The grumpy thread

[wrenchvolt]

That sucks man, you stick your neck out for people and get let down. Not meaning to be irritating, but you said it yourself

 

 

Now the company has employed a few very decent higher level people and we're on the up and up - looking pretty bright for the future.- but we are night and day from where we were 6 months ago -

 

Sound like you put the scary times mostly behind you, this is another hurdle. Albeit it very challenging, 6 months time you could well be in a stronger position still. 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

That sounds pretty shitty Nyphur.  Not on your team, they're entitled to move on and I can see why they'd be scared of redundancies, even if you've been able to fight their corner in the past (and done a very decent thing too, I might add with regards to the salary) but on the senior management, who are usually too busy sticking pens up each other's arses and trying to light each other's farts...

 

I remember working for one firm and the branch manager said there might have to be redundancies.  My reaction was 'good-o, that looks better on me than walking out of this spiralling death ship.'  That was when I knew I was in the wrong job.

 

My grump today involves putting up shelves and rails using plasterboard fixings.  It's all gone really rather well and looks rather good.  But it's too fucking hot to do anything and what rain we have had has turned to steam within one femtosecond...

[dollywobbler]

To, possibly, mis-quote William Morris: Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful - on that basis I shouldn't be in here myself; however I have just had an epiphany, actually it was tripping over in the cellar while trying to find a set of Allen keys that I thought were down there, but weren't (they were in the wrong sideboard, where I'd already looked)

 

I'm surrounded by stuff, just too much stuff, I can't find anything when I need it, especially tools, so end up buying even more. I even have other people's stuff (it's too good to throw away so I end up looking after it while trying to sell it). I know I can't change overnight but I feel I need a giant closing down sale (or a skip) before I turn into one of those people who has barely enough room to sit on a kitchen chair and ends up crushed by a pile of random junk in their sleep.

 

TL:DR Feeling pissed off with myself because I am disorganised and messy

 

Oh yes. I know this one all too well. Adding the fact we're now sending mugs, T-Shirts and stickers around the world has helped* things no end. The new workbench and shelving I put in the garage in January has pretty much disappeared under christ knows what. Our conservatory looks like a bomb went off in there. A bomb full of useless plastic containers, leaves and occasional bits of plant life. I've at least removed the broken glass now...

 

Yet, instead of doing anything about it, I'm reading about people sticking their fingers together with glue. QUALITY.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Maybe it's time to take up glue sniffing?  That's the next stage, clearly.  Might help with the grumps, too!

[chaseracer]

Musical Offspring is between conservatoires and back from shaking sticks and making loud noises at one-fifth of the global population.  Chaseracer Towers - not generally the tidiest of abodes - currently looks like an explosion in a percussion factory.

[DodgeRover]

Fuck, check out my shed:

 

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2018-08-01 18.51.28.jpg

 

I can't bear to see work scrap them. £100+ a piece to buy new, perfectly good batteries. So I keep taking them home and spending money on ways to make use of them.

 

I've got a solar powered security light that will continue working for three months after the sun stops.

I'll happily buy some or donate the £s to the works charity? Oddly I was going to message you as I weighed all our dead ones at the weekend and now need some standby ones.

60p a kg at deatons.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Musical Offspring is between conservatoires and back from shaking sticks and making loud noises at one-fifth of the global population.  Chaseracer Towers - not generally the tidiest of abodes - currently looks like an explosion in a percussion factory.

 

 

To be fair, as the owner of three drum kits I can see why that might be the case.  Let alone an orchestral percussionist...

[dozeydustman]

NOT ENOUGH THUNDERSTORM!!!

[BorniteIdentity]

12.45am , MrsN gets up to go to bathroom and looks out of the window, spots someone crouching down by the front wheel of the Passat.

She wakes me and , still half asleep , grab a pair of boxers and rush downstairs whilst putting them on..

Recipe for disaster, right?

Yes, I fell about 3/4 of the flight, bending my right knee, whacking my head and doing something to my foot.

Amazingly , this commotion didn't alert the "wheel theif" I was coming for them. I was out of the door and limping like a fat semi naked ninja. Crossed my drive and heading for the Passat 100 feet away, the miscreant turns and looks over his shoulder just as I grab the collar of his shirt and pull him onto the floor with a thud.

My crocked knee gives way and I end up on top of him, still only in my pants, remember. The suspect/victim starts screaming like a girl or, indeed, a posh drunk student...

Suddenly two other lads appear from the bushes near the footpath and MrsN complete with barking dogs is there to back me up brandishing an umbrella(?!)

