Yawn, Yawn, Wakey Wakey!! 2016

Aloha Woo and everyone,

Happy birthday Lilibet

Yesterday was the sunniest day this year - according to my solar panels.

We got quite a bit done in the garden and although it's still quite weedy it's looking good. One of the Hostas is already 4" high but none of the others are showing yet.

I had to do some frantic phone calls yesterday afternoon when I received a panic call from Barry. He'd received a letter from the Council telling him that his rent benefit had been stopped permanently and that he had to pay £125 by Monday. The most he's ever had to pay per week is £11 as he has been disabled since birth and unable to work.

Part of it was his fault (I think I mentioned it on here) when he failed to get the details of all his savings and benefits to them by the required date (he has to do this each year). He had time to do this but the date he had arranged to go to the town hall with everything he was too ill to do so.

So they sent him a letter saying that they would suspend his benefit and he had a month to appeal. I told him to get it to them quickly and take it in person. He did that the following week, so everything should have been OK. Until he received yesterday's letter.

I phoned the town hall benefits office to tell them that I suspected they had stopped benefits because of the late arrival but it should have all been sorted out. Then I came across the usual "Sorry, I can't talk to you as we don't have written authority to do so. It's the Data Protection Act." I told them that the Housing and the Rent and Rates departments have the notice of authority and I got the expected reply "Sorry, but they can't pass the information to different departments because of the Data Protection Act"!!!

I said in a friendly and calm voice that I would deliver the authority this morning and I realise that they can't discuss the matter with me until they get it - but that doesn't stop them from listening to me. So I explained about the delay, told them that the info was delivered to the town hall two and a half weeks ago and that Barry had collapsed when he received the letter.

There was a silence for a short while and then the girl asked me to hold on for a moment. She then told me that they have no record of having received the info and that she wasn't really supposed to tell me even that. I then told her that I have a receipt from the reception desk (I'd told Barry to get one when he brought the papers to them) so she asked me to hold on again. A couple of minutes later she came back and said that she had found the paperwork in the pending file (another thing she wasn't supposed to tell me). Apparently they are way behind with their work because of lack of staff.

She said she would work on it herself but would still need an authorisation for me to deal with her in future. So, I've printed the authorisation, have to go into town to Barry to get him to sign it, take it to the Council and make sure it goes to the correct department (I'm going to insist that I take directly to the girl I spoke to). Fortunately the people in reception know me.

Barry will still have to pay the money and, when it's sorted out, I shall have to work on getting it back.

That's going to take me half a day that I can't really spare

Keep well and have a great day

Aloha!

 

Aloha everyone,

@Beckie76 Sorry to hear about your little accident. Unfortunately these things happen and it was good that you weren't hurt

Apparently, it's all sorted out now (spoke to them again on the phone) but the paperwork will take about a week to come through. I didn't tell them that they had obviously made an error in their records from the paperwork that Barry gave to them. It would only complicate things. So I'll wait until this has settled down and then tell them that they had misread his saving (it's quite clear on the papers ). He has more than they told me he has It shouldn't make any difference to Barry's Support but we need to get it right.

I popped in to the village last night for the lighting of the beacon for the Queen's birthday. I'm pleased it was a real beacon because it had got quite chilly by then



Tonight we have the AGM of one of the bridge clubs I belong to. I have to go as I've won all the major competitions and have to collect the trophies - and money (not a lot).

I got a lot of mowing done yesterday. It had only just come back from having a service and new blades. I normally do different lawns on different height of blades but I've had to readjust what I do. They've readjusted everything so the mower cuts evenly!

I'll carry on with edging and pressure hosing as I want it to look fairly good by tomorrow as Mrs Shiney is running one of her seminars then. I'm cooking, as usual. Main course will be veggie chilli (always popular) and veggie Tagine.

Keep well and have a great day

Aloha!

 

Aloha everyone,

It's a lovely sunny morning but frosty.

I used to get told off for doing that!

I've started getting things ready for today's cooking marathon but can't do much until after I wake Mrs Shiney, which won't be until 8 a.m. People will start arriving at 9.30 for a 10.00 start. Lunch has to be on the table at 12.30, on the dot. Twelve people - three course meal.

Tonight we're off to a charity supper and concert.

Got a lot done in the garden and got my three trophies and the enormous prize money of £30 for winning them.

What the world needs are more geniuses with humility - there are so few of us left

Have a great day

Aloha!

 

Good morning @moyra and all my other friends I am ok thank you my friend,just been concentrating on other things,thank you for asking, have a great Saturday and take care