Lowered Pavement Edges

Friday, 3 April 2009

Lowered Pavement Edges

Today, once again, the sun has been shining. I had to wait in for a Tesco delivery, but as soon as the man had left and I had unpacked and put away everything, off I went on a big adventure.

I had to go to the bank to deposit the cheque from staples (for the rejected desk) and wanted to go on to the doctor's surgery to time how long it would take to make an appointment.

Well! It was a bit of an eye opener.

Getting down the hill to the traffic lights I had difficulty with no properly lowered pavement at the first junction and no lowered pavement at the second junction which was across a busy road.

So, I carried on on the pavement to the next turning on the right and managed there. This new road also took me to the traffic lights at the roundabout. Here crossing was very easy and getting to the bank was perfectly straightforward.

To get to the surgery I used the traffic lights just up the road from the bank and from then on it all looked promising.

Then another crossing: I bumped down off the pavement and managed up onto the pavement opposite, then on and round the corner where I had to cross the road again. Not too bad, but what did I then find.

Some idiot car parked right on the pavement.

The only way past was to diverge onto the grass. Never been on grass before but it was ok.

Then on to the surgery where I parked Scoot in a disabled bay.

Well, why not? I do have a blue badge. Must remember to carry it with me....

Actually I did not go into the surgery, but into the attached pharmacy with a bag of medicines for disposal.

Then the reverse journey home. One of the junctions where I had bumped down off the pavement had a kerb that was too high to climb, so I had to resort to switching Scoot off and manhandling the poor dear up onto the pavement. Someone gave me a very welcome hand, which made a big difference.

I found a place to cross the busy road, but the next two were tricky.

When I was back in the car park, I decided that, since I was out anyway I would go back to the High Street and popped in to Marks for a couple of things and into Optical Express to collect my new reading glasses.

They are a great improvement even though they are plastic frames (which the sales person seemed to think inferior!)

Then back home.

I am very tired, but it is not that often we get such weather at this time of year, so felt I should make the most of it.

Daffodils

Today I went to the Council offices to get registered for the dial a ride scheme and to arrange for taxi vouchers.

After that I managed the walk to Marks and Spencers and did a little food shopping.

I now have daffodills in my study window, on my dining room table and a few on my mantle shelf.

I love to see them, especially as I can still look out to see the ones in the border in front of my window.

A Good Hair Day

Yesterday, TBSITW and I were due coinciding hair appointments with our favourite big city hairdresser. We left early and went to Marks and Spencer where I bought an assortment of birthday cards.

Sadly I missed sending a card to brother's granddaughter for 10 March, but I had unexpectedly run out and could not get to the shops to buy one in time.

Just wait till I get that scooter........

I also got something for my evening meal and also some nibbles.

Then we went off. I wanted to get something in Boots and TBSITW wanted to go to Morrisons, further along the mall. It was arranged that we would meet up at THAT bench, and that I was not to go wandering off AGAIN.

So, there I was on the bench, idly looking at the burn on my hand. It was healing nicely and the skin was starting to peel in places. I started to pick at a bit of loose skin (as you do) and what happened?

It started to bleed from where I must have caught a small blood vessel.

So, back to Boots.

Waited in the queue and eventually got served.

I asked for a Melolin dressing.

Not only did I get a pack, but the assistant put one on and snipped a bit as it was at the gap between thumb and forefinger.

I returned to the said bench and it was empty.

I thought "phew" , TBSITW has taken longer than I thought in Morrisons -

until I saw her walking towards me looking worried, then cross when she saw me. She was not cross when I explained what had happened.

She then had to take a quick trip back to Boots then it was off to the hairdresser.

After that we went to Staples, and I have bought my new desk.

I found it so difficult to find a company that would deliver and assemble, with furniture at a reasonable price. Flat pack is no use to me.

All in all a most successful day.

A Good Hair Day

Today, after a good night's sleep (to make up for the bad night the night before) I headed off to the big city. The low sun was shining, and reflecting off the wet roads making it very difficult to see at times. I went to the usual shopping mall, starting with M&S where I returned a pair of trousers which I had bought over the Internet but were not what I wanted. I went to look for a replacement pair and while doing so found a nice round necked top with cream edging and a cardigan to match. I picked both but when I discovered that the trousers were in the wrong size, I just put the tops back.

That made a big saving!

I then went on to The Body Shop and bought something that TBSITW wanted, and passed Thorntons on the way. I resisted the chocolates but bought some toffee. I then went and had a sandwich and an apple juice before going on to the hairdresser.

After I got back to my home town I thought that it was time to give the car a similar (and much overdue) treat and took it to the car jet wash.

