Nice people thread part 6 - thrice by twice as nice :)

PasturesNew

vivatifosi wrote: »

Gardeners I'm with you. I have managed to mow twice this year. That's it. Every other time it's been sunny I've either been at work, or as per this morning, the sun's out but its no use as the grass is long and we've had heavy overnight rain.

My next door neighbours have given up and are having fake turf laid, which is beginning to look increasingly like the way forward in this mad country where either you can't mow because of rain or can't water because of drought.

These are the reasons I decided 20 years ago, once I had my own small lawn, that grass in England is useless unless you're [a] keen at home all day every day to either mow it or sit on it.

PasturesNew

zagubov wrote: »

... art gallery by peeking through its letter box.

That's very MSE though

PasturesNew

lostinrates wrote: »

I like white things because they are easier to find in a dark capacious handbag, but black keeps looking good for longer.

If you do have the finding things difficult issue you can do what i did to my phone.....paint it will nail varnish. It looks terrible and chips really easily but was the only reason i found my mobile yesterday (missing for three weeks).

Attach either a GPS chip to it, or one of those keyrings that beeps when you whistle

I know dialling it only works if your battery's full ... and it's within 50 feet of where you are.

vivatifosi

PasturesNew wrote: »

These are the reasons I decided 20 years ago, once I had my own small lawn, that grass in England is useless unless you're [a] keen at home all day every day to either mow it or sit on it.

I moved here just as I was being treated for my skin problems, prior to that I had a small terraced back garden at my old house. You could spend 10 minutes out there and it would be done and there was no lawn. At the front there was an equally postage stamp-sized flowerbed, so no great effort there. So we picked a house with a nice garden and a lawn. Little did I know that by the time we went through sale and completion, DH would be hospitalised with hayfever and not able to mow, or I would be having bits cut out meaning I couldn't really garden in the sun. We are a quite pathetic couple really.

PasturesNew

lostinrates wrote: »

Its vile isn't it? Its getting me down too. I love rain But i have had more than enough now. Indeed, far more than enough.

What's newly annoyed me (I love finding new things that annoy me) .... is that in the last 2 weeks or so before the move, the washing machine was gone... so I had a stack of dirty clothes/etc that desperately needed washing... including jeans with muddy hems where I've been to the tip and in the garden moving/sorting stuff out etc.... and with this new temporary home I was looking forward to the brilliant washing machine and that when I was here before washing could be dried on the radiators the same day it was washed. Brilliant... so I did two hefty loads yesterday, of thick bath sheets... draped them out .... and the heating was on for just 2 hours Still got 2 further loads to do and that first lot won't dry until tonight at the earliest.

I was looking forward to doing all my washing so I'd arrive at my next destination with freshly-smelling clothes neatly folded.... I now have to factor into my moving requirements that the next place needs a washing machine.

PasturesNew

vivatifosi wrote: »

I moved here just as I was being treated for my skin problems, prior to that I had a small terraced back garden at my old house. You could spend 10 minutes out there and it would be done and there was no lawn. At the front there was an equally postage stamp-sized flowerbed, so no great effort there. So we picked a house with a nice garden and a lawn. Little did I know that by the time we went through sale and completion, DH would be hospitalised with hayfever and not able to mow, or I would be having bits cut out meaning I couldn't really garden in the sun. We are a quite pathetic couple really.

Invite people round for a Garden Party ..... and hit them with what that ACTUALLY meant when they arrive expecting Pimms.

vivatifosi

silvercar wrote: »

No, if it was London he could stay at home. In fact I suggested he find out if he could get access to London Uni library if there is some sort of reciprocal arrangement, but he wants to be at uni because he works better there.

AIUI, when he is home he may be able to use the library at the University of Hertfordshire if he turns up with his local authority library card and photo ID, though that would need checking. I don't know if that's helpful if you need a plan B. For that matter, I don't know where UofH library is, but I'm guessing in Hatfield somewhere.

Also academic texts can be borrowed via interlibrary loan for £4.60, which always feels a lot, but if the alternative is driving to the other end of the country and staying there, might be a bargain. Very few academic texts exist in local library stocks as its the job of the uni libraries to have them (its where we end and they start).

vivatifosi

PasturesNew wrote: »

Invite people round for a Garden Party ..... and hit them with what that ACTUALLY meant when they arrive expecting Pimms.

Funnily enough that's what my family have always done. It works out quite well as they don't drink much, so its quite a cheap way to get things done. However now my brother has his decrepit edwardian pile that he's doing up he has other stuff on his mind and its a bit heavy to farm out to mum and dad given that she's disabled and he's still working 6 day weeks at 74. Families... They have this disturbing habit of growing old just as you need them.

silvercar

vivatifosi wrote: »

AIUI, when he is home he may be able to use the library at the University of Hertfordshire if he turns up with his local authority library card and photo ID, though that would need checking. I don't know if that's helpful if you need a plan B. For that matter, I don't know where UofH library is, but I'm guessing in Hatfield somewhere.

Also academic texts can be borrowed via interlibrary loan for £4.60, which always feels a lot, but if the alternative is driving to the other end of the country and staying there, might be a bargain. Very few academic texts exist in local library stocks as its the job of the uni libraries to have them (its where we end and they start).

We thought of that, but UofH don't do anything like his course, so no material, it would have to be London which can be difficult about giving access. I think it is also that he is in a working routine up there - too many distractions at home.

silvercar

vivatifosi wrote: »

Gardeners I'm with you. I have managed to mow twice this year. That's it. Every other time it's been sunny I've either been at work, or as per this morning, the sun's out but its no use as the grass is long and we've had heavy overnight rain.

My next door neighbours have given up and are having fake turf laid, which is beginning to look increasingly like the way forward in this mad country where either you can't mow because of rain or can't water because of drought.

Astro turf = sand. Sand everywhere.