OK this isn't a scam...

I use that cashback website when I shop online and I get regular money back - not major amounts but enough. Yesterday I got my weekly money saving expert email and there was a thing where if you go through this cashback website and then register with a credit report company, you get to check your credit report for free and then you get £20 cashback. Sounds dodgy, I know but I did it yesterday and the money is already in my cashback account.

All you need to do is follow this link to register -

TopCashBack

(if you use that, I get £2.50!)

Then you go to this page -

Equifax

You follow the link from there and it says you can get a 30 day free trial.

Follow the instructions to register. It asks for a credit/debit card number but does not take any money. It also verifies your identity by giving you multiple choice questions about who you have credit with, etc.

You can then look at your report if you want to (you don't have to but I did and it wasn't as bad as I expected).

Then you call customer services and say you want to cancel (have the UKWEB account number to hand). They try to save the business but tell them you are too poor to continue the membership or something and they leave you alone.

Within 24 hours, the money is in your cashback account! You can withdraw it to your bank account or Paypal by the end of October.

I know it sounds like a hassle but the whole process took me about 8 minutes (only cos Chrome was playing up) and that involved reading through every report from my creditors and there are quite a few...

It needs to be done in the above order but I think it's worth it - about 5 minutes work for £20. And it doesn't harm your credit rating to check your report as no one knows you are checking.

Newport and the Ryder Cup

What a load of shite!

Know the bloke that owns the Celtic Manor? Rumour has it, he'll make £10,000,000 a DAY just from ticket sales!

Price of a ticket to watch the warm up matches? £100.

Price of using the Park N Ride? £20.

The local council have allowed the Celtic Manor and the Ryder Cup to rape this city.

This is an area in severe poverty. There is a horrible unemployment problem and the streets are lined with beggars (try walking past the train station at night during a week when the gold is not in town). A city where my sister has been burgled twice in six months while the family slept upstairs. A city where old ladies get robbed in the street and young men get stabbed on an ordinary night out. How do they expect the locals to gain anything from this experience?

Oh yeah, cos of all the improvements the city is witnessing...

There was a great plan to build a wonderful new shopping centre. Debenhams pulled out and gradually all the shops have shut down. What did they do to improve this for the Ryder Cup? They put billboards up to hide the empty windows. Useful...

And the train station! It isn't even finished! The new building is ugly, the stairs are slippy (as soon as the bad weather comes, it will become deadly in there), the car park is tiny...

Today was the first day of the golf people being in town so they lined up literally dozens of taxis (all nice new ones they were forced to buy that caused outrage amongst the drivers who had threatened to strike but evidently have no balls and backed down) and the main car park for actual station users? They blocked off half of it with barriers so it is now dangerous to drive in there. I was picked up on the main road tonight as there were no spots left for anyone to pull in.

They have screwed over the regular station users the same way they have screwed over the residents of Newport.

They should all be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

Glamour Eyes & Brows

Glamour Eyes & Brows

St David's 2

Cardiff

**

Threading.

The good -

This woman removed a lot of eyebrow hair.

She shaped my brows more efficiently that I have been able to recently.

They do not demand tips.

£10 to have eyebrows done.

The bad -

It hurts like fucking hell.

It is cash only.

Even though she knew it was my first time, the woman did not give clear directions on what I was supposed to do.

She left two stray hairs that I had to pluck myself.

I have been left with a hideous bumpy rash that I don't get from plucking.

She did not make my eyebrows even so I have a constant quizzical look.

The up-selling...

Up-selling offends me at the best of times. I want what I want, nothing extra. After completing my eyebrows, she said "I do your lip now?" I declined (my brows made me sweat; the lip would have killed me). Then she said "But you have an ugly moustache". I firmly said no, paid, and left. Then I was paranoid that I had a moustache. I went home and scrutinized my lip in a magnifying mirror with a bright light. Not even a trace of a moustache. I DID find one blonde hair that was less that a quarter of a millimetre long and is undetectable to the naked eye (and is now gone). But that is it. I do have a scar on my lip plus I have smile lines but no moustache. How dare she?!! I don't think that is an appropriate way to treat customers.

I may go and have threading done again but not here.

Las Iguanas

Las Iguanas

7 - 8 Mill Lane

Cardiff

CF10 1FL

**

They get two stars for having the only decent margaritas in Wales.

I've been here quite a few times. Kay and I would end up in here after shopping and I would often go with my work colleagues. It has been a while since I last visited, though.

