The grumpy thread

[Zelandeth]

Finally got around to properly investigating the siezed up valve on the shower in the en suite bathroom.  It's been knackered for ages so we've just used the shower in the main bathroom - but we're about to have a friend staying with us for several weeks while their house is being renovated...and five people to one shower doesn't sound like good math.

After the best part of an hour of swearing got the faceplate off.  Oh look, they installed it and then tiled over everything.  Wonderful!

Hoping that - if it can even be removed given the amount of scale present - replacing the cartridge in both valves will solve the problem without having to disturb the actual valve body.  Not holding my breath though.

Also there seem to be a plethora of different types...and they're expensive. 

Seriously considering just calling a plumber for this one - if I can find one who doesn't declare the job "Not worth getting out the van for" like last time anyway...

[brownnova]

My garden is in two halves, the half beside the house which we use, and the half behind which this year I left to go meadow-like to promote pollination.  But as my little one has had a cold go to her chest, resulting in a covid test  (it’s not covid, but because it’s a cough the doctor won’t do anything until covid is ruled out) and therefore isolating I decided to get mowing.

The grump is that my self propelled petrol mower will not run. It’ll start on the primer but won’t stay running for more than 3 seconds. Much fiddling and I still can’t get it going. Which means I’ve been mowing for several hours now with the electric mower... which is becoming very tired of this job. (It’s past my knees in places.) 

I really need a ride on mower, but bloody hell they’re expensive!! 

[Stanky]

8 minutes ago, brownnova said:

My garden is in two halves, the half beside the house which we use, and the half behind which this year I left to go meadow-like to promote pollination.  But as my little one has had a cold go to her chest, resulting in a covid test  (it’s not covid, but because it’s a cough the doctor won’t do anything until covid is ruled out) and therefore isolating I decided to get mowing.

The grump is that my self propelled petrol mower will not run. It’ll start on the primer but won’t stay running for more than 3 seconds. Much fiddling and I still can’t get it going. Which means I’ve been mowing for several hours now with the electric mower... which is becoming very tired of this job. (It’s past my knees in places.) 

I really need a ride on mower, but bloody hell they’re expensive!! 

Briggs & Stratton engine? Replace the carb diaphragm and it'll be good as new. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333993936746?hash=item4dc397076a:g:UBwAAOSwCa9glqhd

[Sham]

Sounds like you need a brush cutter and not a mower.

But, what 'e said about the carb. 

[brownnova]

1 hour ago, Stanky said:

Briggs & Stratton engine? Replace the carb diaphragm and it'll be good as new. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333993936746?hash=item4dc397076a:g:UBwAAOSwCa9glqhd

It’s a Ryobi, not sure what engine. I’ll do some research. Thanks for the tip! 

56 minutes ago, Sham said:

Sounds like you need a brush cutter and not a mower.

But, what 'e said about the carb. 

I do have one of those! No petrol in it, and not allowed out to get any... 

Mes_brownnova thinks we really need a 1950s/60s tractor to pull some kind of mowing attachment around... I’m not inclined to argue. 

[3VOM]

On 6/2/2021 at 6:24 PM, Zelandeth said:

Finally got around to properly investigating the siezed up valve on the shower in the en suite bathroom.  It's been knackered for ages so we've just used the shower in the main bathroom - but we're about to have a friend staying with us for several weeks while their house is being renovated...and five people to one shower doesn't sound like good math.

After the best part of an hour of swearing got the faceplate off.  Oh look, they installed it and then tiled over everything.  Wonderful!

Hoping that - if it can even be removed given the amount of scale present - replacing the cartridge in both valves will solve the problem without having to disturb the actual valve body.  Not holding my breath though.

Also there seem to be a plethora of different types...and they're expensive. 

Seriously considering just calling a plumber for this one - if I can find one who doesn't declare the job "Not worth getting out the van for" like last time anyway...

You would normally tile over it and just leave a small gap for the shower taps. Try https://www.showerdoc.com/ for spare parts if you just want to try swapping the insides.

[High Jetter]

6 hours ago, brownnova said:

Mes_brownnova thinks we really need a 1950s/60s tractor to pull some kind of mowing attachment around... I’m not inclined to argue.

Funnily enough, I just re-watched the Car Sausage with the Fergie tractor that ended up with a mowing deck.

[Remspoor]

On 6/2/2021 at 10:09 AM, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Yes, it's a bit like trying to imagine Amsterdam without the smell of weed....

Or in London,  the Smell of Diesel form an old RT

[Tadhg Tiogar]

2 hours ago, Remspoor said:

Or in London,  the Smell of Diesel form an old RT

Actually in London, it's often the smell of weed as well!

