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Picture of Rich Lanham
Rich Lanham

Hi all, I too use Rapport and have had no trouble lately. I did have £800 taken by some swine somewhere in France but the nice people at Alliance and Leicester or Santander gave me it back, new cards and no problems since. I do check my account regularly all the same. Rich
Dec. 16, 2010 
 
Picture of Stuart Stickler
Stuart Stickler
Sorry guys, haven't had much to say of late, fed up with the cold, SAD's beginning to kick in, wish I could hibernate at this time of year and wake up in the spring, I'm a humbug at Christmas, could have given Scrooge lessons.
 
Personally had no problems as yet  with internet banking, I don't use it! Biggest problem was having pocket picked in the Forbidden City in Beijing last year, apparently it's illegal immigrants from N Korea, but our hotel was most helpful and using the net we had it cancelled within the hour, although getting a replacement proved impossible until we got home, Mastercard International were brilliant, it was good old NatWest who were a waste of time, they insisted on checking each potential collection point seperatly which meant that the further we got from Beijing the longer a replacement card would take to reach us, I could have walked faster.
 
Stu
Dec. 17, 2010 
 
Picture of Stuart Stickler
Stuart Stickler
Snow has fallen, snow on snow!
about three inches in Westward Ho!
 
Which in comparitive terms, judging by the rest of the country, it's missed us again... lol !!!
 
How am I going to manage to work? I won't be able to see the lines !!
Dec. 18, 2010 
 
Picture of Graham
Graham
An interesting range of experiences with banks here! We use credit cards but pay them off before the given date. The Nationwide Flex Account was our foreign one until the end of October as you could put funds up front in sterling and there were no conversion charges to other currencies. Holes in the wall abroad worked well. The blighters caught on and now charges of 2% will be made. Won't use them again! I last had some of my cash stolen from my room in Versailles in 1964. I even slept with the wallet under my pillow. The b****r must have nicked from my wallet when I was in the shower. He took English money only so it was not until I landed at Heathrow that I spotted it!
Around 5 inches of snow here. I have not left the house yet so these were taken through my windows.

Dec. 18, 2010 
 
Afternoon guys,
Three inches of white precipitation here. Very light, fluffy stuff.

I`ve cleared it off the solar panels, and we are now enjoying 70% - 75% output in this wonderful bright sunshine. (so far).

I am relieved to hear that financial problems with cards have been widespread.

It does make you feel violated when it happens, now I know what women feel like when they have been violated .. (lost their cards, not their Virginity ...)

Regards from sunny Timsbury..
Dec. 18, 2010 
 
Picture of Steve Coffin
Steve Coffin
Good evening everybody
 
Overcast here today with light rain.
 
Watching TV with a glass of red, come on Pamela Stephenson!!!
 
Cheers
 
Steve
Dec. 18, 2010 
 
Picture of Graham
Graham
Freezing again tonight. -6 C already. Still a nice mulled wine, a great roast dinner ('er indoors can cook)  and a drop of Greek liquor to round off, who cares? Who is this Pamela Stephenson? Now I remember Pamela Anderson. Any relation?

Dec. 19, 2010 
 
Picture of CHRIS WILTSHIRE
CHRIS WILTSHIRE
Hello alle

I haven't posted anything for ages so I thought I would add nothing useful.

The Pamela Anderson pic has brought blessed blood and warmth flowing back to regions that have shown little activity of late....for that bless e'!

Suffolk -13C last night or at least it was outside this house. Now a sultry -5C. Snow spectacular and I just got the fruitcage netting off before the whole thing collapsed.

Mrs W in full Xmas mode with much punitive Dysoning...laurie Lee said that the vacuum cleaner is the dental drill of marriage!!! .....and me doing just enough to avoid censure (as usual). Got the tree in anyway. So that,s a little pressure off for a moment or so.

Parrotty is thinking about inviting some of the poor garden birdies in for Xmas but I refuse to allow the geese or swans here again...she won't let us eat them and too much poo. So she's pissed off with me.

Do you think the tinybabychildren and their offspring will make it here from Bath?

Relishing the last few hours of unimpeded music/ HIFI playing and listening before life as I prefer it comes to a nasty halt.

God!! I wish I could enter into the spirit of things...am I the onlie grump?

Blessyynngges


Wylltte O' Suffolk


Dec. 20, 2010 
 
Picture of Ken Eynon
Ken Eynon

Hi All, Great to see all the photographs and comments over the months.  The weather in this part of the world is also very up and down, with some snow in the high country. The good thing is that our dams in this area are all full and the water restrictions have eased. Of course the price of water, still remains high.  I have mowed my back lawn more times in the last three weeks than I have in the past 5 years. 

I am not a snow bunny but know many that are, so for the bunnies in the UK, I hope that you are enjoying the white stuff and commiserations to the rest.

I have had a busy time of it lately and there will be no easing up. 

I would Just like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and a very belated Happy Birthday to Sticky, while I have a chance.

