Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 3 December 2023

Evening all

bjane:  Managed to sort out OH's medigap coverage this morning after three hours on the phone! Seemed like the more answers I got, the more questions I had. A couple of times I got customer types who seemed very tentative about the info or - in one case - gave completely contradictory or incorrect info, which prompted another phone call to another representative.  Even without that,  I've no idea how some people could possibly understand the potential ramifications of their decision.  My situation, with good employer-provided retiree coverage, is much simpler. 

AQ: So sorry your OH isn't open to helpful suggestions. What IS it with men!?

Diane: Hope you're not tearing out your hair.....  In California at least, we can enroll in different plans within so many days of our birthdays in addition to the annual open enrollment, so there's a chance to rethink decisions.

Take care everyone.

Annette - glad you finally got all the forms sorted. That will be a relief. I hope that Diane is succeeding with hers too.
I will be catching the bus to Chester in just over an hour. It takes about an hour to get there but I quite enjoy just sitting there and watching the world go by.
Rosy, Chester isn’t as good for shopping these day sadly. Browns (Debenhams) has closed so you can imagine how that big empty store looks right in the middle of the city. Other shops have closed too. There is a brand new market on the site of the old bus station. That is very trendy with more eateries and some stalls. There are still lots of tourists and days trippers about plus now, lots of students as the university has grown. As a consequence of that, the eateries have changed to cater for them. There aren’t as many “nice” tea shops. I remember that one down Bridge Street. My friend and I used to go there. It closed quite some time ago. The higher bit of Bridge Street nearest the cross is pedestrianised and many of the eateries have tables outside. It makes for quite a nice atmosphere. I really must try to take some photos.

Sorry I seem to have been AWOL - I was busy yesterday & just plain forgot to come on here.

I love stollen! Save a slice for me! My sis in law Sue was baking for a bake sale and told me she was making special flapjacks -- you use the usual recipe but add a tablespoon of mincemeat to it when mixing. Sounds great, I must try it.

Glad that you managed to get your medical care sorted, Annette, it sounds horrendous.

I love Chester but haven't been for ages. My friend G and I used to drive for half an hour, then get the out of town bus to get to the centre. It's sad to think that Browns is gone, now. Not the same!

It's wet here with a bit of watery sunshine now and then. My OH decided not to go to golf as it's so wet underfoot: We've had rain for about 24 hours solid.

By the way, I'm conscious that I began my travelogue, but then broke off. I'll try to get started on it again.

I'm a stollen fan as well! Surprising, because I really don't like marzipan. I bought some stollen bites as soon as they appeared in the supermarket - and they are sitting in the cupboard staring at me every time I open the door. So far I haven't been tempted ... The same applies to panettone. No room in a cupboard for that, so it's sitting on a shelf in my spare bedroom. It's just as well these yummy things are only available for a very short time each year!

Lindy - Looking forward to the continuation of your travelogue. I think your OH made the right decision. Playing golf on a sodden course is never fun - squelchy and slippery underfoot, and hitting a shot usually ends up with you being covered in mud! And putting is no fun either ...

Hope Annette and Diane (and bjane) have managed to get their health insurance sorted out. We in the UK are inclined to take our NHS for granted, and moan when things go wrong. Yes, things have not gone well for the past few years - but in an emergency, and when something needs dealing with urgently, they are wonderful. And 'free at the point of need'.

Hope everyone is coping with the run-down to Christmas. It's such a stressful time for everyone, and it really shouldn't be that way. I'm trying to keep out of it as much as I can, but I will be forced to become a part of the madness very soon. This coming weekend is the first anniversary of my sister's death - can't believe it's a year ago - and at the moment my priority is coping with that, together with the rest of the family.

Take care, everyone.

PatO: Xmas not a good time for that kind of anniversary. Hugs from here..

Rusty: I hate to read about those kinds of stores closing down (blame it on Amazon). I remember Watford just teeming with people on a Saturday morning - two big department stores and the market. You couldn't move; always bumped into neighbors, school friends and their mums. Lot of bustle and chat.

Benson is just back from his annual check up and all is well. Afterwards we needed another coffee to recover from the bill. I so feel for those who cannot afford the vets bills.

Ironing thankfully got finished yesterday.

ANNETTE - glad you got your form-filling completed.

DIANE - I hope your forms are almost done!

RUSTY - Browns of Chester was a blast from the past - I once had a very short-term job as invoice clerk for a fancy-goods importer/distributor (when i was a student) and remember the names of many of the large stores in major towns and cities.

LINDA & PAT - I am also a fan of Stollen, but made a mistake buying from M&S this year - horribly bitter!

PAT - sorry Christmas brings a sad anniversary for you, as for many others too.

DIBNLIB - doesn't seem a year since Benson's last "MoT" - pleased to see he is well.

Woke at 4am today - then half-woke at 6 and 7. Struggled to finish waking up at 10am - not sure I am awake, even now, and streaming cold has returned! Very fed up with it. Have decided I shall almost definitely go meat-shopping tomorrow over the water - so long as I can actually raise my head off the pilow!

OG - Stollen Bites from Aldi are wonderful! Not at all bitter.

OG Sorry to hear your cold is dragging on


PAT Hard for you, I am sure.

OG; Over the water?