How much ?????

[loveallthingsitalian]

I never knew there was an Amazon depot in N.I? A friend's son this was back in 2019 got an Xmas job in the warehouse he was 17 and just loved it. I know there have been documentaries saying they are awful to work for, even timing toilet breaks. But he wanted to stay on after his tempt contract ended, but they did not keep on the extra staff. He got paid above the living wage even at 17 something like £11 or 12 per hour.

A massive one open nearby recently but i haven’t heard of anyone who works there other than the Amazon vans being every other vehicle on the roads.

 

[boffy]

The new Amazon depot is in Exeter, so the Lidl staff have gone there, so the south west area is now short of food.

Went there today for one of their weekend bargains, the shelves even barer now.

Why would the Exeter staff all leave to go across the country so the South West has no staff. That makes no sense. Very odd.

 

[stratobuddy]

Why would the Exeter staff all leave to go across the country so the South West has no staff. That makes no sense. Very odd.

Tha Amazon and Lidl warehouses are both in Exeter, and Amazon were offering a better job, so most of the Lidl staff left. Yhey may have been next door to each other for all I know.

The Lidl warehouse serves the southwest.

 

[Grizelda]

You’re a brave lady Grizelda. You paint quite a vivid picture of your life. Do you speak Italian? I imagine dealing with the authorities must be quite challenging. I lived in France for a few years and the bureaucracy was horrendous. I’m a huge fan of Italian food though, it’s simple and just delicious. DH does our cooking and produces a few pasta dishes for my sake but he was raised on meat and two veg and that’s where his heart is.
We have a small greenhouse and he has success every year with tomatoes in growbags. The flavour of a warm, freshly picked tomato is wonderful but nothing beats Mediterranean fruit and veg. Our toms mostly go into sauces and soups.

My dear sister had lived in Italy 25 years when I moved here to live with her. So, she spoke fluent Italian. Lazy me depended on this, so I was slow and reluctant to learn. How I regret it now, because I have to deal with everything myself in a language I am very bad at. However, I ask people to speak slowly, in which case I can get the gist of what they're saying. Answering them is another hurdle. Italians find it very hard to speak slowly!! The red tape is probably as bad as you found it in France, but fight it, you can't. A lot of the traditional ladies here make their own passata from home grown tomatoes and bottle it for the winter. They also bottle pesto from garden basil, but it loses its fresh green colour. Thank you for your kind comment. I have learned to be more independent and my advice to anyone is not to rely on others because a time might come when you must fend for yourself.

 

[Bea Frugal]

You are so right. My DH deals with most things but he’s not getting younger or fitter and I’m trying to get a handle on things but it’s not easy when you’ve been happy to depend on someone. We might both find we blossom Griselda.

 

[Brissles]

The husband of a friend is almost 80, and my friend is terrified when anything happens to him. She has relied on him for everything ! My friend is fit - we do craft fairs together, drives, doesn't look 74 and is perfectly 'capable'. When I tell her she needs to start taking responsibility, to find out about home finances, to learn how to change a plug, and who to call if the car breaks down, she just shrugs her shoulders. Some people can't be helped, but I know come the day she will just fall in a heap and sink into depression.

I've been alone since husband died 20 years ago, and you have to adapt. Ok I was only 53 but I've never been one to be treated like the little princess and have others do 'stuff' for me. It stood me in good stead for what was to come., and having no children I have had to rely on instinct and a 'have a go' attitude otherwise I would have been stuck under the duvet.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I think couples tend to split the jobs up which whilst you know your own bit inside out the other person‘s chores not so well.

You need to be doing them regularly otherwise each time its like doing it for the first time. Our bank’s system for online banking is a bliddy nightmare so I let Mr L do the actual transfers but when I do it now and again I have to look at my crib notes!

 

[Brissles]

That's one area that I refuse to partake in LATI - online banking. It frightens the bejayzzus out of me. My thought is "what happens halfway through a transaction and my computer crashes". So I still trade in cheques for paying bills, or Direct Debits.

 

[Grizelda]

The husband of a friend is almost 80, and my friend is terrified when anything happens to him. She has relied on him for everything ! My friend is fit - we do craft fairs together, drives, doesn't look 74 and is perfectly 'capable'. When I tell her she needs to start taking responsibility, to find out about home finances, to learn how to change a plug, and who to call if the car breaks down, she just shrugs her shoulders. Some people can't be helped, but I know come the day she will just fall in a heap and sink into depression.

I've been alone since husband died 20 years ago, and you have to adapt. Ok I was only 53 but I've never been one to be treated like the little princess and have others do 'stuff' for me. It stood me in good stead for what was to come., and having no children I have had to rely on instinct and a 'have a go' attitude otherwise I would have been stuck under the duvet.

Jill, the itty bitty QVC presenter often says she is computer illiterate, can't find the kitchen, wouldn't touch a garden plant. Seems she depends on her husband for everything. If she's telling the truth, she may well regret it in the future. On the other hand, this may all be an act on her part and she's more competent than she lets on. Often it is fear that stops people learning new things, and it sounds like your friend fits this category. It's a pity, because she might enjoy having new skills and feel proud of herself and empowered to take more responsibility.

You are so right. My DH deals with most things but he’s not getting younger or fitter and I’m trying to get a handle on things but it’s not easy when you’ve been happy to depend on someone. We might both find we blossom Griselda.

I hope we do. I don't know how to change a plug, though! Does your OH agree that you take over some things? Some people, with all the kindness in the world, can 'enable' their partner's dependence by doing everything for them. Not a good idea.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I think Jill F’s husband treats her like a little princess so I think all the simpering little bitty me act is exactly the way she lives.

