The curious case of Uptight Man at the vet's today.

Back to the vets again today for dear old collie to have his nails trimmed.  Vet was running late and he really doesn't like to.  There were two other dogs in the waiting room and everyone was chatting away - even the dogs.  Except collie got a bit scared of the lab trembling and working itself into a state of near apoplexy trying to get over to say hello (now my collie was doing this when two cats tried staring him out a visit or two back, and he definitely doesn't like being on the receiving end).  He even tried getting under the chair I was on and standing up, nearly toppling me off it.  Everyone, including me, had a good laugh at that - the things dogs do when they want to hide eh?  All the times I've been a dog owner and been to the vets I've never had that happen - first time for everything I s'pose.  There was a wire haired fox terrier, gorgeous little guy up there too.  Lab gets seen and goes home and then the terrier.  Terrier and his owner come out and are waiting to pay when a silver car screams to a halt outside the vets (on a single yellow line no less) and out gets a very uptight looking man with two cats in one cage (poor little sods), miaowing and carrying on for all they were worth!  His wife strolls in behind.  Cue collie going ballistic, his favourites are back!  The terrier's owner, a woman after my own heart, says to her dog: "No, that's not lunch."  As the cats were crying and making a really horrible sound collie starts barking which is not like him and we quieten him down. 

Collie gets seen and we come out again, engaging the receptionists in chit-chat while we wait to pay,  we explain that collie is tormented regally by cats strolling along the garage roof and wagging their tails ... at which point uptight man pipes up: "Oh well, that's just awful isn't it, it's a shame for your dog that a cat wags it's tail ... " he would have carried on, probably till he was blue in the face and burst something, but I just cut him off and carried on talking with the girls, thanked the vet and we left.

Firstly, how bloody rude is uptight man (thinking of rewriting 'Uptown Girl' to fully illustrate the point with very profound apologies to the master - Billy Joel).  Secondly, why can't he behave himself like every other owner (cat, tortoise, frog, budgie, dog etc) we encounter?  Last cat owner was a lovely lady but this guy; well, he needs to go cool off.  What a a moron!  Now, it's entirely possible that his cats had been hurt by dogs but that is no excuse for his dreadful behaviour, after all it's not my dog who attacked them, and not all dogs are the same. 

Most cat owners I know don't hate dogs and vice versa (even if the cats and dogs themselves do - it's their ancestry - no, they haven't been using a well known ancestry site to look up their ancestors, just trust me on this - ok? - notice I almost resisted saying it's in their genes, and then trying a joke about how we can't get a pair to fit!! but thought I wouldn't do that one as you probably know somewhere I can get jeans for dogs and/or cats) just the odd one who gives the owners a bad name, and uptight man was very odd indeed.  Hope I never have the extreme bad luck to encounter him, his wife, his cats or his big fast car ever again! 

Where's a traffic warden when you need one eh?

© silversapphire 2009

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Swings and Roundabouts on eBay (I guess they sell them as well though, right?)

Newbie sellers on eBay, aren't they a hoot?

Don't get me wrong, most newbie sellers take the time to read about selling, and are clued up on the do's and dont's before they start on eBay, but there are a small number who don't, and I seem to be getting landed with them more and more and it's really hissing me off! 

The latest escapade happened two days ago when I bought something from this particular seller.  I don't pay immediately any more as I don't get paid immediately any more, so I pay within the sellers timeframe, and if they don't give one like this person then they get paid when I do (about 4 days after the auction) which is usually within most people's "reasonable" expectations.  Except, this one decides to pester me with a barrage of emails as soon as the auction ended demanding to know when, where and how I am paying.  I have learned from bitter experience that these types are after starting up a war of words by email because despite saying things to the contrary, they have no other life than having a go at a stranger in cyberspace.  I did not reply to her mail until today.  Yes, yes, I know I should have followed my own advice because the last time I tried sorting something out amicably I ended up in  in a war of words with some eejit in the west country because I had dared to advertise postage which was for special delivery, and was therefore higher than what this fool considered normal.  Every five minutes there'd be an email from her till I asked her to either buy the item and I'd look at the postage or go away.  She wouldn't go away and she wasn't even buying the item.  You would not believe the state this one got herself into, degenerating into spiteful, nasty language until I had no option but to block her email addy and report her to eBay.  All because she wanted some stranger to lower postage on an item she wasn't buying!  Isn't that the most moronic thing you've ever heard?  There is absolutely no sense in it at all - what a moron! 

Anyway, back to today's debacle, new person decides I am at fault for her getting married a few weeks ago; because I haven't paid yet her 2 kids won't have xmas presents.  This as well as saying she hasn't pestered me and I wasn't being fair because I had somehow forced her, by replying to her email, to tell me all this.  Yep, really worrying isn't it - didn't realise I was so powerful.  Any way, after her last missive, I told her not to send any more emails as they would be deleted without being read.  So go on, guess what she did next - that's right!  She sent another email!   I'm so stupefied by the eejits on eBay really I am, and yes I did delete it without reading it. 

