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

lostinrates

GDB2222 wrote: »

Out of interest, do you guys tip your postman, and if so how much? I think we give him a Christmas card with £5-10, but we are nowhere near the £30 limit. Do any of the NP come close?

I feel that we are a lot of extra work for him, as the letter box is at the bottom of the door, and I work on the top floor of the house, so it takes me a minute to get downstairs to answer him if there is something to sign for.

same as you..nothing staggaring. Our Postman is really nice. He is prepared to leave packages (and has suggested we buy a dog kennel or somehere defined for them to help us out) and I put my post in a clean sealed tupperare for him to take away with him (saving a walk of a couple of miles to the post box or some petrol)and takes an interst. e.g. when we started having trouble with the bees (hich he had delivered) he asked soeone else on his route (an experienced beekeeper) to drop down and see us.

our last postie was even better, he as superb with the dogs too. (this postie never has met the dogs, and I don't blame him )

On a rural route a good posty is a huge bonus.

chewmylegoff

GDB2222 wrote: »

Out of interest, do you guys tip your postman, and if so how much? I think we give him a Christmas card with £5-10, but we are nowhere near the £30 limit. Do any of the NP come close?

I feel that we are a lot of extra work for him, as the letter box is at the bottom of the door, and I work on the top floor of the house, so it takes me a minute to get downstairs to answer him if there is something to sign for.

i have never even seen my postman where i live let alone given him money!

silvercar

In my son's school you have a general mix from those on 100% scholarships to those whose families are so well off that the [STRIKE]brats[/STRIKE] kids have the attitude that they wil never need to do a days work in their lives.

In the same way that a dire school may have parents who don't care about education, we have some who pay their money and think they need no further involvement.

In the same way that some father's may be absent, we have the occasional father staying abroad while things quieten down at home (dodgy deals or fraud investigations I would guess).

So little different to your local comp.

The big difference is the expectations that paying parents have of the teachers. Teachers not up to the mark really don't last very long. I also suspect that recruiting teachers in shortage subjects is easier.

Different story in my eldest's school. As a state grammar school entrance was very competitive and all parents were keenly interested in their children doing well. Every parents evening saw 2 parents of every child turn up. With no pupil who weren't themselves aware that their education was v. important, the ethos was different.

SingleSue

No, don't give the postman a Christmas box.......mind you, I am not all that big on giving tips either!

silvercar

I tip my postman £10, cans of beer fro the gardeners, £20 for the cleaner, £10 for the window cleaner.

Lir, I never knew postmen would collect mail! Is that a rural thing or can we all do it?

lostinrates

silvercar wrote: »

I tip my postman £10, cans of beer fro the gardeners, £20 for the cleaner, £10 for the window cleaner.

Lir, I never knew postmen would collect mail! Is that a rural thing or can we all do it?

They aren't meant to I don't think, but rurally many do. The one who comes when ours is on holiday I don't kno whether he would...I've never put it out for him.

Likewise a rural postie often knows who people would rather their signed stuff was left with. Obviously, they are at an advantage because they know everybodies names to start with.:D

misskool

chewmylegoff wrote: »

i had a gaggia when i was living in SE london, which is hard water. i never filtered the water and it was pretty much destroyed after 6-9 months.

Thanks for the advice, the new one is on its' way and hopefully will work when we get it. This coffee machine business is turning into a new obsession.

lostinrates

I'm glad I got pictures of the grass before this week. lol. The hilarious thing is, most of it as just getting reestablished after the drainage went in at the very beginning of this year! I'm hoping to follow GDB's instructions and get a pic or two elsewhere tonight.

I've also been told, very excitingly the lathes from the lathe and plaster coming down, can probably be reused in ceiling repairs elsewhere in the place what can't be will be kindling. I'm happy with our choice of team. They are working hard and rather touchingly are all really grateful when I take them a hot drink.

misskool

GDB2222 wrote: »

Out of interest, do you guys tip your postman, and if so how much? I think we give him a Christmas card with £5-10, but we are nowhere near the £30 limit. Do any of the NP come close?

I feel that we are a lot of extra work for him, as the letter box is at the bottom of the door, and I work on the top floor of the house, so it takes me a minute to get downstairs to answer him if there is something to sign for.

we don't tip and have never felt the need to.

lostinrates

misskool wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, the new one is on its' way and hopefully will work when we get it. This coffee machine business is turning into a new obsession.

well, just don't treat coffee like I did. Hearing your passion makes me realise I still have feelings for coffee and I'm a little bit envious, but I'm trying to remember we just weren't good for each other.