sometimes you just have to read the signs…

Current work: medical continuity
Listening to: Giuliani
Reading: next on TBR (note to self, probably was not a good idea to ask DH to download Peggle onto his iPod Touch)

My plan for today was to work. However, I’ve just spent the past forty minutes sorting out an embarrassing situation because the supermarket declined my credit card and the poor delivery man arrived with news that there was 'a problem' with my order. Sigh. I spoke to the supermarket and paid the bill with my debit card, but I was a bit surprised that there was a problem with my credit card; I pay my bill in full every month, so there was no reason for the credit card to be declined.

Rang card provider to find out what was going on; they put me through to the security department, where I spoke to someone who mumbled in a whisper. I asked them (politely and at normal volume) if they could please speak up or do something with the volume control at their end, because I couldn’t hear them at all; they promptly hung up.

Given that they’d kept me waiting and tortured me with the ‘Theme from the Avengers’ for 10 minutes, I wasn’t impressed. Rang back and, hooray, got someone who spoke at normal volumes and could answer my question. Apparently, they decided that my usual weekly shop was a fraudulent transaction, so they stopped my card. And, um, forgot to tell me. Sigh. Yes, I know it’s good that they’re keeping an eye out for fraudulent transactions (ironically, the fraudulent one last month wasn’t picked up!). But surely it would be procedure to check an account and note whether transactions are made with the same supplier at regular intervals? And is it not obvious that if said supplier is a supermarket and the transaction occurs every week, for a similar amount, the cardholder does her weekly grocery shop online and has it delivered? ‘Didn’t you get a call from us?’ Er, no. That’s why I’m ringing you, to find out what’s wrong and to sort it out… (Sigh.)

Still, at least they reset the card rather than cancelled it, and confirmed that the transactions I made yesterday for some books, a birthday present and a cooker have all gone through. (Am SO looking forward to new cooker. Old one has done v well – 10 years – and this is the replacement I’ve been planning since January. Reason for delay: husband was in charge of talking to electrician. Reason for it happening this week: hissy fit from wifey and ultimatum – sort it this week or I’ll ring a different electrician myself.)

However, I need to be sure that the card does still work properly (otherwise I’ll be worrying about it and not working), so I’m going shopping to check it out :o) And then I'm working...