Then it was back home to find that our wonderful house manager had put a parcel in for me and that the post today was only Private Eye with no junk mail to join it for a change.

Now to cook some chicken thighs to make stock.

The Trials and Tribulations of dealing with M and S.

Yesterday I went to visit TBSITW and canine friend. We had a delicious lunch of sandwiches of newly baked wholemeal bread filled with their own shot roe venison, their own home grown lettuce, their own grown beetroot and bought butter and mayonnaise.

Come on, do you expect perfection and to have them living in a tent in a commune??????????

At any rate it was so good to catch up with all her news – she reads almost most of mine on my blog.

Yes, there are upsides and downsides of keeping a blog.

I used to be registered with Marks and Spencer as a shopper. But have had difficulty in signing on since I told them what they could do with their credit card. This was after they sent me an email asking for all my secure credit card details and passwords etc. I thought at first it must be a scam, but had trouble finding out the truth of the matter as their Customer Services is in fact their Customer Dis- services as they have outsourced it overseas, where I am sure the call centre staff are lovely people but it would appear that they cannot operate beyond their script. I don’t understand them because of the pitch and speed at which they speak. They don’t understand me when I ask them to speak more slowly.

Impasse.

I have now registered a new email address at hotmail and this morning went on to register as a “new” customer with my hotmail address.

In fact I now think I shall use my hotmail address for all my on-line shopping keeping my Outlook Express address for friends and family.

A Shopping Opportunity

TBSITW came over at 1pm (after my cleaners had left) and drove me to shopping mall at outskirts of Big City. She drove my car (as she doesn't like being a passenger when I am driving - can't think why :-D)

First stop was to buy 2 bottles of Noilly Prat with the voucher sent by younger son and daughter in law. Of course we both picked up a few other things.

Then TBSITW loaded that lot into the car and we both headed towards Marks and Spencer, but we met the Ancient Mariner en route - she stoppeth one of two instead of three, but was very persuasive about the marvels of a wonderful nail buffer, not to mention various other related things. I have to say that we were both very impressed with the quality of the sheen, but felt that £25 was a bit steep. We said we would catch her on the way back, but we lied, and managed to avoid her.

In M&S she bought a couple of things and having had a brief look round we had a welcome cup of tea. I had a sticky pastry, but felt it was really a bit late for breakfast!

Coming home, the skies were just chucking it down and it looked as though it might even develop into a thunderstorm, with no sign of it abating. Now as I look out out of the window, the sun is shining.

The Perils (Continued)

I tried a third time to call Marks and Spencer Customer Services, to cancel my account as I was so unhappy about the way they (presumably "they") were asking people to sign up for Mastercard Secure. There is no option to cancel a card (now there's a surprise), so I went in on the option of reporting a lost or stolen card, but once again hit a language , pitch and speed of speech barrier, and the fact that the operators seem unable to deviate from a set script.

So, following advice, called again and asked for a call back.

This didn't happen.

So I wrote a letter to cancel my M&S chargecard...

... but worried about the length of time it would take to have my request actioned.

So this morning I decided to report the card as lost or stolen. I told them of my last transaction which hasn't gone through, but I have a horrible feeling that poor old, innocent Lakeland Limited is going to fall foul of the system....

When the replacement card arrives, I shall close the account and tell them why.

A Result!

I think I may have mentioned that I damaged my spectacles in my last (sort of) fall. Additionally my varifocal ones kept slipping down my nose, which made them rather difficult to use properly.

I haven't been into the town centre for some time now as there is no near by parking while the town centre is upgraded, so I decided to hang with the expense, I would take a taxi and went to one of the spectacle chains which pop up like mushrooms all over the place. I thought I would probably need new frames, but they managed to straighten them out. They also tightened the leg of my varifocals.

Sorted.

And the charge?

Nothing.

The taxi cost £5 return which was well worth it (especially as I nipped into Marks and Spencer....)

Let it Rain, Let it Rain, Let it Rain.

Today I had a hairdressing appointment in the near by big town; so off I set early to take advantge of this shopping opportunity. There have been a lot of roadworks and road changes to this route, but it all seems to be sorting itself out now.

Got some groceries, some bleach and visited Marks and Spencer where I got a pair of slippers, nice cosy ones. I rather prefer the ones that are more discrete and could pass (at a glance) for a pair of shoes, but sadly, I can never find a pair to fit.

I also bought some pot pourri, a few Christmas cards, some tomatoes and a couple of seeded rolls.

Oh what an exciting life I lead ;-)

Still at least the hair do looks good.

And for good measure the rain has stopped.