Mundane facts about your day: Part Deux.

staffordjas said:

Ohhh thanks for that , they were lying then. I'll ring now and mention that.

My neighbour received hers about a fortnight before her birthday back in October , listing scheduled payment dates and amounts. She had a part payment and then every 4 weeks in arrears as well.

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EasMid said:

My wife's birthday is next week, she's had a letter this morning advising she'll get her first (part) payment (£120 ish) on Jan 19th then every 4 weeks in arrears. The basic pension is £179.?? per week depending on NI contributions.
P. S. Happy belated birthday @staffordjas.

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Thanks @EasMid Just finally got through to speak to someone after over an hour queuing..... she told me the amount I'm due to get weekly (about £ 166 ) but said couldn't see when payments were due to be paid. She said that I should have had my letter by now (so previous person blatantly lying) and to ring another number to say that I haven't had my award notice.

Finally got through to someone on that other number (after being cut off 3 times. They close at 6pm so mustn't have wanted to take the call).

Apparantly my details haven't been input onto that part of the system for the award notice part ! Aaaaaargh!!!Why do all these blips in peoples systems have to happen to me????

She couldn't see how much I was going to get , but "if the other operator told you that amount , that must be what you are getting . She must have a different screen up to me...." .

So still don't know when payments will be made , and exactly how much.

She has now filled in a form with my name, address etc and sent it to the 'Awards team'.

joshua said:

Why does my doctor need to know my ethnicity?


A: Information about your race and ethnicity helps us make sure we provide the highest quality of care for all patients. Studies show that our racial and ethnic backgrounds may place us at different risks for certain diseases.

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ie, sickle cell anemia, diabetes & heart disease....


Just incase you've morphed, like a chameleon....

Journey back from Barnstaple in the dark. Hit dense fog from Clovelly down to home. Ten miles of nightmarish driving. Why oh why don't they maintain the cats eyes any more. A well worn dim white centre line is close to useless in these condition. Long stretches of the road (A39, primary route into North Cornwall) have no cats eyes whatsoever. What a relief it was when you hit a section with good closely spaced cats eyes, but these were few and far between.
By the time I got home I was shattered.

BobClay said:

Journey back from Barnstaple in the dark. Hit dense fog from Clovelly down to home. Ten miles of nightmarish driving. Why oh why don't they maintain the cats eyes any more. A well worn dim white centre line is close to useless in these condition. Long stretches of the road (A39, primary route into North Cornwall) have no cats eyes whatsoever. What a relief it was when you hit a section with good closely spaced cats eyes, but these were few and far between.
By the time I got home I was shattered.

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How are you these days though @BobClay ? You're miles away from all of us, well hidden in that Nuclear bunker of yours.

BobClay said:

Journey back from Barnstaple in the dark. Hit dense fog from Clovelly down to home. Ten miles of nightmarish driving. Why oh why don't they maintain the cats eyes any more. A well worn dim white centre line is close to useless in these condition. Long stretches of the road (A39, primary route into North Cornwall) have no cats eyes whatsoever. What a relief it was when you hit a section with good closely spaced cats eyes, but these were few and far between.
By the time I got home I was shattered.

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Glad you got home safe , and hope your scan results are good.

BobClay said:

Journey back from Barnstaple in the dark. Hit dense fog from Clovelly down to home. Ten miles of nightmarish driving. Why oh why don't they maintain the cats eyes any more. A well worn dim white centre line is close to useless in these condition. Long stretches of the road (A39, primary route into North Cornwall) have no cats eyes whatsoever. What a relief it was when you hit a section with good closely spaced cats eyes, but these were few and far between.
By the time I got home I was shattered.

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Glad you got home safe x

littleme said:

ie, sickle cell anemia, diabetes & heart disease....

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also cystic fibrosis and some forms of cancer.

Tonight, for the first time since early December, I headed out to my 'other acceptable pub', about three miles away by the main road, which I used. The temperature and the wind were reasonable - and it was open again, having been closed by the landlord's wife being Covid positive (bound to happen, she's the district nurse).

I was actually the first patron through the door, which surprised me, as there appeared to be a familiar car outside. "Is Gerry in?", I asked, knowing that he had had a very mild Covid infection during my absence from the area - "No" - "Mmm, that's his car there isn't it?" - "It looks like it, but I'm not sure of the actual number" - well, it was Clare plate and a silver Corolla, parked in his usual place, so it seemed very likely. Gerry is mid-80s - so I used my key-ring torch to ensure that he wasn't collapsed in the car - no sign. I checked a few nearby bushes and other places where a body might be hidden - nothing. "He might have come in the back way and be talking to Liz in the kitchen?" - that turned out to be a red herring.

Eventually, he appeared, as we were considering escalating the search, having been attracted to a house up the road where some interesting photos had turned up...

Phew!

I had to see a doctor I was unfamiliar once, a few years ago regarding a shoulder injury sustained when falling off a bike.

For some reason he felt that this injury necessitated trying to illicit from me how much alcohol I drank each week. My reply was to ask him how much he drank each week.

It did not go down well. Never seen someone get so shirty about being asked a personal question. He never did get his answer.

My dentist also sees the need to repeatedly try to get totally irrelevant information out of me whenever I go, presenting me with sheet to be filled in, each time, wanting me to state how I 'identify', my sexuality, and how much alcohol I consume.

