The Random Thread

[JoM]

Frank, the first time we went to the States, think I was 18 and of course we had no internet to check things then, we called John's aunty to see what the temperatures were like and according to her Summer was over and it was cold, they'd started wearing jumpers. They're right on the US/Canadian border, and we knew that it gets cold up north in Winter so off we went in September with jumpers and Winter coats in our cases.
It was mid-20s.
I had to be taken to a mall on the first day to buy shorts and t shirts...

[tonicha]

Leave the country leave the benefit behind

The only "benefit" Grumpy gets is his state pension Saundra. He didn't ask for the heating fuel allowance, it was sent for a couple of years.

We don't expect handouts, although we both spend all our working years in the UK. It just annoys me that, because the summer is hot, then it's assumed that we live in a hot country.

[cromwell]

Crikey, just seen the temps for Portugal.

Also been looking at the temps for Lido di Jesolo, Italy, where we spent some happy times on holiday. Below freezing overnight. It's been colder than Yorkshire!

[saundra]

Hooray it's arrived my new hot water bottle in its grey fleece cover
I love my hot water bottle but arrived at a price
My gas electric and phone bill and water bill ho well of to the post office tomorrow

[JoM]

Painful paying those isn't it Saundra
I love a hot water bottle!

Talking of bills, my Dad phoned me on Saturday night in a panic. Could I pop back round as they'd just opened the post and there was a red bill for the final monthly payment of the council tax which he wanted to pay immediately, before the baliffs knocked on the door

When I looked they were giving them 7 days to make the final payment so there wasn't any rush and it didn't have to be paid online which was what he thought, but I did it anyway.
The thing was, the payment was due on the 4th and the letter was sent on the 11th so they'd only been given a week before receiving a red letter.

Annoyingly, Mom said that last year they forgot about February being a 'free' month and still made a payment. Did the council notify them? Did they heck! They realised themselves in March when they remembered that they hadn't got to pay anything that month.

[saundra]

Must be a generation thing jo I worry about paying a bill
Yet I won't do DD very rarely pay online
Older generation cash only but I do use my credit card one line but never at a shop or get cash from a machine

[tonicha]

You know it's cold inside when, with 2 fires going full blast, the cat goes to sleep under a duvet

[JoM]

Must be a generation thing jo I worry about paying a bill
Yet I won't do DD very rarely pay online
Older generation cash only but I do use my credit card one line but never at a shop or get cash from a machine

Mom and Dad are the same, even for cash they go to the counter in the bank

They're usually right on the ball about paying bills on time but they were in the process of having their bathroom ripped out and refitted so were in a mess with that and it slipped their minds.

[JoM]

Had a nice surprise this evening.
I was cooking dinner and had some ironing to put away so off upstairs I went. Just as I got to the top of the second flight I heard the doorbell. If the doorbell goes at around 5 then it's usually a double glazing salesman or a chugger, plus by the time I'd have put the washing down and gone down two flights they'd probably be gone, so I ignored it.

I hung the clean washing up in the wardrobes and headed back downstairs, only to be met by a very excited Billy on the last flight. I thought it was because there was chicken cooking. Went into the kitchen and there was Tom fiddling about with the veg on the hob. It'd been him at the door so he'd come round the back, knowing I'd have the door open if I was cooking and going in and out to the bin.

There's no uni for two weeks so he and his flat mates are all off to Ashbourne in Derbyshire tomorrow. One of the girls comes from there so they're staying at her house until Thursday and he wanted his walking boots.

It was lovely having him drop in and having dinner with us.

[JoM]

Just read that Piccadilly Circus is in darkness. The signs have been switched off so that a new screen can be fitted, and they'll be off until Autumn.