Thanks everyone. Again, some very interesting views.

Thanks for reading the post. Hope it helps at least 1 person.

My PM’s are always open for a chat but I’m going to bow out of this thread.

Again…. a big thank-you to all who have contributed. It’s good to talk.

Would you consider having a look at the training?

Qwerty…. I’d really encourage you to have a look at the Training I signposted in my original post. https://www.zerosuicidealliance.com/

Suicide IS preventable. Furthermore, the way we talk about it has a great impact on those who it affects.

It is not possible to “commit suicide.” We commit “crimes” and suicide is not a crime (and has not been so since 1961 in the UK at least.)

The way we talk about suicide often stigmatizes the topic and continues to keep it as a taboo.

Please have a look at the training. It really is very useful.

Thanks gnusmas. Have read some of your posts. I feel for you. Didn’t know about your blog. I’d be really interested in that. You have a link?

Thanks to everyone who has been brave enough to post. Some very interesting views being expressed and some that have really challenged how I think about suicide.

One point that has struck a chord is about “warning signs.” Tazzy… you say that the warning sign for you was the point at which “it became a logical and coldly clinical solution.”

This really matches with something I read a while ago which describes suicide as “having a warrant to kill yourself.” The old view might have been that death my suicide might have been an act of desperation or the act of someone who is so low that no other way out can be considered. Research has shown that people who take their own lives believe that they have a “warrant to kill themselves” in other words its not a negative thing to do but an “actively positive” thing to do which is accompanied with a state of calm, clarity and happiness.

Would you say this was the case?

Nae bother. I hope it helps.

Weather is crap at the moment so Haldon would be the best bet. Lots of marked trails AND a cafe AND a play-park AND toilets AND a pump track AND a sheltered BBQ area AND a skills area AND an orienteering course AND a Mackie D’s 500 metres from the main MTB hub.

Woodbury has NONE of these facilities.

Globalti….. I’ve sent you a PM.

“Capitalized?”

Bloody Yank.

Why is spelling and grammar important?

Well… It’s the difference between “helping my Uncle Jack off his horse” and “helping my Uncle jack-off his horse.”

I know which one I would rather do.

Teacher here… and yes, I have used that one in a classroom environment. My Year 11’s LOVED it!

When it comes to pronunciation and diction… Imagine this conversation in a Bakery…

Customer: “Can I have free pasties, please?”

Shop Assistant: “No Sir, you have to pay for them.”

Customer: “No, I don’t want free pasties, I want FREE pasties, you know… one, two, FREE.”

Whether we like it or not, good spelling, grammar, diction and pronunciation act like a passport to a better life. These core skills help us to communicate in an accurate and effective way. In an interview situation they signal our level of education, ability to do an effective job and whether or not you would be a good Company representative.

A wide ranging vocabulary (including colloquialisms) makes individuals far more interesting people and a far more inclusive Country ‘ta boot but sometimes you have to know “when to play the game” and speak “proppa’like!”

Don’t agree? Well, next time you are sitting round the Christmas Dinner table, in front of Great Aunty Dorothy….. just chuck in a few Eff’s and Jeff’s – ya know from the building site at work…. I’m sure she won’t mind.

Hi Retro……

Have you considered letting your sons Tutor know what is going on?

Inform your sons tutor. (They do need to know.)

This

Retro…. Have you informed your sons tutor yet?

When you say you work in “pharma” and that the “projects going in the wrong direction” do you mean that your work on the Covid vaccine has stalled and that you are packing the family silver and heading for the bunker as we speak?

At least give your mates on STW the heads up before the world goes all “I am legend.”

Another teacher here. Cant for the life of me work out why you still havent emailed tutor yet.

“SKIN” wall tyres.

#everydayracism

It wasn’t a canter. It was a gallop. But that’s podiatry.

OK…… escrs…….

Your justification for letting a 4 year-old have a TV in their room is that “well I had one when I was five.”

So YOUR PARENTS gave you a TV at age 5 so it must have been OK, then? REALLY?

Just how far does this way of thinking go?

Do yourself a favour and have a read of Phillipa Perry’s book: “The book you wish your Parents had read (and your children will be glad you did.)”

Jesus!…. Our job is to be BETTER than our parents. Not to reinforce or repeat the same old mistakes.

