How's your day?

[carni 10,094]

On 10/19/2018 at 8:22 AM, carni said:

I just want to say that our fabulous and overstretched NHS is looking after me with such speed, and deserve our praise.

 

I don't want to  high jack the thread again but just thought the NHS deserve all the praise they can get. Less than 24hrs ago I was at Cannock Hospital, undergoing an unsuccessful procedure. Discussions with the surgeon concluded with another appointment for General anaesthetic . Would you believe it, the post has just come and delivered a letter for pre op assessment appointment on Thurs 25th Oct. Ops usually follow quite quickly from pre assesment. Hows that for speed. Fantastic.

[Jill Sparrow 10,304]

Excellent news, Carni. Get plenty of cake in ready for the recovery period. Nonna would probably send you a chocolate orange but I'll bet she's already scoffed em all!

[Cliff Ton 10,458]

1 hour ago, carni said:

Would you believe it, the post has just come and delivered a letter for pre op assessment appointment on Thurs 25th Oct. Ops usually follow quite quickly from pre assesment. Hows that for speed. Fantastic.

 

And don't come out till you're working properly.

[Brew 5,409]

2 hours ago, Cliff Ton said:

And don't come out till you're working properly.

Seconded, thirded and fourthed!

 

[Brew 5,409]

Today I is mostly doin me best to cripple mesen even more. I'm just takin a break from crawling around in my loft wiring new spotlights for the bathroom, there are ten. My knees are screaming, my back aches and the insulation is driving me potty with itching. Back in the day this would have taken me a morning, I'm now on day two.

Prizes for anyone who can tell me why I was stupid enough to start it, being a tight old sod is a given, 

[FLY2 10,108]

Horrific ! ! Just back from a strenuous trek around IKEA. You have to follow the illuminated arrows on the floor, so it took us three quarters of an hour to get to the rugs and cushions. I wandered off, ignoring things I don't need, but was soon berated for having the temerity to think for myself. Luckily, there was nothing in the bag upon reaching our requirements. That was it. Half an hour rummaging  to get three cushion covers, and two rugs. Phew. She paid too ! In the garden now recuperating !

[loppylugs 8,427]

Had some fun the last day or so.  I hit a fence post with one  of the deck wheels on my lawn tractor.  it broke the axle on the little five inch wheel.  I managed to drill the broken thread out and trotted off to the hardware store to buy a new bolt for the axle.  I took the wheel with me to make sure  it fit.  Long story short. I absent mindedly left the  wheel in the shopping cart.  went back this morning on the off chance it may have been found and handed in in.  No chance.  So I ended up buying a new wheel and axle.  should have done that in the first place.  

 

Came home and changed the oil in me car.  Now I'm aching in places I didn't know I had.  They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  I'm here to tell you that you can,  but the poor old dog has a hard time remembering them.  

[LizzieM 9,507]

Bad luck Loppy but well done for trying to fix it.  Wonder what somebody is going to do with one little wheel though?! 

[philmayfield 6,115]

3 hours ago, FLY2 said:

Horrific ! ! Just back from a strenuous trek around IKEA. You have to follow the illuminated arrows on the floor, so it took us three quarters of an hour to get to the rugs and cushions. I wandered off, ignoring things I don't need, but was soon berated for having the temerity to think for myself. Luckily, there was nothing in the bag upon reaching our requirements. That was it. Half an hour rummaging  to get three cushion covers, and two rugs. Phew. She paid too ! In the garden now recuperating !

I always go in by the 'way out'  now as the thing I want to buy is usually next to the exit. Saves the hassle! 

[loppylugs 8,427]

1 hour ago, LizzieM said:

Bad luck Loppy but well done for trying to fix it.  Wonder what somebody is going to do with one little wheel though?! 

Certainly not worth anything.

 

I suppose it could always be used on a kid sized wheel barrow.

[West Bridgfordian 144]

31 minutes ago, loppylugs said:

Certainly not worth anything.

 

I suppose it could always be used on a kid sized wheel barrow.

I had a wheelbarrow, the wheel fell off...

[LizzieM 9,507]

1 hour ago, West Bridgfordian said:

I had a wheelbarrow, the wheel fell off...

It certainly did today, time for a new Manager 

Apologies to those who don’t understand the significance of this statement. 

[FLY2 10,108]

They were Bury'd well and truly.

[LizzieM 9,507]

It’s very sad.

[FLY2 10,108]

We were no better. Still can't put away our chances, and definitely can't defend a lead.

[loppylugs 8,427]

Sounds to me like Forest had a bad day?

[nonnaB 4,895]

Jill I'll have you know that I haven't finished my chocolates or my Terrys chocolate oranges. And if Carni sends me her address I'll send her one ....so there

[DJ360 6,721]

9 hours ago, Brew said:

Today I is mostly doin me best to cripple mesen even more. I'm just takin a break from crawling around in my loft wiring new spotlights for the bathroom, there are ten. My knees are screaming, my back aches and the insulation is driving me potty with itching. Back in the day this would have taken me a morning, I'm now on day two.

Prizes for anyone who can tell me why I was stupid enough to start it, being a tight old sod is a given, 

 

You have reminded me that about a year ago, I removed all of the insulation and a few loft boards from above my small bathroom, to look at how I could wire a fan into the spotlight circuit.  For some reason this job got overtaken by more important stuff.  So thanks for reminding me.... 

 

Col 

[loppylugs 8,427]

Don't know about you, Nonna but I find a couple of chunks of dark chocolate after each meal is lowering my blood pressure.  That has to be the reason because I'm not taking anthing else.  No side affects either. 

