Scrutiny nightmare

Another cold dry day, with clouds and sunshine on times. After breakfast, Clare went to her study group, and I caught up on Monday's housework. I had a text message from 'Thirdfort', the digital identity service used by Owain's conveyancing solicitors. No response from them about being able to do this process on a laptop. The company website was brilliant at blowing its own trumpet, but offered no answer to this question. Owain found a number, called the help line and was told it wasn't available on anything other than a mobile phone. No reason given. 

I was obliged to install the company's app on my phone, and go through the lengthy procedure of proving who I am yet again, only this was more difficult. Nothing I did could persuade their image analysis routine that my passport photo as acceptable. I must have tried twenty times without success. It was hard enough to achieve this with the Credas i/d procedure. The passport isn't designed to be easy to photograph or scan. This is not taken into account at all. In the end, I tried using the option to use a photo of my driving license. It worked first time, and the procedure finally confirmed that I am who my documents say I am.

In addition, I was required not only to state how much money is being gifted to Owain for his flat deposit, but to allow this system to access my bank account and interrogate the digital record directly. I was also required to give information about my sources of pension income. I regard the latter two queries as an enforced invasion of personal privacy. I have never used a mobile banking app, nor would I wish to, but I was required to use my personal security details to log in on the phone as well. Santander seem to be OK and reassuring about the security of this intrusive procedure, but it left me feeling less secure than I was when I got up this morning.  It was exhaustingly stressful. And it was so problematic that I lost several hours of time that I needed to spend on other things. Fortunately, Clare returned and made lunch while I was still struggling to complete the process.

I was glad of a walk in sunny cold fresh air after lunch. Outside the stables on Pontcanna Fields, I took a photo of the first daffodil bud this year to start bursting into flower in this locality. There are hundred of snowdrops now, but so far only a handful of purple crocuses. I'll be in Spain by the time the rest emerge, but it won't be long now.

Clare and I ate separately this evening as she had a meditation group meeting to attend. While she was out I prepared and then recorded next week's Morning Prayer and Reflection for Candlemass Day, ahead of time, to give myself some slack while I'm settling down in Fuengirola. When I'd done this and uploaded it to YouTube, I watched episode four of 'Happy Valley'. sadly I'll miss the two final episodes, as there's no means of watching UK telly available in the chaplaincy house, that I'm aware of. There doesn't seem to be a chaplain's computer any longer either, but I'll take my own anyway. This seems more commonplace now although finding a device fit for current purpose while on locum duty has been rare.

I got my travel bag down from on top of the wardrobe this evening, and put the first few things in it. My must-do job for tomorrow, to avoid last minute rush on departure day, Thursday.