The whinge thread

[Laura]

My parents had three of us at uni at once (my two sisters are twins, one year younger than me), so we had the same situation.

[strep98]

This is even more confusing. Matt tried to do his bit on line and it told him he couldn't use his NI nmber as it belonged to someone else. So he spent 20 mins phoning to be told he had 2 accounts (didn't get two lots of money though). It turns out they have spelt his name wrong, so we can't do the assessment on loine we have to do it by form. Also they have OH living at his parents (he is not happy about filling in the forms again as we have no joint finances and he isn't Matt's dad and apparently doesn't live with us anymore, funny I'm sure I cooked his dinner tonight!) goodness only knows where they got that info from as we have never given it and he has not lived there for 12 years.

OK I'll shut up now.

[Bunnylump]

Sounds like a typical governmental c**k up. How infuritating.

[Laura]

ok. My whinge for today.

Nothing seems to be working the way it should today. I need to tax my car, so they send me the little sheet through the post, saying that if I go on-line it will be quick and easy to do. So I type all the little numbers in. I have been very restrained this year, because usually they send it at the beginning of the month then say I can't do it till after the 15th. Anyway, this year they can't do it, because they can't find my insurance on their database. Well, the new insurance policy starts today. So I'm going to have to go to the post office anyway.

Then i try to book some train tickets for the 11th July. They say you can book three months in advance, so i tried last Sunday (11th April), but then it said, actually its 12 weeks, not three months. Try next week. So I tried. Still can't book them. No reason why.

And I've tried to ring some people who are on the waiting list to join Brownies, no reply from any of them.

AAAaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[giraffe]

I tried to book bowling for Fernando and his friends on his birthday this morning. I rang and got this is a centralised booking thingy please press button 1, please press button 3 etc etc, but it said I could do it online. So I hung up and went online, went through about 45 separate screens (because it won't let you say I want to book for this many on this day at this time, you have to narrow it down to a 2 week period, then a day , then an afternoon, then a time, then how many people, then how many rounds etc. ) I had to restart 3 times, because it wouldn't let you go back a page. Got to the end (eventually) , registered to use their site, put in my card details then it said the bank wanted to have all sorts of extra security details, but I wasn't happy to give all that over the web. (I'd already given my email address, phone number, bank card number, security number, expiry date etc.) So I'm not sure if I've booked the tickets or not. I'd better go down to the bowling alley and speak to a human.

[LAT]

Laura if you try the car tax again in a few days it should work as long as your insurance company are good at updating their records. And it is a darn sight quicker than queueing at the Post Office.

[supersleuth]

I got into a real mess with car tax/insurance a couple of years ago. I bought the car new and taxed and insured it the same day. Then when it came to re-tax it, there was no valid insurance (it had expired the previous day), so couldn't tax it; then couldn't insure it as it wasn't taxed. The insurance company (Direct Line) assured me it had never come across this problem before.

[Bunnylump]

I'd better go down to the bowling alley and speak to a human.

If the assistants are anything like the ones which work at our bowling alley, that will be extremely unlikely!!

[giraffe]

I did wonder whether HUMAN was the right word when I typed it.

[Bunnylump]

So when is the actual birthday?

[giraffe]

Not for a month, but we want to get the invites out early as one of his chums always pinches his birthday weekend. Last year he even had his party on F's birthday. They've been at school together since nursery and every year they get the weekend closest to F's birthday.

[Bunnylump]

How irritating! You'd think they might consider that, having known him all that time, wouldn't you? My OH's 50th next month, and I don't know what to do for it. Keep it hushed up and have a handy supply of tissues at the ready do you think??

[strep98]

My lad and his mates birthday was two days apart and used to clash, as they wanted the same people at both thier parties and in the end his mum and I did joint parties and shared the cost, all went well till the last one (no parties after 11 in this house yes I know I'm cruel, but the kid know the Childline number if they don't like it), one wanted to do football and one skating (both done at the same venue) so those that wanted to skate went with Ben and those who wanted to play football went with my lad and they joined up for food.

[giraffe]

We've done joint parties for them sometimes. K was in a class of ten children at primary school and one shared her birthday and one was two days later, (what are the chances of that?) so they had a joint one once! I said no more parties after age 10, but when everyone else does something it is hard to be the odd one out. We had a joint one for our three children last year. (swimming / drowning) (birthdays at various points from May to Sept) Lally's best friend pinched her birthday weekend and we still hadn't rearranged F's from May so we did it in Sept. Weekends are scarce in the summer term, when you are dodging school exams , half term, May bank hols etc.

[katsmom]

Last year Katherine's birthday fell on a public holiday-Mid Autumn festival-When we sent out the invites for a very planned party, everylast one said they wouldn't come. Poor kid. I was devistated for her, but she wasn't. She had me make a big cake, and we took it down to the podium when we went out to watch the moon and play with the lanterns. All the kids in the neighbourhood and some of the parents sang for her, and everyone who wanted it had cake! She was (prepare to groan) over the moon! The whole neighbourhood came out to celebrate with her. No one dared to tell her otherwise!

This year, she has already looked at the calendar and realized that she won't have guests for her birthday because of the holiday weekend that is right before it, so she's decided we are going to check into the Disney Hotel for the weekend and Have Goofy swim with her instead. Dad's balking at the cost, but It's a blessing for me. First, it's a darn sight cheaper than a party when all is said and done, and second, I don't have to do anything except sign the bill

[Bunnylump]

That sounds cool!

BTW is it compulsory to have a daughter called Katherine to register on this site? I have one and I know of at least one other!

[giraffe]

No. Neither Kingsley nor Lally are really called Katherine.

[Bunnylump]

I think you should seriously consider re naming them. We could have a club.

[chazzie]

What both of them - that could get confusing

[Bunnylump]

It would be so much easier to remember their names though. Maybe I should re name my son Katherine too.