[chaseracer]

5 hours ago, brownnova said:

Mes_brownnova thinks we really need a 1950s/60s tractor to pull some kind of mowing attachment around... I’m not inclined to argue. 

@Talbot's yer man for obscure mowing contraptions...

[Tadhg Tiogar]

5 hours ago, brownnova said:

...Mes_brownnova thinks we really need a 1950s/60s tractor to pull some kind of mowing attachment around... 

I look forward to ploughing competitions at the FoD.

[wuvvum]

Maybe @Mrs6C would loan you the 1958 Massey Ferguson?  Would be great fun* driving that back to Wales from the FOD at 19mph.

[Talbot]

8 hours ago, chaseracer said:

@Talbot's yer man for obscure mowing contraptions...

You do NOT want a mower I've designed.  Well, not anything like the Mk1 anyway.  Maybe a slightly* safer Mk2 perhaps.

[Wack]

People like this really boil my piss , if that were me I'd be making a claim on her insurance , what a cunt of a woman 

[goosey]

Cant replace just the worn bearings in my washing machine, have to replace the whole Drum.

Oh bother

[Jerzy Woking]

On 6/3/2021 at 6:47 PM, brownnova said:

Mes_brownnova thinks we really need a 1950s/60s tractor to pull some kind of mowing attachment around... I’m not inclined to argue. 

Local farmer/bloke with a tractor cleared the garden to the side of my house with his old tractor and some cutting attachment.

The shrubs, bushes and weeds growing were so thick they were resisting my attacks with a steel bladed brush cutter.

Took him 90 minutes to clear and cost me €70. Brilliant, and I didn't even break sweat.

Worth seeing (when you can get out) if a local farmer wants a bit of cash to run a tractor and cutter around your meadow.

[High Jetter]

58 minutes ago, goosey said:

Cant replace just the worn bearings in my washing machine, have to replace the whole Drum.

It might be physically possible to replace them, if you can extract them without the (probably) plastic drum cracking. They will be stock bearings, with their number on them. Finding the replacement seal(s) though could be a whole world of pain and frustration.

[Talbot]

2 hours ago, goosey said:

Cant replace just the worn bearings in my washing machine, have to replace the whole Drum.

Oh bother

There are various videos on youtube of people who have modified their welded plastic drum to be bolt-together and have successfully changed bearings and seals.  The bearings (as High Jetter has mentioned above) will be very cheap standard bearings.  The seal (which is almost always a single-lip gartered oil-seal fitted backwards to "face" the water side) will also be a bog-standard unit available from any bearing supplier over the internet for a couple of quid.

It'll take you a few hours, but probably well worth it compared to £100 for a new drum.

Edit: if you can be bothered while it's all apart, a weep hole drilled between the water seal and the first bearing out to the outside world (just like in an automotive water pump) would save the bearings from the very slight water that will always get past the seal.  The bearings would probably last forever if you did that.  Especially if you "splash out" for sealed bearings. (the ones with an integrated rubber seal either side of the rolling elements)

[Fumbler]

And the high of today's fixing has been lowered quite a bit because I've just been told my grandmother next door is now struggling to breathe. Convenient, as my parents (gran's on the maternal side of the family and is rather ill and we're essentially her carers) have just left to embark on a narrowboat holiday. There's literally only myself and my brother to help at the moment and gran has heart palpatations along with a myriad of other health problems.

As her daughter (and main carer) has just left to go and trundle around a canal for a few days to escape it all, my brother and I have a feeling this breathing stuff is all psychosomatic. Gran always has a turn when my parents go away for a spell of time, leaving us to deal with the fallout.

She dialled 111 earlier today and has now got a friend over to take her to hospital. She hates hospitals after losing a son and daughter to hospital failings 50 years ago, so that's understandable. I have yet to call my mother to tell her what's going on. She's having a lovely time with my dad and extended family, boating on a canal. I'm questioning whether I should tell her and potentially make her worry for the whole trip, destroying what it was meant for: a time where she needn't worry. We know why my gran is doing this, it's to make my parents guilty for going away for a while. She loves to control people in this way and is growing ever more grumpy as she's gradually losing control over herself. Why can't family living be just uncomplicated for once?

[High Jetter]

i.e 6204-2rs, the rs referring to rubber shields. Rather essential, IMHO

[Fumbler]

And off to hospital my grandmother goes. At least we won't need to come in every 5 minutes to make sure she hasn't collapsed or died. Calling this stressful is an understatement.

[Parky]

Left the UK last November.  Settled all bills, closed accounts off etc.

