Allium, rhododendron, lady slippers, account fraud

Awake at 4:30 a.m., pondering our banking issues, I was happy to have slept in until then. 

It was a buggy, rainy day on Tuesday, and I must admit I accomplished little else than worrying. Lots of phone calls and emails, trying to resolve the account fraud. There have been lots of emails from my automatic payments. They didn't have my VISA number, just my bank account number. My VISA was still whole. Our old accounts are frozen, deposit only. 

We've been trying to keep ourselves entertained. CNN has been quite the deal, with the Hush Money Trial, as well as tennis. Bugs and spotty rain all day. We fretted indoors. The trick with tennis is figuring out which of the games we'd like to tape at 5:30 a.m.., with the men and women's on various TSN channels. It helps to have insomnia. 

We chilled out with a new show, After the Flood. It is good to have a murder mystery, plus a disaster. It puts one's own issues in perspective. 

🐈 🐦 

With the new doorbell, I am trying to retrain the cats. If a bell rings in a TV show, Cinnamon would wake up and look for danger. With the old bell, Nutmeg would run away from the door. It is handy in trying to keep her indoors. The new one wasn't having that effect, with its Windsor chime, so I keep entering loudly after ringing the new bell. Cinnamon watched Nutmeg run by him when I did so. He really glared at her!

They meow! Catbirds:

  

Gray catbird from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

This is with my phone. May, 2024, with my camera, in the evergreen behind the horse chestnut tree.

grey catbirds from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Up in the sky, is it a bird? Is it a plane? 

I was reminded by someone who posted lady slipper photos, to put on bug spray and go see if ours were blooming! They are.

This sad one was horizontal to the ground. The next had no flower. 

The weigela is in blossom, despite Fred nibbling.

People are posting amazing photos of their rhododendrons in bloom. I wrapped this plant over the winter and it graced me with two blossoms. For that I am grateful.The red one didn't bloom at all. 

Allium:

Fred update

Freda is still nest building. She is quick, though. I am not sure of Fred is still around. They are solitary critters, and I think he's already knocked her up. I've a video of him chasing her! Her belly is lovely and round.

 

Fred nest building from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We shall see what this new day brings.

Bank Fraud, fungus and flowers

 OK, bank fraud. I wrote about that. We've lost $1550. The bank's manager figured it out and explained it to me after we made an appointment to see her. The person who phoned saying they were from the bank was not. No one was trying to use my credit card in Vancouver. It was the thief. I should have hung up and phoned the bank myself. Lesson learned. They weren't after my credit card, in hindsight, and how did they get the number of my bank account?

We've new debit cards. Our old accounts are locked down, deposit only. We've a new account and I'll have to change a ton of information. It'll be a long week. I am losing sleep. 

Lesson learned. Well, it's only money. I'm getting email messages from various businesses where my payments have bounced. I email back and tell them the card was compromised. It'll take 4 - 10 days to get a new credit card. I'm still so angry humans can do this to one another for a trivial amount of money to them. 

💰 💸 🤑 💰 💸 🤑 💰 💸 🤑 💰 💸 🤑 💰 💸 🤑 

 After a massive storm rolled through (20mm rain), I am happy to look at the previous days' photos.

Little teeny caterpillars!

The jack-in-the-pulpit is in bloom! The iris, as well, which sits in front of it. 

Solomon's Seal:

I took this photo last week. The sun shining on the fungus.

I went back, and realized that the tree had broken and is leaning on another. I'll have to set it down, as it is dangerous in the winds. I didn't even notice there was a crack in the base. It is totally detached.

This planter is doing well. Butch raccoon wasn't attracted to that one.

Funny thing. I went to look at this planter. The white petunia, on the left, was pulled out and left on its side. I had to replant it. 

I had to tuck in the Angel's Trumpet seedlings, as well. Fresh dirt means a possible food source to squirrels. Raccoons, as well. 

The culprit? Two possibilities. our new hare or Butch! 

Butch raccoon from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Butch May 23 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The pair of cottontails we had seem to have disappeared. This is a new critter.

hare from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Gay Pride, Noise & Fraud

 Gay Pride flag in Smiths Falls

We drove by May 16th, around 4 p.m. I read in the news:

Smiths Falls police arrest man for hate-motivated mischief, assault after incident at pride flag crosswalk

They arrested the man, who spit on a Smiths Falls employee repainting the flag. The press release says that the employee was approached by a male suspect who proceeded to spit on them while making homophobic comments. 

Saturday night, in the dark.

 

 Sat May 25 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

We've narrowed the noise down to Otty Lake Side Rd.  Someone thinks they saw fireworks. 

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💰Friday, May 24 💳

I could scream. I was out walking in the forest. Happily I had my phone with me. The bank's credit card fraud department phoned me and asked if I'd purchased something in Vancouver, as the IP address did not match my Ontario computer address. They wouldn't allow it to go through until they checked with me. I said I was not shopping there. They cancelled my card. This happened before, and now I'll have to change all my credit card automatic payments to my charities. I'll get a new card on Wednesday, they think.

🏦  Saturday, May 25

I was sent an email telling me that we’d used up our daily withdrawal limit of the chequing account. Almost $1000 in 5 different transactions. I phoned them right away. Both my cards are now frozen. And I may or may not get my money back, after they review the file. 

 How can people do this to one another? 

The fraud department cancelled my debit card. I cannot log into my bank account online. Our banks are closed on weekends here in rural Ontario. Monday I'll get on this. 

I'm to contact: Equifax Canada or TransUnion Canada. Also, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

What to do if you're a victim of fraud (Canada)

1. Collect your thoughts
2. Contact your financial institutions
3. Contact the police
4. Report the incident
5. Protect yourself from future fraud

It's going to be a long week. Direct deposits, automatic payments, closed accounts all have to be changed. 

This was the calm before the storm.

storm from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.