The Rose & Crown

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

Which reminds me, who is delegated with bringing the Powerpoint presentation?

Someone forgot that Chaucer in Powerpoint was supposed to be satire…

[Anonymous @]

@scaryb – thanks for using my ‘party mode’ avatar for the pub meet 🙂

I wasn’t going to change it on here until 22nd Nov but with the release of NoTD, it looks like the party’s started early.

<helps self to party nibbles>

[Anonymous @]

@Shazzbot

Now, click your heels, and think of Kansas …

It may have worked for Dorothy ( I’m a ‘friend’ of hers 😉 ) but I’m so far ‘over the rainbow’ I don’t think I’ll ever get back. 😆

[Anonymous @]

From @tardisblue:

But in case you partake of *each* of @phaseshift‘s 11 Doctor-themed cocktails, …

I was going to send this, but thought it might be too much for people who grew up eating lungs and oatmeal boiled in a stomach.  (I can make fun of haggis … my maternal grandfather was a MacGregor.)

As you might know, the local Southern California hangover cure is menudo — a Mexican beef tripe soup.  I’ve attached some links and a recipe — in the <<hic>>  unlikely event you’ll need a little something to get yourselves fully recovered after the Pub Night, for The Day of The Doctor.

First, an ode to menudo’s miraculous properties.

Second, an easy recipe from two trendy Los Angeles chefs (FYI: the oregano called for in this recipe is Mexican oregano).

Third, a labor-intensive traditional recipe.

All links and recipes are shared as needed ‘in the name of peace and sanity’ — not to mention clear-headedness so all can enjoy the 3D Day of the Doctor screening.

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

The best way to avoid a hangover is not to drink.

… according to the NHS website. I mean, seriously, someone actually sat down and wrote that? Some actual person actually thought it was a good idea to tell people that if you don’t drink, you don’t normally get a hangover?

Anyway, @shazzbot, the tripe is no problem, but hominy is a right bugger to get over here.

[TardisBlue @tardisblue]

@Shazzbot — I sent that info on menudo to you so that your long-latent inner Angelino could minister to the afflicted while Strax was otherwise occupied in the “Scotch Land.” I wasn’t sure if should be posted before it’s needed.

Guess I should have included a spoilers warning.

Now — with the promise of a sure-fire hangover cure — so many people will want to join you that you’ll have to add another room (a la The Eleventh Hour) or another floor (a la The Lodger) to the pub!

Just make sure my avatar remains bigger on the inside, despite 2D.

@bluesqueakpip, if you’re feeling inspired, there’s still time to make your own hominy. http://www.mtnlaurel.com/recipes/160-hominy-mountain-recipe.html

If it were me, though, I’d cheat and just soak a bunch of corn nuts in water until soft. And distract everyone by simultaneously playing a tribute to the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo’s greatest hits. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l2euhFogB4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7B2ZGnVAIA, and the hits just keep a-comin’…

TardisBlue

[TardisBlue @tardisblue]

@wolfweed

I’ve been away — death in the family — and have been madly trying to catch up on all the activity.

I *think* I saw an Eleven and Clara Advent Calendar somewhere in your posts. I can’t seem to find it now. I’m thinking it’d make a lovely present for my niece … Mind giving me the link/info?

Thanks

TardisBlue

PS — loved your music links, too. Seen several of them on tour here. I’m humming Andy M. Stewart as I type this. BTW, was the profile superimposed over the landscape a while back you? Very scenic …

[Anonymous @]

@tardisblue – so, so sorry.  But …

If it were me, though, I’d cheat and just soak a bunch of corn nuts in water until soft.

Hmmm, sweetie, hominy v soaked corn nuts … I think you’re missing a vital difference between LA and the UK.  😆

Frankly, I can’t even find corn meal (AKA polenta in dry form) in supermarkets in North Yorkshire.  It jus’ ain’t a Mexican cuisine place, the UK.  😀

And don’t get me started on ‘cilantro’ vs ‘coriander’ – we have a long hard road ahead of us, introducing true Mexican food to the UK.  A worthwhile effort, to be sure – but here they have the cheap ‘n easy Indian or doner kebab; they don’t know here of the delights of the chimichanga, the fish taco, the burrito, the tostada, or anything else we Angelenas grew up on.

