Yes, @welshfarmer has nailed it for generosity and he’s right, it’s amazing round there. Definitely recommend if you can.

Ouch! What a little hero. Sending healing vibes.

I couldn’t find my car keys, because as it turned out after a fairly extensive they were in my other hand.

I lost my phone this weekend. For 10 minutes. Then I found it in my left jeans pocket… And I’d only looked in my right. I always put it in my right pocket, andy wallet in my left. What possessed me to deviate from this is a mystery.

100kph on the descent of the Ventoux, (same as @jkomo). Was about 23 years old. Rim brakes. Wouldn’t do it now.

Glasses for the first time this weekend, the first really sobering age related milestone.

There are MATs and there are MATs, just like every ‘business’. I’m lucky and work for a good one that has good values and genuinely constructive managers.

Arrange to do things that mean you have to leave work at a reasonable time. Meeting a mate for a run at 6 means I have to leave at 5.30… rather than stay and ‘just get a few more things done’.

Thanks @porter_jamie, will Google to find it.

What squeak-killing product would you suggest? More WD-40? Spray grease? Silicone spray?

Unless you live in a particularly crimey area I’d sell it. You’ll just keep checking it and get paranoid (at least I would).

Greek yoghurt with honey on top. Nice and fatty to fill you up. With the bonus that you can pretend you’re in Greece on holiday, not knackered and sat in front of the TV.

I’m sorry I haven’t read all the posts but I do have empathy with your position. I know it’s really hard to have perspective when you’re struggling away with what feels like an impossible task, but when you are able to take (or life forces you to take) a perspective shift then it will feel obvious that change is needed and you’re the only one who is going to care enough to make that change happen.

Good advice I try to use is ‘what would you advise a mate in the same position?’. I bet it wouldn’t be ‘suck it up and crack on’.

Good luck, you sound good at your job and diligent, people who have those two attributes are rarely out of work.

farage

😂

@blackflag thanks, very interesting… Think I might have a punt at the Governor of Gibraltar vacancy! Got to be in it to win it.

Finally come back to this thread, 4 months later and reread all the contributions. Firstly, thanks again to everyone that took time to respond, it was really helpful. I was in a deep hole, deeper than I realised.

About a week after posting I was riding from work home on my motorbike far too fast (rushing back to be home for child). And I had a sort of epiphany… I didn’t ‘need’ to do it (it being work like this). I rolled off the gas and that in itself was enough to feel differently and decide to take positive steps.

I spoke to my boss and my bosses boss. They were understanding and helpful and I’m transferring to another school that’s closer and has a more defined role, which feels like an opportunity to reset and restart on a new, hopefully more sustainable, track. Ultimately it gives me a chance to try again to do something I do want to do.

Thanks again. Onwards.

I went via my dentist, they made up custom mouth guard things and gave me some of the bleach plus super-flouride stuff to take the punch out of the sensitivity. £500. Did work, was worth it IMO. Had 3 appointments, 1 to make, 1 to check and 1 to follow up.

The stuff was this (not read the link, but that’s the stuff) https://www.dentaly.org/en/teeth-whitening/boutique-whitening/

If you’re west midlands I can share the link to my dentist, he’s excellent.

Thanks 👍

This thread is great. After a lifetime of running and 1000s of hours of wearing wet cycling shoes my toes make @msp look like a supermodel.

I’ve always taken the view that if I’m going to have a truly disgusting body part (as opposed to just offensive like the rest of me) then I count my lucky stars it’s the bit that is the furthest from my face.

So I’ve just ignored them. It was a useful filter when dating too… Like me, Like my toes.

No advice other than check it doesn’t have a fan that runs for 20 minutes after you turn it off. My Hotpoint does and it’s really annoying

Proud me. My sister was pivotal in getting this series and the podcast made. 😊

Yes, both are incredible. Both really worth setting time aside for, very sobering.

Yup. Exactly the same in my 2015 Vauxhall Zafira this morning in -8 C. 10 minutes of idling and it warmed up enough to select a gear then 10 more minutes and it was fine.

It’s not -8C very often so I’ll live with it.

I’ve done 4 summer trips to Bourg St Maurice and would definitely recommend it. Good swimming pool, municipal swimming lake 5 min drive away. Heaps of biking and walking. Not too expensive (although I haven’t been post COVID/inflation so that may well have changed). Would love to go again.

@tuboflard a week, 24th Dec to 31st Dec. Hope to ski for 4 days in that stretch. Shame resorts don’t open at night, could make the most of the jetlag!

@stwhannah there’s a secondhand gear shop on Jackson, but landing late on Xmas eve means it’ll be shut. Good call for getting my brother to go though 👍

@toby1 Hereford. Nothing like that round here I think, will have a look though.

@thegeneralist please never describe that trip to Utah again. It’s very triggering 😉

@tuboflard and @sweaman2

Thanks. Yes, will ask my brother for help, although he knows about as much about skiing as I do!

Given the boots cost Vs skis I reckon I’ll just go for everything and suck it up. I’ll remortgage soon anyway 😂

Absolutely cannot wait. A week with junior and adventures, am very lucky and intend to appreciate every second.

