Under Siege

The picture on the left is a few years old but, today we have had just about twice the amount of snow pictured.

It has been getting increasingly cold for about 6 days and today it finally snowed.

Like much of the country we have had plenty of warning but it still somehow comes as a surprise that we can have so much snow so quickly.

Luckily for once, i had listened to the warnings and have done 2 or 3 hefty food shops. 

If it goes on too long it will inevitably show up the deficiencies in my planning but just for the moment, I am feeling fairly smug.

Having done my Monday morning stint at St. M's yesterday and shopped afterward I had thought all would be well for a few days.  I can cancel my Wednesday stint if need be but would rather not have to miss Friday evening's choir practice so am hoping it will be a bit better by then.

The TV forecasts are not promising (some even warning it may go on to the middle of next week) so we'll just have to hope they have got it wrong, or that the Siberian winds fail to meet the more Southerly ones which could cause mayhem.

At one time such Winters were the norm in our Island home,  but recent years have seen a slow warming up over the worst months and we have been taken by surprise.

As I speak it has stopped snowing and the sun has come out.

Really, is it any wonder that we as a nation are preoccupied with our weather?

I'll go and fill the bird-feeders while I have the chance.

Stay safe and warm folks, and spare some thoughts for those who have no such luxury.

Throw your money away if you must - but don't let yourself be robbed

This is not a joyful post despite the picture.

February is not my favourite month and i hadn't intended to blog again until I was in a better frame of mind.

This morning however, the latest attempt to part me from my bank balance made me so mad I thought I had better get it down on 'paper'as it were, before I imploded.

8.59 am phone rings and is answered warily (rather early, not bad news I hoped),

Mrs Barn-ez?

Oh no, I really can't bear it here they are again I really thought they were gone for good.

"Barnes" I barked.

"Yes hallo maam and how are you today?"

"Fine, whatdo you want?"

"You have recently asked the Telephone preference service for help with nuisance calls, and this is to confirm that from tomorrow morning you will only get calls from friends and relatives and people you want to hear from"

"Good, glad to hear  it"

Much more of the same then they  asked me to confirm that my address is ...... and then asked me to
confirm that my Visa card is in the name of Mrs Ray Barnes.

My antenna immediately snapped to attention "Yes" I replied.

"And it expires before 2021"

"Yes"  I rep;lied

Will you confirm on what date it expires?"

"No" I replied "If you want me to confirm the date you tell me what date you have"

"You must confirm the date" was the reply.

"Not on your life" I said, and put the phone down.

The prefernce service is a free service and no one will ask for any financial information at all but i thought I would just confirm what they had already said (they knew my name address and phone number, so  I wasn't giving them anything they didn't already have,

They still know as much as they did before and not a thing more.  Much good may it do them!!