Lights are coming on and Frank ( retired Copper 2 doors down) is shouting out of his window that he's coming to help.

This is when I realise the hooligans* are shitting themselves and one of them is calling 999 !

 

Turns out , they were on their way home from the pub in the village and after a few pints it seemed a good idea to play hide and seek.

 

They sobered up pretty quickly and everyone went their separate ways.

No harm done, except I've got a painful knee and foot.

 

I look on it as a drill for the next time some little scrote is actually up to no good outside, one lesson I've learnt is that it's probably safer to go out stark bollock naked than put my pants on going down stairs.

 

Oh, and we live in a close with only 6 houses so it's not as if there are often innocent passers by in the middle of the night for me to attack.

Glad you had a good outcome. Sadly, for an old colleague, it was a devastating outcome. Google Tushar Makwana for details.

 

Y’all need to look out for yourselves yo x

[D Spares & Tyres]

I hate working on diesels! For 2 days I have been putting off replacing the fuel lines on the Mitsubishi L200. It was an advisory at MOT but my subsequent prodding had produced a drip. Today was the day! Up on ramps and to it, I was soon covered in years worth of shite (ex farm truck) as I removed the old pipes, getting a liberal dose of diesel coverage as well. After an  hour both pipes have been changed, my clothes are in the washing machine and I am in the shower. Took me another half hour to clean the shower afterwards!

 

Went outside, started truck and checked for leaks - none. Great. Then the air reached the filter so it stopped, and now I cannot get the air out so it is blocking my shed. After a further 2 hours I phoned my diesel mechanic mate and he is calling round after work.

 

Bastard thing!

Squirt of an aerosol will kick that into life. WD40, deoderant, anything will do. Even used a paint aerosol once although I wouldn't recommend it

[NorfolkNWeigh]

FFS! The bin men have chucked our bottle box in the wagon. We're supposed to use a blue plastic box for glass, but ours went brittle and fell apart in the winter, we requested a replacement but the council don't have any. We've been using an orange plastic crate of similar size since March.

This week a different team emptied our bins and the woman next door saw one of them hoik the crate in with the landfill- cunts! Some twat proving a point, presumably. Spoke to council, still no blue boxes. " Could you store the glass until such time as we get some?" They said.

No, fuck off it'll be going in the black bags.

[Timewaster]

"I'm worried I might get made redundant".

I understand anyone being concerned about getting sent packing - but we are night and day from where we were 6 months ago

That sucks for you but depending where they are going the recruitment process in some companies can take 6 months.

[Lord Sterling]

Fuck, check out my shed:

 

2018-08-01 18.51.26.jpg

2018-08-01 18.51.28.jpg

 

I can't bear to see work scrap them. £100+ a piece to buy new, perfectly good batteries. So I keep taking them home and spending money on ways to make use of them.

 

I've got a solar powered security light that will continue working for three months after the sun stops.

Interesting... I work for a battery wholesaler. Still not got any batteries to store though (don't need any anyway) are they gel batteries or AGM? As gels can be stored on their sides.

 

Edit* Just noticed they are Odyssey PC925's. Careful how you store them, looks like some of them have started sulphating.

[yellowperil]

My regular loader is off sick at the moment, so I had an agency loader today, he is new to the job and was pleased he wasn't walking behind a bin lorry all day, fair enough, can't blame him for that in this heat.

 

We get to the first job and he loaded about half a broken up wardrobe on the back whilst I loaded the rest...

 

The next job he lifted a couple of tables with me

whilst I loaded the rest...

 

Doing our first tip he watched as I handballed two fridges off... Then sat there whilst I got out and set the back up and took the wheelbarrow off so we could tip the load. To be fair, he couldn't get out at that point because he had shorts on.

 

On to the next job...

He stood and watched as I wheeled two very heavy,very old fridges down a steep driveway.

 

At the next job he stood and pressed the tailift button while I loaded.

 

Next tip, was the same as the first.

 

We went back to the yard, to load some bins up and i did something totally out of character for me...

 

I went in the office and told them I would not work with him tomorrow, I would be better off on my own, because he is fugging useless.

 

The afternoon wasn't any better, he did put his phone down long enough to have a half hour nap.

 

So tomorrow he will be walking behind a bin lorry and i will get another agency loader, what a knob.

He has done himself out of two weeks of easy work in a heatwave, through his own laziness.

[Datsuncog]

FFS.

 

 

Looks like Mr. Tester wasn't happy with the wire brush and Hammerite treatment on the crusty pipes after all.

