Will someone please tell me... General Chat

I hope the limp turns out to be nothing. I'm sure it will. Over the years, I've probably taken most of my dogs to the vet because of a slight limp, and there's never been anything wrong and it's always better after a day or so!

The last time was when an over-exuberant cockapoo careered into Chico the Chihuahua.

Hope Pereg ok & just acting limping, I had dog that was good at limp acting (only limp if anyone was watching) all other times was running about at hyper speed x

How's Pereg's leg this morning?

And has your soupmaker turned up yet?! I was supposed to be having a delivery today, and I checked their Tracking Facility this morning. It said 8.08 Out for Delivery. Jolly good, I thought. I happened to look at it again, in case they were going to give me an estimated time, and found it now says 8.14 Delayed. So what happened in those six minutes that changed the status from Out for Delivery to Delayed! I've sent them an email asking if it will be delivered today or not - it's bad enough having to wait in all day anyway, but even worse when it doesn't turn up!

@Janet - do you ever feel like banging your head against a brick wall? I finally managed to speak with someone earlier who said she would check and call me back. She did not.

I have just called again and spoken to someone else - he actually called the delivery company they use while I was waiting - and the delivery company say that their driver came here yesterday and there was nobody at home - and sorry but they cannot deliver it today, maybe tomorrow.

No way did the delivery driver turn up yesterday. I have telephones all over my home so I would have heard if the driver had rung, and if he had just turned up without telephoning, Pereg would have barked her head off as the door was open all day.

The whole thing is a farce. The eBay supplier said it was Asendia UK - sending to Aramex in Israel - only it is not Aramex but GCX - and GCX use Aviv Shigur for their deliveries. So nobody is actually taking responsibility.

I do hope you get your delivery then at least one of us will be happy.

Pereg's leg? I do not know. She limps when she first gets up and when she is walking, but can still rush out if someone even stops outside - rushes out if a cat dare go past - and jumps up and off the bed/couch/recliner with no trouble. But she definitely limps on her front left leg. I could put off her blood test tomorrow but I really want Ram to check her leg as it is worrying me now.

Ah, I've had that - delivery drivers claiming they'd called and there was no one in. Totally impossible - there is always someone in, and even if they crept up the footpath the dogs would hear. And in any case, if they called and there was no one in, why didn't they leave a card? One company was insisting they'd called, and the guy on the phone said the driver had taken a photo of my front door to prove it. My black front door. Except that mine is white.

Anyway, this company replied very quickly and politely to my email, and assure me it will be delivered today. So, fingers crossed.

Sorry Pereg's leg is still giving you concern. Do you think it's her shoulder, or could it possibly be a toe? Both Bogie and Witty once limped due to injuring the toe through turning at speed - the vet told me it is quite a common injury in greyhounds (yet strangely, it never happened to Gertie the lurcher.)

Hope it turns out to be very minor (and that you are soon making some delicious soup!)

I think it might be Pereg's shoulder as her paw/toes/leg seem OK but she has full flexibility in it so I do not know. But she does turn at speed when rushing backwards and forwards in the front yard so maybe she has just strained it - it does not seem to bother her at all though.

Well the guy I spoke with who was going to find out for certain whether they would deliver the damn thing tomorrow and if so what time, has not called me back. Quelle surprise.

And so much for him giving me his direct telephone number - there is no answer from it, just rings and rings and then that muzak starts - and then the line is closed. Quelle surprise.

I have decided to postpone the vet visit - it is such a performance to get there and there is no point going while I am in limbo like this - and so frustrated over the whole thing, especially as had Amazon supplied the Morphy Richards one to Israel when I first checked, I would never have bought this one, although as I said before, it will be good to have two so I can keep Kashrut with soup.

Anyhow, apart from anything else the surgery has moved [also only a couple of streets away] so the layout will be new to both Pereg and myself, although Ram assured me that it was wheelchair-accessible so that will be OK for me. But it will be strange for Pereg - smells and all that - as she is so used to the old place, and the last thing I want is for her to get antsy when I might possibly not as calm as I should be.

Well, with luck the delay will give Pereg's leg a chance to heal on its own. As long as it's not bothering her I'm sure an extra day or so won't do any harm.

