And if I had posted that my wife had died or was injured would you have responded the same way? Asshole!

Of course not. So, no.

I'm glad Mrs Houston is ok.

btw, that's Bellingham.

I start today!

for real this time!

good luck!

Got my Land Rover back up and running by replacing the XYZ switch with one I got on eBay for $140 instead of $600 from the stealership! ;)

Excellent!

Have you found a way to waterproof it?

A bag full o' crispy duck in the freezer, reinstating what the Big Snow took away from me. I now have:
roast duck bitz in the freezer
plum sauce in the fridge
rice pancakes (courtesy of Sundae ;)) on the shelf
In a day or two I'll go get us some cucumber and syboes (spring onions) and we'll have the crispy duck pancake thang! :yum:

Do folks hunt ducks where you are or are they farmed? I have to admit that I associate Scotland with nothing but the thinnest of soils that barely support grass and sheep. I always wondered how you all manage to eat. And for being practically in the water there isn't much talk about Scottish fisherman. It's always Irish fishermen.

What, exactly, is going on over there? Where do you get ducks?

This duck came from the Co-op (what passes for a supermarket here).
The late lamented remains of the Christmas duck was free range at a farm up the road. We've already placed our order for the next one.
You are right about the thin soil, especially here on Arran which is just a rock sticking out of the sea with a thin covering of top soil. The Irish fishermen have pinched all of our fish (as have many other nationalities).
If'n you want to shoot at stuff, there's a couple of guys here who raise pheasants for that, or have the stalking rights (for the red deer).
Most people go to the shops for their food :p

Limes, the rice pancakes need to be soaked.
They're more a wonton covering than a pancake covering, as I discovered to my chagrin. Otherwise you may as well eat your duck from a cereal box.
Mmmmm, crunchy!
Fine if you are able to steam them I assume.

Happy today?
You betcha.
Group interview for W (high-end supermarket) today.
Seemed to go well, said we would hear in 2-3 weeks.
Just checked my email:

We were advised at the interview that this was the second step.
Third step is exactly what it says above; from 1500 candidates they invited 350 for group interview. From 350 they had 140 vacancies to fill. Now it's simply (!) matching the working patterns and hours requested to what they require. As I said I was available for all shifts on all dates, I stand a very good chance of getting through to stage 3, which is simply JOB OFFER!

The only criterion I expressed was a minimum of 15 hours, because below that I am simply better off on benefits. Sorry to say it, but it's true. There is no point in me taking a job for 5 hours per week (their minimum shift.)

Just gotta get through the reference stage, hmmmmm.

Yes, it's a supermarket.
But it's one I really like.
And it seriously looks after its employees. Sorry, partners; it ha sno shareholders and an annual bonus to all staff. Opens 8 August. And I was looking forwar to it so much. But now if I don't get a job, how can I ever cross the threshold without resentment?

Yeah, I'll manage it for a penguin's egg.
Ostrich egg, I mean.

Nice to hear, Sundae! Good luck all around with it.

Good luck, Sundae!

Good luck, Sundae!

Me again!
Gosh, happy, happy :)

Those of you who follow my posts assiduously will remember that my parents received a refund from the AA (car insurance, not alcohol) because I recognised a bum deal when I saw one and drafted a letter.

This time round, Mum was very unhappy about their hoover (although not a Hoover, a Dyson) breaking down. Now she did have the nous to call their helpline, but was even more unhappy with the response. She was asked to dismantle the machine and although an engineer could be sent out, if it was not a replaceable part it would cost them £70 plus parts because despite the 5 year guarantee there is an expectation that customers take care of the vacuum cleaner. The 'rents do of course, but £70 cold hard cash scares Mum if she can't be sure.

They went out the same day and bought a cheap Hoover (yes, really a Hoover this time.)

No, sez I.
Dyson can do better than that.
Let's appeal to their brand-pride. They offer a 5 year guarantee, you are OAPs with health problems. You have not abused it.
You have similar-aged friends and the newspapers love a story like that.
So I drafted a letter. No mention of said friends or newspapers of course; you do not appeal to a company's PR department by making threats, veiled or otherwise.

I told no lies.
Mum amended it and she told no lies either. You know what I mean.
And I specifically said that there was no complaint about the person who handled the call, and Mum kept that in. Poor lass was following company policy.

Mum got a call today.
So sorry.
No responsibilty accepted, but an offer - without prejudice - for an engineer to come out free of charge and mend it. Just wish Mum & Dad had taken my advice and not bought another vacuum cleaner in the mean time. But it would have scared Mum into fits to have a house un-hoovered for three days.

Mum sez she will have one for upstairs and one for downstairs.
She's made up anyway, saying she wouldn't have argued this, or the AA issue and she's glad I am here.

And there it goes a little weird.
Because she's all apologising for being a bad mother and how she failed all of us and all this and all that.
I mean I get cross with her. Often. And I really dislike her double-standards and critical approach. But she is my Mum and I love her. So to hear this when I've made her happy and that means I am happy is... well, weird.

Maybe this has been sparked by me nearly getting a job. So perhaps a little bit of regret that the first thing she said was "Let's just hope they don't find out about your medical history." Which sent me tail between legs to break the news to you instead.

Anyway.
They will get their Dyson back (£370)
And that is really good news.
The new Hoover (£77) moves like a car with the handbrake on.

And anyone looking to buy a Dyson cleaner in the future - go for it. It's worth the initial payment for the peace of mind. Even if it took a letter.

Surely it's the health issues themselves? Maybe they're making her realize that she might lose you someday--though not for a long while, and not likely in any case, it still might be a sudden wake-up call for her that she can't take you for granted.

My drummer kid makes me happy. Horrible quality but you get the point.

