The grumpy thread

[Bren]

Had hospital appointment on Tuesday. Staff already aware that potentially I gave some kind of vasculitis. Took bloods and urine - straight away urine showed traces of blood - among my symptoms back pain has been prevalent.

Back in a month. Will probably need lots more tests before getting a definitive answer.

Still looking at replacing the vectra- head says don't spend money. But head also says you may not be able to repair it for much longer.

[goosey]

Don’t understand how it costs $300 to ship an ECU the size of a piece of toast to the U.K. 

[MikeR]

Cliff Richard for Xmas on BBC ! 

Come on , I am paying a telly tax for this .

[hairnet]

wheeler dealers describing their latest buy as mini ferrari on epg on tv

no its not a monte carlo

 

[hairnet]

6 hours ago, goosey said:

Don’t understand how it costs $300 to ship an ECU the size of a piece of toast to the U.K. 

welcome to the practicalities of the b word

depending on its value = $$$$$$$

[Wibble]

7 hours ago, Bren said:

Had hospital appointment on Tuesday. Staff already aware that potentially I gave some kind of vasculitis. Took bloods and urine - straight away urine showed traces of blood - among my symptoms back pain has been prevalent.

Back in a month. Will probably need lots more tests before getting a definitive answer.

Still looking at replacing the vectra- head says don't spend money. But head also says you may not be able to repair it for much longer.

Those symptoms must be worrying you. My thoughts are with you and fingers crossed.

[sheffcortinacentre]

14 minutes ago, hairnet said:

wheeler dealers describing their latest buy as mini ferrari on epg on tv

no its not a monte carlo

 

Well what do you expect from wanker dealers

[Spiny Norman]

I like the show, but then I like most car shows on TV. I was surprised they made no mention of fitting 'mini Ferrari' brakes after adding 100bhp to it.
Or polishing the cloudy headlights which spoiled the look of it IMO.

[barefoot]

I no longer watch any of the motoring programmes on the telly. They are all idiotic & aimed at window lickers & twats. Instead, I watch that nice Henry Cole polishing bits of motorbikes, for two reasons. 1, I know absolutely fuck all about motorbikes, so I learn lots & 2, he appears to have about the same  level of motor skills as I do.

[Rocket88]

46 minutes ago, barefoot said:

I no longer watch any of the motoring programmes on the telly. They are all idiotic & aimed at window lickers & twats. Instead, I watch that nice Henry Cole polishing bits of motorbikes, for two reasons. 1, I know absolutely fuck all about motorbikes, so I learn lots & 2, he appears to have about the same  level of motor skills as I do.

At least him and Sam Lovegrove seem to be genuine friends, rather than Brewer’s sidekicks…..

[Metal Guru]

2 hours ago, Rocket88 said:

At least him and Sam Lovegrove seem to be genuine friends, rather than Brewer’s sidekicks…..

Ruined by Jo Brand narrating.

[Rocket88]

25 minutes ago, Metal Guru said:

Ruined by Jo Brand narrating.

I thought that was an odd choice as well…..

[Bren]

Looking through the classifieds. Grump.

Cat S. Cat N. Mileage approaching 200k. Some even higher. Poor quality pictures.

Lots of fit for scrap for top dollar. Want a half decent diesel estate? You're looking  at £10k to start.

I could do with what some of these motor traders are smoking.

 

[sierraman]

4 minutes ago, Bren said:

Looking through the classifieds. Grump.

Cat S. Cat N. Mileage approaching 200k. Some even higher. Poor quality pictures.

Lots of fit for scrap for top dollar. Want a half decent diesel estate? You're looking  at £10k to start.

I could do with what some of these motor traders are smoking.

 

Worst are those default backgrounds of a what looks like a fucking motel car park that you get via BCA when they can’t be arsed to take more pictures. 

[Rocket88]

12 minutes ago, Bren said:

Looking through the classifieds. Grump.

Cat S. Cat N. Mileage approaching 200k. Some even higher. Poor quality pictures.

Lots of fit for scrap for top dollar. Want a half decent diesel estate? You're looking  at £10k to start.

I could do with what some of these motor traders are smoking.

 

Errr…… not here…..

[GrumpiusMaximus]

People getting excited about Christmas.  For fuck’s sake.

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 minute ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

People getting excited about Christmas.  For fuck’s sake.

It's not even fucking Halloween yet.

Also tagging @Datsuncog to prod him for the Christmas rant.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Yet my house is filled with Christmas presents for everybody…

[GrumpiusMaximus]

I have two months of this every year.  The ‘compromise’ is that the tree goes up on December 1st.  My preference is that the tree goes up ‘never’.  It’s mandatory fun and I fucking hate it.

As a kid, my Mum would get so stressed about everybody having a good time that nobody ever had a good time.  I’m 34, you’d have thought I’d have got over it.  But no.

[Yoss]

As a postman of 32 years, Christmas lost any appeal it might have had a very long time ago. In the old days it was only really the final two weeks where work went mad and it was mostly because of all the cards. Now it starts with Black Friday and doesn't die down for the whole month. And obviously it's all packets now. There are still lots of cards, if not as many as there used to be, but obviously the packets are a lot more hassle.

I try not to go on about it but you lot started it and it is the grumpy thread. 

[goosey]

16 minutes ago, Yoss said:

As a postman of 32 years, Christmas lost any appeal it might have had a very long time ago. In the old days it was only really the final two weeks where work went mad and it was mostly because of all the cards. Now it starts with Black Friday and doesn't die down for the whole month. And obviously it's all packets now. There are still lots of cards, if not as many as there used to be, but obviously the packets are a lot more hassle.

I try not to go on about it but you lot started it and it is the grumpy thread. 