[TardisBlue @tardisblue]

I can’t speak for North Yorkshire, @shazzbot, but I did google to see if corn nuts were available in the UK before posting the suggested substitution. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090127070739AAaEP4p.

And you should be able to find cilantro in better-stocked Asian markets. :::crossing fingers::: at least, I have some Madhur Jaffrey South Asian/Indian recipes which call for cilantro. Or green coriander. Or Chinese parsley.

Or, I guess, you can just follow the old adage: When in Yorkshire, eat pudding. (Not a bad thing. After all, the Doctor invented Yorkshire Pudding.)

Your tales of North Yorkshire remind me of the time in college, way back in the last century, when I tried to make a Mexican meal for a college buddy and his friend in Minnesota. At least the store had pre-made hard taco shells. And rice. During her college years, my sister made Mexican food for some students in France — out of what, I don’t know. The following summer, they were visiting the states and I took them out for authentic Mexican food. They liked my sister’s French version better. :/ She *is* a good cook, but there’s no accounting for taste.

TardisBlue

[Anonymous @]

Something I find works wonders for a hangover is a couple of Rollmops – which are rolled, pickled herrings stuffed with sliced onion (some people use pickled gherkins or green olives with pimentos instead). Most of the big-name supermarkets sell them in jars but as I’m a 2min walk from Brum City Centre I get mine from freshly made from the fish market.

They won’t help with the headache (for that you’ll need a couple of Ibrobufen and a lie down in a darkened room) but they settle the stomach so quickly that you’ll soon be able to manage the biggest, greasiest fry-up imaginable.

Hmm, all this talk of food is making me hungry…

[wolfweed @wolfweed]

@tardisblue – Sorry to hear of your loss.

 

The Advent calendar I posted is a gift with the latest issue (333) of ‘Dr Who Adventures’.

http://www.dwamag.com/current-issue/

 

There is also another advent calendar out by bon-bon buddies

http://merchandise.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/doctor-who-advent-calender-2013/

I have 2 of these – one as a countdown to the anniversary (sad, I know) – and it’s nearly eaten!

 

I’m not sure about availability of these things outside the UK…

 

What was your question about a profile superimposition?

[Miapatrick @miapatrick]

@thommck- getting two bonkers theories about my avatar really confirms my love of this site.

And yes, Yorkies are scarier. Many times when we have rescued one, we have progressed from ‘why would anyone abandon this dear, sweat little dog’ to ‘ouch! plasters! ah, that might be why’.  The dog in the picture has never had teeth in the time we’ve had her, and would fit in the palm of your hand. But you’d still flinch when she got cross at you and went for it, and the sight of her squaring up to a bull mastiff was one to treasure.

In her defence, her breed is called a powder-puff. That would make anyone bad tempered…

[Anonymous @]

@scaryb @bluesqueakpip @juniperfish @craig @jimthefish @pedant @whisht @danmartinuk @arkleseizure @pufferfish
(and our virtual guests @blenkinsopthebrave @fatmaninabox @magnetite @osakahatter @steve-thorp @tardisblue @thommck @timeloop @whohar @janetteb @wolfweed @miapatrick @phaseshift @mini-htpbdets )

… and @everyone else who can come – but PLEASE let me know ASAP if you’re not on the above list.

IT’S ALMOST TIME FOR ‘THE ASYLUM OF THE WHOVIANS’ * TO GATHER! (* copyright WhoHar)

Friday 22 November 2013
The Dean Swift Pub
10 Gainsford St, Butler’s Wharf, London, SE1 2NE
t: +44 (0)20 7357 0748

Streetmap coordinates

Our table for 14 people and 2 Airedales, plus all the requested avatars, is booked under ‘Shazzbot’ and will be available from 6:30pm.
Our ‘Asylum’ is in the upstairs dining room, so whenever you can arrive (hopefully before 9:00pm), please make your way up there.

At 9:00 pm GMT we will have a toast in memory of HTPBDET.  We urge everyone who is able to, to join us at that time wherever you are, and raise a glass with us, for him.