 

Next stop: new brake pipes.

 

Ballsacks.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Fuck, check out my shed: 

 

2018-08-01 18.51.26.jpg

2018-08-01 18.51.28.jpg

 

I can't bear to see work scrap them. £100+ a piece to buy new, perfectly good batteries. So I keep taking them home and spending money on ways to make use of them.

 

I've got a solar powered security light that will continue working for three months after the sun stops.

That looks like at least £500 worth of batteries in scrap value!

[Floatylight]

If he's between conservatories send him round here, mine needs a clean...

Musical Offspring is between conservatoires and back from shaking sticks and making loud noises at one-fifth of the global population. Chaseracer Towers - not generally the tidiest of abodes - currently looks like an explosion in a percussion factory.

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

[Guest Hooli]

Delaminated bike tyres at speed on motorways at night. Now comes the fun of getting it fixed in Italy.

Lucky I know someone in Switzerland who works in a bike shop two hours from here. Waiting on him to arrive in a van currently.

 

Ffs this is only day 5 of a 14 day trip, I hope nowt else like this happens.

[Captain Furious]

The two companies opposite us on the business park must have their own hot food canteens and as i'm walking from the car park of a morning I can smell the bacon and sausage cooking, this morning it was particularly strong and i'm fucking starving!  Sat here foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog at the very thought of it.

 

All I have to look forward to is some crappy sandwiches at fucking 3pm! 

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Delaminated bike tyres at speed on motorways at night. Now comes the fun of getting it fixed in Italy.

Lucky I know someone in Switzerland who works in a bike shop two hours from here. Waiting on him to arrive in a van currently.

 

Ffs this is only day 5 of a 14 day trip, I hope nowt else like this happens.

 

 

Could be a lot worse dude - glad you're still here to complain about it! Take it easy over there and regale us with tales of derring do....... preferred option all round. 

On another note - how badly will that spank the budget - and TYRES plural! Seriously - both let go at the same time?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Fuck, check out my shed: 

 

2018-08-01 18.51.26.jpg

2018-08-01 18.51.28.jpg

 

I can't bear to see work scrap them. £100+ a piece to buy new, perfectly good batteries. So I keep taking them home and spending money on ways to make use of them.

 

That's a lot of batteries.

 

Of course, it depends on where you are but would you want two more to add to your "powerwall"? I've got two spare Type 067s of between 60 and 70Ah, currently holding charge at about 12.6v and surplus to requirements....

[warninglight]

FFS.

20180807_195929.jpg

Looks like Mr. Tester wasn't happy with the wire brush and Hammerite treatment on the crusty pipes after all.

Next stop: new brake pipes.

Ballsacks.

New flexi hoses, Shirley? The pic you posted when doing the job, the metal end of the flexi didn't look too clever. It's not a well written failure point, but that's how I would take it.

 

These days I make a point of asking the tester exactly what he wants to see different when it comes back to save some work.

[Datsuncog]

New flexi hoses, Shirley? The pic you posted when doing the job, the metal end of the flexi didn't look too clever. It's not a well written failure point, but that's how I would take it.

 

These days I make a point of asking the tester exactly what he wants to see different when it comes back to save some work.

 

The flexis are, apparently, fine despite looking a bit seabed... this time he took me under the car to point out the problem area - it's a small section between the pipe union nut and the plastic coating, on the short twisty section of pipe between the hub and the flexi.

 

 

There are three different sections of exposed pipe on the rear offside, and I'd cleaned them all up as best I could going by what the tester had said previously, but guess what - when looking at it again (ie from beneath on a 4-post, not from above on an axle stand), there was still a small bit of brown visible at one of the points where I clearly hadn't got the wire wool right round the back. Maybe less than 1mm, right up against the nut. So FAIL. Again.

 

ECP don't have the pre-formed pipes listed, and the only Ebay seller with the right ones in stock (this is a facelifted French-built version) won't deliver to Northern Ireland.

 

I do intend to get the braking system fully rebuilt on this car, including new pipes throughout and new flexis all round (I've already new handbrake cables in the boot, ready to fit) - but I can't get all of this done before the MOT runs out on Sunday (I'm in the middle of building founds for a new shed and remodelling the garden, and have run into more problems because no-one will deliver the shed to Northern Ireland. Fuck you, national chains who prominently advertise 'Free UK delivery' when what you actually mean is 'Free GB delivery' and flat-out refuse to deliver to NI, at any price).

