GOGS...Grumpy Old Gits Society..

334396 Views 8283 Replies 133 Participants Last post by Gripping Pneus, 8 d ago

gordonzz

Discussion Starter · Apr 30, 2016

after all the years of suffering being called a miserable old bar-steward by mrs zz , I am finally rejoicing that she has come round to my way of thinking. the source of this wonderment?... a newly found joint loathing of the foul phenomenon of otherwise seemingly intelligent individuals starting a sentence with the word "so"!!!! if you have been asked , "how do you propose to re-attach that button"? , or , "what method would you use to distribute seed in your garden" , fair enough but otherwise , nooooooooooo! other current hot favourites are "yoofs" with their kecks hanging out the top of their trousers and newly qualified drivers with a green p plate (clearly designating pillock) who refuse to commit to crossing a roundabout without having received a written invitation at least a fortnight in advance! what gets your hackles up?

Reactions: 1

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gus3049

· #581 · Mar 17, 2017

This is one thing I dread about going back to the UK.

Here, we can phone any time of day and book an appointment. The chances are it will be the same day but if late afternoon then the appointment will be first thing tomorrow.

OK, I know I live in a fairly small community but there are four surgeries and you can go to whichever you choose. Earlier this week I saw the Doctor at 2.45pm and at 3.30pm I was having my foot x-rayed in the main clinic at Angouleme. You can even choose which hospital you go to. There are two in Angouleme and I prefer the one that didn't try to kill me last time i had to stay there!

Mike Newns

· #582 · Mar 17, 2017

Most surgery's have an online booking system for non-urgent appointments you can use that to pick a time to suit you (although generally not the same day).

Mike

JasonB

· #583 · Mar 17, 2017

Abarth Mike said:
My brother has 2.5 acres on one side of his garden, one side of which he has a Ha-Ha. Not a meadow though as it is used as a general field. Grazing and hay production. He is always talking about a sheep for his lawn.

Yes, we're considering a goat or a sheep for our lawns. Like Gordon, I hate mowing grass.

StuBeeDoo

· #584 · Mar 17, 2017 (Edited by Moderator)

Mike Newns said:
Most surgery's have an online booking system for non-urgent appointments you can use that to pick a time to suit you (although generally not the same day).

Our surgery did have online booking, (and online repeat prescription ordering) but they withdrew it a couple of years ago.

I want to move to another surgery, but I need to get my current issue sorted first.

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gordonzz

Discussion Starter · #585 · Mar 17, 2017

gus3049 said:
This is one thing I dread about going back to the UK.

the psychopath in stilettos who thinks that she is the chosen one??

Mick Kerr

· #586 · Mar 18, 2017

gordonzz said:
the psychopath in stilettos who thinks that she is the chosen one??

You must mean Nicola Sturgeon.

Cheers.

Mick.

gordonzz

Discussion Starter · #587 · Mar 18, 2017

that's the one....the snotty gob on a stick. I cant even bear to speak/write its name without getting an icky taste in my mouth!

Lone Racer

· #588 · Mar 18, 2017

My continuing Grump. Brexit ! How can you leave something you have never been in? Example 1 try to buy British food in a France supermarket !! Example 2 Try to buy a lawn mower or a dish washer or or a fridge or a freezer or a power tool electric drill chain saw rotary hoe or anything else with English instruction manual !!!! Don't waste your time trying. All manuals will be in French or any European language or others Never Never in English. Britain was never part of the EU. So why pay 60 billion Euro to leave????

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gus3049

· #589 · Mar 18, 2017

I've been doing some plumbing lately. All the pressure reducing valves are English with instructions in only three other languages. French instruction leaflets normally include every member language. All the 15mm valves are 1/2" but have to be used on 14mm pipe!!! Works - just.

Our local SuperU, Auchan and Carrefour have quite big English sections (although the prices are scandalous of course) and a smaller Spanish section. The Dutch and Germans eat French food of course as immigrants should.

It's really not as bad as you make out, in spite of the fact that the French are supposed to hate the Brits. We are accepted as part of the community as are every other nationality that chooses to enjoy the French way of life.

Not too surprisingly, I voted to stay in. My wife reads the Daily Mail.

gordonzz

Discussion Starter · #590 · Mar 19, 2017

what is it about diy that brings out the inner mungo in others??

picture the scene...im on my knees in our bedroom , paint try by my side , roller in hand laying on the emulsion. normally intelligent son pipes up.. "wotcha doin' dad"? "riding a bike" is my reply in my finest you must be kidding sarcastic tone. "what colour are you doing it dad"? is the comeback....I just shake my head in disbelief..."um the new colour on top of the old one" (which happens to be the oddest beige/grey/purple colour ever...chosen by mrs zz I will add)...."oh , it looks the same colour as my poo!!"... not much I could add except "well go tell your mother"...so he did!! now once the room is all done and the new carpet down it will look rather nice but mrs zz is now insistent in calling it the boudoir...quite ironic really as there is about as much chance of anything boudoir-ish occurring as lord lucan riding shergar to donald trumps second term re-election party!!

