New Chatty
But don't forget to check the end of the last. You wouldn't want to miss something now would you...
February - let's hope it's better than January!
February - let's hope it's better than January!
"... not to be told a story, but to live inside a dream." - Hades, The Burnt City
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OurCreature
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1000 Posts
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- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 5:15 pm
- Location: Near The New Forest
February - let's hope it's better than January!
I arrived home from Foot Clinic and noted that Gigant have pushed off now, having filled in their trench and left BT to sort out the problem that Gigant created. I discovered that another neighbour has lost their BT connection so that makes 3 of us in our close at least. Fortunately she has a mobile so isn't cut off from the rest of the world. The other chap has a BT engineer coming round this morning, though how much use that will be is anyone's guess but at least he should be able to confirm that the issue was caused by the now departed Gigant team and that fix it for one will fix it for the rest of us.
I was out of Foot Clinic just in time to miss the bus home so went to a cafe I have visited before for a cappuccino and a slice of carrot cake - a proper cake with layered fillings. A bit sweet but enjoyable. I emerged just in time to miss the next bus so decided to wait for the next one, and had a very entertaining chat with a fellow bus traveller; we were on the same wavelength and liked talking about the same things. The buses were all running to time which was most unusual but very welcome.
I took my BP shortly after arriving home, and that was 139/74 with a pulse of 59. I also had an attack of dizziness (noted on my health spreadsheet) but I didn't lose consciousness.
Waitrose delivery between 3-4 pm.
I was out of Foot Clinic just in time to miss the bus home so went to a cafe I have visited before for a cappuccino and a slice of carrot cake - a proper cake with layered fillings. A bit sweet but enjoyable. I emerged just in time to miss the next bus so decided to wait for the next one, and had a very entertaining chat with a fellow bus traveller; we were on the same wavelength and liked talking about the same things. The buses were all running to time which was most unusual but very welcome.
I took my BP shortly after arriving home, and that was 139/74 with a pulse of 59. I also had an attack of dizziness (noted on my health spreadsheet) but I didn't lose consciousness.
Waitrose delivery between 3-4 pm.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
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OurCreature
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1000 Posts
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 5:15 pm
- Location: Near The New Forest
February - let's hope it's better than January!
Got my goodies, and had a Waitrose snack/lunch just now - breaded chicken breast with rice and a curry sauce. It was supposed to be of Japanese inspiration but I would never have guessed. If I buy it again I shall do some extra rice and veg to bulk it up a bit. I had a broccoli crown instead of broccoli and cauliflower florets but I didn't mind that because I like broccoli and I have some other veg as well.
Later on I saw an Openreach techie working next door so they must have lost their connection the other day as well. I had a brief chat with him and he said another engineer had called this morning but I was out. In fact I was at Foot Clinic and I told him my engineer appointment was for Monday morning as per various text messages sent to my mobile. He said he'd try to get Openreach to send him my details via his Ipad or whatever they use but they can't have done because I am still without my landline. I can wait until Monday.
Later on I saw an Openreach techie working next door so they must have lost their connection the other day as well. I had a brief chat with him and he said another engineer had called this morning but I was out. In fact I was at Foot Clinic and I told him my engineer appointment was for Monday morning as per various text messages sent to my mobile. He said he'd try to get Openreach to send him my details via his Ipad or whatever they use but they can't have done because I am still without my landline. I can wait until Monday.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
February - let's hope it's better than January!
Why can't those engineers realise that there's a common link between all of you? The waste in resources attending to each one of you is pointless. And they got the day wrong as well.
Your patience is admirable. I would be
by now.
Your patience is admirable. I would be
by now.In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
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OurCreature
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1000 Posts
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 5:15 pm
- Location: Near The New Forest
February - let's hope it's better than January!
The engineer had several folk in our close on his list; I assume including the first guy who I talked to, he told me he had an engineer appointment for yesterday 8-1. So I think the Openreach techie had at least 2 calls to make and he was told about my other neighbour who had lost her connection as well. I don't know how many more he had to deal with in our close.
I shall see if my engineer turns up on Monday. If he doesn't I shall not be very happy and I think I shall make an official complaint.
I shall see if my engineer turns up on Monday. If he doesn't I shall not be very happy and I think I shall make an official complaint.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
February - let's hope it's better than January!
I don't think the engineers are allowed to just notice other faults and fix them they can only do what's on the list for that day. This sort of thing will happen often won't it because it's telegraph pole and dig up road wars for broadband these days. Should have stayed a monopoly bad enough bt and virgin media but so many different cables. This didn't happen with gas electric or water did it despite privatisations.
The companies all want rid of landlines anyway don't they so they won't hurry in fixing them.
The companies all want rid of landlines anyway don't they so they won't hurry in fixing them.
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OurCreature
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1000 Posts
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 5:15 pm
- Location: Near The New Forest
February - let's hope it's better than January!
