Author Topic: The Good News Thread  (Read 1108478 times)

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1650 on: 26 November, 2009, 04:27:36 pm »
On another note, the current Ms AWL just got her Prescription Prepayment Certificate sorted. £10/month for 10 months for an annual one.

She's a coeliac and can now get all her gluten free bread & stuff on prescription, thus saving us £15-£20/week.

Result!
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

CrinklyLion

  • The one with devious, cake-pushing ways....
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1651 on: 28 November, 2009, 10:37:11 pm »
I just got an email from the ebay seller that I 'won' (never get my head round all this auction malarkey, hey ho) a bike off yesterday, confirming that I can go pick it up tomorrow.  It's a dinky little pink and flowery Raleigh that's costing me less than 15 quid, and I know a little girl who will be very happy on her birthday in a couple of months time.  Hoping it doen't need anything more than basic fettling, or I may well be on here asking for large amounts of advice as I can't afford to pay the bike shop to sort it when it's a pressie for someone else's kid!  I'm also hopefully going to look at a slightly larger (and more expensive, but if it's in decent nick eminently reasonable) blue and silver Giant tomorrow for her elder brother.  If I get that, it'll mean that I've bought their entire family a bike each for their birthdays.  I quite like that thought :)

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1652 on: 29 November, 2009, 10:48:58 am »
:thumbsup:

A couple of years ago, we bought brand new bikes for every member of the family except me, but I'd had one nine years earlier, so wasn't due.  I did get a respray that year, though :)
Getting there...

CrinklyLion

  • The one with devious, cake-pushing ways....
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1653 on: 29 November, 2009, 02:43:37 pm »
Well, I've got the little girl's bike.  It's a 20" wheeled Raleigh Krush in most fetching bright pink, lime green and white.  It was a bit of a gamble - the ad said 16.5" which I didn't think make sense - 16" would have been too small, but it was advertised as 6 gears, and I couldn't find any evidence of them making a version smaller than 20" with gears.  The frame and forks seem in decent enough nick, few dings and scratches but that's OK, one pedal is slightly damaged and the cable runs have come off the clips.  The bars have a bit of rust, but the wheels look OK.  Chain and cassette look like they've seen some miles and not enough cleaning, but will probably be OK for a while and the brakes and gears seem to function.   I don't think it was a bad deal for £14.  I've got about 2 months to get it looking more or less shipshape... I think it may be time for me to get my backside in gear and start that volunteering in return for training at the bike recycling scheme.  Unless anyone local fancies a mini-project? :)

CrinklyLion

  • The one with devious, cake-pushing ways....
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1654 on: 29 November, 2009, 10:26:57 pm »
And now I have bought one for her brother!  A Giant MTX 250 with rigid forks, 18 gears (which seem to work) and reasonably functional brakes, in bright blue and silver.  Cosmetically in extremely good nick, and seems to be mechanically sound although fairly well used.  To get it I just had an hours walk+bus ride across to the other side of town then 20 minutes of extra wandering (whilst navigationally assisted by dearly_beloved on the phone) caused by google maps thinking there was a road where there was quite clearly in reality a row of houses, some industrial buildings and a rather large hedge thus requiring a fairly significant detour.  I bought said bike for £40, and have just got home having walked about 4 miles in the rain to push it round to another mate's house where it will be stored in the garage until present time then caught another bus home again.   Via the chippy :)

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1655 on: 29 November, 2009, 11:32:53 pm »
A good bike - now passed from brother to brother. I swapped the twist shifter for a clicky lever thingy. We were hurtling round the woods tonight.

Tip: put a cable tie around the bottom end of the cable outers on the down tube to stop them jumping out of the slots if the gears are (invariably) misused.

Ours is a bit special though, having been autographed by Sir Chris Hoy  ;D

..d
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1656 on: 30 November, 2009, 12:08:12 am »
Good news. 12 yo daughter described tonights night ride through the woods (to a screaming cacophony of crows, fullish moon and howling wind) as 'beyond cool'.

Might have a full house for next weekends effort.
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1657 on: 02 December, 2009, 06:30:46 pm »
To the bus driver on the Lewes road that pulled into the right hand lane a bit in order to pass cyclists with a decent and not splashy gap - you are a fine example, thank you. I was in my car. It was rush hour. I had to drive 5mph slower for a few hundred meters. It was no effort to slow nor to pass you from the lights. I ended up in the same queue and got home at exactly the same time. It was a pleasure to be behind you for a moment. I'll be back on my bike on that road tomorrow - here's hoping that everyone is like you!

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1658 on: 02 December, 2009, 11:11:30 pm »
Pub quiz entered. 
Pub quiz won. 
 
