And managed to get most of what I needed, yesterday.
Apart from a pepper!
One single, solitary pepper!
There’s always something!
~≈Ç≈~
Did you know the government have offered people like me — in homes in Council Taxbands A to D — a £150 cash rebate: to help with their council tax bills.
For many who pay by direct debit, the rebate has gone through automatically.
Those of us who don’t? Have to fill in an online form*.
I filled mine in, a couple of weeks ago: expecting something of an instant result.
It didn’t turn up with in the short time I was expecting: so I went to the local council offices to ask about it.
Apparently? It could turn up anywhere between now … and September.
Q1) 18th May is the feast day of Saint Felix of Cantalice. Cantalice is in which European nation: Italy, Croatia or Serbia?
Q2) 18 May, 1954, saw the birth of singer, Wreckless Eric. His sole UK hit was on which British label: Two Tone, Stiff or Go! Discs?
Q3) 18th May, 1955, saw the birth of actor, Chow Yun-fat. He played Tequila Yuen in which 1992 film: Now you See Love, Now You Don’t, Hard Boiled or Full Contact?
Q4) 18th May, 1868, saw the birth of Nicholas 2nd of Russia. As ruler of Russia, he was the what: Knayz, Tsar or Graf?
Q5) Finally … ? 18th May, 1048, saw the birth of Omar Khayyam. In what’s now where: Iran, Iraq or India … ?
The quizmaster’s decisions about scores are final.
Thank you for coming: have a good day.
* I think the digital divide’s struck again. Those of us who can’t get online will have issues accessing that form. Those of us who are unfamiliar with computers, or are dyslexic, will also have issues. (Libraries are re-opening, which will help, but …)
In case you’re interested in my articles on digital poverty? You can find them here, here, here and here.
† I might just have to check it out, than, Olga. I’ll be honest: outside of the tracks I mentioned, yesterday, I’ve had Patti’s Smith’s Horseslp on repeat: that is one HELL of an album.
It sounds like Little Anna’s in the middle of the proverbial perfect storm. But I can sort of understand why the school might not be putting an effort into teaching English. Brexit mean’s it’s going to be harder to visit. Either way? Would it be an idea to contact her school and offer your services? My sister, Ruth, is a tutor: and does work for Jude’s school.
I seem to recall reading it, Olga: many years ago. (Yesterday’s cover photo was from the book. The Wizard makes everyone in Emerald City wear green tinted glasses: to ‘protect them from the city’s glare,’ you understand … )
‡ Hello, Mum!
^Yeah: Jude and Jaskaran were reacting to a US video, Debbi! Saying that, I think Jas is a better performer: I saw the Diss track they were planning! Jude’s a better director, I think: and definitely likes being an auteur!
Q5) Iran Oh, my comments were not about Anna, but about Rebeca, my Monday student. In Anna's school they seem to take English more seriously. As I told you, they expected their students to go for the Cambridge First Exam, and students were split up into different classes according to their level, so those with higher level were preparing for the Advanced exam. And they have tests, homework... But Rebeca, it seems that they do the tasks and exercises in the school itself, and they get graded based on their classwork and nothing else. No exams, no extra work, and no preparation for official exams either. Both of them go to private schools, so I am sure they might offer extra tuition (at a price), although because both live outside of Barcelona but go to school in Barcelona, I imagine it is more convenient to get the teacher to come to them. (There are programmes that offer extra tuition and help to students struggling, organized by different associations, etc, although they tend to be addressed to people with few means, foreign students...) I think with that school is an issue of methodology, and also what they value and what they don't, I imagine. There are schools offering bilingual (well, more than bilingual, because here everybody is expected to learn Catalan, Spanish, and then whatever else) education, with official exams in English (or/and French, German...), but they tend to be all private. And to be a teacher or work at a school, you need to either have a teacher's qualification (a formal one, full degree), or do a masters. In private places or language schools, it is different, but even there, there is so much offer, that to get anything you need to get extra qualifications, and then take wait until there is a public offer of jobs... Well, you know how it is. Volunteering, on the other hand, is welcome, but timing and availability are sometimes an issue. I hope you get the money soon. Official help sometimes take years. (I'm thinking about the people who lost their homes to the volcano in La Palma... Lord knows how long it will be, as some had been waiting since there was a previous disaster, I think a couple of years back)
Yup those of us who did not need the money got it automatically in April and every Autumn we get the £200 winter fuel allowance and at at Xmas we get a £10 xmas bonus from the government.
Looks like we will be getting an extra up to £600 payment soon too.
I love it when someone comments. But, having had anonymous comments I feel may be libellous, actionable or just plain offensive, over the years?
I’d appreciate you* leaving your name — with a link to your website or social-media profile†, for preference — before you post a comment.
Should you choose to use a pseudonym/name, I’d appreciate it if that name were to be polite and inoffensive. I’d rather you kept it clean, and relatively grown up. Comments left with a pseudonym will be posted at my discretion: I really prefer a link.
Contentious, actionable or abusive posts left anonymously will not be posted. Nor will comments using offensive pseudonyms or language, or that are abusive of other commenters.
Thank you.
* I know many value their online privacy. I respect that. But hope you respect my wish to see who’s commenting on my blog: and my wish for you to introduce your self to me, and to your fellow commentors.
† Your Facebook, X/Twitter, Blogger, Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn profile are acceptable. I also like seeing folks webpages.
Q1) Italy
ReplyDeleteQ2) Stiff Records
Q3) Hard Boiled
Q4) Tsar
Q5) Iran
Oh, my comments were not about Anna, but about Rebeca, my Monday student. In Anna's school they seem to take English more seriously. As I told you, they expected their students to go for the Cambridge First Exam, and students were split up into different classes according to their level, so those with higher level were preparing for the Advanced exam. And they have tests, homework... But Rebeca, it seems that they do the tasks and exercises in the school itself, and they get graded based on their classwork and nothing else. No exams, no extra work, and no preparation for official exams either.
Both of them go to private schools, so I am sure they might offer extra tuition (at a price), although because both live outside of Barcelona but go to school in Barcelona, I imagine it is more convenient to get the teacher to come to them. (There are programmes that offer extra tuition and help to students struggling, organized by different associations, etc, although they tend to be addressed to people with few means, foreign students...)
I think with that school is an issue of methodology, and also what they value and what they don't, I imagine. There are schools offering bilingual (well, more than bilingual, because here everybody is expected to learn Catalan, Spanish, and then whatever else) education, with official exams in English (or/and French, German...), but they tend to be all private.
And to be a teacher or work at a school, you need to either have a teacher's qualification (a formal one, full degree), or do a masters. In private places or language schools, it is different, but even there, there is so much offer, that to get anything you need to get extra qualifications, and then take wait until there is a public offer of jobs...
Well, you know how it is.
Volunteering, on the other hand, is welcome, but timing and availability are sometimes an issue.
I hope you get the money soon. Official help sometimes take years. (I'm thinking about the people who lost their homes to the volcano in La Palma... Lord knows how long it will be, as some had been waiting since there was a previous disaster, I think a couple of years back)
Yup those of us who did not need the money got it automatically in April and every Autumn we get the £200 winter fuel allowance and at at Xmas we get a £10 xmas bonus from the government.
ReplyDeleteLooks like we will be getting an extra up to £600 payment soon too.
https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/rishi-sunak-looking-600-payment-7095140
1 Italy
ReplyDelete2 Stiff Records
3 Now you See Love
4 Tsar
5 Iraq
Ah! A filmmaker in the making then! :)
ReplyDelete1. Italy
2. Stiff
3. Hard Boiled
4. Tsar
5. Iran