We could do with an aimless thread for those things worthy of mention, but not actually worth of an entire topic....
Nonetheless, experiment/recommendation of the day;
Fresh bread, brie, blueberry jam, breville sandwich maker and a bottle of white wine..
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Mother's Day this Sunday but I got my card two weeks ago.
Pat
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Mince 'n tatties with a whole bag of dried figs and three tablespoons of Lea and Perrins cooked in with the mince.
Didn't taste brilliant but it must be a whole lot cheaper than professional colonic irrigation.
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Last week I learned I've got a bonus coming shortly. Monday the tuner packed up on the main TV.
This morning I found a fiver. This afternoon I had to spend £15 on a heavy duty oil filter wrench as some gorilla had overtightened it so much the strap wrench wouldn't budge it.
Easy come, easy go :-(
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Coupla days ago I received a letter from the "Equitable Life Payment Scheme" advising me that the brief period I paid some AVCs into the NHS pension Scheme (mid 1990s - run by the aforementioned Eq Life) meant I was now due some compo due to the "Government maladministration in the regulation of Equitable Life".
My hoooge fund of £1353.11 has been assessed as being £263.98 less than if the money had been placed in a similar product not run by a bunch of fools.
After applying pro rata* (read euphemism for how many pence in the pound I get of this difference) I am expecting a cheque for £59.13 in the next few days.
*for those interested they are paying out 22.4p for every £1 that has been calculated as a loss.
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Usual tree surgeon has done the annual job but instead of the usual invoice from his company in the post, he rang me today to ask for a cheque straight away, made out to him personally. I'm meeting him in town on a street corner tomorrow to hand it over and then he's "going away on holiday at 11am".
Who knows what that's all about. At least he owns the company...
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>> Usual tree surgeon has done the annual job but instead of the usual invoice from
>> his company in the post, he rang me today to ask for a cheque straight
>> away, made out to him personally. I'm meeting him in town on a street corner
>> tomorrow to hand it over and then he's "going away on holiday at 11am".
>>
>> Who knows what that's all about. At least he owns the company...
Or more likely the bank or inland revenue now now the company.....
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Yeah, but what you gonna do? It's not like the trees are going to suddenly grow back, right? No, wait...
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You don't want a tree surgeon - you want one of these www.screwfix.com/p/titan-pole-saw-ttb426gdo-750w-electric-pole-pruner-230v-2-6m/99641
I bought mine a few months ago when it was on special offer and tried it out for the first time today - and it was surprisingly brilliant. It cut through small branches like a hot knife through butter. So far, I have to say, it is fully deserving of those 5* reviews. Good idea to wear a hard-hat though!
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>> You don't want a tree surgeon - you want one of these www.screwfix.com/p/titan-pole-saw-ttb426gdo-750w-electric-pole-pruner-230v-2-6m/99641
>>
>> I bought mine a few months ago when it was on special offer and tried
>> it out for the first time today - and it was surprisingly brilliant. It cut
>> through small branches like a hot knife through butter. So far, I have to say,
>> it is fully deserving of those 5* reviews. Good idea to wear a hard-hat though!
Yeah, glue a chain saw onto the end of a 2 metre pole and wave it around in the air The scope for human and animal carnage is immense.
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"Coupla days ago I received a letter from the "Equitable Life Payment Scheme" ….."
I got one of these out of the blue last August (also AVCs) - I had forgotten about/given up all hope of getting anything. ISTR a cheque arrived for ~£370.
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Last edited by: NIL on Wed 26 Mar 14 at 20:27
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Today we discovered that Sid, the apparently least intelligent of the four cats, thought incapable of catching anything larger than a shrew, in fact has a large stash of rabbit, pigeon and squirrel hidden in the tractor shed.
He gave himself away when the peacock suddenly caused a panic in the animal household with a loud screech at close quarters. Sid promptly fled to his lair to check his food supply was all right, just like Irene Adler betraying her hidden safe when Sherlock Holmes set off a fire alarm.
The minute shrews Sid brings in and leaves for the other cats are revealed as only decoys.
