Lifeboat Muster Point for TalkExiles - Thread 2

[Kucingsparkles]

Continuation of previous thread.

Gather here all ye refugees from the foundering ship of JTT, if ye be in need of "How the heck do I format my post?" "Why can't I edit my typos?" "What do those acronyms mean?" and most importantly, "Where is everybody that I used to know?"

Or just to chat randomly.

It's really weird to me seeing you all talk about snow in the UK. Normally we've had a snowstorm or two here by early December (earliest I remember is Halloween, though that melted quickly) but so far this season not a flake, and it's barely dropped below freezing.

Meanwhile at moto Towers, stout production is a regular Sunday afternoon event.

Pasternaki!

Oh Moto, didn’t realise it was you, hello! I was Stella. How long before you can drink it?

Freezing here.I keep putting the heating on in short bursts Made a delicious soup and tried to get back into bed to keep warm. I dunno, I find it hard to assert my rights with the cat on my bed. Right where I needed to be.

That's one cosy looking cat.

Moto, it seems almost criminal to make stout from parsnips rather than roasting them. Though you can do if you've got enough of them.

'you can do both if you've got enough'

Oh, for an edit function!

Earlier today. Prepayment meters should be banned. Good luck with your move, Crows

Hi Stella, I maybe should have twigged it was you! About a month till drinking time, but it's small batches and I make it regularly.

I am also in the process of moving, or I would be if I could get the bloody house purchase completed. Was hoping to be in by now and settled for my first christmas in my new home, but it's looking less likely. I had put in my notice on my currently privately rented accommodation but had to go back to them and get that extended until February. It's all been (still is) a bloody nightmare, proper not sleeping stress. I feel lucky in that once I do get in, that's me out of rented accomodation for good, and by the time I retire in 9 years the house should be paid for (40% deposit and small mortgage, same price as I pay for rent currently).

Before I moved to this place, the place I rented had PAYG meters and even though I was working, it was still a constant niggling stress making sure they were topped up. Any proper Labour government would be getting rid of them, they are nothing short of punishment for being poor. If getting rid of them isn't feasible, they should offset the running/hiring costs by defering the VAT people on low incomes have to pay on energy.

Good luck to those who are moving soon.

I remember the pre-payment meters in the 80s as friends used them in their bedsits. It was a constant hassle trying to have the cash there and then to get it emptied when it filled up.

The interesting thing about PAYG meters is they are a legacy of the state owned energy sector not an evil private sector invention. Never make the mistake of thinking a state owned entity would treat the poor and in debt with any kindness - whe I worked in debt issues by far and away the biggest bastards when it came to debt collection were Councils and HMRC.

Oddly PAYG meters are almost uniquely a UK thing, very few other countries have them.

Not all councils... My elder son is constantly in debt and didn't pay his council tax for a long time (rented flat so that is weird to me because over here the landlord pays the property tax) and ended up with threat of bailiffs. He is high-functioning autistic and lives alone, so my daughter and I persuaded his council to let us pay it back at a low rate. In practice that works because it comes out of my bank account (I still have a UK account as some of my income is from the UK) as his can't be relied on to have enough money in it.

Dotellhimpike · Today 16:14

I am also in the process of moving, or I would be if I could get the bloody house purchase completed.

Oh God, my symapthy.

The only place I’ve lived in with pre-payment meters was long enough ago for it to be in the feeding the meter with coins days (long before the energy sell-offs). It costs 50p to get hot water for a bath but only 20p for a swim and a shower in the students union. We swam a lot.

Gin, the foggy view from your kitchen window is lovely!

Oh my goodness bignose, mine's a Lakeland/Patterdale cross. I've never encountered one before.

This is Diesel. He's not baring his teeth, he's just got a rather fetching underbite.

My last prepayment meter was in a shared house in the 90s. We found a way to get to the gas boiler controls sand left before the shit fell.

He’s a handsome furry little chap! Gizmo is a very loving and loyal little dog but also a bit crazy and that seems to be par for the course with this type of terrier. She is just desperate to meet every human or animal and to excitedly greet the ones she already knows. The only problem is that if someone who doesn’t know her meets her and does that kind of unsure try to stroke/ dangling hands thing, she tends to jump up and nibble their fingers because she just doesn’t know what else to do. Which means I’m always a bit on guard when we’re out and she’s off the lead.

I love that dog. If you tire of him, I'll take him on. What a face.

Here he is, going about his business

I'm very lucky to have him

Found you! And all the lovely floofs, I love an under (or over) bite on a pupster, turns up the goofy squee factor.

I am so knackered at the moment, work is busier then ever - our shop was taking over £10 a minute today which is just bonkers, I fully expect to have lost my voice by the end of week.

Hi Dolly!

I've just been out for a walk in 11/2 inches of snow with MiniPSB. We walked to the posh bit of town, the private roads and it was so gloriously quiet, except for the squeaking when we walked, and pretty, with Christmas lights, snow drifting down and a moon half-covered by clouds.

Hi PSB. That sounds idyllic!

I LOVE that dog! How old is Diesel?

(having fond memories of diesel black now!)