At this point it becomes apparent that Barclays bank deserve a special mention.

As soon as we realised what had happened, we contacted them to cancel our cards. I gave them my details then they insisted on talking to my wife who was in a bad way. I handed the phone over and she managed to give most of her details before breaking down and I took it back off her and finished off. Then they said they needed to talk to her again. I gave her back the phone. They then tried to persuade her to increase her loan.

Today we realised her chequebook was missing so we went through the same performance and after 40 minutes of holding and being passed from one to another, we got the chequebook stopped.

Then they asked her if she wanted to increase her loan again.

I cannot adequately convey my contempt for them.

Sorry [/rant]

Thanks for all the kind comments.

What really surprises me is my own reaction to the incident. Normally I would be the first to advocate the birch, but this time I keep finding myself thinking how awful it must be to fetch up in a position where you have to do things like this.

I went to bed at 03:00 this morning and my wife got up at about 09:30. Between those times we had a visitor.

They took my card wallet and ancient bottom of the range phobile moan from next to my K20, but left the camera.

They took a couple of pouches of baccy from the corner where my 150-500 lives.

They leant across 4 DA*s and three other lenses to and took £10 in cash from the shelf.

So now I am going to sharpen up my security and re-consider insurance.

And of course be even more distrustful of canikoners.

I know how to do this, but not when. Is it something that people do periodically or do you wait until a problem becomes apparent?

From their website* -


Pentax House
Heron Drive
Langley
Slough
SL3 8PN

* but that's no guarantee.

Enjoy yourself Gwyn.

Hi Trooper - welcome to the forum.

I have the 150-500 and like it very much, but it is not particularly sharp at 500mm wide open. Stop it down a couple of clicks and it really starts to work well.

Of - and get some Weetabix.

Mea culpa Martin.

I do however think you were a little harsh on my reply to the link - I was nearly 1000 miles away, so my shooting wasn't that bad

Dan - would it be viable to do both and give readers the choice?

Oops. Maybe she was jealous of her sister and was trying to fly as well.

It reminds me of my short time in the RAF. A team of guys were refuelling a Tornado which had a fault. The fault meant that that only the tanks at the back filled up. They realised what was happening and all grabbed at the nose leg and air intakes, and were hanging there working out how to stop it tipping backwards when a Warrant Officer turned up and told that to stand to attention. One of them tried to explain what was going on but the WO threatened to charge him for disobeying an order so they all let go and ran. There was a resounding THUNK as the Tornado fell backwards onto it's tail.