Modern Times

[poliphilo]

I had a researcher from Ipsos-Mori come to the door yesterday morning. He seemed more frightened of me than I was of him, so I let him in and sat him in the front room and we went through a slate of unrelated questions- about TV channels and the sponsorship of sporting events and insurance companies and the Alpha Course and who I'm going to vote for in the next election.  The session lasted about 10 minutes and he gave me two ball-point pens with Ipsos-Mori on them as a reward.

We got a call this morning from Asda. Someone had used one of our cards to make a booking with Iberian Airlines. Was this us?  No, it certainly wasn't. This is the second time something like this has happened- and both times with cards we only ever use to make purchases on line. 

We're still managing not to run the central heating. We've put another quilt on the bed and we're wearing fleeces and body warmers. The temperature is steadily dropping, but the weather is clear. I hung clothes out to dry yesterday- with success-and I'm doing it again today.
 

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Someone booked on Iberia? They sure go for the expensive fares, then. I suppose that's logical since it was with a stolen card number. Convenience over thrift.

I hope you weren't responsible for the amounts charged.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

No, we're OK, thanks. Asda will block the account and they've asked us to destroy the card. I'm impressed they picked up this transaction as worthy of investigation.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

We've found that the credit card companies are very aware of what our spending habits are. Quite often the security department of one of our Visa cards has called to ask us if we've charged this or that when something falls outside of our normal pattern. It's quite a comfort knowing they do that.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

We've had companies ring to check up on us when we've used our cards away from home, or to buy things we wouldn't normally buy. You're right, it is reassuring.

[oakmouse]

Glad you had no loss over the Iberian bookings!

We're holding out against turning on the heat too. We've got 2 quilts on the bed and are dressing warmly. I grew up doing that anyway, in a big drafty old Victorian house which was impossibly expensive to heat, so I rather enjoy bundling up instead of turning up the heat; my parents made it into a game for us kids and that sense of fun has stuck.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That's right, it's a challenge to stay warm- and challenges are fun.

Like you, I grew up in a much colder era. We didn't have central heating when I was a kid- and I seem to have survived.

[oakmouse]

We had it, but ours was a creaky old coal furnace that broke down regularly and was hopelessly far from being up to the task of warming a largely uninsulated house with two stories and high ceilings. Dad kept the thermostat at 65 in the daytime and 50 at night because otherwise we couldn't pay the coal bill. We supplemented with our fireplace (located in the central hallway of the house), a couple of space heaters, and lots of lap robes, blankets, shawls, flannel shirts, woolly socks, etc. Yes, ok, we were cold in the winter --- but it didn't hurt any of us.

[silverhawkdruid.livejournal.com]

The worst part of winter for us was the trip to the outside lav after dark! Ugh! The fire was good though. It was in the middle of the downstairs part of the house and warmed the upstairs enough to take the edge off the chill. I also remember fabulously thick eiderdowns on the bed. The weight of the bedding was huge, but you were never cold as long as you didn't poke out more than your nose, for breathing purposes. LOL

[oakmouse]

Thank goodness we had an indoor loo. Although it did get cold enough in winter that sometimes the family was awakened in the middle of the night by a startled cry as a bare bottom came into contact with that ice-cold seat... *g*

[silverhawkdruid.livejournal.com]

That happened a lot in the outside one as well, even though the seat was wooden it packed a chilly punch. And then there were the snails and spiders in the ivy.... I'm scratching my head just thinking about it. LOL

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I remember there was an electric heater in my bedroom- but I don't think I ever had it on at night. Too dangerous I suppose. There were nights when it felt like I was lying between sheets of ice. Hot water bottles provided a little, local relief.

We had an open coal fire in the living room. I would sit and watch the ever-changing pictures. That was magical.

[oakmouse]

Watching a live fire is amazing. I miss having a fireplace, although given my allergy to wood smoke I'll probably never have one again.

We had a couple of electric heaters, but they were the old fashioned cone-style with the radar dish back and NO safety measures except a tip-over switch. We couldn't use them at night, even though none of the upstairs rooms had heat registers --- too risky. I was lucky; the chimney passed through my room so I got a little more heat at night that way.

[silverhawkdruid.livejournal.com]

I do those polls occasionally, but the pens I got last time (not a mori poll) were awful. LOL

Phew on the credit card thing! That is impressive that Asda did that.

Gave in and had the heating on one evening, after feeling bitterly cold the night before (using the excuse that it would be a good time to test the system and make sure everything was in working order). The temps have risen again now, and the heating hasn't been on since. The winter bedding is now in place and I am crocheting a new blanket and slipper/socks, which are so called because they haven't decided whether they are socks, slippers or bedsocks yet. LOL

Weather too wet for laundry. Have given in and soaked some stuff tonight to hang tomorrow, even if they have to drip dry over the bath. Hoping to do some gardening this week, if it ever stops raining.

Our local weather girl told us that nationally it has been the dullest August and September since records began in 1929! However the temp has been much higher than usual. Warm and wet is a pretty good description of summer 2008 in this part of the country, for sure!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's wet today, but the temperature has risen. Swings and roundabouts, eh?

Bedsocks are a good idea. Ailz just invested in a pajama suit with feet.

I don't like it when it's dull like this, but I've got my daylight bulbs on and if I don't turn round I can almost convince myself that there's sunshine streaming through the window behind me.

[silverhawkdruid.livejournal.com]

Sunny breezy day at last! I have never hung clothes on a line with such gay abandon! LOL. They actually dried! Yay!

A pj suit with feet sounds like a really good idea. I finished the socky slippers and am road- or rather bed-testing them tonight to see if they make good bed socks.

Daylight bulbs are on my to do list. They do sound good.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

I am very happy that you are not going to lose over this credit card thing. It just goes to show that whatever is invented to the good of humankind, some crook stands in the wings ready to turn it into if not an evil, then certainly a mixed "blessing".

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I've never entirely accomodated myself to credit cards. I possess several but rarely use them. I'd always rather have "real" money in my pocket.

[richenda.livejournal.com]

It's surprisi9ngly warm for October - I turned on one radiator to air some washing, but otherwise haven't used any heating. Admittedly, I've got the winter quilt on the bed!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Same here. Yesterday the sun was shining and the breeze was warm. In fact it was warmer outside than indoors.

[richenda.livejournal.com]

We find that too - both on the Orme and on Anglesey - one-storey buildings with very thick walls. Of course, this means that, if we do use heating, it doesn't escape very easily, and thick walls do keep out the wind.