Memories - insurance.....

My camera. Well. Unlike the 57,900,288 previous times when I have lost or broken something, this time, I called the insurance company to report the demise of said camera. I loved my camera. It was a gift from my sister and brother-in-law for Christmas nearly 3 years ago. And the call went fine. Yes, I know I have an excess of £100 (stupid me. I should have lowered it a bit) and yes, the camera is available for inspection. And all was fine. A company would call me to make arrangements for a replacement.

Now bear in mind that excess, people. The call came. Oh yes, we have a replacement, Linds. It is not a Panasonic like your old camera, but an Olympus. WHAT??? I have a new for old top of the range all singing and dancing bells and whistles policy and you want to replace the Panasonic for an OLYMPUS?? Yes. We do not have to match manufacturers and this one does what your OLD (emphasis theirs) camera did.

And how much does the camera cost? Remember that £100 excess. £89. WHAT??? Yes. You will have to pay us your excess and we will send you a voucher to go and get the Olympus. The £89 Olympus.

Please insert Millennium fireworks at this point. In HD. With sound.

After a 10 minute firework display and a few home mathematical truths (using long and complicated words which I am positive the imbecile on the other end of the line could not comprehend), I cancelled the replacement and called the insurance company back and repeated the pyrotechnics. Calm down, Linds, the Insurance lady said. Well. If ANYONE tells me to calm down when I am in a rage, it is dangerous territory. But she persevered. And said she would do some research and call me back.

15 minutes later, she called to tell me that the replacement I had been offered did not come close to the specs of my old camera, and that they could replace it with a newer version of mine, a Panasonic, but not the most recent. I am not in the slightest bit bothered by the fact that it is not the latest model. I just want my camera back. One I know all about. So I had to pay the £100 on the spot, and they sent me the voucher today. Their contribution was considerably less than mine, may I add. Maybe it is time to switch insurers. But, any time after 1pm tomorrow, I am free to go and use the voucher and get my camera. You have no idea how complicated they make these things. A camera. I will have a working camera, at least.

Tuesday was not the most tranquil of mornings.

When we moved to the UK, our possessions were packed by the same company in two lots. One load when we sold our house, and another 10 months later just before we left. And the packing was superb. However, customs in the UK selected our container to inspect, and they most certainly went through everything. There was nothing to find, because my detail was, well, detailed, to say the least. And then they tossed (and I use that word advisedly) the lot back in the 40ft container, and sent it on to me. The driver of the container broke the customs seal outside my front door, and told me to go and get my camera. It was a disgrace. When it left Cape Town, the container was not entirely full, so they build wooden fence-like structures to hold everything in place. That was gone, and I do not lie when I tell you that they shoved things in any which way. Welsh dresser - back broken. Desks broken. Beds. Broken. So much damage.

It was such an ordeal - the moving. Geoff was in the Far East. I hated the house he had bought. Kids upset to say the least. Argh. Not a good time. So I contacted my insurance company. And discovered, oh joy, oh delight, that the two loads of packing (into the same container) were covered by two insurance companies. Beds in each. Desks in each. And they each said it was the other's responsibility and in the end I got nothing. Zero. Nil. And I had no energy for a fight.

So up until now, my insurance experiences have not been stellar, and like so many people, I do not call them up whenever I lose things or break them. Basically because it is me who has to do the calling and I am sick to death of battles. But this time, that camera was really important.

Well, I think this post covers the memory category too. It will have to do. David has been cleaning all the garden furniture today, so that has all been packed away for the winter. It must be nearly 30 years old, that white Alibert garden furniture. I swear it will outlive me. It just keeps going, even though it does not look pristine any more. But we have somewhere to sit, so it is all good. And I emptied a couple or 6 more pots. Progress. The sun is shining, though it is not exactly tropical, and the washing is out. A good Saturday. I hope you are all having a good time too.......