Izzy and I decided to go today as they had emailed me a voucher for a free meal (which I was not able to use in the end) and so we headed over when it was pretty quiet.

I, being vegan and suffering from severe allergies, do my research. I had previously been told by staff that the bread and olives were fine for vegans and I had on occasion ordered the veggie wrap (in various incarnations) without cheese and that was also apparently fine.

Not today though.

I asked if I could have the wrap without cheese and server ran off to check with the chef for me. She came back and said no, that was not possible. So not so much a "chef" as one who throws pre-packed food in the microwave, then.

I said I would just have the bread and olives seeing as I am vegan. I then also explained what vegan meant and the server scoured the menu to find something suitable for me. We established there was nothing else I could have so I ordered a drink and Izzy had a pizza with fries (which incidentally the server told me was included in the price of the pizza but I was actually charged extra for; I was too tired to argue by that point, though).

A few minutes later, the server came back to inform me that the chef had advised the bread contained milk so I could just have olives if I wanted. I politely declined... I do like olives but cannot eat them on their own.

I do appreciate that they were considerate enough to tell me, don't get me wrong.

Izzy loved her meal and my drink was OK but after a few hours shopping, I could have done with some (any) food.

The server was lovely but I was left with a very bad feeling about the whole experience.

Most restaurants have one vegan option or can veganise something upon request. Hell, many allow you to order off-menu when you have dietary requirements. Not Las Iguanas though.

Now, according to Cooking for Vegans, Las Iguanas have previously advised of vegan options. OK, it was while ago but this was the list provided -

- olives

- Championes

- Veg Moqueca

- Veg Puerto Rican Piella

- Hongos Fundidos (without cheese)

- Open Quesadilla (without cheese)

- Beetroot and Feta salad (without feta)

- Veg Gourmet Fajitas (available upon request)

- Veg Enchilada (without cheese)

- New Ensalada Queso Fresco (without feta)

I was not offered this level of options. I know a few of these items are no longer on the menu but it was made very clear to me that there were to be no substitutions and they were not willing to work with me on this.

It is so unfortunate as Izzy loved the place and her food but I now cannot go back. I was left feeling embarrassed by the day's events.

I was not a regular so I am sure they wont miss me but still...

It is not like veganism is so rare these days.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's

Albany Street

Crindau

Newport

NP20 5NG

*

Been to the new Sainsbury's yet?

No?

Is it because YOU CAN'T FIND THE WAY IN?!!

Absolutely awful layout and NO SIGNS pointing the way in. I drove round it twice, missing the turning both times as it was not signposted. I stopped and asked 2 pedestrians for directions, one of which was lost herself and another man who had abandoned his car and walked from the local housing estate because it was quicker.

And I actually know the area because it's by my old cash and carry.

Not being able to find things is a theme of this place, though.

Where is the hummus, hmm?

What about sorbet?

Any nice vegan treats? No? Didn't think so.

And why are the prices even higher than the local Co-op which is well known as the house of rip-off?

It was unbelievably quiet for a Saturday evening. I guess all the other lost souls had enough and went to Tesco.

And the carpark! What a terrible design! I can see many a bump in the near future.

I am happy to say I will never set foot in this place again. In fact, I could live the rest of my life and never enter another one of their pointless supermarkets.

I mean, I spent £18 and bought no food!

Disgraceful.

Sunset Health and Fitness Club, Scarborough

Sunset Health & Fitness Club
Bell Vue Street
Scarborough
North Yorkshire
YO12 7EP

01723 352447
http://www.sunsetfitness.co.uk/

*

They have had plenty of chances to resolve this but they don't seem to have a moral bone in their grossly pumped-up bodies.

Firstly, our story.

My sister is very ill. She basically has no skin on her lower legs due to a horrible condition she suffers from. She can barely walk and spends most of her time just sitting in the house. She is registered disabled as she can no longer work (she was a nanny for many years). She's previously haemorrhaged and almost died and has to take massive amounts of painkillers and other medication. She's 34 and basically has the same standard of living as an 80 year old. If she was a dog, she would have been put down years ago.

Very early last year, she decided to join a gym as she was not as ill as she currently is. She went for a few months but then her condition started deteriorating and so she could no longer attend. She knew she was tied into a year long contract so decided to let it run and then cancel her renewal.