Do you get many tips ? When I did parcel and medical delivery, we would always get a couple of pounds here and there. Was one of the only perks of the job

[Yoss]

52 minutes ago, goosey said:

Do you get many tips ? When I did parcel and medical delivery, we would always get a couple of pounds here and there. Was one of the only perks of the job

It really does depend on the area. The best delivery I had was a nice area with lots of old people. And it takes time to build a rapport with customers too. I was on that delivery for six chritmases. The first year I got £240, by the last year it was £512 and enough chocolate, biscuits and alcohol to last me until Easter (seriously, that's not an exaggeration). But most deliveries don't get anywhere near that.

This will be my first Christmas on this one and I doubt I'll even get a fifth of that, its a weird area with a lot of Polish people. Not being xenophobic, but they are always at work, I never see them. It is generally the pensioners that tip. But I don't mind because it's an easy delivery (the deliveries are all supposed to be the same length but they are so not) and it's part time. I'm now on a 30 hour week. We paid the mortgage off a couple of years back so I'm now just coasting towards retirement! The good thing with this duty is it's only a four day week and I've already checked my calender for Christmas week and I've got the 23rd and 24th off that week. I'll take that over any amount of tips. 

[artdjones]

39 minutes ago, Yoss said:

the deliveries are all supposed to be the same length but they are so not

Don't I know it. The year I worked there my brother's walk was about 300 houses, the postwoman on the next walk less than 250, and mine about 450. It was a former council estate where everyone had bought there houses, so were now getting lots of post. They had to give me an hour's overtime every day just to get the delivery finished, and I went from 15 stone to 12 stone 4 in the year. The only time in my life I had a six-pack!

There was so much post at Christmas that I took out 2 bags some days, absolutely rammed with just cards and letters, and so heavy that I had difficulty carrying them together across to my car.

 

[artdjones]

The cottage next door to me has been empty for a couple of years, but the owner has come back from the UK now.She is a sort of an innocent abroad, although she's about 60. She has a Jotul stove which cost her €2000 in 2008. A very sought after item However on the back of the stove are two removable plates that allow access to ducts in the stove back that allow them to be swept out, and one of those is broken. She got someone from the local stove installation company to look at it. He told her that the stove is too far gone to bother with and that those duct covers are €600 for a pair. So she's bought a Stanley stove of a similar 5kw size which your man is going to fit. I had a look today, and the stove just needs a few repairs. The duct covers cost £51 each in the UK. What's the betting that when he comes to fit the new stove he offers to kindly* take the Jotul away for free, so he can spend €200 on it and then sell it for €1000.

Anyway, she's now primed to tell him someone else wants it. Then I can get her to bring the parts back from England next time she goes over, I can fit them, and she can either put it back in and sell the Stanley, or get €750 for it herself.

[Rust Collector]

I did not enjoy changing the clutch cable on the turbo diesel BX. It feels like one of those jobs where it’s probably alright on the earlier cars with smaller engines, but with the turbo derv lump in there it leaves fuck all space to work. It’s finally in now and feels ok. Had to do it twice as the original cable was routed wrong and I didn’t realise until it was too late. Its a bit late to start it up and wake the neighbourhood with an XUD salute, so I will be left wondering if I’ve fixed it until the morning. Fingers crossed it’s all ok.

[Yoss]

38 minutes ago, artdjones said:

Don't I know it. The year I worked there my brother's walk was about 300 houses, the postwoman on the next walk less than 250, and mine about 450. It was a former council estate where everyone had bought there houses, so were now getting lots of post. They had to give me an hour's overtime every day just to get the delivery finished, and I went from 15 stone to 12 stone 4 in the year. The only time in my life I had a six-pack!

There was so much post at Christmas that I took out 2 bags some days, absolutely rammed with just cards and letters, and so heavy that I had difficulty carrying them together across to my car.

 

I've got about 660 drops on this delivery but it's easier than the other delivery I mentioned which only had 370, so there's more to it than just numbers. My current delivery starts right outside the office so there is no travelling time and most of the residential roads are Victorian terraces or small semis with no drives so you can get through them pretty quick.

Also I get lot more gaps on this one. A lot of the Polish people haven't been here long enough to get on lots of pointless mailing lists. On the other delivery full of well off pensioners with long drives they've lived there for decades and once you get on some mailing lists you're on them for life. So I reckon I only visit two thirds of my addresses each day whereas the other one is nearer 90%. So as hard as they try it is impossible to make all deliveries equal. In the time I've been there they've done several major revisions and each time they say they are going to even them out but it never works and it never will. They even had some fancy computer program to do it but that's only as good as the information that goes in. That's just how it is. 

[GrumpyCat]

On 10/27/2022 at 11:00 AM, Talbot said:

"...  Which he didn't, as he forgot to put the key in the ignition.  First bend we came to, his steering locked....Twazzock that he was.

Looks like this chaps steering locked too...

 

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

It's not even fucking Halloween yet.

Uh. Don't get me started on crap yank pish. (Yes, I know it was originally Celtic)

[Lacquer Peel]

19 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Uh. Don't get me started on crap yank pish. (Yes, I know it was originally Celtic)

Capitalism was perfected on Britain, you can blame these islands for Halloween pish

[outlaw118]

Not entirely sure how it has happened but Micro_Outlaw has one of his friends over tonight for a sleepover.

The initial agreement, when Stepson_Outlaw was living "off grid" that myself and SWMBO would book into a Travelodge for the night, and the lad would take over the house and supervise etc.

He left us in charge* about 8.30pm and I want to kill everyone.

I'm not a massive fan of sharing my space with anyone, let alone two kids rushing off their tits on sugar, firing Nerf guns about.