Fingers crossed Lizco - I hope all is well

Thank you Jools. Negative results came through late this afternoon. Busy packing this evening as didn’t dare tempt fate beforehand!

Hope you are not experiencing severe symptoms and can manage to get some enjoyment from the festivities. Feeling very sorry for you.

Apologies for spreeing. Safely home now just before tighter restrictions on travel are introduced. So sorry for all those whose Christmas and New Year plans are ruined.

Very frustrated trying to close my eBay account. I've tried three times. It's been a year since I bought or bid on anything. I've never sold or tried to sell anything.

The "help" simply repeats the same things over and over again, none of which are relevant and "real" customer services are never available.

I've deleted all the payment information and I'm considering changing the email address and then deleting the email account but I don't like leaving a "open" account.

Of course I can watch what's left of the BBC Winter Olympics coverage (since Discovery have the main rights now it's far more limited on Freeview, as with the summer Olympics) on television, or on my television via the iPlayer app. But I sometimes like to hear the radio commentary/studio discussion, too. And it's essential really for anyone who, say, (unlike me) is a driver who moves around a lot in their vehicle, and wants to follow the action.

When the summer Olympics are on, for Wimbledon, some other major events such as the Commonwealth Games, the BBC always clear the schedules on Five Live/Five Live Sports Extra. They do almost non-stop live coverage. And IIRC the Olympics anyway, tend to get priority on the radio (as they should IMO!), they put most other sport on BBC sounds for the duration.

It seems weird and really annoying, that they're obviously not doing that for this Olympics. All the normal radio programmes are still on. Wonder why, surely radio broadcasting of sport is cheaper to make than television?

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My fanfic on AO3

I'm afraid my opinion of BBC radio is sliding downhill - not on skis as I'm not interested in the Winter Olympics but, like Katherine, because coverage of events seems to have got rather odd and inconsistent.

For instance, I like long form cricket. Now the radio does cover some of this but the county cricket is only on iplayer and so is some international cricket. On the other hand, we get wall-to-wall coverage of the Hundred and the T20 tournaments, the Indian Premier League, Australia's Big Bash etc etc on the radio. What's more, you can listen to these on catch-up, very convenient if the matches are on in the middle of the night. There's no longer any long form cricket on catch-up. If you want to listen to the Ashes, you have to stay up all night or settle for a one hour "round up". And then the BBC go around wondering why people aren't interested in their Ashes coverage...

Today my DAB radio has broken down (and if it didn't have a moulded-on plug I could repair it) plus my laptop has stopped working properly (luckily I have a small and slow spare). On top of all that, I'm looking after my father who's just had heart surgery (so I'm camped out in the spare bedroom surrounded by all the things I've moved to give him space).

feeling rather overwhelmed by life at the minute!

If you've got any spare plugs, one can cut off the moulded plug and fit the non-moulded plug instead. But I realise looking for another plug is probably not easy right now!

Positive thoughts for your dad's recovery.

Thank you, Lyanne.

Back in the olden days, there would have always been spare plugs in the house but I don't think I've seen an old style plug for some years now. I notice the instructions for the radio warn you sternly about breaking into the plug!

So many plugs now are transformers as well, so it isn't just a case of replacing a plug. I had to get a new 12v transformer plug for my radio alarm the other day - it is often necessary to get a lead with a USB connector on the end, and plugs with a USB slot - but once I'd found the make of radio and therefore the correct connector for the radio end, it was simple enough to order.

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to be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.
e.e.cummings
http://stitchwords.blogspot.co.uk

What I really want is the ability to be able to get spare parts from the same place that I bought the original item. It's becoming difficult to find even quite common things like vacuum cleaner bags.

I have a drawer full of transformers, all with different strengths marked on them, that don't seem to marry up to any of things that need transformers. Bit like matching up socks really.

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Cestina's Dollshouses Sylvanian Spring Part Two- Come inside!

Recently I sorted out and sent to the "amenity site" just such a mixed bag of electrical leads and chargers. I think many of them moved with me 12 years ago...

Every now and then there's some chuntering about making chargers (for things like mobile 'phones) "universal" but it never seems to happen

Yes I was going to post that idea, Lyanne. Have done that at least once (with a moulded kettle base flex), but you have to be so careful when wiring any plug (I'm sure you would be) . I hate wiring one, very fiddly and took me so long to grasp how to do it safely. I've had electric shocks in the past when leaving the power on, while messing with plugs, making DIY extension leads with a trailing socket, or whatever. For years, I had several (in hindsight), worryingly dangerous plugs in my bedroom. Had to redo all of them a while ago.
Have also had nasty spills of liquid on live extension leads, hopefully never again! Also positive thoughts Victoria, for your dad recovering.



I've always been a big fan of Ebay. Despite occasional bad or very bad experiences with buying (think I've only ever sold one item, unfortunately), there's nothing quite like it. Have been on there since before electronic payments, when you usually posted cheques. Lost the password for my original account many years ago, I just created a new one. I gave up in-person collection years ago. Too much hassle to arrange, especially since I can't drive.

Think it's probably rarer now than it used to be to get friendly communication from sellers (especially if it's not something bulky and/or more expensive you're buying), but they can be nice. By contrast, I use Amazon as well (a lot less), but don't like it that much.There's so much hard sell (inevitable perhaps), but it's really irritating the techniques they use to try and make you get Prime, which let alone the cost I don't want.

Oh and I frequently hear that dog barking somewhere now. Doubt there are many bad dog owners round here, but do suspect it's unhappy. The other night, I was going to the loo at about 5am. It was barking, and pretty sure I heard it's owner trying to calm it down. Moths attacking clothes is a real problem here, don't think there's anything you can really do about it.

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My fanfic on AO3

Talking of moths - my mother’s McCarthy and Stone residence is infested with carpet moths! Luckily, mums’s flat doesn’t appear to be as badly affected as some of her friends. Apparently, they came in with pigeons who set up home in the loft spaces 4 yrs ago. They got rid of the pigeons but didn’t realise the pigeons had left some little friends behind.

Aaaargh! Having left an energy supplier because of their inability to use meter readings and supply accurate bills, and because their customer service consists of ignoring you, the new supplier has managed to cock up from the outset. For some reason, despite my telling them I wanted both gas and electricity, supplying them with usage figures for both fuels, getting an estimate for both fuels and then supplying them with a terminal (or first -depending how you look at it) reading for both fuels...they've set up an account for electricity only...which I discovered only when I tried to give them my meter readings...

This is exactly what the last supplier did when I first moved to them. What is it about me that makes this happen? (And yes, I've checked the emails. It isn't my error)

It's not just you. I had all sorts of problems I had when I was switched (passive, not active - Eon took over Npower). And they're so awkward. I paid quarterly with Npower, but Eon said that I had to pay monthly. I said that I'd always paid quarterly, and they said I could only do that if I paid by standing order. I don't want to pay by standing order: I like to send in a meter reading and know that I've paid exactly what I owe, not a penny more and not a penny less. No, that would not do. I could only do that if I paid monthly. And then they messed up, so I didn't get a bill for ages. Then they kept adjusting their system, and it automatically e-mails a bill every time they amend it, so I got about 8 bills in the space of a few hours. Gah !

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We really must stop eating like this ...

Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open.

http://setinthepast.wordpress.com/

I think the really frustrating thing is that all the companies are as bad as each other. In the past I've tried using more expensive companies in the hope that they are spending some of that extra money on better customer service but it makes no difference.