[Nige005]

I think you have made the right decision Tony, shame though it is. I saw a headline this morning that said that France is now on the plague list so it seems that your foresight was correct.

Oh well, fingers and toes crossed for better things to come.

 

[TonyGr]

It was clear France was going to be removed from the "green" list if not this week within the next two weeks since it is obvious they are getting a second wave which they cannot reduce overnight.

At least I have only paid out for the Tunnel crossings and the insurance. Will have to see how much can be redeployed to next year. Probably the crossing but the insurance will be lost. So far none of the hotels have required any cancellation payment but I have still to hear from the apartment owners but since there daughter handles all the internet stuff and works full time as a nurse I imagine it will be next week before I get a reply.

 

[Nige005]

I s'pose for this year the garden it is then Tony.

I was planning a trip to Seattle earlier this year in April for my daughters Birthday. Fortunately I had held off the airline booking for some reason and I'm glad that I did, I would have lost the lot, like I did in 2013 when I also couldn't make it.

 

[TonyGr]

The garden??? Two trees to be removed and 75ft of fencing replaced. Both jobs for the experts but the holiday funds will more than cover the costs. Then there will be the replacement planting next spring.

Just started up the Giulietta as it hadn't been run for four weeks. Started first time and running smoothly so turned off put the battery charger on and that should do it for a few more weeks. The MOT was extended for six months so that isn't due until December. The oil was changed last January so I think an annual service will be called for in Jan'21. Unlike some insurers mine, the AA, hasn't offered a rebate for lack of use but I did see they were up for sale so perhaps they can't afford it.

 

[Nige005]

I've kept both cars on the road, the Celica for the day to to day running around and the Jag for when I just want to go for a ride out to nowhere. Not been offered any discount or refunds on my insurance either and tbh I don't really care, didn't even ask about it.

 

[TonyGr]

I decided it wasn't worth SORNing the G for a month or so and then putting it back on the road so we could have the odd trip out this summer particularly with the Europe trip still in the offing. The insurance I never asked about, I just remembered an item in the press early on about one or two companies had automatically issued a rebate due to the reduction in risk from the lack of traffic on the roads during the first phase of lockdown. Probably good marketing for when renewals come round but the rest didn't jump on the bandwagon

 

[Nige005]

I like to keep things as simple and straightforward as I can to match my simple brain. I did the MoT's as usual too, couldn't be bothered to have the extension, I'm glad I did as everything is still at the normal times so I don't get confused. No more than normal anyway !

 

[TonyGr]

At least I have only paid out for the Tunnel crossings and the insurance. Will have to see how much can be redeployed to next year. Probably the crossing but the insurance will be lost. So far none of the hotels have required any cancellation payment but I have still to hear from the apartment owners but since there daughter handles all the internet stuff and works full time as a nurse I imagine it will be next week before I get a reply.

Just spoken to Eurotunnel and because the insurance was single trip taken out with themselves I will apparently get a full refund of both fares and premium which was a very pleasant surprise. I could have rescheduled the crossings but only as far as January which is no use. Still waiting to hear from the apartment.

 

[Nige005]

Well that's a good result.

I've been opening up a new savings account and it's like wading through treacle, everything is so slow. I swear if I hear the opening line " Due to Covoid " again I'll swear. It's becoming like some other things you never want to hear such as a man on your doorstep saying " I'm from the Government and I'm here to help you. " Yeah, right. Do you have a bridge that you want to sell me as well ?

 

[TonyGr]

Heard from the apartment. There is no cancellation charge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That means I am not out of pocket which is brilliant. Austria added to the quarantine list from Saturday so we certainly made the right decision.

I opened a NS&I Direct Saver about a month ago. Did it all online without a hitch and paid over the funds by debit card. Added some more (from the maturing HSBC Regular Saver, they have nothing with any half decent interest rate for longer term deposits) again with the debit card as, believe it or not, the NS&I bank does not participate in the latest account checking which matches name to number so I could not be certain I had entered the details correctly when setting it up as a new payee on the current account.

 

[Nige005]

Almost snap here Tony. It's a NS &I Income Bond and used debit card initially and that was a bit glitchy, took three attempts and then worked. Then set up a new payee and I messed that up so tried setting that up again and paid another batch in. 'Phoned up about the mistake and after over 50 minutes on hold finally spoke to someone who said that it would be returned within 5 to 7 days, it was after about three days.

Currently waiting for the account to show the correct " Available Funds, " after four days that's still not showing correctly and the site says to check " Pending Transactions. " Naturally there is no " Pending Transactions " button..........

