Windfall

The day started much as any other. Being Thursday, we expected Ocado (now that things are settling back down we have regained our usual slot), and Urban-Cub and Ellie had plans to meet up with the Princess and her brood at Fisher's Farm. It was all very routine.

There was a clatter as the post was pushed through the letterbox. The Gorse Fox didn't take a lot of notice. Most of his correspondence nowadays is via email. He was surprised therefor to find two letters addressed to him. Both were from the Department for Work and Pensions. He idly opened the first, expecting it to be a simple statement. Oh no, this was no simple statement. This was the sort of statement you would get if Carlsberg did DWP statements with M&S. 

It appears that DWP had been underpaying the Gorse Fox ever since he retired. They have just spotted it and will reimburse the difference. That was a result. He checked his bank. A payment had been made, but not the amount mentioned. The Gorse Fox phoned DWP and checked he wasn't dreaming. No. It was for real, and because of the amount they are paying it in two instalments so they didn't have to go and get separate authorisation.

An email arrived. It was HMRC suggesting the Gorse Fox should look at his Personal Tax Account. Sure enough they were very quick off the mark and had already calculated how much tax the Gorse Fox should have paid on the little windfall and said that, as a result, he had underpaid and please could they have some of their money back. The Government giveth and the Government taketh away. The Gorse Fox is not complaining. He is still gazing at a healthy pot (and that's nothing to do with weight-gain during lockdown).

With this money burning a metaphorical hole in his pocket, the Gorse Fox (always a romantic) suggested that he take the Silver Vixen out. So it was that we spent 30 minutes finishing the last few bits of shopping in Sainsbury's before coming home for lunch.

While thinking about money, he decided it was time to write to Virgin Holiday again, and to write to VIP Attractions in Jamaica. The latter promised a refund in 90 days... it has been 113 so far and no refund has appeared.

The rest of the afternoon was spent looking at a selection of paving slabs and tiles, trying to get some ideas for the back garden. We have a chap coming to give us a quote next week and it would be useful to have some idea what we want first!