What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

We're locked in battle - well not quite - with my younger boy's wife (a lovely girl who we're glad to have a s an addition to the clan) who is completely convinced that you only get quality by buying big branded names in her food shop. She's wasting a small fortune of their money. We've sneaked in the odd bottle of Aldi Tomato sauce and Lidl frozen pizza but she's not having it. Had a good chat with her about it but it seems her mum is a big influencing factor and she buys only big names. Going to try getting at the Mum but don't think we'll have much luck.

As to dishwashing. it's my job to do the washing up and I just keep loading up the machine until it's full. proabably two run throughs per week but sometimes less. The machine gets slightly smelly sometimes if we've had something like fish but all good again after being run. Stuff needing a hand wash gets piled up in the sink and I do them after dinner every day using a basin. Mind you there's only the two of us now, during the Christmas break, when the whole tribe were here most days, the machine ran every day!

 

[portland_bill]

Continuing the 'what planet are they from' theme, we get to the cereal boxes.
Growing up, we always poured the cereal from the box, and folded the top of the bag down carefully. I remember, some of the boxes had the inner bag held in with a dab of glue on the bottom.
The carers, without exception, drag the bag out of the box. Then of course it won't go back in easily. The puffed wheat (like sugar puffs, but without the sugar), copes fairly well with being squashed back in, but the cornflakes do not. Last box became dust when still one-third full.

Then there's the bins. We have a black wheelie bin for landfill, and a green one for recycling. This is standard across the whole council area. Surely these people live within the same council area, so why do they not know what goes into which bin?

They're lovely people though, and look after my partner well.

 

[vexorg]

Then there's the bins. We have a black wheelie bin for landfill, and a green one for recycling. This is standard across the whole council area. Surely these people live within the same council area, so why do they not know what goes into which bin?

Every coucil in our area has different bins and different colours. These can be from the villiage next to our town, so I wouldn't take it as read they know.

We have 6 types of bin:
green - general waste
brown - garden waste
small green - food waste

The a recycling trolley of 3 bins, all black
blue top - paper/card
red top - metal/plastic
black top - glass

All picked up on different days and different frequency (1 week, 2 weeks, or 4 weeks!!!)

Whereas the towns only a few miles away have purple, blue and different bins for other combinations.

 

[portland_bill]

Whilst there are other councils close by, Swindon and Gloucester, I doubt they come from these areas, due to affluence or distance.

 

[The Panda Nut]

For just over 4 years, I have been battling with carers, not to wash up. Their job is to get my partner out of bed and dressed each morning, and help her to the toilet during the day. They also help her get lunch, but there's really no reason why she shouldn't get her own, she's just been conditioned to be helpless while in hospital. Any crockery or cutlery used should be left by the sink, as the dishwasher will do it all once a day. No reason to use copious amounts of dishwash liquid for one or two items.

We've mostly won, at last. But recently, I've noticed that she has lunch, a buttered roll, with stuff in it, but there's often no knife left that might have been used to spread the butter. Today, I arrived home while the carer was making the roll, nicely buttered, no knife. I had to ask.

She's been using the breadknife. That's a long, serrated blade, dipped in the butter tub, and used to spread the butter. Quite a skill. But why? Where do these people come from? Have they never seen a breadknife before? Do they only ever eat sliced bread? What do they use for butter at home? I'm stunned.

Im so sorry you have these battles. My mum had carers and they did all these things too. The party trick was just throwing the knives away after use. I used to call in at every possible opportunity to make sure they were always on their toes. But 180 miles away made it difficult. 100,000 miles of motoring to try and retain some order so I understand. I dont suppose they put the bread knife for washing after dunking in butter either. We had a couple of Polish ladies in their 50's and 60's who were the main saty and they were pretty good but the young ones intermittently sent when they were on holiday were almost completely useless. I wanted to give a Christmas gift to the two decent ladies but they absolutely refused saying they would lose their jobs if they accepted. Its all quite mad.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Our collections - on a Tuesday, so they clash with our busiest day of the week when we have grandchildren all day, but isn't that always the way of things - are bi weekly for the household stuff except for food waste which is every week. So one week it'll be the grey landfill bin (craftily half the size of the green recycling bin) and the food waste. Next week it'll be the green recycling bin and the food waste. On the recycling week you can also put out a small bin with glass bottles, a transparent bag with old batteries and an opaque bag with clothes if you have any.

