P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[twotravellersLondon]

So, so, so happy... we went to our favourite chippy last night for a take-away. The first time since covid... as we're rather "delicate flowers."

 

Same family still run the place... remembered us, welcomed us and made us fell very special. They had hunkered down in the flat above during lockdowns... survived partly on the stocks in their freezers!

 

Now they're determined to keep the business, that they've built up over the years, going by working even harder and by keeping prices at a value for money rate.

 

So, so happy and pleased to see them again. And how easy to offer a little bit of support to friendly folk when all it means is buying a super meal!

 

[Adawn47]

3 hours ago, davecttr said:

The latest on my prescription chaos is I checked the 8 week repeat cycle and last time they were dispensed on Saturday the 16th July and 8 weeks from then is this Saturday 10th September. Hopefully that gives me some negotiating advantage. For future cruises the Arvia one next April is a problem as the 8 week repeat date is in the middle of the 14 day cruise.

Don't stress about it Dave. When that happens to us I phone the surgery, explain the problem and they issue our scripts earlier. I'm sure your surgery will have a similar procedure in place.

Avril

[Adawn47]

2 hours ago, Angel57 said:

My daily tablets are ordered online every 4 weeks….

Now I would have thought that being a reasonably healthy 62 year old it would make sense to re-issue my BP tablets every 8 weeks - less work for those that approve the request and less work for the pharmacist that dispenses it. But maybe that’s too simplistic……

Ask them, I did and they have put ours onto an eight weekly repeat, including my BP meds. They probably think you prefer them monthly, it won't hurt to ask.

Avril

[purplesea]

Been out looking for tailor's chalk that I couldn't find yesterday and found some a lot nearer to home. Went into my local Boots and got chatting to my friend that works there and now back home with a cuppa, before continuing with my sewing. 

Dinner for us tonight is pork in cider.

[kalos]

38 minutes ago, Caullkhead said:

just got sausages out for tonight not even butchers ones sainsburys Cheepos,

 

Some dogs won't go near them ,they prefer ... 😋 https://youtu.be/RFsKjsRE4Kc  😉

 

 

 

 

[Caullkhead]

DH & I will quite often come up with a quote from an old advert & the kids are bemused 🤣. 🥛  🍫🥜🍇here’s 2 we all know 🤓 

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Caullkhead said:

can’t do mash  much to ds discust out of potatoes

Domestic God alert !

I bulk cook and mash 2.5 kg of potatoes,  and then freeze individual or double portions in freezable microwaveable containers..

Just defrost overnight and then microwave, or can be cooked from frozen.  You may need a  little extra milk if the mash is too dry. 

You're Welcome! 

[mrsgoggins]

10 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Domestic God alert !

I bulk cook and mash 2.5 kg of potatoes,  and then freeze individual or double portions in freezable microwaveable containers..

Just defrost overnight and then microwave, or can be cooked from frozen.  You may need a  little extra milk if the mash is too dry. 

You're Welcome! 

Colour me impressed! From bin cleaning to bulk mash, you truly are a DG 😇.

 

My own DH would never qualify alas (although he has a multitude of good points). Whilst my right arm has been incapacitated  (I ended up with a full shoulder replacement after my ‘trip’ on Silhouette) I have seen how he struggles with the simplest of domestic tasks.  I’ve been familiar with the term ‘learned helplessness’ for decades but genuinely don’t believe this is the case 🤔

[zap99]

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

 

That horseradish isabit spicy.  DW had Marie rose.😁

[grapau27]

13 minutes ago, zap99 said:

That horseradish isabit spicy.  DW had Marie rose.😁

It is so we got the prawn Marie sauce too which was much better.

[lincslady]

Does anyone else still not bank online, like me?    I have always had a chequebook sent in the post automatically when the old one was nearly finished.   I don't know if all banks do this, but mine has not arrived and I have waited for ages to get through on the phone,  or get any sense out of online chatting.

 

I use very few cheques now,  and suspect the bank do not want you to have them.  Any advice,  please.  It is difficult for me to go into my branch.  Have banked with them for donkey's years, and always efficient so far, but I am tearing my hair out at present.

[Bin man]

I have a cheque book .Use 2 cheques a year .One for the gas engineer and one for the optician who refuse to set up a card payment facility.  Guess I was eased into online banking and have not visited the branch for 4 years so there is no wonder they want to close the branches through no fault of mine 

[Snow Hill]

Decided that cleating out the greenhouse is not an ideal job whilst there is a thunderstorm, aluminium greenhouse and we live on the top of a hill, so a high spot, so decided to abandon task. Came back into the house to smell the aroma of the chicken korma I have cooking in the slow cooker.

 

That’s tonight’s dinner, with basmati rice and a glass of Kopparberg Rose Cider. 
 

 

[kalos]

2 hours ago, lincslady said:

Does anyone else still not bank online, like me? 

Good question . With my main bank account I have a cheque book which I have never used in years as thanks to the internet and my trusty bank card and a few standing orders ,I have had no need for it.

A lot of the big banks I have just read stopped issuing cheque books automatically and the options are call in to a branch to request one ,or get one if you have online banking set up.

Even though I do not use online banking with the main account it seems I have in a way ,very rare do I use cash these days . I'm off to the chippy soon to pick up our tea , already paid for online just walk in and collect . 

Hope you get to the bank and get your cheque book or at least make contact with them. 

