A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

modern_millie_2

Ragz and silvasava, I was going to say exactly the same re breaking in new boots. They are things of beauty, are they not? Will last you years if you treat them right.

Fellpony_2

Collected my free breadmaker yesterday, it came with an instruction manual but Arrrrrrrrrrrrggghhh no recipe booklet, but after an hour googling I found a pdf which has all the info in so today made my first loaf of home made bread. It took nearly 3 hours to complete in the machine and was gone in less time! But it is the start of something lovely! Now to tweak the recipe so I can add more too the loaf.

On a down side the 8ft high breeze block wall fell over in the wind the other night, it lets so much light in now and I am using my best influences to try not to let it get put back up to 8ft!
I spent the day before yesterday laying laminate flooring in our utility room. The laminate was in the loft when we moved in and after spending all day battling with it and not liking the result it has all to be lifted up again and we'll save up for some decent lino instead, ah well I tried! Hubby gave me real grief as I should have been taking it easy (being nearly 8 months pregnant! Whoops!)
Hubby managed to roll over in bed last night and break the straight bar in the centre (no there was no bouncing involved before any one starts sniggering lol) so I have emailed the company we got it from and complained, it's not even 18 moths old and wasn't the cheapest bed to start with. Grrr.
On a plus note I checked how much tinned tomatoes were on money supermarket and cheapest was 38p, but when I went to B and M I found them (and butter beans and other beans without sauce) for 29p a tin! So I stocked up with a few tins, got home and found on the reciept that they had also been on 4 for a £1. Wish I had bought more!

hornetgirl

Just been catching up after being laid low for a couple of days with a heavy cold. FIL had it at Christmas, DH had it for new year, and now it seems to be my turn. Upside is that I can't taste anything so don't want to eat anything - might lose a few pounds. Downside is that I'm supposed to be having lunch with my former workmates tomorrow, which will be a bit of a waste if I can't taste it.
I think we're all feeling a bit flat now the festivities are over. I've always found Jan and Feb a bit depressing. Sorry, nothing much to say, head feeling a bit too woolly at the moment.

Mrs_Chip

Grrrr.... officially cross :mad::mad::mad:

The van failed it's gas certification. And the two things it failed on are absolutely ridiculous, and not in any way dangerous - a missing label for the water heater, and missing user manual for the hot cupboard (which frankly is a metal box with a gas flame at the bottom, simples!). And to top it all the enginner is off on another training course for a week, and cannot come back to re-certify until next Saturday possibly :mad::mad::mad:. I am so annoyed, we have waited weeks got get to this point, and I cannot believe that it is the spirit of the gas regulations (which I agree are there for good reason) to be quite so rigorous. We will have to pay for him to come out again of course...

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Possession

I'm not surprised you're annoyed, it's terribly petty and ought to just be a point to note or something like that.

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Grrrr.... officially cross :mad::mad::mad:

The van failed it's gas certification. And the two things it failed on are absolutely ridiculous, and not in any way dangerous - a missing label for the water heater, and missing user manual for the hot cupboard (which frankly is a metal box with a gas flame at the bottom, simples!). And to top it all the enginner is off on another training course for a week, and cannot come back to re-certify until next Saturday possibly :mad::mad::mad:. I am so annoyed, we have waited weeks got get to this point, and I cannot believe that it is the spirit of the gas regulations (which I agree are there for good reason) to be quite so rigorous. We will have to pay for him to come out again of course...

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Kimitatsu

silvasava wrote: »

Hi Ragz - as a 'shoe aholic' I suggest you wear the boots every day for a few hours (usually until you cant stand it any more!) before venturing out in them 'proper' That usually breaks them in without you having blisters - I've sometimes worn a pair of thick socks so I can stretch them more quickly. If they are leather (sounds as if they are) give them a really good wax polish BEFORE you wear them paying particular attention to the welts (the bit where the upper meets the sole) I usually wax polish mine, leave the polish to 'soak' in for a few hours and them rub them up with a soft cloth or brush. The polishing first means that you protect the leather from water & scuffs.

Enjoy your wearing your bargain boots & have a lovely break :j

If you do need to wear them earlier a bit of vaseline over the heels (on the inside) means you dont get blisters. Also once you have worn them the first time, then repeat the polishing because you will know where the boots naturally crease to your feet.

I am envious you have a DUO outlet near you!

lizzyb1812

Byatt wrote: »

Does taking down Xmas tree/decs still count if they are lying around?

I bloomin' well hope so because mine are down but on the dining table - my excuse is that my giant snowflakes got a bit bent when stored last year so I need to find something to keep them flat - no suggestions required, I'll sort it, just not today :rotfl:

Had a very nice surprise today - next door is replacing the fence! It's tatty and a couple of panels could do with changing but they are doing up the whole garden and have decided to do all the fence. It will be a DIY job and will have to fit round work but as long as they keep pup in one/both gardens that's fine - luckily they have dogs too and pup gets on with them so it's not really an issue.

Saw another neighbour today - he's having a bad time. He had a minor car accident a couple of months ago and recently has developed severe anxiety problems associated with travelling. He's having counselling soon and feels a bit unmanly about it so I tried to talk him through what he could expect, having had the experience myself. I hoped it helped.

Eating from the stores has gone very well this week. I've done a menu for next week and the shopping has been done and came to £2-42 for fresh veg. I did spend £1 today on an audiobook in a charity shop near Aldi - but the tapes run for 5hrs 33 mins so that's value enough for me.

Redlady - I won't ask about you-know-what but how are you getting on with the inlaws now they're nearby?

rosieben

redlady_1 wrote: »

I have been missing as quite frankly this thread has made me want to slit my wrists recently. ...

and yet you're back?

Byatt

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Grrrr.... officially cross :mad::mad::mad:

The van failed it's gas certification. And the two things it failed on are absolutely ridiculous, and not in any way dangerous - a missing label for the water heater, and missing user manual for the hot cupboard (which frankly is a metal box with a gas flame at the bottom, simples!). And to top it all the enginner is off on another training course for a week, and cannot come back to re-certify until next Saturday possibly :mad::mad::mad:. I am so annoyed, we have waited weeks got get to this point, and I cannot believe that it is the spirit of the gas regulations (which I agree are there for good reason) to be quite so rigorous. We will have to pay for him to come out again of course...

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Oh no! I find that regulations no longer have common sense attached to them. We seem to have more paperwork now than ever before. Is there any way you can contact "head office?" It seems beyond ridiculous. :mad:

Thanks lizzy, I feel better now :rotfl:

Generalisation, but men seem to find it hard to have counselling. It's good you could give him your perspective.

Hi EC12345

I went into the "BIG CITY" today :rotfl: It was a nightmare; people everywhere! Just not used to it. And considering there's no money around, plenty of people spending. Admittedly there were sales everywhere, but still. I felt like the country bumpkin. And I was born a city girl, so don't know what happened. :eek:

Mrs_Chip

I don't think talking to them would help tbh. I have spoken at length to Gas Safe (Corgi under another name I think) and to me the whole certification thing is shot through with holes. Everything is down to the individual engineer, what one might pass annother might fail, and they don't care that as the end user this makes life almost impossible. They have us over a barrel, and know it.

I would be amazed if any of the mobile caterers on the road were anywhere near as safe as our van - the whole thing has been refitted to the spec required by another GasSafe engineer, and every little aspect was covered.

And breathe...