Surprise, surprise - Rotherham Council have no information about me in their archives. From the school where I worked, the records only date from 2008. The council correspondent suggested that I should get in touch with the school where I worked but it will be a miracle if they have any evidence whatsoever of my employment. forty four years ago. Acquiring the required P45 will be like locating The Holy Grail.
I can see what is going to happen. I will have to wait a further fifty minutes on the phone to get through to an HMRC adviser once again only to tell him or her what I knew in the first place - that getting the P45 will never happen. I am pissed off because who ever was in error in the past, it was certainly was not me. There must be some way of waiving this ridiculous and historical anomaly.
Regarding my foot and the pain I was in ten days ago, may I say that the condition is most certainly not plantar fasciitis! As I indicated before, it is gout and though it has not entirely disappeared, the pain has altered its location and is much reduced. I am not limping any more. However, every morning I wake up and wonder how it will be today. Thank you for all your kind suggestions. Much appreciated. One day I hope to walk again - beyond the horizon up ahead.
Getting back to Sunday's "Quiztime" - when you are in a pub quiz you usually have to go along with the quizmaster's answers - even though very occasionally you know for sure that you have been given a wrong answer. That doesn't matter. In Britain, I never heard of the young of foxes being referred to as "kits". However, research tells me that although the word is not as common as "cub", "kit" is still acceptable. In other words, I am relenting and you can have a belated mark for "kit"! I am so generous - it hurts.
Moving on to television... Tonight I watched the international friendly match between England and Belgium. England were the better team but it looked as though Belgium might win until the very last seconds of the game when our star player - Jude Bellingham - steered in an equalising goal to save England's blushes in the pouring London rain.
Also on television, I am currently watching an eight part series called "The Dropout" which dramatises the growth of the failed blood testing company Theranos and its slightly deranged founder Elizabeth Holmes who currently resides in a Texan jail. I am enjoying this so far and will blog further when I have seen it all. In fact, I may watch another episode tonight after publishing this blogpost.
There - updates completed!
Bureaucracy at its finest. Ack!
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping the foot pain eases up and the walkabouts can continue!
I would have never guessed kits or ci=ubs when it came to foxes.
I'd heard of The Dropout when it aired here but didn't see it; it sounds fascinating.
I think Elizabeth Holmes must have read Trump's books about business.
DeleteYou will be able to address the lack of a separation certificate but it might take an insane amount of time and frustration.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the gout is going, you'll be walking again in no time
I hope your last prophecy is accurate Kylie.
DeleteI recall the fuss about Theranos some time ago, and thinking at the time that from what I knew of diagnostics it sounded wildly improbable, to say the least. I think that there were some very gullible individuals taken in by Elizabeth Holmes, who should have known better.
ReplyDeleteShe took everybody for a ride - herself included!
DeleteI claim KIT! There! I got 7 out of 10!
ReplyDeleteLet's see what you do next time!
DeleteFunny how we find things from a long time ago . It doesn't fit with other events in your life. Hopefully someone will correct this by using common sense. However , you will have to wait on telephone.
ReplyDeleteCommon sense is in short supply these days.
DeleteHopefully, someone you talk to will see sense and make an unbureaucratic decision.
ReplyDeleteAlso, hopefully you will soon be out walking again.
I have never heard of Theranos or the series "Dropout". If your verdict is good, I may have look on Netflix (is it there?).
I don't know if it is on Netflix. I think the series has much to say about data protection and secrecy.
DeleteI hope you get that form snafu sorted satisfactorily. I have heard baby foxes called kits and read that in books too, mostly children's books by Enid Blyton, The Famous Five or The Secret Seven. Here most people say cubs.
ReplyDeleteSame here.
DeleteHow frustrating for you - it sounds like an imposible task. Hopefully you will be able to resolve the matter - perhaps they will let the matter drop? Then again, it's all about
ReplyDeletebureaucracy isn't it!
Do hope that your feet are soon back out and about - I always enjoy your walks and the superb photos that accompany them.
I yearn for a long walk without pain.
DeleteGout, the rich man's disease.
ReplyDeleteI think I may have heard of fox kittens.
I know about 'The Dropout' case and it would be good to see and hear some detail.
Football doesn't interest me much but I do enjoy https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067946778709
You are a very mischievous man Andrew!
DeleteI would have been more surprised if you had been able to get the P45. Its like trying to knit with fog. The responsibility should be firmly at the door of HMRC in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your gout, I have never had it but do know that it's extremely painful. Hope it gets better soon.
We started watching The Dropout last night. It's excellent. I find TV less and less enjoyable these days, preferring a book so it's good to find something interesting.
And no guns, violence or cops!
DeleteGout sounds like a very painful affliction. I have investigated possible remedies and suggest that a daily diet of just steamed rice and chamomile tea for at least the next six months should sort it out for you.
ReplyDeleteCertainly what we eat and drink greatly affects the chemistry of our bodies.
DeleteWe are supposed to drink 6 pints a day. Water that is not Tetleys. Well Tetleys tea maybe? Gout is very painful. Odema isn't nice either.
ReplyDeleteThis bout of gout is taking too long to clear. I might have to visit my GP if it carries on.
DeleteI have always found that the best way to deal with HMRC (which I have had to do with at least 6 matters in 20 years) is by letter, especially as they wrote to you first. It might take then 9 months to get back to you, what's that after 44 years.
ReplyDeleteThe address on the letter is, I think, too vague for me to post to.
DeleteYou could go stand in their office until the talk with you? Take a lunch, it might be a long wait.
ReplyDeleteFirst I would need to find where their office is. I guess it is 180 miles away.
DeleteYou may be caught in the matrix. I surely wish I had any suggestions at all for either the bureaucracy or the gout. I do not. I do have a small story that my son told me about a friend of his who got gout. He went to the doctor who immediately began lecturing him on rich foods he needed to avoid and the young man said, "But I'm a vegan!" Weighed about 98 pounds.
ReplyDeleteGout can strike anyone - but mostly men!
DeleteOh, good, I had said "kit" so I only got 1 wrong then. Not bad!
ReplyDeleteYou will persist and get that old employment record cleared up, Neil. I have confidence in you.
Glad to hear your foot is improving. I never know what new ache I will have in the morning - getting old is not easy.
Thanks for your faith in me Ellen!
DeleteI've got The Dropout on my list of things to watch. Hope your gout improves soon so you can resume your gallivanting.
ReplyDeleteI have been doing too much sitting around and resting.
DeleteReminds me of a time when our quiz master asked us about which state was had water along both it's east and west sides. We all knew it was an Iowa answer since many questions were Iowa based, but someone had to hold up the show and argue Hawaii for awhile. Finally the quiz master relented just to get the show going again.
ReplyDeleteI never knew "kit" was a minority answer. Makes me wonder what else in my world is odd to the rest of the world.
People will often want to argue the toss when it comes to quizzing.
DeleteOh, interesting. When I said I got 10/10 on your quiz, I assumed that the young fox answer was "kits." Maybe it's an American thing?
ReplyDeleteThis P45 thing DOES sound absurd. Maybe if you tell them you've made a good-faith effort and explain the circumstances they will waive it. I mean, how can you prove something when there's no longer any documentation?
Re. the P45 - I thought that is what would happen when I phoned them on Monday. I never expected to be sent off on a wild goose chase.
DeleteThank you for accepting "kit". Also, if it won't pain you too much more, please forget my request for bonus points and let me finish with a perfect score.
ReplyDeleteOkay, you can have your perfect score if it makes you smile Kelly!
Delete