It seems that I'm in the same position as you, maturing Bonds with the offer of re investment accounts with derisory interest rates. So far I haven't paid a fortune into this new account and I confess I'm a bit nervous about paying more in, I don't sleep too well as it is and waiting for the clunky NS &I systems to do everything makes my sleep patterns even worse, as does the almost inabilty to contact them.

 

[TonyGr]

Just had a pair of Toyos fitted to the front of the Saxo. Ordered from Blackcircles and fitted by ATS Euromaster. Since they weren't busy they put two fitters on the job and I was in and out in 20 minutes. Bad news(of sorts) was they advise replacing the rears despite the fact that they still have over 4mm tread. Apparently they were made in February 2000 and so must be the originals. For their age they are looking pretty good just some very minor cracking in the tread. However that means the spare which has never been swopped over will also be suspect and it is apparently flat. Sitting in the carrier under the boot I never bother looking at it. Indeed I am not sure whether the bolt to wind the carrier down is seized or not. I really must have an explore.

 

[Nige005]

Ageing tyres are a bit of a problem. I had this problem with the Alfetta and in the end I bit the bullet and changed them. As I used to drive this car fairly enthusiastically I always felt a little bit uncomfortable and felt much better after I'd changed them. Seemed a shame as the tyres were a top brand and had a lot of tread left and looked good, until you looked into the depths of the tread and then the horror was revealed.

Before you have a go at the spare just use some penertrating fluid and soak the thread a day or two before you attempt to undo it. At a push WD40 or similar would be better than nothing.

 

[TonyGr]

Carrier wound down without a problem. The threaded rod part fits into the internally threaded sleeve full length and once it was lowered the thread was rust free which did surprise me as the similar arrangement on the Xsara had to be oxyacetylene cut off. Surprisingly the spare seems less cracked than the tyres in use but it had lost pressure and was down to 7psi. None of the cracking looks particularly bad but 45k out of tyre that size (155/70 R13) can't be bad. I will just have to bite the bullet and get them ordered.
The rust on the edge of the Giulietta's door is another thing. The bodyshop say, because of the colour, the whole door will have to be repainted and quoted £450 + VAT. Initial it doesn't sound too bad but then you realise the VAT is another £90. Anyway I am going for a second opinion.

 

[Nige005]

The paint job does seem a bit pricey but maybe I'm just out of touch and out of date, wouldn't be at all surprised !

Any tyres I've bought recently have been sourced from eBay and oddly enough were usually dispatched from Germany or Poland. No problems with delivery or the tyres. The local East European lads changed the tyres at ten quid a corner and this worked out a lot better than Blackcircles and the rest of the online suppliers.

 

[TonyGr]

Back to the Giulietta paint repairs. I took it to another bodyshop and received a proper written quote for both areas for £468 incl the VAT so have booked it in. After all it is only money and the holiday savings are not being used in that direction this year. My reasoning is that the longer I leave it the worse the rust on the door edge will get and if it spreads onto the panel then the job becomes much bigger.
We took a day out yesterday to return to old haunts in Norfolk yesterday. Had lunch at the Victoria at Holkham and then walked along the beach as far as the Overy Channel and back through the dunes and woods. The road down to the beach was stacked with cars and yet the beach did not seem crowded. Apparently this summer has been busier than for some years but it still seemed there were many more people somewhere than when we used to take the children there on holiday 30+ years ago.

 

[Nige005]

That sounds a reasonable price so why not go for it.

Over the years I've spent a fair bit of time in Norfolk and Suffolk and used to love going to the coast. Being the perverse character that I am I usually preferred the Winter time to the Summer for these days out !

 

[TonyGr]

We lived at Kings Lynn between 1973 and 1977. Used to take the children down to Holkham regularly through the summer. I know what you mean about the winter but you need to wrap up well. Were you ever stationed a Marham? Our next door neighbour was a pilot there.

 

[Nige005]

Indeed I was at Marham, or " El Adam with Grass " as it was often called ! I was there between 77 and 80 and pretty much enjoyed it, even the getting snowed in during the Winter of 79.

We used to enjoy trogging around a pretty much deserted North Norfolk coast during the Winter, I sometimes even persuaded the ex that it was fun to have the roof down on the Midget, not sure that she agreed with the idea but as I was driving..........

 

[TonyGr]

We must have almost passed on the border. We moved up to Scunthorpe in June 77. Norfolk was much quieter 40+ years ago.