Anything made by Crank Brothers.

Railway postal token/key

I’m going to respectfully withdraw from this thread as there are some details that don’t quite add up.

Trailwagger….. I hope you manage to find peace. I can’t image what it must be like to deal with some of the situations you have previously mentioned.

All I ask is that you remember that us teachers are here to help and what might initially seem as an over-reaction by a stressed member of staff, might actually have some value and might just be the tipping point that begins to sort some of these difficult behaviours out.
Often, it takes a lot of soul-searching and deep-thinking to finally acknowledge that there is a problem. (And a huge amount of fortitude to seek help.) Sometimes we can’t ignore the flashing oil light on the dashboard any longer. We just have to pop the bonnet and fix the damn thing! It’s a very brave thing to do and it sounds like you are trying to find a solution. I wish you all the best.
Good luck. It will be all ok in the end, and if it’s not….. then it’s not the end.

Still trying to determine the age of Daughter No.2.

I think people might raise an eyebrow if my suspicions are correct.

Trailwagger……. You mind me asking, how old is Daughter No.2?

Five days! 5 days!!!!!

Five days, this thread has been running and not a single reference to “Zen and the art of Motorcycle maintenance.”

Standards are slipping.

“off of”

“going forward”

Dropping the word “to” from sentences ie “Can I go toilet” or “Jump in the pool.”

“Can I get”

People who drop their H’s. ie ‘ouse, ‘arry, ‘ello etc

“I can care less.”

“1 through 10” instead of “1 to 10.”

Swop out.

Horse-back riding.

Race-car driving.

etc…. etc….. etc…

Yup…..JonEdwards…… Pete Postlethwaite was definitely meant to play Vimes.

You can clearly see him in “Where’s my cow?”

Vimes

LOL….. Bloody hell! Haven’t seen that Trig point in a while!

Overlooking Llangors Lake if i’m not mistaken!

Was there in ’94 working for a very well known Outdoor Company. Ohhhh them were the days!

Ever notice Ian Brown’s cameo in “The Prisoner of Azkaban?”

What about these?

SEAT RACK MOUNT:

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/m-part-seat-clamp-with-rack-mount-black-varspt1?ps=OTM9MjMxNTgxJjE4ND0yMzI2NDE=&gclid=CjwKCAjw2Jb7BRBHEiwAXTR4jcZorRPi1XvT-l1_JyQREBHytIFJFJQwU5191yUN62LrsfXNSwFqoRoC0SgQAvD_BwE#93=231581&184=232641

RACK P-CLIPS:

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Tortec-P-Clips-Bracket_27395.htm?sku=55255&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&gclid=CjwKCAjw2Jb7BRBHEiwAXTR4jbMzP1Q3Juk3F-yho6DpCFdJ7DYAkdzGO3nsVBuQSxQf9YPMQzmVYRoCsv8QAvD_BwE

Cool story bro. You sound hard-as-****.

A Bullit 125? LOL……..

What you think you look like…….

Mayans

What you actually look like…….

Look at me mom!

Dirty looks in Totnes Morrisons carpark?

You sure it was Totnes?

You know Totnes is twinned with Narnia, right?

NBT….. Love that video!

Clearly shows that even without driver input, a correctly loaded trailer/caravan has the ability to self-cancel a snake.

Brilliant, Brilliant BRILLIANT!

Shows really nicely why loading up correctly is vitally important.

I’m gonna show everyone I know that video. Thanks.

What an interesting and timely thread!

Mrs Semtex and I have just had a conversation about this very topic just this weekend.

It’s the phrase “might be allowed” that is making the hairs on the back of BOTH of our necks stand on end.

For us, those words strike a real chord and drum up images of the “Mrs Brown” school of motherhood. The “Interfering Mammy” who’s nose is in everyone’s business and has to have the last word on all household decisions. The world has to revolve around HER and all of HER wishes have to be respected otherwise those around her have to suffer the wrath of “her indoors” with a face like a busted sausage for weeks on end stamping her foot like a child because “NO-ONE LISTENS TO ME!”

Might be just an Irish thing, but there seems to be an increasing number of relationships that are based on this dynamic. (The wife being the gate-keeper and the husband being the feckless idiot whose stupid ideas have to be reigned in otherwise the world would stop spinning.)

