Felt like a Scam!!

 Have you heard of a firm called Complete Savings, they are a finance firm based in Switzerland? No? Neither had I till one day last week, when I bought some tulip bulbs on line from a firm I have used before. I always check my credit card, when I buy something to make sure it was all ok..... it was fine, except there was an amount of  £18 pending, for Complete Savings, with the same date?

I looked them up and was horrified to see it was a monthly fee for a 'cash back' scheme! There was an article by Martin Lewis, the money expert, who explained what it was. Evidently its linked to certain firms when you buy from them on line. Not illegal but sneaky! He's  had loads of complaints about it and had  taken down their advertisments, however it was still linked to some firms. It offered cash back, but failed to state it had a monthly fee of £18!

Well I certainly hadn't sign up for that, so quickly phoned my CC company to stop it,  but because it was still only pending they couldn't block it, but would refund my money and block it should it attempt to take any more money.

I looked up Complete Savings and sent them an email, cancelling and asking for my money back. I had the usual standard reply, they had received my mail etc.. but I had signed my mail C. with my surname and their post said, Dear Christine! That got my back up, because it meant it had my details, how??

There was a phone number so phoned and was really surprised when it was answered right away.. and have you guessed, English was not his first language.. he shot off giving me the spiel of the benefits of me taking their cash back offer. So fast I had to shout STOP! Then said I didn't want it, I wanted my money back, repeating it like a needle stuck in a record groove.

He persisted all very calmly, and politely and quietly.. but I carried on repeating I didn't sign up for it and I wanted my money back. He kept saying it was a good firm, based in Switzerland, so I asked is that where you are speaking from, guessing it wasn't from his accent.. he was in the Philippines!!!

I got it cancelled and my money back, but I did asked when was I supposed to have signed up for it.. July 2025 when I bought some books from W H Smiths! Over a year ago!

So beware and check you CC regularly.. £18 ?? could have been going out of my account every month if I hadn't checked. 

Chrisxx

Winter already???

What a difference in the days this week. Friday was wet, cold and windy, a real winter day, I'd got a winter dress ready Thursday evening for our early morning SW group meeting. However I forgot I might want to wear pop socks, having been bare legs all summer, also I changed my mind about my cardi, so I left the bedroom with shoes everywhere and the bed strewed with cardis, what a mess.

I wore some Hotter shoes, thinking I hadn't seen these for a while, but they were fine over my thick socks going, but coming home they were 'hell' no wonder I'd forgotten them, I'd never worn them, they were so uncomfortable. ! So I need to polish up my faithful black shoes.

I knew I'd lost weight as we always weight at home before go and usually at SW we are a pound less, but winter weight clothes gave me a plus half, so I was very pleased.

I was ready to take the hit with winter clothes, I'd rather be warm than get pneumonia!!

Fridays are such a challenge, leaving the house at 9:00am is not easy, and I always think back to my working days, when I left for work at 7:20 am, how did I do that? In winter it was dark when I left for work and dark driving home.

Thank goodness I'm retired, its wonderful! Did you have to leave for work early in the morning. 

Chrisxx

A Favourite.

 'Its been my experience, that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly you will. Of course, you must have a sunny soul and not mind a bit of rain here and there... for rain can only bring a rainbow. And no one can help loving a rainbow!'

This was said by Anne of Green Gables.

And who wouldn't believe Anne of Green Gables!

 I read the book when young and saw the first TV serialised version with  Kim Braden 1978, and she was perfect for me with a natural Canadian accent, being Bernard Braden's daughter. 

I watched it with my daughter, then 14 yrs, both of sniffing at certain times, it was very emotional, but we loved it.

Happy times. One of my favourite childhood books..do you have one?

Chrisxx

Oh Dear!

 Not all blogs are back to normal and new posts of some are still not showing up on my side bar. And some that I loved have stopped, 'Jabblog,' Jan hasn't written for weeks,  hope she is alright, Marie from 'Island Musings' for months, since writing that her husband had been taken ill, so that sounded awful, Djan, 'Eye on the Edge' has stopped since her partner died and  'Down to Earth' decided to stop blogging months ago, and lovely Joanne, 'Cup on the Bus' has died..  whole load of changes in the blog land we know.

They are all part of the blog world I have come to know and love. And it has made me feel sad for them all. I can't remember why I wanted to be part of blogging, and these days I don't have the same enthusiasm I used to have.

Needless to say, yes I'm feeling down. I gained weight this week, I know why, altho we have our food delivered, if we forget something, we pop out.  Sometimes it is disastrous and we are tempted and give in to buy cake, altho' this time it was a Chelsey Bun, luxury yoghurts and Currant loaf!! And we ate all in the past week. Now I regret it and feel miserable. 

So why do I do this.. years go I decided I was drinking too much and I would stop. And I did, and I did drink a lot every evening. How did I do that? I don't drink any alcohol these days as it affects my bladder and the burning pain is very unpleasant. So why can't I get my eating under control. 

Both Dh and myself have decided this is it!! But don't hold your breath for me! However there is no rubbishy stuff in the house, so that's a good start!! 

