Nice people thread 2 - now even nicer

harryhound

Perhaps it is written by the Editor's friend from college days?

carolt

Yes, I daresay it is. That might explain its extreme tedium.

Not that I'm biased or anything.

Davesnave

Aspiring_Writer wrote: »

Incidentally, re comfortable seats in cars, I had a Volvo 240 GLT a few years ago, my God, like an armchair! beautiful leather seats that were sooo comfortable. And the 940 is the same, very very comfortable, and of course, in estate form, you could fit a wardrobe or a chesterfield in quite easily, or a few hens....never tried a pig though...:D

Well, this proves that 'comfort' is a rather personal thing. When the Audi blew-up, we were forced to get something else, pronto, with very little money, and that 'something' was a leather-seated Volvo 240 estate that had lain abandoned after a death in tits family. We picked it up for a song, which wasn't surprising, as there was moss growing on it, but underneath was a pristine 50k specimen with a towbar that had never been used.

Our celebration didn't last long. For us, it was the most uncomfortable vehicle we'd ever owned, and after the Audi, it was difficult to accept a car which didn't 'do' cornering. We used to shout 'Going about!' and other nautical phrases, when approaching roundabouts. :rotfl:

It had to go. The up-side was that there were many enthusiasts out there, including one who was so delighted he forgot to haggle. So, the Volvo cost us nothing. We replaced it with another German-built motor with decent seats, a Vauxhall Carlton. We really did put a bed in that and still managed to close the tailgate.

lostinrates

Aspiring_Writer wrote: »

LIR, Just write it for Carol, thats my tip. Not that you need take any tips from me. There's no pressure...:D

I think carlt might be the only one who wants to read it.

It will give mesomething to think about while I'm off line.

Carolt, it would help me if you set me a target ...say for example words before you want to read it.

I also have to be careful as what is written here is MSe copyright, innit. So no more chicken tales?

John_Pierpoint

Well as stressed and time poor Carol had failed in her mission to explain the AquaDraw, it falls to uncle John to do some research:

AquaDraw is a Japanese toy brand owned by Tomy.
Tomy is a long established toy maker/brand projecting a middle class cultural image in the English speaking world.
There has been a recent merger with the other Tokyo based toy brand Takara.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomy

The "classic" AquaDraw is a large mat, reminiscent of a baby changing mat that can by used in the living room with little risk of lasting damage.
In the dry state the top layer of the AquaDraw is white; however when made wet it becomes translucent/transparent to reveal the under layer. this under layer is blue in the classic version but it can be a pre printed picture in other versions.
The standard tool is a tubular "pen" that is filled with water and rubbed on the white surface to draw blue outlines or reveal the pre-printed picture.

Remembering that fishing tackle is intended to catch fishermen not fish, this product (starting price 18 GBP) is sold as mess free but creative, to middle class parents.

So here is the sales pitch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCLSlw_thoo

Here is the user "road test":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdRtVIuw5Dg

There have been several reports about the "refreshment" potential of the AquaDraw accessories.

However, remembering that any child's favourite and most important interactive "toy" is mum & dad, this magic mat can be creatively used as more than just a mechanical baby sitter:

"So easy and such fun!"
I first bought some of the mini aquadraws as the 9mth old I was caring for was so desperate to draw like the big children and, as said previously, when supervised little ones love it! There were so many arguments though cos all the children wanted to use them so I bought the large mat and some spare pens (good old eBay!) and we have never looked back.

We have used all sorts of mark makers as well as the pens, brushes, fingers, feet, bath scrunchies, foam shapes, in fact almost anything that the children could think of really, there were a few I had to say no too like the metal pan scourers!

The mat gets spread out in the middle of the floor and sometimes I have 7 children from 20 months to 9 years lying on their tummies all playing nicely together and there are not many toys about that have that sort of appeal.

