Monday 1 March 2010

Zinsured

I finally bothered to look for a car insurance quote this morning.  Not entirely to my surprise, I found one that had the same level of excess (couldn't think what it was called for a minute, nearly called it a surplus) that I'd had before, of £250 and the same other terms, for £210, rather than the £244 I'd been quoted from the company I'd paid £203 to last year, and this time they wanted £300 excess.

I'd rather stay with the same company, but it is made hard for me.  I recognise that I've been charged a low price to get my custom and that I'll need to shop around again next year.  I did ring the company, in fact, and was offered a price around £230 with a £250 excess - if they'd sent that to me, I'd have just paid it.  So why on earth not?  I'm not that bad a risk - I mean, anyone can have an accident, but I've never had a car insurance claim and I've been driving for 39 years.

Anyway.

Gosh.  39 years.

Sunk in contemplation.

It's an indication of my level of ... shall we call it relaxation, rather than laziness?  Oh, go on, let us ... that this was almost all I did today.  I wrote 15 letters, which was three letters and 13 copies of one of them and walked round the village to post them.  I strode out, noting that this was the first time that I sometimes forgot to notice every step that I took.  This is, I can't remember if I've mentioned, one of my simple and humble ambitions.  Just to walk without noticing the action of walking.  I'm nearly there.

I also made a couple of necessary phone calls, one of which was to cancel an engagement that I quite wanted to do, but which I can't get to next week as I may not drive yet.  I could get a lift one way, but not both.  Still, even for little prinZess, that isn't so dreadful, I suppose.

Last night, my back ached so much that I lay on my side for a while to sleep - on the operated side, so that there wasn't a danger of the joint slipping out.  It hurt, but I was so tired by then that I slept anyway for a while.  The Sage and I still aren't sleeping all that well.

Marmalade tomorrow.  I have the oranges, the lemons, the sugar and the jars.  I think that's all I need, isn't it?  Preserving pan, of course.

20 comments:

Dave said...

Don't ask me. Marmalade is one of the things I've never made. Probably a knife, wooden spoon and some sort of cooker too, but I expect they go without saying.

Z said...

Well, water too, but I thought saying that was a bit unnecessary.

Dave said...

Well, oranges were a bit obvious too, weren't they?

Z said...

Ooh, Dave, that's a bit sharp. Thing is, the oranges, lemons and sugar, and the jars, all have to be procured. You may say that the preserving pan is a basic requirement too, but it's not an everyday object or item, in the way that knives, spoons and water are.

I find the thought that we're both here sitting in front of our respective computers rather appealing. Hard to know why, of course. Just an everyday synchronicity.

Anonymous said...

The thermometer and the funnel.
You say that you drove for 39 years without a car insurance claim, does this mean without accident?

Z said...

I have those too, Mago, though I don't really bother with a thermometer - I use the cold saucer and the wrinkled skin test.

You are perceptive - I've had a couple of mild scrapes, but never an accident involving another vehicle or person. Nothing worth losing a no-claims bonus for.

Anonymous said...

You forgot something...'Caitlin, to help eat the marmalade because she loves marmalade even more than Paddington Bear does'.

There. I said it for you.

Happy to be of service.

savannah said...

i feel such the dunce, sugar! i just go to local grocery store for marmalade when the MITM decides he'd absolutely love having some!
xoxoxo

Christopher said...

You wait - it'll happen: that wonderful scent of fresh marmalade about the house will waft you away into a long, deep sleep replete with sweet dreams nothing to do with car insurance.

Z said...

I'll have to make several extra virtual pots to waft across the internet.

I hope so, Christopher - I ended up in such a stage of grumpiness by 2 o'clock this morning that I went to sleep in the spare room rather than wake the Sage with my growls.

Rog said...

A few nice pots of Marmalade will get you back to 100% fit in no time.
Get the Sage to wash up after the making - you don't want a shred of evidence.

I, Like The View said...

the walk without thinking about stepping sounds grand! the painful back, not so good. . . hope it improves

as for the marmalade - do you put your pips in a muslin bag dangling over the edge of the preserving pan? mind you, with proper preserving sugar that's not so necessary, is it

it's ages since I've made jam or marmalade or chutney - wish I was close enough to swap a jar for a batch of brownies. . .

(-:

DILLIGAF said...

Alternatively you could get a bicycle?...;-)

Z said...

He's doing the job with zest, Rog.

My back only aches at night because I can't change position, ILTV. And I do put the pips in a bag - actually, I don't bother with preserving sugar for marmalade, only for jams that aren't easy to set, like strawberry.

Indeed. 4D. Will you come and teach me to ride it?

Sarah said...

Stockings? or is that jelly?? I was going to say Paddington too...too late hmmm.
I handed my notice in to the WI some years ago, I was begining to look like Nora Batty.

Dave said...

I have eaten at Ziggi's. I can confirm the likelyhood that this story is true.

Could you knock up some jam for the footings for the stable, Ziggo?

luckyzmom said...

I love orange marmalade. Only eat it when I'm out though. The last jar I had in the frig lasted over three years, since I am the only one who would eat it. I hope this will be the best batch of marmalade ever. Maybe you could make a lot and sell some to pay for your car insurance*-)

Z said...

Stockings for both, Sarah, only difference that one needs the suspender belt too for jelly, while just draping round the handle works for marmalade.

It was WI tonight, I haven't managed to get to a meeting yet this year, and it was handbell ringing and I couldn't quite face it. I think I am an ex-member, but not intentionally. You look like Nora Batty? I don't think so.

Ziggi, we should get together, My strawberry jam tends to flow right out of the jars. Shall I slap Dave for you?

If and when I make it to Nevada, LZM, I'll bring you lots of little jars of home-made marmalade for your own private consumption. It keeps for years.

Money to burn around here, after all I saved in insurance fees. Spending spree to follow any day now.

DILLIGAF said...

anytime babe...;-)

Blue Witch said...

Excellent news on the walking progress!