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StuBeeDoo

· #591 · Mar 19, 2017

That ^^^ reminds me that many years ago, when I was very young, if I asked my father (on one of the few occasions he was actually around) "What's that, Dad?". He would reply "It's a wee-jee, for grinding smoke".

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Dopamine

· #592 · Mar 19, 2017 (Edited by Moderator)

gordonzz said:
picture the scene...im on my knees in our bedroom

Very briefly an image flashed before my eyes as I imagined the scene. It had nothing to do with painting and quite a lot to do with Mrs zz. Fortunately, or maybe not, your last sentence cleaned up my imagination...

gordonzz

Discussion Starter · #593 · Mar 19, 2017

what has been seen...even in the minds eye....cannot be unseen!

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dvd3500

· #594 · Mar 20, 2017

Websites that don't include vital information.

For example: Wanted to book a ski holiday including ski school and ski rental: Neither Ski school nor ski rental place have opening times on the website ANYWHERE!

Yes, I know that many countries have "traditional" opening times, for example for for almost 100 years stores were open until 6 PM in Germany and only until noon on Saturday but those rules have been defunked for nearly 2 decades!

I also wanted to look into 2 racing events: Neither website actually stated WHAT DAYS THE EVENTS TAKE PLACE!

I ended up googling it and finding the info on a different page all together...

gus3049

· #595 · Mar 20, 2017 (Edited by Moderator)

Hah!! You should live in France.

For some reason, there seems to be a design principle here that says "You should know this, why must I keep pointing out the obvious?" French sites in general seem poorly laid out and severely lacking in information.

Maybe it's a cultural difference and clearly there will be a language barrier of sorts but even so, it's very frustrating. There are times when it's easier to buy from the UK and have it posted out than to buy on-line here.

eBay have it sorted strangely and selling here is very straightforward even allowing for the language ( I am pathetic at understanding French, I have a language block) but they are not a French company of course.

dvd3500

· #596 · Mar 20, 2017

I live on the French border so I am familiar with what you are saying for smaller i.e. non-franchise shops... What irks me about most French sites is when you have to type in the number of the department to find the store closest to you .. I had to google the department number of Alsace!

StuBeeDoo

· #597 · Mar 20, 2017 (Edited by Moderator)

gus3049 said:
Hah!! You should live in France.

For some reason, there seems to be a design principle here that says "You should know this, why must I keep pointing out the obvious?"

Nearly 30 years ago, I started working in the parts department of a Renault franchise. When I attended my first "factory" training course, I asked why there wasn't an English-language parts catalogue. (In those days we worked off fiche) I was told that when Renault UK asked their French counterparts if they could have fiche in English they were told "We understand them. If you can't, tough!". I don't work in a dealership these days, but in a parts distribution warehouse. Renault still use French for the majority of their parts descriptions.

My grump of the day is greetings cards. My family have never been into "sickly-sweet", "cheesy", call them what you like, greetings. With every passing Mother's Day it gets more difficult finding a card that I'd be comfortable sending and mother would be comfortable receiving. Honestly, reading some of the words I want to throw-up. It's almost as bad finding a birthday card for the wife............. And why don't they sell Father's Day cards that say "I detest you, you serial wife beating hypocrite!"?

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gus3049

· #598 · Mar 20, 2017 (Edited by Moderator)

StuBeeDoo said:
My grump of the day is greetings cards. My family have never been into "sickly-sweet", "cheesy", call them what you like, greetings. With every passing Mother's Day it gets more difficult finding a card that I'd be comfortable sending and mother would be comfortable receiving. Honestly, reading some of the words I want to throw-up. It's almost as bad finding a birthday card for the wife............. And why don't they sell Father's Day cards that say "I detest you, you serial wife beating hypocrite!"?

Simple solution. Do what my wife and I do. Never send cards. We just don't do it. If a message can't be delivered personally - in person, phone or email etc - then why do it? It always seems like greetings by proxy. I know I'm an anti social twit but if I genuinely want to wish someone a happy day, I get in touch directly.

PS I certainly agree about the card messages. Probably what started me off not sending them.

Abarth Mike

· #599 · Mar 21, 2017

I've got four outstanding slot car projects all in various stages of incompleteness and I don't know which one to complete first. Maybe I'll just buy another car?

StuBeeDoo

· #600 · Mar 21, 2017

Abarth Mike said:
I've got four outstanding slot car projects all in various stages of incompleteness and I don't know which one to complete first. Maybe I'll just buy another car?

I've got several cars stripped-down, ready for painting. I never seem to get 'round to it. As soon as I set foot in the attic, all I want is track-time. I suppose if I didn't have so many cars I'd have to get on and paint/rebuild the ones in that are bits.

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