Isolated Blurt Thread Again

I lie far more these days than I ever thought I would just to make people happy. I'm bloody tired.

I have posted a compilation of my stories about Tripletit, the planet of giant three-breasted women. The previously posted episodes were rated reasonably well.

The first vote on the omnibus edition? A two. The trolls are getting smarter.

TheeGoatPig said:

I was hoping for more than 100% ineffectual. I'm basically paying everything out of pocket at this point.

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And there are those in the UK who think our NHS should privatise it with 'contractors' [which means lower wages and more cash syphoned off for the Fat Cats].

Handley_Page said:

And there are those in the UK who think our NHS should privatise it with 'contractors' [which means lower wages and more cash syphoned off for the Fat Cats].

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Sorry HP. The NHS is already syphoning off masses of cash for private agency staff and most of all for historic PFI contracts.

Why the agency staff? Because the NHS wouldn't offer flexible contracts to staff with child care (or elderly care) responsibilities so the staff work for an agency when they are available.

Why PFI? Because Private Finance means that the money for new and improved hospitals (and schools) isn't added to Government Debt. If they had been, politicians would have looked bad. PFI is the politicians' equivalent of Pay Day Loans - the interest rates are sky high compared with the government funding infrastructure itself.

Armistice Day 11 o'clock

One of my regrets of increasing age and health problems is that I cannot take part in our town's Armistice Day parade at the war memorial. I cannot stand in the cold (and possible rain) without consequences.

I will remember them - but on my own in a warm dry house.

MagicaPractica said:

I lie far more these days than I ever thought I would just to make people happy. I'm bloody tired.

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Home Insurance is complicated...

When we lived in our old large house we were very limited in the choice of possible insurers. It would have cost much more to rebuild than the market value, because it had masses of handmade detailing, was semi-detached, and there were too many rooms.

In our downsized smaller house, the problem with insurers had been that they classed the whole postcode area as at risk of sea flooding and subsidence. I had to use a local insurance broker to get a reasonable quote. Only two insurers had more accurate data that allowed a quote.

Now? Every f**king company seems to want to sell me buildings and contents insurance. I've just been to my bank branch. Their quote is 40% higher than the comparable quotes from reputable insurers despite loyalty discounts.

Price comparison sites don't always compare like for like. The cheapest quotes are from insurers that have terrible customer feedback and a long list of exclusions (and they are paid to make some companies more visible than others).

The list of questions gets longer. Have I looked at my front door lock to see if it complies with British Standard xxxx? How many bathrooms/toilets? How much of the roof is flat? Is my burglar alarm system serviced by a registered company? Answer: No. It was but they went bankrupt because their computer system crashed and they didn't have a backup. The replacement company hasn't had registered approval yet, so it is better if I say I HAVEN'T got a burglar alarm.

I haven't made a claim on buildings insurance since the 1987 hurricane. I have NEVER made a contents claim, but I can only get a discount for up to five years...

I'll print out a list of the more reasonable quotes, pick up a pen, shut my eyes, and stab at the paperwork.

How the f**k do I know which company is offering the best deal?

Ogg: "Have I looked at my front door lock to see if it complies with British Standard xxxx? "

I got this question, too.
My reply [to the young idiot on the phone-sales line] was "I ain't gotta clue mate, the lock came with fitted double-glazed door."

I got a fifth medical bill for **0 more than the other four combined.




I think I need to get a loan to pay this off...

Just give me strength to get through to better days.

MagicaPractica said:

Just give me strength to get through to better days.

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Breathe, Mags. Breathe.

MagicaPractica said:

Just give me strength to get through to better days.

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Thoughts & Prayers, Mags.

Thank you, gentlemen. Been a bit rough lately. I have my ups and downs. Later in the day did get better. Lots of journaling, and breathing deeply.

Charity events

This morning, parking around our seaside house was difficult.

There was a Santa On The Run event for either 3 or 5 kilometres. Both routes, out and back, passed in front of our house which is about 400 yards from the start/finish.

Last year there were about 500 runners. This year? Between 2,000 and 3,000. The road turned red with every participant wearing a red Santa suit - and their dogs too.

Many of the runners' cars were parked close to our house which is free parking all year around.

Later on there was a charity motorcycle ride, again passing our house. The numbers were down on last year to perhaps 300 riders instead of 800. The weather forecast might have deterred some.

