Huzzah!

it's blooming glorious here today. sunny, not humid, hot but not too hot. perfect. And I learned that the firework king is fully loaded and ready to dazzle us all tonight :)

I've finished painting the fence. Yippee!

It's not even our fence but we have to look at it so I asked the neighbour if he had any objections if I gave it a coat of preservative.

The panels are about 8' x 6' and were fairly easy to do with a 4" brush. Unfortunately, the disposable coverall I bought didn't breathe and so even on a middling warm day I soon developed my own personal sauna.

Not at all pleasant.

The trellis along the top is a fiddly pain in the arse of a job and has to be done with attention to detail and a 1½" brush. Not too warm this morning and not raining. Job completed. :thumb:

And another entry in the credit side of life's ledger. I won £50 ($85) on the Premium Bonds.

Life is good. Well, up to a point. Still plenty of time for the forces of darkness to strike before the day is done.:rolleyes:

Must see pix of the fence or it didn't happen. Congrats on winning the money.

I saw a bit of the Tour de France today on TV and thought of you, Sundae. York to Sheffield ... did it go near your neck of the woods?

Happy tonight because I finished another revision of the neurotox article I'm supposed to submit by September, and which is irritating me to the point of giving me hives. Sent it off to my superior in WV and will hope for a thumbs-up. I had to rewrite the entire thing to make it less 'scholarly' and more practical. Live and learn ...

And happy because I finished my first week at the new job and have a new week to look forward to. Tons of work and meetings, but this is not a negative. I wish there were more than 24 hours in a day.

You've not been paying attention, Ortho! Go to the Yorkshire thread immediately to see Sundae's report. Oh, and you're on report, yourself!


Sent by thought transference

What's making me happy today is in a few hours, I'll be at the Cher concert and the opening act is Cyndi Lauper. :-)

That doesn't sound like a queen at all. ;-)

Would it make it sound more queenish if I mentioned there were about 2000 guys on Grindr at the concert? lol

Finished trimming the hedge, so that's another horticultural chore disposed of.

I used to use a flea powered electric trimmer but managed, on two occasions, to cut the cable.
Thankfully the RCD did its stuff and the dubious thrill of 240 volts up the Carruthers left arm was avoided. Twice.
For this relief, much thanks.

A couple of years ago I decided that enough was enough and bought a petrol trimmer. It was worth every penny. (Thank you Mr Kawasaki:thumb:)
The cutting head is almost twice as long as that on the electric jobby, and a damn sight more powerful.
OK, I know there's an element of big boys toys at work here, but so far I have avoided the temptation to set course for British Columbia and fell a stand of Giant Redwoods. ;)

Carruthers:
"Leading a horticulture one chore at a time."

Please not to be culturing mah hores.

*snort*

Aaagh ... you know, I recall reading through the Yorkshire thread. So I'm on report twice. Such beautiful reportage and photos that Sundae provided!

Yep, on report and confined to quarters. :blush:

Had an interview today...it went well. I don't think I'll get the job...I would be responsible for 1200 people! The most I've ever handled at one time is 40...I could do it though.

I don't know if I'm more confident in my old age or drunk or in my Matrix zone...I had little nervousness through the whole process.

WTG elSicomoro! Put it down to greater confidence :) I hope you get the job, if you want it (obviously they thought you could do it or they wouldn't have interviewed).

And that was my thought too...I clearly noted in my resume that I have supervised up to 40. She mentioned that I might be better off a step below the position I applied for...I told her I could do the job in question, but if she thought the step below was better, I was fine with that too.

good luck man!

Good luck! I know if I can handle 1200, anyone can. :D

:facepalm:

I've missed you, Sheldon.

Thanks, guys! I should know in the next few days if I'm headed to the next round.

excellent

Four years ago today, I first came to Kansas City from St. Louis. At the time, I was just coming out here on business...and for BBQ. But...it wound up being the place where a major chapter of my life ended, and a greater one began. And I will finally meet Elspode in person tonight!

The Buddleia bush that I pruned back almost to nothing in early March, is once again in full bloom. The high summer butterflies that it attracts should be along soon.

Anyway, before and after.

http://s18.postimg.org/ftyij5a0p/DSC00630.jpg

http://s18.postimg.org/6v8g6454p/DSC00656.jpg


Worth waiting for!