Ebay is a great way of buying and selling, but people like this one really do bring it down and make it a less than enjoyable experience.

On the other hand, my little camera arrived today with all the bells and whistles on it (why you need bells and whistles on a camera is anyone's guess), it's a reconditioned Kodak, and it's so perfect, a little gem of a thing.  There had been a problem with getting it due, not to the post strikes like you might imnagine, but because the shipment mine was in had been damaged and they wrote and told me so, kept me informed evey step of the way, said that a new shipment was coming on Monday 26th Oct and I'd be told when it was coming out.  It arrived this morning, in a FedEx bag and delivered by Royal Mail - go figure!  The company also gave me £5 refund for all the hassle.  It is such a refreshing change to have a company that treats it's customers decently and does exactly what they say they're going to do, I am really pleased with them so I'm going to buy from them again when I need more batteries and any accessories for this little beaut.  Oh yeah, forgot to mention the company trading on eBay is based in New Jersey with European depots (mine was sent from a depot in Swansea), being an American based company probably explains the courteous, polite way in which I've been treated; all employees work to the same standard and it's really encouraging.

If you're interested in the model it's a Kodak EasyShare ZD710, it's tiny but perfectly formed and I love it ta bits!

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Yes, It IS necessary to blow my stack when talking with my bank!!!

You know I'd told you about the problem I was having on Saturday and how I'd found a bod at my bank who'd help?  He didn't!!  I should have been worried when he kept telling me how good he was at 'helping people.'  How is this bank able to employ people who say they'll do something and don't, all they do is pay you lip service?  Is this unique to me and my bank, or does this happen to everyone?  It's abysmal service.

What my bank has done has charged me a 'late payment fee' even though it was their fault, it was the computer doing it, allegedly.  Funny that, I'll only ever fall for that one when a computer becomes sentient (and even then I'd wonder) because these guys programme the bloody things, so how is it 'the computer's fault?'  They must think I'm as stupid as they are, and that is the wrong thing to do believe me!  It's not as if you only have to tell one person the problem and get it sorted, what happens is that I have to tell different people (usually in different departments 'cos you've come through to the wrong department madam' or 'I need to transfer you to soemone who can help you as I can't do it') the same problem and it gets as bad if not worse as when you're looking for car insurance.  What I need is something along the lines of go.compare (and no, I'm not breaking out into opera at the moment) or one of the other available comparison websites where you ask the question once and you get the answer many times.  I know that sounds daft but that's what happens with my bank, only I have to ask the question many times and it gets so annoying and very, very frustrating to say the least. 

Now, apparently because their error has put my account 'in arrears' (something I never am by the way) they want those arrears before they take off the late payment fee.  After explaining for what seems like the 45th million time that I am not in arrears - it is their error, ergo they remove their error and the charge too; or I take it further, I am put on hold while they discuss the matter yet again.  Then they come back and magnanimously announce that they will remove the arrears and the late fee and give me £5 compensation 'for all the phone calls' - but, if we're talking compensation for stress and irritation here, throw in some hurt feelings we could be talking about a few grand here, oh yes!  But, that won't happen, because all I want is fair play and their errors taken off my account and not passed on to me as if it's my fault!!!

Moral of the story here is don't just put up with what your bank say if you know for sure you are in the right.  If you can't get anywhere speaking to the bod at the end of the phone, ask to speak to someone higher up, thereby reducing stress, cost and any frustration ... unless, you're with the same bank I'm with and if that's the case, I suggest you find a nice clean, flat piece of wall where you can bang your head!

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Is it necessary to blow my stack every time I need to call my bank?

It seems so!

I have problems every single time I need to talk to my bank over one problem or another (usually of their making).  It gets so bad I think I may as well just give up, but I don't give up and that's probably not a bad thing but I can feel it having an effect on me.  Apparently, after years of low and normal blood pressure, it is now high, or at least it's on the 'high' side of normal or so the doc says, I mean is it any wonder when some teeny tiny little problem that should take no more than 5 minutes to sort out takes over an hour?

Before it was taken over by a bank I would never go near with a ten foot bargepole, it was a great bank, very helpful people you could call on a dedicated line and problems large, small and indifferent were sorted out quick and easy, but things went from great to unbelievably abysmal in the matter of a few months.  Doesn't matter that I've been with present bank since the early eighties, still get treated by some of them like I'm 6 years old and that's not a good thing to do to me!