Due to minor delays the guy who bought my house didn’t complete until early January so technically I was the homeowner up to January 10th.  As a result the house had been quietly consuming a little bit of electricity for the alarm system and probably a few other bits like the timer for the heating (even though I shut that off).

Anyway, yesterday Mum receives a letter from a debt agency relating to an outstanding amount owed to EDF for the period 14th November to 10th January.  No idea how much it is as that wasn’t specified but so pissed off that EDF didn’t just contact me to inform me of this outstanding amount so I could have paid it.  

I presume I am now going to be asked for £8 for electricity and £500 for the “administration” right???

[GrumpiusMaximus]

6 minutes ago, Parky said:

Left the UK last November.  Settled all bills, closed accounts off etc.

Due to minor delays the guy who bought my house didn’t complete until early January so technically I was the homeowner up to January 10th.  As a result the house had been quietly consuming a little bit of electricity for the alarm system and probably a few other bits like the timer for the heating (even though I shut that off).

Anyway, yesterday Mum receives a letter from a debt agency relating to an outstanding amount owed to EDF for the period 14th November to 10th January.  No idea how much it is as that wasn’t specified but so pissed off that EDF didn’t just contact me to inform me of this outstanding amount so I could have paid it.  

I presume I am now going to be asked for £8 for electricity and £500 for the “administration” right???

To be fair, the house being in Essex I'd imagine the alarm was going off all the time.

[Fumbler]

The paramedics say my gran has a nasty chest infection and they hope they can get a consultant in ASAP. She's in good care tonight at least.

[Parky]

54 minutes ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

To be fair, the house being in Essex I'd imagine the alarm was going off all the time.

Either that or my neighbours broke in and turned it into a cannabis factory....

It’ll be fine.  I spoke to EDF who confirmed my account was closed and nothing was owed.  I’ll happily pay the £20 or whatever was used (our bill for a family of four was on average £100 a month when we all lived there) so an empty place can’t consume much.  Ultimately what’s a debt collector in Leeds gonna do?  Come to New Zealand and take my TV?

[Talbot]

7 hours ago, Fumbler said:

The paramedics say my gran has a nasty chest infection and they hope they can get a consultant in ASAP. She's in good care tonight at least.

Not liked for the infection, just for the fact that your gran is in good care and you don't have to worry quite as much.

[Talbot]

11 hours ago, Parky said:

I’ll happily pay the £20 or whatever was used (our bill for a family of four was on average £100 a month when we all lived there) so an empty place can’t consume much

On the basis of it being an alarm power feed, a neon or two on somewhere and possibly a central heating timer for 8 weeks, that should be closer to a quid.  The meter has probably only ticked over a few units of electricity between your move-out date and the new owner move-in date.  Most electricity companies will determine that bit to be not worth the administration to bill for.

[Fumbler]

The plot thickens! It turns out my gran missed a dose of heart medication yesterday which is why her heatbeat was off the end of the scale. She was discharged at 4:00 this morning with the consultant's advice to get an emergency GP appointment on Monday. Not liking this, she announces to us that the consultant said she needn't go to the GP, it's only a small chest infection and she needs to go to her CT scan first. She also failed to mention the majority of her health problems to the paramedics yesterday, claiming she was "absolutely fine apart from my breathing". It's never easy, is it.

She's also forgetting things and incorrectly ordering words/objects at a frightful rate now. My brother and I have the suspicion this is the beginning of Alzheimer's. It would also tie in well with her suddenly forgetting to take her vital medication. Hopefully the GP throws in a dementia test during the appointment so we can see what's going on.

[R1152]

I never understood why, but I was offered a dementia test when I was diagnosed with diabetes back in 2014.

@Fumbler - at its most basic level It's known as the Six-Item Cognitive Impairment Test, or 6-CIT for short.

https://patient.info/doctor/six-item-cognitive-impairment-test-6cit

[Fumbler]

Just now, R1152 said:

I never understood why, but I was offered a dementia test when I was diagnosed with diabetes back in 2014.

@Fumbler - at its most basic level It's known as the Six-Item Cognitive Impairment Test, or 6-CIT for short.

https://patient.info/doctor/six-item-cognitive-impairment-test-6cit

Hopefully the GP calls it something like that or else gran will go thin-lipped and outright refuse to take the test. She was a social worker for most of her later life, controlling those who were old and frail, losing control of themselves, and visiting people in institutions. It's taken some time but she's now in their position and is in denial about the fact she is losing control of herself. This is probably why she compulsively lies to professionals about her legitimate and significant health problems. She relies on us for care, but is needing more of it by the month, and, is taking away our lives' freedoms as it happens. At some point she'll need to be in constant professional care as we're at breaking point trying to do what trained nurses do.