Xmas Jigsaws

Two Xmas jigsaws done, three still to do! This wasn’t going to be my blip today, but the two other ideas I had didn’t work out. This morning I wrote a load of Xmas cards to post and wrapped up a present to send, then I braved the post office. The queue took 30 mins to get to the front, it was obviously ‘send a parcel’ day and the lady in front of me must have had at least 15 parcels to post. The postbox outside was full to the opening with letters! I think people are sending early due to the post strike, I had 3 letters from my new bank dated 28th and 29th that didn’t arrive until today. This afternoon I had to ring my new bank as the letter with my pin clearly stated that to change it you use a certain bank’s cash point and last week that bank announced that the two closest branches, each 15 miles away, were closing. This would mean that in future I’d have a 3 hour round trip into Norwich to change the pin when I had a new card. It turns out this wasn’t true and it can be changed at any link cashpoint - I’ll find out tomorrow. I also took the opportunity of telling them all the other errors, omissions and inconsistencies in their info on the website, that I was told over the phone and in letters, and this bank is rated top for customer service!!! It does concern me that services locally are disappearing rapidly, and the closure of branches also leads to the removal of cashpoints (4 in Holt since I moved). This affects us more as due to an often poor phone signal, some shops still only use cash and you can’t rely on stallholders at most craft fairs being able to take a cc payment. I’m deliberately complaining to banks about this as I feel it is excluding people who don’t want to, or can’t, use apps or online banking and is marginalising rural areas.