Early Risers.

[DDolfelin]

I only looked because I thought he meant 'lassies'.

[JohnDMJ]

Do you mean this one?

 

That's a pretty powerful telephoto lens you have there, Don. :icon_thumbsup2:

[Robert]

I only looked because I thought he meant 'lassies'.

 

Snigger! :icon_lol:

 

I've just bought a new freezer - I've doubled my frozen food capacity, and found a new home for the old one. Now I can throw more dinner parties and not have to worry about how I am going to cram something new in everytime I come back from the Supermarket.

 

I love it when a plan comes together!

[JohnDMJ]

I love it when a plan comes together!

 

I'd love it too! :icon_lol:

[Tony_S]

Snigger! :icon_lol:

 

I've just bought a new freezer - I've doubled my frozen food capacity, and found a new home for the old one. Now I can throw more dinner parties and not have to worry about how I am going to cram something new in everytime I come back from the Supermarket.

 

I love it when a plan comes together!

 

I suppose I'd better think about tidying up the freezer before I start thinking about stuff for Christmas. At least this year we know lots of people will require feeding here. In the past we have got everything sorted for a quiet Christmas at home and then lots of people decide to come to us. One year, my wife's uncle (a resident of California) decided to visit as he wanted to experience a "real English Christmas" but didn't want turkey as he could have that at home. My wife wasn't too amused at some of my dinner suggestions and so I cooked a goose. Haven't done one since though.

[BoD]

Why didn't the South African rugby team call themselves The Dassies instead of The Springboks? It might have changed the whole balance of world rugby.

[eldavo]

... and so I cooked a goose. Haven't done one since though.

 

That'll be where the saying came from then. You cooked your goose.

 

Cheers

Dave (now leaving with coat)

[shortliner]

Recipe for buying a freezer - pick the size you think you need, double it, and add half as much again! - The only way we got the size of freezer we need - and there are only two of us!

[Tony_S]

Why didn't the South African rugby team call themselves The Dassies instead of The Springboks? It might have changed the whole balance of world rugby.

 

 

Their cricket team changed their name and still do rather well!

 

That'll be where the saying came from then. You cooked your goose.CheersDave (now leaving with coat)

 

The oddest thing about cooking a goose was stuffing it. Vast quantities of prunes in Armagnac just seemed to disappear inside. I'm convinced it was like a Tardis inside.

 

Tony

[Robert]

Recipe for buying a freezer - pick the size you think you need, double it, and add half as much again! - The only way we got the size of freezer we need - and there are only two of us!

 

My recipe for buying a freezer is as follows - measure the dimensions of what will go down the cellar steps and reduce them by a couple of centimetres. It really was an only juster! Still, having bought a chest freezer it now has the same dimensions of the previous one, but with twice the capacity :icon_eek: and it's an A+ energy-wise B) .

 

I will probably be cooking goose at Christmas too - It is significantly cheaper in Germany than the UK and frankly I prefer it to turkey. Not that I have got anything against turkey - but when I was a kid my uncle always used to end up buying some rubber eagle that would hardly fit in the oven and then you ended up eating the wretched thing until the middle of January. I think I've had enough to last me for a lifetime.

 

Incidentally, while on the subject of turkey - Happy Thanksgiving to all our American members!

[NGT6 1315]

I love it when a plan comes together!

 

 

But you weren't bringing it home on a black and red GMC van?

 

Found a hedgehog in our garden this afternoon. It looked like the poor little fella had not had food for several days and was understandably weak. I did shed some tears upon seeing him that way, then of course wondering how it could affect me that deeply... Mum later brought him to a vet who will take care of him.

[JohnDMJ]

Found a hedgehog in our garden this afternoon. It looked like the poor little fella had not had food for several days and was understandably weak. I did shed some tears upon seeing him that way, then of course wondering how it could affect me that deeply... Mum later brought him to a vet who will take care of him.

 

Check out http://www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/. I know he'd need a passport, though!

[Tony_S]

I'm just calming down. I think I've just had a touch of the Victor Meldrew's. Matthew wanted to pay for his UCAS application online. When he did the last bit his debit card was rejected by his banks verification process and he had to phone his bank. Because he got confused (the man didn't speak clearly) and asked me what they meant they said they couldn't help him as someone else was providing the answers and put the phone down. He re-dialled had another go while I went out of the room and they wouldn't talk to him and said he had to go to a local branch.

Well he will go into a local branch and he is going to close the account and he has opened one up online with the bank we use. To be honest I was never really happy about how he'd signed up with his present lot (who when I had an account with them in the 1970s lost my account for 6 weeks), apparently some woman pursued him round the college at new student week last year until he signed. He was too polite to say no. I have told him it is perfectly polite to say "No, thank you " to people like that. My local bank branch are nice and their national call centre (out of hours) are helpful and pleasant even with financial nincompoops like me!

 

I did pay for Matthew's UCAS entry with my card!

 

I think a cup of tea is called for.

Tony

[JohnDMJ]

I think a cup of tea is called for.

 

 

or something stronger!

 

That's appalling!

