escape today that was the good news. The bad news, the electric meter had dropped below £11. There were five letters in my box, a redirected Virgin bill, two cheques from E.on, a reminder from the Post Office that my redirection service would end soon and inviting me to renew it and a letter from the council concerning my Housing benefit payment. They have awarded me £87.72 per week which won’t cover my rent. I haven’t done the maths but it looks like I will have to find an extra £10-£12 per week from my own money to cover it, very worried right now.

For some inexplicable reason I had forgotten that it was Saturday and went to pay my cheques into my account at the Nationwide, of course they closed an hour earlier so I went to the Coop to get some sweets to put in the Candy Grabber for the kids and dropped into Bonds to see Steve for a pint and a quick chat. I got home late afternoon and had a brief chat with Julie on Yahoo Messenger and emailed a few people to let them know that I’m back online.

I am deeply concerned about the increase in my expenditure. Electric and the money I will have to find to top up my rent payment, trouble is that I can’t work until I have my bifemoral angioplasty which now looks like being in June next year now. I do want to get into work next year that is why I am seriously considering volunteering for the credit union. I can learn new skills and help people it would look good on my CV and might help if I really believe I can get a career with the UK Border Agency Immigration service. Okay, since moving I feel mentally stronger but that self-confidence issue is still in the background. Right now I’m going to heat up last night’s curry and eat it in some tortilla wraps and plan the week ahead tomorrow.

Quote for the day:
(Cooking) “When it’s brown it’s done, when it’s black it’s buggered.” Gladys O’Connor (Neé Plant) God bless you Nan.

Sunday December 4.

I slept so well last night despite going to bed late, in fact, I was not long out of the arms of Morpheus when Cliff tapped on the window. I really love it when he visits and brings Sarah and the kids. They bought me some Sunny Delight from Booker’s. I really love my baby Bro. I had previously bought a couple of boxes of chocolates to put in the Candy grabber so the kids were well amused. Cliff had bought me some Sunny Delight from Booker’s, I love my Baby Bro.

I was going to buy some tortilla wraps from Morrison’s when I realised I didn’t have that much cash so into town I travelled and got some cash out of the ATM and went to the Coop. Bargain! Reduced to 57p each, I bought two packs and noted how many they had left, a fair few, Curry wraps are a cheap meal so I was very happy. I dropped into Bond’s briefly to see Steve and Jeff and the rest of my friends before trekking home. I spent the evening catching up and organising my day for tomorrow. I already phoned Ron to stay in touch, I’m happy he is okay.

Evening and I’m going to warm up the curry I made and eat it in some tortilla wraps, take my tablets and take myself to bed. I have a few phone calls to make plus having that crown fitted at the dentists at 3pm , so lots to do but I’ll get through the lot by the end of the day.

Definition for the day:
Crêpe paper: French toilet tissue