08:00 Has YOUR spouse or partner ever sprung a "new look" on you, or an unheralded "makeover"? It happens, doesn't it, and the effect is almost always positive - and I can tell that just from following the local news, as well as from Lois's occasional comments about how much better I myself could look if I tried, that's for sure!
The following article, all about local man Jack Shearer from the nearby village of Upper Wick, was one that she actually ringed for me from her morning print-out of the local Onion News headlines. You know - the summary sheet that she produces for us to discuss during our mid-morning coffee break? Like Winston Churchill she has the routine - a good one, I think - of marking the most pressing items with the single phrase "ACTION THIS DAY" before putting them in her famous red folder, the one that gets put in a prominent place on our coffee-table, just in front of the couch.
But for Lois and me, as day breaks today, there's no talk as yet, of a mini-makeover for either of us, as we lie in bed drinking our first cup of tea. And we can't take our time in bed, either, much as we'd like to - it's another morning when Lois and I have got to be quick.
Lois has an appointment at 10 am with Rachel, her stylist, at the Divine Hair Salon in Barnard's Green, but she hasn't told me in advance, as I take my seat in the salon's waiting area, that she's thinking of changing her "look". Maybe she's got to talk it over with Rachel and get her "take" on it, before she goes for it - and I can understand that.
I sit in the salon's waiting area at the front of the shop,
and try to look pleasant for women arriving
through the front door for their morning appointments
if you look carefully at this inset, you'll see Rachel
still working on Lois's hair 13 minutes into the
appointment, but I can see she's smiling, which is a good sign
In the coffee shop with the other local "old codgers":
me with my usual coffee-and-walnut slice,
and Lois with something "gingery" - I forget
the exact name of the cake
This is where Lois breaks her news to me, as we have our coffee. Over a period of time - not all at once, or even in 5 minutes - she's going to gravitate over to the "Lucy Worsley look". You know Lucy Worsley, the BBC's "go-to" presenter of all their historical programmes that have something of a "saucy" slant to them?
And I think that's just great. I've noticed myself that the two women, apart from an interest in saucy historical subjects, also have a similar taste in hats - and they both have lots of them, to put it mildly!
Lucy Worsley, the BBC's "go-to" presenter
for historical programmes with a "saucy" slant
Lois, posing later today, in her shiny-new tartan "Tam o' Shanter",
the one I bought her for Burns Night last week
What's wrong with those guys at British Gas? I think I should be told - your own experiences would actually be helpful here - on a postcard of course, if you can fit all your complaints on there, that is !!!!!
British Gas (slogan: Looking after Your World) installed a so-called "smart meter" outside our new-build home in Malvern, before we'd even moved in here, which was over a year ago. Things seemed to be going well at first, but then today we get a crazy bill where they're saying we've only used 2 "gas units" over the last 3 months, at the cost of only £1.58: with the result that over 99% of our bill is just the standing charge.
What utter utter utter madness !!!
And I understand that probably British Gas don't want to have to pay somebody to check manually whether bills are crazy or not, but you'd think they'd have software to do that, wouldn't you, in this so-called "computer age". And how-come they're suddenly "estimating" our bill, when they've installed a smart meter here, that's supposed to transfer the readings to them over the internet?????
I can't believe it !!!!!
And, while I think about it, how-come also British Gas expects old codgers like Lois and me to have to get down on the ground outside our front door, in order to correct the rubbish data they're getting from their so-called "smart meter" with an up-to-the minute manual "reading".
Not only is the meter right next to the ground, but also its lid only stays open if you somehow "keep it propped open" with something or other - in my case I do that bit with my head, while I try to take a photo with my phone. I could never in a million years see the reading myself.
My phone "becomes" my eyes, in this case.
our British Gas gas meter, only about an inch above the gravel
of our front flower bed, - highlighted here with a white circle
by my graphics team, i.e. me. [thinks: does British Gas really
expect me to "stoop this low" to give them a reading???]
At some time or other, I can foresee Lois and I literally "getting down to it", and then not being able to "get up" after it! Has that ever happened to YOU - I bet it has! Be honest !!!!
the reading I take today from our so-called "smart meter",
showing we've actually consumed about 200 cubic metres
of gas over the last 3 months. What madness, isn't it !!!
a typical British Gas Customer Service employee
seen here at the call centre in Cape Town, South Africa
I end the chat feeling good. I asked if British Gas can send somebody out to check our meter, and I get the message that British Gas is putting their "backup team" or some name like that, onto the problem. I get asked for my mobile phone number and email address. But after I "hang up" and give the guy a "very satisfied" rating, I remember that the customer service guys' top priority is always to leave the customer feeling good about the exchange, at least temporarily, so that the customer gives the advisor a 9 or 10 rating afterwards.
Damn !!!! I bet nobody comes to see us !!!!!
Damn!!!!!
Anyway I take the opportunity to send in the correct reading online, so that's something. And an automated response e-mail assures me that they've "taken it on board".
So we'll see !!!!! Fingers crossed !!!!
Watch this space !!!!!
22:00 We go to bed - zzzzzzzz!!!!!
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