 

Edited to add.   Brew,  that is mainly why I retired from the electrical trade.  Just not up to the attic and crawl space thing any longer.  In summer those attics / lofts were  way up in temps.  I just figured one day thay'd have to carry me out of there.  I definately would not want to do that work here in Georgia.  You never know what you might meet in a crawl space.

[Brew 5,409]

Quite agree Loppy and I'm suffering for it with aches, pains, coughing from dust and still scratching after two showers. It's 4am here and can't sleep because my knees are giving me gyp.

From the floor it didn't seem much of a job. I should practice what I preach..

[mary1947 2,079]

20 hours ago, DAVIDW said:

 

Not so sure Mary , our local barber with his son , operates out of a tiny rented corner premises in the town centre . He charges OAPs £5 and think it's £6 for younger ones . 

He has people waiting outside at 7.30 am in the morning and they are on the go all day . Very little in expenses apart from a sharp pair of scissors and its all cash payments.

He lives in St.Ives and next year is retiring to his villa in Spain , so don't think he has the wolf at the door .

Sorry DAVIDW I can not resist getting on my soapbox. There a lot of people out there who think unisex hairdresser's make a lot of money good luck to him if he's retiring  to his villa in Spain, but just because he has a villa doe's not mean that he has made lots of money. It might be a small shop but he would still have to pay water rates/council tax/ his son's wages/ NI for his son unless he rent's a chair/ yes he has been a barber for years but he still needs the skills of cutting/washing/styling/ and he with been his age had to pay to learn his skills. OPPS also new sweeping brush (not the one Trigg had in Only fools and horses) he would have 2 pairs of scissors which cost any thing from £20    up to about £200, sorry to go on. 

I started as an apprentice when grand age of 16 wages and holidays were set by the wage's council and it was peanuts for the first five years. It was not much better after 5 years either you had to rely on tips and commission even barber's were in the same position. 

Right let me get to the point what I am trying to say is quote from a boss of mine, until we educate the public that hairdressing mens/womens is a  profession we will never get decent wages, and while some salon's  charge only £5 or £6 for a cut  we have no chance of educating the people. 

One last thing when I had my salon we had 2 car's on the drive plus a caravan,  I heard a customer say she's making loads of money just look at what she's got on the drive. 

Yes!!! we had 2 car's one was mine the other belonged to master's firm, the caravan was on the drive because it belonged to a friend of mine who ask me to store it for her over winter. So you see things are not always as you see them.

PS   So, so sorry to go on DAVIDW but you have hit a sore point, at least now as the old hairdresser's and barber's are leaving the trade the new one's are charging better price's for their skills.

[nonnaB 4,895]

You're right Mary, people only see what they think they see. They don't know what goes on behind the scenes in whatever trade is chosen.

Things are a bit different here maybe more expensive for example my husbands assistant chef has left because she went to live with her boyfriend in Turin. Too far to go to work here. Well she was paid her wage and holidays that she was entitled to but theres another thing that has to be paid by law at the finish of their term. Its called TFR ( trattamento di fine rapporto) which in short is similar to liquidation and my son ended up paying out €6000

  No matter how long someone has worked whether its 1 year or 20 yrs it still is payable. How some businesses can survive I don't know. Between this and the finanza and health people everyone is scared to do something wrong.

Another example, many years ago we had a bar here , my husband worked with my daughter and my bil worked with my son. They worked in shifts. An extremely busy bar that had been neglected by the previous owners. The locals would just have a coffee and sit down in the back room playing cards. My husband decided to eliminate the card room and put in game machines ( pinball etc) the locals went berserk didnt like it at all. But the youngsters loved it, came in played a while and spent money on pop and crisps. The bar was very dirty and not very much in order with the health people. One day they came in to inspect the premises. They looked everywhere and in great detail. When they'd finished the chief one said although he had never seen a bar and kitchen so clean  and in order but he would have to give a fine. When my husband asked why ,the reply was that the 2 paper bins in front of the bar had no lids . My husband then collected the order form that he had for the bins along with a note to say the lids were not in stock and would follow within the following week. They would have none of it. The bar was fined " 3 hundred and thirty three thousand lire" 

Everyone now is so careful at getting things right because the fines are sometimes very hefty. The finanza is another thing that puts the wind up. Till roll receipts are given for everything here. So if you are visiting Italy keep it and when you are far away from where you spent your money throw it away because if you get caught you and the seller will get a hefty fine. Even if you only had a coffee.

[Jill Sparrow 10,304]

11 hours ago, nonnaB said:

And if Carni sends me her address I'll send her one ....so there

Don't say I never give you anything Carni!

[Jill Sparrow 10,304]

15 hours ago, loppylugs said:

absent mindedly left the  wheel in the shopping cart.  went back this morning on the off chance it may have been found and handed in in.  No chance.  So I ended up buying a new wheel and axle.  should have done that in the first place.  

In the dawg house again, Loppy?

[DAVIDW 1,681]

10 hours ago, mary1947 said:

Sorry DAVIDW I can not resist getting on my soapbox.....It might be a small shop but he would still have to pay water rates ....

PS   So, so sorry to go on DAVIDW but you have hit a sore point ....

Mary no need to apologise , of course you are quite right about all the expenses . It was a glib reply of mine .

I know from personal experience after running a high street shop for over 30 years (more or less facing this barbers ).

Still irks me how many hundreds of pounds a year it cost us to get cardboard picked up !

Ours is a poor town and he has pitched his prices to suit . The shop is old and the rent cheap but in a high footfall spot .

Other barbers , many in plusher salons on the periphery , probably do struggle and they come and go .

This guy though has built up a huge regular trade , he maybe be a one off but near poverty he ain't !