Exchange!!!

So today I felt really really rubbish. I've been very emotional, mainly thinking about DB and how he comes home soon but NOT SOON ENOUGH. I also came home to a letter informing me that I had missed a payment due three days ago and was getting a charge. All because I've changed bank accounts and have allowed the new bank to automatically change over all my direct debits. There is enough money in both accounts to pay all direct debits so I queried over the phone and asked a) Why can you not use the new direct debit (it needs ten days) b) Why can't you take money from the old account (because we've been instructed to use the new one) c) Can I please NOT be charged a penalty as this seems to be a bank fault, not me blatantly trying to get out of paying a fee (No, you didn't pay, you were late, so we're charging you) d) Shouldn't you have sent me a warning or a letter or phoned me to get the money a different way (Are you telling us how to do our job) e) Is there by any change anyone else I can speak to as there seems to be a bit of an issue here, and I don't really appreciate your last comment and the tone it was delivered in (....click).

So I've been charged, hung up on, and when I called back 'the office is closed, please call back...' I realise now the girl was probably at the end of a long hard day but I'm still upset. I've put my complaint about the charge in with the financial ombudsman and emailed the company to complain about the conversation and the hanging up. But sometimes stuff like that opens a big emotional wave that makes you feel pathetic about caring what other people say :(

So I call up my gym (the direct debit was for the gym... the financial company deals with direct debits on their behalf) and ask if I can still come to class tonight, thankfully my membership hasn't been 'switched off'.

On the way I pick a parcel up from a friend returned from Iraq...

I open it when I get to the gym early, still emotional, still stressed, ready to do a yoga/pilates/tai chi style class....

I smell a faint soothing smell...

I see my favourite colours (blue-green)...

and a beautiful arching, plant-like-tree-like spread of gorgeous stitching....

I'm always amazed at how many people receive exchanges at the end of particularly rubbish days. I felt so happy and calmed and soothed when I saw this package by Cari who blogs Seaside Snippets. She must have known what colours I loved and she knew I was embarking on a quilting project - thank you so much for looking Cari!

What a beautiful biscornu, it really is perfect, I can't stop staring at it! She also sent me a tin of soothing balm (the faint relaxing smell I detected when opening the package), some Gutermann threads in a sweet tin and a quilting magazine which I've already flicked through once-fast-to-see-all-the-pictures and then again to read the articles and pour over the details :D

So after my class and looking at the biscornu and goodies again I feel so much better, best get some sleep before tomorrow :) night xx