Not sure why but the grey recycling bins are now being collected on the green collection day and the grey landfill ones on the green day! I've checked the online schedule and it supports that this is "wrong". The glass, battery and clothes collections seem to be being collected indiscriminately on either day. Garden bins are collected twice a month - a service you have to sign up and pay for - and that seems to be going very smoothly, frozen leaves permitting! I was getting quite confused as to when to put which bin out until I realized that Pat, who lives just down the road, works for the council cleansing department. Now I just look at what he is putting out and copy him. Problem solved!

 

[The Panda Nut]

Well we have passed miday and my operation tomorrow is not yet cancelled again. Now in the hand of the gods. I do like the pre op diet it seems to be suggesting that freshly baked white bread bacon sandwiches with lashings of ketchup are all good, as are chips, steak, pankakes, biscuits and cake. As you can imagine I am taking them at their word and doing as I have been ordered!

 

[vexorg]

a service you have to sign up and pay for

Same our way, but collection is one a month for garden waste

Now I just look at what he is putting out and copy him. Problem solved!

Occassionally we'll see that happening here, oneperson will put the wrong bin out and before you know it half the street has the wrong bins out too

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Well we have passed miday and my operation tomorrow is not yet cancelled again. Now in the hand of the gods. I do like the pre op diet it seems to be suggesting that freshly baked white bread bacon sandwiches with lashings of ketchup are all good, as are chips, steak, pankakes, biscuits and cake. As you can imagine I am taking them at their word and doing as I have been ordered!

Good luck. Got my fingers crossed it all goes ahead and that you have a rapid recovery.

 

[The Panda Nut]

We're locked in battle - well not quite - with my younger boy's wife (a lovely girl who we're glad to have a s an addition to the clan) who is completely convinced that you only get quality by buying big branded names in her food shop. She's wasting a small fortune of their money. We've sneaked in the odd bottle of Aldi Tomato sauce and Lidl frozen pizza but she's not having it. Had a good chat with her about it but it seems her mum is a big influencing factor and she buys only big names. Going to try getting at the Mum but don't think we'll have much luck.

As to dishwashing. it's my job to do the washing up and I just keep loading up the machine until it's full. proabably two run throughs per week but sometimes less. The machine gets slightly smelly sometimes if we've had something like fish but all good again after being run. Stuff needing a hand wash gets piled up in the sink and I do them after dinner every day using a basin. Mind you there's only the two of us now, during the Christmas break, when the whole tribe were here most days, the machine ran every day!

Aldi tomato sauce a joy in its own right. My favourite ketchup!

 

[The Panda Nut]

Jock you can explain this to Mrs Panda Nut when she returns from walking the dog, it all your fault. I turned teh bread round so she cant see someones eaten a big lump before it was even cold....

Panda Nut master of self control

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I realize that it was actually Lidl's tomato sauce, specifically Batts brand. Which I love, just as good as the market leader. Good to know the Aldi stuff is good too.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Well we have passed miday and my operation tomorrow is not yet cancelled again. Now in the hand of the gods. I do like the pre op diet it seems to be suggesting that freshly baked white bread bacon sandwiches with lashings of ketchup are all good, as are chips, steak, pankakes, biscuits and cake. As you can imagine I am taking them at their word and doing as I have been ordered!

Good luck for tomorrow, are you morning or afternoon list? are you going in first thing or lunch time?

I don't seem to remember there being any particular pre-op diet that specified those things, are you sure that's what it says? does someone need to check with Mrs Panda Nut?

 

[StevenRB45]

Had an email from my insurance company with telling me I'm getting a small refund.

Not usually a cause for concern...but when it apologises for them taking the agreed amount and all the documents stated that was the amount rather odd.

Bizarrely all the component parts of the policy total what I originally paid..that was what was on my renewal invite but then when I've renewed the policy it's knocked 15 quid off the total on the documentation. Oddly all the components listed..still total the original amount.

Normally I'd say "don't look a gift horse in the mouth"....but for car insurance..I'll think I'll be checking that lest it come up later on..

 

[puntofan01]

Having to part with my Grande Punto. After having provided more than 8 and a half years of stylish, comfortable, fun and dependable service, it was taken away today after I hit a patch of ice on my way to work last week. To say it'll be missed is an understatement!

Rust In Peace, WN08 UUS.

