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

[Eddie99]

18 minutes ago, indiana123 said:

Hope things  soon improve for you Megabear.

 

Long story, short version, nightmares here too regarding morphine patches.  Need to speak to surgery due to me asking questions re heart, monitoring etc .. two days couldn't get through,   It's important I speak to them as have to wean off other controlled drug.  On and on it goes,.  The receptionists take no messages, just say  our lists are full today please go to walk in surgery.   It's not appropriate unless they dish out opiates like sweets.  Daughter and  MP plus another Hospital now involved.  I can do without any more stress so will just sit back and let eloquent daughter deal!!!

 

where's the chocolate🤣

Hope things pick up

[happy v]

44 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Thank you. I actually feel better just writing the above rant!  I truthfully think if I wrote a book no one would believe it as my life is like one giant fairytale at the moment.

What a nightmare. I can't believe plumber left without at least fixing stopcock. I hope your husband gets better soon.

[happy v]

34 minutes ago, indiana123 said:

Hope things  soon improve for you Megabear.

 

Long story, short version, nightmares here too regarding morphine patches.  Need to speak to surgery due to me asking questions re heart, monitoring etc .. two days couldn't get through,   It's important I speak to them as have to wean off other controlled drug.  On and on it goes,.  The receptionists take no messages, just say  our lists are full today please go to walk in surgery.   It's not appropriate unless they dish out opiates like sweets.  Daughter and  MP plus another Hospital now involved.  I can do without any more stress so will just sit back and let eloquent daughter deal!!!

 

where's the chocolate🤣

It's so annoying after you waiting so long that they are now messing up the solution. Hope they sort it soon 

[Peanut006]

48 minutes ago, indiana123 said:

Hope things  soon improve for you Megabear.

 

Long story, short version, nightmares here too regarding morphine patches.  Need to speak to surgery due to me asking questions re heart, monitoring etc .. two days couldn't get through,   It's important I speak to them as have to wean off other controlled drug.  On and on it goes,.  The receptionists take no messages, just say  our lists are full today please go to walk in surgery.   It's not appropriate unless they dish out opiates like sweets.  Daughter and  MP plus another Hospital now involved.  I can do without any more stress so will just sit back and let eloquent daughter deal!!!

 

where's the chocolate🤣

Don’t forget the wine too!!!

 

Michelle

[Peanut006]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

More tales of woe all round here!  On Monday I had a quick shower before getting ready for the doctors.  Got out to puddles of water and thought crikey you've been a bit messy girl. Mopped it up and started to leave the room then realised more water is appearing at a rapid rate.  Investigation and the water is hot, very hot! I then realised I could hear water still running.  I'm now paddling in it, no sign of stopping it.  Go to the stopcock which is also in the bathroom total panic when it fails to turn in any direction.  There I stand dripping wet wrapped in a towel and alone in the house thinking the end is nigh.  I tried the bath taps - the shower is over the bath - and realised this stopped the flow out from underneath significantly not completely but enough to buy me time to get out our emergency plumbing policy with Ovo and send for help.  Guy listens to the problem says I'll put out an emergency call and plumber will be witn you in an hour. Great ... call the doctor to say can't make 10.10 and they rearranged for 15.10 there's me thinking it will all be over.

 

No plumber appears in the hour, I've now used every towel and sheet in the house holding back the tide and am frantically trying every local plumber's number for help, of course none available as out on jobs.  Two hours pass, I'm now trying to use a wrench to turn off the stopcock but nothing turns.  I ring my OH who's out at a clients office some hour and a half away in desperation and ask him to come home.  He arrives back at 1.20pm tries the stopcock and agrees its solid.  The bathroom, our only one is tiny so having taken the bath panel off he tries to lie flat (actually impossible) to find a screw to disconnect the taps under the bath.  Reaching in he bangs his head very hard and we then have him laying there stunned with blood gushing out from his head but he tells me he has found the screw and to get him a flatheaded screwdriver from the kitchen which thankfully I find instantly and he is able to turn the water off.  Now we have to get him out and up - I've mentioned before he has chronic fibromyalgia and a major heart condition so manouevre ability is not good at the best of times - which on this occasion turns out to be no mean feat with a slippery flooded floor, very limited space and blood running down under his glasses so he cannot see. Thankfully I get him out after 10 minutes of trying and am able to tend to the wound at least.  

