I am backing in! The car is much easier to reverse than drive forward... at least I can see where the back is (in the mirrors), whereas I have to guess about the front.

All cars are easier backwards, that's why you reverse in when parallel parking.

Best advice that I can give for reversing, if you have two door / wing mirrors, make absolutely sure they are set up correctly. Reverse steadyly, making through checks throughout so you know exactly what you're "aiming for" so to speak.

... preferrably not gate or my favourite, bit of house that sticks out from the rest - there to catch you out when disgustingly normal kids are arguing in the back of car it is raining and you are tired.

So working in West London today, and we have been asked to sit in a different area - nobody here has a set desk, it is all hot desks and you have a locker for your personal stuff and have to clear everything each day.

Where we are sat today is fine, except that the furniture and/or floor seems very wobbly! Everytime somebody walks past, everything joggles. I suspect I will feel a bit seasick by the end of the day...

And the monitor on this desk every so often goes click-click-click-fizz and switches itself off (before coming back on again five seconds later).

Not sitting at this desk again

A contributing factor to turning down a job offer I recieved was the fact that the entire company hot desks. They don't actually have enough desks in (or parking at!) their offices, for everyone who is based there. Goodness knows what happens if x% of staff don't have a meeting / work from home day!

I really don't understand how it can work out well. For a start, I like having my own meticulously tidy workspace, with all my reference files of accumulated "useful info" to hand. Its useful to be able to ask a colleague on an ajoining desk a quick question....

The way it usually works is that the desks (and computers that come with them) are swappable, but each staff member has their own set of (wheelable) drawers or cupboards, with all their personal stuff.

It would be a problem if everyone turned up at the same time, but in a big company predictions of the most people that will be in at the same time are pretty accurate.

We had that system in the accountancy firm I worked for, but I don't think we had any space that was for personal storage. A lot of people were always out on audit, so it was rare that the office was busy. The benefit was that the team for each audit was different, so you could sit at a block of desks with the rest of the team from the job you had just finished to complete the paperwork. Also you would work for different managers and so could pick a desk near their office. And from time to time we were sent off to work for other departments, eg tax, insolvency, so would grab a desk in there department. It worked very well.

Yep, we each have a 'locker', which is a big cube cupboard. This comes with a box-with-handles type thing in it, handy for putting in A4 paper and carrying stuff to and from your desk each day.

I have always had my own desk up to now, and it is nice having your 'home comforts' around. But as I am now only in the office once a week, it's not really a problem!

Our company does 8-to-10, i.e. we have 8 desks for every 10 members of staff, across all the buildings. Today is Tuedays, when all of our team [8 of us] comes in so we can all see each other (Thursday is most of the team, and the other days are only 2 or 3 people each). It's fine for all of us to come in, the only problem is if every other team decided to do that on the same day as us! Having said that, one of the other buildings is practically empty so if we really got pushed for space we'd just decamp over there for the day!

The other thing to note is that people who do come in every day effectively do have set desks. There is a team table nearby which almost always has the same team sat around it - a new one is going in soon, and our manager has decided that we are going to try to make that our area - so not only can we all be in on the same day, but we can be sitting together 'openly'. Today we are all sat near each other, but the desks are mostly separated by big screens, so for example I can talk to my colleague sat behind me, but the one opposite I can't see!!

That I can appreciate Maizie. One the one hand great to use a decent sized monitor, on the other talking to headless colleagues is rather disconcerting when it isn't by phone.

have you sorted out the wobbly furniture yet?

Edit:

(How did that clarinet get in there?? )

What irritates me is people allowing their kids to push shopping Trollies, which they then whack into the back of my ankles!

What annoys me is people who allow their children to stand in shopping trollies. Unhygenic! And people that take guide dogs / Hearing dogs into the supermarket. The blind people still need a human guide to find the goods, and I don't see what a hearing dog does in a supermarket. Again if it's unhygenic to have dogs in food shops it's unhygenic whatever sort of dog they are.

Sorry you're angry Czerny, but that accidental made me .

A little while ago I caught a lady's bottom with the front edge of my trolley when she stopped suddenly.
'Im so sorry Madam' I said. 'Humph, its a good job it wasnt your hand' came the reply.

I don't know - most food is wrapped anyway. And if it isn't, it tends to need washing before eating so I can't imagine that it makes much difference.

You do have an exciting life, F#minor!

Mine's not. The only time I have ever hit anything was when I was reversing. New car meets lamp post in car park and then nearly new car meets the car parked behind it in another car park. I'm hopeless and the car isn't much better!

So, obviously, does she...

W

I could not possibly have derived any pleasure by touching her bottom with my hand !! Though she might have !

That old adage "a bad workman blames his tools" come to mind...............

[Sorry!]

There is something wrong with our hot water system - we have scalding hot water pouring through the kitchen ceiling!

That sounds a little worse than "something wrong". Do take care. The last time I had water coming through the ceiling, I ran to get a bucket to stick under the flow, and as I went into the room, the entire celing came down on top of me!

Screamed by head off, but at least it was just cold water and damp plaster. Scalding water sounds rather more dangerous.

I have spent all afternoon trying to track down somewhere to take my car to be repaired and procrastinating (don'twannago, or phone people etc). I have now decided that as its nearly 3, and I have to drive quite a long way to get there past several schools, and will then be driving back during rush hour on a very busy and nasty road with a nightmare roundabout I failed 3 driving tests on, it should wait til tomorrow. I am highly suspicious that this reasoning is more procrastination...

Oh I definitely blame the car. It should work like the French TGV's - a driver at both ends!

Tamsin - I think you really ought to get out there as far as driving goes. You don't sound very confident and although over confidence can lead to problems so can being a very nervous driver. Get out on the roads when it is busy and heaving with "numpties" and you'll soon learn to cope, not be bullied on the roads.

