Nice people thread part 4 - sugar and spice and all things

lostinrates

michaels wrote: »

Did you ever sort out your +1 problem LIR? If only I was a bit nearer, spending an evening trying to get away with pretending to be FIR to the landed gentry sounds kind of fun!

No. In fact, I have to deliver a note today for the formal thing for this weekend to say I can't now go (its a ''big thing'' I have never met the hosts, or the ''arrnager'' for the hosts and its a bit social suicide, so its a goof thing I've grown to like this afterlife of hermatige!)

The next thing coming up I'm going to alone. I'm not a shrinking violet...even with low self confidence in appearance these days I reckon I'm alright to chat to. ....and so I don't mind going to less formal things by myself (though oin fact, the neighbours are taking me, so I'll be a sort of hanger on, but I can hold my own). I understand I might have to make a toast...which I always find cringeworthy if prepared so I'm trying not to rehearse trite lines in my head .

A girl friend offered to come with me, but TBH, I'm ok alone, and if going with someone I'd just rather go with a chap.

lostinrates

LydiaJ wrote: »

Yes, the bar is a unit of pressure. The atmospheric pressure of the air is about 1 bar - usually given as around 1000 millibar but varying up and down as the weather changes.

I don't know what our water pressure is. It seems very odd. Turning the taps on produces a fairly disappointing looking trickle that made me worry that when the shower was eventually fitted it would be pathetic. But in fact the shower is great and the flow is strong enough that I wouldn't use it on maximum, but turn it down.

hehe, I've just rememebered a story about I think bars.

When I first had the car in italy it had had a tough drive, and I filled it with (little did I know) the last of the right oil I had for it and wanted to check my tyres. We drove into a garage and they asked what my tyre pressure should be (my car didn't have one of those helpful stickers) and I said what ever it was ...32 or whatever and the garage chap told DH I was dangerous and mad. DH and I went away with a flea in our ear...and remembered later they use the other measurement over there. Personally, I was impressed I'd remembered to maintain the car, trying to remember two units of measure ment was a step too far.

And I never did find the right oil anywhere in Italy.

silvercar

Friend of neighbour tells me that said neighbour is seriously I'll in hospital. Other friend comments that it is bizarre that I don't already know. But why would I? Said neighbour lives directly opposite and I have seen the car going in and out regularly (husband visiting hospital) and that they have visitors staying (child summoned from Oz), but I didn't realise anything was serious was wrong. So now I've dropped a card through the door - sorry to hear...anything I can do let me know...- only know them to wave across the street. Should I be expected to know them any better? My friend seemed to think so.

silvercar

We have had the conifers all down the side of the garden cut back. The garden looks so much brighter. Expensive but worth it. Tree guy knocks next door and asks if they can go round their back to clear fallen branches. Chump neighbour suggests they climb over the fence. Tree guy says it would be easier to bring branches through the path. So neighbour says "OK the gate is unlocked, go ahead". So why would anyone have a Problem if the gate isn't even locked. Twit.

lostinrates

silvercar wrote: »

Should I be expected to know them any better? My friend seemed to think so.

No, no one should be expected to know their neighbours now, if they don't want to. But it can be nice to...and mutually beneficial. (or with the wrong neighbours can be a mistake!)

Its kind of you to drop a note in when you only know them to wave to.

misskool

lostinrates wrote: »

oh, and re DH's situation: so far so good. He's settling in. Though ''the sadist'' is a threat in the background atm he's staying in the background. DH is enjoying sharing an office (no room for him to have his own) and meeting more of the team he usually works with only electronically. He says there are some really nice people there, and perhaps a better atmosphere in general than in London, though everyone is scared of this one guy, even non legal staff and legal staff who don't work with him. Apparantly you just aren't ''one of the team'' until you've cried in the office. DH's also met some Italians, which makes him feel MUCH more at home. He's started Dutch lessons. And....he has two interviews lined up now. This is new ground for him. We understood that firms only make you an an offer once....and this is a bind because both these other firms would be good to work for in the future, and are quite similar to each other...one has a partner dh has worked with, and really likes, so they are ''in the lead''. I guess the thing is to make a very cool evaluation of what is on the table...money, opportunities etc, and then try and guage the ''culture''. IMO they both close some doors, (DH has two main practise areas and the opportunities take him firmly down one of those not the other.) but we know one will pay more now. Not sure what happens to salaries down the line, and how you find out things about career progression and salaries ''at the top''.

Decisions are tough things, eh?

I made the decision to be happier. And I'm working better. I do more hours but I care more about the work and it's generally an improvement on the last place.

My paltry salary was matched, which helped but it was a difficult decision. Good luck fir.

Sorry been quiet, sneaking in a few words before meeting.

PasturesNew

michaels wrote: »

...rely on having sufficient mains pressure and more importantly flow rate.

I had a combi and had to wash my hands before I flushed the loo, so I got the little man round to check the pressure and he said the pressure's fine but the flow rate was at just 12 and it'd take trench digging and a new pipe to sort that out.

lemonjelly

LydiaJ wrote: »

Usually only when the car is parked, and definitely only with handbrake on and car in neutral, but yes. My priority in the morning is to get my kids out of the door on time for school. If I only achieve that by not putting my make-up on until I'm in the car park at work, so be it.

I do have some strengths - punctuality isn't one of them.

I can empathise here. I am late for pretty much everything I ever do. One friend never tells me the real tee off time for golf, because he knows how late I can be. Another always turns up 10 mins late for any meeting with me, because, well, they know me.

On the make up front, I followed a woman on a dual carriageway the other day doing 40 whilst putting her lippy on. She was in the outside lane, & only just stopped at a traffic light in time cos all she was doing was looking in the rearview whilst putting it on.:eek:

lemonjelly

michaels wrote: »

Aren't we all still in our youths?

I'm still trying to get in a youth, amongst others!:D

lemonjelly

misskool wrote: »

I made the decision to be happier. And I'm working better. I do more hours but I care more about the work and it's generally an improvement on the last place.

My paltry salary was matched, which helped but it was a difficult decision. Good luck fir.

Sorry been quiet, sneaking in a few words before meeting.

I have mentioned before, but I took a pay cut to come here. After my last experience, I am hugely aware that pay is nowhere near the be all and end all. The stress, politics, and basic unhappiness I experienced at the last job, together with the pressure and hours were not worth the £2kish per annum that I got.

I know I've ranted in t'other place about stuff that is current, & I do believe some of that will be temporary. Despite this, I had a particularly unpleasant 13 months with my last employer.

Coming into a job where I am at least treated respectfully by most colleagues, with significantly reduced stress, and much more ability to manage my own time, coupled with the fact that I don't have some of the stresses I did have, & finish work at a reasonable hour, giving me loads of personal time (to do the important stuff) means that the £2k can go jump - it is definitely a price worth paying...