P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[Ardennais]

8 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

That’s not good. Have you got everything you need? Presumably you’re well used to this, living where you do?

We’re fine thanks, used to this! As long as we have electricity, no probs. 
Happy that my sweepstake made it but decided as a family to donate the £40 to the Salvation Army. We have a warm house and plenty of food. 

[kalos]

Morning my phone just informed me that it's now 12.c out there !

Hope you all get better temperature's than of the last few days in the UK.

 

Take care 😊

[terrierjohn]

My phone says the same  but it looks grey, damp and miserable outside. Trip to the doctors this morning for annual blood tests.

[Angel57]

13 minutes ago, kalos said:

Morning my phone just informed me that it's now 12.c out there !

Hope you all get better temperature's than of the last few days in the UK.

 

Take care 😊

Same here in Dorset but it’s also very wet and very windy. 

[Fionboard]

Blowy  in Southampton but at least rain has stopped (nightmare drive up yesterday) and I can see Arcadia has arrived. 

[Adawn47]

37 minutes ago, kalos said:

Morning my phone just informed me that it's now 12.c out there !

Hope you all get better temperature's than of the last few days in the UK.

 

Take care 😊

Mine too kalos. It's lovely to breathe cool fresh air again instead of dry centrally heated  stuff. I've been standing at the back porch door breathing in lungfuls of it. Wonderful😊

Avril

[brian1]

Woke up this morning,no sign of 4inches of snow in garden and sheets of ice over the road and pavement.Was this just a bad dream,lol.

[lincslady]

Let's face it, Brian the whole of British life sometimes like a bad dream at present, doesn't it?  Maybe it is and we will all wake up to an  NHS which works, no shortage of fuel for our heating, trains which run, and silence from Harry and Meghan.  And most importantly, peace in the Ukraine and goodbye to Putin somehow.

 

Here's hoping.

[zap99]

6 minutes ago, lincslady said:

Let's face it, Brian the whole of British life sometimes like a bad dream at present, doesn't it?  Maybe it is and we will all wake up to an  NHS which works, no shortage of fuel for our heating, trains which run, and silence from Harry and Meghan.  And most importantly, peace in the Ukraine and goodbye to Putin somehow.

 

Here's hoping.

Perhaps Harry and Meghan have an interesting tale to tell.

[bobstheboy]

11 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Perhaps Harry and Meghan have an interesting tale to tell.

If you could sort out the truth from lies maybe.

[Fionboard]

Recollections may vary - particularly when lots of money is involved! 

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Adawn47 said:

Mine too kalos. It's lovely to breathe cool fresh air again instead of dry centrally heated  stuff. I've been standing at the back porch door breathing in lungfuls of it. Wonderful😊

Avril

Our fresh air contains lots of water. You don't want a lungful of that, but nice to be able to turn the heating down a bit.

[indiana123]

Are we Billy NoMates now or is it general that people aren't sending many Christmas Cards by post this year.   

 

 
At not far off a quid a time for 2nd class, have Royal Mail shot themselves in the foot, when taking cost and strikes into consideration.  We arrived home 8 days ago, and have had nothing since, including my bank statement which always arrives on 15th and a brochure from a medical facility that we ordered over three weeks ago.

Edited December 19, 2022 by indiana123

[twotravellersLondon]

12 minutes ago, indiana123 said:

Are we Billy NoMates now or is it general that people aren't sending many Christmas Cards by post this year.   

 

 
At not far off a quid a time for 2nd class, have Royal Mail shot themselves in the foot, when taking cost and strikes into consideration.  We arrived home 8 days ago, and have had nothing since, including my bank statement which always arrives on 15th and a brochure from a medical facility that we ordered over three weeks ago.

 

We have an incredibly nice postie who always asks for us, looks out for us (although we don't need her to) and alway, but always, has a good word about everything. She's "on strike" at the moment... we think that for all sorts of reasons she really doesn't want to be. Her Christmas will be drastically affected by what's happening now and her annual holiday plans for Lanzarote next spring will be is disarray. We've sent some cards but are now sending the remainder as digital cards with a nice personalised message wishing folk a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[indiana123]

I just spoke to a friend on the phone and she can't believe she has only 5 cards so far.  Can't blame people for cutting down.

 

I did notice massive reductions on all things Christmassy in Tescos the other day.  It could be a bleak year for the shops, or even Amazon, this time.

 

I even managed to find a supermarket delivery for this Wednesday which I find surprising.  It wasnt an uigent one.. just couldn't be bothered to go out for a few things I forgot on the main order.

Edited December 19, 2022 by indiana123

[janny444]

28 minutes ago, indiana123 said:

Are we Billy NoMates now or is it general that people aren't sending many Christmas Cards by post this year.   