I’ve seen two examples this weekend.

Firstly, my dad, who has pots of money to burn…. has worked hard all his life and now wants something for himself, is NOT ALLOWED to buy a motorhome.

and secondly, my brother was NOT ALLOWED to come out with me for a blast on the back of my motorbike.

Both of these decisions were made unilaterally by the respective women in their live WITHOUT any discussion. A simple sweep of the hand and a stern “YOU’RE NOT DOING THAT!” was all it took to keep the “little men” in their place.

My wife an I just dont get it. We are a partnership. We talk about decisions TOGETHER and formulate plans TOGETHER. It just seems odd not to take the other persons feelings into consideration.

If you flip this situation on its head….. how many women would feel comfortable with being told,

“You’re NOT ALLOWED to buy that hand-bag or you’re NOT ALLOWED to go out tonight or you’re NOT ALLOWED to do DIY or your’re NOT ALLOWED to order that particular food in a restaurant.” etc etc etc.

I choose to spend my life with Mrs Semtex because she supports my dreams and aspirations. I do wonder why other people are together sometimes.

Anyway, good luck with the patio (sorry, shed build!) Stay safe.

Thought you might find this useful.

Have you thought about how you are going to attach the plate to the towbar?

If it involves using the towbar bolts (assuming that its a bolt on towbar and not a swan-neck) you could be in for some fun.

Just had to fit a new longer bolt-on towball as my old one was too short for the new caravan hitch.

I had a 5ft long breaker bar on those bolts and was swinging like a gibbon and ONLY JUST managed to crack them off after lots of swearing, use of a heat-gun and lots of Plus-Gas.

Turns out the torque setting for towbar bolts is usually about 240Nm which is truck-loads! (and wayyyy above what my puny 1/2″ torque wrench can muster.

Fitters at places like Western Towing or Witter usually use gert big long 3/4″ torque wrenches with multipliers and all sorts of weird things to fit towballs.

Message is don’t assume you can use the bolts as a mounting point. You may not get the buggers off without a trip to Asgard and a big clout from Thor’s hammer.

ohhh….. and “weird eyelet thing…” Is that an attachment point for a Breakaway Cable?

You take offence at being reminded what CONSENT means?

That’s your problem right there. Far too self centred. Interesting how YOU have just become the victim in all this.

Grow up. Leave her alone.

I think you need to watch the following video.

To summarise…….. She once said she wanted you to make her a cup of tea but in the time it has taken you to boil the kettle and add the milk (ie get your life together) SHE HAS DECIDED THAT SHE NO LONGER WANTS A CUP OF TEA.

SHE NO LONGER WANTS TEA!!! You have NO RIGHT to keep pestering her and tell her to “just think it over.”

She HAS thought it over AND SHE DOESN’T WANT ANY MORE OF YOUR TEA.

Respect her decision and stay away. This is like really basic Year 7 Personal Development stuff here. You DO NOT have the right to make her feel guilty or that she has “made the wrong decision.” Moreover, you have the RESPONSIBILITY to act like an ADULT and not contact her again.

Jesus! I have a 10 year-old daughter sitting on the sofa opposite me. Is she really gonna have to deal with “men” who don’t understand what the word “NO” means?

and for the record….. The word “NO” can be expressed in a number of ways…. You don’t actually need to hear the word “NOOOOOOOOOOO” screamed at full volume to understand that humans are sentient beings and can make their own decisions, WITHOUT BEING PRESSURED.

STAY AWAY. JUST STAY AWAY. That would prove how much of a man you are.

The Sparky in this house has just gone to bed. She’ll probably be able to answer more accurately than me tomorrow, but from what I have picked up from her, I would guess that 18th Edition is only one part of the equation. I guess you would need to be Part P as well.

BIG difference in the cost of courses. Quick Google says £48 for 18th Edition and £500 odds for Part P.

I remember when we rewired our house. She put in all the building notices and was able to actually do the installation but was unable to sign it off because she was not Part P at the time.

I’ll point the gently snoring sparky your way in the morning. She probably tell me I’m talkin ballicks and give me a good slap for getting it all wrong. (She still hasn’t forgiven me for drilling through the main supply when trying to fit skirting board and that was 10 years ago!)

Hope it works out for you.

Dave Kane Cycles?

Had a poo in my own caravan.