Well I've got another scan on Wednesday, a nuke scan in Exeter ... but ... this one is booked in in the morning so no night driving, and I've got a mate who's going to take me in .. (last time I had one of these the weapons grade plutonium they inject into you a couple of hours before the scan made me a bit wobbly.)
Then a blood test goes in next week, and the Oncologist talks to me the week after. I figure she'll say one of three things:

1) You seem stable, we'll continue with current treatments.
2) We may have to have you in and zap stuff inside you.
3) Don't start reading any long books.

(Nr 3 is a joke ...... or at least I f****** hope so. )

joshua said:

Why does my doctor need to know my ethnicity?


A: Information about your race and ethnicity helps us make sure we provide the highest quality of care for all patients. Studies show that our racial and ethnic backgrounds may place us at different risks for certain diseases.

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I understand that but why do I need to reconfirm something they've known since I was born?

The question that always makes me laugh is 'Do you suffer from any allergies ?' Now I accept it's an important question for those who know they have allergies, but it always baffles me. I can only answer .. 'not so far' or 'not that I know of.' I've eaten all kinds of things in my travels, I've been bitten and stung by various kinds of bugs, including a double fuselage, multiple winged bee/wasp/alien being type thing when sailing far up the Orinoco River, (when I first saw it I thought it was two insects going for a ticket on the 50 foot high club, as it got closer I realised it was one seriously f****** horrible single flying bug.)

It stung, or bit, or jabbed me on my back, which was all it was ever going to see of me because I was moving close to the speed of light at the time.
There was no other reaction except for a bruised ego.

Could be that far far away in another galaxy there's something I'm allergic to, you know .. lots of teeth ... acid for blood ... a generally unpleasant demeanour .... but I haven't encountered it yet.

Can I also add the staff at Barnstaple Hospital were superb. They kept apologising to me for the delay (the whole thing took about two hours) explaining they were very busy and a bit short staffed. I kept replying with quotes like: 'it's not a problem ... I'm retired ... goodbye tension, hello pension.'

I said no to the allergies question when I had my hysterectomy. Then found out I'm allergic to the silver/ grey metallic type tape they put across my stitches. Told me in future I must mention it.

Strangely, ever since then I've been allergic to even normal micropore tape, even though I wasn't before!

I am beginning to suspect that I'm allergic to Boris f****** Johnson, but I figure that NHS form has that ticked as a fixed answer.

Feeling a bit 'meh', at the moment.... I've not been well which isn't helping, but I also feel a tiny bit useless... For the last 29 years I've had kids in the house that needed me.... Eldest is now 29, youngest is 16....eldest 2 have left home & have their own lives, youngest is 'just' starting on that path... I find that I have less & less to do, less cooking, less care taking, less of everything... For some people this would be great, but for me it's left me feeling a bit 'lost'.... I still cook for 5 people..... How will I manage when there's only 2 of us, I can't even for 3 people? I'm used to 'managing' between 3 & 5 people, time, jobs, cleaning etc.... Again, there will only be me and the carer...

Anyone else feel like this, or have been through this? My work has in the last few years filled the gaps, but I'm less and less interested in work...how do you adapt to such massive changes?

littleme said:

Feeling a bit 'meh', at the moment.... I've not been well which isn't helping, but I also feel a tiny bit useless... For the last 29 years I've had kids in the house that needed me.... Eldest is now 29, youngest is 16....eldest 2 have left home & have their own lives, youngest is 'just' starting on that path... I find that I have less & less to do, less cooking, less care taking, less of everything... For some people this would be great, but for me it's left me feeling a bit 'lost'.... I still cook for 5 people..... How will I manage when there's only 2 of us, I can't even for 3 people? I'm used to 'managing' between 3 & 5 people, time, jobs, cleaning etc.... Again, there will only be me and the carer...

Anyone else feel like this, or have been through this? My work has in the last few years filled the gaps, but I'm less and less interested in work...how do you adapt to such massive changes?

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I sit here of an evening feeling absolutely useless. I can cry at the drop of a hat, before it's hit the floor in fact.
I believe my job on this earth was the nurture my 4 beautiful babies up to adulthood, I might not see 2 of them, but from all accounts I haven't done a bad job there. And eldest and youngest are 2 of the loveliest young men you will ever meet. I too can cook a meal for a big gathering get it bob on, and not blink an eye, but for the 2 of us, I struggle. There's either too much or not enough.
I/You need a hobby, though how either of us will get the time between work etc I don't know.

littleme said:

Feeling a bit 'meh', at the moment.... I've not been well which isn't helping, but I also feel a tiny bit useless... For the last 29 years I've had kids in the house that needed me.... Eldest is now 29, youngest is 16....eldest 2 have left home & have their own lives, youngest is 'just' starting on that path... I find that I have less & less to do, less cooking, less care taking, less of everything... For some people this would be great, but for me it's left me feeling a bit 'lost'.... I still cook for 5 people..... How will I manage when there's only 2 of us, I can't even for 3 people? I'm used to 'managing' between 3 & 5 people, time, jobs, cleaning etc.... Again, there will only be me and the carer...

Anyone else feel like this, or have been through this? My work has in the last few years filled the gaps, but I'm less and less interested in work...how do you adapt to such massive changes?

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You need a bungalow by the sea with a cattery and plant nursery

Little Mr me said:

You need a bungalow by the sea with a cattery and plant nursery

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And a millionaire husband to provide it...

littleme said:

And a millionaire husband to provide it...

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Does a caravan count as a bungalow as its on one level?

Little Mr me said:

Does a caravan count as a bungalow as its on one level?

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No, don't mix me up with that pikey David Essex.

@Glam