Domesticity, Annoying Things, and Spring

I've been dealing with a few irritating things in the last couple of days; I have been having an ongoing issue with being unable to access on-line statements for one of my credit cards (and have now had 3 or 4 telephone conversations which go along the lines of "Oh, we thought that issue was resolved!") Usually followed up with "Oh, sorry, I can see there's a note to phone you back, did no-one call you?"

I think I shall be writing to them instead - perhaps a formal complaint will get their attention. I mean, a glitch is one thing, but o access since mid-November seems a little unreasonable to me!

And then this weekend, I got a call from my other bank, about the credit card I have with them, which it appears has been cloned. I'm not sure what's bee going on. Last week I logged on and found I couldn't see any of my recent transactions, and discovered that they were sending out a new card as apparently there is a 'security concern'. But apparently actually telling me in advance, so I knew that a card should be arriving, hadn't occurred to them.

Then on Friday I got a call from them about some suspicious transactions, and it turned out that yes, there *were* some transactions which were not made by me. My new card has arrived, but because it is linked to the same account it now gets cancelled too, and they will be sending me a new one...

All of which is a little frustrating, although at least it shouldn't cost me anything in the long term.

I have been being domesticated, and dealing with various dull-but-necessary things, such as renewing my car insurance, and getting the car MoT'd, and getting a fault with my central locking sorted out. All of which had to be done, but is not very exciting. (And not cheap, either)

The weekend was taken up with housework. I fear that I may have to buy a new vacuum cleaner soon, as mine seems to be getting a bit inefficient. Although part of this is my fault. I should get my hair cut, and then at least when I shed hair all over the place (as it appears that I do) there will be less of it, and perhaps the vacuum won't choke to death on it so often!  

Although persuading Loki not to bring half eaten birds into the house so I have to vacuum up so many feathers would probably help, too.

I also made a second batch of marmalade, on Saturday, although I clearly started to put it into jars just a few minutes too soon, as in the first couple of jars the peel has separated out a little.Still,  I'm sure it will taste fine!

 I still have a couple of pounds of oranges in the freezer so will be able to make one more batch. 


Meanwhile, Spring is coming. There are lots of snowdrops in the hedge-bottoms, and in gardens (although not mine!)

 There are lambs in the field down the road, and there are primroses, including some in my garden, where there are also daffodils in bud, and about to come into bloom.

All of which gives me hope that things are looking up, and that days will get longer and warmer.

Marmalade Season

It's that time of year again: there are Seville oranges in the greengrocers' shops, it's cold outside, and I am (literally) scraping the bottom of my last jar of 2011 marmalade. So it must be time to make the entire house small of oranges by making marmalade.

Saturday  was very cold - it's been a very mild winter so far, and I've only had about 2 days when I've needed to scrape ice off the car before heading into work. There was a very heavy frost, coupled with that very bright, cold sunshine you sometimes get in winter, and a perfectly clear, perfectly blue sky. I walked into town and found that the marmalade oranges were in stock at the greengrocer's (they weren't, last weekend) so I bought lots, popped into the corner shop on the way home for shedloads of sugar, and spent much of Saturday afternoon making my first batch, and much of Sunday afternoon making the second.

1st Batch of 2012 Marmalade!

So far, the first batch is looking good - it's got a nice set, and the peel is well distributed through the jars. Today's batch is not looking quite so good - it looks as though the peel is rising a bit, especially in the fist couple of jars I filled,  which means that I didn't leave it quite long enough before putting it into jars, but the taste seems fine, so it's many aesthetic! I am always a little bit worried that I'll leave it too long and end up with a saucepan full of solid marmalade, instead of neat jars full.

I've probably made around 12lbs of marmalade, and  have another 4lbs of oranges, (which will make around the same quantity) so will probably do some more next weekend, provided I can source a few more empty jars by then.

Having spent most of the last week eating very dull, not-very-good-for-me meals because I felt too tired to cook properly when I got in from work, I also took the opportunity yesterday to make a big batch of chili / spaghetti sauce, most of which I have frozen, so I have enough for 7 or 8 meals, so the next few times I'm too tired to cook I can have real, home cooked food without having to do any real cooking.

I also renewed my car insurance, which was, as it so often is, a frustrating exercise. My renewal from my existing provider was just under £100 more than last year, for the annual premium. Shopping around, I managed to get it to £45 less than last year (and with a slightly lower excess than the renewal quote, but otherwise an identical policy) - the really irritating part being that this is actually with the same insurer - but even knowing this, they wouldn't price match so it is treated as a new application, not a renewal, and I have to faff around sending copies of my licence and renewal notice. It seems such a waste, and just goes to show how much insurers rely on inertia to take advantage of their customers. I'd love to see an insurer genuinely reward loyal customers, with lower prices for sticking with them, but I doubt it will happen.

I didn't get around to spring cleaning the spare bedroom, which is next on my 'to-do' list, but all in all I feel the weekend has not been wasted, and I shall be able to settle down to enjoy watching 'Sherlock' with a clear conscience, this evening!

A New Year, and a Mystery

So, we're nearly a week into 2011, and so far, it feels pretty much like 2010 did.

Except for the Mystery book. My Volume 1 of the Absolute Sandman. It was waiting for me on the door step when I got home on Sunday - a brown paper parcel, tied up with string, addressed to me correctly, but in  unfamiliar handwriting. Postmarked from Deal in Kent. (and I don't know anyone in Deal, in Kent) No return address.

Inside, no card, no letter, no order slip, nothing.

I wondered, at first, whether my bother had sent it, or one of my sisters, as part of my Christmas present I mean, I'dd have been surprised, because they ech  already gave me a present, and I would have expected any of them to have said something when I saw them at Christmas, but it was all I could think of. The only other person I would suspect of sending me luscious books also already sent me a christmas gift (of books, natch)

So. Mystery. VERY odd.

Other than that, the year seems to have started with outbreaks of lurgy.in my office, people are dropping like flies - in my department, 3/6 people are off sick. Since Wednesday,  I'm the only fee-earner who has been in,  so I have been a little busy, and aso feeling rather crappy myself. I have been very firmly telling myself I am NOT ill, I am NOT coming down with anything, and I do NOT have an incipient chest infectiopn, but I don't find myself very convincing. *sigh*

Still, at least there is a weekend now. I was planning to make marmalade. It is marmalade season, but I may have to leave that and just collapse, I  think.

And it is that rather depressing time of year. My car insurance is due - my existing provider wants £365, so they just lost my custom. Thats a 40% increase on last year! And given I have been driving nicely, and haven't done anything expensive in the past year. I can't believe that insurance costts have gone up quite that much. So now I need to faff about getting other quotes, which is boring and time consuming. and I shall have to do it all over again for the hosue insurance soon.

Oh well. At least I still have left over Christmas chocolate.