JL's best customers (this week)

I definitely have strained my calf muscle! So sore! But sitting down with ice cream helps. I did this while Uncle A did his shopping.

Then I popped into town to pick up something that JR ordered on the iPad, on the sofa, after browsing for days. Good old John Lewis again. I had thought of leaving it to pick up with my camera tomorrow, but if my desired item was in, I want it that day! Although, I must say, a camera is 100 times more exciting than a handbag! No, make that 1000 times!

Talking of cameras - yesterday Francis stuck the lens right at my jacket. The bottom of the lens was touching the material. He took a shot in the horrible shop lights on auto. Then he zoomed in on the shot and you could see perfectly the weave of the jacket, which I can't even see just looking at it!

He then pointed at a sign about 10 metres away. The lettering was about an inch high. He zoomed in, on auto, and took a shot. The letters were sharp, no noise at the edges, as you might expect.

And this was the same lens! *Swoon!* Did I tell you I get it tomorrow?

On an impulse, I sat on the bus until I got to the duck pond. It was sunny and hot by this time. The cygnets were resting on the grass. I was able to get quite close and put my camera down on the grass to use the flip out lens (I must will have one of these on my next camera). Mr and Mrs Swan were unperturbed. Mr Swan seemed a bit more laid back today. I didn't see any sign of the lone greylag. Perhaps it has taken the hint.

Had an amazing email this morning from the agency in New Zealand who deal with teachers' pay etc. Amazing in a very bad way, unfortunately.

JR has been emailing asking them the perfectly simple request - could they please confirm her years of teaching in NZ in the 70s-90s so that she has the requisite 25 total years service to 'wind down' next year (ie work part time but no effect on your final salary). Easy peasy? You would think so.

But you'd be wrong. After months of hassle, they have now admitted they can't find any records before 1989! School records prior to this were manually recorded and appear to be in a cupboard nobody has looked in yet. They didn't say that - I've surmised.

Could she go to a Justice of the Peace and get him/her to sign a Statutory Declaration of the years of service?? er... How would a JP know if that was true?

But on a positive note, they did say that as this has been a distressing situation for JR, there will be no charge for the service.

How magnanimous.