Chipping ice off am upright freezer.
I was lying on the floor in the kitchen laughing it hurt a lot.
And I had to sleep downstairs for 3 days as I couldn't nake it up the stairs. Of course I managed to crawl to the tv remote.

Granted and old Vetra is an average car.
But for under a grand it may be a good bet. For that price you just want something that works.

My dad had one from new, well used, properly maintained.
The garage offered £300 quid trade in so he gave it to me as a motorway commuter car to save my other car.
I did 45k in 2 years bringing it to 167k, it never broke down and only needed a new battery and routine servicing. Failed Mot on Catalytic so scrapped as I didn't need it anymore.

This was a 1.8 petrol and dig 40mpg on runs.
Dull but works, the newer version is awfull by the way.

Hi,

I have a 2000 (w) zetec estate 1.8 petrol.

It does about 33-36 mpg for all round driving.
You can get 40mpg at a steady 65mph (motorway) with no roof rack on.

I would imagine the 1.6 would be slightly better.
The offical figures are a little ambitious.

not quite mtb but I carried 8 pints of milk home last night for 5 miles, damn heavy.

I wonder what makes blokes want to waddle.
Legs so thick they can hardly walk.
Can't bend down to tie their shoes.

I used to go to a grunters gym, gold gym vests and strippy bottoms.
Those guys did zero warm up / cool down / abs or any form of regular exercise. The guy that owned it was a classic former boby builder. i.e. massive chest, massive gut that I sure was flogging stuff under the counter.

I was always impressed with the old Arnie "Pumping Iron" film.

They way well have been taking stuff but at least they looked athletic and could run around on the beach.

Does anyone know if the newer hub gears are better that the nexus ones?

I have a mtb converted to three speed nexus hub. Used on not very rough dirt tracks and on the road.
It's a year old approx and used all year round 3-4 times a week for commuting.
Still works but creaking a bit and the third gear slips now and again.

Anyone had these fail?

It doesn't put me off I would get another ……

Good luck to you .. it's a great thing having kids.

Don't be too proud we got loads of clothes from friends as handme downs.
I've got 2 young girls and they love it.
And a lot of the clothes have not been worn much if at all.

Don't buy an expensive one, waste of money, especially Dyson.
My dad had one, lasted just out of warranty and died.

In my last office they had a Henry which was used everyday and was still going strong after 5 years. You can get them for under £100. They are also great for cleaning the car.

Or just pic up a cheepy from Tesco.
The Hoover we got from there didn't cost much and does the job.

Wow,

Loved that.
How long would that have taken .. ages.

If you don't like going on the inside (fine by me.) Why not go round the outside if you are carefull, just carry on until the traffic moves again then pull in.

if you are am engineer or car mechanic go for it.

If not get it checked out properly … i.e. garage service

Some of my friends go along that route, often ends up with something failing big time that they have missed.

It costs you a bit but MOT and services also check your car our thoroughly and tell you if there is something wrong with it.

How about Marlborough

Not too far to commute.
Nice posh town, friendly, good pubs etc.

Very different to Edin mind you.

I have three scooters in the backgarden – (for 5 year olds of course.)

My brother went flat on his back on the patio trying to show off .. how we laughed!! at least he didn't hurt himself as a 40 year old teacher turning up with a bust arm would not be cool.

If you buy small plants from a garden center it will get you started easier this year.
Peppers, chillies, cucumber, courgettes, tomatoes etc all grow well.
Most of the above will need supported when they have grow a little.

Salad , like lettuce, salad leaves etc are really good if you eat that kind of stuff, you then don't have to buy any at the supermarket that go off after a couple of days. Just pull off the leaves you want to eat and the lettuce will keep growing once it is a reasonable size.

Also herbs like parsley, basil etc grow well.

I tend to find putting seedlings into decent sized pots straight off works well. Also thiings like herbs and lettuce can be put outside once they have grown a bit. The greenhouse brings them on faster.

If it is sunny during the day you will need to leave the door open or roof vent. As you will fry whatever is in there.
Also most things will need watered each day.