I like how she looks so relaxed, "I've got this." You should be proud: Griff Krupa!

She was actually weirdly nervous, you can hear the tempo rise but what the hell, right? Pretty cool kid.

Very cool, put me in the mood. :thumb:

That's a really good way to look at it, thanks.
Damn cool kid.

Griff - that is fantastic!


I am so jealous of you all ... We don't really have any videos from when my kids were young.
AND my memory is not so good anymore :(

Picked up Universe Sandbox from Steam for less than $3. It's an astronomy simulator a lot like Celestia except you can add and edit celestial objects. I already increased Earth's mass to 55 suns to see what would happen. It has some nice prepackaged tutorials.

Kerbal Space Program is another one in that vein. It's an early release on Steam. Not complete, but very fun and has come a long way in the last year. I think I bought it for about $5.

Kerbal Space Program is now $23. :(

Thats a fun game , I landed saftly a few times and crashed into the Moon spectacularly a time or two , look for Scott Manely on Youtube , he is the Master , oh and Robaz rocks as well but for totaly different reasons !!!!

My steam buying strategy is to add things to my wishlist. They then email you when any of the games on your wishlist goes on sale. When the sale is killer (75% or so, or drops the game below the cost of a movie), I then buy. Sure, I don't get to play the cool stuff when it comes out, but I save a boatload in the long run.

On an annoying note: My gaming machine died a couple of months ago, and I still haven't taken the time to repair it.

Oh how much you all loved me! <tear>
And my creativity! Happy Guy Here!

I became an uncle yesterday!

Uncle Monkey

Excellent!

illustrating the point that nature abhors a vacuum. if it's not one brood, it's another. Congratulations!!

Wow, congrats HM!

Monkle

Found out grandkid #2 will be a boy.

Don't care about boy/girl so much that it's at the point where it can be determined.

This is now my new favourite word.

Congrats to your families, rich and Happy Monkey!

Today I'm happy because we survived the last night's four hour trip and Beans' first night in a hotel. Today she finally gets to meet my mom and my brother! Woohoo!

Congrats HM and rich!
Have a wonderful visit, choco. Very special.

Got the card.
Turns out Fathers Day isn't until next Sunday.
But at least I'm prepared.

That's fantastic, Sundae. Beautiful.

Wow! I need to step up my game for father's day

That's wonderful.

Glorious.

And that final pic of the two of you together is beautiful. Really beautiful.,

This morning I planted ten tomato plants, eight peppers of various sorts (sweet to hot), six cucumbers, lots of dill, basil, parsley, and thyme. The oregano has taken over and mostly has to be ripped out as a weed, so there's lots of that for drying whenever I feel like it. There's space for three rows of seed. Next weekend I'll sow kale, rainbow chard, and Chioggia beets. That's all the raised beds will allow, unless I find a spot here or there as the season goes on. I'll tend everything on weekends and harvest baby kale and chard all summer. That's a good thing, and hopefully will help keep me on track.

Well, I got the call from Waitrose!

They want me on the Deli counter, which was one of the preferences I expressed on my application.
AND I have filled in the medical form, which I was able to answer 100% honestly as it was all about allergies and food-handling issues. Phew!
So now it's just down to references. Something that still makes my stomach churn, but I can't fix what has happened in the past. I'll just have to deal with it as it happens.

The hours I've been offered:
Sunday 09.00-12.45
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 06.30-09.45
Thursday 09.30-13.30

Sunday is time and a half, so I'm pleased to get that one.
Mon, Tues & Weds are an earlier start than I would like, especially as it's not a warehouse job where I can just roll out of bed - I have to be showered and clean and well-groomed.
But it's a job, and after all gives me the whole day free!
I can look for other work in the afternoons when I'm back in the groove.
And all Friday off for appointments etc.

For four days of the week I'll be mostly setting up, stocking shelves I think, as the store will be closed. Waitrose is not 24 hour. When the store is open I'll be working with CHEESE! Cheese and cooked meats and olives and all the things I love.

And I get 12% discount after 3 months.
Although I think Mum would rather I was out of the house more when she was awake, she seems mildly pleased that I really have been looking for work (I think she thought I was pretending) and after all it will benefit the family greatly. I'll get 25% off at Joohn Lewis too - some electrical items excepted.

If I get this, people, life might just work out after all.

I'm so happy for you! Mmmm... I love some cheese as well.

This is such fabulous news! Sundae I'm so happy for you! Well done!

Wonderful news!

Yay!!

This is good news indeed. And the deli is a good place, it was the most coveted of all positions when I worked at a grocery store. (The bakery was good too, but tempered by the fact that the bakers had to show up way earlier than everyone else.)

Hooray! Think they'd be impressed by an international committee of people from all walks of life who could give reference to your good character? :)

This is making me smile. Excellent news, Sundae.

Great news! Way to go, Sundae! :)

You can use the Cellar as a reference. On second thought, maybe just our well wishes would be best. :D

Limey is honestly one of my refs :)

The only one I am concerned about is school.
Being selectively honest they can make me sound like the bestest person alive.
Or an unreliable old lush.
I just have to wait & see.

Weeding.

There might be pictures, but not of the refreshments.

Ha! I was going to offer myself as a reference :-p

:) @ Sundae

Four more hours in the garden pulling weeds/grass/undesirables/pruning etc. It's cool today, 64 deg high forecast. And rain, light rain, periodically. My radio got a little wet, but not dangerously so. I'm in the house now for a bit of a lunch break. I reckon I'm... one-third of the way to the finish line.

4 hours and only a third of the way there? That's a lot of weeds.

Lil' Griff's big day! Passed her drivers test and got her SAT subject tests back 710 Eng Lit and 780 US History. Nerd.