You need to know that the comment above is sarcastic and ironic. It's only energy companies that could tell you that prices will be increasing in January and then make it sound as if this will be a good thing for you.
That's marketing gone mad by the way.
I received said letter from my provider EON and I'm sure most of you will have received similar missives.
But there's good news. They are keeping the average household bills to £2,500 a year. We should all humbly thank them and look forward to paying an average of £200 plus a month. The letter goes on to inform me that if I don't pay by Direct Debit (actually I do) I should consider this method of payment as it will mean I'm paying less. What they don't say of course is that they can increase your Direct Debit as and when they feel like doing so. I have always been angered/amused by DDs. You can't alter them yourself but the company you are paying can. So in effect you have lost control of your own money.
I do so hate it when I receive letters from companies pretending that everything in my garden is rosy when the only reason for them writing is to put prices up.
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And here's another thing. Poundland used to be just that. Everything in the store was priced at a pound. Now the shops are still called Poundland but most of the goods cost a lot more than a pound. In other words Poundland has just become another store. OK I know that you get very little for a pound today.
Each year at Christmas we play a game which involves buying and wrapping presents that cost a maximum of £1. It's a raucous and fun game and I think I have mentioned the rules before. The kids love it. I used to go to Poundland to get my gifts and there was plenty of choice. This year I went to the store in Norwich and really had to scratch around to find anything for £1.
If enough people want to know how the fun game works just let me know and I will include the rules (such as they are) in a future blog before Christmas.
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Do you ever have that feeling when you meet someone or come across someone that you have seen them somewhere before?
I reported a few days ago on the funeral of dear Steve Walker. This was held at Colney Woods burial ground just outside Norwich. The celebrant was excellent and even got quite emotional herself although admitting that she had never met Steve.
Her name was Dr Kate Tremain which didn't mean anything to me but as usual I made a mental note to Google the name later. Then someone said to me - didn't she used to be on Anglia Television? So I went right ahead and Googled the name and sure enough she was an Anglia TV continuity announcer by the name of Katie Glass and I remember her well.
She often worked alongside a puppet by the name of BC which simply stood for Birthday Club as the duo read out birthday wishes for youngsters. BC was a cuddly but ever so naughty bear that seemed to be clad in Leopard skin print.
So I watched a few videos of BC. It was a sobering thought that the little boy celebrating his first birthday will now have celebrated his 40th.
I also caught an Anglia Television newscast with John Bacon who sounded terribly posh. The final item amused me. It was about a fisherman who was in hospital after (and I quote) "his rod hit an overhead power line" and gave him a 20,000 volt shock. This apparently was at a railway station. Apparently this man couldn't wait to get his rod up and running and had assembled it on the platform. They don't have news items like that anymore.