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)

Is this really me??

 Our holiday at home resulted in us both having a 2 1/2 pound weight gain. So this week, not only have I kept strictly to the SW food plan, I have been walking.

And I have walked in a big way! I've walked, Saturday nearly a mile and Sunday, then a mile on Monday, and on Tuesday, so Radiant B, came into use! My little legs were aching yesterday, and was I tired, especially as I slept badly.. When I was in the Hairdressers, in the afternoon,  I could have slept while she was blow drying my hair!

But the weight gain has got me walking, something I used to hate. I don't look like the pic above, because I walk with my 

Rhett Butler!

I love this, altho' some people think you look old using them, it gives me confidence and keeps me upright and with it I can walk and I do! Do you walk?

Chrisxx

All done and enough for family too!

 We prepared all the ingredients on Saturday afternoon. I peeled the tomatoes, took for ever, even with hot water!

Dh peeled and chopped the apples and onions. We have one of those chopper thingies, which I bought for him!(He likes kitchen gadgets as a gift!)

So all in with the vinegar, it was left to marinate over night.

We added the ginger, salt, spices on Sunday afternoon and it simmered away, permeating our bungalow with the delicious smells!

And, here it is in jars waiting for labels. 8 in total, but they are all different sizes.

 

It will be very tasty with cold meats and a strong cheese!

But I shall restrain myself being on a food plan to lose weight, altho' it is no worse than any bought chutney.

We loved cooking together again in the kitchen!

If you want to try it, the ginger packs a punch!

Chrisxx

Back to normal.

It's back to normal here, after the summer and our 'holiday at home,' last week, and so it was SW first thing. I struggled to get out of bed and shower, as we leave the house around about 9 o'clock.

If we leave it later, we can't get a parking space near the hall and joke, we have to park in Cowbridge!

I struggled to walk to the hall, having walked yesterday after several days inside. My leg muscles were aching! So I'd better get back to normal and walk every day.

We both had a gain, so a back to normal lunch was soup!

And after lunch, the tidy bed looked so comfortable, I went for a lie down to read and after a few pages I went out like a light!

Gosh I was tired, apart from Sunday right, when we were both shattered, I've not slept well all week. I guess my tiredness had built up over the week.

So I best get back to normal bed time of 10 o'clock!

    Summer is over for me, what about you?

Chrisxx

Autumn is the time for chutney!

 So here we are September 1st! I don't know how you feel that it's Autumn, but I feel cheated.. Summer was so hot, we didn't really enjoy it.  We hardly sat outside, or even walked too far, it was just too hot. 

One thing we realised over the weekend with the 'Girls' here, we no longer have any chutneys. So as we have a lot of tomatoes and cooking apples, I thought a Tomato and Apple chutney would be nice to make and easy. 

So we will at the weekend as I had to order some pickling spices.

The pic is just for show...

My recipe is....

3lb tomatoes, 3lb cooking apples, 1lb onions, 1lb Muscavado sugar.

3/4 pint Malt vinegar.

1/4 oz pickling spices tied in a muslin bag, 1/2 oz Salt, 3/4 oz ground ginger.

Peel and finely chop apples, tomatoes, onions.

Put all ingredients into a large pan and stir and gently bring to a boil with spices in the bag.

Simmer gently for about 2 hours.

Remove spices bag and pour into warm dry jars and seal.

This makes about 6 1/2 pounds.

It is delicious with cold meats, cheese or just a hunk of bread!

Enjoy!

Chrisxx

Time Flies

These are Dh's twin daughters.. they visited us over the Bank Holiday weekend with their husbands and each have a child, but don't want their children in the internet, so I respect their wishes. 

 

They didn't stay with realizing we can't cope with that these days, but we met up and they ate some meals here. 

It was lovely but we are shattered and taking it very slow the rest of the week! Now approaching 36 years, they were 16 when their dad and I married, so I won't lie, but there were some 'air clearing' moments!

Chrisxx

Goodbye Dolly.

 

                             Chrisxx

Still some colour.

We do have some colour in our garden and  these larger Michaelmas daisies have survived!

And this lily has bloomed too but sorry I can't think of its name!

There are dahlias and Asters and some self seeded Nicotiana, so not all are dead.

Our tomatoes are ripening at last and we've had some Greek Salad meals with them and there were delicious!

Amazingly this little frog has lived between the tomato pots all through the hot summer months.

Our front pots are looking very pretty.

We've had all our hedges cut this week they had grown too tall, so we've had them cut by 8cm.. and they needed it.

But the garden is dry and we've lost some really pretty plants, but there's always next year!

I've tried not to get despondent about the garden, but it is very big love of mine and I could cry when I look at the dried up shrubs. Dh has watered the pots every night so they are still looking alright. And that self seeded California Poppy is still flowering!! So that's what I'll sow next year too!

How has your survived?  And we've had rain, at last!

Chrisxx

Panic!!

 We had the Nationwide alert this evening on our phones and the message came through all in Welsh!! Well, yes we're attempting to learn Welsh, but we're only just starting our 3rd year.. Oh heck what does it flipping well mean??

We recognised one of the leading words, 'gan' It's a fire alert I said, then reading through we recognised the names of towns.. I quickly switched on my laptop and searched for 'Alert' and there it was AB advising the dangers of open fires etc and  then again the Alert came through this time in English!! Phew! 

I can well understand why people in WW2 felt panicky when the Sirens sounded warning about air raids. 

So our new Prime Minister, Andy Burham has spoken to the Nation!

Gosh that sound did make us feel panicky.

What did you think?

Chrisxx

Falling!

 Ugh!! I'm not usually afraid of spiders but don't go out of my way to love them!

Yesterday I nearly did what I always dread, over balancing in the bathroom while in the 'nud!

I keep my shower cap hanging on the side of the towel rail, I picked it up and went to put it on and this little fella, (or one like it)  fell out down on to my boob!!

I screamed and went to jump back and over balanced and nearly fell. I don't know how I did it, but I managed to grab the basin and kept upright.

Dh came rushing in and put his arms around me. He thought I'd tripped on the bath mat, and had quite a fright. When I said it was a spider, he just smiled. I had to shout,  'it fell on to my boob.'

'Cheeky thing,' he said.

I did have a dreadful fright and now  will check inside my shower cap, each time,  before going to put it on! I'm sure you'd have had a fright too?

Chrisxx

Back!!

 Its lovely to see plums on our Victoria plum tree. we had a few last year,  but this year its loaded. We shall just eat them altho if there is enough, I wouldn't mind making some Spiced Plum Jam with walnuts, a favourite of mine.

I've pulled up my big girl pants and got on with things by cleaning, and sorting out some clothes and shoes for the charity shop. In fact the shoe 'grave' yard under my chair in the bedroom was my first task! Nine pairs all tried on and discarded for one reason or another and gathering dust! Some went back into the bottom of my wardrobe, some out and new bought and never worn in the bag for the charity shop! And I feel better for doing it as well as tidying one section of my ward robe.

It was like a perfect summer afternoon yesterday, only 20C and we've had some rain, so a lot cooler and we had our French doors open, enjoying the breeze and the sunshine.

Our beautiful 'Susan' rose continues to bloom and give us joy.

 Has it cooled down where you are and have you had rain?

Chrisxx