When not attending to garden tasks what other things have filled your day?

I have to go to my Doctor's office to get my prescrptions refilled at1pm. today. Normally I have a yearly free wellness exam in November and they call me early in the month with my appointment date and time. This year I got no such call so I called them. They wouldn't give me a wellness apointment until Dec. 20 with my Doctor which is past the Nov. 30 deadline for my yearly exam. They said I could see "Kayla" ....... is Kayla the Nurse Practitioner? I asked. Yep.

Oh hell no !! Last year while I was having my exam with a young Doctor right out of medical school who was interning there, "Kayla" burst into the exam room, flinging the door wide open. No knocking and waiting for a reply. No Excuse me for interrupting". She immediately outstretched her right arm, finger pointed at my face and said: " YOU need to go RIGHT NOW and get your blood draw because it has to be out of here by 12:30. "

Well, the poor kid was so mortified by this self-absorbed tyrant's behaviour that he bowed his head, turned to the wall in his swivel stool and turned beet red. I, until I saw his reaction, was about to get up from my chair and light right into her. Never had I, in a professional setting, been so rudely accosted.

But, I didn't want to escalate the situation considering how strongly he had already been effected by her actions so, I leaned back in my chair and, dismissively (which miss bossy-arse, self absorbed bully didn't catch onto, of course) said: "I'll just pass on it this time" and turned towards the kid.

To which she replied: " Are YOU refusing to have your blood drawn? !! " Now I turned to her again, leaned back and told her: " Refusal is such a strong word. I'm going to pass on it because I don't get the results in a timely manner anyway. "
I looked towards the kid again and...you guessed it!! Her mouth started flapping for the third time. "YOU get a Patient Portal" she barked. (Online you can review your records on this site every patient is signed up for.)

I said: " Yeah, I was here in March and in November for blood draws. In Dec. I got a Patient Portal in my email with the March results on it. " She lets out a very loud Tsk !! then a very loud sigh and I won't say she slammed the door but she came verrrrry close to it. I

While I was typing I got a text from the Doctor's office that my Doctor is not in today, she's sick and I need to reschedule.

If it weren't for the fact that she is a VERY, very good Doctor, I would go somewhere else as some of her staff leave A LOT to be desired.

 

It's very cold again today, so I might not do anything as I did a lot yesterday.

I'm presently downloading some Buddy Holly recordings from YouTube.
These were highlighted by someone on one of the vintage audio message boards.
Several of them I'd not heard before, Others "I wouldn't have wanted to hear."
I think his record label after his death, released some of his recordings, even he wouldn't have wanted to have been made public.

 

I had another text from my bank last night saying they would be phoning me about my complaint today.
If it's on my mobile it'll get ignored. If they use the landline, which they know I prefer, my wife will answer and tell them, that I don't appreciate phone calls, texts, or e-mails in answer to the polite letter I wrote them, I expect them to respond in the same fashion.
They are unaware of the fact that I'm leaving, whatever they say, the process will start on Monday.

 

I've had an e-mail from my golf club to advise me that I'd come second in the Wednesday competition this week. So, at least a bit of good news after the "trauma" of my problems with my bank.
I was one stroke behind the winner. I had the same score as the guy who came third.
In the event of a tie, it's settled on a, "back-nine card play-off." That means the player with the best score, on the back nine out of the two, wins.
The other guy also had a higher handicap than mine. So did the winner!
I'll get another £25 added to my account in the pro shop. You don't actually get the cash!
It tends to build up in your account, as I've had a few previous wins or second places this year, as I and my two regular partners play in the same competition every week.
Three weeks ago, I used some of the money to buy a new driver.
It costs £4 to enter the competition each week, so even if you have a few wins or second places, you aren't really any better off. But that isn't the point.

There's no prize for coming in third, as I did on a card play-off a couple of months ago, to another member who also had a higher handicap!

 

I finalised changing my bank yesterday. I went into the building society to finish signing up and arranging the date of transfer. They'll move all the direct debits etc.,

Apart from one, my direct debits are due on the first of each month, so they will have been paid before the change over. I'll have a new bank and credit card (plus £175 for moving!) by then.
I had considered writing to my present bank, to explain why I'm closing my account, but I've decided to let them work it out for themselves, if they actually care.

It's a sunny day, although colder than yesterday, it'll warm up a bit by lunchtime, so I can get into the garden then.

