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Mundane facts about your day...
- Thread starter Jonah
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Mudgie
Well-Known Forumite
I passed through early one Sunday morning in February 2018 when the line from Oxford to Banbury was closed for engineering work and then changed at Haddenham and Thane Parkway for a northbound train.
I noticed that the "Bicester Village" sign on the platform was bilingual suggesting that the shopping centre ( it's NOT a "village" ) earns a great deal from Japanese shoppers as well as those cockeneeeees travelling up from London.
Southall is probably the only other bilingual sign I've seen on an English railway station.
Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
Bilingual station name plates are not unknown where I currently am.
Does Bicester actually have bilingual station name plates? I don't see a picture of one, just helpful signage like this.
It looks more intended for Chinese visitors than Japanese ones, but it would be helpful for them also.
Also, Arabic has been added here.
Presumably foreigners have better vision?
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Noah
Well-Known Forumite
Isn't there a Shit Towns website or facebook page? Think you can nominate your town and say why.
Mudgie
Well-Known Forumite
I don't know but nearly twenty years ago "Crap Towns" books were published by the idler magazine.
Wolverhampton was, unfairly I think, included though I can't quite remember what the "stench" from Banks's Brewery was likened to.
Mudgie
Well-Known Forumite
Maybe Chinese rather than Japanese but it was the same size as "Bicester Village" on the platform sign.Bilingual station name plates are not unknown where I currently am.
View attachment 10549
Does Bicester actually have bilingual station name plates? I don't see a picture of one, just helpful signage like this.
It looks more intended for Chinese visitors than Japanese ones, but it would be helpful for them also.
Also, Arabic has been added here.
Presumably foreigners have better vision?
I didn't notice direction signs like that.
staffordjas
Well-Known Forumite
After my NHS App taking 5 hours for it to recognise my scanned face as the same as the passport photo page, then taking 30 hours for them to confirm my ID the other week, I was dreading doing hubbys this morning on the same cheapo spare phone....dug out his passport ready but didn't even need it. All it asked was could they use his medical records as ID , I clicked 'yes' and he was all set up on it in less than a minute ! Didn't even need to scan his face.
Son got his set up in less than 5 minutes whilst on the phone to me last week ,including scanning driving licence , facial scan and getting confirmation of ID back .
Still....I thought at least I was all set up after all that hassle , and had actually got into it the other day and seen all my medical records etc on it ok.
Went to look at mine again today .......Now saying I couldn't access it as my medical records now don't match up , so had to confirm which emails and phone numbers to use, as shows GP records had ancient obsolete ones on as well as present correct ones .
Need to get rid of those old lurking details once and for all , but I've repeatedly kept checking which ones they have, and they've quoted correct ones each time , despite me not receiving the text messages they have supposed to have sent about flu and covid jabs .
Then last thursday , when a different receptionist checked the number to send me a texted link to , to upload a photo for the doctor, she managed to quote an old obsolete mobile number from my very first mobile, which was still lurking on their system. So obviously all my texts have been sent to that one instead .
And the NHS App ID confirmation was sent to an obsolete email (luckily still on the laptop and accepting the odd incoming emails) despite GP records showing present correct one, which GP surgery uses monthly for repeat prescriptions , appointments etc. and I'd used that correct email setting up the NHS App.
Any blips in these computer systems seem to be seeking out my name!
Supposed to be being contacted sometime soon about a minor surgery appointment being arranged by the doctor....
Son got his set up in less than 5 minutes whilst on the phone to me last week ,including scanning driving licence , facial scan and getting confirmation of ID back .
Still....I thought at least I was all set up after all that hassle , and had actually got into it the other day and seen all my medical records etc on it ok.
Went to look at mine again today .......Now saying I couldn't access it as my medical records now don't match up , so had to confirm which emails and phone numbers to use, as shows GP records had ancient obsolete ones on as well as present correct ones .
Need to get rid of those old lurking details once and for all , but I've repeatedly kept checking which ones they have, and they've quoted correct ones each time , despite me not receiving the text messages they have supposed to have sent about flu and covid jabs .
Then last thursday , when a different receptionist checked the number to send me a texted link to , to upload a photo for the doctor, she managed to quote an old obsolete mobile number from my very first mobile, which was still lurking on their system. So obviously all my texts have been sent to that one instead .
And the NHS App ID confirmation was sent to an obsolete email (luckily still on the laptop and accepting the odd incoming emails) despite GP records showing present correct one, which GP surgery uses monthly for repeat prescriptions , appointments etc. and I'd used that correct email setting up the NHS App.
Any blips in these computer systems seem to be seeking out my name!
Supposed to be being contacted sometime soon about a minor surgery appointment being arranged by the doctor....
Cue
Well-Known Forumite
Presumably for the same reason the Lindt shop is so popular: you can get stuff you can’t as easily get elsewhere (like all those obscure flavours), plus pick-and-mix brings out the child in us and you can get exactly the mix you want.
