The General Chat Thread (2016-2022)

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SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
they have a big enough sense of humour around here without help. They deposit high fire risk leaves (eucalyptus) constantly on the garden and lawn, and now they are throwing even higher fire risk bark at us!
All of it has to be constantly removed from the lawn and the guttering. My OH is not impressed and is seriously considering getting a blower to collect them all with - I have suggested we go back to our old tactic of using the lawn mover with the clipping collector on the back (at the moment it is set to mulch mode to retain moisture but that is all long since gone) and use that instead. This is simply because whilst he has been on leave for 2 weeks he took over racking up the leaves. I have been doing it every day since we moved in back in July! Didn't matter when I was doing it and I will have to restart when he goes back to work on Monday. Right now there are more leaves than grass and as for the gutters - well they have only been done twice in the last 2 weeks. Wait til I mention that they need doing again, today! He's soon invent something he can drag through the gutter to clear them rather than only managing an arms length at a time before the very heavy ladders need moving again...


Our last place was too small for a tree, so I had a photo of one from years ago that we would put up on the wall instead. And those paper chains - been around a very long time. I can remember the ones my mother bought when I was born. We were still putting them up when my sister and brother were born over 17 years later. She only got rid of them when I told her I didn't want them when she insisted that I have the glass baubles that she bought when I was born. Giving me them a few years earlier when I needed some and was setting up our own decorations would have been fantastic but she waited until we had purchased a very nice set for our needs and several years later gave them to us. Needless to say the ones that she bought at the beginning of the 70s don't match or even work with the ones I purchased with my husband in the early 90s which we are still using today. they go back into storage today sadly! :cry:
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Kake Lover said:
@SatNavSaysStraightOn. Mr K has constructed a brilliant tool for the gutters. I'll take a picture of it tomorrow and ask him where he finally sourced the scoops hook bit after a lot of research.
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@SatNavSaysStraightOn Did your husband make his tool for clearing the leaves of gutters?
I've finally got round to finding and photographing Mr K's homemade gadget.

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Cinisajoy said:
Taxes here too. And don't even get me started on tobacco tax. Per bottle, our measurements might vary a bit. Total volume drank, we are comparing like for like.
Now I haven't put away many pints of beer, but I have put away more than my fair share of wine coolers and mixed drinks. Both of which had a higher alcohol content than beer.

Though it is my understanding that most people over your way either take a taxi or walk to the pubs. Over here, nearly everyone drives to the bars and restaurants.
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Unfortunately some people over here drive after having a drink or several which generally result in fatal crashes, serious injuries and death so a hard line is being taken against drink drivers.
 
morning glory said:
Not quite sure what to say. :) Quite ingenious! Maybe I need to check my gutters as it never occurred to me they might need cleaning. :eek:

Thinking about this... how do I check the gutters? I can't get up there to see...
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By standing on a ladder with a bucket hooked on the side, you can run your hand along and remove the build up of leaves by feel. Stops the gutters blocking or overflowing. We have a lot of trees around and the road is lined by lime trees, so it's part of the maintenance of the house. Trouble is, there's a part of the ground floor that has an overhanging roof, making it hard to get close to the gutters by ladder, hence the improvised tool.
 
Kake Lover said:
By standing on a ladder with a bucket hooked on the side, you can run your hand along and remove the build up of leaves by feel. Stops the gutters blocking or overflowing. We have a lot of trees around and the road is lined by lime trees, so it's part of the maintenance of the house. Trouble is, there's a part of the ground floor that has an overhanging roof, making it hard to get close to the gutters by ladder, hence the improvised tool.
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I don't think I can do that (standing on ladder - dodgy legs). Also - we don't have a ladder. I suppose I'll have to trust they are OK. I'm rubbish at this kind of thing.
 
Kake Lover said:
By standing on a ladder with a bucket hooked on the side, you can run your hand along and remove the build up of leaves by feel. Stops the gutters blocking or overflowing. We have a lot of trees around and the road is lined by lime trees, so it's part of the maintenance of the house. Trouble is, there's a part of the ground floor that has an overhanging roof, making it hard to get close to the gutters by ladder, hence the improvised tool.
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It's not just dead plant life that may have to be cleared. Two pairs of gloves, worn at the same time, may be required.
 
Lullabelle said:
Unfortunately some people over here drive after having a drink or several which generally result in fatal crashes, serious injuries and death so a hard line is being taken against drink drivers.
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We have laws against drunk driving too but it doesn't stop the behavior.
First offense here is loss of license or install a breathalyzer in your car for a year + a year probation + fine.
Third offense can be anything from house arrest (still able to go to work) to a prison term. Sometimes long term (those usually come from getting several between time of third offense and the trial.)
That last one depends on whether you have a long time job or if you have no job or go through jobs.
I know a guy that kept getting house arrest until he retired, then he got 5 years in prison.
Another guy died at home because he was on house arrest and couldn't go to the club.
Note:those two were roommates. I think the cops just permanently installed the house arrest box at their place. It seemed like one or the other was always on house arrest but never both at the same time.
 
Cinisajoy said:
Though it is my understanding that most people over your way either take a taxi or walk to the pubs. Over here, nearly everyone drives to the bars and restaurants.
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That's true if they can - the police are seriously 'into' drunk driving [although I suspect one of the main reasons is that it's an 'easy cop' and makes the figures look good.
Tobacco - how does £8.00 a packet sound [about $10.00 a packet of 20]
 
classic33 said:
It's not just dead plant life that may have to be cleared. Two pairs of gloves, worn at the same time, may be required.
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Yes, I would consider that goes without saying. We have used heavy duty work gloves, gardening gloves but recently, we've been using the heavy duty washing up gloves because they can be easily washed.
 
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