randombloke

Michel Roux Snr was suggesting Sprouts with orange juice on Saturday kitchen confusingly last Friday.

Is she colicky? If so, maybe an osteopath could help, especially one trained in cranial techniques. The Vale practice are pretty good. And no I have no allegiance to them, my partner is an osteopath but practices in the city and in Kent.

This is my first post in the family room. To a nearly 50 year old male some of the topics have been rather alarming to say the least, discussing such subjects as potty training, sore nipples etc. However, I had to laugh at the some of the posts before it degenerated as so many topics often do. Tragically, I'd probably transgressed as much as some of the OHs. What's different now to when my son was growing up (he's 21) is that people can use the internet to get information, or to let off a bit of frustration. Back in 1990 the only sources of information were other new parents or your own family. My dad would have been entirely useless changing a nappy, it just wasn't the done thing in his day. I can remember my wife crying with frustration that she couldn't get him to latch on and me having to console her whilst making his bottle. I used to do the night feeds and getting up at 3 am watching American football as he had his bottle. It created a bond with him that exists to this day. Reading all the posts makes me feel guilty that I indavertantly took her for granted too often and didn't pull my weight, no wonder she divorced me! As a gender we blokes do have it easy, we don't notice things, we are lazy and we do cherry pick what we want to be involved with. When we have a cold it IS the end of the world. But we do get more involved than our forefathers. In the long run though it does work out, eventually the children become more independant and mums, you do get your life back. Humour is often the best medicine for all the ills described above and my son never once complained when I sent him out chimney sweeping as a 6 year old, he knew he'd get the strap if he did ;-)

Many years ago (1984 to be precise) I worked for Oddbins and I recall our policy of charging a princely 3p for a carrier bag would cause all kinds of apoplexy in some customers. We used to get all the "I'm giving you free advertising, it's bad for the environment, I've just spent ?40 on Scotch and you charge me 3p for a bag you could give away" argument etc. We turned bags inside out, gave away paper bags that were useless, shockingly overrang a purchase by 3p etc etc, the whole thing drove us mad. I can see both sides of the argument here but dirty washing should be washed in private IMHO. A private dialogue often obviates the need for a public slanging match. Whilst I was there I was told that it was illegal to sell alcohol to the off-trade unless it was wrapped up or carried in a container, hence the tissue paper wrapper. I don't know if that is still true but that's the reason why.

Old saying I heard in the Army whilst at Sandhurst in 1980: When Jerry was shooting the Tommies ducked; When the Tommies were shooting the Jerries ducked; When the Yanks were shooting everybody ducked. One wonders if it still holds true? Suffice to say that all the American Forces I saw were too gung ho for words. They may well be professional now, but having met a recently retired US Army Colonel a couple of years ago who insisted the Gherkin was a Torpedo, ("Well if you ask a taxi driver to take you to the Torpedo, he'll look at you like you are an idiot, it's called the Gherkin", "It looks like a Torpedo I'll call it that")(whispered aside to partner "Jesus I'd have had to salute you when I was in, you total fuckwit, you may be a higher rank but you would never be my superior officer"), I doubt much has changed. She told another friend her new job with the US Govt was highly classified, so much so that she didn't have an address just a grid reference for her new office. "Oh" said friend, "what do you put that under in your Sat Nav then? "Highly secret base?" She failed to see the irony.

Just wish to him well Narnia, and to you in the hope that you don't fret too much. He'll do daft shit, drink too much, run out of money really quickly and only come home when he needs his washing done. But that's what it's all about eh? Other than that I'd suggest he remembers to call you at least once a week just to chat. Amazing how that makes you feel as a parent.

dita-on-tees Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The tiny little things thread is about irrational > hatred. Women do very little irrationally, it just > seems that way..... > > Cider is stronger isnt it. I hate that wine is > wonderful stuff and I love it but it gets me > hammered after 2 glasses, makes me behave like a > complete t**t, makes me feel like a sexkitten but > as the night wears on makes me look like a cheap > leary Cougar drooling into my own > handbag/cleavage. Bah. There may be single blokes in Dulwich who would suggest that you say this like it's a bad thing.

Why does the first date have to be one that involves paying for a meal? This whole thread proves that it puts unfair pressure on the first meeting. It also shows that you can overthink things. Surely you should be more concerned about enjoying one-another's company than what paying or not paying says about you. Imagine if a guy said "Hey lets go have some fun" "A walk by the river, I'll bring some wine, you bring some food, we'll have a picnic." "We can just enjoy the great weather and get to know eachother a little bit, oh and don't forget your frisbee." Wouldn't that be easier than fretting about all the other stuff? Why not suggest it yourself? Otherwise the poor sod isn't just meeting you but he may as well have all your friends there (who are all giving advice based on their experiences/prejudices) marking him out of ten. Plus you will be all tense and stressy and not fun and frivolous. Next thing, if it goes well we can play the "should I call him/text/make him wait?" or worse, "He's not called/texted/did he like me/is he playing hard to get/my friends say he's a b*stard" game. Just my penn'orth. But hope he's charming, witty, attentive, is drop dead gorgeous, adores you and makes you tingle with excitement at the very thought of him so you aren't worried about who pays for what. P.S. If it's a disaster watch: "The Ugly Truth" on DVD as you tuck into a post-traumatic Haagen Das. For three reasons: 1. It's got Gerard Butler in it, 2. It will make you laugh, and 3. It tell you more about blokes' dating psyche than any friend can. Good luck.

