We’re looking forward to a relaxing weekend, but first, I have to deal with a financial issue.  I noticed a strange charge on my credit card in January, “Interneteducationd” for $9.95.  I tried to think if there was anything I had ordered.  I spend a lot of time looking at things on the internet, searching for teaching ideas.  Maybe I inadvertently placed an order?  Judy went through the same checklist, but couldn’t figure out what it might be.

The same charge just came up on our February statement, so I started trying to figure out what it is.  There was a phone number listed with the transaction on our online bank account.  Since I don’t have international calling on our phones, Courtney makes the call for us.  She gets the run-around and when someone finally picks up the phone, they wouldn’t say who they were, and only said they were an online money-making company.  Yeah, no kidding!  I sent a note to our Chase credit card company explaining the situation.  I quickly got a note, stating that the money had been refunded into our acct.  Last night I got an email stating that our credit card acct had been suspended until the issue could be resolved.  There was a phone number to the fraud dept., so today we fix it.

I contact my parents on Facetime.  My sister answers.  She’s visiting them in Fort Worth, so she agrees to serve as a middleman (or middlewoman).  She makes the call to the fraud department, explains the situation, and introduces me.  I begin talking, through Facetime, to the phone as she holds it up to the iPad.  This may seem like a lot of trouble, but when our account was suspended in August, phone charges totaled $170.  For more info on that situation, check the July/August blog entries.

After a verbal explanation from me, the bank people tell me that indeed the charge I had cancelled was attempted again, so the bank is sure someone has my acct. number.  I’m going to need a new card.  They’re going to move all activity to another card number, and send us new cards.  The real fun starts when I begin trying to explain I’m in China, and they need to send the cards to Judy’s school.   Trying to verbally give the address over the phone is interesting with the unusual Chinese spellings, and an iffy connection.  My sister has to intervene a few times to resolve questions, but we finally get it done.  Now, we’ll see if the cards actually arrive.

Later in the afternoon, Judy and I go the Marriott.  I’m going to swim, and she’s going to sit on the deck, use the hotel wifi, and do schoolwork.  It’s a relaxing afternoon.  Afterwards, we decide we’re going to use our Marriott discount card and eat at the Indian restaurant on the property.  They have a sampler item on the menu, and we end up having twelve different Indian delicacies.  We waddle out two hours later, and head home to attempt a recovery.