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Good morning, Rusty!
Fell dreich here!
A most miserable morning!
For once, I did not go out walking with the dog as neither she nor I fancied the torrential rain!
No winds today though.
I am awaiting a friend's arrival later on.
We are first going shopping, and then out for lunch.
It should be a good day!
How about you?
You said you would be busy today.......
Anything nice planned?



Hello, Ros!
Depending on which newspaper one reads - or to which radio channel one listens - the reports on the Aussie flu situation seem to vary somewhat!
The general consensus seems to be that some protection was given against Australian flu in this year's jab, but that it will not be very effective due to mutations since developed.
Age matters too... the older one is...the less protection one will have !
I expect the GP surgeries will have a prepared "stance" to give their patients, should one ring up.

It was a friend who said about the jab protecting against Aussie flu. I hardly ring anyone, don't like the phone!

The sun just came out for about 30 secs, disappeared again, blue sky all disappeared.

I am going to U3A this afternoon. We are hearing about the history of the Pinewood Studios.

How very pleasing to hear of someone else who dislikes the phone
Ros! I hate it! I lived with it so much during my working life, (daty
and night when I run a Hotel! But then later, its only purpose seemed to be to inform of someone's death!

So now, I hate the sound of it and even unplug it at times when
I want peace and quiet; there are so many unwanted phone calls
nowadays! All my friends know this and contact me by mail.
I only have a phone in the house for me to call someone in case
of emergency (like when I called an ambulance when I hurt my
back)

Miserable, very windy again with heavy rain forecast, and I have to
walk down to the village for an appointment with my GP!
I am dreading it!

Good morning, Elle!
It is a tad milder today. No frost!
Nice morning, though.
I was out earlier and am up to date with tasks.
I was in the pharmacy but forgot to ask about the 'flu jab!
Have you found out anything?
I discovered that there are two different 'flu jabs (in Scotland, anyway).
One costs more than the other.
The dearer one protects against more 'flu strains.
No idea what one I got!
Hope you enjoy your shopping trip and lunch!

My dislike of the phone stems from the time when, as an 18 or 19 year old I was stupid enough to put an advert in the local paper for a holiday job, saying "female" and giving my phone number. My parents (quite rightly) insisted I answer the phone for the next week. The least unpleasant of the suggestions (though illegal at the time) was bookie's runner. I also don't like all the adverts, "you have won" and downright scam calls, either. They are getting less frequent as I report them all, am on telephone preference service and also tell them to go away (I know rusty doesn't approve!) before putting the phone down.

I've never "met" anyone else who dislikes the phone as much as I do! For me, actually phoning someone is a lot worse than being phoned.

Was it the walk or the visit you are/were dreading, pigale?

Hello, Rosalind!
It's just my way of dealing with these type of calls.
We are all different though.
I'm always on the side of the workers!
It's someone's job (I would not fancy doing it) and I have all the time in the world to converse with them.
I use the same friendly manner to try to get discounts from BT, Sky, the AA, EE, etc and it almost always works.
I did join the telephone preference scheme a while back and very rarely get a "nuisance" call, anymore.
So, I kind of look forward to my 'phone ringing now!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
I was already out by the time your message arrived this morning!
My friend came fairly early, and we went shopping before going to the Toby Carvery for lunch.
A delicious meal!
I didn't know that there are two types of flu jab?
Perhaps this is only for those needing to pay for the jab?
(or maybe only in Scotland?)
Certainly there is only one "variety" offered here on NHS England.
Yes, I phoned the GP surgery to find out what the doctors have been advised to tell their patients..........
Seemingly, so far , there has been no official notification whatsoever from the higher-powers!
So it is just "business-as-usual" for the time being.......until, presumably, told to the contrary?

Hi Ros,

No, not dreading the visit - just needed renewal of prescription for
morphin - They only allow you one month's supply at a time, to
the day! Very strict, and so it should be I suppose.

But I have just under a kilometre to walk to the centre of the
village; like you I live up a hill, almost the highest part of the
village, so that if I ever have flooding problem, then the village
would be totally under water! I was simply dreading this long
walk (to me) both ways because of strong wind and driving rain.
Nice to be back home!

What I hate about these telephone ads is that they can phone
as late as 8.30 pm, which to me is totally unsociable! A lot of
them are made by people who do this as a second job, from
their home in the evening.
I have tried to be polite, but they are not, and can in fact
be quite rude in return to my kindness! So I often unplug
the phone since I don't really need it except for emergencies.

No more family to worry about, and friends in regular contact
by mail or Skype - Why bother with the phone (which would
work more expensive anywey!)

Your advert for a holiday job reminds me of my own advert
when I wanted pupils to brush up their French (when living on
Guernsey). I was very careful not to put 'French Lessons
given'...., but rather French Tuition!

PS - Sorry for very long post - Once I start writing, I can't stop!

Good afternoon, Elle!
Well done on your nice meal!
I had a banana!
Now, what I have discovered is that there are two 'flu vaccines,
a "trivalent" and a "quadrivalent".
"Trivalent" is cheaper and covers one 'flu strain less than "quadrivalent".
The powers that be have known about the Australian 'flu since at least September, so hopefully both vaccines contain the Aussie vaccine.
You are correct, NHS Scotland may well be different from NHS England.
So, how does each surgery/health centre know which vaccine to order?
Bit of a mystery!