You never can tell with cats - lazy, stupid, shrewd and devious.
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I like the sound of Sid. Good name for a cat as well.
My mother had 4 cats; Eric, Ernie, Sid and Sam.
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Took a Yaris for service at main dealer yesterday and found a pound coin on the passenger seat. Taking another one tomorrow...hope I find another. We pensioners need all the help we can get !
Found a source of the same almond slices that Safeway used to sell under their own brand name. Discontinued when Morrisons took over and went on to Kipling or some such. mmmmm, bought 4 packets from the 'yellow shop ' near daughter's house. 99p for a six pack !
A guy I knew vaguely had a Boxer dog called Slobber....It don't not get much better !
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Serendipity is the thing.
Maybe there should be a permanent spot here called “serendipity”.
I don't read a printed newspaper much these days and I'm beginning to miss the moments when I learn something new by finding out by accident: reading a newspaper is a good way as it flips from politics through economics to fashion and literature in the turn of a couple of pages. Reading a daily on the net is not the same – you seek out what you want and rarely happen upon something unrelated to your initial search.
Maybe this is a result of the way we look at things today – now you can personalise your search, personalise your environment, personalise your news and miss out on surprise. Twitteratti people follow those they want and miss out on the rest and so on.
PS I got one of those Titan "small chainsaws on a stick" from Screwfix too. It's brilliant, but when cutting high branches BEWARE as gravity has its usual effect - they can and do fall on you and I have the scars to prove it.
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Good man, DE, I wasn't suggesting that Zed ("The scope for human and animal carnage is immense") should use it as a tooth-pick ;-)
On the subject of falling branches ……. gravity kicks in surprisingly quickly, doesn't it, hence the recommendation for a hard-hat. You don't get much time to jump out of the way!
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>> Serendipity is the thing.
>>
>> moments when I learn something new by finding out by accident: reading a newspaper is
>> a good way as it flips from politics through economics to fashion and literature in
>> the turn of a couple of pages.
Have you ever idly browsed through an old newspaper lining the bottom of drawers or found under lino?
Signor Mussolini is meeting Herr Hitler and M. Daladier to resolve the Munich crisis, or Mr Profumo has resigned. Players Navy Cut now 2/6d, Mars bars 4d.
For a short moment it all feels true, because it's in the newspaper. Then real-time floods back in.
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That made me smile at this unearthly hour:)
Pat
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Ok, it's early days, and perhaps a bit clunky, but how do you fancy being someone else for a while? Give it five years and this stuff might be everywhere.
One of those techy "wow" things for me.
youtu.be/dOSJETowuik
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Me and 'er popped into Morrisons at Wincanton on the way back from Sarfampton. She wanted some flowers for her Mum and chose a beautiful arrangement which looked every bit a twenty quid job but had a pencil written cardboard sticker attached for a tenner. Bargain she thought. Hey hey. It scanned at £3.00!!!. The girl said......."Pay and run." Happy days....
Last edited by: MD on Thu 27 Mar 14 at 07:23
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I recently, when passing by, (the store is miles away) called in Tesco for a few items. I got all the usual paper work including a £10.00 " price match" voucher ".
Thank you very much but I will not query why an exact figure like that and it was impossible to believe the items I bought were £10 cheaper elsewhere. price match"
Trust the computer!
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The maximum is £10, which probably explains the exact figure.
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"He gave himself away when the peacock suddenly caused a panic"
Class.. :-)
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Trying out facial hair this week. 5 days growth so far. Son says I look like a homeless person, wife says she quite likes it, I worry that I'm starting to look a bit like Kenny Rogers.
We'll see. Decision on Sunday.
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We are preparing for shock & horror today - we have asked Sharps Bedrooms to give us a quote for a fitted wardrobe+ a simple interior.
The recess to fill is only about 2 metres long by 1 metre deep and we want opening, rather than sliding, doors.
A virtual pint for the nearest guess!
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>> A virtual pint for the nearest guess!
£1800 from Sharps, £1200 from a local joiner.
