Good to be home

While I had a good time on vacation and my trip to South Africa was productive it was very nice to spend a weekend at home. I spent the weekend running errands.

1) I had to go to the camera store to return a lens I had bought for my trip. I wanted a polarizing lens for the camera and went to Jessop's prior to leaving to purchase one. After I got home and the store was closed I realized 2 things - I was overcharged for the lens and it was not a polarizing lens. Frustrated there was nothing I could do until I returned I left the lens at home. I brought it back to the store and am now in possession of the correct lens.

2) A trip to the bank to look into getting a credit card. The debit card I have is charging me anywhere from 2-5% every time I use it overseas which is the majority of the time. In typical Barclay's fashion they tried to talk me into changing my bank account, selling me insurance and a number of other things. In the end they couldn't even give me the information I wanted on whether the credit card would charge commissions on foreign transactions as I did not have a utility bill to prove I was who I say I am.

3) A trip to the home improvement store to look at grills. It was interesting hearing the sales man talk to another couple about the grills - he wasn't too keen on Weber as those are made in America, the other brand is made in Canada. Luckily I didn't buy one as when I got home last night I had a coupon advertising a big sale on grills this weekend at the store. With the 3 day weekend coming up looks like I'll be barbecuing.

4) The phone company came to check out my phone as it stopped working before I left. I checked it when I got home on Friday morning to make sure it was still broken - it was no dial tone. The repairman came and plugged in a phone and went and traced the wires outside the house, unplugged them, tested them and plugged them back in. Said there were no problems on the line but wouldn't you know I then had a dial tone and could send and receive calls.