Nice People 12: Nice in Nice

lostinrates

I did the back bit of grass this morning, roughly.

No idea how long it took. Took till it was done. Between hot drinks. .

Masomnia

Sounds like an amazing trip Viva!

Went to the job centre this morning. Was ok really. Nice chap. Few awkward moments when he was explaining things that, to be fair, it's his job to explain and he kept saying 'Now I know you know you this stuff, but...'

The IT problems with Universal Credit were apparent. But I can't say it was a big issue. I think it's a really good system, actually; a very good idea. I'm glad Labour are backing it (in case they get in). To be fair as well, they've only been putting people on it at this job centre for the past week, so teething problems are to be expected I was more interested in asking him about UC than my claim, and he seemed quite happy to talk about it, so it was quite nice haha.

Nothing else to add really. Still feel a bit down about things, but I think I'll get there eventually.

silvercar

GDB2222 wrote: »

Well, I started off with looking for the three extension leads required. Then joined them all together and wrapped carrier bags round the joins as the grass was wet. Found the ELCB socket..... You'd have done the complete job in that time.

I'm sure that meets the current regulations on electricity in the home. Not.

ukmaggie45

GDB2222 wrote: »

Hand mowers are good exercise, just as long as he does not overdo it.

It's a real shame about the trees. They are simply irreplaceable within a human lifetime.

Maybe I was over-egging the pudding when I said it took 3 days... It was 3 days for as long as he could face going on doing it. Mind you, he must have been out there 3-4 hours on each day. He doesn't overdo when mowing, but I think he enjoys being outside and doing something useful that is exercise as well. Plus the benefits of enjoying a robin coming down and slurping up disturbed insects too! :j

Here's a picture of part of the garden before... LiR will recognise the chairs! There are actually 4 of them, but the 4th is up the back of the garden at the mo - for me to sit on to weed the veggie patch before we try get kale going up there for the winter.

I'm not sure about the tree yet - it may be that they were just taking off some of the lower branches. I've packed my binoculars in my handbag so they'll come up to bed with me, and I'll take a better look then or in the morning.

Long grass! by ukmaggie45, on Flickr

PasturesNew wrote: »

If it were a speed contest .... and I had to rush ... I think I could get the lawnmower out of the shed, plugged in, round the lawn, grass box emptied, cord rewound round the mower handles and back in the shed in under 10 minutes.

LOL, makes OH's 3 day marathon look a bit ridiculous! :rotfl: Here he is mowing. (bottom right, with the lag on my camera I never quite get the shot I'm really after!)

Mowing the lawn by ukmaggie45, on Flickr

vivatifosi wrote: »

Ha ha ha (can't do smilies on tablet). We left from Barcelona and stopped in southern Spain and the Canaries before crossing and stopping off at some Caribbean islands, finishing in Puerto Rico. I'd love to say that the best 4x4 trip was on the lost island of Atlantis, but I can't...

Oh that sounds like great fun! Though I'd be bothered by the heat in the Caribbean I suspect. Not to mention worried about the insect life! :eek: Guess I'm just a wimp! :rotfl:

Thought I'd just stick in this photo of the Virginia Creeper at the end of our garden. It's draped over a bush growing in back wall, and has made a curtain down to the ground. It makes a little cave almost, I would have loved playing in that space so much when I was tiny!

Virginia Creeper by ukmaggie45, on Flickr

lostinrates

Ok,


I am well and truly unknown territory here.

Because we have a little condensation starting I am taking this as a song that maybe I should start putting my heating on BEfORE my house gets cold, because this probably means somewhere its damp. Which is no good, but to be expected.

For evading condensation which times of day would be best to put heating on? Its still so mild, I cannot reconcile to twenty four hours on low and minimising opening windows yet. I also want to avoid dehumidifier for as long as possible.

Any ideas people who know what heating is like?

silvercar

A little condensation in the mornings is to be expected. We have the same. We just open the windows for a few hours in the morning and the condensation goes. Unless you are feeling the cold, I wouldn't put the heating on just to deal with the condensation.

lostinrates

silvercar wrote: »

A little condensation in the mornings is to be expected. We have the same. We just open the windows for a few hours in the morning and the condensation goes. Unless you are feeling the cold, I wouldn't put the heating on just to deal with the condensation.

