I’ve just had a “so-called” TalkTalk (Carphone Warehouse) rep knock my door promising to save me loads on my phone bill by leaving BT, for a start I had to ask him to see some ID as it was not on display, and secondly, this time of night it is borderline anti-social and go’s directly against Offcom guidlines - TalkTalk what ARE you playing at?!

I had to tell the gentleman “no thanks I am not interested” more than three times!  In the end I decided he was not a genuine TalkTalk rep and was in fact casing my place to rob me next time I was out….let’s face it, this time of night is the wrong time to be cold calling regardless of what you are trying to sell!!  Poor Show! 

As a moral to this story no matter who or where you are, if someone knocks your door, trying to sell anything - firstly ALWAYS ask for them to present you with identification; the are oblidged by law to wear it on clear display (if they are reputable, though IMHO not one single door-to-door salesman is!) - secondly if they press you to let them inside for a few minutes alarm bells should ring.  This type of cold calling is intimidatory and bad.  Just continue to say no, and don’t be afraid to shut the door in their face.

No stranger; no matter how official they “look” has automatic right to access into your property, this includes police as well by the way (police do not automatically have the right to entry into your property - many people forget this fact) - not that I would diss a public body such as the police, but people out there in the UK need to be aware of their rights!!

More and more our rights are being eroded, the latest “GEM” of course from New Labour is a bill to require that ALL photographers must have an ID Card in order to take photographs in public places!  For fear of you being some kind of freak or perv! 

This is a new low for the government, and I can’t see how this will ever stop the real monsters out there from doing what they do, or even to curtail the menace of the Paparrazzi??  What it DOES in effect mean is the the ordinary Jo (thats’s you and me!!) will no longer be allowed to take photo’s in a public place without causing some form of an offence if this bill gets passed!

If you like me believe this is a silly idea and quite frankly the wrong way to deal with this sort of problem, then go here>>

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Photography/

You are not oblidged to sign the above petition in any way, but by all means go and check out the facts.  IF this is truly a democratic nation then we should all exercise our rights, not just to vote, but to make our voice heard through petition (I guess the Americans would call this Lobbying?) 

..I looked at my old washer today, although truth be told I had to rip up half the kitchen (cheap B&Q Laminate) floor to get at it properly to take the back off.  What I found wasn’t surprising.  The belt had indeed come off, as you can see from the picture here…

Now then, I was able to replace the belt which was not snapped out broken - but unfortunatley there does not seem to be a lot of play in the drum, so my guess here is there is more wrong than simply the belt - and each time I successfuly fitted the belt - it was off just as quick.

Anyways long story short I decide to listen to some advice and go shopping, whilst a Meile would be one of the few that are built for the long term invester; since I am a mortgage payer and one that is typically skint three days after payday I figured I would compromise - I set a strict budget of no more than £400 and I stuck to this; since you are looking at around £460 and upwards for a Meile this was discounted straight away. 

So, what I ended up with in the end, was a Hotpoint “Ultima” - It had all the typical factors of many of the washer on offer, including the tripal “A”s for efficiency and “Greenness”…plus one more very important factor, the fact it is an extremly quiet washer. 

Here’s what it looks like >>

The proof of the pudding will be in trying it out when if it arrives ontime this coming Saturday in approximatley one week, at least they agreed to take away my old washer at no extra cost

Once upon a time I would look forward to the magic that was “Shrove Tuesday”; but yesterday seemed to pass me by, and here we are into “Ash Wednesday” already - this is the first year I have gone without a single pancake.  Oh well…work is extremly busy this week and possibly next week too, so I can imagine this blog may suffer a minor drought in updates for a few days….

but you’re an intelligent lot, so here —- > [         ]  Just fill in the blanks while I am away

In other news, in my latest poll it would appear the world is fairly well populated with cry-babies!

Having done a bit of research on the web, and tentatively pulled out the washer I have come to the conclusion that, at best the belt has come away/snapped or at worst the motor bearings are shot.

Either way, I think since this is over 5 years old, it’s time for a new one. 

AND!!  Since I am in the market for a new one, I haven’t got the foggiest what to go for? Zanussi seems overpriced, Hotpoint are well….they’re Hotpoint and LG - If you’re talking TV/Hi-Fi/DVD then you can trust em…but..???? 

(Sob)….(Cry)…(Moan)….etc….

My washing machine has finally given up the goat, I will now have to find some way of surviving until I can get another one to replace it.  I am hoping I am nearly due for a payment holiday on my mortgage so I can at the least get a half decent one.  …Bah!!  I knew I was in for some bad luck as soon as I won £27 on an online Lotto Instant last night….it’s all karma see?! 

At least I managed to kinda wash some smalls…just hope I have enough stuff to get me through the week, otherwise.  I am going to seriously struggle; (que impromtue visit to the parents….”er..mind if I use the washer?”)

In other news - today is the Chinese New Year…and it is now the Year of the Pig (ok ok!!  Boar?!)…so should be a good year for all you boring folks out there that frequent this place :P  (joke obviously)

Kung Hey Fat Choy!!

…Or “Wishing you plenty of Wealth” to the slightly less Chinese educated folk…

Nope.  I’m not at rock bottom, I’m not about to jump off a tall bridge either.   It’s just that sometimes, every once in a while; I need to have a bloody good cry; it’s a most basic human emotion and incredibly underated.  You know too many people (and not just blokes now!) suppress this emotion; almost block it out completley.  A most unhealthy thing to do.

I haven’t had a good cry in two years believe it or not.  Since my blessed dog Brandy passed away.  So, I knew I was way overdue.  Like a typhoon building up, waiting to spill.

I let myself get so wound up at work today, snapped at some good intentioned people and friends too - I could have checked myself in; but I new something had to give.  There was only one solution - comfort food and a GOOD film; I debated digging out “St Elmo’s Fire” but decided instead to give “Click” the new Adam Sandler film a shot.   Well - god bless him for it delivered in oodles, and touched exactly the right sensitivity spot, which only certain comedic actors know how to reach - thank you Adam for not only helping me to cry tonight, but for giving me a bloody good laugh along the way.

You are a treasure.

I made a rather vast life changing decision today.  I am not yet ready to reveal on this BLOG what it is.  Not until I have crossed a cruicial checkpoint.  This is all to do with “self-realisation” in the absence of Westernised Dogma…and that’s all the clue you are going to get for now….( and no!!  I am not about to wear a Turban, or an Orange robe)….