The General Chat Thread (2016-2022)

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rascal said:
I didn't know your mum and dad had gone back to the uk. That must be a weight lifted off your shoulders.!!
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Yes and no.

Yes because of my step father's health. But he's now depressed because he can't do anything except sit in their 2nd floor flat. They can't order much online or buy things because of finances. Despite our help, staying here for 6 months still cost them a lot of money and they were expecting to be able to get out to their 2nd home in Tenerife (island off Spain in Atlantic Ocean). But obviously that couldn't happen. They need to sell that apartment but...

And obviously I worry about them because of the help they need getting things done. One brother who doesn't drive lives in Wales and had been 'trapped' there for some time. He lives in Cardiff which has been badly hit and subject to a considerable number of lockdowns. Another brother was renting our sister's home but has now moved north with work. He had to leave the area to continue to work as a driving instructor. He hasn't worked much at all since the stay if it all. Our sister is struggling with work. They insist on her going into the office even though she doesn't need to for her job. It's making her ill. She has found a new boyfriend in all of this though and has just moved in with him, but that's away from family. Not far but just too far to be of help to our parents. That just leaves our recently "acquired" step brother (mum's 3rd marriage came with an adopted son. They married 12 years ago (?)). He's been ill along with his new partner. Both have had covid which given their jobs as social worker/careers working in a YMCA hostel for children is hardly surprising. They are both struggling to get over it, her more so than him, but it's now down to him and only him to help out our parents.

So it is also a worry. Plus I know that even it'd anything were to happen to them or my husband's family, there is no way we can get back to the UK either legally or financially. Legally because Australian borders are closed to Aussie citizens and those on Permanent Residency visas (which we are) and financially because both ends need expensive quarantine options (Aus $1,000 per week per person, and a 2 week quarantine, so $4,000 already. UK quarantine is quoted to be around £1,250 (might be £1,750) each, so that's roughly AUD $2,250 each, another $4,500 and we've not yet left the country... unless you buy business class flights now, there is little chance of you getting a seat. Most are bumped at the last minute in preference for those paying $$$. Last time we flew it cost in excess of $6,000 for a business class seat. So quotes of around $10,000 per person are not now unrealistic! But I've not looked into it. I know how much my parents paid and I know how much extra they had to pay to get home. So far $28,500 and you've yet to get permission to leave the country. That needs an agent and a very specific one who knows the system and can get you the permit to fly. I've no idea on the cost of the agent, but usual fees of around $500 each for a visa would suggest similar for the permit to fly (it's basically an amendment to your visa)... round to say $30,000 AUD...

And that's without all the usual of car hire and issues relating to traveling with a wheelchair or in one. (That usually only affects car hire. You need something bigger, ideally an estate or SUV and they cost much more.)

NZ $32,300 approx
USD $23,250 approx
GBP £16,750 approx
Euro €19,250 approx
Thai Baht 700,000 approx

When we made the decision to live here permanently, we accepted that it would mean we'd not see family as often as we had done. We factored in extra money (a reserve pot) for an emergency trip back to the UK. We didn't factor in a pandemic all but terminating global travel or quarantine and forcing prices through the roof. :(
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
Yes and no.

Yes because of my step father's health. But he's now depressed because he can't do anything except sit in their 2nd floor flat. They can't order much online or buy things because of finances. Despite our help, staying here for 6 months still cost them a lot of money and they were expecting to be able to get out to their 2nd home in Tenerife (island off Spain in Atlantic Ocean). But obviously that couldn't happen. They need to sell that apartment but...

And obviously I worry about them because of the help they need getting things done. One brother who doesn't drive lives in Wales and had been 'trapped' there for some time. He lives in Cardiff which has been badly hit and subject to a considerable number of lockdowns. Another brother was renting our sister's home but has now moved north with work. He had to leave the area to continue to work as a driving instructor. He hasn't worked much at all since the stay if it all. Our sister is struggling with work. They insist on her going into the office even though she doesn't need to for her job. It's making her ill. She has found a new boyfriend in all of this though and has just moved in with him, but that's away from family. Not far but just too far to be of help to our parents. That just leaves our recently "acquired" step brother (mum's 3rd marriage came with an adopted son. They married 12 years ago (?)). He's been ill along with his new partner. Both have had covid which given their jobs as social worker/careers working in a YMCA hostel for children is hardly surprising. They are both struggling to get over it, her more so than him, but it's now down to him and only him to help out our parents.

