Today I had the morning off - moderately long story for another time - meaning I went in halfway through the day, as you'd expect for someone who was only working in the afternoon.
This meant I got an off-peak ticket, which reminded me to resurrect an overdue rant on train ticket pricing. Now, while we all know that train pricing is outrageous and excessive, I hadn't noticed how much they sneakily chipped away at the 'cost-efficient' tickets.
As I've been theoretically purchasing a car since mid-January when Chrissi started her job - busy weekends and cars that simply weren't that good so far meaning no success, hopefully better luck this weekend - however, at that point I'd received a refund on my season ticket as I wasn't using it while driving. I didn't want to get a longer ticket, as I didn't think I'd get the best use out of it. Instead I've been getting weeklies and dailies. At least, I would have done if I hadn't done the maths.
You see, a weekly ticket from Surbiton to Godalming costs £67.40 - but a daily return costs only £13.70 by comparison. I recall the days when a weekly ticket used to be about 75-80% of the cost of the equivalent five returns. However, if you add up the cost of the five returns, that comes to £67.50 - meaning the weekly ticket gives you a net saving of a huge 10p.
Today I got an off-peak return for only £11.90 and as a result saved myself a huge £1.70 over the course of the week compared to the weekly ticket I sensibly didn't buy instead. Madness.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Latest Titbits
Another week, another set of vaguely relevant news items.
Car Hunt: I looked again into getting a car on Saturday - looking at one vehicle, a 2000 plate Civic, and trying to look at a second. The first one felt quite dated - you could tell it was a few years old, and while Chrissi's 02 Civic doesn't feel old, this one does. Low mileage was the only real plus point, but at the price it was going I wasn't tempted. The second was not actually there, which would've been annoying had the trip actually been out of the way, but it wasn't. I have arranged to see it tomorrow evening instead.
Train Entertainment: I have to usually follow a comment about the car search with a comment about the current commute - as I've been doing it for a little longer than planned. Last week my train was badly delayed on Monday, making for an annoying trip as I waited for a while at Surbiton, then even longer at Walton once it got moving. The engineering works on the line had taken longer than expected so they had one line less than usual. It meant I got there an hour or so later than planned, which was irritating. I followed this up by buying a ticket for the next day (Tuesday) which I was promptly ill that day and so never used. I'm not having much luck there, it seems!
Family Visits: Rachel came over for dinner on Saturday, which was pleasant; and Dad is here staying with us tomorrow evening. Chrissi suggested I may want to go car shopping with him - I suggested that was a terrible idea. Because it is.
Hunted Returns: After the annoyance on missing out on the last episode of the series back in November while we were in the US, we have now had the series rented from LoveFilm. Annoyingly it's coming one DVD at a time, each containing two episodes. So to see the eighth we have to go through the first three DVDs, and to avoid what seems like a rather pointless exercise in receiving them and sending them straight back, I have been watching these as they came - if only to remind myself of the amusement I had at our heavily-hatted heroine as she mooches from flashback to flashback. We've seen four of the episodes so far, so only another three to go to before we hit the final episode we're waiting for.
Car Hunt: I looked again into getting a car on Saturday - looking at one vehicle, a 2000 plate Civic, and trying to look at a second. The first one felt quite dated - you could tell it was a few years old, and while Chrissi's 02 Civic doesn't feel old, this one does. Low mileage was the only real plus point, but at the price it was going I wasn't tempted. The second was not actually there, which would've been annoying had the trip actually been out of the way, but it wasn't. I have arranged to see it tomorrow evening instead.
Train Entertainment: I have to usually follow a comment about the car search with a comment about the current commute - as I've been doing it for a little longer than planned. Last week my train was badly delayed on Monday, making for an annoying trip as I waited for a while at Surbiton, then even longer at Walton once it got moving. The engineering works on the line had taken longer than expected so they had one line less than usual. It meant I got there an hour or so later than planned, which was irritating. I followed this up by buying a ticket for the next day (Tuesday) which I was promptly ill that day and so never used. I'm not having much luck there, it seems!
Family Visits: Rachel came over for dinner on Saturday, which was pleasant; and Dad is here staying with us tomorrow evening. Chrissi suggested I may want to go car shopping with him - I suggested that was a terrible idea. Because it is.
Hunted Returns: After the annoyance on missing out on the last episode of the series back in November while we were in the US, we have now had the series rented from LoveFilm. Annoyingly it's coming one DVD at a time, each containing two episodes. So to see the eighth we have to go through the first three DVDs, and to avoid what seems like a rather pointless exercise in receiving them and sending them straight back, I have been watching these as they came - if only to remind myself of the amusement I had at our heavily-hatted heroine as she mooches from flashback to flashback. We've seen four of the episodes so far, so only another three to go to before we hit the final episode we're waiting for.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Day of the Week
I'm off sick today so it gives me the perfect opportunity to write a blog, not only does it give me something to distract myself from blowing my nose but it also allows me to recap some events over the past couple of weeks.