Hoping for some advice from people who know things about skis…

My brother lives in Jackson hole (yes, I know) and junior and I are hoping to get out for a week over Xmas. As you can imagine, between the exchange rate and the location, hiring kit is eyewatering. I’m already reaming myself with flights and ski passes.

So, my thought was to buy some skis and poles from Facebook marketplace or ebay out there and get them delivered to my brother’s ready for us to use. This would save money and mean we wouldn’t have to faff for so long on the first day.

Both of us are beginners, with 1 day of intensive lessons and then 3 days each of practice last winter. We can ski blues easily with the odd carve and could get down a red without dying. We generally use an ‘i can MTB blacks easily’ over-enthusiastic approach to everything gravity related.

He’s 12 years old. 165cm and 50kg. I’m old, 175cm and 75 kg.

I’m expecting to rent boots so they got our hobbit feet.

So, stupid idea or not? If it’s not a stupid idea what on earth do I buy?

I fully realise that the equivalent question rephrased into MTB speak would result in a stream of that’s a stupid idea’ answers. Please feel free to respond in that way, it’ll save you typing!

Good luck!

I work in the sector. A class size of 18 is pretty much the break even point and yes, there is data that suggests lategrr class sizes do better (in value added terms) and have better student feedback… But I can’t find it to post a link.

I think the changing teacher bit is more significant than the class size, teacher-studemt relationships are the driver of student performance and changing teachers obviously resets this.

Thanks everyone for the time you’ve taken to reply. There’s lots to think about, not least the fractions of the problem that are mine, the role’s and the profession’s. I’m certain that I’m the creator of a significant part of the stress, but not so certain about the degree to which I can change the part of me that generates it (the part that wants to do everything ‘well’ and refuses to fail). I’m equally certain the role and my boss are also variables and if I had an honest conversation there would be significant efforts made to help (I’ve a good boss and I respect him a great deal). How to go about doing that in the context of my role, the available money and the limited number of people who could possibly take on more isn’t clear.

There’s much more to write, but now probably the best thing is to sleep. Thanks again, ILF.

Thanks everyone. Reading these this morning has made some dust fly into my eyes. Need to do some thinking this weekend.

Solicitor, as most say above. Have recent experience of this, lots of mediation but in the end of you can’t agree then you can’t agree. If you have a good solicitor then they’ll quickly tell you what you can and can’t achieve (and also give you a steer on what is actually fair if you ask them). I wish I’d done less mediation.

Thanks all.

Yes, laid bottom to top. 400mm overlaps so that should be ok, but nails every 30cm, not 30mm as suggested. No bitumen, but that sounds minging to work with.

Will check out the corrugated roof but am feeling like EDPM is the way to go… Have lost faith in felt.

Will update when it’s done in case anyone’s interested.

My experience is positive but there’s no doubting it’s hard. 20 years together and 1 kid. 50:50 childcare. I left 2 years ago.

In terms of how things are better… I am 100% happier, my kid spends half his time with me in a place where it’s calm, there’s a routine, we eat together and we get on really well. He also spends more time with his mum. Since splitting up 2 years ago, in more acrimonious circumstances than you describe, I haven’t had a single moment of regret and feel like a different person.

Interestingly it’s hard to write about the positives as it was and is a sad thing, it feels a bit cold hearted. But if I were transported back in time I’d do the same thing in an instant. It’s definitely better for my son, definitely better for me and I think better for my ex.

#1 advice from me is bend over backwards to keep a positive relationship with your ex… But not at the expense of a fair outcome with access or finances.

Good luck. It’s not easy, but a house where the parents don’t get on isn’t a place to being up kids. Tough times pass. It will get easier. Happy if you want to PM me.

Scudding, a word I enjoy every time clouds are blown across the sky.

I don’t have any advice, because I’m in exactly the same position, albeit in education rather than the private sector. I know how it feels and it’s not nice. Good luck OP, hopefully we both find a way out.

Trouble with them is they can only move out of the way horizontally or vertically and can’t go over other birds.

Nicely done.

If it’s any help OP i woke up in the night once in a panic just like you…

I’d left a tray of (mildly) radioactive biological samples with a research value of about £150k on the counter of a bank on campus when I was a PhD student. Luckily they were clearly labeled as such.

I did that on the morning of September the 12th 2001.

Neither the police or the bank found it very funny, although the police did kindly return them.

I occasionally still wake up thinking about it but look back at the responsities that were given to a clueless 21 year old as a good lesson for what happens when an organisation wings it.

I’m in. New job last September has crucified my fitness, a 10km run was a breeze 12 months ago. Now it’s something to be taken seriously so action is required.

For some reason completing that survey made me feel the more depressed regarding the state of our political class than any of the recent (numerous) fails and embarrassments.

Thanks all. Yes includes scaffolding (and everything else). Appreciate the price calibration, I’m on the fence and with your feedback think I’ll put it in my pension. With my current form I’d probably fit the panels then promptly move! 😆

Thanks OP. Had a £30 Currys voucher from a return ages ago, just found a reason to use it. 👍