If you don't overcome nerves, they will be with you for your whole driving career.

Ouch! Colin that is so painful. I let Matthew drive the Trolley occasionally, but only when he's being well behaved and I'm not using it as a glorified Zimmer frame. The boys help in other ways normally by getting a few items off the shopping list and by packing bags. The reward, they know that way they will get their comic and to choose pudding otherwise they are not quite so sure.

You wash bread? I wouldn't want anything poured from the neck of a bottle eg milk if a dog had licked it either. I know the dogs are supposed to be trained not to, but I just can't see what useful purpose they serve in a shop. I suppose if you are a dog person you don't mind being licked by a dog, but to me it is revolting.

These dogs are trained and some have a note around them telling the public not to play/stroke them as they are working. They will not lick bread or milk or anything.
You might think having a guide dog in a shop is unhygenic but I wonder if you would feel the same way if you were blind or deaf.
Let's face it there is more chance that bread will have been touched by a person with dirty hands than licked by a guide dog
I think people with disabilities are already having a tough time living in our society. I, for one, wouldn't like to make it harder for them.

It's stopped pouring now, and has resorted to the occasional drip. Called the plumber hours ago, but they have a few emergencies to deal with first!!

You mean you didn't say "Well, personally I think scalding hot water coming through my celing in torrents is an emergency!!" then.

Oh, its only me that is that rude...

You didn;t read my original post. I said I don't see how the dog helps, when they have to have a human show them where the products are. Heaven knows they move things often enough. This wasn't meant as a criticism of blind or deaf people and I wasn't suggesting things were made harder for them. It was a comment on hygiene, following on from another post about trollies. I have every sympathy for blind and deaf people so your criticism is totally unfounded. And yes, if the person cutting bread touches their face or hair in my sight I ask them to wash their hands before touching my loaf. They are always happy to oblige.

Apologies if I misunderstood but what are these people supposed to do with their dog while shopping if not take it with them in the shop?

I agree, what about the people with movement problems that actually rely on dogs to assist them doing the shopping?

People with didabilities have enough problems without dealing with the prejudice of others.

But I don't think anyone's displaying prejudice here.

Most bread is wrapped, and if it goes into the trolley it will definitely get wrapped

Guide dogs are very well trained and they won't lick things . I'm not a dog person and I wouldn't like to be licked by one - but I can't understand what harm they would do in a supermarket.

Yes, exactly, what are they supposed to do? These animals are extremely valuable. Their training costs an great deal. As far as their owners are concerned the loss or injury of such an animal would be a disaster. It is not possible to simply tie them up outside a shop.

I don't take my dog into shops simply because she is not well behaved enough. But I wouldn't dream of tying her up outside. I leave her at home. But then I am fortunate enough not to have to depend on her for my mobility. A guide dog in a shop may not be able to take the tins off the shelf but it can ensure that its owner doesn't bump into obstacles and it can give that owner a confidence and independence in their movements which another human being may not necessarily be able to do - even if they can take the tins off the shelf.

I fully understand that some people do not like dogs or ar afraid of them. But I think that objections to working dogs in shops on the grounds that they are unhygienic is a bit - well I don't mean to offend but I think it's a bit mean.

I also sometimes wonder if as a species, humans are getting a bit over sensitive over matters of hygiene. I'm all for cleanliness but it sometimes goes a bit OTT. Scientists have been warning us for some time that our immune systems need to be exercised.

Found out something today that I wish I hadn't .... now what to do about it????

I have been totally misunderstood jod, but that is life, so I'm not going to argue. Some posters seem to think I have a problem with guide dogs. The supermarket should provide someone to stand with the dog to make sure it is safe. I have raised money for guide dogs and visited their training place at Leamington Spa, which was very interesting. I'm glad to see no one is defending the people who let their children stand in trolleys

Actually, hubby phoned them - and forgot to mention that little snippet of information!

Still waiting...........

It could be worse... your ceiling hasn't fallen in yet!

Actually, that isn't helpful is it?

I do hope you get it sorted asap.

Final assessment for my Early Years course tomorrow......

Sort of guilty there.... And no Not defending the bad parents not children.

I have bee in bonnet about disability rights... have done since I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. What I don't defend are the I automatically qualify for a Blue-badge but walk very well.

Been there a couple of times and it's a really horrible place.
Be careful.
Anything I can do to help?

No disrespect intended regarding this discussion, but the idea of a dog picking a can of something off the shelf and checking its ingredients / best before date did make me chuckle.


Well I am trying to maintain a sense of humour.

Nope! not helpful!

You do appear to be having a bad week though Tamsin...

I am! I'll live though. Last week was a really good week what with celebrations and family visiting. Of course, things don't ever happen when anyone's around to support you do they? All housemates moved out, family gone home, boyfriend off with his band in London...



'Fraid my sense of humour is rapidly failing. Pretty much in full on mope-mode. *sigh*

And admist all of this, I'm still trying to get things rolling on the housemoving front. One things I did get sorted today was arranging accomodation for my house viewing expedition week, and booking the first couple of viewings. Between phoning body shops / car repairy places, and phoning letting agencies, it turns out one was much scarier than the other...

/mopeyrant

Quite entitled. If is any consolation We're Ovenless this week... at least with MatthewD at camp there is one less mouth to feed. (regardless of what the net-curtain twitching members of the forum think about me naming my son and Forum member I'll do it... that was our decision!)

Thanks Jod. I am trying to keep things in perspective... not quite succeeding all of the time!

Not an ARGH but a .

Had to have our beloved Tiggy cat put to sleep tonight...

A Very Sad Cyrilla

Really sorry to hear that. Try to think of the good memories