How I love banks

For annual ramblings, please scroll down to the 2 December entry 

I really am not good at choosing banks.  I took fright at reports that the bank where I kept some holiday euros was in trouble, and at the beginning of last month went to the branch (remember those?) to close the accounts.  Imagine my joy today when, while queuing to pay at Fortnums, the phone pinged with a message announcing that I was overdrawn at said bank.  Quite a lot of Vivaldi-on-hold later, I’m assured that the accounts are now closed, and that the charge that led to the purported overdraft has been waived.  Goodness knows what this does for my credit rating, but since I don’t do credit, I shan’t be losing sleep on that account.  [Later: the following day brought two more peremptory text messages…]

The Christmas cards are starting to trickle in.  I love hearing from family and friends at any time of year, but the many greetings at this season make me feel surrounded by good will.  We brought down the Christmas tree from the attic yesterday, together with the electric candle arches.  I encountered the latter for the first time in 1989 in Sweden, thinking them rather charming and understated, and so went into NK near the main station in Stockholm and treated myself to one.  I got another in IKEA some years later, so our front windows are suitably adorned.

We hesitated about decorating the house so soon after Tim’s funeral, but on balance felt both that we needed cheering up, and also that Tim, that kindest of souls, would not wish us to brood.  His funeral last week was a very emotional affair.  Some find this helpful.  Not I: I’ve pretty much decided that I don’t want a funeral. 

The Egg is due for its MoT (annual inspection) so Martyn booked it in for yesterday.  Last year the morning traffic was so bad that we missed the appointment.  This year we set out early, got there in next to no time, and had to repair to a nearby coffee shop till the garage opened.  On arriving, we found that the MoT man had thrown a sickie, so it’s back again next week.  Paciência.