When budgeting for the evening, please remember Ming the Merciless is NOT allowed to pay for any of his own drinks. And website coding is thirsty work … 😆

[Arkleseizure @arkleseizure]

@Shazzbot: excellent! I am greeting really quite excited! I’ve just got my train tickets booked, so if all goes well I should be with you all 8.30ish. 🙂

[DanMartinUK @danmartinuk]

Marvellous. Ooh and also, we’ve got an insane week of Who coverage starting tomorrow with lots of exciting stuff in it, so do pop over and have a look – we even have our very own vertical!

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/doctorwhofeed

[Whisht @whisht]

Hey @Shazzbot – yep, looking forward to it!

Sorry have been a bit quiet of late – just ‘stuff’ keeping me away from the forum, but am lurking and catching up when I can!

And I now owe a few people posts but can’t find the threads, so (for one) hi @denvaldron – glad you made it back! Any bonkers theories??

;¬)

[Timeloop @timeloop]

@Shazzbot How about we set up a time where everybody in this forum who wants to participate toasts to Chris? (On the evening of the meeting) And everybody in a different timezone just figures out their respective time. Everybody can join in, even lurkers.

And maybe one more general toast to Doctor Who and that it brought similar minds closer?

I think that might be appropriate and in the spirit of this forum? What do you think?

[ScaryB @scaryb]

Nice one @danmartinuk

Especially liked this http://www.buzzfeed.com/danmartin/this-fans-open-letter-will-melt-the-heart-of-every-doctor-wh

Hopefully see you on Friday* – call it research! (C’mon where else are you going to get such massive, bonkers, insights into our fave programme?! (How many of us – 14? That’s a whole (almost) random sample in itself, haha)

🙂

*which of course also goes for @arkleseizure and @whisht (and all the other attendees) as well

@timeloop – synchronised toasting – great idea 🙂

[Anonymous @]

@danmartinuk – BuzzFeed bookmarked.  🙂

@timeloop @scaryb – I do quite like the idea of synchronised international toasting, but getting a bunch of people in a pub to do a particular thing at a particular time might give me another kind of Dalek crown to wear …  🙁

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

@Shazzbot – I find synchronised drinking is rarely a problem… provided we do it earlier rather than later. 😉

[Anonymous @]

OK, prompted by @timeloop‘s request for a synchronised international Doctor Who Forum toast:

@blenkinsopthebrave @fatmaninabox @magnetite @osakahatter @steve-thorp @tardisblue @thommck @whohar @janetteb @wolfweed @miapatrick @phaseshift @mini-htpbdets

All the people who will be virtually included at the pub via their avatars, plus everyone else on the Forum who was perhaps too shy to ask for that, I’ll say how ’bout 9:00pm GMT Friday night 22nd Nov for a toast to @htpbdet.

That’s an unsightly early morning hour for our Aussie contingent but what the heck, it’ll be Saturday so you could just put a slug of Bailey’s in your morning coffee.  😀  For the North American and Mexican contingent, it’ll be Friday afternoon which warrants a drink to start your weekend.  And the European contingent, it won’t be too late for you.

I’ll update my original post above to include this detail (that post is linked from Phase’s 50th Events blog).

P.S. Mini-HTPBDET(s) – no alcohol for you, I’m afraid Sweetie.  But pick your non-alcoholic tipple of choice to join us in a worldwide salute to your mighty Uncle.

[Timeloop @timeloop]

@Shazzbot Great! I think this might be a fun element to remember a guy many respected. Let’s include a toast to 50 years of Doctor Who as well.

Anybody who is interested: This would be your time to toast: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=Synchronised+International+Doctor+Who+Forum+Toast&iso=20131122T21&p1=136

Everybody is welcome to join in. Might be a bit like Silvester 😆

[Anonymous @]

I’m going to put this one here in the pub, rather than News, because it has a political edge … from yesterday’s Independent:

Doctor Who vs Mrs Thatcher – the showdown: The late leader appears as an evil tyrant in a 50th anniversary story

In the story written by Neil Gaiman, the alien “Thatcher” has persuaded British homeowners to sell their properties at a vast profit under a plan to rid the planet of humans and replace them with the sinister Kin, an ancient time-travelling enemy of the Time Lords. The Doctor is tasked with rescuing humanity from her devilish plotting.