For those who are technocrats  (not I) and love the old motor cars, I have scanned an article from a Melbourne newspaper from last week and put the article etc in my photographs.   Hope you like it. Cheers and best wishes Ken

Dec. 21, 2010 
 
Picture of Mike Hallett
Mike Hallett

Christmas Greetings to all!

With Mrs H I visited that den of iniquity (aka Cribb's Causeway) a few days back.  I was let off the hook and allowed to entertain myself with the proviso that my mobile was fully charged and switched on (for those of you who are of a stronger disposition, the mobile phone has become the electronic substitute for a human dog leash in some marital arrangements).  If you who have had the misfortune to visit this temple to consumerism you will know that there are few refuges for those who are terminally averse to shopping. So it was off to the coffee shop in John Lewis - I know, it was a poor call but I took the line of least resistance, having arrived at the centre by the JLP entrance.   If Chris alludes to serious grumpydome one can have one's disposition vigorously massaged by witnessing the ebb and flow of hollow-eye humanity burdened by expensive tat.  Then there's the appalling behaviour and woefully inadequate driving skills (demonstrated particularly by those of the gentler sex who find themselves manoeuvring monolithic 4x4s) in the car park, and worse still at the roundabouts and box junctions.  Why do I allow myself to be badgered into such expeditions?

I doubt whether my experiences are foreign to any of you but if there's anything to start Christmas off on the wrong foot it's a visit to an out of town mall.  My view is that if you can't buy it the local village shops then forget it.  The bills will be less, wear and tear on the car, minimal, no bridge tolls and no raised blood pressure avoiding the idiots who clearly believe that highways were made for them and them alone - no, make it a new year's resolution to treat these places like plague colonies and act accordingly.

 

Hey ho,

 

Have a good one

 

 

Mike

Dec. 21, 2010 
 
Picture of Stuart Stickler
Stuart Stickler
Season Greetings to all you Ebenezeers out there, families, shopping trips, Chelsea tractors et al. non withstanding, I don't like Christmas either. I had a day off week before last, the idea being to get a long weekend at home before the "festivities" start, so what happens 'er indoors whines on about how we've still got presents to buy for my cousin, with whom we are spending Christmas by the way, in Essex, a place and a journey I hate with a passion, as much as I like my cousin it beats me as to why they live in such a soulless place, South Essex between the A13 and Thames Haven Chris, not rural Essex which ain't too bad. I digress, my day off decends into a trip to Exeter for that last bit of essential shopping, actually didn't manage to get a present for my cousin, bought myself a couple of nice CD's and a couple of DVD's, (Calexico and Robert Plant CD's, Steve), and Leonard Cohen Live in London and a Chinese epic for the DVD's, then after a very nice lunch we came home.
So far the weather has largely missed us, we have had a couple of spells of snow, 3 inches early Saturday and another couple of inches Monday morning, but compared to the rest of the country this has been mild, North Devon's been cut off a couple of times but that's because of the high ground in the rest of the county.
Still not all doom and gloom, departments Christmas dinner today, so not much work done this afternoon, actually no work done this afternoon. Off to Essex on Thursday, be able to listen to crap music and watch ancient films for the duration of the holiday.
Can't think of anything else to whinge about so I'll go, Happy Christmas to everyone, ......Bah Humbug!!!!!!!
 
Stu
Dec. 21, 2010 
 
Picture of John Stickland
John Stickland
Hi All.
First of all, apologies for not having partaken lately, but I have been to Ireland again.
We went at short notice at the beginning of last week and returned on Thursday / Friday just keeping ahead of the snow all the way back, lucky really!
Nice to hear from both Ken and Chris again. Thanks for the write up on the Hampnett car, Ken, very interesting. Also, thanks for the birthday wishes. Glad things are going well in Aus with the water etc.
Good to hear all are well in Suffolk, Chris, and that Parrotty is OK even if a bit miffed with her Lord and Master. Don't know what to make of the pin up photo, what ever possessed the woman, I s'pose its what is known as growing old disgracefully.
I agree totally with your comments Mike and Stu, re the shopping experience. It's hellish. Unfortunately mine doesn't even let me off on the mobile phone 'Leash', being as she suffers from 'Duck's disease' she drags me along to get stuff off the high shelves in the supermarkets etc.
For the uninitiated the condition of DD means her arse is too near the ground.
Have a good time in Essex, Stu, although from what I know of it the two are mutually exclusive. I used to visit a customer at Greys, once I'de been there I realised just how it came by its name. Probably the most depressing place on earth. Having to pass through Dagenham to get there didn't help.
Sorry, I'm rambling again!
Anyhow, have a good Christmas, all, and try not to dwell on the preamble too much.
Have fun.
Sticky.
Dec. 22, 2010 
 