Since the complete domination of the call centre, personal, decent service has gone (this lot are in the UK and can understand what I'm after which you'd think would be half the battle, but no, they are always 'not the right department madam, I'll transfer you' at which point you are not transferred but cut off).  Not only do I end up being cut off (is there a more annoying and soul destroying sound than the single tone you are left with when that happens?) and wanting to throw the phone out of the window, I want to go down and pitch up at 'Bank HQ' and have it out with 'em there and then.  If I manage to get reconnected to this 'service' after waiting an eternity for the phone to be answered, I am likely to be met with a pseudo sympathetic teenager saying: 'oh that shouldn't happen' when you tell them you are likely to explode if they don't help.  Oh, and that recorded message in one of the most infuriating tones ever which 'us lucky customers' must endure, telling me they are: 'busy helping other customers.'  Wonder how long those lucky people waited to be 'helped'?

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggggggggggg (pause for breath) gggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Today I finally got the problem sorted out, a full hour and twenty minutes after I started calling.  I wouldn't mind (well I do actually - see above) but I ring the right department, and am led upon a useless and time consuming merry chase around the various departments and personalities that infest this bank's call centre, before the merry-go-round stops at the very first place I came in.  So, the upshot is that I did finally get the current problem sorted by a helpful guy in the (right) department (a full blown rarity I grant you).  He not only sorted the problem out but is going to give me a small amount of financial compensation - which won't be going into double figures so don't get excited.

Why banks don't employ people who have a brain cell (like the guy above) I don't know - probably costs more you're right. 

The current problem was, apparently, the computers fault! 'Oh,' I heard myself saying 'that old chestnut.'

Now it;'s time for a well earned cup of tea with sugar in and possibly a lie down in a dark room for an hour or so till the husband traipses in from wherever he's been today, Bluewater I s'pect!  Ah well, at least the old car passed it's MOT today!  Small mercies I know!

© silversapphire 2009

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The Truth about Cats and Dogs (at the Vet's)

My dear old collie had to go for a second blood test today as the first one showed he had low calcium & high potassium but he had to be retsted as in 98% cases that can just be an anomaly in the phials they use to collect the blood.  Upshot was he had the blood taken (same vein as last time) almost fell off the table when the assistant stood on the wrong side of him when he made his usual break for freedom, good job I had a secure hold.  We were than asked if we wanted to wait as it would take 5 or 6 minutes to retest at the surgery, or go home and be called later with the result; we chose to wait.  Had we known what was about to unfold we would have opted for the latter. 

Waiting room is gloriously empty and collie lies down, really wanting to be home for his breakfast.  Enter a lady with 2 cats in cages and all hell breaks loose, well sorta.  Lady puts the cats down facing collie who is by now in a state of near apoplexy.  I have never seen a dog shake and shiver himself into such a state before, but then this is a collie who has been tormented beyond the realms of reason by the neighbourhood cats parading themselves along the garage roof to peer down at him as if to say 'yah boo sucks mate, ya can't get me up here' (well the cat equivalent anyway), they are almost laughing at this poor collie in a frenzied twisting blur racing from one end of the garage to the other barking furiously up at them. 

Had my camera been working the other morning I would have had a brilliant picture with which to illustrate my point; sadly said camera had gone on strike (must be affiliated with a certain union at the moment, but that's another story entirely) which was a shame as it was a really fine tableau of collie standing in the garden looking up at a black cat perched on the garage roof looking down at him.  No-one moved, even the birds were still anticipating the dog to suddenly get up to the garage level or the cat to fall.  Neither happened but the cat saw me and took off, which caused more barking and mad dashing to and fro from collie. 

Lady with the cats turns the cages round to face away from collie who stops shivering a little - but he was having a moment all of his own there this morning.  Then the vet comes in and says bloods are fine and we can go - well once we've paid the bill, cue more shivering crying, semi-howling, and that's just the husband! 

We seem to attract cats, despite hubs and I being allergic and the dog just hates them on sight.  What a morning, don't know about the dog being worn out, I know I am.

© silversapphire 2009
All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

As well as 2nd hand radiation not being safe, it now comes to light that low level radiation doses are dangerous too!

Researchers today have decreed that low level radiation doses are damaging to the heart!  The guys on the other side say that because there is no data to back this up no-one should worry about it. 

Oh, well that's all right then!

Seriously though, it's not just us poor old patients who have this to worry about but the people who work in the nuclear medicine areas where LLR is given out.  I suppose time will eventually tell of course, in the meantime I'm still doing my own research and finding out for myself about the 'dangers' of these drugs which the medical profession would rather you did not know.

Having to say that the LLR I received for my thyroid hs started to get rid of the swollen and very dry throat I had, it's only been just over a month so still too early to tell.  Just hoping now that I haven't swapped one problem for another!  Hmm, lets see if it's been worth it *balances heart damage in one hand, and thyroid treatment in the other* - nope, can't tell yet.