“Nothing O’Clock” has been written for a Penguin anthology of new short stories featuring all 11 Doctors. Gaiman, the best-selling author who has written two Matt Smith episodes for the BBC series, said he wanted to create “a creepy Doctor Who monster of the kind that we haven’t quite seen before”.

[Juniperfish @juniperfish]

Looking forward to Asylum of the Whovians 🙂

Thanks for organising @Shazzbot

Certainly looking forward to shouting our Emperor @craig a drink for all his hard work setting up this site.

And pleased to see a decent number of the Fish Clan in attendance!

Comrades who can’t be there, especially those overseas, such as @JanetteB and @blenkinsopthebrave and @whohar and the sadly MIA @Bobbingbird- we will certainly think of you across time and space.

@phaseshift Did I forget to give you the Great Green Vampire 4th Doctor cocktail recipe details?

One nicely chilled glass of champagne and then a finger of absinthe poured carefully on top. Some varieties of absinthe float, so you get a nice double-colour effect for a bit.  Some might say this ruins a perfectly delicious glass of champagne (and they’d probably be right!) but you can’t get a more decadent combination, and I think the 4th Doctor would have really appreciated that.

Sorry you can’t be with us in the flesh but wow are you going to be drunk enough for all of us if your ambitious cocktail plans come to fruition 🙂 Reviews please, after you recover!

 

[PhaseShift @phaseshift Time Lord]

@juniperfish

Many thanks for the recipe, I hope you all have a splendid time at the Asylum.  😀 I apologise again for non-attendance.

I’m hoping to provide a tasting guide for the recommended cocktails over the 24 hours before the anniversary begins, in a freestyle Jilly Goolden/Oz Clarke stylee on the 50th blog.

You know – “I’m getting leaves, I’m getting the scent of overripe squirrel urine, I’m getting right on your tits, aren’t I”.

I’ll start about 7:50pm on Friday with the “Old Fashioned” for Doctor one.

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@craig, @Time Lords, The article above posted by @DanMartinUK  is great, but it might be judiciously moved the Spoilers page. I am thinking of @scaryb in particular, who probably should not read it.

[DenValdron @denvaldron]

@whisht    I have one or two.  But let me pose a riddle…   In ‘Name of the Doctor’ we have the Great Intelligence, who says:

GI: Tell that to the leader of the Sycorax, or Solomon the trader, or the Cybermen, or the Daleks. The Doctor lives his  life in darker hues, day upon day, and he will have other names before the end. The Storm, the Beast, the Valeyard.”

Here’s the question.   How does he know?

The Great Intelligence is aware of recent actions of the Doctor that it simply was not present for and shouldn’t and couldn’t possibly know – the death of Solomon at the ‘hands’ of the Doctor in ‘Dinosaurs on a Spaceship’ and the Sycorax in ‘The Christmas  Invasion’ etc.

Now, the Sycorax… I can understand that, after all, that was pretty public stuff.

On the other hand, what went on in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship…. not even the Doctor’s companions got the full skinny on that one, and its not like there were a lot of other witnesses.

Okay, so maybe the Great Intelligence was just paying attention to the Doctor. But how about this: The Great Intelligence knows about the Valeyard.

That’s many incarnations down the road. How does the Great Intelligence know the Doctor’s future? How does he know about the Valeyard? Was the Great Intelligence present at the Trial of a Timelord? Did it raid the Matrix or go galoophing on Gallifrey? Because right now, Gallifrey is toast, as is everyone else who should or could have known about the Valeyard…. So how does the Great Intelligence know?

It’s the Great Intelligence that sends the Doctor to Trenzalore, the one place he must never go, his tomb. How does the Great Intelligence know about Trenzalore? How does it know what’s there? How does it know the key to opening the Doctor’s Tomb is the true name of the Doctor? How could it possibly have this information?

