The grumpy thread

[myglaren]

1 hour ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Feckin' alternator dead on CX, and new battery flatter than Flat Earth Society's credibility. Waiting now for AA Relay to truck the car home to London from this layby on eastbound A40 between Longford and Innsworth. Still, grand day out at CX Technical Day in Forest of Dean. At least 10 CXs turned up; never seen that many together before!

Liked for the CX's, not the breakdown.

I wish I dared buy one!

[Tadhg Tiogar]

6 minutes ago, myglaren said:

Liked for the CX's, not the breakdown.

I wish I dared buy one!

Go on and do it. One thing is certain: sure ye'll never be short of entertainment.…...

[Kiltox]

3 hours ago, clayts450 said:

WIth local banks closing left right and centre, why do they make it so damned hard to pay money in ? As I noted yday, I received a rather comically large cheque coz PPI.

TSB boast you can pay in at the Post Office but to do so the Post Office advise you need a pre-printed paying-in slip. Which of course, I don't have.

This hilarious Tweet by someone else rather neatly sums it up...

So I had to drag my sorry arse into Nottingham. On a Saturday afternoon. Where I had one car park entry fail due to stupidity on my part, then ended up miles away in the Victoria Centre which is currently being renovated and is almost impossible to escape from if you miss one turning. Which of course, I did.

The actual transaction in the branch itself was painless. Whilst in Nottingham, I thought I'd hit Primark, as I needed some short sleeved shirts for work. Jeez, that place is like a fucking jumble sale, and the people who frequent it are the rudest gannet-like sheep I have ever witnessed. Could I find short-sleeved shirts ? Nope. Ah well, nice pair of jeans for a tenner. They'll do. Where do I pay ? Fuck that, queue about a mile long round the store. I know, I'll go to Fopp and have an hour in there. Except the last time I went there it was in Queen Street. Long closed. Gave up and went home, and returned to my normality with a brake bleeding sesh on the 420.

TL:DR Town centres are for suckers - stay away. And banks that don't make it easy to pay money in can fuck off as well.

Halifax (and probably also the other LBG brands) do online cheque deposits - it has amount limits though. 

[clayts450]

1 hour ago, Kiltox said:

Halifax (and probably also the other LBG brands) do online cheque deposits - it has amount limits though. 

Think it's a £500 limit so wouldn't have worked for me (he boasted)

[Kiltox]

7 minutes ago, clayts450 said:

Think it's a £500 limit so wouldn't have worked for me (he boasted)

Aye nae bother billy big bollocks

(congrats though, fuck PPI)

[stonedagain]

3 hours ago, myglaren said:

I'm astounded that they didn't just pay the money into your account directly.

My ppi claim was paid to me by cheque. Mrs Stoned cashed an isa in a month ago, that was also paid by cheque.

[Inspector Morose]

3 hours ago, Nyphur said:

Is there a single thread left on here where I don't have to read about a fucking Invacar?

Meh, its just a fad this forum goes through and has ever been thus since the beginning. It was BXs once then 405s then Corsas etc etc etc. One day it’ll be Upton Snodsbury Basingstoke mk3s eventually when they become the “in” thing.

yeah, I don’t get it either but I’ll just hang around until the next in thing comes along to see if I get those. It will, eventually.

[brownnova]

49 minutes ago, FPB7 said:

Meh, its just a fad this forum goes through and has ever been thus since the beginning. It was BXs once then 405s then Corsas etc etc etc. One day it’ll be Upton Snodsbury Basingstoke mk3s eventually when they become the “in” thing.

yeah, I don’t get it either but I’ll just hang around until the next in thing comes along to see if I get those. It will, eventually.

Remember when it was Laguna IIs... 

This is better than then, but it could be better than it is! 

[Pillock]

Hang on a fucking minute, it's *never* been Corsas.

[The Moog]

Meh, its just a fad this forum goes through and has ever been thus since the beginning. It was BXs once then 405s then Corsas etc etc etc. One day it’ll be Upton Snodsbury Basingstoke mk3s eventually when they become the “in” thing.
yeah, I don’t get it either but I’ll just hang around until the next in thing comes along to see if I get those. It will, eventually.

