A Midwife’s Muse

Good old V, overcharged us again, forgot to send us the cheque for £126 which they owe from their last overcharging episode in March and, although they charge us for 2Mb broadband, they only supply 1Mb. I had the temerity to phone them and point out their fondness for misusing direct debits and the next thing I know is that I have 0Mb. Apparently it was a national problem. I wonder if the having to set-up the broadband installation again was also national. I stupidly thought that the reason I was mucking about with modems, routers and spanners (don’t ask, that was one of the V techies suggestions) was due to them increasing my broadband speed, wrong, so wrong. This evening I still have 1Mb so I e-mailed them via heir comment page, and just to rub salt into the wound the tab informed me it was ‘Comment form for slow speed’.  I am so looking forward to their response.

Work today was frustrating. I am trying to be economical with my mileage, fuel prices going up and up, but my mileage payments remaining the same as in 2000 means that I am starting to feel that I am paying to drive for work. Anyway, clinic this morning and then an initial booking appointment. These first appointments are pre-arranged, time agreed home-visits and for this woman it meant an 8 mile drive, in the opposite direction to all my other visits. Arrived, on time but there was no answer. I phoned the woman who told me that she had forgotten, was at the pub and had decided not to have the baby. Then she said she might have the baby, she will perhaps know next week so I could come back then. I suggested that it would be more sensible for her to phone me if she decides to continue with the pregnancy, a tirade of abuse from her followed this so I calmly said ‘Good bye. I’ll wait to hear from you’, and hung up. I was fuming. I drove the 8 miles back to the surgery and downloaded my annoyance to her G.P, who was unaware, but unsurprised as she has had 3 previous TOP’s.

How refreshing, our M.P’s have voted not to have an inflation busting pay-rise, what a wonderful demonstration of restraint, a real example to us all, especially given the paltry salary they receive, £61,820. Shame they are still feeling the need for us to fund their shopping at John Lewis for their second homes, especially since many of their constituents may soon be losing their only home due to the downturn in the economy. Delusion of Grandeur has write an incisive piece about the polititian’s yearly housing allowance, pointing out that it is £2,000 more than the average British salary. If you would like to know more about our ‘poor as church mice’ M.P’s allowances look here, and please vote for me when I stand for the ‘I’m improving my standard of living party’.