 

 
At not far off a quid a time for 2nd class, have Royal Mail shot themselves in the foot, when taking cost and strikes into consideration.  We arrived home 8 days ago, and have had nothing since, including my bank statement which always arrives on 15th and a brochure from a medical facility that we ordered over three weeks ago.

My thoughts exactly.....our post practically non existent....bank statements....3 of....usually arrive on the 2nd day of the month.....not one of them has arrived ....a phone hospital appointment booked 3 weeks ago ...always backed up with a letter....nothing....Xmas cards....only hand delivered ones

 

Goodness knows where all the unreceived post is being kept

[Adawn47]

2 hours ago, zap99 said:

Perhaps Harry and Meghan have an interesting tale to tell.

Nope.

Avril

[zap99]

22 minutes ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

We have an incredibly nice postie who always asks for us, looks out for us (although we don't need her to) and alway, but always, has a good word about everything. She's "on strike" at the moment... we think that for all sorts of reasons she really doesn't want to be. Her Christmas will be drastically affected by what's happening now and her annual holiday plans for Lanzarote next spring will be is disarray. We've sent some cards but are now sending the remainder as digital cards with a nice personalised message wishing folk a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Must be a shock for them to go on strike and folk not noticing much.

[lincslady]

Round here it has been around a week with no post, then quite a few things all on the same day, some of them late - like the bank statement.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but I have the impression that postmen are not very well paid,  as compared with other groups on strike, and for the not that easy job they have.  Most people say their postmen are pleasant and helpful, and I have certainly found that.  Have been told that on the days they are working they are not allowed to do overtime.

[twotravellersLondon]

4 minutes ago, lincslady said:

Round here it has been around a week with no post, then quite a few things all on the same day, some of them late - like the bank statement.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but I have the impression that postmen are not very well paid,  as compared with other groups on strike, and for the not that easy job they have.  Most people say their postmen are pleasant and helpful, and I have certainly found that.  Have been told that on the days they are working they are not allowed to do overtime.

 

I've heard that's it's about £25k a year but stand to be corrected.

[Splice the mainbrace]

49 minutes ago, indiana123 said:

Are we Billy NoMates now or is it general that people aren't sending many Christmas Cards by post this year.   

 

 
At not far off a quid a time for 2nd class, have Royal Mail shot themselves in the foot, when taking cost and strikes into consideration.  We arrived home 8 days ago, and have had nothing since, including my bank statement which always arrives on 15th and a brochure from a medical facility that we ordered over three weeks ago.

So far we have received far fewer than normal but I think many are still ‘in the post’. I had an nhs letter on Saturday that had taken 12 days to arrive and my son sent a parcel to a friend (secret Santa) on 29th November and still hasn’t arrived. I think that they worked last Friday and Saturday after last weeks strike days and this week until Friday so maybe the backlog can be cleared somewhat.

[lincslady]

1 minute ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

I've heard that's it's about £25k a year but stand to be corrected.

I  heard that too, and to me it does not sound like a lot.  I don't know what others might think.

[wowzz]

7 minutes ago, lincslady said:

I  heard that too, and to me it does not sound like a lot.  I don't know what others might think.

That certainly is not a lot.

One of the issues in all these disputes is that pay increases are always discussed in term of percentages. Give a post person a 5% rise, and they will be £1250 a year better off, gross, but only £1000 a year better off after tax.

But someone earning £50k a year will be significantly better off with a 5% increase.

Posties and other low paid occupations woukd be better asking for a lump sum increase,  not a percentage. 

[zap99]

37 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Nope.

Avril

The stuff the haven't told may be even more interesting.

[Snow Hill]

44 minutes ago, lincslady said:

I  heard that too, and to me it does not sound like a lot.  I don't know what others might think.

Average salary for Postie is around £22,000, many on less, some on more, my BiL said he was on £18,500 a year when he worked as a Postie about 4 years ago, a job he took on following redundancy from his previous job in his late 50’s. 
 

As he said to me a few years ago is not a great reward for a job you start at 5:30am, walking the streets in all weathers, many of his colleagues suffered with knee and back problems from the heavy sacks carried. Then there is the abuse you get from some customers, for not bringing the letter they expected or the junk leaflets that get pushed through with the post, that they don’t really wish to deliver.

 

Strikes not just over pay, RM want to change the Posties T&Cs, and not to make them better either, some of the changes would mean later deliveries anytime up to 6pm and possibly removal of Saturday delivery.

 

Our Posties delivered all though the pandemic, checked on people they knew were vulnerable, always happy to have a short chat, we know them by their first names as a result, Paul, Dave and Sarah who deliver to our address, Paul replaced Pat, yes that was his name, he was from Cork in Ireland, had to retire early from the delivery side of the RM with an injury to his lower spine, still works in the Delivery Office, but has a desk job. 
 

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Snow Hill