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Priceless moment (for everything else, there's Mastercard)

While sitting beside very rich snobby relative (via several marriages) at wedding she 'let slip' how her husband's shirt and tie combo cost £140.  That's One hundred and forty.  Paying for the look, you see.  Paid for by Mastercard no doubt.

Seeing the look on her face when my wife 'let slip' that my equally good looking shirt and tie cost £8 in Primark was, as they say, priceless.

It's not the first time wifey has shut her up like that.  There was some stupidly expensive piece of kitsch from New York that we beat on looks and price from an independent furniture place out the road.  Wifey is very good at nailing Snobby One's attitude with things like that.

live in a house, a very big house in the country...

Get fed up with traffic in town so move to the country - good.

Fall asleep to the sound of bleating sheep instead of screeching brakes - good.

Look out the back window to see a little bridge and stream - lovely.

See the field at the back advertised for sale with planning permission for two houses - ok, we can live with that.

Get letter from authorities saying someone wants planning permission to now put in three houses.  Well, we can't stop it.  We wonder where the extra site came from.

See little stone bridge disappear behind a grey concrete house.  Sad.  Two undeveloped sites are left (that used to be one).

Arrive home yesterday to see for sale THREE sites on what was originally a single site.  So much for seeing the trees.

It's a shame- you move to the country for peace and everyone follows you.  Still, our neighbours had a field where we now are, once upon a time, and graciously accepted our presence. 

 I look out the front window at trees, piles of leaves, a river, a field and a horse and am calm once more.

Wifey's car insurance

It's always confused me as to why my wife has always paid more for her car insurance than me.  She's female (so, supposedly a better driver), her car is older than mine.

Plus, she wasn't responsible for the image below:


So, imagine our puzzlement when she gets a 'highly competitive' renewal letter inviting her to spend £380.  The insurer (let's call them 'XYZ Ltd') assured us this was the best available.

So I phoned 'ABC'.  ABC can do it for £290.  

XYZ are amazed - how on earth could ABC make it so cheap?  Goodness, it's amazing!  The manager is contacted by customer services, they put me on hold to have coffee (sorry, I mean, 'confer').  An 'unbeatable' £290 is offered - they can now equal ABC!  It's amazing what can happen if you threaten to leave.

I call back ABC.  They had been charging us for the break-down cover but decide to give it for free.  £275.

I phone XYZ, again, knowing they cannot beat ABC - after all they insisted the best they could manage was £380 and, well, the £290 was bending over backwards, pulling strings, etc.  After putting me on hold for more coffee (sorry, talking to the boss), they offer £270.

ABC can do £269 if I get proof-of-no-claims sent to them.

So I call XYZ, asking for the no-claims letter.  XYZ ask why we are leaving.  I ask what incentive is their for customer loyalty when their renewal is so over-priced.  He says that's how they work - they expect their customers to call round and let XYZ match the competitors.  I tell him I expect to be treated properly and not ripped-off.

Walking on all fours

Haven't blogged in a while - been quite busy.

Was wondering - does anyone else take stairs on all fours (like a monkey) when at home?  I find it strangely more 'natural'.

Away to be weird somewhere else now...