Picture of Graham
Graham
Good to have been part of the ramblings for a while now. 'er indoors calls this my 'Twitter' whatever that is! She has excelled with early internet shopping, so I can say I have never visited a Mall, let alone Cribb's Causeway. I did venture to the Co-op in Corsham yesterday, but partly as I wanted to check out the junk in Granny's Attic (a second hand shop) nearby! Even the Christmas meat just arrived (7.45am!) from Donald Russell in a huge TNT truck. Not sure what exotic choice she has. It was Kangaroo one year!! We are sorted, except for a potential journey to Cambridge on Boxing Day. The kids gave me a 'brick' mobile phone around 1996 but Judy grabbed it and has now progressed to a minute little thing that I cannot even see the screen on. Her slightly bigger 'cast off' goes in the car 'pay as you go' but I usually 'forget' to take it with me when I get out and have only used it about six times now. (Two of these events were a minor car crash by my daughter who needed back-up, and when Judy had a detached retina and the optician got her into Bristol Eye Hospital and treated within 24 hours). Who says the NHS is crap? Good to have raised the blood levels of some readers, even if the subsequent image reminds one of mortality!
         Christmas! Now there is a subject for a retired headmaster. I cannot believe my luck at being out of it for 13 years now. Xmas started about late September in school. Plans for plays, concerts, parties, staff jollies, decorations etc. As half term arrived the rehearsals were well underway and carols resounded around the hall each practice. By end of November the decorations were going up and endless distractions, and many evenings were consumed with events. At end of term I was taking down the decorations and disposing of the 30 foot tree (provided by the local Gypsies [don't ask the source- thanks Lord Methuen]). Here I never did anything until then so my kids eagerly awaited my arrival home to put up the tree etc. One year that was Christmas Eve (just like it was when I was a kid). I really got abused when Safeway donated a fully decorated tree (collapsible!) to the school one year and I brought this home. I was so pleased to have done that job in five minutes from arrival! Scrooge has nothing on me!! Anyway all is in the past and one day I will find that pagan desert island for the festive season. Until then enjoy Beltane or whatever and I post a festive picture of my attempts nowadays (hypocrite that I am) to curry favour with the family! Thanks for the company chaps, and have a good one.


Dec. 22, 2010 
 
Picture of Mike Hallett
Mike Hallett
Graham I think you've got it about right.

Having just bailed out of the secondary sector after 33 years I was approached by the head of a local primary school inviting me to be a governor in order to "fill some of that spare time you now have".  Never having been known to refuse a request from a very pretty face I blindly agreed thinking that my commitment would be the odd meeting and a chat with Ms OFSTED every two years or so.  Well in the last week (apart from juggling some stats on CVA) I've attended and taken part in two end of term concerts, video edited the "Christmas with the Aliens" show, shortlisted applicants for a LSA post and helped to take down pinned scenery, cardboard rockets and tens of yards of black mesh that some bright spark on the staff thought would make one of the Alien scenes more spooky.  Still the looks on the kids made faces made it all worth while. However, Graham, as a head I suspect that the novelty wears off fairly rapidly.

Hitting the Teachers' Pension fund has its compensations!

Mike

Dec. 22, 2010 
 
Picture of Graham
Graham
Mike (whoops!), Your last two comments, put the job in perspective! Seeing the kids enjoying themselves (and most adults linked in [except some staff!]) was my motivation, and still has some nice feedback when I go shopping in Corsham where I worked for 10 years, but the index linked pension has its compensations too!! A headteacher with a pretty face? It must be a bloke? I declined to join the board of the local village school. 5 regular governors' (sub-committees) or PTA meetings a month was enough when I had to!! The system survived without me and I saved several hundred trees that would have reached me as red tape!! Nothing new under the sun. I still have my Nativity script of 'The Space Baby' performed in Hullavington Village Hall in 1984! Silver sprayed plastic commercial detergent bottles made great Cyberman masks! One old villager asked me, "Are you taking Christmas seriously?" No answer to that!!
Dec. 23, 2010  (Edited Dec. 29, 2010)
 
Picture of Mike Hallett
Mike Hallett

ERRATUM re last minute shopping in village stores

 

This a.m. visited said local store for some paracetemol.   Conflict was brewing between two late shoppers over the last bottle of a particular malt.  Raised voices and a rather less than seasonal exchange of views expressed by both. Perhaps there is merit in patronising a shop with more stock!


Mike

Dec. 24, 2010 
 
Merry Christmas to you all and a Happy New Year.
Dec. 25, 2010 
 
Picture of Mike Hallett
Mike Hallett
The same to you Francis and all others

Mike
Dec. 25, 2010 
 
Picture of Rich Lanham
Rich Lanham

A Happy New Year to one and all. I hope no one's suffering with hangovers etc. Rich
Dec. 26, 2010  (Edited Dec. 26, 2010)
 
Picture of John Stickland
John Stickland
Hi all.
Hope everyone had a splendid Christmas with lots of toys. Not too over indulgent I trust and all are feeling tickety boo.
Happy New Year to all.
Sticky.
Dec. 26, 2010 
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