Food Shopping

Well it should be easy, Glynis gives me a list and I go and get all the items from it.

Lets see, Item 1 - SALAD.

I'm in Morrisons now looking at the salad counter. I have the choice between:- Seasonal Babyleaf, Farmers Select, French Style, Italian Style, 4 Leaf (is that Clover?), Caesar, Watercress Spinach and Wild Rocket, Herb Garden, Sweet and Crunchy, Bistro Style, American Style, Simple Side Salad, Tomato and Cucumber, Classic Garden, Mediterranean, Salad Tray, Crispy, or Mixed Salad.

I wonder which one she wanted?

Item 2 - Mushrooms

Closed Cup, Button, Sliced, Chestnut, Oyster, Breakfast, Organic, Shiitake, Portabella or Value??? I don't know!

Item 3 - Ham

Well these are three packs for £4 so we'll have Cooked Ham, Breaded Ham and Honey Roast Ham, as I know she doesn't like Smoked Ham.

Item 4 - Apples

!!!

At least everything on the list finished up in the basket and knowing we have visitors this weekend I added a few beers, just to be on the safe side. Oh and a doughnut jumped out at me! All done now, I'm off home for coffee.

Food Recycling

Torquay Council have recently introduced a new food recycling system. We have two waste food caddies, one for in the house and one for outside. However our previous system still seems to work just as well. Waste food is put out in the back garden and a number of visitors eat it within minutes. A stray cat arrived and ate everything, this cat has now been adopted by our neighbours and is called Tom, while a seagull which Glynis has named "Sammy" eats anything the cat leaves. Sammy now seems to have a youngster which Glyn calles "Squeeky" because it sits outside squeeking for food. Due to my impaired hearing and tinnitus I can't hear this seagull if the door is closed. I knew there was a good side to the slight hearing loss. (Click on the picture to see a bigger version.)

Fast Response, I think not!

I was really impressed (not) by Devon and Cornwall Police last week. Glynis (5'1") observed a thief (5'8") open the back gate of the house over the road and go behind the house to steal the motorbike, which was being renovated after being stolen and trashed 2 months ago. She shouted across the road to the thief, who ran off towards the fields with the stolen motorbike. She was unable to follow due to passing traffic. Glynis ran back into our house and dialled 999, advising the police that she was observing a robbery in progress. An Hour and Twenty Minutes later the Police (one officer in a car) arrived. By then the bike was torched and dumped at the bottom of the hill with no sign of the thief. What would have happened if he had come back to confront Glynis, the witness to his theft? Who would she have called on?

Rip Off Britain

Recent experiences have led me to believe that companies like giving preference to new customers rather than to existing customers.

My Daughter’s car insurance is with Admiral who quoted her £740 to renew, if she takes no action they will take that from her card.

I have just rung them up and they have given me an alternative quote for her for £600 with all the same benefits as the £740 policy.

As they dealt very well with a claim last year and are now competitive with the new price we will accept the new quote rather than go elsewhere.

Cheltenham and Gloucester had the nerve to ask if I wanted to top up my ISA on which they are currently paying 0.05%, neglecting to tell me that they are currently selling ISAs to new Customers at a rate of 2.7 or 3.5%. I have written to them telling them what I think of this and await their reply.

My own car insurers have also quoted a higher price than necessary but only by £10 and have now found me a better policy after I rang to complain.

Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to check the companies we deal with to confirm they aren't ripping us off.

Since I had a gift voucher for my birthday I have been trying to put a book together to publish.

The following link should take you to my first book of photographs, available from the blurb bookstore. From there you should be able to preview and buy a copy of this book. Should you feel so inclined you can also make and publish your own books from there. I am just about to publish a second book, which will be of Steam locomotives and trains.

My first book of Photographs by Bob Tame

New Blog

I have now started a second blog area, specifically for railway modelling. So if you are not interested in railway modelling don't go there. If you are, then select 'my profile' and you can get to the new blog from there.

Or click on this link

Happy New Year

Well it will be, when this snow disappears. We've been trapped on our estate by extremely icy roads for a few days now.

I was tidying papers away when I noticed that the deputy Mayor of Torbay lives in our street and is responsible for transport, so I emailed him complaining about the lack of gritting (we are on a bus route, but haven't seen a bus for three days).

Lo and behold, tonight a gritting lorry came down the road. I hope it will make a difference but it may be too late as the ice has really set in now. Everything depends on what the weather does tomorrow. I suppose he's going to want me to vote for him now.

I have to admit the fields across the road look nice in the snow, but I'll still be glad to see the back of it. (I think if you click on the picture you see a larger version)