Mixed bag of a day

Hello. I’ve had the day off today. It’s been a mixed bag. Life is still very much revolving around my parents and I still need to ring my Dad tonight.

This morning I talked to my financial adviser for about an hour about paying the enormous costs for my Mum’s care. It’s very tricky as my Dad is quite secretive about their joint finances, even though I have Power of Attorney for both of them.

Then I went for a long walk to the dentist. My check up did not go very well. I heard the word decay a few times and was questioned on my sugar consumption which I feel is fairly small and not between meals. No mid morning cereal bar at work from now on maybe? What am I supposed to snack on? A raw carrot?! I have to go back next week for 2 fillings, one is big and may need to be made to measure for a gap between two of my teeth? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Something that involves possibly sending off a mould/measurements starts to sound expensive..

The heavens opened and it poured when I left the dentist, but that was actually quite nice as I was far too hot after walking in in my jeans, socks and trainers (I did have a top on too of course! But that was a t-shirt that was not making me feel particularly hot). I then got the bus to Maidenhead which now costs an enormous £7.20 return ☹️.

Santander, oh Santander, how disappointed I have now become with you. Initially they registered my POA access very quickly, within a week even with a postal strike. Most impressive until I actually tried to use it. My first transaction online was immediately blocked by the fraud department as an unusual activity on the account. Two 45 minute waits on hold at home and one conversation did not sort this. I was told to visit the branch where they scanned my ID and then let me use their phone to wait another 40 minutes to talk to the fraud department again. It was still not straightforward from there and I nearly cried with despair at one point. How can they expect me to pass security questions involving in depth knowledge of the latest payments into the account? The whole point of the POA is that my Mum has dementia and can’t remember anything that’s going on in the account and I’ve only just logged on for the first time! Arrrggggh! Anyway after 1.5 hours of my time that I’ll never get back trying to convince them I’m not a fraudster trying to rip off an old lady I am at last unblocked and my transaction authorised… til the next time….

I’m really going off banks and their faceless systems these days which involve do it yourself banking. I think I might start to keep all my money under my mattress or just go back to a trading society without money. Rhubarb cake anyone?

After that I went to the Odeon to destress and watched Fisherman’s Friends. I enjoyed the film and my couple of hours of escapism in the reclining seat with my legs up (similar to the dentist?!). What I hadn’t realised was that the film is set in Port Isaac, Cornwall, where I spent all my childhood and some adulthood family holidays with my parents. I ended up crying, I think grieving for my parents although they’re both still alive, it’s just not the same any more now I’m the responsible one caring for them.

It was quite a sweet and entertaining film. It was going to be over an hour’s wait for a bus home so David kindly picked me up and here I am.

Good news of the day was that my friend/colleague texted me a nice message and a gorgeous photo of her two lovely twin girl babies. I only thought she was having one baby, so that made my day, so cute! 😍 Hope you’re all doing well. Thanks for tuning in to The Waffle.