I am tired of all the hyped up crap about Cadbury's leaving off the world Easter on their chocolate eggs and bunnies.
Even the Church of England is sticking their oar in and criticising the Cadubury decision to leave out the Easter celebration. The CofE should stop embarrassing itself, as this pagan tradition of Eggs and little chocolote bunnies is nothing to do with the real meaning of Easter. If the CofE want to object to anything then why don't they object to halal cruel method of slaughtering animals.

Hope it's good stuff.

I found all the protests about Cadbury's/NT's egg trail pathetic. It's just Cadbury's marketing it's products to the whole country instead of one small section of it. Anyway, it's the CofE's job to promote Easter, not Cadbury's.

I hope everyone has a good Easter break!

Hope you have a good Easter too, Finebyme. Personally, I'm looking forward to just having a few days off.

Last Saturday, I experienced a slight problem with the flushing of our toilet. Mrs R complained that she couldn't get it to work at all, but I proved that not to be the case. However, I took a bucket upstairs just in case we had further flushing problems, and then ordered a spare part (a dreadfully expensive £1.00, post free) from Amazon. No further problems manifested themselves until Tuesday morning when I couldn't get it to flush at all. The bucket was pressed into service. I might add, that at this time, Mrs R was still in the land of nod.

Come 11.30 the postman dropped off my ordered part. I was now torn. Did I wait until Mrs R went shopping later in the afternoon, or did I fit it now, missing a TV programme at noon that I had been looking forward to? I opted to fit now.

Twenty minutes later, after much muttering and mumbling the toilet was back in first class flushing order. I cleaned myself and my mess up and went downstairs to watch my programme.

Eventually, she who casts no shadow tumbled out of bed and used said facility. Not a single comment was made to me, until she went into the kitchen and filled the kettle. "Oi, have you been b*ggering about with the water pressure?" she demanded. "This isn't high enough to use the washer!"

A quick turn of the stop-tap later and all is well, but I do wonder why I bother!

I've just comE back from Bude.
'someone' had forgotten to lock my car , left in my drive. Someone got in and ransacked the inside, flinging the contents all over the front lawn. My swimming stuff, towels and gym shoes which I leave in there.The door pockets contents , paper towels, sunglasses and the usual rubbish we collect were scattered all over the inside. There was about a fiver in change in the door-which they missed--but took the stuff from the ash tray....about 5 trolly tokens and a 50p piece.
I did laugh, but didn't laugh when I had to pay the RAC £97 for a new battery which had been ruined by the inside light being left on.

Beautiful hot day again, emptied the water butt to water the various plants and shrubs. Not very newsy I know, but thought I'd share some chit-chat. Keeps the forum going.
I was browsing/shopping in House of Fraser, have noticed that their merchandise is rather depleted compared to when I first moved here. They really have spread it around to make the floors look full. There isn't as much selection as there used to be. I'm just hoping they don't close as well. I wonder if online shopping has done that. I think the most boring job must be in the perfumery department where the women are all tarted up looking like geisha girls with nowhere to go. As I was leaving the store two ladies from the perfumery department were at the doors holding test bottles of perfumes at the ready and offering shoppers if they would like to try. So they must be getting desperate for sales. I think this must be one of the most demoralising jobs, more or less having to accost shoppers before they leave the shop. I noticed Marks&Sparks to that as well when they are promoting biscuits or chocolate , always the rubbish stuff. Sorry, I wouldn't make a good sales person. Doesn't appeal to me.

Yes, it's been a great few days. It's been hellish in the office, though; instead of turning the air conditioning up, some muppet turned the heating on, and it only got turned off this morning.

Expected to break for the bank-holiday weekend. - Typical.

I went away late summer of '76. You remember that looooong hot one? - The weather broke the week I went away!

Don't you have fans in the office, Lex?

No, they're all online on here. Boom boom!

Unfortunately, they're few & far between. I bought myself a cheap fan last year, but it died just as the weather started warming up. Buying a new one could be a project over the Bank Holiday...

I had a casualty in the garden this morning. A young blackbird learning to fly flew right bang on the window. I heard a light thud and looked out , there was a baby blackbird knocked himself for six, I carefully picked him up and put I'm in a safer place on the soft grass just under the hydrangea, he was a bit stunned, but he came round ok. He soon started chirping but sat there for a while, then flew off when the parent bird turned up. So I hope he stays safe and not try any high flying tricks for a while.

Well, what a palaver...

Twelve months ago our GP retired. His practice was taken on by a new guy, who for whatever reason has decided to now pull the plug. The practice is located in a nearby medical centre along with two other GP practices.

Last week we had a notice from the NHS informing us that we needed to find a new GP. Helpfully, the notice included several GP practices reasonably local who were taking on new patients. Interestingly, the two that shared the medical centre were taking on.

I downloaded the relevant forms from the NHS website, completed them and dispatched Mrs R (Please remember I am afflicted by gout at the moment, I'm not a lazy pig!) down to the centre to register us with one of the existing practices. She returned 30 minutes later telling me that the new practice wanted proof of I/D. - A couple of letters should do. She returned with adequate I/D only to be informed that they now wanted birth certificates. Mrs R explained that she doubted if we had them (wrong as it happens) and the receptionist suggested that she try to register at the other practice as they 'weren't so fussy!'

So, Mrs R went to the other end of the centre and had a word with the receptionist. No problem, she gave her a couple of forms, told her to return with them and the ones of the NHS website and that would be it.

Next day, Mrs R returned with duly completed forms, only to be told that signatures were missing. She signed hers and returned home with mine for me to sign. Looking at the form, I had signed it, but there was another signature required two lines below that we had both missed!

Again, Mrs R returned with my forms only to be told my NHS number was missing. It was, I have no idea what it is as it has been changed from what is on my medical card. (Mrs R has recent prescriptions that she drew hers from.) Mrs R asked the receptionist at the soon to be departed doctor's for the number and was duly obliged. The new GP's receptionist was now happy and we're registered... I hope!

Apart from the faffing about, this shows up why the NHS is short of money. Wouldn't it be far easier for a simple request to transfer the files from one GP to another, along with one signature? Or should I stop being sensible?

OH my goodness Mr. and Mrs. R. you must have the patience of Job. How exasperating.
I think my blood pressure would have been through the roof!
Yes, Rebbonk, I would have asked my GP for my medical records to be transferred.
When I left the hospital I worked at, I asked for a copy of my medical records and was duly given them. I don't know if that is allowed, but I think its because I worked in the NHS that the doctors knew me and gave me a copy of my records.
Not that there is much in them.