22nd of June 2020, Monday – Daily Trials with Mother and Others!

 22nd of June 2020, Monday – Daily Trials with Mother and Others! ….. Well folks I am sat writing this blog while waiting to speak to an Insurance advisor at Aegus Insurance. Hmm I have been on the phone for 1 hour and 33 seconds now but hey ho! I suppose that doesn’t matter in these Coronavirus times when there is little else to do and certainly nobody to see other than Mum.  Yes I have already seen her today as I went round to ring the Insurance company and spoke to a very nice lady who sorted out that in future I can make any enquiries or payments on Mums behalf so that’s good.  The reason for us having to ring up was that they needed the make and model of the TV that I broke, as I mentioned to Joanne at Aegus, “It would have been really useful if they had mentioned that in their email asking Mum to call, as the broken TV is not at Mums but currently sat in our loft!!” Grrr!

Having returned home, I make the phone call at the start of this blog, after 1 hour 15 minutes I finally speak to another lady, who cannot understand that the television was purchased from Aldi and not some electrical store.  I begin to wonder where on earth she is speaking from but on further chat it is obvious that she is in the UK and knows that Aldi is a national supermarket but didn’t realise they also sold electrical goods like TV’s.  I give her all the information that I have from the back of the TV having climbed up in the loft to take a photo; it is an Altius 42 inch TV Model A-400F one of Aldi’s own makes, which cost £269.00 at the time.  However as she cannot find it on her system she asks for more information.  Gary realising I am getting rather exasperated, offers to go up to the loft while I stay on the phone as I say “Having taken over an hour to get through, there is no way I am putting the phone down.  I hope you will wait while my husband checks the information I have supplied” Yes, you guessed it Gary repeats exactly the same information but the young lady cannot understand why her system is not bringing any compatible TV up on her screen.  I explain that we ‘googled’ the make and model of the TV and found it in the system but she says that is no good but offers to speak to their insurance services to see what they can offer. 

Again nothing is ever simple where Mum is concerned but they promise to get back in touch with me, as Mum has now given her permission for them to talk to me.

                        Having missed a call from Mum I ring her back to explain what is happening over the TV.  Mum – “well they better not offer me any old rubbish” Me – “Apparently they can offer you a replacement or give you a cash settlement (minus the £100 excess) for you to get your own.” Humph goes Mum, “well I suppose that will be okay”, I try to encourage her saying that we will possibly have to take her to Curry’s to choose another appropriate TV. Mum – “Well when will that be? You know I am in lockdown!” Hmm don’t I know it!  Me – “Well by the time it’s sorted out I expect you will be able to go out.” Mum – “Yes I expect after all the time it’s taken You to sort it out, I will be allowed out!”

            I bite my tongue and change the subject; “So how did Suzanne’s Birthday Party on Sunday go?” Mum – “Well like I said on Saturday, not much of a party when you cannot all sit together, but we didn’t do so badly.” I feel rather concerned – “So you did social distance while you sat outside?” Mum – “Well yes, until one of the ladies – who had had a few too many drinks – left my side and went hugging and talking to the others, so I decided to go in then, but it was 5pm.”  Me – “Oh well so long as Suzanne enjoyed her Birthday, I know you had been looking forward to it all weekend. I am so glad the weather stayed fine for you all, how many were there?” Mum – “Oh about a dozen of us and one of the men came to get my Echo thingy out so we could play some music, so we had a bit of Rock n’ Roll” Hmm I think to myself it is probably best that I don’t know any more otherwise I will have Nightmares.  Mum has already told me that she feels like the Queen, not using any money, so I dread to think what will happen when she is at last let out of ‘Lockdown’ but I suppose we will cross that bridge when we come to it!