DJKillaQueen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Yeah but it is unfair because it requires that to > own a car you must own land too if you need to > store it. So the rich can keep their cars SORNED > and those on the breadline can go do themselves. > As long as the car isn't driven what harm is it > doing to be parked outside someone's home? My point entirely DJKQ. If the vehicle is not driven on the road and is clearly not abandoned then it's a bit harsh to insist someone sells it.

> Therefore it shouldn't have been on a road!! > Surely the fact that it was on a SORN means that > you signed something to the effect of 'I declare > that this vehicle is not on a public highway' etc > etc. But you continued to keep on a public > road..... > > A few years back, I had an abandoned car parked > for MONTHS outside my house - it had the grass > growing under it, moss on roof etc etc, but I was > told that as the vehicle was taxed there was > nothing anyone could do. After waiting for the tax > to expire, I was then told by the DVLA that > although the tax was invalid, the owner had been > in contact with them and they had made an > exception! So it appears there are ways, if in > dire circumstances, that you can get leniency. So > there is no excuse for simply not bothering to > renew your tax disc. As someone else said, if you > can't afford the tax, sell the car. The quality of mercy is not spared eh? When I declared it SORN it was parked on a private driveway however I had to move it as my landlord needed to use the driveway for access as he was renovating the cellar. It was then parked on an unclaimed road (not a through road) immediately adjacent to my flat and not an inconvenience to anyone. Apologies if you find that shocking but I was saving up the cash to have it repaired as it needed a specialist sports car garage to work on it so that it would pass it's MOT in order to tax it. As a responsible law-abiding citizen I declared it SORN. Your user name implies that you would simply dip into spouse's bank account to have such trivialities resolved. Sadly I was not in the position to do that and had to continue working in my management job and marshall my resources to save losing a lot of money if I had sold the car in that condition. We aren't all as fortunate as you ladywotlunches, some of us have to earn a living. I don't often get enraged by the pomposity of people on the internet but in your case I shall make an exception.

Are the vehicles in question clearly abandoned? Is there conclusive evidence that they being driven? If so, then they should be dealt with properly. However, before we get all high and mighty is it conceivable that that owner/s cannot afford to have the vehicle/s taxed/repaired due to the recession? Perhaps they can't declare it SORN as it is on a public highway, perhaps they live in a flat and for whatever reason it cannot be kept on private land? Each individual circumstance is exactly that, an individual circumstance. In the past whilst living in Yorkshire I owned a vehicle that was on a SORN. It had to be moved on a lowloader and taken to a relatives house to be stored at great expense because it was on an unclaimed road (opposite my flat) and as such was illegally parked even though it was not an inconvenience to anyone. At the time I simply could not afford to have it repaired and made road worthy. It was insured, it wasn't driven illegally, but the tax disk was out of date. I was not in a position to get it through its MOT. A "Concerned" neighbour reported it as abandoned even though I used to go and wash the damned thing twice a month. Had they asked I'd have explained the situation. What actually happened was adding insult to injury. Whilst abandoned vehicles are a nuisance and should be removed, in this instance we don't know the full facts. Everything else in this thread may well be factually correct but frankly is banging our gums.

So, having offended the OP, by way of repenting and sticking to the original topic:- 1. Do try to budget and find out where you can buy things more cheaply than in supermarkets, try the local markets, butchers, fishmongers etc. 2. Learn to cook simple nourishing food so that you don't waste money on takeaways. 3. Learn how not to waste anything in your fridge. Freeze your leftovers. You can make a meal of them later. 4. Don't blow all your money in the first couple of weeks. 5. Freshers week is fun but dont try to join ALL the clubs/go to ALL the parties/drink ALL the alcohol. 6. Accept that you will meet people who have very different approaches to life than you. People who won't clear away their detritus for 6 weeks and genuinely don't understand why you get stressed that there are no clean plates in the house and the fridge is full of penicillin. 7. Also accept that part of moving away from home is that you might at times feel homesick and lonely. Set your own agenda and stick to it. Don't let yourself be swayed if friends want you to go out and you feel tired, you won't become unpopular just because you don't fancy going on the razz all the time. 8. Enjoy the opportunity to make new friends some of which may well still be friends into old age but DO keep your old friends as part of your social circle. 9. Don't forget to talk to your parents about things that bother you. You are never too old to ask for their advice. They are still your parents and still have worthwhile things to say. Don't forget to share your triumphs with them as well. 10. Play hard but work harder. 11. Don't sweat it if you don't always excel, accept it, learn from it, move forward. Being rejected is not failure. Failure is giving up. 12. Be kind to people, a smile and pleasant demeanour are as important as being succesful or academic. 13. If you do your very best, nobody can criticise you. Only YOU know if you truly did do your very best. 14. Enjoy it. It's probably the last time in your life you can be relatively carefree before the crushing weight of career, relationships, mortgage, debts, responsibilities and rearing your own children rears up and bites you in the ass and you start looking back and wondering where the hell the last 30 years suddenly went. 15. Most importantly, don't post anything with a hint of irony in internet forums, your sense of humour may well not be the same as other peoples. 16. Finally, if you give someone your word, keep it. For that is how people will judge you both then and for the rest of your days.