My phone is back and I have my fast internet back as well. I had been getting 25 Mbps download and around 5 Mbps upload speeds which was fast enough for me but not as fast as the 263 Mbps download and 46 Mbps upload I got just now when I ran the Which broadband speed test.
The engineer was very good and I shall say so when I complete the BT survey.
The engineer was very good and I shall say so when I complete the BT survey.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
February - let's hope it's better than January!
In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
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OurCreature
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1000 Posts
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 5:15 pm
- Location: Near The New Forest
February - let's hope it's better than January!
I have made an appointment with one of the GPs in the practice to discuss the ramifications of my suspected 1st Stage Heart Block diagnosis eg should I cancel my April holiday, but that won't be until Feb 22. I am wondering if I should phone the travel insurers earlier to let them know that this is under investigation and that I am awaiting advice as to whether I should go to Portugal.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
February - let's hope it's better than January!
Hopefully you'll still be able to go to Portugal OC.
I had a clean bill of health today at the dentist with no cleaning needed. I mentioned that last time following a rather aggressive cleaning I woke up that night several times with a mouthful of blood. I take blood thinners. The dentist suggested that I raise this again at the next appointment and that any cleaning required n future should be done manually. But this time, all good "Keep doing whatever it is you're doing."
I had another bunch of leaflets today from candidates for next week's by-election. My current MP, Chris Skidmore, has resigned, bellyaching about the government and Rwanda. He should simply have resigned from the party and hung on for the few remaining months before the general election, but no, we have to have a by-election.
The Tory party has put forward another local man - Kingswood seems to like local MPs.
Labour has shipped in the ex-mayor of Lewisham, Damien Egan who is gay and a convert to Judaism. I think he was not liked at Lewisham so Labour parachuted him across the country. He's obviously ideal for Labour's woke agenda being gay and Jewish so absolutely not anti-semitic. Damien though. The anti-christ!
The seat will disappear before the general election due to boundary changes. Jacob Reese Mogg is tipped to contest the new constituency for the Conservatives then.
I had a clean bill of health today at the dentist with no cleaning needed. I mentioned that last time following a rather aggressive cleaning I woke up that night several times with a mouthful of blood. I take blood thinners. The dentist suggested that I raise this again at the next appointment and that any cleaning required n future should be done manually. But this time, all good "Keep doing whatever it is you're doing."
I had another bunch of leaflets today from candidates for next week's by-election. My current MP, Chris Skidmore, has resigned, bellyaching about the government and Rwanda. He should simply have resigned from the party and hung on for the few remaining months before the general election, but no, we have to have a by-election.
The Tory party has put forward another local man - Kingswood seems to like local MPs.
Labour has shipped in the ex-mayor of Lewisham, Damien Egan who is gay and a convert to Judaism. I think he was not liked at Lewisham so Labour parachuted him across the country. He's obviously ideal for Labour's woke agenda being gay and Jewish so absolutely not anti-semitic. Damien though. The anti-christ!
The seat will disappear before the general election due to boundary changes. Jacob Reese Mogg is tipped to contest the new constituency for the Conservatives then.
Last edited by eccles on Fri Feb 09, 2024 12:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
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OurCreature
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1000 Posts
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 5:15 pm
- Location: Near The New Forest
February - let's hope it's better than January!
What an eventful day today - the sort I can do without. However, thanks to good advice from Eccs and Furby re the loss of sound on my computer (see New Computer thread in Technobabble if you are interested) order has been restored. The irony was that none of the techniques in themselves either worked or succeeded - but at the end of it all the sound was restored! I think it comes under the category of moving in mysterious ways...............
So I'll be in Chat on Friday unless something else goes wrong or I fall asleep like I did last Friday and wake up when Chat has finished. I phoned Merry to say I might not be and left a message - but OC's mad panic is over for the moment.
However a nice thing happened to me today. One of the old gentleman's daughters and her husband sent me a big box of Ferrero Rocher and a card to say thank you for visiting him etc etc. I must confess to some emotion when I read her card message though I didn't burst into tears - lump to the throat, that sort of thing.
So that was my day; I wonder what the Chaircat would have thought about it all.
So I'll be in Chat on Friday unless something else goes wrong or I fall asleep like I did last Friday and wake up when Chat has finished. I phoned Merry to say I might not be and left a message - but OC's mad panic is over for the moment.
However a nice thing happened to me today. One of the old gentleman's daughters and her husband sent me a big box of Ferrero Rocher and a card to say thank you for visiting him etc etc. I must confess to some emotion when I read her card message though I didn't burst into tears - lump to the throat, that sort of thing.
So that was my day; I wonder what the Chaircat would have thought about it all.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
February - let's hope it's better than January!
Oh gosh OC! you could have done without computer hassle on top of everything else!