What's My Name? Highlight of last week was definitely Chrissi's letter confirming receipt of her paperwork for the indefinite leave to remain. Unfortunately this was addressed to a 'Ms Coolbajeh' which is not her name. They managed to interpret a 'u' as a 'j' and a 'g' as an 'e'. Suspecting that having the wrong name on the documentation might be a hindrance, she called only to be met with a baffled 'what do you expect us to do about it?' response. This might seem a tad self-explanatory - but apparently not. A letter confirming the correct spelling of her name has since been dispatched.
Work Ethic: I was due to head to poker a couple of weeks back on the first Thursday (moved because of Valentine's Day being on the second of the month), but opted against it as I was feeling a bit under the weather. This was a fortunate decision as I ended up being given something to urgently finish up before a meeting due to take place on the Friday - not even leaving work until poker would usually have started, and bringing my laptop home to complete more then. Despite not finishing until 9:30pm I was actually fairly positive and upbeat about it - it's nice to be doing something enjoyable!
Cooking Class: One of the Christmas presents Chrissi and I got was an evening at a cooking class at a restaurant in Clapham (one of Jamie Oliver's). We did this last Friday, and it was rather enjoyable - there was a choice of several different types of food, and we chose Mexican street food. We got to make three-four dishes, and then got to eat them while there, which was good as by the time we'd finished the cooking section it was closer to 9:30 and I was getting a little peckish! Not sure how much I remembered, but we got sent the recipes and I think we may even use a few of them from time to time!
Ongoing Extractor Fan Saga: Last Friday I was working at home so that the handyman could come and once more review the extractor fan in the bathroom. Having been fixed four times in a little under two years - and having had a new one affixed three weeks ago on the Tuesday, and that had broken by Saturday, it was obviously a problem. Having sawed a hole in the bathroom ceiling, adjusted the flue so it wasn't bent and blocking most of the air flow, we're now awaiting the electrician to install the new fan - and then we'll see if this does the trick. We won't hold our breath.
More in coming days ...
What's My Name? Highlight of last week was definitely Chrissi's letter confirming receipt of her paperwork for the indefinite leave to remain. Unfortunately this was addressed to a 'Ms Coolbajeh' which is not her name. They managed to interpret a 'u' as a 'j' and a 'g' as an 'e'. Suspecting that having the wrong name on the documentation might be a hindrance, she called only to be met with a baffled 'what do you expect us to do about it?' response. This might seem a tad self-explanatory - but apparently not. A letter confirming the correct spelling of her name has since been dispatched.
Work Ethic: I was due to head to poker a couple of weeks back on the first Thursday (moved because of Valentine's Day being on the second of the month), but opted against it as I was feeling a bit under the weather. This was a fortunate decision as I ended up being given something to urgently finish up before a meeting due to take place on the Friday - not even leaving work until poker would usually have started, and bringing my laptop home to complete more then. Despite not finishing until 9:30pm I was actually fairly positive and upbeat about it - it's nice to be doing something enjoyable!
Cooking Class: One of the Christmas presents Chrissi and I got was an evening at a cooking class at a restaurant in Clapham (one of Jamie Oliver's). We did this last Friday, and it was rather enjoyable - there was a choice of several different types of food, and we chose Mexican street food. We got to make three-four dishes, and then got to eat them while there, which was good as by the time we'd finished the cooking section it was closer to 9:30 and I was getting a little peckish! Not sure how much I remembered, but we got sent the recipes and I think we may even use a few of them from time to time!
Ongoing Extractor Fan Saga: Last Friday I was working at home so that the handyman could come and once more review the extractor fan in the bathroom. Having been fixed four times in a little under two years - and having had a new one affixed three weeks ago on the Tuesday, and that had broken by Saturday, it was obviously a problem. Having sawed a hole in the bathroom ceiling, adjusted the flue so it wasn't bent and blocking most of the air flow, we're now awaiting the electrician to install the new fan - and then we'll see if this does the trick. We won't hold our breath.
More in coming days ...
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Out of Practice
So not only has abandoning my rigid 'blog a day' practice meant that I haven't blogged filler fluff, but it means I haven't blogged at all, not even the odd illuminating comment.
At the beginning of the month the excuse was that I was driving to work, meaning that the random things that occur to me and inspired me to blog - typically things I saw on my commute - simply weren't being seen. This, however, is clearly not true any more as I've been (mostly) headed by train since Chrissi began her work in the third week of January. I'm still hunting for a car but haven't found anything that meets what I'm looking for, and I can afford to be a little choosy considering I can still go by train.