I don't think it is a fad really, just one person who makes every post about them

[Zelandeth]

Further to my grumble about not being able to track down the antishake function in the YouTube video editor I actually properly investigated it this evening.

The reason I can't find it is that it's no longer there.  Great...the one feature I actually used on a few occasions is gone.  Looks like I'll be needing to hunt for video editing software then.  Oh joy.

[myglaren]

6 hours ago, stonedagain said:

My ppi claim was paid to me by cheque. Mrs Stoned cashed an isa in a month ago, that was also paid by cheque.

I suppose things have changed.  It is around fifteen years since I last had a cheque.

That would have been for about £55,000.  Posted to the bank.

Since then all payments have been electronic bank transfers.

[Cavcraft]

6 hours ago, Pillock said:

Hang on a fucking minute, it's *never* been Corsas.

Car park, 8.00 M8. Winner takes all.

[LightBulbFun]

11 hours ago, Nyphur said:

Is there a single thread left on here where I don't have to read about a fucking Invacar?

See registration plate

[dollywobbler]

6 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Further to my grumble about not being able to track down the antishake function in the YouTube video editor I actually properly investigated it this evening.

The reason I can't find it is that it's no longer there.  Great...the one feature I actually used on a few occasions is gone.  Looks like I'll be needing to hunt for video editing software then.  Oh joy.

To be fair, it was utterly crap. Made videos look like a transition used in the 1980s.

[shedenvy]

Yeah i'm sorry everyone, we nearly had the grumpy thread off the end of page 2.

My sister.

She's self employed /single /45 / renting / no kids - this isn't a dating ad, just context.

The nature of her work (home/pet/horse sitting) means she's often away from home.  We helped her find a new flat 15 mins up the road and she moved in November.  However she's spent a total of about 4 nights there since.  She's spent about 3 weeks with us though which means turfing out my eldest boy into his brothers room in bunk beds - no real hardship - and in general spending every waking second in her presence from 6am to 10pm if i'm not at work.  Now of course she's helping with the three kids and also when they're at school she's doing a bit of decorating and gardening.  But at the same time I and the wife need our space and alone time, and alone time with kids.  I understood that with a flat so close we'd see her more but not her actually move in for any free time she gets.  She's free for 3 weeks this time and I can't see any intention to stay any time in her own flat - infact she stated she's only go there to re-pack her car.  Last night she said 'I see this as a you scratch my back type of deal' - meaning she'd help with the kids and the house so that I can help her:

- Sort out an electronic version of invoicing her clients (excel)

- Some sort of quoting system for potential new clients

- help choose an account to earn her the best interest rate on some money she's accrued.

- help her make a decision about moving to France and getting a UK loan to buy a property circa €40K in Brittany where my Mum & Dad live.  This is the only option she'll ever have to 'own' a property

 

I should mention that i'm an Engineer and have no experience on any of the above.  I also had no idea that this 'deal' was coming my way and I certainly wouldn't have agreed to it.

 

Anyway all this is interspersed with silent / tactful ways to pass judgement on the way we live our lives (how clean the toilet is, how messy the house is, how often the bed linen is washed etc etc) along with her f***ing opinion on everything that me and the Missus have to make a decison on.  She's only doing decorating because she's decided that we need to sort it out, and so Sunday was spent in B&Q chosing paint etc and spending money on stuff I had no bloody plans on.  Basically i'm 34 and I plan on having the house finished when I retire.

 

I'm no martyr but the wife and I both work, and have three children under 8.  It's busy but we cope.  In the words of  that Steve Coogan character 'no one died'.

 

This is like having a second wife - only I don't really like this one.

 

Anyway, does anyone have any advice on how to tactfully say FO.  Or any free templates on how to invoice or prepare a quote for people - she only had about 6 clients a year so I guess quickbooks or similar wouldn't be practical.  Oh and her MS office subscription has run out so if anyone can point me to a cheaper version than £5.99 a month i'd also appreciate it.