I'm so glad you'll be in chat tomorrow! me too!
You made a real difference to that OG and it's nice his daughters realised 
I'm so glad you'll be in chat tomorrow! me too!
I felt a bit lumpy readying that too, OCthe old gentleman's daughters and her husband sent me a big box of Ferrero Rocher and a card to say thank you for visiting him etc etc. I must confess to some emotion when I read her card message though I didn't burst into tears - lump to the throat, that sort of thing.
You made a real difference to that OG and it's nice his daughters realised "... not to be told a story, but to live inside a dream." - Hades, The Burnt City
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OurCreature
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1000 Posts
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 5:15 pm
- Location: Near The New Forest
February - let's hope it's better than January!
Sunday lunch yesterday with Nancy and Jeff; Nancy produced her usual wondrous Chinese meal which I thoroughly enjoyed.
We had nice little starters away from the table - all hot food, small spring rolls, that sort of thing. Then to the table for her delicious prawn fried rice with separate big bowls of sweet and sour chicken and sweet and sour meat balls with pineapple chunks. No prizes for guessing who had second helpings. We had a nice bottle of white wine with that and, as I wasn't driving, I had 2 glasses. On to pud - a small individual Christmas pud each with a nice white custard sauce - very nice! And then a mug of coffee before they brought me home.
En route to Nancy and Jeff's house, Jeff made a detour to KW so that I could swap the nearly empty coffee jar in the kitchenette for a full jar. The two ladies who share that coffee jar came to Mum's funeral so they are special; I think they now are the two residents who have been in that part of KW longer than anybody else. They were all having their lunch but one of them was sitting at her table (with others) and facing the door to the dining room so I was able to tell her that I had swapped the nearly empty jar for a full one.
At home the cable firm Giganet continues to lay its cables. On Friday they completely blocked the entrance to all the garages at our end of the close and made it difficult for pedestrians to exit from the parking area end of the common path between the houses as well. I think they are laying cables under the common path this week so that will be all muddy and mucky for a time. Of course we hadn't been told in advance about potential disruption by whoever they are laying these cables for. Still, I have my internet backup working if they manage to disrupt my connections again.
We had nice little starters away from the table - all hot food, small spring rolls, that sort of thing. Then to the table for her delicious prawn fried rice with separate big bowls of sweet and sour chicken and sweet and sour meat balls with pineapple chunks. No prizes for guessing who had second helpings. We had a nice bottle of white wine with that and, as I wasn't driving, I had 2 glasses. On to pud - a small individual Christmas pud each with a nice white custard sauce - very nice! And then a mug of coffee before they brought me home.
En route to Nancy and Jeff's house, Jeff made a detour to KW so that I could swap the nearly empty coffee jar in the kitchenette for a full jar. The two ladies who share that coffee jar came to Mum's funeral so they are special; I think they now are the two residents who have been in that part of KW longer than anybody else. They were all having their lunch but one of them was sitting at her table (with others) and facing the door to the dining room so I was able to tell her that I had swapped the nearly empty jar for a full one.
At home the cable firm Giganet continues to lay its cables. On Friday they completely blocked the entrance to all the garages at our end of the close and made it difficult for pedestrians to exit from the parking area end of the common path between the houses as well. I think they are laying cables under the common path this week so that will be all muddy and mucky for a time. Of course we hadn't been told in advance about potential disruption by whoever they are laying these cables for. Still, I have my internet backup working if they manage to disrupt my connections again.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
February - let's hope it's better than January!
Winchcombe has been completely closed to traffic for several days now owing to Gigaclear cable-laying. Residents are split on this; some say 'yes but we need the faster broadband for our homes/businesses', others say their businesses have been massively hit by this, one of many road closures lately.
The Rug Shop is closing down and cites 'passing trade gone' as one of the main reasons. They are having a closing down sale. I need a new nice rug, but never dared to go in as there were beautiful rugs hanging in the windows but not a HINT as to price! could have been thousands or could have been £100.
I've been walking a fair bit lately with Mr M. So many photographs I'll do a separate topic on it but here's a little sign of spring, from yesterday.
Today we are going to Dobbies the garden centre, for a coffee and a look-see.
The Rug Shop is closing down and cites 'passing trade gone' as one of the main reasons. They are having a closing down sale. I need a new nice rug, but never dared to go in as there were beautiful rugs hanging in the windows but not a HINT as to price! could have been thousands or could have been £100.
I've been walking a fair bit lately with Mr M. So many photographs I'll do a separate topic on it but here's a little sign of spring, from yesterday.
Today we are going to Dobbies the garden centre, for a coffee and a look-see.
"... not to be told a story, but to live inside a dream." - Hades, The Burnt City
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OurCreature
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1000 Posts
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 5:15 pm
- Location: Near The New Forest
February - let's hope it's better than January!