Madame Kovarian would have given her ovaries to have that information. The Silence would have shouted for joy to get it. The Companions certainly don’t know it, never heard it. How?  Or Who? 😉

 

 

 

 

[janetteB @janetteb]

@Shazzbot 7.30 am on Saturday morning!! : – (  That is going to be one very unusual breakfast in bed. : – )  It sounds like a good excuse to buy some Baileys.. I am honoured to be able to take part in the toast, albeit from a very great distance. I miss @htpbdet and keep wondering what he would he would be thinking and saying if he were with us now.

We will be celebrating on the Sunday. I have a party list of Who related foods. Second recalictrant teenager has promised to make a Marzipan Tardis and I have suggested he try his hand at some weeping angels too. He made an excellent Tardis last April for his Dad’s birthday cake which will be called into service. (It was deemed too good to eat and so now sits beside the marzipan Hedwig which is over ten years old and has been to Sweden and back.)

I am counting down the days to the weekend as we are not just celebrating the anniversary but also the end of boys’ exams. It has been a tough few months. All this study and revision, (which naturally can’t be done without the assistance of frazzled parents) has been distracting me from the important issues, ie, just what the three doctors are going to be doing.

Cheers

Janette

 

 

 

[ScaryB @scaryb]

@janetteb

We will certainly be including you in the toasts*, and your avatar will be standing proud. End of exams is well worth celebrating – good on you all. There again if they don’t do as well as hoped in the exams it sounds like your offspring could have great careeers in specialist cake making!

@blenkinsopthebrave – A deep bow in your direction for being on spoiler alert on my behalf – much appreciated

And yes, where’s @bobbingbird? We miss you. Another one sucked back into the realm of RL

 

*there will be many – we have a lot of cocktails to get through!

[WhoHar @whohar]

@Shazzbot @scaryb @bluesqueakpip @juniperfish @craig @jimthefish @pedant @whisht @danmartinuk @arkleseizure @pufferfish @Airedales etc.

Hope you all have a great time meeting up and I am genuinely sorry to miss it. Looking forward to the post meeting stories and also how your impressions of each other in RL compared to the online perception. Also interested to hear what the reaction of the rest of the pub was.

For the absent among us, including:

@blenkinsopthebrave @fatmaninabox @magnetite @osakahatter @steve-thorp @tardisblue @thommck @timeloop @janetteb @wolfweed @miapatrick @phaseshift @mini-htpbdets + many others – apologies for those I’ve missed.

I am sure we will be raising a glass to @htpbdet at the appropriate time, although mine will likely be a cup of tea given the early hour.

Always a pleasure coming on here and long may it continue. Hopefully the 50th does the show justice and we’ll have plenty of post-50th bonkers theories to keep us going.

See you on the other side guys…

[Anonymous @]

@whohar – take a leaf from @janetteb ‘s book, and have coffee ‘n Baileys!  (Does Baileys even really count as alcohol?  It’s more like sweet cream, really.  😀  )

Also WhoHar – thanks for including The Airedales.  🙂

Janette – hopefully, we’ll see pictures of all your Who-themed food – PhaseShift has updated his blog with the email address to send celebration pictures and stuff to …

[ScaryB @scaryb]

@whohar Have you started filling the bath yet?

[janetteB @janetteb]

@Shazzbot. Absolutely. I will have time to downsize pics for email after Friday. We are all making plans for the cake, decorations etc.  Agreed re’ the Baileys. I will probably have my coffee black as usual and have the Baileys seperately. I have already set the alarm for Saturday. I am sorry I didn’t send a better version of my avatar. I was planning to photoshop on a party hat but time as usual was not with me. It is all a bit crazy here right now.

cheers

Janette

 

 

[Anonymous @]

@whohar, @Shazzbot et al — I’m afraid I’ll be one of the missing in action this Friday as RL has me relentlessly by the knackers at the moment.

Speaking of which, in the course of endless bloody packing this week I’ve unearthed a Fourth Doctor scarf that I’m thinking it’s pointless to continue to lug around with me. It’s not exactly a perfect replica as the stitching is different (I don’t know the terminology but it’s less cable-y than the original and looks as if it was done on a knitting machine) but the colours are right and it’s seriously long. It must be about 20ft long. It’s also very toasty and in pretty much ‘as new’ condition.