 

Back to the telephone and Ovo for the missing plumber. 2.20pm ahh yes we have your "claim", I will put the call out.  What? The call out was for an urgent stopcock and major leak.  Errr  yes I'm afraid it's a training issue the adviser didn't put it as urgent.  Cue light blue touchpaper, Megabear in full best furious argument mode!  Whilst demanding urgent action Mr Megabear receives a text, Ovo plumber will arrive between 4.00pm and 8.00pm.  Lots more furious discussion ensues.  I let Mr Megabear take over the conversation and leave for the doctors. 

Arrive home an hour later to find Mr Megabear still discussing the merits or not of an Ovo emergency insurance policy - apparently they'd called him back three times but no plumber in sight.

 

Plumber eventually makes contact 5.20pm.  He's in Somerset and at least an hour and thirty minutes away.  I ask about the stopcock as he mentions he has to isolate a leak nothing more. Absolutely adamant he isn't doing anything except stopping the leak which of course was already done.  Turns up at 6.45pm, looks under the bath, not covered under the policy, photograph it, gone.  Total times 4 minutes, not looked at the stopcock, zilch.  More irate calls to Ovo, an acceptance they've done it all wrong  new plumber will be there between 9.00am and 1.00pm Tuesday, text received to confirm.  Will confirm 1 hour window Tuesday ... yeh right, ha ha.  1.00pm Tuesday new text received: we have booked your plumber for Wednesday pm between 1.00pm and 6.00pm ....

 

Meantime Mr Megabear goes to the doctor Tuesday morning to be told he's got a mild concussion, all of his vital signs are raised and he's actually now quite unwell with urgent change of medication etc required.

 

Customer service calls 5.00pm on Tuesday, sorry we know we've cocked up ...

 

 

That is just awful and terrible customer service.

 

Hope your hubby is doing ok

 

Michelle

[grapau27]

51 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

Hope things pick up

Lovely.

As a chocolate rep for over 35 years chocolate is delicious and definitely improves your mood.

[kalos]

A few months ago our next door neighbour had a leak and went for the main stop ***** like a bull in a china shop approach.

He came round asking if I had any idea of what he could do ?

Turns out he had snapped the pipe below the stop ***** main inlet to their house .

He had set off with a small leak in the loft from a pipe above his bedroom .

They  had no exterior stop tap apart from the one in the street which would switch off 6 houses supply and he could not get any plumbers  to come until tomorrow.

His Mrs was going mad  due to the fine spray under the kitchen sink .

I told him as it was the cold supply to fully open his cold tap in his bath and leave it running 

he said this stopped the upstairs leak and slowed the under sink issue to a little dribble , 

not ideal but better than a damaged kitchen and bedroom  as this had took the pressure away from the leaks. 

Now he has it repaired have advised him to do what we do and that is to open and shut your stop ***** valve at least once a year rather than leaving it to seize up over the years .

I wonder how many of you think to do the same and check it's in working order ?🤔

[twotravellersLondon]

3 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

The boy gets out of the car and walks the last few yards but her ladyship can't do that because her hair might get wet.

 

Oh for a time machine to transport the darlings back to the days of our youth... perhaps just for a week or two's life experience... just what would they make of this? In spring 🙄, summer 🥵, autumn ☹️ & winter? 🥶

 

 

In 1960... members of 5,000,000 households in the UK had to get a bit wet on the way to the facilities! Many of the children growing up with the facilities are today's regular cruising stalwarts.

 

A lifetime of hard graft throughout the 70s, 80s, 90s, naughties and twenty-teenies to create a world fit for the the "little darlings."