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Ikea decent quality carcass with real oak veneer (as an example) on doors plus a good variety of internal fittings (rails, pull out trays, shelves etc) about £400-£450 and an easy days DIY work to fit.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Thu 27 Mar 14 at 09:51
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We don't need a carcass as the recess provides the sides and back. Do IKEA just supply a frame & opening doors?
Might be worth a spin to Nottingham to inspect first hand.
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>>>Do IKEA just supply a frame & opening doors?
Well not that I've fitted but it is hard to get the walls of the alcove to look as nice as a crisp clean new interior. Also that interior will have all the pre-drills to locate all the extras into rather than... I assume.... drilling them into your existing wall.
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>> >>>Do IKEA just supply a frame & opening doors?
>>
>> Well not that I've fitted but it is hard to get the walls of the
>> alcove to look as nice as a crisp clean new interior. Also that interior will
>> have all the pre-drills to locate all the extras into rather than... I assume.... drilling
>> them into your existing wall.
And the alcove is probably not straight, and you have the floor bit to worry about, and you risk condensation inside, and and.....
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Way out!
Two and a half grand! Lots of shelves: £2200 with fewer shelves. :-O
Sanguinary silly money for average quality.
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Mine was plus VAT, obviously...
£1800 plus VAT is £2160, so I was £40 off your cheaper solution :)
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>> I worry that I'm starting to look a bit like Kenny Rogers.
I always thought you were the Coward of the County ;)
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You've got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away and know when to run. You never count your money when you're sitting at the the table, there'll be time enough for counting when the dealing's done.
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Been sporting a beard for the last couple of months, but think I will remove it this weekend in line with the improving weather. Mrs B hates it so she will be pleased
Staying in Chester 1 night next week - pleasantly surprised to find the Holiday inn was only 59 quid including breakfast. Might be less pleasantly surprised once I have checked in!
Last edited by: mikeyb on Thu 27 Mar 14 at 17:05
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>> Mrs B hates it<<
Mrs B has no taste Mikey!
Pat
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>> >> Mrs B hates it<<
>>
>> Mrs B has no taste Mikey!
>>
>> Pat
>>
Haha, the funny thing is that all her friends are quite taken with it and cant understand her dislike!
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.
Last edited by: Pat on Thu 27 Mar 14 at 17:26
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My friend Laurie Smith used to use his beard as a sex aid: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUoWdP_ipOc
Just saying.
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>> I worry that I'm starting to look a bit like Kenny Rogers.
You picked a fine time to leave me, loose heel...
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I am {was, I mean ;-( } dark haired. I grew a beard and, heavens to Betsy, it was GINGER.
Never again.
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Perhaps you are genetically Scottish? Could be worse of course.
;-))
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>> Perhaps you are genetically Scottish? Could be worse of course.
>>
>> ;-))
>>
How?
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Well, at the risk of stating the bleeding obvious...English of course !
;-)
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25% Irish (Eire) would that do it?
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Shaved my face fungus off last week........just fancied a change. SWM says I look like Peppa Pig's mum.
Bought a leccie razor, one of those with the three round heads. Cost a lot less than her wardrobes which were £4500 !! She got a matching dressing table, 2 bedside cabinets and a bedhead for that as well. All made to measure by a localish firm down AlistairW's way.
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>> Well, at the risk of stating the bleeding obvious...English of course !
>>
>> ;-)
>>
Then why are the Jocks so crap at rugby?
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Immigration.
Only posh kids and farmers play rugby.
And we don't routinely use human growth hormone ;-)
Last edited by: Lygonos on Fri 28 Mar 14 at 09:27
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An in depth analysis which will help you decide whether not not you should read one of the UK's best selling daily papers.
www.shouldireadthedailymail.com/
[For all, but mostly Alanovic]
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This is fun, too, for DM watchers...
games.usvsth3m.com/daily-mail-or-stormfront/
(usvsth3m have a thing about the DM)
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I just wandered into the greenhouse for a browse and noticed the sticky yellow flytraps I pit up a couple of days ago were working well.