 

In the meantime, MrsDC is blatting to work and back in the Subaru, and I know for a fact she'll have an entire tank of fuel gone by the end of the week.

 

So I dumped the Yaris down at a local backstreet garage this morning to see if they can fabricate and fit a new section of pipe just to get me the MOT pass before the weekend, and I'll look at the rest in the coming weeks.

 

I can't really blame the tester (same bloke both times) as, obviously, cars scooting aroung with duff brakes are in no-one's best interests. And I've no doubt they've seen a huge number of cars coming in with dreadfully corroded pipes as the gritter wagons seemed to be out nearly every night from early November through to mid-April.

 

**sigh**

 

Apologies, feeling proper grumpy about this; it's not just the money here for the test and two retests, it's all the fucking about getting into work late and leaving early in order to get the car over to the testing centre in Mallusk that's gnawing my bollocks. Also the feeling that I've done a bad job and let all concerned down.

[sierraman]

Spend £50 on some kunifer and a brake pipe flare kit. Job done, other than that most spares shops will run up brake pipes for you.

[twosmoke300]

You need to be changing those flexis for sure . Pretty ropey and will prob suffer from being taken apart , even if they undo , which seems unlikely.

[warninglight]

I know how you feel DC! Brake pipes are often a pain in the arse as well. I had a nightmare replacing 2 rusty ones on t'other halfs MGF for MOT last year. 2 days of faffing under the back subframe trying to avoid destroying the union, the front to rear pipe, or the whole car in the process. Got it done and she wrote the car off not 3 weeks later. At least it wasn't the fault of the brakes!

 

Also feel your pain with couriers. I thought when I moved from NI I had seen the last of that, but I have come across one courier who, as well as listing NI and most of Scotland as "not UK" also seem to list any Cumbrian postcode higher than La15 as offshore. So I've had a couple of towbars delivered to friends with LA12 postcodes 5 miles away, as they insisted they couldn't go to LA20 without me paying an extra £40. Looking at you, PF Jones in Manchester. Also not that far away.

[dozeydustman]

My regular loader is off sick at the moment, so I had an agency loader today, he is new to the job and was pleased he wasn't walking behind a bin lorry all day, fair enough, can't blame him for that in this heat.

 

We get to the first job and he loaded about half a broken up wardrobe on the back whilst I loaded the rest...

 

The next job he lifted a couple of tables with me

whilst I loaded the rest...

 

Doing our first tip he watched as I handballed two fridges off... Then sat there whilst I got out and set the back up and took the wheelbarrow off so we could tip the load. To be fair, he couldn't get out at that point because he had shorts on.

 

On to the next job...

He stood and watched as I wheeled two very heavy,very old fridges down a steep driveway.

 

At the next job he stood and pressed the tailift button while I loaded.

 

Next tip, was the same as the first.

 

We went back to the yard, to load some bins up and i did something totally out of character for me...

 

I went in the office and told them I would not work with him tomorrow, I would be better off on my own, because he is fugging useless.

 

The afternoon wasn't any better, he did put his phone down long enough to have a half hour nap.

 

So tomorrow he will be walking behind a bin lorry and i will get another agency loader, what a knob.

He has done himself out of two weeks of easy work in a heatwave, through his own laziness.

 

 

I can sympathise. Had plenty of agency (and the firm's own) numpties with me in the past. About 8 years ago back in Gravesend, I had one guy with me who was so slow loading you'd be better off waiting for the bags to jump in the hopper themselves - my solution was to send him pulling out - gather that's road's binbags into heaps while myself and the other loader chucked on. Gave him 3 roads to do while I went off to the tip. Came back and none of my work was heaped up, but the crew doing the next road down had a nice easy time........

 

Apart from a white Zimbabwean who wouldn't work with my Rastafarian loader (because black) he's the only person I've ever refused to take on the round with me through poor work.

[Cavcraft]

‘I buy rideon mowers cash inbox me for price’

 

The TL:DR version of which ended up with an offer of £30 including me doing a nigh on 60 mile round trip to deliver it.

[Kiltox]

‘I buy rideon mowers cash inbox me for price’

 

The TL:DR version of which ended up with an offer of £30 including me doing a nigh on 60 mile round trip to deliver it.

Usual bollocks isn’t it with the type of person that does this - although is it any different to buying cars from widows for £2.38?

[Lord Sterling]

So now a few days before I am due to fly back to England, family decide to tell me that I can buy a 3-wheeled electric scooter (so I can take wife out as renting a car is way too expensive) for as little as £250. Way to let me know eh? Sod it. They can wait until I return in 6 months.