Far too many people to house ... ... ...

12 August

It’s happened again, and now I feel a wally yet again. I took a bit out of an apple and noticed that the goldfish were awake and wanting feeding. So I put the apple down and went over to do the needful. I sat down at me ‘puter and there’s not apple there. What!!! I looked all; over the desk, me table by me chair and giving up I sat down and pulled the keyboard draw from under the desk, and that sat the apple I was looking for; talk about a senior moment … … …

Our flat is getting very warm today, even with the windows open. The obvious thing is to open the back door as well, which we normally do. Well, Jan unlocked it first thing this morning, again as normal, but the damned door won’t open. A phone call the council to report it and we were told that they would try to get to us today if they can. Great hay? So much for a safety measure then! More annoying is that one of has to stay in in case they do turn up, and the same tomorrow if they don’t come today. Bloody council repairs. And yet we are fortunate that we have a place.

We sat and watched How to Get a Council House this morning. This one was about problems in Tower Hamlets, London. There is such a shortfall in social housing that some people are waiting five of six years, and yet they still need to keep ‘bidding’ on properties as they become available. Some of the hopefuls have bid on five or six hundred, before they get one. And that is just in one part of London, but it’s the same all over the UK right now.

There’s a lot of reasons for the situation to be as bad as they are. An increase in population; so many relationships breaking down, whether man/woman of even parents/children; The dread bedroom tax has done nothing to help; the huge influx of European migrants; the shear cost of property these days and the rents charged by private landlords.

But the one measure was that has caused a major amount of it, is all down to Mad Maggie and her right to buy. Now Daft Dave is bringing in the same thing again there by reducing the social housing stock even further. These damned tories will not be happy until we are all living in overcrowded housing, many families in one property and people fighting in the streets for just one room. Try reading Solent Green to see how things may be in the future.

Year ago I had little or no sympathy when farmers cried poverty. Then to join the Common Market and the changes were huge. Some farmers made fortunes while others went bust. Large numbers of UK fruit orchards were dug up to protect continental growers. Huge amount of butter and beef was produced and stored in vast warehouses. We had one here in Dorktown where some of this beef mountain was stored. The noise from there freezer plants could be heard for around a mile away. And then there’s the fishing industry, or what’s left of it!

Even today UK farmers are still getting a raw deal because of cheap imports or pork, lamb and so many other items. But the biggest issue is in the dairy industry. Are you impressed by Morrison bring in a separate milk line to pay farmers an extra 10p per litre? Well, don’t be, it won’t happen until October. They will still continue to provide the cheaper milk beside at. At the mount that milk is down to 86p for a four pinter. We go through a lot of milk here and it goes up when Kile comes to us for a few days.

We are slowly getting fed-up with Asda, and even more so after I was sick for night after eating some ham with a long use by date on it. Our local Asda is about the same distance as the nearest Morrisons and if we are going there for milk we may as well do all our shopping there – unless of course Asda does something similar.

Today’s photo … 

Jan, taken on me new Nikon D5200, and the first shot on it too.

Today’s funny, or at least it would be if it really happened …

My Aunt passed away this past January. Her bank billed her for February and March for their monthly service charge on her credit card, and then added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance had been $0.00, but had now grown to somewhere around $60.00.

I placed the following phone call to the bank:

Me: "I am calling to tell you that she died in January."

Bank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply."

Me: "Maybe, you should turn it over to collections..."

Bank: "Since it is two months past due, it already has been."

Me: "So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?"

Bank: "Either report her account to the frauds division, or report her to the credit bureau...maybe both!"

Me: "Do you think God will be mad at her?"

Bank:"Do I think God... excuse me, what did you say?"

Me: "Do you understand what I was telling you... specifically the part about her being... dead?"

 Bank: "Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor!"

(Supervisor gets on the phone)

Me: "I'm calling to tell you, she deceased in January."

Bank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply."

Me: "You mean you want to collect from her estate?"

Bank: ".....(stammer)" .... "Are you her lawyer?"

Me: "No, I'm her great nephew, but feel free to contact her lawyer at: XXX"

Bank: "Could you fax us a certificate of death?"

Me: "Sure."

( Later, After they have gotten the fax. )

Bank: "Our system just isn't setup to handle this..."

Me: "Oh..."

Bank: "I don't know what more I can do to help..."

Me: "Well... if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her... I suppose...don't really think she will care...."

Bank: "Well...the late fees and charges do still apply."

Me: "Would you like her new billing address?"

Bank: "That might help."

Me: "Fredrickson Memorial Cemetery, Hwy 19 and plot number 233."

Bank: "Sir, that's a cemetery!"

Me: "Yes sir, that's what we do with our departed loved ones."