Alt.Mustardland

Yes, August has gone, and a nice fresh September has arrived.

Anything can happen and probably will.

eerrrr.... Isn't it "The Ides of March" that Causes anxiety.........?
Hands full of problems at present - I really long for being at work - Life was much easier then.

I'm off now to find somewhere remote to have a good SCREEEEEEEM

We just have to do something to return the ball over the net. It's just a long rally. I sent yet another email to Ofgem today, because there's nobody on the phone on Wednesday afternoon. I think there's someone in their office who got annoyed that I got on to their fraud department "just in case".

I was going to stay with friends this week then realised in conversation that they have no space until the kids go back so I changed my plan until next month. I feel so relieved that now I don't know why I want to go away at all. I do want to see places, meet cousins, catch up with brother and sisters. I think that the Plan is the thing to get me out of bed when I don't really feel like bothering. My money worries are drifting away gradually.

I hope your anxieties gradually dematerialise too. You still have George sitting on the table. I hope your capable social assistant returns to fight your bureaucratic nightmares, and a local hero appears to intimidate your neighbour into compliance. Maybe a chapel of Harleys with their riders.

I missed your last post in the previous month... Nothin' personal: just that I'm overloaded with "a lot on my plate". Not the least of which is that one of my pensions has ceased paying me... Wait for it ... Four months of the last fiscal year (i.e, Apl 4th, this year) and nothing since - I eventually got a promise to pay in Aug .... It is now March... Perhaps I should picket the place - I had a very low opinion of Local Gov when I worked for them - and the payment I am demanding is now in MY OLD OFFICE.

So now they are going to make you wait until March? The only reason they weren't paying it was they thought you were no longer alive. You've proved you are and they Still haven't done anything.

I'm gearing up after a lazy week to go to church tonight, Rosemoor on Tuesday, Lay worship training on Wednesday, receive visitors, parcels and work on Magazine, tidy up for cleaners tomorrow etc etc.

Sorry - still have problems - Local Council (whom I'm also claiming re Citizens Advice), Age Concern, Police... And when I've sorted NHS problem???, - I'll start on my House Insurers Legal paragraph..

NHS problem?,,? Yup - Got a phone call that I missed - By calling back resulted in an answerphone message not to worry. the Hospital will call again... instead a got a letter (dated 1st Sept, recrived on the 5th) telling me that GP wanted some tests URGENTLY, but if I didn't contact them within 7 days, the GP would have to re-order and start again...
Their Phone doesn't get an Answer, so I went to the Hospital and asked if she could rouse the Departmental internal phone - None of their 7 numbers would answer..
I have not dealt with GP for Years but I DID meet his diabetical Nurse in the spring who also DID me to have tests (NOTthe dept re Urgency). I am finding Life MUCH MORE COMPLICATED when I worked (which included The NHS Patient Services* System that the Local Hospital is NOT managing).

* OK, a Government Minister** changed the Name from Patient Services to Patient Advise Liason Services, because P.A.L.S. sounded more "friendly".

** I spoke to him on the phone - He sounded more sensible than I expected.

I had a day out today with the Gardening Club at RHS Garden Rosemoor. 4070 steps on my step counter, and shocked a few people by sitting in the sun and looking a bit poorly. A couple of glasses of water in a shady place restored the balance, but I got lots of sympathy. I wasn't driving so I had to wait until the others were ready to go.

I'm sure it will get a bit more interesting and less frustrating in due course. If you knew who actually wanted your blood it might be easier to go to the right place. I persuaded the people at Ofgem they had all the paperwork they needed and they are going to pay me. I told the girl handling the call that " I need more shoes", and got her on side right away.

Was there enough sun to cause problems? It is certainly not that warm here...

A distant Hospital on Friday, for a Covid tounge-swip before I can go to the REAL Hospital on Monday. .... Must travel by Cab, and stay in the Cab for the test... I think I'd better raid the bank because I don't know how promptly they will keep me waiting.

Hope it all goes well for you.

