The Archbishop Preaches
According to the Sunday Times, the Archbishop of Canterbury, wants to drive payday lenders and loan sharks out of business. He has delivered a speech to the House of Lords on the subject and it’s reported here.
I don’t share his optimism, as there are some bad practices that are impossible to stamp out, save of executing everybody who does them! But even would that discourage smokers? I doubt it!
He says we should encourage the growth of credit unions. It’s a laudable aim, but we have just so many financial illiterates for it to make any difference.
I Don’t Want Another Card
I am trying to declutter my life.
I Don’t Want Another Card
So the one thing, I don’t want is another card. In fact these days, I don’t bother with loyalty cards. If I don’t get decent service, I go elsewhere. Shops, restaurants, train operators and airports, have to earn my loyalty.
If I look at Heathrow, I might go out from there if I could use Terminal 5, as there is a decent gluten-free restaurant there.
And The Balloon Came Too!
It would appear that balloons are allowed on the Emirates Air Line.
In some ways, I always follow instances of balloons on public transport, as at Liverpool University in the 1960s, they were banned on the buses in the city.
I wonder if they still are!
An Incident In Pizza Express
Last night, I went to a new-for-me Pizza Express in Curtain Road, close to Shoreditch High Street station.
I always have the same meal in Pizza Express, and that’s a bottle of Aspall Cyder and a gluten-free caprisiosa pizza. The pizza comes on a slate.
Gluten-Free Pizza At Pizza Express
It was of the usual high standard and was exactly like the one in the picture, which I took in their restaurant in Islington.
But when I started to cut it, with their pizza cutter, the action set up a vibration, which meant the various bottles and glasses on my table started to migrate about.
I didn’t notice what was happening, until I heard the half-drunk bottle of Aspall cyder fall on the floor, where it didn’t break, but proceeded to spin, spilling some of the cyder on the floor.
I retrieved the bottle and I judged very little had been split, despite the fall as it virtually filled my half-pint glass. A half-pint glass is 284 cl. and the bottle of cyder is 330 cl. But I had had a long drink before the bottle fell.
I think the incident shows the strength of the Aspall bottles, which were brought in to save glass.
Do I Look Decrepit?
When I’m carrying my shopping back from the Angel on the bus, I sometimes get offered a seat, but usually I choose my bus with plenty of empty space.
Yesterday though, I was getting a 141 towards London Bridge, when I was offered a seat by a lady who was probably ten years older than me!
She was also wearing a burkha, which made be a bit embarrassed. Especially, as there were plenty of empty seats towards the back of the bus.
As I’ve said before, everybody is getting very polite on London’s buses!
The incident also got me thinking about why London buses seem to a more polite place, than others like Cambridge, where I’ve ridden the buses quite a few times.
I put it down to one of three things.
London’s buses always have at least two doors, which has two major affects. It separates those getting into the bus from those getting out and it also tends to keep low-life away from the driver. This calms down everybody!
The drivers seem to like a comment and often quip something back, adding to the positive side of the travel experience. I do wonder too, that because of London’s excellent mapping, that drivers do a lot less to sort out lost souls, so they have time to be pleasant.
And then of course London buses are painted bright red! Is it a warning to behave?
The UK To Get A Huguenot Heritage Centre
My mother’s family was of Huguenot ancestry, with her father being an engraver of note.
So I was pleased to see an article in The Times saying that a Huguenote Heritage Centre is being set up at The French Hospital in Rochester.
Is This A Real Payday Loan Site?
This site called lolcatloans.com was mentioned in the Money section of The Times today.
Is it real? I certainly wouldn’t borrow any money from them, despite the appealing cats!
The site appears to be registered in Panama, although it does appear to offer loans in pounds.
I would sugest that you laugh at the cats and do no more!
I Don’t Buy Cleaning Materials Any More
I live in a three-bedroomed house, with a large living room and a small kitchen, so it isn’t the most difficult place to keep clean. I use contract cleaners, who come once a week, bringing everything they need and cost me about sixty pounds.
So as I’m writing a big shopping list for the next few days, it’s very simple, as there is no cleaning materials at all. The only thing, that I buy, that isn’t food or drink, is washing up liquid, washing detergent, soap, toothpaste and toilet paper.
It certainly makes life a lot simpler, as over the last forty or so years, finding decent cleaners has always been a problem for C and myself.
The Anonymous Widower 