 

Can I suggest not closing the account but merely leaving 2 or 3 pence in it and, from time to time, adding or removing a penny* so that the account does not appear to be dormant. I did that to a previous bank of mine for 6 years. Cost them a fortune sending statements every quarter, but because the account was in credit, it accrued no charges!

 

* i.e. token amount depending on the methods used

[Tony_S]

or something stronger!

 

That's appalling!

 

Can I suggest not closing the account but merely leaving 2 or 3 pence in it and, from time to time, adding or removing a penny* so that the account does not appear to be dormant. I did that to a previous bank of mine for 6 years. Cost them a fortune sending statements every quarter, but because the account was in credit, it accrued no charges!

 

* i.e. token amount depending on the methods used

 

Sounds like a good idea. I try very hard not to get cross with people doing their job and following regulations but cutting somebody off for asking their father which of the items on his statement was the one they wanted to know about did annoy me.

My mother-in-law had an high interest account (when rates were much higher!) where 6 months notice was required. She had given the 6 months notice and turned up on the due day and asked for a cheque. They then told her she would have to wait 7 - 10 days for the cheque. This wasn't written down in the instructions or conditions but was "policy" as for the amount she wanted needed an extra signature. She did get the cheque that day after insisting they found someone who could sign it.

 

Tony

[JohnDMJ]

She did get the cheque that day after insisting they found someone who could sign it.

 

 

I long for the day when banks realise that they are not God! However, I fear a long wait.

[sixoh8sixoh]

or something stronger!

 

That's appalling!

 

Can I suggest not closing the account but merely leaving 2 or 3 pence in it and, from time to time, adding or removing a penny* so that the account does not appear to be dormant. I did that to a previous bank of mine for 6 years. Cost them a fortune sending statements every quarter, but because the account was in credit, it accrued no charges!

 

* i.e. token amount depending on the methods used

 

I've done that! HSBC were being a real pain in the proverbial with my student account, so I withdrew all the money from it. Or so I thought. The following month, I got 1p interest. Which I have left in there ever since, and still get statements from them.

[Tony_S]

I long for the day when banks realise that they are not God! However, I fear a long wait.

 

I think my mother in law clearly gave the impression she wasn't moving until she got her cheque. My (nice) bank have given up with me. They say do you know how much you have in your current account? (Yes), do you have plans for it? (Yes, I'm going to spend it).

Tony

[JohnDMJ]

I've done that! HSBC were being a real pain in the proverbial with my student account, so I withdrew all the money from it. Or so I thought. The following month, I got 1p interest. Which I have left in there ever since, and still get statements from them.

You need to make the odd transaction just to fool the system that it's still a used account; say, pay in ??2 then withdraw a few days later ??1.99, for example otherwise they write you asking if the account is dormant (more cost to them!)

 

When I closed my account (eventually), they gave me the whole 10 pence balance plus the 1 pence accrued interest plus the 'advice' of "don't spend it all at once"! I nearly offered the cashier dinner on the proceeds! :icon_lol:

[JohnDMJ]

I think my mother in law clearly gave the impression she wasn't moving until she got her cheque. My (nice) bank have given up with me. They say do you know how much you have in your current account? (Yes), do you have plans for it? (Yes, I'm going to spend it).

Tony

 

Ever seen the classic film Mary Poppins? Fidelity Fiduciary Bank? All for the sake of tuppence!

[JohnDMJ]

Morning all, and Happy Friday.

 

Looks like I'm first past the post this morning, but I'm off to get the first train to London, then on to Paris for RailExpo. Back in the early hours of tomorrow!

 

Dark, can see twinkly things up above so guess the oktas have taken a break. Just hope they're not sojourning in Paris!

[DonBradley]

Good morning John,

Was reading back on the banking problems.

My God son Tim had a credit balance in his savings account. When he went to make a withdrawel he discovered that the entire balance had been debited as Bank Charges over a period!

We pay the bank to keep our money?

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

Was planning another bike ride this morning. However, that isn't going to happen - it is absolutely chucking it down outside.

 

Interesting to read the banking woes. I am fortunate in that my UK bank get on with their job fairly well and (touch wood) everything seems to function without too many problems.

 

Banking is a very different story in Germany to the UK - my bank do charge me to keep my money (at least for my current account) but there aren't very many other bank charges and so I don't mind too much.

 

But you weren't bringing it home on a black and red GMC van?

 

No - a clapped out DC3 with engines that leak oil :icon_lol:

 

Have a good day everyone :icon_wave:

[NGT6 1315]

Morning!

 

Just about five hours to go... Guess it stands to reason the first thing I'll be doing upon getting home is to collapse onto the sofa!

 

 

No - a clapped out DC3 with engines that leak oil :icon_lol:

 

 

Did you have to anaesthetize anyone?

[gordon s]

Happy Friday one and all.....

 

Thought I'd seen and heard it all until this morning. News footage showed that some idiots had removed the barriers across the closed damaged bridge in Workington and were driving across to save having to make the long detour.....

 

I despair sometimes....

 

Nutters

 

Have a good day, whatever you're doing. The weekend is just around the corner.