Kitchen Garden Forum

Today, I accomplished two great things.

First of all, the Banking Ombudsman emailed to say they had upheld our complaint against a high street banking chain and would be asking for substantial compensation to be paid to us for the hassle we had suffered. I was so happy, because the effort in getting to that point had been immense.

Then, I went to the allotment and continued digging my metre-wide raspberry patch, which is full of twitch. In the two hours I spent there, I barely cleared a square metre. It was utterly exhausting, pulling out masses of tangled roots in the biting cold, albeit in bright sunshine. My hands were frozen by the end.

But when I stood back and admired my work, I think I gained a greater degree of satisfaction than I had earlier in the day when learning the news about my victory. There is something about winning back soil for cultivation that goes beyond anything rational.

So, despite rabidly slow progress, I think I preferred my achievements at the allotments to that of actually beating an intransigent banking group

Barry
I suspect both were extremely satisfying.

Wont be doing any digging here today, overnight frost means ice has formed on the pond so don't want to try digging ground and chilling the soil deeper down.

Will have to resort to going to the bank and asking why they are taking £9.95 out of my account every month without my agreement.

Barry - sounds very satisfying and all that befor 12.30am!

Pa snip, I worked in a bank for a few years in a department reviewing the mis selling of AVCs. Two very important things to remember when making a complaint to the bank:

1) it for them to prove that they told you/ gave the right advice and that you understood. You don't have to prove they are wrong (you are right unless they can prove otherwise)
2) it costs them every time you put in a complaint to the ombudsman (a couple of £100 - it doesn't cost you). So depending on the amount in dispute it is often cheaper for them to refund and compensate you. The magic number used to be around the £300 - £500 mark but has probably changed In the many years since I worked in the industry.

Hope that helps.

Useful bit of guidance info Pawtry, thanks

If all else fails, Pa Snip, you could always resort to the old tried and tested approach......stocking over the head....

Made me smile OH, any suggestions as to what denier

I've heard told, once worn, 15 denier, give the desired effect.....

Well done Barry, on both accounts.

oldherbaceous wrote:I've heard told, once worn, 15 denier, give the desired effect.....

.

Or so it seamed

The thought of a PaSnip robbing a bank with a stocking pulled over its/his head is quite surreal!

Anywaty, went back to the plot this lunch time and again spent an hour and a half digging away, freeing another square metre for the masses, although it didn't feel quite so good as yesterday, but then I haven't beaten a bank today.

The area I am digging out is about 15m long and I am over half way towards achieving my goal, which will mean being able to plant my autumn raspberry canes. What joy that will bring!!!

While we are on the subject of financial recompense, a few years ago I had a problem with a certain Irish airline that decided to cancel a flight from northern Portugal to Madrid at the very last moment and told us to come back the next day, which is when the flight would be leaving! And, no, they weren't going to pay compensation. It took three attempts, but in the end they did. So Pa Snip, don't give up; even intransigents aren't above the law

Do you know, Barry, I really know that feeling of looking at a newly dug plot of land and I think there is nothing to beat it. Digging, my favourite gardening occupation..... Luckily, we got most of the allotment done in November before the December deluge, but I am hoping to tackle the brassica bed shortly.

Hi Monika,

Yes, it is lovely isn't it? You start out with chaos and end up with something really neat and tidy and inviting.

Trying to explain that feeling to a non-gardener is impossible, though.