Besides that, we have had snow (more on this saga in another entry), rain and wind - we have met Rachel for lunch and driven into London, which was hideously delayed even more so than infrequent trains, hosted a games night that ended up being a single game which went on for the entire evening and didn't even finish (no it wasn't risk / monopoly), and both of us have come down with generic wintery illnesses as we cough and splutter our way onwards towards spring.
Chrissi has also sent off all her paperwork to apply for her Indefinite Leave to Remain (in the UK), which she needs as her spousal visa runs out in May. Fingers crossed for a speedy resolution on this front - not least because it requires our passports, so we can't even go abroad on holiday until it's complete!
The house is also having issues, and we're increasingly looking at moving (likely back in the Woking/Guildford direction) in the upcoming months, particularly as we now both work in that area. Prices are also considerably more reasonable there - not hugely reasonable, but better compared to what we've been used to in the Surbiton/Kingston area which is outrageously pricey for not very much! We'll see how that develops, but that has to wait on the ILR for Chrissi anyway before we start to commit to this sort of thing.
All in all, much in the way of general updates without anything specific - the occasional post should follow on events as they happen, saving us all this tedious 'recap' phenomenon.
At the beginning of the month the excuse was that I was driving to work, meaning that the random things that occur to me and inspired me to blog - typically things I saw on my commute - simply weren't being seen. This, however, is clearly not true any more as I've been (mostly) headed by train since Chrissi began her work in the third week of January. I'm still hunting for a car but haven't found anything that meets what I'm looking for, and I can afford to be a little choosy considering I can still go by train.
Besides that, we have had snow (more on this saga in another entry), rain and wind - we have met Rachel for lunch and driven into London, which was hideously delayed even more so than infrequent trains, hosted a games night that ended up being a single game which went on for the entire evening and didn't even finish (no it wasn't risk / monopoly), and both of us have come down with generic wintery illnesses as we cough and splutter our way onwards towards spring.
Chrissi has also sent off all her paperwork to apply for her Indefinite Leave to Remain (in the UK), which she needs as her spousal visa runs out in May. Fingers crossed for a speedy resolution on this front - not least because it requires our passports, so we can't even go abroad on holiday until it's complete!
The house is also having issues, and we're increasingly looking at moving (likely back in the Woking/Guildford direction) in the upcoming months, particularly as we now both work in that area. Prices are also considerably more reasonable there - not hugely reasonable, but better compared to what we've been used to in the Surbiton/Kingston area which is outrageously pricey for not very much! We'll see how that develops, but that has to wait on the ILR for Chrissi anyway before we start to commit to this sort of thing.
All in all, much in the way of general updates without anything specific - the occasional post should follow on events as they happen, saving us all this tedious 'recap' phenomenon.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Gone
After the best part of three months, this morning I finally decided to shave off what I've taken to calling my pseudo-moustache. I am once more clean shaven and will likely remain as such until at least next November, possibly longer.
The main reason for this was because after a quarter-year of glacial growth, it had finally got to the point where it was intruding over my lip and warranting a slight trim. Brushing it to the side simply wasn't cutting it. As this was far too much effort for me to want to do on an even sporadic basis, I decided that removing the entire thing might be simpler!
The main reason for this was because after a quarter-year of glacial growth, it had finally got to the point where it was intruding over my lip and warranting a slight trim. Brushing it to the side simply wasn't cutting it. As this was far too much effort for me to want to do on an even sporadic basis, I decided that removing the entire thing might be simpler!
Monday, January 07, 2013
New Year So Far ...
As you'll have noticed I've not blogged so far this year yet, until now - had decided to wait a little until a topic came to me. While I was impressed with my run from September through to December, it was becoming a little forced at times. Also, the other reason is that as I no longer commute by train I no longer have as many sparks for amusing blogs.
Here are some assorted highlights from the past week:
Train Issues: I was amused on my drive home on Friday night to hear that there was some generic problem at Hilsea and so the Woking-Portsmouth Harbour line was down; not out of any sense of schadenfreude, but simply because that's my usual line, and at the time I was driving comfortably along the A3 only about 10 minutes from home and not going to be affected by it.
New Year's: It was good to catch up to people for New Year's on the last day of 2013 - we want over to catch up with folks in Woking for the first half of the evening, then elsewhere for the second half of the evening with additional folks. It was nice to see lots of friends that we haven't seen for too long.
Resolutions: I never do resolutions and that hasn't changed this year. I am doing several goals with the start of January, but mainly because they mark the end of the Christmas period and so it's much easier to start things then.