© silversapphire 2009
All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Please help us save Stephen Fry's TV series: KINGDOM

I know there are far more important issues going on in the world (see last blog) than trying to save a TV show but a lot of us feel that this show should at least be given a further outing and if you agree, please help us save it.

There is an online petition to be signed by going here: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/bringbackkingdom/

And a website here: http://bringbackkingdom.yolasite.com/ where you'll find campaign updates and a flyer which you can print off and distribute (where legally possible of course).

In these days of doom, gloom and postal strikes it's nice to have a Sunday night drama which isn't full of the bad stuff and for that reason ITV, we'd like our Kingdom back.

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

An Open Request to anyone who reads this Blog

As a member of twitter and a follower of Stephen Fry, I received the following in my updates earlier today.

"Desperate story of Akmal Shaikh, bipolar British man facing execution in China; we must help Reprieve save his life." 

It is such a distressing case to be sure, and I feel moved by reading about this man's plight; don't know about you.  I'm not really one for getting involved in things like this but it's so sad that this mentally ill man is being criminalised after being duped by others into carrying illegal substances simply because he does not have the mental capacity to understand what he and they were doing.

There is an organisation called Reprieve, who are working to save his life, but time is fast running out; read here about their fight, and how you can help by visiting the link at the bottom of this blog.

About Akmal Shaikh

A British national from London, Akmal is facing imminent execution in China for carrying drugs. Reprieve has strong evidence that he is seriously mentally ill, most likely suffering from bipolar disorder.

Akmal has a lifelong history of erratic and bizarre behaviour. People who knew Akmal have said 'he seemed crazy to me' and that 'he was severely mentally disturbed'. It appears that he was severely delusional at the time of his alleged offence, believing himself to be a world-famous pop star, and that drug smugglers took advantage of his confused state by promising him super-stardom in China.

Akmal's appeal has just been denied in the High Court; it is now with the Supreme People's Court, and he faces possible execution within days.

Copyright Reprieve Organisation © 2009 All Rights Reserved

On the following link, you will see a small video which Stephen Fry has made appealing for people to help.  There are a number of ways in which you can do this, one of which I used this morning, is a letter already written which is copied into the body of an email and sent to David Miliband as an urgent appeal for him to save Akmal's life.

Please help if you can.  Thank you.

http://static.reprieve.org.uk/stephenfryappeal.html

All blog content, except where notated is © silversapphire 2009 All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

An Open Blog to David Cameron MP

Dear Mr Cameron,

I, like many other disabled people in the UK today, are appalled and sickened even further by reading your proposals for the removal of people from IB and DLA. What you forget to say is that there are genuinely disabled people out there, I am one of them, who cannot work and need this money to live. You make this sound like an attack on the genuinely sick and disabled and you surely have not forgotten that we also have a vote. I am certainly not voting for someone who is going to make my life more difficult than it already is because he has no idea of how meagre these benefits are, and are the lifeline which gives us a modicum of independence. I dread to think what will happen to this once great country of ours if Labour is elected to another term, which is what will happen if people do not vote Conservative.

I cannot believe that you Mr Cameron, would be so callous and insensitive to people who are genuinely disabled. There are no jobs in this country and employers, take it from me, would always employ an able bodied person over a disabled person any day of the week. Ignoring that fact, or saying it doesn't happen is ridiculous in the extreme. I had hoped the Conservatives would have had some experience of life as it happens outside of Westminster but it seems that these policies are thought up by people who want a 'one size fits all' stripping of the meagre monies we have to live on. We are still reeling from the mauling by the last work and pensions secretary before he resigned and it's a complete disgrace. Yes, there are scroungers, workshy, feckless people out there but NOT all benefit claimants are, you should rethink this idea as it is just scaremongering for those of us who have a small amount of independence, and frightening for those who cannot see any future if this happens.

When I was able to work I paid tax to support those who needed it, now that I am disabled I am being looked after by those who pay tax now; just like I did. I did not begrudge my tax being paid and neither should tax payers today, but they are always told that the people on benefits are workshy, feckless morons who have never paid tax in their lives. This is a monstrous lie, completely reprehensible, disgraceful and morally insulting! Previous taxpayers who are now on benefit are always treated like the rest, it stinks Mr Cameron and until you redress this appalling attack on the sick and disabled then you will never get my vote.

If those lucky enough to have full health are happily joining the 'bash the sick and disabled bandwagon' then they had better hope that they never become too sick, or disabled to work because they will have voted in a disastrous state of affairs whereby they are stripped of any dignity through the inexcusable act of becoming sick and disabled under a Conservative government.

Yours,
silversapphire

© silversapphire 2009
All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author