[LightBulbFun]

I really wish I could help

but sadly im in a similar situation with my brother and his spouse having taken over most of the house and making mine and my mums life pretty damn miserable in that regard

I hope it helps that at least you know your not alone in this sort of issue

[myglaren]

What does she use MS Office for?

A free option is either Google Docs or Libre Office.

[BorniteIdentity]

1 hour ago, shedenvy said:

Yeah i'm sorry everyone, we nearly had the grumpy thread off the end of page 2.

My sister.

She's self employed /single /45 / renting / no kids - this isn't a dating ad, just context.

The nature of her work (home/pet/horse sitting) means she's often away from home.  We helped her find a new flat 15 mins up the road and she moved in November.  However she's spent a total of about 4 nights there since.  She's spent about 3 weeks with us though which means turfing out my eldest boy into his brothers room in bunk beds - no real hardship - and in general spending every waking second in her presence from 6am to 10pm if i'm not at work.  Now of course she's helping with the three kids and also when they're at school she's doing a bit of decorating and gardening.  But at the same time I and the wife need our space and alone time, and alone time with kids.  I understood that with a flat so close we'd see her more but not her actually move in for any free time she gets.  She's free for 3 weeks this time and I can't see any intention to stay any time in her own flat - infact she stated she's only go there to re-pack her car.  Last night she said 'I see this as a you scratch my back type of deal' - meaning she'd help with the kids and the house so that I can help her:

- Sort out an electronic version of invoicing her clients (excel)

- Some sort of quoting system for potential new clients

- help choose an account to earn her the best interest rate on some money she's accrued.

- help her make a decision about moving to France and getting a UK loan to buy a property circa €40K in Brittany where my Mum & Dad live.  This is the only option she'll ever have to 'own' a property

 

I should mention that i'm an Engineer and have no experience on any of the above.  I also had no idea that this 'deal' was coming my way and I certainly wouldn't have agreed to it.

 

Anyway all this is interspersed with silent / tactful ways to pass judgement on the way we live our lives (how clean the toilet is, how messy the house is, how often the bed linen is washed etc etc) along with her f***ing opinion on everything that me and the Missus have to make a decison on.  She's only doing decorating because she's decided that we need to sort it out, and so Sunday was spent in B&Q chosing paint etc and spending money on stuff I had no bloody plans on.  Basically i'm 34 and I plan on having the house finished when I retire.

 

I'm no martyr but the wife and I both work, and have three children under 8.  It's busy but we cope.  In the words of  that Steve Coogan character 'no one died'.

 

This is like having a second wife - only I don't really like this one.

 

Anyway, does anyone have any advice on how to tactfully say FO.  Or any free templates on how to invoice or prepare a quote for people - she only had about 6 clients a year so I guess quickbooks or similar wouldn't be practical.  Oh and her MS office subscription has run out so if anyone can point me to a cheaper version than £5.99 a month i'd also appreciate it.

You can buy office licences on eBay for under £10.

Why not ask someone here to write an automated FRO letter to her? It’ll save embarrassment and help her with her business. 

Jokes* aside, I tend to either be blunt or use humour to make that person feel a level of discomfort.

[shedenvy]

39 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

You can buy office licences on eBay for under £10.

 

Thanks for this - is it legit or what?  One cheap ad says 'This is NOT cheap key!!!  cheap key will expired after few weeks' 

That just makes me suspicious of every ad being 'cheap and expiring'

[shedenvy]

1 hour ago, myglaren said:

What does she use MS Office for?

A free option is either Google Docs or Libre Office.

A year or so back I gave her a basic excel template so that she could *easily quote for a new job.  The frame work was a series of questions which then gave a ball park figure of how much to charge per day and how much she'd be earning per Hr.  If the numbers weren't right then she could tell potential client to FRO or pay more.  Eg.  Client A:

How many days: 8

How many dogs:

How many chickens etc:

how many horses:  Kept inside or outside:

Are you responsible for security of the house:

Then you had a factor for each line item (eg. a cat is £12 a day, a horse inside is £40 a day)

Then that would give out a total for the job and a total for the £/hr.