If anyone fancies having it, they can have it for nought as long as they fork out for the postage. PM me if you’re interested…

[TardisBlue @tardisblue]

@wolfweed

Thanks for the links re: the advent calendars. You’re right; I couldn’t seem to find them here in the states. I hope you’re enjoying yours. The one you’re using to count down to the anniversary must be nearly out of chocolate! 😀

You’ve been keeping those links and videos coming fast and furious. I’ve been lurking as fast as I can (rather like The Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland, running faster and faster but staying in the same place). Whatever would we do without you?

The post I asked about was the one where you mentioned being in the heart of Scotia, post #19242.

… But since McCoy, Tennant, Capaldi, and Moffat also hail from Scotia, I bet it has at least *seven* hearts. Two per timelord and one for our current showrunner. 😉

TardisBlue

[Magnetite @magnetite]

As this might be the last time some of you look in before tomorrow, I hope that @Shazzbot @scaryb @bluesqueakpip @juniperfish @craig @jimthefish @pedant @whisht @danmartinuk @arkleseizure @pufferfish (not forgetting @Airedales) have a great night on Friday – I can also imagine that the steam will be escaping the doors of the Dean Swift as various bonkers theorising reaches fever pitch.

I’ll definitely be raising a glass with you all at 9

Pity we can’t use Madame Vastra’s scented candles to meet more properly – although I’m not sure if the alternative – getting bashed on the head with a Glaswegian shovel would be too welcome!

Best wishes – Magnetite The Teacher!

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

A little something for all of you, and on-topic to boot.

 

[wolfweed @wolfweed]

@pedant – Fame again. Perhaps the phrase ‘ARSE’ should have made the dictionary rather than ‘selfie’…

[Whisht @whisht]

@denvaldron – great to hear you here again!

A fantastic plot-hole question!

and how should we fill a plot-hole question??

With a bonkers theory of course!! Its what we’re here for!

🙂

Now, I haven’t an effing clue. Do you?

Oh ok, (channelling ‘bonkers’) – can there be backward echoes of future events?

The GI does enter the scar, so has access to some of the future and maybe there’s a backwash (I reckon that’s why Clara faints when seeing HurtDr though it could be because he was an illustration in the History of the Time War book).

but… not sure this is really bonkers so…. c’mon, you can do better!

[stevethewhistle @steve-thorp]

@whisht

“…… can there be backward echoes of future events?”

I reckon that this is inevitable if backwards time travel is possible.

[DenValdron @denvaldron]

@whisht   Oh, I’ve got a very fantastic answer to the plot hole/question, one that will knock your socks off and mail them to Greenland and give them to the eskimos to use them as fish pockets.   😉

[DenValdron @denvaldron]

Here’s a hint.  The Doctor once faced another hostile entity which had no physical body, and told it:

DOCTOR: Drop it. Drop all of it. I know who you are.
….. Course you don’t.
DOCTOR: Course I do. No idea how you can be here, but there’s only one person in the universe who hates me as much as you do

It’s that guy.

 

[wolfweed @wolfweed]

A little bit of politics…

http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/tv-radio/scottish-independence-dr-who-claim-dismissed-1-3197634

 

Doctor Who: Time travel through faith

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/0/24924746

[Anonymous @]

Blimey, in 6 hours it’ll all be over (until 2015 when we’ll (hopefully) get a 10 years of AG Who Special 😀 ).

I was going to have a rant about how I close I came to not being able to watch TDoTD tonight, but I won’t.

I was going to have a rant about Ian Davros Smith* and his bloody ‘bedroom tax’, but I won’t.

I was going to have a rant about the petty, bureaucratic idiots in the Dept of Work and Pensions about their decision to stop my benefits between 23rd October and 22nd November for failing to attend a mandatory ‘Progress Meeting’ on my Work Programme on 2nd October, a meeting that my ‘Work Broker’ had failed (and not for the first time) to notify me about, but I won’t.

I was going to have a rant about the fact that the afore mentioned DWP don’t consider my Work Broker’s failure to notify me of this meeting as a valid reason for non attendance and that they’ve managed to ‘misplace’ not one, not two but THREE appeals against their decision, but I won’t.