 

What will the "little darlings" leave as a legacy for the children of the 2070s? 😂🤣

[Rupert2251]

2 hours ago, pete14 said:

have to say, having power of attorney for both health and finance was a great help and I recommend anyone with vulnerable or elderly family members to apply for it.

Pete I echo every word. When my mum developed dementia we did not have POA and had to go through the Court of Protection. This turned out to be very very expensive, so anyone reading this with elderly parents please apply for power of attorney.

[Peanut006]

3 hours ago, Rupert2251 said:

Pete I echo every word. When my mum developed dementia we did not have POA and had to go through the Court of Protection. This turned out to be very very expensive, so anyone reading this with elderly parents please apply for power of attorney.

Fortunately I have got both care and financial for my mum

 

Michelle

[Josy1953]

2 pictures of the sky from our house tonight taken 1 minute apart, first from the side and 2nd  from the front. We couldn't  believe that they could be so different just by turning 90 degrees

[Presto2]

20 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

2 pictures of the sky from our house tonight taken 1 minute apart, first from the side and 2nd  from the front. We couldn't  believe that they could be so different just by turning 90 degrees

Beautiful skies our end of the city too 🙂 Just hope that red sky at night means we get a decent day tomorrow !!!

[Megabear2]

The plumber came and we are no longer in a comedy farce.  Thankfully this one knew what he was doing.  Stopcock loosened and operational in 10 minutes and the leak under the bath sourced and a solution offered. Basically it is a hole in the extendable stretch pipe to the hot tap.  He worked for 20 minutes and removed it and is going to come back tomorrow at 9.00am with a new one and fit it.  He was aghast the previous one claimed it couldn't be repaired and said although fiddly it's quite simple so with today and tomorrow no more than 90 minutes work.  He has told me of Ovo refuse to cover the bill it will be no more than £150 for his work, the part and resealing the bath. A great relief to have someone who knows what they're doing and actually care.

 

Tomorrow a follow up conversation with Ovo complaints manager looms ...

Edited February 21 by Megabear2

[Junction2]

That’s good news Megabear2. I hope your husband is feeling ok too. 

[Josy1953]

33 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Beautiful skies our end of the city too 🙂 Just hope that red sky at night means we get a decent day tomorrow !!!

The bottom picture was facing north so in your direction  so I hope you are seeing something similar the other was taken facing west over towards Trentham.

Edited February 21 by Josy1953

[Presto2]

Just now, Josy1953 said:

The bottom picture was facing north so in your direction  so I hope you are seeing something similar the other was taken facing west over towards Trentham.

Wish we had taken a photo now - our house faces (from the front) North West so we get lovely skies as the sun sets to the West. (We are quite open at the back and wish the house faced the other way!)

Hopefully 'red sky at night ........'

We can but dream eh !

[Eglesbrech]

8 hours ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

Oh for a time machine to transport the darlings back to the days of our youth... perhaps just for a week or two's life experience... just what would they make of this? In spring 🙄, summer 🥵, autumn ☹️ & winter? 🥶

 

 

In 1960... members of 5,000,000 households in the UK had to get a bit wet on the way to the facilities! Many of the children growing up with the facilities are today's regular cruising stalwarts.

 

A lifetime of hard graft throughout the 70s, 80s, 90s, naughties and twenty-teenies to create a world fit for the the "little darlings."

 

What will the "little darlings" leave as a legacy for the children of the 2070s? 😂🤣

And even when the toilets went indoors there was the dreaded Izal toilet paper. Those who know what I mean, know what I mean!

[grapau27]

4 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

And even when the toilets went indoors there was the dreaded Izal toilet paper. Those who know what I mean, know what I mean!

Izal was only in our infant/junior school fortunately.

[Eglesbrech]

2 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Izal was only in our infant/junior school fortunately.

We didn’t have it at home but my Gran had it forever. We used to visit with our own roll of Andrex! She must have bought a job lot after the war and was still using it into the 1980s!