I got a 18v dewalt one off screwfix arround £100 (80 off)a year or so ago.It came with 2 batteries, they really last quite well. And charge fast.

I do a lot of diy and my old cabled drill (which is quite good) has only come out of the box a couple of times since I got he cordless one.

And I have only come across drilling into particularly hard outside walls being too much for the cordless one.

They are great, also very handy if you are putting a lot of screws in like plaster board etc. (I wouldn't buy a cheep one though.)

I also have a crumpler, loads of pockets – has a laptop inset bag.

Great bag used it most days for over a year, bike, train, general use as man bag – looks the same as when I bought it.

I do cover it when riding home in the rain due to being off road.
It is reasonably waterproof though.

That is not that uncommon …

My wife is a nurse and has worked in Glasgow, London, Dundee & Stirling.
I think there might have been laundry at Ninewells (I can't remember) but all the others she washed her own uniform at home.

Costs a bit of cash I guess …

Still pic from recent cavendish crash………impressive……….

below is the video .. ouch

If the rear tyres are in good condition .. stick them on the front when you go to the garage. They don't usually charge you any extra.

Front wheel drive cars often wear out the fronts twice as fast as the rears.

good one !

still should have been in the left lane though .. ho ho

I used to drive up and down the country a lot.

And took great delight (and very immature behaviour) on the M6 going north on the fast part past the lakes of driving right up the arse of middle lane hoggers flashing like mad before sweeping past them at 20mph + what they were doing. Only to note that they still didn't pull in.

Probably very childish and poor driving on my part but put a smile on my face on a very long journey.

To TandemJeremy blah blah

This is a forum after all ……….

I hope you have calmed down with all those capitals.

Totally unrelated but ….

It does makes me feel a bit better after having a major rant at the wife.
She complained big style when I lost the rag with a driver on a single track road that could not drive into a passing place.
I ended up driving through a ditch to get past, made me laugh as they were like the classic rabbit in the headlights frozen .. idiots ..

ps we have made up and I have calmed down now.

Best thing about bromptons is they fold up so small so easily.
On a train they will go by your feet if not too busy.

Also no bother on the tube or taxi etc.
They ride pretty good too.

Only downside is you get laughed at occationally by yoofs.

Anything that goes!

My dad gave us his vectra as a second car. He was only going to get £300 as a trade in. Owner from new, properly looked after. I did another 45k faultless miles communting in it.

If you are looking for a cheep car … best advise where has it come from.

You can sign off dead easy … just a phone call.
Don't tell them what you are planning.

If you sign back on within something like 6 weeks and your circumstances have not changed you don't have to fill all the forms out again.

You would have to check the exact duration but after that time it is treated as a new claim.

To get contribution based dole money (£60 a week) you have to have been paying PAYE national insurance contributions for 2 years to qualify.

If you haven't e.g. self employed you can get income based job seekers.
Something like £100 a week for a couple. Any income i.e. wife / partner is knocked off that. So if you wife earns £100 a week you get nothing.

It is a pain in the arse to fill in all the forms, but if you have paid your taxes why not. But a few hours work would give you more cash and much better for you.

Personally I won't go on the dole again, not good for your sel esteem.
Years ago I once took a part time job in a bowling alley to get off the dole. (I was waiting to go back to Uni.)
Dull job … free bowling though.

My wife freaked out at me last fri night when I lost my temper and shouted at a youth for hacking at a large live tree with an axe right beside the car park at loch lubnaig, near Callander. They were young 15-18 and camping on the shore feet away from the carpark.

Maybe she was right as he had an axe but if he had come anywhere near me I would have brained him (which also would not be a good outcome.) So much for the tranquil fish and chips with my two young girls.
Its really embarrassing to think I come from the same country. Lots of tourists about.

I did get a clap and thumbs up from other other people there when we left.

erse

I'm not a liverpool supporter .. but I thought he was doing a good job in the mad world of footie management.
I wouldn't mind the 3 million pay off myself mind you.

They will really struggle to get a top notch coach.

Dunblane is really quite posh and definately not in the deprived category.