 

It sounds simple and it was, but she had nothing and was pretty much guessing an amount to charge.  Sometimes she would charge expenses (mileage) to a job to bump up a total and sometimes we would find out she had broken her back for £2 an hr.  Either scenario didn't seem right to me and from my outsider perspective the Horsey community seems to have the grafters in the gutter and  the  aristocracy paying peanuts.

[Sealtainn]

Anyway, does anyone have any advice on how to tactfully say FO.  Or any free templates on how to invoice or prepare a quote for people - she only had about 6 clients a year so I guess quickbooks or similar wouldn't be practical.  Oh and her MS office subscription has run out so if anyone can point me to a cheaper version than £5.99 a month i'd also appreciate it.

Can’t help on the FO front as I’m the sort who would just tell it like it as you’d like alienate her for life, however I do have a full version of MS Office 2000 on CD. Activation Key included and needs no subscription. PM your address and I’ll pop it in the post to you, all I ask is you send it back once you’ve installed it



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[shedenvy]

8 minutes ago, Sealtainn said:

 

 I do have a full version of MS Office 2000 on CD. Activation Key included and needs no subscription. PM your address and I’ll pop it in the post to you, all I ask is you send it back once you’ve installed it



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for this - let me go home and check her system spec before bothering you. 

[BorniteIdentity]

They’re legit. I *think* from machines that are shipped with them but are uninstalled ready for businesses that don’t need them. 

[dozeydustman]

@shedenvy - "Sis. We appreciate your efforts with the decor and the kids, don't mind you wanting to come round once a [time period] to spend an afternoon/evening/have lunch/dinner with us or babysit if wife and I want to go out, but we need our space. The wife and I have need of a bit of time together alone as a couple of an evening in front of the telly etc and we don't have time as a family - parents & children - to do family things; we've started to feel overcrowded and feel you should think about going back to your flat"

OR

"would you mind going back to your flat for while; we need time with the kids as a family and Mrs Shed and I need time to mong out on the sofa of an evening to crap tv and a glass of vino. We don't mind if you stay here if you've been looking after the kids for us and we're back late; or we've invited you round for dinner and you've had a couple of drinks"

if neither subtle approach works just be upfront - sis, you've overstayed your welcome, please go home.

[chaseracer]

The quote "fish and house-guests begin to smell after three days" has been attributed to lightning conductor, dollar bill botherer and general smartarse Benjamin Franklin.  

But that's not entirely helpful right now.  Soz, like.

[DoctorRetro]

Fucking fed up with my total lack of talent or even staying power with anything. 

I spend my whole life either bodging and making do, or giving up and moving on to the next mess. This usually applies to cars, jobs, furniture, relationships and probably more. 

Just that. I'm a fucking joke. 

 

[colnerov]

2 hours ago, shedenvy said:

 from my outsider perspective the Horsey community seems to have the grafters in the gutter and  the  aristocracy paying peanuts.

 

 'twas ever thus.

[Stanky]

Shedenvy, I can't help with most of it, but look at WPS Office - its free for non-business use (just tick 'personal' and it never bothers you again) and is all but identical to the MS Office suite. It opens normal .xls and .xls spreadsheets (and all the other extensions) and can save back down to them too. It looks identical to Office 2015 and has all the functions.

There is literally no point getting MS Office.

It has spreadsheets, Word Processor and presentation programs - So Excel, Word and PowerPoint respectively.

 

[shedenvy]

Thanks for all yor suggestions regarding subtle hints and also the MS software. I've returned home after 2 hrs stuck on A12 and sister has put a coat of paint on the little bathroom. I told her that the ceiling didn't need doing but she went ahead and painted it with SODDING GLOSS FOR WOODWORK the twonk. That's two more f***ing coats it didnt need doing again then.