 

Just finished off the faces on these two Chocolate Orange Snowmen covers for my two great nephews. I had to do a sneaky check first to find out what their favorite colours were. Both are now completed and filled with ' the orange'.

 

I've started putting up the Christmas decorations and trees, I'll take some pics when I've finished.

 

Baking pies cakes snacks finger foods fruit smoothies for 6 and more. Dinner menu is different this year and lots of easy recipes for everyone’s fav meals. First TG without dad. So I took a survey and asked the boys what would they like for TG meal. And that’s what I’m fixing. This year we are having a untraditional Thanksgiving dinner. Main dish is Viva LaChicken. Easy casserole.

Preparing living quarters, linnens and keeping the heat cranked up for all the rooms and firewood is all stacked. ,

 

Pac this poem really means alot to me and I feel it is relevent for all special family occassions.
Enjoy Thanksgiving....your hubby will be there sharing it with you. Pull up that chair for him xx

 

Today I had to return to the building society to set up my new credit card, as they were unable to do it on Monday.
There was a problem, as the system was supposed to send me a text message with a code on my mobile with a code, but it wouldn't have it.
The girl dealing with it all tried several times, to no avail. We checked the sim card, which seemed to be connecting OK. But we decided it might have developed a fault. Although I'd received a couple of tests on it home, the previous evening.

"I always have a plan."

I said I'd go home and ring O2, and if it wasn't their problem. I'd take the sim out of my wife's "dumb phone" which is the same as mine, (which she doesn't use) and try with that when I returned tomorrow.
I left the branch and went shopping in Sainsburys, where my phone received the missing texts!
So I went back later, we went through the process again and another text came through straight away!
I guess because the branch is in a covered precinct, my phone wasn't getting a strong enough signal.
Anyway, it's all done and dusted and both accounts will be operational this time next week.
I've still not heard from my bank. I was thinking of writing to them to tell them I was leaving them after 68 years, but because they can't be bothered to contact me, I won't, they'll soon find out I've left them, when my respectable credit balance of a few thousand pounds disappears.

 

@Pacnorwest enjoy your thanksgiving and your hubby will be with you all in spirit.

 

Oreti and Logan thank you for reaching out and your kind support. Hugs back at ya!
Mincemeat pie and sweet potato pie on the dessert menu too…

 

I and three friends played golf today instead of our usual Wednesdays.
The weather was perfect, little wind and quite warm. I started off with over trousers and a waterproof jacket over a sweater and short-sleeved golf shirt, after a couple of holes the jacket ended up in my golf bag it was that warm. The course was still quite wet.

It'll be mild for the next few days, with possibly some showers tomorrow and Saturday. But Sunday looks ideal for clearing up the last of the dead leaves.

 

A few weeks ago we had a smart meter for the gas and electric, the electric one is working well but the gas one isn't, there supposed to be 5 lights flashing but only 4 are, hubby got InTouch a few times but after their attempts it still doesn't work, they might have to replace it.

 

That's modern technology for you, nearly as bad as modern "communications," where companies will try to do anything other than let you speak to an employee in your home country.
British Gas seems to have finally stopped trying to convince me to have a smart meter.
They know I'm aware they aren't necessary. I'm quite happy reading the meters myself and posting them on their, "meter readings website."
The energy companies want smart meters, as they give them complete control of your supply.
A lot of people have difficulty paying their bills.
With a smart meter, failure to pay your bill and they will be able to cut you off remotely.

"Back in the day" There were meter readers employed by the energy suppliers.
A company was employed to read the meters, street by street, regardless of the individual energy suppliers.
Once for your particular supplier, you could read the meters yourself, these meter readers were unnecessary.
But they'd try to convince you that your supplier insisted they read your meter, to get an accurate reading.
That was a lie. Of course, these people only got paid for the meters they read.

Your supplier isn't particularly bothered how accurate are the readings you post. They, (or actually, their computer) can tell by your consumption if it, "looks about right," for any particular month.
Not having to pay someone to read meters, because you're doing the job for them, suits them fine.

If there's a significant drop in your consumption, they'll probably investigate.
A big jump in the usage, "they'd tell the police, in case you'd started a cannabis farm."

When you submit your readings, you have to tick a box to say that they are a true reading. So, legally, they've got you, if they aren't.