Having a breakfast of tea and a sausage roll in the Trent.
I was going to invite Jayne to meet me here or in the Portland for coffee this afternoon but when I got here half an hour ago I found that the car park by the Trent Building was almost full. That was a surprise because we are still in the the vacation. As I walked through the Trent Building courtyard I discovered the reason, exams, retakes probably. There were signs directing people to various exam halls. So I think we'll stick with finding a café in Beeston rather than risk not being able to park her car.
I hope you do receive the refund. It seems so many companies now contract basic services to outsiders without really caring about the quality or any losses to the customer.
Anyone can, and does, make mistakes but if I had a bad experience with such a contractor and the problem was not resolved fully and rapidly, I'd be reluctant to use the booked business in future, and tell it so, on the grounds of negligent supervision the contractor.
{Negligent supervision so allowing very poor work was one factor in the Tay Bridge Disaster... only that killed a large number of people. Clearly, the basic lesson has not been learnt, be it a massive corporate failing like the Post Office + Fujitsu affair, or a disappointed hotel customer.}
@ArishMell The host has approved the cancellation so that should mean I get a refund from Booking.com. The host pointed out that they had not received the money from Booking.com because they had declined the booking but I still had to request a cancellation through Booking.com. That sends a message to the host requesting a free cancellation. Why this is not automatic in such cases I don't understand, nor do I understand why Booking.com thinks it reasonable to charge one's card before finding out if the accommodation is actually available.
Jayne used to work in the same street where we had coffee this afternoon but that was twenty years ago so she had no better idea than I did about which of the several cafes to try. So we just wandered down the main street for a while. Then we spotted the Pudding Pantry and went in thinking we would have just tea and cake. But it really does do pudding, that's dessert if you want to be posh.
In the bottom right of the menu I spotted a trifle and realized that i can't remember the last time I had trifle. Jayne had the item next above that which was a lemon cheesecake. I had an Americano and Jayne had a pot of tea. Jayne's tea was well presented; loose leaf tea in a large teapot with an extra saucer provide so that one can take out the filter (which is equipped with a folding plastic handle) once the tea has brewed to one's liking and have somewhere to put it.
The trifle was excellent and Jayne was over the moon with her cheesecake. Pretty good for a completely random choice!
So the Pudding Pantry in Beeston High Road is highly recommended: https://www.thepuddingpantry.co.uk/beeston
I went out to coffee with Jayne this afternoon. She was in male mode of course. I wore the wig I bought from Rosalind at Nottingham Chameleons on Thursday.
It needs a little adjustment and I need to trim the lace at the front but I won't do that until I'm feeling a lot more certain that I know what I'm doing.
I was complimented on it by a woman in charity shop this morning before I met up with Jayne. It's been quite a few decades since I had hair that fell around my face so it's going to take a while to get used to. It might also have the beneficial effect of making me walk with my head held higher which is no bad thing.
Just got a message from the place I booked in Longbridge declining the booking. But Booking.com has already taken my money and has given no indication of when it will be refunded.
I've been getting steadily less pleased with Booking.com and this makes me reluctant to use them. I'm sure they used to be better.
Now I have to find somewhere else to stay tomorrow, grr!
After Jayne and I said our goodbyes (won't see her in person again until next year) I walked back to my room and took off my wig and put on a hat and a light shirt over my top because it was getting a little cool. Went for one last stroll around Jesse Boot's marvellous legacy and then dropped in at the Coop on the way back for some fish for dinner.
Here's the outfit in the courtyard of the Trent Building:
When i get home I'll have to construct some sort of stand for the I to live on or it will just be a tangled mess when I want to wear it. And of course I'll have to find somewhere for the stand to stand.