 

[StevenRB45]

I'm "terrified" by the complexity of the direct injection engine with it's coolant stabilized intercooler, twin circuit cooling system with two thermostats, and with separate belt driven and electric water pumps and so much more - for instance the new battery i had to get when on holiday last year which had to be coded to the car and cost over £200 at the dealer down in Devon! At least my version does not have a dual mass flywheel!

I immediately thought of this today..while doing my weekly checks.

Every once in a while I'll pull a vanity panel to familiarise myself with what is behind it. Last time pulled one on the scuttle and discovered the cabin filter is a 2 minute job to change..a significant improvement on the Mazda lie upside the in the passenger seat and keep smashing it into the vicinity until it goes.

This time though...took the soundproofing panel over the injectors off. Dear lord is it busy under there, coil on plug packs, high pressure fuel rail, sensors for the dual vvt, oil lines to operate the vvt... Various vacuum lines and the pump, pcv...all under a panel about the size of a piece of A4.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Had an email from my insurance company with telling me I'm getting a small refund.

Not usually a cause for concern...but when it apologises for them taking the agreed amount and all the documents stated that was the amount rather odd.

Bizarrely all the component parts of the policy total what I originally paid..that was what was on my renewal invite but then when I've renewed the policy it's knocked 15 quid off the total on the documentation. Oddly all the components listed..still total the original amount.

Normally I'd say "don't look a gift horse in the mouth"....but for car insurance..I'll think I'll be checking that lest it come up later on..

We have a similar situation with our broadband charges. The contract was up for renewal just after Christmas. We like our present provider and have been with them for years but every time it's up for renewal they "threaten" us with a "silly" quote and I then have a lengthy phone call with them where we go through this silly negotiation which ends up with a figure we're both prepared to accept and I sign up with them for another 18 months - or whatever. This year I decided to try to short circuit the procedure and started in right away by asking "Are you authorized to negotiate a large discount over the price you've quoted me because I don't want to argue with you over a few quid and then have to be referred to your retention team and have to go over it all agin with them as has happened in the past." "Please wait while I ask my supervisor" The supervisor came on and we had about 15 minutes of very pleasant negotiation resulting in the same provision as last year but with the inclusion of free calls, up to an hour, - we have our landline with them too - to my sister in the States, for about £2.00 more than the last contract! I'm very satisfied with this outcome but was even more pleased when checking the online account to see they are actually charging us £4 less than the agreed amount. Just checked again this morning and it's still showing the same. Wonder for how long, or if, they'll pick up on this? In the mean time I'm feeling very pleased with it! If they do notice I'll gladly pay up, but I'm not going to rush to ring them up.

 

[StevenRB45]

Had a little eye opener on the way back from the park...60 mph road into a blind corner through a dip.

In the bottom of the dip a tractor has clearly been in and out of the field many times. Wasn't doing anywhere 60 as I'd spotted it may be an adventure, maybe 40.

The corner starts loaded in the dip then unloads as it levels out... distinct feeling of the car rotating few feet behind the usual point and one wheel ended up far side of the centre line as the rear had clearly not followed the usual line.

Not enough for the ESP to intervene but...one of those where you wonder if you'd been travelling in the dark and not seen the mud on the road how far into the field you would have been..

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Had a little eye opener on the way back from the park...60 mph road into a blind corner through a dip.

In the bottom of the dip a tractor has clearly been in and out of the field many times. Wasn't doing anywhere 60 as I'd spotted it may be an adventure, maybe 40.

The corner starts loaded in the dip then unloads as it levels out... distinct feeling of the car rotating few feet behind the usual point and one wheel ended up far side of the centre line as the rear had clearly not followed the usual line.

Not enough for the ESP to intervene but...one of those where you wonder if you'd been travelling in the dark and not seen the mud on the road how far into the field you would have been..

Nasty little clench the bum muscles moment?

 

[StevenRB45]

Nasty little clench the bum muscles moment?

I'd be lying if I said it was the first time I've been mildly sideways round this particular corner in this car..or the Mazda..or the Suzuki. The camber combined with the compression is pretty nasty and it's not unknown for people to end up facing the way they came. Seems to be the left rear is loaded as you enter the corner but unloaded as you leave as the dampers uncompress.

Mild surprise at how low the speed at which it went for a wander was mainly. I don't tend to arse about with a 4 year old in the back and thought I'd left more than enough in hand. This is why I have mud and snows on...as well the snow. The limit is occasionally much closer than advertised.