I always keep my digital camera handy so that I can permanently capture any masterpieces and that solves one problem. I am about to try and solve another though that may not be so easy - one of my 3 years olds had an accident while sitting on the mat! The little ones thought it was great cos the whole mat turned blue very quickly! However, I now have to decide whether to risk soaking it in Milton, Tomy's customer service dept have been no help and just kept saying that I shouldn't overwet it and had no suggestions at all :-( I think I will have to risk it because otherwise I will have to throw it out anyway, so after it has dried out I will give it a go and see whether it survives! I am suprised and disappointed that Tomy did not consider this problem, bearing in mind the age that it is aimed at is bang smack in the middle of potty training time!

However, that aside, both I and the kids think this is definately one of my better buys.

There is little need to get too exercised about human "P" - it is usually almost sterile and can be used in battlefield conditions for washing wounds. Water and a bit of sunshine should be enough to return the mat to service.Unfortunately the geeks and the marketing department have been hard at work devising ways of "adding value" to the basic product and have devised some gender stereotyping versions, where imagination is replaced with pre defined fairy land.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr3dptpwn_w

(and I thought the "pink pound" was something to do with Brighton;))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1bkR6Lj49k&feature=PlayList&p=2934A0E3B99AE0FB&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=19

As the top surface of AquaDraw must be in some way permeable for the under surface to know it is wet, it must include pores of some sort. There is a major repeating criticism on the web that it is impossible to "keep it clean".
So Carol, if you can devise an AquaDraw cleaner that does not damage its performance, you may have created a new niche web business with a high value added:T

silvercar

So Uncle John, how does the Thomas train know where the tracks are?

Ellie2758

hmm i really NEED comfy seats in a car at my age. I'm sure am pleased to hear that there is lots of room in a 940

Aspiring_Writer wrote: »

OK Dave you got me, hands up,its a fair cop etc etc.. I do just want a Defender to muck about in, in fact, I may even look for any Series II Landy to be honest. I was looking at Volvo estates aswell, specifically the 940 estate,but they are becoming increasingly rare now at reasonable prices. Incidentally, re comfortable seats in cars, I had a Volvo 240 GLT a few years ago, my God, like an armchair! beautiful leather seats that were sooo comfortable. And the 940 is the same, very very comfortable, and of course, in estate form, you could fit a wardrobe or a chesterfield in quite easily, or a few hens....never tried a pig though...:D

Ellie2758

Hmm is possible yu should get a Carlton then AW, if a bed can be fitted into it so much the better eh?

Davesnave wrote: »

Well, this proves that 'comfort' is a rather personal thing. When the Audi blew-up, we were forced to get something else, pronto, with very little money, and that 'something' was a leather-seated Volvo 240 estate that had lain abandoned after a death in tits family. We picked it up for a song, which wasn't surprising, as there was moss growing on it, but underneath was a pristine 50k specimen with a towbar that had never been used.

Our celebration didn't last long. For us, it was the most uncomfortable vehicle we'd ever owned, and after the Audi, it was difficult to accept a car which didn't 'do' cornering. We used to shout 'Going about!' and other nautical phrases, when approaching roundabouts. :rotfl:

It had to go. The up-side was that there were many enthusiasts out there, including one who was so delighted he forgot to haggle. So, the Volvo cost us nothing. We replaced it with another German-built motor with decent seats, a Vauxhall Carlton. We really did put a bed in that and still managed to close the tailgate.

Ellie2758

Well i hope it's an AFTERNOON bootfair, I dont do the sort that start at 7am!!!

Aspiring_Writer wrote: »

Cheeky Ellie

My head is fine, well it is now! Just off to buy some stuff here and there for resale tomorrow at ze bootfair! Hope it doesn't rain though, that would be regrettable....I ideally need an assistant though, for tea and wee breaks ( I meant wee as in short breaks but the alternative also applies )

Reward will be Sunday lunch...

lostinrates

Carolt I think I'm finally getting open office to install on this lap top. So I'll have a word processing programme. Trying to type a book into ''notepad'' was never really gonna work.