Not bad.  Three old gits vs teams of students 20 strong.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

woollypigs

  • Mr Peli
    • woollypigs
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1659 on: 03 December, 2009, 07:52:59 am »
We are going to see Eddie Izzard tonight at the O2
Current mood: AARRRGGGGHHHHH !!! #bollockstobrexit

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1660 on: 03 December, 2009, 08:17:48 am »
the absolute cock sat next to me on the train last night got off a station early.

i (and the rest of the carriage) know this because he very noisily called a cab firm to get picked up in Royston then spent the rest of the journey shouting into his phone about how important he was and how much he was earning at the moment to anyone that would listen.  When the train pulled into Ashwell and Morden (the stop before Royston, miles from anywhere) he went 'oh shit', jumped up and ran off the train.    The doors closed right after him and as he clocked the station sign and realised where he wasnt, the train pulled out.

I waved.  Several people smiled.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1661 on: 03 December, 2009, 09:18:05 am »
I know Ashwell & Morden station.  Not many trains actually stop there.  And it's quite exposed.  I've spent many cold hours waiting on its platforms.  And we can hope he did too ;D
Getting there...

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1662 on: 04 December, 2009, 07:54:19 am »
Got a nice new lucrative contract starting this Wednedsay  :thumbsup:

Last one ended 2 weeks ago, so good to see the market picking up again.

Unfortunately, it means me being in Watford from Mon - Fri  :-\  We live near Glasgow :) 

Oh well, the joys of being a contractor.....

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1663 on: 04 December, 2009, 10:23:03 am »
I've got to do a couple of errands for work, so I'm OK for a longer ride at lunchtime :thumbsup:

Recommendations of a good cafe near Tooley Street, anyone?
Getting there...

Si_Co

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1664 on: 04 December, 2009, 10:35:57 am »
Got home last night to find two brown envelopes from HM customs and revenue, GULP, thirty mins to get up the bottle to open one......

Five years they stuffed up our tax credits and there's now five hundred squidlies in the Mrs' account

RESULT ;D ;D ;D

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1665 on: 04 December, 2009, 10:42:00 am »
I've got to do a couple of errands for work, so I'm OK for a longer ride at lunchtime :thumbsup:

Recommendations of a good cafe near Tooley Street, anyone?

Fuzzy Grub (yes, it really is called that!)

96 Tooley Street.

Monster sized portions of salad for not very much money  :thumbsup:

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1666 on: 04 December, 2009, 10:45:19 am »
Of course! :thumbsup:
Getting there...

Wascally Weasel

  • Slayer of Dragons and killer of threads.
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1667 on: 04 December, 2009, 11:21:05 am »
Thirteen days and a wake up!  I’m short!

I leave my current job on 17th December then start my new one on the 21st!

“I’m so short you’ve got to dig a hole to kick my ass”

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1668 on: 04 December, 2009, 12:48:24 pm »
Fuzzy Grub (yes, it really is called that!)

LOL, reminds me of a pub that was run by two ex-coppers with a sense of humour, the "Two Pigs". ;D
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1669 on: 04 December, 2009, 12:59:40 pm »
Son's gf has started her own jewelery business and has sold her first stuff! She graduated last summer, failed to find employment, so decided to do it herself.

As well as being good news, this a shameless plug.
There's no vibrations, but wait.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1670 on: 04 December, 2009, 02:13:26 pm »
I've got to do a couple of errands for work, so I'm OK for a longer ride at lunchtime :thumbsup:

Recommendations of a good cafe near Tooley Street, anyone?

Fuzzy Grub (yes, it really is called that!)

96 Tooley Street.

Monster sized portions of salad for not very much money  :thumbsup:

Fuzzy's Grub is very closed :( :( :(

I went to a place with good tea and rubbish food :-\ in one of the arches under the station...
Getting there...

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1671 on: 04 December, 2009, 02:17:42 pm »
Quote from: Marbeaux
Have given this a great deal of thought and decided not to contribute to any further Threads for the time being.
POTD. (decade) :thumbsup:

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1672 on: 04 December, 2009, 03:11:37 pm »
Serendipity strikes again. My expectations for what the student's graph should look like were wrong. But wrong in a very right sort of way that is actually quite enlightening. Result 1;

Result 2 is that it does look like I can have some credible data to get off to the US pronto following a bit of a panic, a compute cluster trying to usurp the entire developed worlds energy resources onto the floor of the machine room as a molten puddle and numerous other fun and games.

So this week ends on a good note, and I think the cold has finally gone, so I will head to the pool to attempt to not drown in a forwads direction later.

4/430 processes to complete now. Tick, tick tick. Then I hit the big red button right sequence of arcane commands and the world is my oyster potato.
..d
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1673 on: 04 December, 2009, 07:01:08 pm »
Got home last night to find two brown envelopes from HM customs and revenue, GULP, thirty mins to get up the bottle to open one......

Five years they stuffed up our tax credits and there's now five hundred squidlies in the Mrs' account

RESULT ;D ;D ;D

And the other one?
[Quote/]Adrian, you're living proof that bandwidth is far too cheap.[/Quote]

jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #1674 on: 04 December, 2009, 07:05:18 pm »
A tax demand for £666  :demon: