I worry about it. I worry that I’m not fun enough, or that I’m “too much fun” at the wrong times. I worry that I’m a nag, and a bit of a helicopter parent. I worry that I’m not as good as my partner (to be fair, I KNOW I’m not). I worry that they don’t “get” my sense of humour. I worry that I’m not “present” enough, what with my shifts an’ all. I do everything that I can for my family and the kids are frankly amazing, but I honestly know that that is probably more reflective of my partner’s abilities as a parent than mine.

Next to sod all. I essentially get my free time at work. Very  occasionally get to go for a run on my break. I listen to music on my commute if driving, if I don’t need to drive and can use public transport I might get to use the folding bike or walk.

Been wearing DeWalt Titanuim boots for the last few years and done plenty of big walks in them (6+ miles).  Certainly the most comfortable work boots I’ve owned, and a few colleagues have started wearing them as well.

As bigblackshed said.

@toby1 do one.  I have sent the link to my mate though, so I’m sure he’ll be very grateful to you.

Mrs has just come in from a big walk and had the rest of that smoky barbecue salad thing for her lunch. I had to leave the room.  One sip was all I had. One sip early doors, and I’m now scarred for life.

It’s been a long day today.  I was out in brum yesterday with some ex work mates.  Don’t remember much about the journey home, apart from the fact that I was sick (twice as far as my hazy memory recalls), then passed out on the walk home.  Only woke up when it started raining… Not big, not clever.  I did at least make it onto the train from brum, and I got home without losing anything, which is both a bonus and a turn up for the books.  I was also introduced to some German beer that tasted just like smoked sausage. Quite possibly the worst/wurst thing I have ever drunk in my life.  Tried to eat a smoky barbecue salad thingy from M&S earlier, but it just tasted like that ruddy beer.  I think it’s given me PTSD.

Coffee needs to be HOT, as soon as it becomes merely warm it gives me the gip.  Only occasionally drink tea but I’d say the same for that (I never let it get to that stage).  Baked beans need to be hot as well.  Beans-out -of-the-tin eaters should be on some kind of register.

Had a mate do similar using an ice axe 🙄 this was years ago and he’s still in rude health. You’ll be reet, probably.

Cheers for that. Need some new shorts, my original Humvees are still going but have holes in both knees. Blagged some Endura gloves for a tenner as well so thanks for that PSA.

I bought a Giant Halfeay last year for 150 quid for occasional work pootling. Put bigger tyres on it (just ebay cheapies but made by Schwalbe), flat bars, a “racier” saddle and folding pedals.  20 inch wheels so decent enough cushioning and it is pretty rapid. Doesn’t fold up like a Brompton but its not bad, it’s also light enough for me to chuck on or off the loco from ballast level.  As mentioned, can feel a tad flexy (and very light at the front) when I have a fully loaded work bag on the rear rack but without that it feels solid and stable. Actually really good fun to ride. Seems to be a few on Marketplace for varying prices.

If that isn’t Horner’s willy in that* pic then it would be pretty easy for him to prove his innocence…

*I haven’t seen the pic, I’m getting all my gossip from this thread.

Miles Walker here, fighting the good fight for persecuted vehicle drivers everywhere.  Or something.

Thanks for all the replies. I was able to lift the top slab, dig out and back fill with mortar. Gave it a week to cure and fixed the top post with shield anchors. The bottom  I was able to re-tighten, which is good as otherwise that would have meant a lot more work in comparison to the top slab.  It was the top post that was by far the worst so having that secure should mean that it’s good for the foreseeable 👍

@dovebiker That sounds good. Do you have a link at all?  That would be awesome, especially if I could source some today 👍 in the meantime, I’ll do some googling myself.

*edit* that took all of 30 seconds. Rawlplug stuff in Screwfix  👍

Been using Olive oil in the Mediterranean diet since whenever.  They seem alright on it.

Potholes are that bad round by us it’s made the news. Probably not much worse than anywhere else but people have been quite enterprising about raising the issue…

Estate agent signs with the photo of the agent on them.  Yeah, they can say its all about “providing the personal touch” but all I see is “Look at me! Look at me!”.  Im probably wrong but it just seems egotistical, rather than “personal”.  Winds me right up when I know it shouldn’t.

Actually,  as we’re here, estate agent listings that are just plain bobbins.  Too few photos, no floorplans, etc.  It’s not difficult, for the money they charge things like this should be a given.

Bundobust in Leeds prior to of A Night Of Salvation at the University in November “21.  Basically the start of a of Damnation festival so a couple of nights of heavy metal with old work mates, and having missed out the year before before covid this was our first gig gathering since the last Damnation festival in 2019.  It’s Indian street food and its bloody good. No Michelin starred stuff but the feeling of being out and the anticipation of what was to come just made the whole experience utterly memorable.  It may be uncouth of me to suggest that the best drink(s) also came that night, some beers in a park after the gig surrounded by rats that we’d managed to get from an all night off.  I can’t even remember what it was I was drinking. Newky Brown I think 😳 either way, it was fab.

This isn’t Christmas related unfortunately but I was on the train with a mate after an all day session.  Going back a few years, mk1 coaches and we were slumped in the vestibule.  All of a sudden he decides he needs to spew but despite the adjacent bog he thought it would be better to do it out of the window.  At 100mph.  I managed to dive out of the way as most of it came back into the train, splattering everywhere as it did so.  Plenty of wipe down surfaces but you ain’t getting sick out of those carpets.

My 7 year old rode the blue trail at Sherwood Pines.  And he loved it.  

No idea @finbar, only remember the Roberts one. Oh, and the CODA  one, Computer Orientated Design Application.  I’d be fun at parties if I ever got invited.

@finbar D.O.G.S B.O.L.X stood for I think, Design Orientated Geometry System Blending Orthogonal Load bearing Xtra light tubes.  Remember reading that somewhere, many moons ago. The spotty youth in me still wants one.

*EDIT*  I say “Stood for”, they clearly made all that up to fit the letters, which is obvious but thought I’d get in there first.

That’s all good to know, thank you.  Whether it happens or not remains to be seen but I’m already a lot more educated than I was on the matter thanks to your input.

@molgrips, thank you for that. Food for thought.  I’m lucky to get 35 out of the car even when using Shell V power and that ain’t £1:40 a litre!  The issue is charging at home.  We don’t have a dedicated charger so we’d have to factor that in but at least once it’s done its done.  Another thing is that I work shifts and most of my shifts start between 1 and 4a.m but I suppose if I can get a couple of days off a charge, more if I’m travelling to Notts Station (4 miles) instead of across town to the depot (13 miles) that’s actually not such a hardship.  To be honest I love the Cube but it’s getting on in both years and miles.

I’m idly musing changing my car.  Running a Nissan Cube ATM which owes me nothing but is thirsty on fuel and getting on a bit (06 plate, 111k miles).  I don’t do many miles, about 6k a year, tops and few long runs, generally 25 miles a day to and from work. Could swap cars with the Mrs for long runs (parental visits) if need be.

There will be pushback as any purchase requires funding but thinking about a Leaf around the 6-7k mark, providing I could get a decent return on the Cube,  There’s always a market for them so I don’t see why not.  No tax, no engine to service, no petrol to put in…. I know electricity doesn’t grow on trees and I don’t do many miles a year so would it be a worthwhile change to make?  To be fair I know what the answer from inside the household will be but just seeing what the hive mind reckons.

@molgrips, popular in Corby due to the large numbers of Scots living there.

Had a go at some a while back. not as vile as I was expecting.  Buggered if I could tell you what it tastes of, though.

Just like CheezybeanZ I forgot to put starlings on my list. Sadly a very infrequent visitor, in fact I can’t remember the last time I saw one in the area.  We do apparently have green  parakeets knocking about not half a mile away but I’m yet to see them.

Took the plunge on the Thermos King desk mug. Similar dimensions to my food flask which is stable on the loco. Screw lid as well. Although I have to say @relapsed_mandolorian that one you posted sounds good with the ceramic interior. Oh well, you’d posted after I purchased.

Re the spilly thing being an issue, the cup sits on the control pedestal to my right at head height.  When it decides to go it goes and I’ve been caught out more than once where the cup has toppled and rolled out of reach! And we won’t mention the time it didn’t have its lid on…  I reckon that thermos will do the job but crikey, lots of recommendations.  That’s what I love about this place.  Cheers all.

This looks good. 2cms wider and 5cms shorter than my existing mug. No idea if that is a screw lid, however. I am aware that it has a slide lock sippy thing in the lid. EDIT, it appears that other Thermos travel mugs have screw lids. Think I’m gonna take a punt. Cheers all.

@robertajobb, they’re withdrawing our Class 60’s 😢 magic carpet ride compared to a 66.

@StuF I actually have that bottle (under a different name) for my water. Bit big for use as a mug.

@dyna-ti slight overkill base wise but I’d consider it is it was a screw lid rather than just a push on type?
As for the other suggestions they’re pretty similar to what I’ve got width/height wise. Yeah, I could go smaller but I’d prefer to stick around the 400ml mark which this is. Edit, i see this photo has made this mug look slightly taller and narrower than it actually is.

Another very happy ID customer. I needed a new phone so the switch came at the right time. A new Galaxy A54 which is £500 new, £25 a month over 2 years for unlimited everything = £600. Better signal with ID and 5g, too. Obviously your results, signal wise may vary depending on where you are but they use 3’s network and I’ve not had any issues whilst out and about.

I knew a bloke who had a mate that apparently had a dog called “Dick nose”.

I had a cat whose actual name was Mixu Paatelienen but I just used to call him Fuzz.

The purpose it serves is to free up FLOOR space.  It’s serving that purpose perfectly and the noise issue does not affect the neighbour in any way shape and form so all is good.

Right, well I think we can close this thread now.  Just popped to the old fella next door to check for noise as had two duvets on a spin cycle.  No noise or resonance to speak of on his side (stood at the top of his stairs so effectively the closest point and could hear it at full chat but it sounded so distant I had to really listen for it.  I’m both surprised and at the same time massively relieved.   The silly cabinet stays.

This is an LG as well. Its only when on full 1400 spin that there’s any issue. Cabinet goes first,  Machine going on shock absorbing feet then if I need to put any acoustic foam up then I will.  I was actually going to do that when redoing the room but was talked out of it.

Doing so @PhilO. Arriving tomorrow.  I know it’ll never be perfect as not on concrete floor etc. but if the cabinet is making things worse then it goes.

@nickc 2nd photo provides more context. That wall is rhe only place for those 3 items.  I know this because this is my house.  That’s not meant to be as snarky as it sounds, sink etc on wall inside door so that’s out.  Full length unit along wall where roof joins.  Ironing board along wall just inside folding door.  Leaves me with the space I’ve used for those 3 items. Not enough floor space for all 3.  Had the bright idea.  Turns out it wasn’t such a bright idea after all.  But everything fitted as I thought it would so really don’t get why the issue of cabinet space is getting people all het up.  The issue here is my stupid bloody ideas making noise for my neighbour worse than it needs to be.

I was tight for FLOOR space. Lift up washer. Everything slides underneath. Stated this in my first post. Or I thought I did. Just said I was tight for space. 🙄