So it is also a worry. Plus I know that even it'd anything were to happen to them or my husband's family, there is no way we can get back to the UK either legally or financially. Legally because Australian borders are closed to Aussie citizens and those on Permanent Residency visas (which we are) and financially because both ends need expensive quarantine options (Aus $1,000 per week per person, and a 2 week quarantine, so $4,000 already. UK quarantine is quoted to be around £1,250 (might be £1,750) each, so that's roughly AUD $2,250 each, another $4,500 and we've not yet left the country... unless you buy business class flights now, there is little chance of you getting a seat. Most are bumped at the last minute in preference for those paying $$$. Last time we flew it cost in excess of $6,000 for a business class seat. So quotes of around $10,000 per person are not now unrealistic! But I've not looked into it. I know how much my parents paid and I know how much extra they had to pay to get home. So far $28,500 and you've yet to get permission to leave the country. That needs an agent and a very specific one who knows the system and can get you the permit to fly. I've no idea on the cost of the agent, but usual fees of around $500 each for a visa would suggest similar for the permit to fly (it's basically an amendment to your visa)... round to say $30,000 AUD...

And that's without all the usual of car hire and issues relating to traveling with a wheelchair or in one. (That usually only affects car hire. You need something bigger, ideally an estate or SUV and they cost much more.)

NZ $32,300 approx
USD $23,250 approx
GBP £16,750 approx
Euro €19,250 approx
Thai Baht 700,000 approx

When we made the decision to live here permanently, we accepted that it would mean we'd not see family as often as we had done. We factored in extra money (a reserve pot) for an emergency trip back to the UK. We didn't factor in a pandemic all but terminating global travel or quarantine and forcing prices through the roof. :(
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The Chinese have a lot to answer for IMHO, their virus had cost the world trillions of dollars. We all need to be compensated.

Russ
 
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Windigo said:
The cat's going to see the vet in an hour, he's been inexplicably losing lots of weight recently while he always was a bit of a chubby chap. But he's 18 already so it's not surprising he may have some ailment in his old day. I just hope it's not too serious.
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The cat's got arthrosis (joint stiffness ) , which explains why he often has trouble walking the stairs or staying on his feet. He's getting cat painkillers for that.

We're waiting for the results of the lab test, he might have kidney or thyroid disease too. But overall he seems generally in good health the vet says so that makes me happy.
 
Windigo said:
The cat's got arthrosis (joint stiffness ) , which explains why he often has trouble walking the stairs or staying on his feet. He's getting cat painkillers for that.

We're waiting for the results of the lab test, he might have kidney or thyroid disease too. But overall he seems generally in good health the vet says so that makes me happy.
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My brother's old cat had thyroid problems. Went on for quite a few more years after it was diagnosed and treated until it could no longer be controlled. But it definitely improved get quality of life, just be prepared to be administering oral tablets for the rest of her life.
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
My brother's old cat had thyroid problems. Went on for quite a few more years after it was diagnosed and treated until it could no longer be controlled. But it definitely improved get quality of life, just be prepared to be administering oral tablets for the rest of her life.
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Thanks for sharing your experience, another good few years is really all we can ask for at his age. He's a he by the way 😉

Oral tablets should be easy, he likes getting nibbles.
 
