Close Call

Yesterday morning (Monday) I received a text message informing me that I had won a £500 Argos voucher. I was immediately interested and somewhat excited, as you would be if you had got such a text. Well, who wouldn't be? I'm considering buying an iPad and £500 would more than cover the cost of such an item. Then, once I'd clicked through I came to a page where they were asking for my bank details and I immediately stopped. The colour, design and layout of the site looked very convincing, looking very like the genuine Argos website. It was at this point that I became unsure and decided to visit the actual Argos website and see if there was a telephone number to ring in order to find out if this text was genuine. I find a telephone number, having searched the website and then rang and explained to the man on the end of the line about the text message and was informed that it wasn't likely to be from Argos and hence, a scam and that it would be best to delete it. Which is what I immediately did. It just goes to show how easy it can be to fall for these scams and, as a result, cause a great deal of distress, particularly if the scammers get hold of your bank details. But, it occurred to me, if I had won a prize, of however much it might be, why would they need my bank details? So, if you read this post, and you get a similar text message or email, please be wary, it may well be a scam. 

Autumnal Day, Grass Mowing and Car Repairing Continues

This is not a particularly exciting blog post, I'm afraid. It's one of those really nodescript sort of days. We've had several weeks of fine, sunny weather, but today it seems somewhat over-cast. No sun at all. The weather forecast mentions rain in the next couple of days, as well as wind. I have managed to cut the grass. I was out at 7.45 this morning and managed to do precisely half, left it, and then decided to finish it off about an hour later. I wasn't going to leave it too long just in case it began to rain. The length of the grass was getting long so it seemed a good idea to get on with cutting it before it was too long for the mower to get through it. So, it is done. I haven't done the grass at the front of the house, but no doubt Gary will come round when he does their grass next door. His is a petrol mower and makes very short work of the mowing, whereas ours is an electric mower and not really designed for such long grass. You can't cut grass when it's either wet or raining because it's dangerous to use anything electric when there's a hint of moisture and if the grass is too wet the mower gets clogged up.

A good deal later. I had a text message. I knew it had come in, because I heard the sound the mobile made, but I was downstairs in the lounge and the mobile was upstairs on the bedside cabinet. I didn't immediately rush upstairs to see what the text message was, because we get so many junk texts for such things as having solar panels fitted to PPI claims, so I didn't see the actual text until I went upstairs a good deal later. It was from Mick the motor mechanic to say he'd be round to continue with the car repair this evening, weather permitting. I must say just seeing that, and knowing that the car will soon be back on he road, has cheered me up no end. It has been a good eight weeks since the car broke down on the M1 and we had to be taken off by rescue truck. Just thinking we'll be able to get out and about again is good news, particularly as my first grandchild is due to be born in the next couple of weeks so we'll want to visit when he/she makes an appearance so having the car working will enable us to travel to Worcester.

As it turned out, due to the rain, Mick didn't do any work on the car. He says he'll come back on Wednesday and Sunday to do the work and, hopefully, if the weather isn't wet, or, at least not too wet, he and his son should be able to finish of the work.

Lack of Manners

When I was growing up we were expected to have manners in regards behaviour. One was that whenever an adult came into the room you stood up. You certainly didn't talk until spoken to, you never argued with your parents or other adults and if you were travelling on public transport, such as a bus or train, you'd give up your seat for an adult and in particular a lady. Where have manners gone? Out of the window it seems in most cases. I'm  not suggesting for one moment that everyone has bad manners, but it seems that quite a few people  I meet and very much in particular, young people, manners seem to have gone out of the window. I have mentioned the 'tail-gating' incidents that I've encountered whilst driving around Milton Keynes, whereby some drivers insist on driving right up behind you and attempting to get you to go faster or just get out of the way for you. On the odd occasion I've been cut up on roundabouts, where driver cut in front of you to get through faster. I have been run into because it seems I haven't moved onto a roundabout fast enough, which can be quite scary, particularly when you are waiting at a very busy roundabout and at times of heavy traffic. This can be worst when you can't see the traffic coming round and would be helped if there was a clearer view with the removal of trees and bushes on the centre of the roundabout. Some people can get very aerated if you don't do what they want you to and you often get someone waving their fists at you or hooting their horns. All it does is increase your blood pressure and your own. Stupid really. Sometimes I'm walking along the Redway around  Milton Keynes and you encounter someone on a bicycle. They should slow down or even stop if they meet pedestrians. They seem to think you'll immediately get out of the way for them. Or at least slow down, because I don't fancy being run into by a bicycle travelling at speed. Also, cyclists riding on pavements. I was always lead to believe that pavements were meant for pedestrians and roads and cycleways were for cyclists, or perhaps I got it wrong.

Carol tells me about the children she teaches. Some talk over her when she's attempting to teach, others can be just downright obnoxious. They drop litter. When challenged, they answer 'I didn't do it.' or 'someone else can pick it up.' Surprises me, because I was under the impression that today's children were conscious of the environment and the damage litter can do.

One of the worst offences I come across is when you are in conversation with someone and they get their mobile out, perhaps to answer it, either a text or a call, and then continue a conversation on the mobile as if you weren't there. Worse still, texting and completely ignoring you. Please, just say, 'excuse me' before answering a call or text message. Can't a call or text wait until the conversation with you is over? Another one is people with earphones stuck in, sometimes on a train or bus, and the thing making noises, music that comes out of the earphones in a sort of buzz or insect-like noise, or people ignoring other's eye-contact because their so busy with an iPod or mobile phone. What has happened to the art of conversation? Modern technology seems to have caused a generation to become incapable of proper speech.