First off, my wife had a call from the bank last Sunday (24th Feb) about a potentially dodgy transaction. Nothing curmudg about that as it was a payment she hadn't authorised. Bank said don't use that card, they will cancel and send a new one. By Friday nothing had arrived so called bank, person we spoke to said there was nothing on system about any problem and to continue using the card. Card used OK all weekend but today card refused. Called bank and finally put through to fraud team. Checks made and there were notes on system about the problem and saying card was being cancelled but, for whatever reason, that didn't happen. No explanation today as to why the card was declined in that case but a new card has now been issued. The person we spoke to today couldn't have been more helpful, but the fact that English is their native language may have been a factor.
Curmudg 2. Called into Dobbies today, formerly our local Wyevale, and they are in the middle of a major refit and rebranding exercise. No issue with that as it obviously has to be done. However, there is now almost nothing in the building which has even the remotest connection with gardening. There is an area as you walk in with seeds, bulbs etc and a couple of small stands with house plants. The rest of the place is now looking more like Woolworths with pan sets, clothes, greeting cards etc...
I do wonder about some garden centres now. I've bought quite a few plants recently that are either misslabelled or are just labelled something like 'foliage plant' or 'succulent mixed' and if you're lucky they come with a generic care guide. I bought a 'trailing succulent' recently with the general succulent guide for full sun and good drainage but it turns out to be a shade loving epiphytic peperomia. You expect garden centres to be able to offer expert advice but if they can't decide what the plants are that they're selling then can you really trust them for anything else?
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
@KT53, l suspect l know the GC you are talking about (Glos). I was in there last week meeting a friend for coffee and it was a mess then, thought they would have spent the weekend and overnights sorting it out by now. I expected them to shut it for a week when they first took over and blitz it in one go, but maybe that was too obvious!
.... You expect garden centres to be able to offer expert advice but if they can't decide what the plants are that they're selling then can you really trust them for anything else?
I’m afraid I don’t ... one or two members of staff may have some hort. knowledge but the rest don’t .... we live close to a GC and some of the staff live around here ... I’ve seen their gardens .... very nice people 😀 but they’re not gardeners 🙄
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Grumpy today because my car failed its MOT for broken rear suspension springs. My wife's car failed on the same thing recently too. I'm not saying the roads are badly maintained around here but I've done less than 3000 miles since the last MOT and 1000 miles since the last service.
Had the same thing last year on our car, front nearside only but "we have to replace as a pair" £95 plus VAT plus fitting.
My grump is after a lovely morning when I had to go into the Royal Free eye clinic. Not long home the sky's have blackened and now it's tipping it down. No chance of any gardening again today.
The local council here are extremely good where pot holes are concerned. I reported one online, at the junction of our lane on a Sunday night, first thing Monday morning they were there to fill it in and did another further up whilst they were here. apparantly, if you report it and they don’t fix it and your car gets damaged because of it, you can claim from them, so as soon as reported, they’re there.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Front nearside @Allotment Boy ... same as mine ... it’s the potholes at the edge of the road ... damaging to cars and dangerous for cyclists who have to swerve to avoid them or end up going base over apex 🤕
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
@Dovefromabove in our case some of the damage is from "speed humps" even though I crawl over them, the ones near SD's house & the ones outside Capel where I volunteer don't help matters.
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Luckily we have still got a couple where some staff actually known about plants 🌱
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
My grump is after a lovely morning when I had to go into the Royal Free eye clinic. Not long home the sky's have blackened and now it's tipping it down. No chance of any gardening again today.
I reported one online, at the junction of our lane on a Sunday night, first thing Monday morning they were there to fill it in and did another further up whilst they were here.
apparantly, if you report it and they don’t fix it and your car gets damaged because of it, you can claim from them, so as soon as reported, they’re there.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.