Saturday

 Some of you may have noticed, that's if you use blog reading lists, that blog posts are not up-dating at the moment.  I don't think it makes a great deal of difference to me as I am on only on two blog roll lists that I know of but I will be on reading lists of those who follow me.  On the one blog roll list that updates when a new post is written it is obvious that the lists are not up-dating as I am still showing as a post Grief written two days ago.  The post Antisemitism in Britain is not showing.  The Grief post has had over 300 page views, the Antisemitism shows only 160 page views.   All by-the-by really but I hope that the lack of up-dating is the only reason why nobody is interested in the Antisemitism in Britain post.  It is important.   The other blog list where I appear in Western Australia on Sarah's blog  is one that lists blogs followed but is not a time recording up-dated one.  So really I am only on one blog roll list. 

Today is another lovely day and I met my friend who likes to meet me for normalcy as she calls it.  I also like to meet her for the same reason.   

I have booked my Heathrow Express ticket and am now at the end of the things I have to do with regard to tickets and paperwork for the holiday as far as I can see.   I was undecided about how to get to Heathrow from Central London as there are various options but in the end decided to opt for the Heathrow Express and book in advance and save a considerable amount of money.  It is the most expensive Heathrow connection but the advance booking brings it down to more or less match the undergrounds.  

I had the sewing machine out yesterday and mended some jeans and did a viewing of them with my friend today, not for complimentary reasons but for the fact that, as we both know, when living alone it is very difficult to see things all around in the mirror and back views are a near impossibility so I decided to go today wearing them and ask for help. I needed to know for sure that the mend was invisible and tight without stretches when I was actually wearing them.  Whilst I could see this when sewing I could not see this when wearing.  This is something we are both well aware of living alone.  The jeans passed the test and the outfit passed with an objective eye as suitable for Baku.  My friend is familiar with Baku as she and her husband were travellers there for business reasons.   This is purely coincidental that I have a friend familiar with the city, but a good coincidence.   

I said I would be posting on Instagram.  She doesn't follow Instagram so wants me to Whatsapp her.  What a lot of techy things we do these days.  I can do that.  

I had a rather frustrating call with my mobile provider this week and the long and short of it was that the man in Mumbai did not really want to chat to me because I couldn't remember the name of my first pet.  We went through two cat names and all sorts of other things and I said I only wanted to ask a general question about data use abroad and did not want to talk about my account but he said he couldn't answer questions at all without firstly accessing my account.  I was ringing from my mobile number which is the subject of my account which you would think would have sufficed in any case. However, it appeared not to and we continued with pet name guessing.    In the end, after 10 minutes of this, I curtailed the call.  It was so frustrating and I turned to the internet and did get an answer of sorts but I would much rather have had a chat with a human about it. 

I might not be posting on the blog while I am away unless the mobile phone provider offers me a data package when I arrive which in theory it should do for a few quid which I would be willing to pay.  

But as yet I am still here.  I won't be cleaning the house very much and will leave things much as they are for the cats.    They will be fed by my neighbour. 

But I am still here.  Sorry the run up to  the holiday seems to be rather long but it is just the way it is.