I have not had a good two days!

Several minor hassles on Monday – nothing major but all irritating.

Today we had a Tuesday trip to Guildford. Cheese Major and Cheese Minor were born there and we go back quite often – not to visit the ‘re-purposed’ workhouse in which they were born, but because it is the best shopping centre around.

On the programme today was:
1. lunch at Loch Fyne:
2. a visit to the Wey Valley Embroiderers’ exhibition in the Guildford House Gallery and
3. shopping in Lush and Waterstones.

Between 1 & 2 I went to the bank to get some cash – but the ATM told me it was an ‘Unauthorised Transaction'. As we were in the bank I queried it – and was directed to their phone to call the call centre to find out what was happening.

Well – any call to a call centre is going to be a long process. [At least the bank were paying for it.] Wensleydale sensibly found himself a chair. This call centre is in the UK – in Bootle, for a guess from the accents – but I still got the soothing music and was redirected round umpteen different recorded messages and three real people.

It turns out that someone in the US had tried to get 51p [i.e. $1] out of my account. The bank had detected that it was fraudulent and frozen the account. I am grateful that they did but now I have to wait until they send me a new card. And I can’t get a mini statement from the ATM to check on any other withdrawals.

After that I couldn’t really concentrate on the embroideries – and we only had time for a quick visit to Lush.

However, thinking about life, the universe and hassles on the drive home – I decided to rethink the lampshade. I am really really really not happy with it, and rather than continue and wreck a £50 lamp – I have decided that I will ask – no, tell - the teacher on Thursday that I am moving to plan C.

[This is a family joke: Plan A is what you start with and Plan B is thinking up Plan C.]

So – what will I make instead? Well – if it is acceptable as a 3D functional item – a book. Bet you are surprised!

When I got home I tipped the bits of ‘leaf litter’ I have made out on some painted silk – and liked what I saw much more than the lampshade. With some hand embroidery and beads I think this will make a good cover. I thought I would make a stick binding with a donation from the birch tree in the back garden. So a minor hassle prompted a resolution of a major one.

Keep your fingers crossed that the teacher agrees. If she isn’t happy with a book I will make a box but that will be more work and something I am less comfortable with.