It was very warm in Great Torrington, Devon. 28 degrees at one point. I wasn't too aware of being any more uncomfortable in the sun than in the shade, but apparently I looked ill. The First Aid team at the gardens were straining at the leash, but all I needed was cold water and/or damp paper towels. I think one of our group was a proper doctor, but off duty. I never know whether I'm being wimpish or stupidly independent for going in the first place. One woman outside got out of her wheelchair, then tripped over one of the footsteps and fell. When she was once again reinsconced we commiserated over the embarrassment of needing aid.

Hi !
Not much to add; Not much Happening.....

......But now that I have retreived Some of my Pension (when I worked in a London Borough), I'll be looking at some domestic maintenance. I'm not getting re-started on some major repairs - new windows and doors - until I can get The local gov to fix the drainage that overflows my gutter downpipes. But I need some jobs done in the interim need in the winter weather *New door sills, leaky windows. etc.

I have to take up Cudgels tomorrow re my lack of pension... For the record - it was stopped when Local Gov (not the Council that pays my Pension) changed the addresses, at the time when my Pension Payer had written to my original address confirming that I was still alive - A missive I never received - thus cessation of Pension? Yes, I have other Pensions, but The Council one has worthwhile increments each April. Thus one of my reasons for organising the CAB. Various ailments have given me sundry Dept of Work and Pensions which were backdated, so I didn't immediately notice the lack of pension.

I reckon they owe me about three-thousand £, but because I don't have their 2021-22 update I don't know the actual amount. I may have mentioned this before, but what hurts is that Person in chargeof Pension Arithmetic is actually in an office that was once mine - 8th Storey, Lynton House looking toward London - (and interesting photo possibility when the sun sets looking down London Road betwixed the tall buildings).

Well you're back from hospital now.

I was favourably impressed by the skills of local handymen, repairing wood, plastic bits and extracting my old washing machine and plumbing it in. All for £10 per hour, though I offered more.

I hope you win soon over your missing pension. I had another go at Ofgem paying my RHI money. They said they'd get round to it soon. I said the squeaky gate gets the most oil.

After yesterday's outing when we played the Israeli National Anthem to finish with, I chased the music for our next venture only to find it straightaway in my inbox as soon as I pressed send. I did feel silly. But I'm not psychic. A friend of mine with very poor eyesight is hassling me over the choir we are re -forming, and other ventures need to be worked on this week to stand a chance of not fizzling out by Christmas.

At times I feel more pressure than when I was at work. There's the Choir, the Orchestra, the Quiz team, the Magazine, Healthwatch, the Wildlife Trust, the Literary Lunch. The truth is there are a few people working very hard indeed, and others just carping and criticising. At least a busy person can procrastinate by doing a different task and still be productive. I began a letter to someone this morning, as a direct procrastination activity. I have two penfriends, one in Germany, and one in the USA who I write to in longhand and purple ink with sealing wax on the outside. They both owe me letters, so I'll have the pleasure of reading their letters before I have to reply.

I discovered today that my misbehaving Kindle was seriously demented and is now being recalled. I have my original one to download to in the meantime. Tomorrow, after I have slept, the foot lady will cut my nails and sand my heels. It's today really, but I'll have a sleep and some breakfast first. I expect Ginger George will be looking forward to his breakfast too.

My Mobile Phone has got a bit sulky,... Sometimes it just lookes at me blankly, until I took it back to vodaphone, whereupon it started...??? On the last attempt it remained silent... The Bloke in the shopwas dubious that it was a "cheap phone" (His shop had sold it to me?) but He needed to see my purchase order before He would repair it. This is odd: It had my phone number on it that the shop new. I neaded the contacts that day (Hospital appoints etc) so it was of no use to me to delay another day to find the documents. So I went to the mender shop and bought a new one - different make. My next move is to transfer the Number to a different supplier.
But .. the new phone is more complicated (albeit plainer), but I'm afraid I have missed a couple of incoming calls (because I couldn't work out quickly enough). So I am now chasing up the missed calls - Hosp appoints and feedback from His Gingerness' Vet who has done some Blood tests Moggy been acting oddly this week). I also realize that I cannot repeat a text message received from GP - I know it is 10.00 until 12.00 tomorrow for a non-appointment innoculation - I don't know if it is 'flu or third Covid - I suppose someone at the GP will know....