Going back to dim memories of college isn't there something to do with "The mere statement of price does not constitute an offer, merely an invitation to treat"? It's probably obvioius to anyone who travels on the top deck of a Clapham Omnibus. His Lordship may be better informed but he is certainly none the wiser...

Timebox? Like WTF? Do you salute it? Defrost it in your mental microwave? Is it an inside or outside timebox? Thought shower. Apparently brainstorm may be offensive to people with epilepsy. I'm sure they'd have a hissy fit if they heard it.

Snowball Cherry B Rum and Pep Gin and it Taboo and Lemonade Port and Lemon Cherry B Double Diamond Mackeson Watneys Red Barrel Liebfraumilch Do you want Black or Blue? Black Tower or Blue Nun. Lutomer Riesling Mateus Rose (pron like hose) Barley Wine Cinzano and Lemonade Dubonnet Campari and Soda

Narnia Wrote: > > I was thinking more the tabloid headline when The > Belgrano was sunk. At the time, whilst a serving officer in the Army I felt that was a rather gratuitous and ill-conceived headline. Having lost several colleagues in the conflict, and a roommate who was badly burned at Bluff Cove, I still find it offensive. If only we hadn't tried to recapture the Malvinas for the glory of Argentina. ;-) just kidding. I was just out of Sandhurst at the time. Not joking about Bluff Cove though.

Any product with the prefix i in lower case for no reason whatsoever because they are not made by Apple Macintosh Toyota iGo iGoogle iPlayer ishould coco

Narnia Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Gotcha Please not the horror that was Noel's Houseparty

Winningest.

legalbeagle Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Beejesus. As in "That scared the beejesus out of > me!" > > Cripes. > Yikes. > Zounds. > > ps Giggirl is right. Frock is a marvellous word, > used frequently. As in "posh frock". Lol Leaglebeagle sounds like an episode of Scoooobie Doo, in which vein Gotten and Pesky, "I'd have gotten away with it if it wasn't for those pesky kids"

Or indeed the English language....

Your chance to lament the execrable words or phrases that are creeping into the English languge. Starters for ten: Resource. Do you mean person? Init. I've got a job init. Oh sorry do you mean you are working in the Information Technology department? Text speak of any kind.

Ghettoblaster. Poppinjay. Scrote. As quoted in The Sweeney. Gay meaning light and frivolous. By Jiminy. Personnel. Groovy. Goughty. Floccinaucinihilipilification. Respect.

Having been brought up in Merseyside it is often to be preferred if they are unconscious. Saves you having to listen to the accent. RA, RA, RA watch out for dem bizzies... One is reminded of the joke about the girl from Liverpool who is knocked over and the ambulanceman needs to ensure she is not suffering from concussion. Holding up his left hand in front of her he says "How many fingers have I got up?","Foochinell" she says "I'm paralysed." I am allowed to say this as it is my native accent and if anyone has an issue with that I'll see you outside orright?

1. Learn to cook on a budget, shop at the local markets, learn how to make at least 3 meals from a chicken. 2 Learn how to make a really good punch for parties: Recipe as follows:- 2 bottles Whiskey, 2 bottles Vodka, 2 bottles Bacardi, 4 litres orange juice,4 litres red wine. Mix up in a dustbin. Top up with lots of lemonade. Soak various kinds of fruit in Polish Pure Spirit and sugar for 1 week prior to the party. Add fruit just before guests arrive. Ensure you give all the girls at the party liberal helpings of fruit and punch. Drink beer from a sealed can yourself. 3. Remember that you can only use a condom once. If it's past the sell by date you need to work on your chat up technique/see point No 2. 4. Don't ever allow yourself to fall asleep in a drunken stupor on the beach so that your friends write c*cksucker on your forehead with factor 40 sunscreen. 4. Do occasionally turn up for lectures having done some preparation. 5. Try not to telephone your parents only when you are either pissed, skint, in jail or handcuffed to a lamp post in Leeds City Centre. 6. Try not to post photographic evidence of drug use/law breaking/unfaithfulness on Facebook. 6. Come home after 3 years with at least a 2:1 or else you have wasted your time. This advice is for male students obviously. Please adjust points 2,3 and 4 to suite gender of student. For female students try not to make mummy and daddy grandparents without some sort of prior notice. They still think you are a princess and don't want any of those sex-mad, feckless, idle, spongeing gits (particularly the ones who use dubious means [see point No 2])touching their little precious.