I was going to have a rant about the fact that my MP (Labour, for what it’s worth) doesn’t want to ‘get involved’ in helping me to resolve this problem, but I won’t (and I certainly won’t tell you what I’ll tell her when she next comes begging for my vote.)

I was going to have a rant about how I’ve had to survive the last 2½ weeks with no money, or how I’ve had to live on nothing but toast, bread and gravy, and cereals or how I’ve not been able to have any heating on or cook anything for fear of my electricity meter running out (which, despite my best efforts, ran out at precisely 9am this morning).

No, I’m not going to rant at all. Not today at least.

Instead I’ll thank my unexpected saviour – British Gas! Yup, at 9.30ish the postman delivered a letter from them which entitled me to a £15 reward for being a loyal customer. But there’s more! I rang them during the week to see if it would be possible to extend the Emergency Credit limit. Their Customer Advisor told me it wasn’t possible but, according to an additional letter, it seems she took pity on my plight and spoke to her supervisor, who spoke to his manager, who arranged for my ‘reward’ to be sent out a few days early. See, there is still human kindness out there, even in profit obsessed Energy Suppliers.

I now have power and heating and I’m cooking Pie,Chips and Mushy Peas for lunch and drinking a steaming hot mug of coffee (which has a ‘glug’ of my ‘medicinal’ brandy in it). I’m ashamed to say I’ve ‘wobbled’ and bought a pouch of my favourite pipe baccy (three weeks abstinence down the drain).

Oh, and it looks like I’ll be watching TDoTD after all

*apologies to Davros for the unfair comparison 🙂

[wolfweed @wolfweed]

@fatmaninabox – So glad that that non-rant had a happy ending!

You shouldn’t have been put in that sh*tey situation though.

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

@fatmaninabox – If you haven’t already, go to Citizens Advice, or whatever free legal advice is available in your area. If you have any record of the dates of your appeals, take them with you. I’m guessing that, as you’re currently unemployed, you’re not in benefit with any Union – but if you are, ask them for help as well.

As well as your MP, try your Local Councillor – if young, they’ll be keen to make their mark. Especially if they want your MP’s job…

If you make any further appeals get proof of posting. That’s free.

Finally, complain. If you’ve already sent a formal letter of complaint to your Jobseekers Office, they should have asked if you want the complaint forwarded to the Director General. After that, you go to the Independent Examiner…. the full process is here.

Always keep copies, always keep a record of posting. It’s truly amazing how many complaints and appeals get lost – and it’s equally amazing how much better the service gets if they know you have legal advice.

[Anonymous @]

@bluesqueakpip

Thanks for the advice 🙂

I contacted my MP 2 weeks ago but, judging by her Twitter account, she’s more concerned about being seen with the right people in the right places than actually helping people.

I have used the CAB before in dealing with a noisy neighbour. They did more in a week than the council did in 6 months so I will pop along to them during the week, possibly dropping in to our local newspapers office as well.

[Anonymous @]

@ everyone – I’ve missed you all, loads!  Have to catch up on 27 (27?!) mentions over the weekend.

The pub meet-up Friday night went better than in my wildest dreams.  Who knew a troll in a wind-up car could entertain supposedly grown adults so well?!  (well, *I* did – I certainly played with it on my kitchen counter long enough before wrapping it up for @pedant The Troll Torturer!)

Thanks to everyone who showed up at the Dean Swift Friday night – and thanks to everyone who requested their avatar ‘join us’ on the night as well.  To everyone else, perhaps too shy to join in person or via avatar – there will certainly be more of these nights.  Already have ideas fizzing in my head for next year’s.  (But @phaseshift – erm, perhaps no Amy Pond Strip-0-Grams.  Not unless we get a Rory one as well … 😆 )

Now, off to read about a hundred hours’ worth of posts on the fabulous Day of the Doctor special …

Oh, and a hearty welcome too, to all the new sign-ups who burst through the Forum gates once they were re-opened.

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

This made me LOL

[wolfweed @wolfweed]

http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Police-Hull-bring-Tardis-help-fight-crime/story-20171416-detail/story.html

This story reminds me of my TARDIS Playtent. Did anyone else have one of these?

[Author]

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