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A personal weblog with photographs and comments. Quiet ramblings, quite rambling...
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- A shrine on Limpsfield Road - (4)
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England
This is the sign you see as you approch the Pond in Southborough, Tunbridge Wells.
In January I posted a item to South Africa, using a registered delivery service provided by Royal Mail. It never arrived at its destination, so I phoned the Royal Mail helpline, provided the tracking number, and was told that it had been delivered to its destination in Portugal. I explained that it was supposed to go to South Africa, and the phone advisor replied that I should rather fill in a claim form because the Royal Mail reuses its tracking numbers. I did so, and yesterday I received a letter from Royal Mail in reply:
Thank you for your enquiry received on 7th April about a missing International Signed For packet, reference number RIxxxxxxxxGB, addressed to:
xxxxxxx xxxxxxx
xxx xxxxxx xxxx
xxxxxxxx
Western Cape
7700
South AfricaI can confirm that your item was despatched from the United Kingdom shortly after it was posted. I regret however, that despite searches being made by the postal administration in South Africa, they have been unable to find any trace of your packet to date.
I would like to assure you we are most concerned when any loss occurs and I have therefore passed the details of your enquiry to our security people. They use this type of information to minimise instances of loss in our system.
In the circumstances, I am now in a position to settle your claim for compensation and therefore enclose a cheque for £23.51, which includes the postage you paid. I hope you will accept this along with my apologies for the concern and inconvenience you have been caused.
If you learn that this packet has subsequently been delivered or have any further information about it, please contact us again.
Your sincerely,
Samantha McBain
Customer Service Advisor
I was a bit perplexed when I read the bit that they had passed the details of my enquiry to their security people. Did this signify a forthcoming visit from the men in black? Were they sending MI6 to investigate the missing parcel?
In my mind the case is simple: someone in South Africa stole it, presumably an employee of the postal services. It makes me wonder why I bother to send items registered (signed for) delivery.
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Last week there was a fire in Ashby-de-la-Zouch at a site next door to the superstore. It started on Wednesday in the early hours of the morning (I think) and smouldered for 2 or more days. I was working long hours at work so didn’t get a chance to take a photograph. This morning I woke up to see a new plume of smoke arising out of Ashby (on the opposite side of the town, on the Smisby Road). I took this photo from my bedroom skylight. I also intended to take a close-up photo when I went into Ashby this morning, but the road was shut (and guarded by a police car).
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I believe this shiny instrument is called a trombone, the granddady of this one representing the papal throne.
Someone suggested that I feed my inner hippy at hippyshopper. I had a look, but I can’t say that I find 90s kitch masquerading as 60s hip stuff very appealing. I know a young girl who used to spend all her pocket money at Claire’s Accessories (on the little earings, hair ties, and other cheap stuff). This site might appeal to her in 20 years when she is feeling nostalgic for something that never was and has a bit more money to throw around.
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I took this photograph of a tree in Gatton Park, Surrey, last friday. The trees are looking quite fine at the moment - they are still bare but there are the signs of early spring growth at the very end of the branches. Within a month this tree will be filled with leaves.
Apparently Spring will be put on hold this weekend as we are in for a short cold snap.
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This is the prettier of Spenkers’ cats. She wears a dog tag.
If you have a mouse problem there is a more humane way of dealing with it than getting a cat. For a family of mice, there are other products that catch multiples. The latter site (trapman) would also be of interest if you have a cat problem rather than a rodent one.
Trapman has some interesting advice about caught mice:
If you’re using one of our humane live catch mouse traps ( I hope you are ), you’ll have a live mouse ( or hopefully lots of mice ) running around inside inside your trap. Don’t just launch them over next doors back fence, mice can very easily find their way back to your home. Instead, take them on a little holiday, a nice drive in the country perhaps and find a spot at least half a mile away from your house ( this spot should not be someone else’s house or garden, unless you want even more hassle than just mice).
They have no tips on what to do with feral cats you have trapped. This could be a worry for anyone who has heard of The Incredible Journey.
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I couldn’t resist posting another photograph of Billie this evening. Billy is Spenker’s least most beautiful cat. Starlight is slimmer and far more beautiful. Unfortunately Starlight is camera shy.
Given recent events I have being researching a bit of papal history. In the early church, clerical celibacy was not such a big thing as it is today in the Roman Catholic church. This I remember from school history where we were taught that celibacy was a way for the church to ensure that the wealth accumulated by senior clergy like bishops was passed back into the church, and not inherited by children. Spiritual justification followed, but man shall not live by bread alone and so popes and bishops continued to have nephews. Of course nephews don’t have the same inheritance rights. Another interesting story concerns the female pope, Pope Joan (who was allegedly English). Both Straightdope and Wikipedia suggest the popess Joan is a myth. (The wikipedia article is a must-read its explanation of how the cardinals ensure that they don’t elect a female pope, a method taken seriously by this morning’s Independent).
Wikipedia also notes under the heading monarch that
Some European languages have a feminine form of the word pope, such as the French papesse, used among other things for the High Priestess tarot card.
A non-mythical entity of course is the anti-pope. There have been several. One day Sinead O’Connor might become one.
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This afternoon I had tea with Spenkers and her family at their house. This is their cat Billie, or is that Billy? The grass where she is standing seemed to have some catnip growing in it because she was rubbing her face against it.
If you like cats, get one to clean your computer screen for you now! (for free)
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Yesterday I left work early and drove down to Reigate, Gatton Park in specific, for a (fun) concert which Pinkie performed in. She has been on a music residential course run by Surrey County Arts. It finished today with a (more serious) concert for the Mayor of Guildford.
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