Cheery's buttling diary: tea in one hand, plant pot in the other, running shoes on

Cheery_Daff

:mad:

Work have just cancelled our Christmas party! :eek: NOT impressed. Normally our small section does something, but this year someone decided it would be better if the whole dept did something together - only what they organised was rubbish and apparently nobody is going so they've cancelled it :mad:

Ah well, at least I'll get my £10 back I suppose :money::rotfl::rotfl:

Lula-Hula

Morning Cheery ,

what a shame about the christmas party how terribly dull of people.

Have to say that I read your smart meter reading with quite some interest :rotfl: Good job I dont have one, I'd be going round the house all day, trying everything just to see what it costs and I'm dreadful for leaving the radio on so the home feels cosy and lived in when I get home !

Well done on your VSP savings :T

I spent a grubby half hour counting up all the coins ( 1p, 2p & 5p) which DD and I have saved over the last few months and was quite pleased to discover £15.90p ... Determined to pay a full £16 in to the bank so on a hunt for 1p's today ... just found 2 at work so only another 8 to go :rotfl:

Cheery_Daff

:rotfl: Bet you can find 8p before the day is out! :rotfl: I paid £21 of our small change into the bank the other day One of my bags was 2p short and a nice man standing behind me gave me 2p to make up for it

I've been doing a bit of turning off and on :rotfl: However, I've discovered basic level of electricity use is about 5p an hour - that includes various lights on, couple of laptops plugged in and in use, Mr Cheery doing electronic musical things and the tv on standby Leaps up when you stick stuff like microwave/hairdryer etc on but they're never on for long.

However, I did discover that the electric heater I use in the attic costs about 60p an hour to run :eek: Usually have that on all day when I work at home :eek: BUT it only has one setting (super hot) so I often end up overheated, turning it off and on all day trying to get temperature right :rotfl:

Just discovered the little oil filled radiators only use about 13p an hour - not as immediately hot but better at gentle background heat so I'm experimenting with one of those for the rest of the day :j :j

Tried to log into the energy compay to change direct debit again (we're £600 in credit, and, er, I'm trying to avoid some scary work phone calls ) but their website still won't let me in - apparently because it 'can't calculate my annual usage'. Tried ringing but got bored after 7 mins on hold.

Ah well, looks like there's nothing for it but to go back to work... :rotfl:

Karmacat

No, don't work, I love the electric useage posts you've been doing though thats a shocker between the electric heater and the oil radiator: is the electric one a fan heater, or a convector? I use a convector in my therapy room, its such a small room, it gets very stuffy on other forms of heat. But guess what ... I have an EAGA energy monitor myself it was a freebie at some stage, and I've never even opened the box. Thats the sort of project that doesn't get done with low energy levels. But you've inspired me :j so when I'm hanging about later on, I'll have a look see.

I don't save change any more, but every so often I ask if a shop assistant minds if I pay in copper, and they're often really pleased - it gives a good chuckle together, actually, its rather nice

How horrendous about your Christmas Party :eek: Has your little section got time to organise something on its own as usual?

Cheery_Daff

The old one's not a fan heater, tis an absolutely ancient stand up thing. Oil filled one is tiny little thing from Argos or somewhere a couple of years ago. Had it on for a couple of hours now and it's certainly not toasty but it's bearable and I'm probably staying more wide awake than I usually do up here! :rotfl:

We're going to have a little quiz and mince pie thing one coffee time next week :j So all is not lost, although it'll be at 11am so no alcohol :rotfl: :rotfl:

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, and you should definitely get your little monitor thingy out of the box, tis fascinating! Although mine now lives in a drawer as Mr Cheery is horrified by the numbers... I find it all very interesting though and keep taking it out and plugging it in

Cheery_Daff

NOT impressed with energy company They've been brilliant so far, and I was happy to have a smart meter installed when they suggested it.

[you know about the ensuing fiasco so I'll gloss over that]

Been trying to log in since early last week - we have an 'online only' account and also a 'flexible direct debit' - I'd lowered it to £99 a couple of months ago at their suggestion as we'd built up a £600 credit balance, but as I've been playing around with the budget I thought it would be nice to lower it a bit more.

Haven't been able to log in all week, and just got through on the phone - apparently the smart meters aren't compatible with the website There'll be a new website to log into, but we'll have to wait until 'everything is resolved' at their end - which won't be until the beginning of Feb! :mad:

I asked if we could change the direct debit amount over the phone, but nope, not allowed to do that until 'everything is resolved' on the account :mad:

I did point out that it would have been useful to have been informed of this BEFORE we had the smart meter fitted so I could have changed the amount in advance and perhaps reclaimed some of the dosh...

I also requested the 'information pack' that I was meant to have received in the post, or left by the engineer, and which I haven't seen at all yet

I didn't go into the fact that they cut the gas off for no reason - the poor lad I was speaking to was very nice and it appeared to be his first day :rotfl: They *might* just get a strongly worded email from me though...

Ah well, good job they pay 3% on any credit balance you have with them, isn't it?? :money:

Cheery_Daff

Slightly snotty email just sent

I did write 'this is not an official complaint' but reading back, it does sound rather complainy... :rotfl:

Cheery_Daff

non-complaint clearly worked - had a telephone call from the lovely Dan in the complaints dept about 10 mins after I wrote it :rotfl:

He apologised profusely, explained the situation, and promised that it would *not* take several months to get us up and running, but he would keep our details on his desk and prod his colleagues until everything was sorted out, which would be very shortly, and would give me a ring when it was

Maybe I should complain about stuff more often?!

They've gone back up in my estimation now - 10 minute response time is pretty impressive :rotfl:

Karmacat

Wow! Cheery, thats astonishing, I've never, ever had that, you must have sent a brilliant email :j:j:j

One person can make all the difference either way - someone maybe wasn't paying attention properly during their training sessions!

My litle monitor thingy is sitting by me ready to take downstairs - I might have a play this evening, it depends if I can still concentrate but knowledge is power, so I want to know mine now! My background stuff thats on is the fridge and freezer, a two-handset phone, two spider repellors (which don't work but I'm scared to turn them off :rotfl:) oh and the router - after all my troubles last year, I was told never to turn it off. Everything else gets switched off at the wall.

I'll let you know tomorrow!