Windigo said:
Thanks for sharing your experience, another good few years is really all we can ask for at his age. He's a he by the way 😉

Oral tablets should be easy, he likes getting nibbles.
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My brother's cast was a she, and I'm rather tired, sorry.
My next challenge is to actually brush my teeth tonight without it starting an asthma attack. That was last night's fun and games and it usually takes several days for my asthma to settle down again. Last night involved the nebuliser twice and not a huge amount of sleep. And hubby needs his sleep, he has to drive to work tomorrow rather than cycle of the recumbent exercise bike... (don't ask but I think the scales may have "lied" to him one too many times just of late <cough>)
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
My brother's cast was a she, and I'm rather tired, sorry.
My next challenge is to actually brush my teeth tonight without it starting an asthma attack. That was last night's fun and games and it usually takes several days for my asthma to settle down again. Last night involved the nebuliser twice and not a huge amount of sleep. And hubby needs his sleep, he has to drive to work tomorrow rather than cycle of the recumbent exercise bike... (don't ask but I think the scales may have "lied" to him one too many times just of late <cough>)
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That sounds awful to me, am sorry to hear you are having a hard time with it all. As a fellow asthmatic I can imagine how tired you are. I'm hoping some relief comes to you soon. * hugs*
 
Windigo said:
That sounds awful to me, am sorry to hear you are having a hard time with it all. As a fellow asthmatic I can imagine how tired you are. I'm hoping some relief comes to you soon. * hugs*
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Thank you.
It's total madness that toothpaste should trigger an asthma attack but it does. Annoyingly because of the 'leg and ankle issues' I've had to cancel my biannual respiratory lab tests and review with my consultant. Being unable to bend my knee, as well as technically get into the respiratory 'room' for those tests to happen, I had no option but postpone them. They should have been this coming Monday.

Finally got the MRI booked at long last. Got to wait 2 weeks though on top of the week it took just to get the appointment booked (that delay was because of the spinal neuro stimulator) but I do think they should have knocked a week off for waiting so long. Last year you could get one done tomorrow in Australia, now it's a 3 week wait unless you go with a more expensive company on which case it is a 2 week wait.

Luckily x-rays are back to a walk in service in ACT, but still appointment based on NSW (though usually the same day).
 
My garden looks like a war zone. There are feathers everywhere literally. My chooks (at least 2 going by the colour of the feathers) have stated molting. Every time one if them shakes itself, preens or better still dust bathes, feathers are deposited behind it...
The weird thing is that we are still taking 10 eggs a day and chooks can't moult and lay eggs, the demands are too high on their body.
So because I can't walk around the garden or clean the chook house, the feathers are stacking up and, well a battle could easily have taken place.

In previous years, they have not started molting until Easter or even later. I know 1 started back in January this year... They are very confused.
 
mjd said:
It looks like your Governor is looking into this. I hope they find out the real problem and work to make sure it never happens again.

Thinking of you (and your elderly neighbors).

View attachment 57507
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Governor Abbet is all talk. They’ve known what the problem is since 1989, the last time we had a storm of this magnitude. The problem is, to fix the problem, they have to spend money. States up north don’t have this problem, so it’s not something they can’t be fixed. Either the state of Texas, or the energy companies are going to have to spend some money. Of course that will be passed on to consumers. Another problem. Texans don’t like to pay anything for Solutions to problems. They would prefer to just complain about them. After Harvey, everyone in Houston complained about the flooding. But when the estimate came in for the cost of fixing the problem, and people found out it would raise their taxes, Everyone said, “Oh, we don’t want to spend that.“

So there’s all get talked about for a while, then forgotten until the next time it happens, and It will get talked about again, but nothing will happen.

CD
 
The temperature has gone up overnight. It is now 19° F, -7° C. We got a little more snow, but not much. My electricity has been on since about 6 PM yesterday, so the house is reasonably comfortable. more snow is expected during the day today, but I don’t know how much.

my Internet connection isn’t working, but hopefully that’ll be corrected before too long.

CD
 
caseydog said:
The temperature has gone up overnight. It is now 19° F, -7° C. We got a little more snow, but not much. My electricity has been on since about 6 PM yesterday, so the house is reasonably comfortable. more snow is expected during the day today, but I don’t know how much.

my Internet connection isn’t working, but hopefully that’ll be corrected before too long.

CD
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Really happy to hear you have power again. I hope the next snowfall doesn't knock it out. Stay safe.
 
E2A2BD7C-B01F-4DC2-BF28-6FC7B0BC752E.jpeg


The view down my driveway after carving my way out yesterday. Even with a snowblower, it took me an hour and a half. Those are 2 foot deep (at least) snow drifts.
 
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