A frugal life is an easy life!

The final episode of 7 days on the breadline, was more reflective of what has happened in the last two episodes, rather than anything that actually happened.

Mel B - had to face the wrath of a teenager so distant, it sometimes seems like they are in another world altogether (we have all been there Mel!)
One of the teens Mel was caring for, did not want to know at all, mouthing obscenities at at Mel and a friend of his mums, which at first I didn't understand why.
Then when they spoke to him it became clear, that he resented Mel drifting off into Leeds until midnight, leaving a carer looking after the family, not spending enough time with them all and just playing to the cameras, which, judging by the way Mel B occasionally disappeared, could well have been accurate.

Austin Healey experienced the exhasperating feeling of a teenager, who is a bit of a lad, settling and doing well, showing their good side (daily visits to grandad, etc.) then when all seemd to be going great and new promises made of a better way of doing things, the teen "does one" and doesn't come home in time for his curfew, ruining all the great work and promises he has done and made.
Austin summed it up perfectly I thought - "if I feel desperation and let down by this, for the first time, how many times has his mum felt like this?"

Trinny, had a few heart to hearts with the elderly disabled lady she was caring for. Past memories were exchanged on both sides, but she did get her host out and about, a great effort to change her ways, then let all her work down by registering her on an over 60s dating website...

Saving the best for last, Keith Allen, who had lived in a 2 bedroomed council property, sharing it with six children of varying ages.
I like Keith, he has spent the week (from what we have seen) displaying common sense and encouraging the kids to support each other and the value of the family unit! (Right up my street that is)
He took the youngest kids to record a song they had written, of course it was bland, but they had done it themselves. The bigger kids sniggered on their return, but then Keith pointed out that the youngsters look up to them and needed their encouragement.
Over the seven days, he cleaned, he pestered the local authority to rehouse them and get rid of their rats, he tried to live as they do, he even came in £9 under budget for the week!

The only sad part for me, was the responses of those people who had allowed the "celebs" into their homes and live as they do for the week.
Mel B's swapper said that she was hearing things that she wasn't told about when Mel was there and Keith's mum whom he swapped with, told us "it won't change anything, it was good but things will stay exactly the same!"

A shame, because he shone a torch on the dark tunnel of of self improvement and they let the batteries run out!

News earlier today was abound, that Bodycare stopped a member of their staff at their Wigan branch, from wearing a poppy.
The reason given was that company policy did not permit any badge or emblem, charity or otherwise, to be worn, for fear of offending someone.

This decision has now been reversed... I wonder what changed their mind?

Was it, as is reported, that a Chorley MP stepped in and saved the day, or did the company fear the financial damage that would have been done to their business, had they continued with their staff policy of not allowing a poppy to be worn?

Day 16: Still no access to our account.

Promised us on Saturday that an email would be sent to "the back office staff" regarding our account being mixed up when transfering over to their "one time passcode" system (I cringe whenever the word system, is combined with a customer service issue!)
We were assured that the matter would be rectified by Tuesday, it is now Tuesday, still in exactly the same position as last week, no change, still cannot access our bank account.

They have broken the Data Protection Act, by discussing our account with us, on the basis of incorrect information - we are told that we cannot discuss the account at all as now the date of birth on the account differs from the one given for security... How, they do not know!
Previous advisors have openly discussed the account after asking for this information.

So far Abbey staff have blamed:

• the system - it has mixed up the details on the account somehow
• the system again - this time it is "a known fault for the past three weeks," as regards accounts having date of births messed up when transfering to new system
• us - for registering the wrong details
• the data protection act - for not allowing them to discuss the account and sort the problems out

Notice one blame target missing? Anyone who has spotted that the Abbey staff have failed to blame an actual person, advisor or manager, after continuous promises from them, give yourself a mars bar!

Just one message today for the Abbey: If you continually fail to sort out problems for your customers, on accounts that you are supposed to be managing, making customers wait 4 days, then two days, then the next day, then it is NOT 24 hour banking is it!

ADDITIONAL: Day 17, still no sign of our account.

After just a few weeks of product placement being allowed in our TV shows and radio, it is already apparent that it is dictating the direction and topics, that some shows are using.

Jerermy Vine (dinnertimes radio 2) is a prime example. I listen in on way to and from work, all this week we have had "vote for your favourite bedtime story" being rammed down our throats, promoting BBC website (to vote), promoting calling in about books, authors and fans reading excerpts from each book, etc.
It is one thing promoting reading for children, I have no problem with that, but I find it over-bearing and a personal insult, for shows to force feed me into taking an interest in any subject.

Enough is enough already, we are not America!

One of my favourite tv shows, the darling buds of may, is being rerun on ITV3, from today at 6.50pm.
As escapes from reality tv goes, this is one that gets my vote... why doesn't David Jason return to more comedy roles?

If you miss it, then you can watch them on the ITV player - linked on the right sidebar here for your convenience (Non UK viewers will need a UK i.p address to use it).

ADDITIONAL:
I had forgotten how good this series was!
Every week night it is on (set our freeview recorder to record the whole series) it is a fine example to the sprog* about how England used to be, he tells me he is going to watch it.
I wonder, if we compare life then, to life now, which has the better quality of life?
I know which one I would pick everytime...