Spring Break, Daylight Savings, and Barbie

The children were on "Spring Break" last week. Normally I love school breaks and having them home, but I was anxious this time: worried about how they would occupy themselves in this new place. In the event, the week flew by and we had to arise early again this Monday morning and get them off to school - whereupon I sit here with my normal post break blues. Perhaps that's a good sign. The entire week was fantastically warm, and we managed some gardening and walks. Andrew played some sort of ball every day with Spencer. Sally and I did some shopping and library visiting.

The clocks went forward TWO weeks ago, which is preposterously early. At the end of March that extra hour makes little difference in terms of daylight, but at the beginning, it meant that we were back to waking up in total darkness. Horrid. Now it's just dawn again at 6:30 and tolerable.

I have been visiting my mother and, with the help of a book found in the library, we have been sorting out the Barbie doll collection that my sisters and I played with as children. What good children we were too, as most outfits are complete and in good condition. My grandmother sent us our Barbie Dolls for Christmas in 1961 with a generous set of clothes. Subsequent Christmases saw more clothes and we have 90% of the original vintage wardrobe. It was great fun putting all the outfits and their accessories together, and even more fun seeing, from this book, how much all this stuff is worth. Of course, it's all very well being told that "Friday Date" (the ensembles all have names) is worth $$$, but I know enough not to count my chickens. None-the-less, a conservative totting up put our collection at some $6000.

Global Economy?

One thing that we're having to contend with since moving here is that we cannot get a dollar denominated credit card.  We still have our UK cards, of course, and can use them, but now-a-days, most credit card companies charge a commission on foreign transactions, which I'd rather not pay on top of  this abysmal exchange rate.

So we've applied at various places for a card, but are always turned down.  The reason given? We 'don't have a credit history.' 

Now quite apart from the fact that my nieces - ages 18-24, without a credit history of any kind - are bombarded with pre-approved credit card applications, the credit reference agencies that are confident that we have no credit history are called Experian and Equifax.  That's right, the very same credit reference agencies used in the UK and with whom I have some 27 years of credit history.  Our bank tells us that they could conceivably ask to look at our UK credit history, but they would not be allowed to take it into account when making a decision.   Global economy anyone?

It gets better.  Andrew has had an American Express card since 1973.  He wants a dollar denominated American Express card, but has been refused because, apparently, he has 'no credit history.'

A retailer invited us to apply in-store for their credit card, with the added enticement of a luscious chocolate cake for those making an application.  We told the woman that we knew they wouldn't give us a card.  Apply anyway, she said, you'll get the cake just for applying.   Andrew obliged.  What fun it was when, a couple of weeks later, a rejection letter arrived in the post.  Only this time the reason cited was that 'the applicant was deceased.'   Do you think in this global economy, the US credit reference agency might liaise with our UK insurance company so that we could arrange to collect our life policy?