No delivery for me yet, but it's only 12.30 so plenty of time. And with a bit of luck you'll hear today too.

You are not going to believe this. Dvir has just called me back - on my mobile - because he said there was no answer on my home phone.

The delivery driver did turn up yesterday and telephoned once he was on the Moshav - only like Dvir just now, he had a totally incorrect telephone number. Something starting with 07778 or something - I mean nothing at all like mine which starts with 08 and then has seven digits following it. They did not have my mobile number until I gave it to Dvir when I spoke with him before as I rarely give it to anyone as people tend to call my mobile and not my home number and I really cannot hear very well on the mobile. So, getting no answer the driver decided I was not in.

SIGH

So who is at fault now? Who on earth conjured up a number that does not exist?

Anyhow, the delivery will definitely be tomorrow by 2pm the latest, which is too late for taking Pereg to the surgery as Ram is only on duty until 3pm then his other vet takes over.

Her check-up can wait - another few days for her leg to be checked can wait - the blood test can wait - BUT - she has to go 14 days seizure-free before the blood test and with Pereg who knows when she will have another seizure? She is on Day 17 at the moment and I am already on extra vigilant seizure watch.

I wish your soupmaker would come so you could make some and send it over to me to revive me.

I've been waiting for a delivery. At one point, I absolutely had to go out, so sat my husband by the computer which is right by the front door, and gave him the phone in case the driver rang for directions. I was only out for twenty minutes, but, of course, the driver rang. My husband, who has hearing problems, told me he'd rung but that he couldn't understand what he was saying. Tried to ring back but no answer - fair enough, the guy was no doubt driving. Anyway, a little while ago he arrived, (oh, and I was on the toilet when he did) and struggled in with two heavy boxes, obviously the cast iron weights. I asked him if there was another parcel because I was expecting a barbell, but he said no, that's it. So I thought perhaps the barbell came in sections and I'd have to put it together. As soon as he'd gone I went to open the boxes, and realized they said parcel 1/3 and 2/3. And the Despatch Note inside says 3 boxes. Raced after the van, waving my arms like mad, but he didn't see me. So, I then did another email explaining the situation, but at first it wouldn't let me send it because apparently it won't accept 1/3 and 2/3 - I had to type 1 of 3 and 2 of 3.

When it does finally turn up, I'm not going to have the energy to use it.

Crossing everything that Pereg remains seizure free for a very long time.

The soupmaker will come when it comes - apparently the possible suggestions were that if I wanted to go to the Vet they could leave it on the doorstep- yeah, right.

or they could leave it with a neighbour
or they could leave it at the macolet
or they could take it to the surgery

I hope you do not have to wait as long for the third parcel!

THE SOUPMAKER HAS ARRIVED - but not at "2pm the latest" - at 2.40pm - exactly 54 hours after it was put on the van for delivery. The driver telephoned, asked if I was so-and-so - I said yes and he must have recognised my accent as he then said "oh - do you have a dog?" - and oh did I get The Look when he turned up because...

...if I buy anything from eBay I use PayPal. And PayPal is paid by my Visa card. My Visa card is in my legal name as on my ID card [although I am known by a different name here] but I use a different name for eBay and yet another different name for AliExpress as well, who I pay by Visa and not through PayPal.

The reason for using different names for different online sites was originally suggested by the fraud department at Visa after my card was well and truly done - in England - by some git who used it for two humungous Tesco shopping trips at different Tesco stores, paying a large BT bill, a very large O2 bill, and two long-distance National Express journeys.

Visa were never able to trace how he/she got my card details and I could prove I had never left Israel - and they cancelled my card the second I telephoned them, which was about two seconds after I had received my statement in the mail. I do not do any form of banking online.

But Visa do not like having their cards fraudulently used - and Tesco, BT, O2 and National Express did not like being conned. Actually it was three Tesco shopping trips but the third one was after my card had been cancelled and whoever it was got caught trying to use my card. Not that Visa would give me any details but my money was back in my Bank within, I think, 10 days. And it was not a small amount either - IIRC it was in the region of £5,000 which is why Visa suggested that I use different names for the various online sites I use.

So - the reason for The Look from the driver was because the last time he delivered something it was under a different name!

