More clouds and showers today. After last night's direct message exchange with the EE helpline about the booster, another response which explained exactly how to find the Android o/s option to switch on wi-fi calls from a mobile phone, with no need for a clumsy complex app to intervene in the process. I switched on Clare's phone first, but thought my Blackberry was too old to include it, but when I tried the same routine I found the switch in a menu I didn't know existed, and now we can both make wi-fi mobile calls, as long as we're within wi-fi signal range. Best of all, I don't have to buy a new phone for now.
I had a welcome email from my friend Valdo in Aigle, recommending, if I needed a new phone, the Fairphone 4 which Ann-Lise bought last year and is very pleased with. It's built to be easily repairable, is manufactured in an eco-friendly way with materials ethically sourced. It's made by a Dutch company, guaranteed life of five years, and available though EE. It costs £500 however, more than double what I have ever paid for a mobile phone. But, it would be worth it if the Blackberry died. Battery life is half what it was when new and it is rather battered looking, but it still soldiers on. In reality I don't make that much use of the phone for making calls. I use it a great deal as a pocket computer in effect, more on wi-fi than on the 4G network. I don't use the available weekly allowances with my PAYG SIM card, so taking out a monthly contract and paying for a new phone over two years, as is the standard practice nowadays, in order to have fabulous amounts of data and calling time seems a pointless expense.
I drove to St Peter's Fairwater to celebrate the midweek Eucharist with over twenty people present, and joined the congregation for coffee in the hall afterwards. Among the worshippers was Jane Fenwick, wife of Fr Richard, a priest contemporary of mine, out this morning covering someone else's midweek service. We haven't met since they both stayed with us on a visit to Geneva over twenty five years ago. That was a delightful surprise.
When I returned there was the weekly veggie bag to collect, and then after lunch a grocery shopping trip to the Co-op before taking a walk in the park. When Clare went off to her Pilates class before supper, I recorded and edited next week's Morning Prayer audio. Later, I watched this week's episode of 'Shetland' and avoided the news, which is all about the Prime Minister's first day, and how the media pundits view her performance. All pretty tiresome really.
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