The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.

[ian]

I'm not saying they will be reasonable or rational, but generally if you start out that way, things at least have an opportunity to proceed to amicable solutions.

I think the best parking issue I had to mediate was our neighbour with – at one point – five cars. He had a habit of getting back late and leaving his car du jour near the gates, effectively leaving only enough room to squeeze a car by. I pointed out a few things, mainly that if he continued to park there, how would a large red emergency vehicle get by? He gave it some thought. Well, of course, he'd get up and move it. What if it's your house? I ask. Somewhere on the ground floor. How are you going to get up and move it then? He gave this some further consideration. He offered me a set of keys so I could move it.

That's what I had to deal with. I got fed up and ordered a job lot of enormous planters, had the gardeners stick some big trees in them and placed the strategically around the development. That did the trick.

[Mrs Pingu]

As far as I'm concerned De Sisti should be within his rights to build a small wall on his own property without asking his neighbours permission or even giving them a heads up, providing it's all fine re:planning etc.
They might be pissed off but what right have they to be pissed off when they're using someone else's property?

[Ruthie]

As far as I'm concerned De Sisti should be within his rights to build a small wall on his own property without asking his neighbours permission or even giving them a heads up, providing it's all fine re:planning etc.
They might be pissed off but what right have they to be pissed off when they're using someone else's property?

Of course he's within his rights, and doing nothing wrong.  It's just conflict with neighbours can get a lot worse than them using your path.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Can I request a re-start for today? I'll just go back to bed and start again.

I got half way to work and realised I'd forgotten my security pass so had to turn round and go home. At home I decided it was too late to try and cycle in again, so took the bags off of the bike and put them behind the car, ready to go in the locked boot, then loaded the bike on the roof and went inside to pick up my pass and car key.

Then jumped in the car, reversed out of the drive and drove off, wondering what the noise was. Half a mile further down the road I realised it was me running over my pump and new Super C rack bag 

Returned home and retrieved run over items and finally made it into work half an hour late.

On the damage I think I've got of lightly. I didn't have my flask in the bag today so everything seems to have survived, though the bag now looks a little less used than it did. The pump looks ok, other than a bit (more) scuffing. It feels a little stiff, but there's also some water in it (not from today's incident) so it may be unrelated.

I'm hoping that's all the bad luck used up for today as I'm singing at a charity dinner tonight

Roll on the weekend!

Only Carradice can do this! What destroys lesser bags, rejuvenates Carradice!

[mcshroom]

More or less

[hellymedic]

Dear Hampstead Garden Suburb Institute (sic),

I went to a meeting at your new venue in Kingsbury this evening.

Outside the entrance was a flight of ten brick stairs, but no ramp or lift.

There was a tiny sign outside suggesting a phone number for wheelchair access.

Partner rang and had an answering machine to greet him.

After I was lifted up the steps, there was a SEEKRIT lift we could use to access the first floor seminar room.

The wheelchair accessible toilet was beautiful - well-equipped, spotless and big enough to manoeuvre my chair.

HGS Institute has an Equal Opportunities Policy.

I should be grateful...

[Canardly]

I order a small number of stainless steel slotted wood screws at huge mark up, because they stock them. What do they send me........ Pozidrive!

[Vince]

I'm not saying they will be reasonable or rational, but generally if you start out that way, things at least have an opportunity to proceed to amicable solutions.

I think the best parking issue I had to mediate was our neighbour with – at one point – five cars. He had a habit of getting back late and leaving his car du jour near the gates, effectively leaving only enough room to squeeze a car by. I pointed out a few things, mainly that if he continued to park there, how would a large red emergency vehicle get by? He gave it some thought. Well, of course, he'd get up and move it. What if it's your house? I ask. Somewhere on the ground floor. How are you going to get up and move it then? He gave this some further consideration. He offered me a set of keys so I could move it.

That's what I had to deal with. I got fed up and ordered a job lot of enormous planters, had the gardeners stick some big trees in them and placed the strategically around the development. That did the trick.

Or another approach....

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

I was watering the plants and I dripped a bit of water into the back of the telly, and now it'll switch on, but won't respond to button pressings or the remote. 

[Mr Larrington]

Many years ago a housemate spilled a bottle of BEER down the back of the distascope resulting in it going from black and white to black and yellow.  We did wonder whether the addition of further drinkohol would turn it into a colour item but were worried about burning the house down.

[Kim]

I was watering the plants and I dripped a bit of water into the back of the telly, and now it'll switch on, but won't respond to button pressings or the remote. 

Deprive it of power and encourage it to dry out.  Plain water will most likely evaporate without damage.

[mcshroom]

Will the cows that appear to be having an argument please shut up! It's gone 1am and some of us are trying to sleep.

[T42]

Just ordered stuff for the company from the UK and had to enter our VAT number.  Easy - it's on the PDF copies we get from the tax office when we do our declaration every month. Except that it isn't. I have to dive into the archives to drag out a paper copy from 2011.

Down south in Midi-Pyrenées, an internal memo was leaked from the regional tax office, directing their local agencies to "make life complicated" for folk who wanted to stick to paper instead of doing everything on line.

Hm...

[offcumden]

Will the cows that appear to be having an argument please shut up! It's gone 1am and some of us are trying to sleep.

I guess that whatever keeps you awake at night might be regarded as a bad thing but, in the cool light of day, might you not consider that what sounded like an argument could otherwise be described as nocturnal passion?

[mcshroom]

Will the cows that appear to be having an argument please shut up! It's gone 1am and some of us are trying to sleep.

I guess that whatever keeps you awake at night might be regarded as a bad thing but, in the cool light of day, might you not consider that what sounded like an argument could otherwise be described as nocturnal passion?

Is this that time of year? They were still making a lot of noise this morning when I woke up.*


*When I say 'cows', I mean of the bovine variety

[offcumden]

When i say 'cows', I mean of the bovine variety

Never doubted it!

[L CC]

Will the cows that appear to be having an argument please shut up! It's gone 1am and some of us are trying to sleep.

I guess that whatever keeps you awake at night might be regarded as a bad thing but, in the cool light of day, might you not consider that what sounded like an argument could otherwise be described as nocturnal passion?

Is this that time of year? They were still making a lot of noise this morning when I woke up.*


*When I say 'cows', I mean of the bovine variety

Bovine gestation is 305 days. If they're dairy cows, it's always that time of year.

[CAMRAMan]

Students, both foreign and British: This is not the U.S.A. We have the word 'toilet' to name the room where one goes to urinate or defecate. As far as I am concerned, one does not bathe therein, nor does one have a rest therein. If you ask me if there's a bathroom or restroom, I shall feign incredulity until I pretend the penny's dropped and say 'Oh, you mean the toilet, do you?'.

[Basil]

Actually, lavatory, old thing.

Although "The bog" is acceptable.

[CAMRAMan]

I did baulk at 'karzie' and 'shitter', but the day might come...

[Mr Larrington]

"Latrine" is only suitable for squaddies, "lav" for Derek & Clive and "dunny" for Antipodeans.  "Crapper", however, is right there in your .sig

[mrcharly-YHT]

Do you mean the water closet or the garderobe?

[Guy]

Not 'comfort station' then?

[CAMRAMan]

That sounds like there might be more than one person involved and a financial transaction taking place...

[Guy]

It's a ghastly euphemism I heard from a Bostonian hipster. Thank dog it never caught on this side of the Atlantic.