You fool, they're using you, just as they used the generations before you.
Who does all that work, cleans up the mess, and has to live with the ugly bush until it heals?
You do!
Then when it just regains it's composure the prima donna Butter-sluts swoop in, flash a little color, and slurp up free meals.
At least Fireflies would light the night, bees would leave you a little honey, even mosquitoes will sometimes make nipples bigger.
Guess who then has to do the dishes and start the cycle starts again.
You do!
Don't be a chump, stop the bush-keeper abuse, slap a VAT on their bill. :flycatch:

Spencer is staying with me for 3 days. I have to work all day every day this week cuz my counterpart is on vacation , but it's still cool to have him over.

He's doing online extra credit algebra, and his computer is giving him trouble, so I invited him to come use my gaming rig and get the class knocked out.

Got my boy back too.
Excuse the doting look on my face, I hadn't expected to be in frame, but I kept it because I hadn't realised Diz needs a proper clean-up so I didn't want too much of a close up of his face. You can't expect a charity to do everything.

Oh and mental apologies to Carol for doubting her story and thinking she was a cat-napper. She obviously just had an unlucky weekend after all.

PS. LJ, I'm not sure knocking out the rest of Spencer's class is a good precedent to set. I mean it's okay at his age, but what are you going to do when he gets to college? You might get in some lucky punches sure, but unless you have a secret stash of sarin...

My daughter is also doing an online course this summer. Economics and Personal Finance. Her HS requires at least one on-line course to graduate. I think we'll be seeing more of them too, to ease impending overcrowding issues. Interesting times.

You look so happy. And Diz looks happy to be home but also like he's planning complicated and gruesome vengeance at having been sent away in the first place.

Whoa. This is amazing to me. Online courses would save the school so much money... I wonder how long before federal/state awareness catches up to this and starts cutting back the school's funding if they're not spending it on traditional classroom settings.

I am amazed at the amount you can already do in this world online. It became obvious to me when I signed up for my electricity online 4 years ago.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nothing. Nothing is making me happy today.

TRY THIS

You can start trying. :lol2:


ETA: I thought personal threats were frowned upon here. Or is that another one that applies to just me?

Sorry to hear it. I hope your day improves.

I'm sure it was meant to raise a smile. Although TBF, LJ has been known to tell people to just rub some dirt on it, Mary.
I'm in the Glatt camp on this though.

The sun'll come out, tomorrow.
As will Lola's boobies.

[Disclaimer, this probably will not be photographed]

Diz looks like he's plotting major evil. Although maybe he was just blinking. ;)

And, my daughter is also doing an online course that she is persuaded will bring her a career that will enable her to earn a living wage.

To which I say, huzzah.

You wanna see my bobbies? I'll show you my boobies! It's only fair since I've seen yours numerous times. PM me your email (although I should have it) for me to verify it, so I won't be sending it to anyone else by mistake. While you're at it, give me your new addy too. :D

On the happiness topic, should we feel happy each day? I thought we just live each day and if we're lucky, something makes us happy that day. And if we wake up on the wrong side of the bed, like me today, actually since this weekend, we just feel all pissy for no good reason.

I think the happiness topic should mean that we recognize and acknowledge the sources of happiness in our lives. A sense of gratitude.

I feel happy to be in the presence of such wonderful people.

Much as I would love to see your boobies, I'm afraid I can't be trusted with such a valuable photo. Once the bidding goes over £100k I can't promise not to take it.

I will pm my email and addy though.

Maybe I should auction it to keep that £100k for myself. :D

101

I wasn't even thinking of the 'slap yer shit' aspect... that song just makes me happy for some reason.

This morning I received one of those brown envelopes with an address window, guaranteed to strike terror into the heart of every UK taxpayer.

On this occasion HMRC, which doesn't stand for Her Majesty's Robbers & Crooks, have, in their infinite wisdom, decided to give me back some of my own money. The Lord be praised.

The statement within told me that I had paid too much tax last year and that they would be sending a cheque in the next few days. How gracious of them.

Given the appalling state of the nation's finances I just hope that they can meet their own cheques. It would be rather embarrassing to have one returned stating 'refer to drawer'.

Anyway, the score at full time:

Carruthers 1 HMRC 0 :thumb:

Every now and then some rich journo/ presenter says with great authority, "But no-one uses cheques these days anyway!" Hahahahahahahahahaha.
As someone whose luck and finance fluctuates like someone in a soap opera, I've had more than one Govt cheque. And financial institutions like them as repayment too, knowing most people can't get to a bank during the week, or can't be arsed if it's below a certain amount.
Not me of course - I'd bank a cheque for 66p! In fact I redeemed a Sainsbury's coupon for 2p (one of those price comparison ones).

