Thursday, July 31, 2008

Forgettable days

We will forget about yesterday.

First the dishwasher rolled over and expired. I did mention that every appliance I own is aged and living on borrowed time. They heard me, and the dishwasher decided its time was up. Not good. Especially when it was full of dirty dishes.

Then I got a parking penalty notice for a car park I have never been to in my life, have no intention of ever visiting, in a city miles from here on a day when I was working all day and out at book club in the evening. Never mind that I have no idea where the ****** car park is in the first place. The blog is a wonderful thing. I can check these things. Just in case I have lost my mind. This apparent infringement was in April.

So I tried to call the people who sent the evil notice to ask for their photographic proof which they tell me they have. There is no phone number. I have to write a letter. Which has to reach them within 3 days of the date on the letter. Which was sent 5 days ago and posted by 2nd class post.

I was less than thrilled.

Oh - they have a letter on the way, an email and a discussion about their inaccessibility to the public as well. If that does not work, I will see them in court. I am not paying £80 for something I have not done. I can prove where I was. So there.

You can see how stunning the day was. And how I loved spending an inordinate amount of time chasing windmills. What else..... Margaret took me to town to get a couple of things, which I could not find..... but I did spot a printer for David for uni at £29.99, so came home with that instead. Then I sat on the couch and started making a mental list (because the paper was in the study and it was too far to walk) of all the things we need to get for uni in a month or so and started hyperventilating, so I had a snooze instead.

A forgettable day, all in all. And gas went up 35% and electricity 9% yesterday. That is the gas we use for heating, hot water and cooking. Living, in other words. This is no joke. It will be too expensive to live soon. We are told to accept the reality of high energy costs and get used to it. Easy to say when you are a "fat cat" on an excessive salary. Not so easy when you are me. Snarl.

Anyway - Margaret and her husband are off on a Canadian holiday the week after next, and now that I come to think of it, I have friends going to South Africa later in the year, friends going to America, and friends going to Australia. As I speak, I know people in Aus, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, and Germany on holiday right now. But I also have friends right here, and that is good.

I would, however, rather be in Switzerland right now, as I should be.

You may call me a ray of sunshine today.

I will count my blessings later, after I have had a good old sulk.

13 comments:

Mary said...

Fines. Don't talk to me about fines!!! Last week I got a speeding infringement. Our speed limit is 60km an hour. There are a couple of hidden places that have recently become a 50 zone (nobody knows why). The signs are often hidden behind overgrown trees, which the council refuse to trim (talk about revenue!). Anyhow, I was driving with my mum in the car and taking it nice and slow - or so I thought. $220 dollars later - for doing 58 km's in a 60 zone - I am speechless. Here i was thinking that I was being overly cautious. Grrrrrrrrr.

Sulk? No way. I had a full blown two year old tantrum.

P.S. Still having trouble with my blog.

Mary said...

Oh yeah, forgot! Congratulations Granny. How very exciting.

Chris said...

One must take the sulks in life in order to appreciate the grandchildren one will have soon.

It's a rule.

Really.

Anonymous said...

Linds
I've been reading your blog for a few days and I'm passing along a tag. You can get the details by going to my blog.

I'm so excited for your news about the new grandbaby. Congratulations.

Luanne

someone else said...

You know, sometimes nothing feels quite as good as a rant and a sulk. Enjoy yours; I did. :)

Hope tomorrow's better.

Crystal said...

I think that perhaps it is good to have these things all happen together - and then one can get back to the joy of living tomorrow! May the sun shine on you soon - especially so that you can enjoy your cold water shower, your cold drink and your feather down comforter, while the energy costs soar. ((( HUGS )))

Pam said...

Oh, I've just caught up on your exciting Grannynews! I'm so pleased for you (though I'd like to point out that I'm older than you and there's no hope of my being a granny any time soon. But I'm delighted all the same. Fair cheered me up, it did, and as you know, I kind of need cheering up at the moment).

Vee said...

I'm in denial about energy costs. I'll join you in a good old-fashioned snarl for the moment, but I know that we'll feel better if we keep our sunny sides up. Where exactly is the sunny side? ;D

Needled Mom said...

That sounds like a pretty lousy day if you ask me. I can't wait to hear the continuing saga of the ticket. YIKES!

Thanks for introducing us to the other granny to be.

Karen said...

Blogger didn't like me, on first try...I only meant to say, "I hope tomorrow is better for you."

I hope it is better for me too, and I didn't have the courage to sulk on my blog.

Glad you enjoyed the photos.

zztop357 said...

How can you be in 2 places at once? I've tried to do that and never succeeded. How can they deny that they are wrong? Your son wasn't driving the car that day was he?
I hope you get it worked out. I wouldn't pay it either.But get your proof before you go to court. I know it can be a PITA=" Pain in the rear."
I hope tomorrow is a better day for you Linds.Its time for your luck to change for the better.
God bless, Donna

Unknown said...

Congrats on being a granny. It's the grandest thing ever!!!

When our son was a teenager, he got a summons for a supposed auto violation in a city hundreds of miles from where we live. In actuality, he was working about 2.5 miles from our house that particular day and had never in his life been to that city. After many phone calls, we finally learned that someone had transposed 2 digits when they typed in the driver's license number and the summons should have gone to a woman who lived about 300 miles away. I remember the feelings though, and can certainly relate your desire to snarl and sulk!

I hope tomorrow is much better!!!!

Dawn said...

Well, I hope you get all that stuff sorted out. You are definitely having up and down days, aren't you??

Hope tomorow (or today, as the case may be) is better!

I love reading your joys and your sulks - whatever you write. I'm so sorry you're not in Switzerland - or New Zealand - or Colorado!