Noah? You're up!

[gothams3rdrobin]

It is raining so hard out there right now that my bath is flooding again....

This is the kind of rain that, normally, I love. Snuggling under my duvet while the rain lashes down outside is a lovely, cosy feeling. I just wish it wasn't also accompanied by that god-awful chugging noise from the bathroom.

I had what Radio One DJ Jo Whiley would refer to as a 'rox and sux' day today - things started out absolutely brilliantly, then karma turned around and bit me on the arse. Not severely, thank god, but enough to spoil an otherwise pretty good morning.

I got a phonecall from Mam while getting ready for the day, offering a lift to the school since it was raining and she wasn't in a hurry to get to work this morning. We then got there with about ten minutes to spare, which involved huddling under the shelters till the bell rang, but that's normal. I then caught the bus into town with Cameron's mother Amanda, and when she got off the bus on Dumfries Place I stayed on to St Mary's St, chatting with Jo, whose son Thomas used to go to Nursery with Rowan. We ran into each other for the first time in ages on Wednesday morning, when both boys were on their way to the first day of their respective schools, and it was nice to catch her again.

I then headed into the Council office, intending to pay two weeks rent (since I didn't make it into town last Friday), only to discover last week was a rent free week due to the bank holiday! So you can imagine how pleased I was about that!

I wended my way through town, picking up a new umbrella at Borders, since the one I'd bought not two weeks before had suffered some terminal injuries courtesy of a crosswind on Roald Dahl Plass last Monday. Then I picked up some new tops in Primark, having visited a few clothing shops in a fruitless search for a raincoat.

After that, I decided to treat myself to a couple of new Doctor Who books in WH Smith - and that's where my troubles began. At the till, the woman serving me had to go off and ring through for authorisation to process the transaction off my debit card. Very confusing, since there was ample funds available at the time, and kinda embarassing, but I kept my cool and we commiserated with each other over the inconvenience. Making a beeline for my bank, I enquired what was going on, and was told it was likely just one of those random security checks that banks do from time to time and there was nothing to be worried about.

Fine, thinks I, and I go mooch around Zavvi (what was the Virgin Megastore, and is stupidly overpriced these days) before popping to Starbucks for a hot chocolate (since it's absolutely pouring buckets out there) and a bite to eat. I go to pay, using my card, and guess what? It needs to be authorised again! *headsdesk* The staff at Starbucks try to call through and get it sorted, but they seemed to have some problems and we ended up having to cancel the transaction - with my drink and food already waiting for me *sighs* I ended up calling back into the bank, who called the Fraud team to get to the bottom of the problem.

Turns out that they've had some bad experiences recently with the network used by Primark, or something along those lines. So my using my card to buy some tops generated a flag on my details and they needed verbal confirmation before I could use my card for any other transactions. Why I wasn't brought to the phone at Smiths, I do not know, and they didn't ask to speak to me at Starbucks either, but we had a brief chat in the bank and everything got sorted. Still bloody embarrassing, though!

I went against my instincts and returned to the same Starbucks once I was done with the bank, and they kindly redid my order for me - I paid in cash that time! lol! After that I made one final trip, this time to Argos to buy a new hair dryer (mine went 'fzzttt' on Thursday morning - smoke and everything!)and a shoe rack, and everything was fine.

Unfortunately? My shoe rack's too big for the alcove where we keep the coats and shoes! *facepalm* I'm tempted to go get a saw this weekend, since it's just untreated pine.

All this on the worst day of that week of the month....

Life? Plz to be kind to me this weekend? Kthxbye.

Comments

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Stupid Primark. I suppose it's the sort of place that would get targeted - its average customer being the sort of person that probably never thinks to check their bank account. (Not you, of course!) My debit card went all wonky a while back after I'd used it in Oxfam. Figure that one out!! I had to get a new one eventually, and it was a major pain in the bum.

All this rain scares me. I wouldn't mind so much if our guttering wasn't in such a mess.

[gothams3rdrobin.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed - all that hassle for some inexpensive tops...*sigh*

...Rain and me aren't friends right now. But that's a whole 'nother post.

[lizamanynames.livejournal.com]

This is terribly off-topic, but I just have to say it tickles me that there's a Roald Dahl Pass. Beware of the wiches! And giant peaches, etc....

[gothams3rdrobin.livejournal.com]

*grins* I know - funny, isn't it :-)

I've been helping Rowan get to know Dahl's work - essential reading for a Cardiff-iffian, after all! One of my earliest experiences of reading about my home town, before the advent of Torchwood, was his autobiography, 'Boy'.

[lizamanynames.livejournal.com]

I've got to get my hands on that sometime.

It's a little eerie, reading about where you live, isn't it? I remember reading Farly Mowat's early books like the dog who wouldn't be while sitting on the shores of Waskana lake - which he was describing the construction of.

[laylee.livejournal.com]

When I was working in retail I always felt so sorry for the people whose cards wouldn't work. It usually wasn't their fault, but it was mighty embarrassing for them at the time.

[gothams3rdrobin.livejournal.com]

Yeah...thankfully it never happened to me when I was having to serve customers at the supermarket. Not everyone can take that kind of embarrassment with grace....