Poker Night: Another trip back to Woking on Saturday was for a poker night when we managed to fit eleven around a single table and it was an enjoyable occasion. Good to catch up with lots of people again, including different faces from the previous gatherings, and also very pleasant to not have to worry about what time we had to leave due to buses/trains/etc - being able to comfortably stay until gone midnight and then drive home was extremely pleasant!
That'll do by way of a catch-up; we'll see what comes this week!
Here are some assorted highlights from the past week:
Train Issues: I was amused on my drive home on Friday night to hear that there was some generic problem at Hilsea and so the Woking-Portsmouth Harbour line was down; not out of any sense of schadenfreude, but simply because that's my usual line, and at the time I was driving comfortably along the A3 only about 10 minutes from home and not going to be affected by it.
New Year's: It was good to catch up to people for New Year's on the last day of 2013 - we want over to catch up with folks in Woking for the first half of the evening, then elsewhere for the second half of the evening with additional folks. It was nice to see lots of friends that we haven't seen for too long.
Resolutions: I never do resolutions and that hasn't changed this year. I am doing several goals with the start of January, but mainly because they mark the end of the Christmas period and so it's much easier to start things then.
Poker Night: Another trip back to Woking on Saturday was for a poker night when we managed to fit eleven around a single table and it was an enjoyable occasion. Good to catch up with lots of people again, including different faces from the previous gatherings, and also very pleasant to not have to worry about what time we had to leave due to buses/trains/etc - being able to comfortably stay until gone midnight and then drive home was extremely pleasant!
That'll do by way of a catch-up; we'll see what comes this week!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Early Departure
Today I was headed into work, and after that as we were meeting up with friends in Woking for the evening, with today being New Year's Eve, I had carefully arranged to meet Chrissi in Woking and then proceed from there.
This dedicated research included planning routes on Google Maps, even using the Street View (which I am fast falling in love with) to check as to exactly what the exit sign says so I knew what exit I was coming off at. I would meet Chrissi at Woking Station at precisely 6ish, and then we would proceed from there. All well and good.
This plan immediately disintegrated around 1:55pm - just when I was thinking to myself "I've pretty much done everything I had planned for today, how am I going to fill another three and a bit hours", and the ops manager came round and said to everyone that we were closing the office at 2. So I happily left, drove home and sit here writing a blog in comfort, preparing to go out again later - this time no meeting or planning really necessary!
This dedicated research included planning routes on Google Maps, even using the Street View (which I am fast falling in love with) to check as to exactly what the exit sign says so I knew what exit I was coming off at. I would meet Chrissi at Woking Station at precisely 6ish, and then we would proceed from there. All well and good.
This plan immediately disintegrated around 1:55pm - just when I was thinking to myself "I've pretty much done everything I had planned for today, how am I going to fill another three and a bit hours", and the ops manager came round and said to everyone that we were closing the office at 2. So I happily left, drove home and sit here writing a blog in comfort, preparing to go out again later - this time no meeting or planning really necessary!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Backlog Clearing
The other thing to update from yesterday is that we caught up with the Molloys, who are down for Christmas - this had long been planned but only actually came to fruition on the Friday evening that we finalised plans. We'd planned to meet for 1pm and then head for lunch - by virtue of our speedy drive down south we had plenty of time to go home first, drop off all our bags (it's surprising how much you take with you when you have the space), and then head on out again.
I was doing the drive over to Woking as I knew the roads slightly better, which was in part the reason why we swapped drivers midway back. It was strange driving on roads that you know very well but haven't driven on for 9-10 years, if at all.
The main event was obviously seeing Mark and Sophie, which was very nice - we decided not to break with tradition or be adventurous, so ended up at the Bridge Barn (see 'Badger Rib' entries from many years ago) for a spot of lunch - which was pretty decent. We then returned to theirs - well, to Mark's parents, as it really is now - and played a couple of games before heading on as they were already booked up for the evening! We will be seeing them again tomorrow night for New Year's Eve, so will have a chance to see them again before they return back Northwards post-Christmas.
I was doing the drive over to Woking as I knew the roads slightly better, which was in part the reason why we swapped drivers midway back. It was strange driving on roads that you know very well but haven't driven on for 9-10 years, if at all.
The main event was obviously seeing Mark and Sophie, which was very nice - we decided not to break with tradition or be adventurous, so ended up at the Bridge Barn (see 'Badger Rib' entries from many years ago) for a spot of lunch - which was pretty decent. We then returned to theirs - well, to Mark's parents, as it really is now - and played a couple of games before heading on as they were already booked up for the evening! We will be seeing them again tomorrow night for New Year's Eve, so will have a chance to see them again before they return back Northwards post-Christmas.
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