Apart from a few drops of rain towards the end of Santa On The Run it was dry, windy but mild for December.

The Santas On The Run were raising money for our local hospice; the bike riders for the local hospital. The participants mainly come from the local area but some travel significant (by UK standards) distances because an event beside the sea is popular. The Womens' Race For Life in the summer is getting so large it is close to unmanageable and is restricted to a maximum of 5,000 runners.

Now we have our parking spaces back - until the next charity event.

Oh, is That what it was?
I walked out the front to find a whole rook of Red Outfits jogging down my road.

Car Breakdown Cover?

I've been with the same Breakdown company for 38 years by their reckoning, 50 by mine. Their dating runs from their computer system start.

The policy reviews on 1 Jan. The quotation for automatic renewal included a 10% increase over this year.

I went online and checked with their major competitor. For exactly the same cover, except 'free' extras as a long-term member that I don't want or use, the quote was half the cost.

I went to the original company's site. As a new member my cover for year one would cost the same as the other company i.e 50% of what they want me to pay.

I rang the original Breakdown company. After a short conversation, they offered me a 30% discount for 2 years, or a 45% discount for one year. I went with one year, keeping the 'free' extras.

The original quote was a rip-off for a long-term member. Arguing is worthwhile.

oggbashan said:

I've been with the same Breakdown company for 38 years by their reckoning, 50 by mine. Their dating runs from their computer system start.

The policy reviews on 1 Jan. The quotation for automatic renewal included a 10% increase over this year.

I went online and checked with their major competitor. For exactly the same cover, except 'free' extras as a long-term member that I don't want or use, the quote was half the cost.

I went to the original company's site. As a new member my cover for year one would cost the same as the other company i.e 50% of what they want me to pay.

I rang the original Breakdown company. After a short conversation, they offered me a 30% discount for 2 years, or a 45% discount for one year. I went with one year, keeping the 'free' extras.

The original quote was a rip-off for a long-term member. Arguing is worthwhile.

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And it's not just the Breakdown mob. I get the impression that it also affects Gas, Electricity and Insurance , too.
B@st@rds.

Handley_Page said:

And it's not just the Breakdown mob. I get the impression that it also affects Gas, Electricity and Insurance , too.
B@st@rds.

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I used to renew my car insurance automatically. Now I use comparison sites and insurance companies' websites. Now I pay less for two Volvo estates than I used to pay for one three years ago.

oggbashan said:

I used to renew my car insurance automatically. Now I use comparison sites and insurance companies' websites. Now I pay less for two Volvo estates than I used to pay for one three years ago.

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They're still Volvos though .

EmpressJosephine said:

I need motivation.

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Try Here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dof2niwhn3Q

electricblue66 said:

They're still Volvos though .

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Yes, and I'm still ancient with over 40 years of no-claims...

Today is a sad one.

My daughter took our youngest granddaughter to school this morning. When daughter got back home she found that the family cat had died. That is my granddaughter's first deceased pet.

But it reminded me. When I was a year older than granddaughter's current age my older sister died of Polio - two years before the polio vaccine became available in the UK. My older granddaughter is now the age my sister was, and she looks very like her greataunt did all those years ago. Her younger brother is the age I was when my sister died. The brother and sister fight verbally but the affection between them is very obvious. I don't remember rowing with my sister. I'm sure I did - but I loved her. My brother was much older than both of us. Two years after my sister died he left home, or rather his home left him as my parents moved abroad, taking me with him. Within two years I went from being the youngest of three to effectively an only child.

When my eldest daughter was the age when my sister died, she too looked like her aunt, so much so that my parents found my daughter's visits difficult because she constantly reminded them of the daughter they had lost. It became easier as my daughter got older and the resemblance wasn't so striking.

Now most of my generation have died except a couple of cousins I haven't seen for years - one in Australia, and one disabled in a wheelchair. I can understand how my father felt. He was the last surviving one of his generation. But he was more than 20 years older than I am now when his brother died.

Enough sadness. Tomorrow is my wife's birthday and a time to celebrate. For a few months she will be as old as me, until my birthday when I resume being a year older. We've been married and have stayed friends for 46 years.

My relations might have passed on, but we still have each other, our children and grandchildren.

A life well lived is always a blessing, Ogg.

Happy Birthday to your bride.