 

And yes school as well.

 

 

[indiana123]

Just an update on my quest for getting off one drug and on to pain patches.

 

Well after my daughter's intervention (she is a Hospital Recruitment Manager so knows procedure), I was telephoned and offered an appointment with a Practitioner.   My daughter was going to drive down but luckily I managed to put her off, and glad I did, she would have gone ape!

 

We walked in and a lady was at her computer and asked us to bear with her, finishing last patient's notes.    It was obvious from her manner that she had absolutely no idea why we were there.  She said "you have a backache"   NO that was not why we were there, I have had the scans the mri's, the injections, we were there to discuss whether patches were suitable with my history. I took out the latest Consultant letter which requested patches and she turned to her computer for over 5 minutes.  She then said she had been sending details to a colleague and they would discuss it.  Why couldn't I see a colleague before.  

 

I don't know who she was, I have never seen her before or heard of her. 

 

The final straw was when I said that I have a few questions about the patches and their suitability, and who should I ask and she politely told me there was no time my time was up.   She had wasted it.  She was polite, but seemed out of her depth somehow and was more or less sideways on to us, with an accent, so we missed a lot of it.

 

We left bemused.  It was atrocious.  Years ago I was Practice Manager.Secretary to a small surgery and nothing like it would have happened there.

 

Anyway she phoned later and said prescription was at Chemist so I hope the Pharmacist will help me.

Edited February 22 by indiana123

[Purdey16]

I certainly hope that the patches work for you indiana, I believe there’s different strengths ones , my mil had them and they worked on her for a while but kept coming off in the shower.

[brian1]

17 hours ago, kalos said:

A few months ago our next door neighbour had a leak and went for the main stop ***** like a bull in a china shop approach.

He came round asking if I had any idea of what he could do ?

Turns out he had snapped the pipe below the stop ***** main inlet to their house .

He had set off with a small leak in the loft from a pipe above his bedroom .

They  had no exterior stop tap apart from the one in the street which would switch off 6 houses supply and he could not get any plumbers  to come until tomorrow.

His Mrs was going mad  due to the fine spray under the kitchen sink .

I told him as it was the cold supply to fully open his cold tap in his bath and leave it running 

he said this stopped the upstairs leak and slowed the under sink issue to a little dribble , 

not ideal but better than a damaged kitchen and bedroom  as this had took the pressure away from the leaks. 

Now he has it repaired have advised him to do what we do and that is to open and shut your stop ***** valve at least once a year rather than leaving it to seize up over the years .

I wonder how many of you think to do the same and check it's in working order ?🤔

My blank ,blank ,blank is in working order Kalos.It's called a valve nowdays.I've never changed the terminology either.😉

[brian1]

12 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

The plumber came and we are no longer in a comedy farce.  Thankfully this one knew what he was doing.  Stopcock loosened and operational in 10 minutes and the leak under the bath sourced and a solution offered. Basically it is a hole in the extendable stretch pipe to the hot tap.  He worked for 20 minutes and removed it and is going to come back tomorrow at 9.00am with a new one and fit it.  He was aghast the previous one claimed it couldn't be repaired and said although fiddly it's quite simple so with today and tomorrow no more than 90 minutes work.  He has told me of Ovo refuse to cover the bill it will be no more than £150 for his work, the part and resealing the bath. A great relief to have someone who knows what they're doing and actually care.

 

Tomorrow a follow up conversation with Ovo complaints manager looms ...

I thought it sounded like a flexi tap connector,luckily it had a ballofix valve under it.Makes fitting baths a lot easier but they do fail sometimes.

[brian1]

9 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

And even when the toilets went indoors there was the dreaded Izal toilet paper. Those who know what I mean, know what I mean!

A lot better than a daily mirror on a rusty nail.😉

[Josy1953]

13 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Beautiful skies our end of the city too 🙂 Just hope that red sky at night means we get a decent day tomorrow !!!

Oh dear, that red sky didn't work, torrential rain here this morning.