Oops!

Hope you enjoy making your soups Malka xx

I'm glad it has arrived at last, and I hope you enjoy your first batch of soup.

What a dreadful tale regarding your Visa account! That has really got me rattled - I don't have a credit card, so use my Visa debit card all the time. I thought they were a lot safer than that! I presume you must have had the £5K credit in your a/c - (and I have to admit that I'm a bit lazy about transferring between accounts), otherwise why didn't it bounce for insufficient funds? I do worry about giving all the details when I order items over the phone, but all our online purchases are made using an a/c that Charles set up for the purpose. He leaves a nominal balance in it, and we top it up if we plan a larger purchase.

Hooray! My barbell arrived today too.

On three occasions over the last couple of years, I have had phone calls from the NatWest and Barclaycard about fraudulent use of my card. On two occasions they were ringing because they were suspicious of certain transactions (which did turn out to be fraudulent) and on one occasion they were ringing to say that my card details had been found in the possession of a fraudster - though on that occasion he (or perhaps she!) hadn't got round to using them. Each of these phone calls was genuine, and all that happened was that a stop was put on my card and a new one issued.

However, I saw recently on TV that people have been caught out by fraudsters pretending to be ringing from their bank. They say there has been suspicious activity on their account, and tell them to ring the number on their card. Obviously, people think that it must be genuine, as they are ringing their actual bank. But when they ring the number on the card, the fraudster doesn't hang up and keeps the line open - and apparently they have sophisticated software to make it sound as if it's a normal call. The person is then told that a new, safe account has been opened in their name, and they should go online and transfer all their money over the the new account. And that's it, all their money gone.

Most of the people on the programme were reimbursed by their Bank, but one woman lost a huge amount of money and Santander refused to refund her because she had herself made the transfer. She ended up having to sell her house.

They said the phone companies are working to stop people being able to hold a line open.

Isn't it sad that we have to be suspicious of everyone.

@6JRT's - thanks Tina - got to work out how to use it first as there are no instructions with it, but it looks simple enough.

@CaroleC - I am not worried about my card, now that I know how brilliant Visa were - they were absolutely fantastic. Cancelled my card instantly - a new one was mailed to me the next day, and after signing a form that they sent me and returning it my money was repaid.

I am not sure if I did have that amount of credit but I did have an emergency overdraft [which I had never used before and hope to never use again] - and as Visa informed my bank that the card had been used fraudulently and that the money would be repaid by them, I did not have to pay any overdraft charge.had paid my Visa account. It was all done and dusted so quickly.

My Visa card is not issued by my Bank but a different one as mine did not issue international credit cards at the time although they do now - Mastercard - but they pay the Visa bill each month.

I also have an Isracard which is issued by my Bank but it is for Israel only. It would be rather difficult for anyone else to use it, either on the telephone or in person though, as they would need to know my ID number and my telephone number - and as the latter is unlisted... identity fraud is actually very difficult pull off here unless someone is a Big Time Fraudster and tried to get A Lot Of Money - blah blah blah - and my Bank are well aware of my usage of my Isracard.

Also, since the debacle of my Visa card they will always call me to check if they think something is dodgy. They have all sorts of security checks and safeguards in place in case something flags up as unusual. The reason they paid the fraudulent Visa bills was because they thought that I had gone to England for a visit - it was arranged after that that if I ever did I would inform them first.

@Janet - As my branch is in town and there is always one particular person who "looks after" my account - and they know that I am an English speaker - there is no way anyone could call me and pretend to be them.

Someone would also have to know the name and direct telephone number of the person who deals with my account - and that is not written anywhere. Not on my card, my chequebook, or on any statement. Just the telephone number of their central wotsit.

So I reckon I am well covered now but I scrutinise all statements with a magnifying glass!

Re the soupmaker - the chances are there will be youtube videos demonstrating how to use it!

I have figured it out by the pictures on the box!

Will probably try it out tomorrow... watch this space!

Guess who made celery and potato soup today!

Pereg did with help from you

Ooh! that does sound good - especially as we have such cold squally weather today. Did you find it easy to do? I looked at a soup maker but, like yours, there were no proper instructions, and the double ended filter thingy looked a bit complicated to me.