When he renewal came up, she phoned them and told them she was not able to attend any more as she was so ill and did not want to renew her membership. They, of course, did not listen to what she said and went in for the hard sell and basically did not let her cancel her membership. My sister, unfortunately, does not have the same inner strength and confidence that I have and was bullied into not cancelling. She carried on paying her premiums until she got so sick that she could no longer work. Then she cancelled her direct debit (remember that she had already called to cancel her renewal...). Next thing my sister knew, she had a collections agency on the phone, demanding money. My sister explained what had been going on and they said it was basically tough and she still had to pay.

At this point, she told our mother who composed a letter explaining how ill she was and that she could not possibly attend a gym and isn't it about time they left her alone? They even sent a letter from the doctor to explain that my sister was far too ill to attend and if she did, it could actually kill her.

Their response?

You've got to pay. Or transfer your membership to someone else. Either way, we are still having your money.

They claim she entered into a credit agreement that cannot be broken.

BULLSHIT!

Aside from the fact that all credit agreements can be broken (with a penalty fee applied), the agreement would have only lasted one year so them forcing her to renew and harassing her the way they are is way out of line and bordering on illegal.

If they are using credit agreements, they should be regulated by the FSA. They are also required under FSA regulations to record all of their phone calls so how about they pull up the call where my sister tried to cancel and see exactly what a bunch of cunts they are being to a very ill disabled lady?

I work in the financial sector and if we treated our customers like this, the FSA would kick the crap out of us. And we are a massive company with over 4 millions customers in the UK alone, not some backwater gym.

My sister is entitled to all of the money she has paid for this year's premium to be returned to her. She is also entitled under the 1998 Late Payments Act to be awarded interest on the payments AND for this gym to pay any bank charges she acquired by them illegally taking her money.

The next step? She gets legal aid because of her disability so I think she should sue. Could go to the media? My blog is also rather popular so you never know what this little bit of bad publicity will do...

As for the gym itself?

I checked out their website and I can assure you I have a better set up in my garage. My equipment is better quality and it doesn't look like a bad 1980s porno set.

Seriously, look at their website! All of the clients in the photos are OLD!! Is this how they maintain business? They sign up young people and then NEVER let them leave???

I kid... I am sure Norma, Edith, Dorothy, Joyce, and Mary are in the prime of their lives... And they just suffer from premature greyness and their sagging wrinkly skin is from excessive working out...

This company is a joke, seriously.

Only time I would visit the premises would be to shit through their letter box.

Absolutely horrible people.

9/11

Just a few words.

I have briefly referred to the events of that day previously but have not gone into it as it is not something I am ready to talk about fully.

I had moved to Los Angeles just a few weeks before. I was heading to my uni that day to sort out my medical insurance and that involved travelling from my home in the Valley, through Downtown, and out to East LA.

My roommate left early for college and I was still dozing when the phone rang. She told me to turn on the TV and not go Downtown.

I turned on in time to see the second plane hit.

My mother was home in the UK and was driving my sister and her kids. As the news broke, she almost ran off the road. She also made it home just to see the plane hit the second tower.

Unless you have experienced it up close, you have no idea what it is like.

I felt completely isolated and incredibly frightened because if the US was attacked like that, nowhere was safe.

I lost friends in the attacks and friends lost family members.

I still cannot watch clips of the plane hitting as it upsets me too much.

I feel a lot of anger towards people who use this for their own means (such as that idiot that wanted to do a Hitler and start burning books...). I also feel angry when people casually dismiss events as just something that happened on TV.

I will never forget.

And I hope you wont too.

Every scar tells a story...

Where to start...

I was never exactly a tomboy but have always been a little accident-prone...

Top of left big toe - dark pink scar, 0.25" in diameter
This was a mosquito bite that I had a really bad allergic reaction to. I ended up with a massive blister that the dog kindly trod on and popped for me...

Left foot instep - dark pink, raised scar, the size of a chick pea
This was from when I bought some amazing silver Adidas trainers that had a hard plastic trim on the inside. The plastic dug in and almost crippled me

Centre top of right foot - right in the middle of my butterfly tattoo, raised scar the size of a puy lentil
Horse fly bite

Left calf, about a third of the way up my leg - small dark pink scar, about 0.1" in diameter
Mosquito bite

Right ankle - dark red scar, approx 0.25" by 0.1"
From the time I decided to break in new DMs at a gig and they rubbed a hole in my leg

Right calf - 5 thin white lines, approx 3" long
Great story... I was at a beach in North Wales with my family when I was about 6 and my sisters walked me down a launching ramp so we could get close to the sea. I put my foot between two planks and fell through. My sisters hauled me back up, scraping my leg against barnacles. I was not best pleased...

