Bit of a rant today

 Morning all you Saltirists. (H/T DAD)

Disturbing our routines, plus independence for us aging sods

If I pay Prime, I expect Prime service and yesterday afternoon was bad. The only reason I bother with Amz is their driver tracking, so I can see when to come downstairs, esp. in this cold.

We've been getting continentals delivering, which is fine, some with rudimentary English and yet it's still fine for me, having lived in eastern Europe. What disturbs me is those of other, more dangerous cultures.

Yesterday, there was zero warning onscreen. The buzzer worked here but the driver was not only Chinese, he had not a word of English and was a hard, wizened, soldier type. We don't get many deathculters ... just once or twice. I'm thinking whether to take this matter up but maybe I'll just not give a report this time, at all. What are they doing in middle-America though?

Even more disturbing is that the Indian call centre malaise has crossed the pond it seems. I don't mind the Indians whose English is halfway ok but not the others ... they just add to stress.

But they're at least human ... the worst of all are the press one press two options ... I don't want bleedin' "options", I want a human speaking English, with the power to sort things out.

Independence

It's everything after you sort out your spiritual, mental and physical health. All are vital components and all create independence. Now, each of us has pre-existing, I call it ... mine is the heart disease and various joints but overall, pretty physically fit ... but only because I do not go out unless it's for my own reasons.

Dental is holding up but who knows with dental? Still, sticking to routines is vital. At this age, you have all sorts to sort, inc. children and grandchildren. If, like me, you no longer do, then far from being bad (loneliness and all that), it's how to find minutes in the day ... that's my particular issue, esp. now, early morn ... I struggle to stay on top of the checklist.

Recognising your age limitations, as Clint might say, is a huge hurdle ... if you can stay active and vital, watch the diet, keep it reasonably lean, sip liquid all day, cut out the ciggies maybe ... that's your affair but there's also a thing called doing yourself no favours.

Be ruthless ... if there are one or two real stresses upon you ... you must sort them and now. I don't mean general irascibility, which we all develop, where everyone and everything annoys us ... no, I mean one or two which must be minimised to stay sane and even healthy.

I'd say afap don't dwell, esp. on things we can't change. There's an industrial area near us and some toerag is using some machine which beeps, possibly as it reverses ... it was going late evening and started at 0430 this morning ... a mile or so away. Whom to complain to?  Would it make any difference? Can I go to the other room to escape? All these questions need resolution.