Its quite some years since he sold his business so I don’t know how he earns a living now but I imagine Jill is high maintenance. She used to talk about him and the dozens of Christmas gifts he produced for her to open.

Ive never really been able to equate someone who goes into a fit at the thought of anything green or the thought of any housework yet has dogs which I assume must have poo to sort out.

 

[Bea Frugal]

I hope we do. I don't know how to change a plug, though! Does your OH agree that you take over some things? Some people, with all the kindness in the world, can 'enable' their partner's dependence by doing everything for them. Not a good idea.

I can’t change a plug either and I’m always cutting through the hedge trimmer cable and he manages to patch it together with mysterious connector thingies. I suppose there’s always google and YouTube to refer to if need be.
When he retired (18 years ago) I told him he should explain everything to me and hand over all responsibility and in return I’d dole out some weekly pocket money. I wasn’t entirely serious of course but he didn’t fall over laughing!! I do just about manage some online banking which he loathes so that’s something. I hate dealing with money but I’m trying to get to grips with our tax at the moment. Horrid job. I’m easily flustered while he is methodical and logical, something you can’t really learn.

 

[Brissles]

My biggest 'game' changer was buying a battery lawnmower. Oh the hours I spent with setting up extension cables trailing through open windows to do the back lawn, then swapping them all around when I cut the grass at the front. it was a good 90 minutes performance. Then GTech brought out the battery lawnmower !! what a difference to my life. Get the mower from the garage, stick in the battery and off we go. Grass cut back and front in around 25 mins. Battery out, store mower away, and stick the battery on charge ready for next time. Total doddle.

 

[stratobuddy]

I bought one from QVC a few years ago. I was very sceptical that it would be any good, but it was excellent. I went down the QVC route so I could return it if necessary.

One battery only does about 1/4 of my garden, but it suits me to do it in 1/2 hour sections on different days.

 

[Grizelda]

I am interested in buying a battery powered vacuum cleaner, cordless because they seem easy to use. Can you recharge the battery on an ordinary wall plug or is it more complicated?

My biggest 'game' changer was buying a battery lawnmower. Oh the hours I spent with setting up extension cables trailing through open windows to do the back lawn, then swapping them all around when I cut the grass at the front. it was a good 90 minutes performance. Then GTech brought out the battery lawnmower !! what a difference to my life. Get the mower from the garage, stick in the battery and off we go. Grass cut back and front in around 25 mins. Battery out, store mower away, and stick the battery on charge ready for next time. Total doddle.

I just bought a small chain saw to use on overgrown tree branches. It was from Amazon and the description said it was suitable 'for woman'. Obviously, not written by someone proficient in English. But it got me to buy it. It's a nice little saw with a lithium battery. However, the instructions are all in Chinese. It took me a long time to discover that you have to take the battery out of the saw to recharge it. Another lesson learned. I'd never heard of a lithium battery. I haven't used it yet and hope it doesn't judder the teeth out of my head. No instructions, either, about oiling the saw. Is it really necessary?

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

My biggest 'game' changer was buying a battery lawnmower. Oh the hours I spent with setting up extension cables trailing through open windows to do the back lawn, then swapping them all around when I cut the grass at the front. it was a good 90 minutes performance. Then GTech brought out the battery lawnmower !! what a difference to my life. Get the mower from the garage, stick in the battery and off we go. Grass cut back and front in around 25 mins. Battery out, store mower away, and stick the battery on charge ready for next time. Total doddle.

After his back op Mr L found our lawnmower too much so we purchased a Bosch electric mower so that I could do it . It makes such a difference, however we don’t have much grass back and front but find it takes more than one battery (about 1 and a half) so we always have 2 on charge but it is so quick to get out and use.

 

[Toril]

I am interested in buying a battery powered vacuum cleaner, cordless because they seem easy to use. Can you recharge the battery on an ordinary wall plug or is it more complicated?

I have a GTech Mk II and a Shark anti hair wrap vacuum cleaner. Both are cordless and both came with a charger that plugs into a wall socket and then into the machine.

 

[Brissles]

I can do both my large front garden and smallish rear lawn with 1/4 use of the GTech battery, but I always keep it topped up. I also have 2 Gtech vaccums, one upstairs and one downstairs. Also a hand model for the stairs. ( I HATE stair cleaning !!!! )

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Again due to his back op Mr L bought a Dyson cordless and finds it very good, but we don’t have pets or kids so I couldn’t vouch for its effectiveness under those circumstances.

 

[Linwood]

I am interested in buying a battery powered vacuum cleaner, cordless because they seem easy to use. Can you recharge the battery on an ordinary wall plug or is it more complicated?


I just bought a small chain saw to use on overgrown tree branches. It was from Amazon and the description said it was suitable 'for woman'. Obviously, not written by someone proficient in English. But it got me to buy it. It's a nice little saw with a lithium battery. However, the instructions are all in Chinese. It took me a long time to discover that you have to take the battery out of the saw to recharge it. Another lesson learned. I'd never heard of a lithium battery. I haven't used it yet and hope it doesn't judder the teeth out of my head. No instructions, either, about oiling the saw. Is it really necessary?

Yes, you will have to keep the chain oiled on your saw, which will also keep the teeth oiled as well, when the chain goes round. Good luck.

 

[Grizelda]

Yes, you will have to keep the chain oiled on your saw, which will also keep the teeth oiled as well, when the chain goes round. Good luck.

Thank you.