Right knee - dark pink scar, approx 2" in diameter
When I was living in LA, I had to pop to the post office to pick up a parcel. I twisted my ankle on an uneven paving slab and hit the floor, scabbing my knee, and obtaining my most impressive scar

Left wrist - white and dark pink scar, approx 2" by 0.1"
This is from where I broke my arm and the bone briefly popped through the skin to say hi...

Left ring finger - raised scar (same as one on my butterfly tattoo)
Funnily enough, this was a horse fly bite too

Left palm - small white scar, the size of a puy lentil
NEVER NEVER NEVER run with scissors...

Right forearm, just above the wrist - barely visible scar approx 0.25" in diameter
Mosquito bite on a mole. I lost the mole and I miss is as it formed the point on a triangle of (flat) moles...

Left cheek - barely visible thin white scar, approx 1" long
This was when I was in junior school and some random boy decided to punch me with a key between his fingers... I hope he loses his testicles in a freak dishwasher accident... There was no need for the attack. I barely knew him and we had no issues. The scar has never bothered me but it could have destroyed a less confident girl...

Right upper lip - thin white scar, approx 1" long
Only ever had one boyfriend hit me... I broke 4 teeth in the incident too. I tried to cut his throat after with a large bread knife. I thought he would learn his lesson. He was later stabbed to death by another girlfriend he was knocking about. I appeared for the defence at her trial.

Centre of forehead - tiny dark red scar
Chicken pox!

Living with FMF

(The title includes a link to the Wikipedia page on FMF for if you do not know what it is)

I was only recently diagnosed with FMF but I had been ill for years. It came on strong during my teens (though we can trace the odd attack from when I was 7 or 8). I had the stomach problems, joint pain, myalgia, and fevers. My doctors always thought I was faking so nothing was ever done. I would be prescribed strong painkillers that would not help and so I ended up keeping quiet about it.

The symptoms did ease when I got into early adulthood and so I ignored it. I think the whole time I lived in LA, I was only bad twice.

Things headed south again when I was in my mid-20s. At the time, I put it down to stress but it started getting worse when I was in a stress-free time. The main concern was the joint pain and the fevers.

I got very concerned because the symptoms started coinciding with my period and I genuinely thought there was something seriously wrong me. I eventually confessed what was wrong to my mother (a couple of Christmases ago) and she dragged me off to have tests.

I was at least taken seriously this time. I was at first told it was stress and then fybromyalgia. Then arthritis. Then toxic shock syndrome (which had been my biggest concern). I felt we were still no closer to the answer so I started researching myself. I discovered FMF and asked to be tested for it. The doctor initially said no but then agreed. The test came back positive and I finally had my answer. I was prescribed anti-inflamatories but I have never taken them.

Most days, I'm fine. I would say I only get one attack every 3 months or so. I maintain a high level of fitness and I think that helps. My vegan diet also seems to be a positive thing.

When I am bad, though, I cannot get off the couch. It is like having full-on flu whilst rats gnaw at your joints. I can tell when I have an attack coming on and so try to make sure I am home to deal with it. I have had it come on at work before and have had to have someone drive 20 miles to come pick me up. It normally lasts 24-48 hours. Then I have 48 hours of feeling slightly removed from my body... It is hard to explain but it is a very uncomfortable feeling...

I have not yet found a herbal remedy but Chinese massage does help. I hope to find something eventually so that I can get my symptoms in line. It would be nice to always feel well.

At least my company are understanding. I explained what was wrong and what would happen when I was bad and so they make allowances. Then I work like a dog the rest of the time to make up for it... :)

I know other people have it much worse than me but hopefully this will shed a tiny bit of light on a vastly misunderstood condition.

Winter!

I've been feeling it for a couple of weeks... The summer is having that last gasp before dying a painful death...

I sent my winter coat (the knee-length purple military-style one I went crazy for last year) to the dry cleaners about 10 days ago. I've also thrown my dressing gown and long PJs in the wash. My slanket is airing. Deciding what slippers to wear first (probably the knee-high pink and brown knitted ones that I got for 3 quid in Asda). Winter boots are in the hallway, ready to go. Final step will be digging out my fake fur throw to put on my bed.

As much as I love hot places, I do enjoy the Welsh winter. Except for the breathing problems when it gets really cold, the scraping ice off the inside of my car windows first thing in the morning, the cancelled trains because of snow...