Glad to hear you've had what you're due anyway.
Hope it's enough to buy yourself a new sauna suit :)

Being a fully paid up cheapskate, I shall make do with the current one until it falls apart.
It's hanging up in the garage and is liberally spattered with paint as testimony to my industry.
It will no doubt be pressed into use in the Autumn when the back garden fence needs the treatment.

It's times like this when the ghosts of my Yorkshire antecedents tap me on my shoulder and say 'Tha' done well, lad'.:blush:

While I'm on the subject, a Yorkshire mate of mine uses the phrase 'He'd skin a flea for a shilling'.
I used to think it was contempt, but now I'm pretty sure it's an expression of admiration for thrift.

There will be a small charge for this post.

Not to worry, they just print more money to cover it. ;)

And we luddites who don't trust the electronical systems.
Good for you, a most commendable improvement over your spendthrift days.

I can't beat that, although I did have a similar one for 5p that rocked Tesco to its very foundations the other week when I redeemed it.

I sold my 03 motorcycle for $100 more than i paid for it 3 years ago

What percent ROI is that?

So did you buy low, or sell high?

I got a good deal at the time, justified buying an older bike by telling myself I could sell it for what I paid. I was not wrong. I did put about $800 into it over the years, with the amp, speakers, new tire and battery... But I also kept the windshield and saddle bags...

It turned out pretty well over all.

Now I have a newer {07}version with 2k miles.

Sure you put money into it, but got a bunch of miles out of it, didn't you?
I seem to remember you saying it was saving you a lot of gas.:confused:

I only put 4500 miles on it, actually. I've ridden the new one 1200 since I got it last September. But yeah, 45mpg beats the piss out of 11.3 mpg

ok. 4,500 miles at 45 mpg is 100 gallons or about $300, if I remember my historical gas prices correctly. Add to that the $800 and subtract the $100 profit when you sold, an that's about $1,000 for 4,500 miles. That's about 22 cents a mile. Not counting any insurance you had to pay, that's actually pretty good. As a comparison, the IRS mileage deduction rate is 56 cents a mile but was probably around 45-50 cents a mile during that time frame. I'd say you made out well financially and any fun you had was just the icing on the cake.

I live for the icing


Oh, and gas around here has been in the 3.39-3.69/gal range for a couple years
... But then I use high test, so make that closer to $4

None of you has mentioned the satisfaction LJ got out of it, until the last post. That's ROI as well, probably the best kind.

It was kind of cool having 2. I had buddies ride the other one a couple times...

Oh, I need to remember to take it off my insurance.... And transfer my SMRT tag to the new bike.

1. The conservatory roof no longer leaks. Yes, you’re quite right, it doesn’t take very much to make me happy.

The conservatory is showing signs of age and a leak started at the edge of one of the roof panels.

So, it was off to Wickes (Home Depot clone) for a cartridge of silicone sealant, clipped it into the gun and applied the treatment. Smoothed it off with the back of a plastic spoon and hoped for the best.

In the early hours of Friday morning we experienced a massive thunderstorm with a deluge of Biblical proportions and not one drop penetrated the conservatory roof. Let joy be unconfined!

As an added bonus, the water butts which were almost empty were substantially replenished.

At 0230, and at the height of the storm, I stood under the car port and watched the the lightning and enjoyed the air that had been cooled by the torrential rain.

I’ve put a couple of lightning images on IOTD recently but I hope that you’ll excuse another one here. It was also taken during the above storm.

http://s17.postimg.org/dhux6wu4f/Lightning_Io_W.jpg



2. Dad had his cataract operation a few days ago. I knew that it would be done on a day surgery basis, but when I dropped him at the hospital at 0730 I didn’t expect to receive a phone call just after 1030 with news that he was ready to be collected.

He was sporting a barcoded wristband that bore a striking resemblance to an airline baggage tag and I remarked that he had only narrowly avoided being flown to Tokyo.
He wasn’t wearing his hearing aids so I’m afraid that one missed its target.

All seems to be going well although the administration of different eye drops up to ten times a day has required a fair amount of planning and attention to detail.

It was his eighty-ninth birthday this week and, at his request, I bought him a number of books. He does a lot of reading and I think life would have been intolerable had his sight deteriorated to such an extent that reading became difficult or even out of the question.

The only downside is that he is already becoming even more adept at spotting jobs that need doing and delegating them to you know who.

3. Banked my tax rebate cheque!