I found out what the Giganet cabling is all about - it is in preparation for BT Digital Voice. I guessed it might be because chalk marks on the ground have appeared outside all our houses on the common path between the two terraces.
They are having the drop-in meetings re Digital Voice in the region during March so presumably switch-on time is in April.
They are having the drop-in meetings re Digital Voice in the region during March so presumably switch-on time is in April.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
February - let's hope it's better than January!
I had a short loss of internet this morning due to problems at Three Mobile. Tales of woe were numerous on the ISPReview website from Friday, and I thought I'd escaped, however they briefly caught me foe an hour or so this morning. My phone supplier was refusing wi-fi hotspot so any contact with the outside world had to be done on the phone. The outage was reported on The Sun.
Snowdrops have been flowering since just after Christmas here but Merry's photo includes celandines as well which is a surprise. Leaves are showing around here but no flowers yet.
Snowdrops have been flowering since just after Christmas here but Merry's photo includes celandines as well which is a surprise. Leaves are showing around here but no flowers yet.
In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
February - let's hope it's better than January!
I wonder what the old rug shop will become. Here every place that closes opens up as a cafe bar restaurant. No amount of cost of living pressure stops the need for restaurants everywhere.
Gigacables won't be bt digital voice will they that would be openreach. The new broadband rivals arent bothering with phones and bt are making their offer so unpleasant. I don't find buttonless mobiles suitable at all for voice calls plus I get a headache too long and every call is over an hour these days isnt it.
My area had digital voice meetings in November but it's not switched yet. They seem to pick some unlucky people who get in the sun and mail but I havent found out how they pick them . I am on free weekend calls so might being left because there is no replacement they are even stopping the 700 minutes calls.
Gigacables won't be bt digital voice will they that would be openreach. The new broadband rivals arent bothering with phones and bt are making their offer so unpleasant. I don't find buttonless mobiles suitable at all for voice calls plus I get a headache too long and every call is over an hour these days isnt it.
My area had digital voice meetings in November but it's not switched yet. They seem to pick some unlucky people who get in the sun and mail but I havent found out how they pick them . I am on free weekend calls so might being left because there is no replacement they are even stopping the 700 minutes calls.
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OurCreature
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1000 Posts
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 5:15 pm
- Location: Near The New Forest
February - let's hope it's better than January!
My understanding is that Giganet are doing the work for BT/Openreach. I had a chat with one of my neighbours just now and he has complained to BT because they didn't tell their customers here that the work was going to be done. Giganet have put up their barriers along one side of the common path all the way along which means that some folk can't now leave their properties until the barriers are taken away. Meanwhile a very small digger called a Bobcat is parked on the path on the other side of my low front garden fence.
I hadn't seen my neighbour for a little while so when he asked me how I was I told him about the heart block and not being able to drive. He immediately offered to help if I needed it and I know it is a genuine offer because I have known him for a very long time. He also said he'd be interested in taking Jazzy off my hands if it turns out that I can never drive a car again! I told him I'd be trying out a heart pacemaker first before it came to that.
I hadn't seen my neighbour for a little while so when he asked me how I was I told him about the heart block and not being able to drive. He immediately offered to help if I needed it and I know it is a genuine offer because I have known him for a very long time. He also said he'd be interested in taking Jazzy off my hands if it turns out that I can never drive a car again! I told him I'd be trying out a heart pacemaker first before it came to that.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
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OurCreature
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1000 Posts
- Posts: 1433
- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 5:15 pm
- Location: Near The New Forest
February - let's hope it's better than January!
I started my Waitrose order today, and they didn't have what I wanted a few too many times. So I went over to Morrisons, booked a delivery slot (they are delivering late tomorrow afternoon and I hope they can find their way through the Giganet obstacle course) and placed my order. Morrisons had nearly everything that I wanted, so Waitrose has lost out in terms of availability and cost. Even the delivery is £1.50 cheaper because of the time I asked for.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
February - let's hope it's better than January!
Either that or a charity shop. Before being a rug shop it was a nice little bric a brac shop, NOT a charity shop but just a Shop of Interesting Things. The sort of place you might find a tatty box containing an unplayed-with Sooty, or a cuckoo clock, or a Penny Black.I wonder what the old rug shop will become. Here every place that closes opens up as a cafe bar restaurant.
I used to have Morrisons deliver, OC, and found them pretty good. No harm in having several regulars
I do! It's my old favourite Tesco who has lost out on me, because they either have fewer vans or their slots are so popular you have to book days in advance.Nancy's meal sounded delicious, by the way! It's rare to find a home cook who can pull off Chinese-themed banquets like Nancy does.
Hospital visit ticked off OK today. Mr M judged in good overall health. I'm dreading this hernia op though. He will be out of action for quite a while and I'm desperate for him to get back to bowls!
"... not to be told a story, but to live inside a dream." - Hades, The Burnt City