Chrisxx

Dame Esther Rantzen

 

Announced this evening the death of Esther Rantzen, She fought for assisted dying, but it never got passed by Parliament.

We loved her in her TV programme, That's Life and from it came the introduction of Child Line in 1986.

An amazing person who wanted the best for everyone.

Chrisxx

Sunshine, a walk and a talk.

 I felt so old yesterday, lack of sleep had pushed  me into that awful feeling of old age is 'B' awful.

Aches, pain, a bladder problem and insomnia doesn't make life easy. Since we moved here, 5 years ago now, I've not seen my daughter, as it is an awfully long way. I think that's what compounded my mood as its her birthday this weekend. 

Suddenly I've really felt old. I had wobbly coming out of our walk in shower. I felt unstable and we talked about a grab bar at the entrance. Then yesterday I realised  that I was stepping too far from the edge of the shower, moved nearer and the stepping out was fine. 

The sun was shining, so Dh said... 'lets go for a walk and go by the harbour for a decaff coffee this afternoon.'  Along the Eastern Prom, where it has been surfaced is excellent for walking, all very flat and even paving, gold in colour and is being called 'the yellow brick' road. 

And so we did, parking half way along so it wasn't so far to walk. And we sat facing the harbour with our coffees. A gentleman came and sat at the next table and we spent a very pleasant half hour chatting. He had lived for a while on a narrow boat, so he had some interesting tales to tell.

When we got home, I felt really cheered up. It was just what I needed and we had lamb chops for our evening meal. Perfect end to what turned out to be a lovely day after all. 

Chrisxx

Calm to sleep.

 I think I've said before I have trouble sleeping. What is awful about the lack of sleep is that it steals my days and some days I have little or no energy, so fail to do anything. 

However I've come across this.....

10 Things to tell yourself before sleeping.

I did my best today and that's enough.

I am allowed to rest without guilt.

Tomorrow is a fresh start.

I am grateful for all the little moments of joy today.

I release all thoughts that no longer serve me.

I am safe, I am loved, I'm at peace.

My body and mind deserve deep rest.

I trust that all is unfolding as it should.

I let go of all stress and welcome calm.

Breath deeply and sleep.

Chrisxx

7 to 70 UP!

  I see blogs are up the spout again, which is a real pesk and the reason I gave up my other blog, and this craft blog changed to news items.

                                                   *****

Have you been watching this programme, first started in 1964 when all 12 were seven years old.

I first saw the first episode in 1979 when I was doing my Degree in Education and I've seen most of the other episodes since then.

In a way it was prejudicial, as there were 8 boys and 4 girls. 3 of the girls went to a Comprehensive in East London, and the 4th was a poor little rich girl! Of the boys, three were in a private school and came over as very upper class and snobbish.

Nick the young lad who was a farmer's son and started his school life in a one class school, became Nuclear Scientist and a lecturer in an American Anniversary. Sadly he had developed throat cancer and asked to speak for the year 70 Programme before the programme, and died three days after.

Listening to them in the first of the final episodes, what came across to me, were the regrets in their lives, as well as the joys of their achievements.

It is well worth watching and made me go through my life every 7 years to remember what I did.

If you think of your own lives, you might be surprised when you look at it every 7 years as to what you've done.

Chrisxx

REMEMBER!

 25 Years, since the horrendous attacks in America.. I don't think anyone reading about it this week, could not be moved by the loss of so many lives. 2977 ordinary every day citizens gone just like that.

I was teaching in a school in Billericay, so didn't know what had happened until the Head rang the school bell to summoned us to the Staff room just after 4:00pm We were advised to go home, as there were messages that London could be next.

Like everyone else when I saw it on  TV I found it hard to believe it to be real, and not a film. It was unbelievable, one thing I've always wondered how did the terrorists plan such a clever coordinated attack.. This must have been planned for months before by someone or more, who were very clever.

So to people today who complain about CCTV, Police Stops  and Strict Laws, which to some impinge on an individual's way of life, its all there to protect you and me.

Because then there were the London bombings in 2005, more lives lost, more heart ache and more restrictions and check ups where ever you went.

School trips to London for us stopped and people were scared.

Such a dreadful time for everyone.

Chrisxx 

Visitors and a SW meal.

We have had visitors yesterday afternoon. My son, Jonathan and his wife, Jenni, who live in W. Wales but always have have a long weekend here in Porthcawl in their motor home, this time of the year.

Jenni asked, were we having a SW meal because she is at her Target weight.. so it was SW air fryer chips and chicken.

I had a baked potato as that's my favourite with lots of lettuce. Dh had also done roasted baby tomatoes, cucumber in ginger and coleslaw. We also had some of our chutney and they took a jar home with them.

We had fruit with Greek yogurt and honey, for a desert altho, Jonathan had Honey Comb ice cream!!

It was lovely chatting and Dh did us proud with all the cooking.

So we kept to the SW food plan as we both had a good weight loss, me 2 lbs!

Chrisxx

(Food pics are from the book)