Lego have a cracking pick-a-brick, you can also ask management for single colour boxes
staffordjas
Well-Known Forumite
After our only shower breaking down on Thursday, and having to wait until Tuesday ( hopefully) for new one to be fitted...
Washing machine , which has not long been repaired with a new pump a few weeks ago, has now conked out again.
After unanswered calls to several local repair guys and local suppliers , rang a shop in Stoke. Lovely sounding man coming to fit a shiny new one , and take the old one away on Wednesday .
Now got the car in the garage surrounded by clothes maids dripping with clothes rescued from the machine and rinsed by hand.
Can't believe that is how we survived for a few years when we first got married. Not used to an automatic at home anyway ( my parents had a single tub washer & mangle) I used to wash everything by hand in the sink , wrung out , and relied on it drying on the outside line. We didn't even have a clothes maid in those days. Thought we were doing well when we managed to scrape enough money together, after paying mortgage & bills, to buy a second hand twin- tub. Pure luxury for us those days
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I'd be happy for one of those at the moment , between now and Wednesday!
Washing machine , which has not long been repaired with a new pump a few weeks ago, has now conked out again.
After unanswered calls to several local repair guys and local suppliers , rang a shop in Stoke. Lovely sounding man coming to fit a shiny new one , and take the old one away on Wednesday .
Now got the car in the garage surrounded by clothes maids dripping with clothes rescued from the machine and rinsed by hand.
Can't believe that is how we survived for a few years when we first got married. Not used to an automatic at home anyway ( my parents had a single tub washer & mangle) I used to wash everything by hand in the sink , wrung out , and relied on it drying on the outside line. We didn't even have a clothes maid in those days. Thought we were doing well when we managed to scrape enough money together, after paying mortgage & bills, to buy a second hand twin- tub. Pure luxury for us those days
. I'd be happy for one of those at the moment , between now and Wednesday!
staffordjas
Well-Known Forumite
I like getting mine out on the line as well. Just use the tumble drier to finish them off sometimes. These towels are a bit too dripping to put in the tumble drier at the moment (hands too bad at the moment to wring out as I used to years ago) . Hoping for drier weather tomorrow to get them out on the line, rather than pools of water on the garage floor. Luckily had washed up to date last night.
Decided to get a Dominoes Pizza in for a change tonight
Decided to get a Dominoes Pizza in for a change tonight
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
We'd heard...
Noah
Well-Known Forumite
As you've mentioned Lego, a father & daughter team have made a replica of the Sutton Hoo helmet in Lego. Full size, wearable (just) and made of over 1000 bricks, They are trying to get support on LEG0 Ideas for it to be produced as an official set.
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/9814c72b-2748-43d8-a318-951f13f771e7
Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
I avoided mentioning avian issues yesterday, due to @Cue's ongoing pigeon trauma, and because I wanted to see what happened today.
I've had the Venetian blind in the Shed window drawn up for the last couple of weeks, in order to increase the level of solar gain, but I had to spend a while yesterday assisting a Swallow who was confused by the lack of exit potential that the window offered, having popped in to clear the Shed's airspace. He was eventually sent back about his business successfully. I have now resolved to keep the blind dropped, at least on days when the door may be open, to present a 'grid' across the window, as an indication that it is not a viable route.
Of more initial concern was the complete absence of the Robin population. Normally, I am under total surveillance at all times - the house has three exterior doors and, should I open one of them, a sentry is waiting expectantly. Yesterday, there was nobody around at all - all the other birds were going about their business as usual, but no Robins. This was beginning to look like there could be a serious issue going on - possibly related to the puking-up incident?
Then, on the stroke of 3pm, they all appeared, as though nothing had happened.
Today, all is 'normal'.
Perhaps they just had a day out?
The previous night had been wet and this may have led to an increase in alternative food supplies, but they generally don't let this affect the training schedule that they impose on me.
I've had the Venetian blind in the Shed window drawn up for the last couple of weeks, in order to increase the level of solar gain, but I had to spend a while yesterday assisting a Swallow who was confused by the lack of exit potential that the window offered, having popped in to clear the Shed's airspace. He was eventually sent back about his business successfully. I have now resolved to keep the blind dropped, at least on days when the door may be open, to present a 'grid' across the window, as an indication that it is not a viable route.
Of more initial concern was the complete absence of the Robin population. Normally, I am under total surveillance at all times - the house has three exterior doors and, should I open one of them, a sentry is waiting expectantly. Yesterday, there was nobody around at all - all the other birds were going about their business as usual, but no Robins. This was beginning to look like there could be a serious issue going on - possibly related to the puking-up incident?
Then, on the stroke of 3pm, they all appeared, as though nothing had happened.
Today, all is 'normal'.
Perhaps they just had a day out?
The previous night had been wet and this may have led to an increase in alternative food supplies, but they generally don't let this affect the training schedule that they impose on me.
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