A Tiny Blessing

ATM is the best way to get money from the States. Best exchange rate. Especially if you don't have to pay any fee for the withdrawal which is true with my credit union and on this end too. My debit card expired and I wasn't prepared. Hadn't thought about the expiration date even when I looked at it. We don't keep much extra money here so I had to deal with it. With rare exception our mail goes to a PO Box in the US. A new card was already waiting for me to come back with Katrinka next time she went up there but now we couldn't wait. It came DHL It was different. No numbers on front. No strip to pull off, not a number to call. I called the bank. The card was activated. I went to the ATM - I always go to my bank with a 24 hour guard. Not that I've ever heard of a bank being robbed here but because naughty Eastern European men have been fiddling with some machines so they can read your card when you insert it and poof! your account is drained. That's called phishing. I've been phished twice and since the 2nd time it's always an ATM with 24 hour guard. I stood before the machine eager to get some cash and then I realized I hadn't gotten the pin number. Had it been sent in a separate envelope? Had it been accidentally discarded. I'd have to go back home and call the bank again. But what the heck. I'm standing here in front of the machine so I tried it and voila! those smart bank people had applied the old pin to the new card. A tiny blessing. Shopping ensued.