We sleep with windows open.:D ( apart from the room with worst condensation down stairs, and the room at the back under bathroom which got flooded a few times and the dogs all breathe in all night so I'm not worried about really.

sss555s

ukmaggie45 wrote: »

Maybe It was 3 days for as long as he could face going on doing it. Mind you, he must have been out there 3-4 hours on each day. He doesn't overdo when mowing, but I think he enjoys being outside and doing something useful that is exercise as well. Plus the benefits of enjoying a robin coming down and slurping up disturbed insects too! :j

You have a lovely garden Maggie. It looks too big for a hand mower IMO and it's still hard enough work with a petrol mower, which he deserves

ukmaggie45

Masomnia wrote: »

<snip>

The IT problems with Universal Credit were apparent. But I can't say it was a big issue. I think it's a really good system, actually; a very good idea. I'm glad Labour are backing it (in case they get in). To be fair as well, they've only been putting people on it at this job centre for the past week, so teething problems are to be expected I was more interested in asking him about UC than my claim, and he seemed quite happy to talk about it, so it was quite nice haha.

Nothing else to add really. Still feel a bit down about things, but I think I'll get there eventually.

UC is a total mess, I hope your claim goes through OK. Know someone who worked on it (moved to dif job as soon as poss), I think their firm pulled out eventually. I doubt it will ever get sorted to be honest. Yet another gov IT thing gone immensely over budget and still not working.

Aww Masomnia, don't feel down. I'm *sure* you'll get there eventually. DD1 is in HR, not her first choice, but after several years of informal nannying and waitressing etc post degree she was quite pleased to be offered a job by Reed. I think they got her name from her joining their job search stuff. She didn't have any HR experience, they paid for her course in it I think. She left before finishing, not sure how it all worked out, it's the kind of stuff I don't like to be "too nosy" about with my dear kids! But she did get her HR professional qualification, prob when she was working in her second HR job for a charity... Where she was very happy, but the money was a bit carp. I could see her going back there maybe in the future when she might get a better paid job there... Didn't have the varied experience to apply in house for next job up (which might have been head of HR as very small department there)

lostinrates wrote: »

Ok,


I am well and truly unknown territory here.

Because we have a little condensation starting I am taking this as a song that maybe I should start putting my heating on BEfORE my house gets cold, because this probably means somewhere its damp. Which is no good, but to be expected.

For evading condensation which times of day would be best to put heating on? Its still so mild, I cannot reconcile to twenty four hours on low and minimising opening windows yet. I also want to avoid dehumidifier for as long as possible.

Any ideas people who know what heating is like?

In old home (end terrace) we used to run heating from about 6am in winter so house warmish by 7 when getting up and bathroom warm for morning shower. Turn off around 9. That was before I got ill, turn off was more like ll am then - south facing house, so by then got solar gain if it was clear. Evenings turn on heat before sun leaves house, or even earlier. Guess it was around 4 pm. When I was in the house could always over-ride if it was a frigid day and I couldn't get warm.

New home (semi-detached) we're both here more of the time, so we rely on the timer much less. I think it comes on 6 am as it's nice in winter to go into warm bathroom. In evening I think we have it set to come on around 4pm when the clocks go back.

I think the idea is to try keep the internal fabric of the house warm, if that gets cold it takes ages to warm it up again. External walls are going to get very chilled if they have wind blowing onto them. Need to heat them then I think (though sounds counter intuitive!) as if they get badly chilled you get the condensation.

I'm prob totally wrong about this stuff! <roll eyes smilie> But I think it's easier to keep your home warm than to try to re-heat it if it gets cold.

Hugs LiR, condensation always been scary for me too.

Nikkster

Caught some of the BBC News footage of the Labour conference this afternoon.

What year are we in? Why does the party leader's wife have to be wheeled out for a kiss? It was toe-curlingly cringey. Then he led her by the hand out of the arena - but he was leading the way so it kind of looked like he was dragging poor Justine along.

That and the fact they'd clearly placed as many females and especially non-white ones up on the stage so they would be seen in the background.