There was an adult vine weevil stuck to one of them still alive and even though I hate them with a vengeance I hadn't got the heart to let him suffer.
I can't touch them as they stick to my fingers so I got a small scoop and a small trowel and banged them together killing the weevil.
I now have a sticky trap hanging from the roof with a scoop and a trowel attached to it and I can't pull them off.
Is it Karma?
Pat
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>>
>> Is it Karma?
>>
>>
Yes. It's teaching you that every action has a consequence and a price, which could be expressed as the "Law of transferable stickiness".
Actually you seem to have found the only substance now extant which is still properly sticky.
Elastoplast isn't sticky any more, Blutack is hopeless, Superglue will only stick things you don't want to stick. Dual-sided sticky pads for bathroom mirrors come off, and the Halfords self-adhesive reflective tape I have just bought won't stick either.
But the vine weevil is in a happier world.
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I bet he is, he's had 3 of my Begonia tubers this winter:)
Pat
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>>
>> >>
>> >> Is it Karma?
No, I would say its not a Korma, more like its in a pickle, had its chipati
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 28 Mar 14 at 16:31
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>> Trying out facial hair this week. 5 days growth so far. Son says I look
>> like a homeless person, wife says she quite likes it, I worry that I'm starting
>> to look a bit like Kenny Rogers.
>>
>> We'll see. Decision on Sunday.
>>
Nowhere near long enough, for yourself or your better half. Anything less than three weeks' growth is just "too lazy to shave" and neither of you will have time to get used to it.
Prepare for the "permanently itchy" phase towards the end of this week, that's when most aspiring pognophiles quit. Once you're through that it's easy.
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Outrageous!
Driving a Lambo in a reversed baseball cap!
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Here its autumn, late at night and a bit chilly. 22 degrees as it happens.
Just finished watching the football and caught the UK weather forecast - apparently you're in for unseasonably warm weather and it shouldn't drop below 14 degrees during the day before Tuesday although there is some risk of rain.
I'd forgotten just how much unpredictable weather annoys me.
Its not that the weather is better here, although it generally is, it's that a 10 day weather forecast is almost certainly accurate whereas in the UK 24hrs is pushing it.
I know why, and I know why its not really their fault.
Still damned annoying though.
I remember when as an innocent I first moved to California and a more experienced ex-pat told me that the weather would never again affect my life - He was right at the time, although I guess he hadn't thought about me moving again.
Last edited by: VxFan on Sun 13 Apr 14 at 03:48
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>> I remember when as an innocent I first moved to California and a more experienced
>> ex-pat told me that the weather would never again affect my life - He was
>> right at the time, although I guess he hadn't thought about me moving again.
No-one warned you about the earthquakes tho did they.
One of the things that keeps me int he British isles is the weather. Sure cold horizontal rain is despicable, as is brown urban slush. But the crunching over early morning frost on the grass, spring mornings, the weird silence of a thick autumn fog, bright red sunrises,
Marvelous - the unpredictability and the sheer variety of the weather is what keeps me here.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 13 Apr 14 at 07:39
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Wot ^he^ sed and, I got cheesed orf with hot sunny wev every sodding day and longed (really longed) for some good ole British weather - it's what makes us British IMO (whinging poms?)
But, when we do get some arf-decent weather once in a while, boy so we relish it.
A customer o mine worked in a chocolate factory - he hated the damn stuff day-in-day-out, understandably.
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In my last job, I used to meet lots of foreigners. When they complained about the British weather - as they frequently did - I would reply that we didn't have earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and other deadly events. The British weather might be tiresome - but it wouldn't (normally) kill you!
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A few years ago I was picked up by a taxi at Knock airport in the west of Ireland. It was raining heavily and the driver apologised at length for the weather.
I said it was only a bit of rain and I liked rain.
"Troi ------- livin' here!" Was the response.
Last edited by: Manatee on Sun 13 Apr 14 at 09:19
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_pw8duzGUg
Its a 3 yr old clip. Still amusing / laughable.
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LOL but ... quite perturbing really.
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Stuff n nonsense.... - Pat