I've been away for a few days. I had lots of petrol, nearly enough to get there and back, but got some more to be sure. determined not to fill the tank because it's been cutting out if I fill it. Now I'm back, I still have enough for another week of local journeys. My mobile went off in the orchestra rehearsal with an unauthorised message, ie not in my messaging directory. A merry tune by Handel. Confusing because we were practising a different piece by Handel. I had to take my mobile on the basis of taking a brolly if you don't want it to rain, the car is better at not breaking down if I have my phone.

Moggy been acting oddly? I hope it's nothing serious. I hope your new mobile works better than your old one. The Covid booster will be offered to the deserving soon. I find I'm no longer on the shielding list. I didn't believe I was on it, but stayed away from nightclubs just in case. Any excuse is as good as another.

Hi!
Being "Bus-bound" at the moment the petrol shortagewas not am imediate problem - BUT (life always has a "but") Thhe quesof vehicles at Petrol stations has combined with the Daily closing of the Main roads (to rebuild bridges to widen the Motorway beneath), The more frequent delays giving access to the M25 roads approaching the Roudabouts the Thames Crossing (at least twicea day) crashes/blocking to/from The Kent ports, and Latterly the even longer queue when Protesters block the The M25 sliproads.... are all causing buses to be rerouted unannounced and with no known bus stops.

(Yes, busbound because my cars are in distant "lock-ups" when my rented garages were demoloshed to enlarge this housing area).
My own phone breathed its last - it kept diverting incoming calls to another number that i had on my call list.

Moggy definately unwell. Vet gave him a Blood test that showed a Kidney problem - Renal food is now necessary and get him re-weighed in a few works. The Vet said that Petshops could supply the special brands - They cant - Each of the pet shops are not allowed to to supply vet-instructed food. To my surprise Moggy loves the stuff - I don't belief that one meal of "special" causes instant effect, but he did manage one "100 mph dash" around the house but generally he is still moribund and generally staying in the kitchen - not his bedplace, nor his usual Hangout.
I bought some from the limited stock of the Vet's pharmacy; She believes that whatever medicine it includes it is also given a stronger scent (detected by cats but not by humans). But the nett resuolt is that I'll have to order a month's worth before I squander this months pension (IF it arrives this month) on luxuries - like Human food and heating.....

Pension ...??? well I have different self and employer pensions, one of which is from my former Local (London) Council Job, and I'm encountering all sorts of problems getting it.. Which reminds me - its Last day of the month - I'd better check with Mr Barclay that I have received this months AND a bit more of the backlog.

PS My second Covid was a recent as May, so the six monthsis not yet over, But I did get summoned for my 'flu innoculation for this year. A Long Queue but merely to register very quickly with the reception clerk less than a minute per patient - The actual treatment was rapidly ushered in to the next available innoculater (one in each of the several surgeries) who was ready and waiting and then being disposed of through another exit.

I'm glad your vaccination went well. The traffic and transport in your area seems to be broken. I hope they mend it soon.

My RHI payments arrived last week at last, so now I need to order some shoes. I got home and found my tiny keypad for validating my banking choices had vanished. I phoned and asked for another. They said they'd send another. I found it on the floor in the study this morning. Silly me. It might work still, worth a try. One friend is struggling with the eye hospital trying to blind her in her good eye, and another friend is losing the daughter who has been dying for the last 16 years. I hope she will come back from the brink yet again, but I'm ready to give sympathy if she doesn't.
I have an hour's practice to do and haven't had my supper yet

I'll wait patiently for you to open another thread if you haven't already. I've been on the phone for hours since I started this, and have only just remembered it's the1st October.

Just seen this .... Will catch up soon, But I must put a new Bulb in the light - in daylight.