Edited September 7, 2022 by kalos

[Snow Hill]

1 hour ago, Bin man said:

I have a cheque book .Use 2 cheques a year .One for the gas engineer and one for the optician who refuse to set up a card payment facility.  Guess I was eased into online banking and have not visited the branch for 4 years so there is no wonder they want to close the branches through no fault of mine 

Just looked at my chequebooks, one account has 5 cheques used the first in 2011, last used in 2016, the other has 4 cheques used first in 2016, last 2021, all but one used to pay various tradesmen. 
 

I have been using online banking for best of 15 years or more, I did work in the finance industry in IT, developing online systems, haven’t used the branches of either bank I hold accounts with for 7 years or more. 

[Angel57]

3 hours ago, lincslady said:

Does anyone else still not bank online, like me?    I have always had a chequebook sent in the post automatically when the old one was nearly finished.   I don't know if all banks do this, but mine has not arrived and I have waited for ages to get through on the phone,  or get any sense out of online chatting.

 

I use very few cheques now,  and suspect the bank do not want you to have them.  Any advice,  please.  It is difficult for me to go into my branch.  Have banked with them for donkey's years, and always efficient so far, but I am tearing my hair out at present.

I am a very recent convert to online banking. It was a case of almost being forced into it with all my local branches having closed and not being able to ask a simple question to a human on the phone.

However, I now love it and actually feel more secure with being to check the balance daily and being alerted if money is withdrawn.

As for a cheque book I use it occasionally to send a monetary gift or donation.

Some banks have dedicated phone numbers (and where you speak to an actual person) for the over 60s who may struggle with online systems - and I have that number on speed dial should I require it!

[lincslady]

Thanks everyone - I can mostly pay with my card, but have had quite a few cheques which were obligatory this year, for various reasons.  I have the usual sort of phone no. for the bank - piles of  rubbish, then I give my full details, so they know who I am, but then the muzak comes in order to 'speak to an agent' - holding for 10 minutes or more is not for me.  As they work 24/7 I might try ringing at 6.a.m.

[Splice the mainbrace]

I had to ring my bank yesterday (first time in years) and was on hold for 20 minutes but I needed to hang on as it was urgent.

I wrongly thought that my Fixed rate ISA had matured in March after 12 months and had started transferring the ISA to another provider. However yesterday I got a letter telling me that the ISA will mature at the end of September (it was an 18 month fixed ISA) and inviting me to move onto another fixed rate ISA. If I had transferred early I would have incurred a 6 months interest penalty!!! Fortunately when I got through I caught the transfer only hours before the transfer would have happened overnight and they cancelled both the transfer and closure of my account.

 

I've always been on top of my savings and investments but I must double check things next time.

[AnnieC]

1 hour ago, lincslady said:

Thanks everyone - I can mostly pay with my card, but have had quite a few cheques which were obligatory this year, for various reasons.  I have the usual sort of phone no. for the bank - piles of  rubbish, then I give my full details, so they know who I am, but then the muzak comes in order to 'speak to an agent' - holding for 10 minutes or more is not for me.  As they work 24/7 I might try ringing at 6.a.m.

Try ringing the premier bank account number of whoever you bank with - if it's Barclays I can give you the number. Because they believe you to be rich (and I somehow slipped through the net, as I'm not) you get first class service on the telephone.

 

Edited to add: When you get through, don't enter any of the details they request; just stay silent. Eventually, you should get through to a human with a brain. 

Edited September 7, 2022 by AnnieC

[Caullkhead]

Well I asked eldest ds to tell dh to pick up milk on way home (they drive together) so they came back with cravendale as no normal milk & a pack of………. Yep mince pies! 😳

[Josy1953]

1 hour ago, Caullkhead said:

Well I asked eldest ds to tell dh to pick up milk on way home (they drive together) so they came back with cravendale as no normal milk & a pack of………. Yep mince pies! 😳

Tesco have had mince pies on the shelves for the last 2 weeks and this morning they were putting the Christmas decorations on the shelves.  Personally I can't see why they are kept just for Christmas DH and I both like them and I buy several jars of mincemeat at Christmas to keep in the cupboard so that I can make them whenever we feel like having a few mince pies.

[purplesea]

We don't keep mince pies just for Christmas either.

I went round to see Mum the other day and she gave me a batch of apples from her tree. I also have a lot of pears, so a baking and freezing session is up and coming as there are so many.

Meeting a couple of friends for coffee later whom I haven't seen for a few months, so will be good to have a catch up. 

[Caullkhead]

Morning, I was woken at 2.30 am with a text telling me I needed to pay £1.49 for my package to be delivered 😡 seem to have started getting quite a few of those recently & in the middle of the night, normally put the phone on silent but forgot. So I’m grumpier than normal this morning 😚. 
Agree have home made mince pies in the freezer & a few jars of my mincemeat in the cupboard, have to get some out as I’m always disappointed with bought ones they never have nuts in,  I’ve sent himself to work with the one he bought made with palm oil & marg pastry too 😱. 
  
So today’s question clotted cream or double with mine? 

[Josy1953]

I have been trying to decide what to wear to my cousin's funeral this afternoon.  She left instructions that everyone has to wear colourful clothes because she always like bright colours.  She knew that I would have a problem because she always teased me about my "boring clothes".  She has asked that I and another cousin speak at the funeral, after 68 years there are so many memories and her husband has asked that we try to include some of the funnier moments that we shared.

[Snow Hill]

Looking at the rapid fall in exchange rate between the £ & $ over the last week, it’s fortunate that P&O price there on board purchases in £s, it’s going to be more expensive for those who book with lines who price in $s. Current Tourist Exchange Rate is between £1.09 and £1.12 to the $