Hi,

I would agree with this

"Focus on a measurement that tells you more, such as body fat %, tape measurements, or even just photographs."

Personally I am not on a serious weight loss regime. But have been biking to work, adds up to appox 4 hours a week. Eat pretty health, drink a bit much probably. I have lost 3-4 inches round my gut and look thinner in the face etc. But my weight has only gone down maybe 3 kgs or so. A bit disapointing on the scales but I am much fitter than I was last year and look better for it.

Hi,

How long would home made pesto last in the fridge?

cool … nice one

Hi,

I agree with joemarshall said that the south island has a completely different climate, but I was just going on what my brother said. Also covered by the weather stats for Auckland (Quite far North.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT003100

And he is right the do live in wooden houses with no insulation or heating. Different culture completely as goes housing.

Hi,

I haven't been myself but my brother went on a holiday 10 years ago for a look and didn't come back.

He is a geotechnic engineer (I think) and has been involved in building bridges, tunnels … things like that. Has done very well career wise. He was doing a similar job before he left the uk but the projects are much bigger there. He got a job within 2 weeks and at that he filled in a form for a work permit, no probs there.

Lifestyle wise in Auckland its 15oC + all year round and he goes sailing & biking alot.

I will find out for myself next year when I got to his wedding.

On a downside it is very far away and some of my friends that have lived there miss the uk type modern culture, gigs theatre etc.

Hi,

My father inlaw is a farmer and has many landrovers.

They are epic for offroading (with decent tyres) they will go up pretty much anything with enough ground clearance and scary gradient.
That is what they are good at, and pulling trailers.

He was an engineer and reckons they cost a bomb to run unless you can do it yourself.

He won't take my young kids in the landrover as doesn't think the seatbelts are up to it.

(As hora said. The seats etc are good for child seats/small children?)

In the farming world where 4×4 are requred most people are buying modern crew cab pickups.

Why not an estate car?

hi,

hummerlicious

I'm slightly confused by your last post?
I like the look of the 19 steel but slightly pricy for me.

Did you prefer the 905?

Cheers Iain

The biggest problem with the A9 between Perth and Inverness is the road.

It was designed as a dual road which was not build other than in sections.
Hense there are all these sweeping curves which make overtaking safely difficult. It changes from dual to single to three lane.

Due to the hills / distance etc there are slow vehicles, some very slow, people get fustrated. So there are wacky races on the dual sections.

If you compare it with the journey between Perth and Stirling. Dual all the way, you can sit at 65mph, 75 mph etc and barring a holdup you make the same time every journey. (n.b. not the best example as there are some horrific junctions like Aucterarder.)

I must be getting old as dropping my speed on my commute between Dunblane and Dundee to mostly 65mph it only takes 5 mins longer for a 50 mile journey with no hold ups and a steady speed.

Hi,

I have a 3 speed that I used for london commuting last year. Worked great for me, took it on the tube, train, sleeper, taxi, minibus, the odd towpath. Its nice and small folded.

Once you get used to it you can get a good speed up on it.

I only used it for approx 4 months and I am planning to sell in as I've moved back to Scotland and now using a full size bike.

So if you are interested …

Cheers Iain

Hi,

I guess most of this has been covered already, defend the road.

After being almost knocked of a number of times with cars pulling out from side junctions. I tend to move over to the middle of the road quite a bit before the junction (almost anticipating them pulling out) seems to make the drivers notice you. Also if they do pull out you have bit more room to avoid.

I used to think visibility vests were a bit naff. But they really do work. And it makes your commute much less stressfull.

Bright lights!

Also if there are pot holes, man hole covers etc in the road you are quite entitled to go round these again away from the kerb. Unless someone is bearing down on you don't need to look over your shoulder all the time. You don't waqnt to get jammed in and go in a hole or clip the kerb.

Obvious one … ride on quiet back roads or tracks, ride on the pavement, might take longer but less stressfull. On a bike doing lots turns on side streets if clear makes almost no difference time wise to battling on a busy straight commute road.

Cheers Iain