BristolUK

A mince pie and coffee on a chilly November morning.
Merry Christmas.

lizzyq

No mince pies before 1st December !!

Lion in Winter

BristolUK

This is just because you haven't made any yet isn't it.

macliam

Close, I was verbally twisting the guy's arm to give me an appointment whilst we we on the phone!

No luck there, but he said they have plenty of vaccine, so there would be no problem.

macliam

Relatively..... a bit squishy underfoot though.....

Grass has been a problem hereabouts over the past few years - climate change has meant that existing grass-types are less suitable and, as a result (and again with a hand from climate change) new types of weed have been taking advantage of its weaker state. So it has been a battle. Being close to the sea, relatively flat and with a sandy soil, there are many turf-growing farms in the area and active research into grass..... which saw the type of thick-stemmed, robust grass commonly grown in Portugal being grown for evaluation..

Of course, now we are taking back control

el collado kid

Howe at Newcastle ,Great big smile

el collado kid

How much do you think it would cost to feed a horse for year? Just being nosey. Nice looking horses too!

Nutek

Couple of hundred a month for Hay and Grain (if you have limited grass and keep them eating Hay year round). Less if you have the acreage to let them tank up on grass.

Plus Carrots and apples, of course!!

BristolUK

Answered the phone this morning. A few seconds of silence then pre-recorded voice....here we go I was thinking as I made ready to put the phone down.
"This is (name) bank for - change of tone - BristolUK (change of tone again) or (change of tone again) BristolUK.
Then, as I'd started to put the phone down, "pour service en français..."

Then I thought scammers don't usually do the bilingual bit and it was a real bank (one that I use) rather than the usual, more general, Visa. And many years ago it was an automated call from another bank that alerted me to dodgy activity and I thought that was a scam then too.

So to be safe I checked my account.

Sure enough, 3 transactions and one pending all for around $50 and unrecognisable recipients with numbers and nonsensical letters.
For me this was easy. I don't use the card for anything other than the occasional zero interest balance transfer.

Why is this in the make me smile (or laugh) thread?

I phoned to report it and the fella said the recipients are usually disguised and generally things like escort services. I laughed.

Thinking about it now escorts must be much cheaper than I imagined. Those amounts suggest something more...er...casual and credit card as a payment seems unlikely.

spouse of scouse

I hope your bank was able to stop the funds leaving your account? I hate thieving scammer bastards.

$50 would probably get you an instruction sheet for DIY

BristolUK

Already gone but will be refunded

I've been wondering about that part even more. I looked at the 'going rate' (or should that be....no don't go there) and reddit suggests such sums would be more casual.

Perhaps the escort agencies merely charge $50 or so as a 'finder's fee and the rest of the transaction is between you and the escort. Each of the four sums involved were all different and not nice round figures, suggestive of different tax rates too.

Anyone have a friend of a friend's brother's uncle who knows about these things?

lizzyq

Today we peeled the loofahs, slapped them around a lot, jet washed them thoroughly, slapped them around a bit more and then gave them a good wash. This process get most of the seeds out and the slippery cucumbery flesh off the fibrous sponge. Now they have to dry.

macliam

I have a working boiler! the house is feeling warm for the first time in a fortnight!

Total install took 7 hours with the installer and his apprentice - both excellent. When it was over, John, the installer admitted that he had been concerned this morning that the install wouldn't be a one-day job, given the amount of pipework modification required. Not only did he complete it, but he did an amazing job of keeping it close to the wall, considering multiple junctions and crossovers.

The "like for like" replacement was a bit of a misnomer as none of the pipework lined up, it now enters and exits the boiler at the front, not the rear, and "new" items like a descaler and magnetic sludge filter had to be added - plus the flue on the new boiler is central, whereas the original was offset. But it is the same size (more or less) and fits in the same place (it juts maybe a centimetre further out). It's also a class A boiler whereas the old one was class D, so it's far more efficient and controllable. The controls are also a bit more 21st century - rather than a boiler mounted temperature control and a remote thermostat, this one has a new digital remote. The cost made a bit of a hole in the wallet though - just short of £4k - but still cheaper than the quote for a far inferior boiler ( and, I'm sure, far inferior installation) from British Gas!

Now I have the "interesting" challenge of restoring the boxing and tilework before SWMBO gets to see. Given all the changes to the underlying pipework and the need for the new filter to be accessible, I'll be using my jigsaw and router in anger!

Now to get my jab tomorrow and speak to my local garage about getting the car back on the road (or a replacement ) on Monday - Life is getting back to the new normal!

Wish me luck

Nutek