Post a bad thing that happened in your life today

[NYCat]

I'm sorry to say that some men don't seem to be able to hear a woman's voice. Especially an old woman. It can be quite infuriating at times. I'm sure you are a good listener, Allan.

 

Paulette

[Betty LaRue]

1 hour ago, NYCat said:

I'm sorry to say that some men don't seem to be able to hear a woman's voice. Especially an old woman. It can be quite infuriating at times. I'm sure you are a good listener, Allan.

 

Paulette

Yes, Allan is a good listener. He listens to me. And Paulette, you are right about some not hearing our voice. There are some really good men on this forum, and I know the ones who hear our voices. I’ve grown more of a backbone in my later years, but it’s an ongoing struggle for me. Why? I’m the youngest of three. Conditioning.

[Rebecca Ore]

1 hour ago, Betty LaRue said:

Yes, Allan is a good listener. He listens to me. And Paulette, you are right about some not hearing our voice. There are some really good men on this forum, and I know the ones who hear our voices. I’ve grown more of a backbone in my later years, but it’s an ongoing struggle for me. Why? I’m the youngest of three. Conditioning.

 

For all the claims that Latin America is so macho, I haven't had anything like the problems I had with work people in the US.  Nicaragua even has a female dictator (stuff that doesn't make the US media is common gossip here).  Luis occasionally pushes it, but he also fixes things and has made me a pair of pants as a gift for giving him a treadle sewing machine.

 

Had one Philly plumber who broke stuff of mine (glass teapot, some other stuff) had to be reported to licensing and to the BBB to get the work finished after months, and I had to pay more than it should have cost.  One mechanic in Virginia refused to listen to me about a bad job the Charlotte Honda place did on my car when replacing a timing belt.   Found another mechanic who did good work for other women, and he found that Charlotte Honda had left a piece of the timing belt in the gearing.  And then.....    Nicaragua has some macho guys, mostly in the rural areas.   But grandmothers rule here.  

[Betty LaRue]

18 hours ago, Rebecca Ore said:

 

For all the claims that Latin America is so macho, I haven't had anything like the problems I had with work people in the US.  Nicaragua even has a female dictator (stuff that doesn't make the US media is common gossip here).  Luis occasionally pushes it, but he also fixes things and has made me a pair of pants as a gift for giving him a treadle sewing machine.

 

Had one Philly plumber who broke stuff of mine (glass teapot, some other stuff) had to be reported to licensing and to the BBB to get the work finished after months, and I had to pay more than it should have cost.  One mechanic in Virginia refused to listen to me about a bad job the Charlotte Honda place did on my car when replacing a timing belt.   Found another mechanic who did good work for other women, and he found that Charlotte Honda had left a piece of the timing belt in the gearing.  And then.....    Nicaragua has some macho guys, mostly in the rural areas.   But grandmothers rule here.  

Some years ago, we had to get our cars inspected every year. Brakes, all lights, tire tread, catalytic converter which cleaned emissions, etc. it cost around $39 and a new year’s sticker was put on the windshield by law. Many garages could do these inspections. I took my Honda to a muffler repair/replacement place a couple of blocks away. The owner came to me and told me my catalytic converter was out and it would cost me a few hundred to replace.

I knew better, because a bad one emitted a kind of sulfuric rotten egg smell, and mine didn’t. I told him my brother-in-law was a mechanic and I’d have him check it. He stuttered around, and asked me to wait while he went out to the guy inspecting it in the car stall.

He came back a few minutes later and told me it wasn’t the catalytic converter after all, but a broken hanger on my muffler, (or maybe tailpipe) and they’d rewired it, no charge. I assume the game was to fix the rattle, which was almost imperceptible, leave the old catalytic converter in place and charge me for a new one. I’m sure that scam had worked on other unsuspecting women. 

Edited August 3, 2022 by Betty LaRue

[Ed Rooney]

 

Hmm. Don't think I could deal with any of that. I do know to call a taxi though . . . or rather I know how to get into a taxi. I've not tried calling Uber yet. I'm afraid they might try to deliver a Big Mac to my little studio. 

 

Edited August 3, 2022 by Ed Rooney

[Michael Ventura]

3 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Some years ago, we had to get our cars inspected every year. Brakes, all lights, tire tread, catalytic converter which cleaned emissions, etc. it cost around $39 and a new year’s sticker was put on the windshield by law. Many garages could do these inspections. I took my Honda to a muffler repair/replacement place a couple of blocks away. The owner came to me and told me my catalytic converter was out and it would cost me a few hundred to replace.

I knew better, because a bad one emitted a kind of sulfuric rotten egg smell, and mine didn’t. I told him my brother-in-law was a mechanic and I’d have him check it. He stuttered around, and asked me to wait while he went out to the guy inspecting it in the car stall.

He came back a few minutes later and told me it wasn’t the catalytic converter after all, but a broken hanger on my muffler, (or maybe tailpipe) and they’d rewired it, no charge. I assume the game was to fix the rattle, which was almost imperceptible, leave the old catalytic converter in place and charge me for a new one. I’m sure that scam had worked on other unsuspecting women. 

 

It is infuriating that so many of the service businesses aren't happy enough with making an honest dollar.  When I deal with a good and honest business, I pass their name along as much as I can. As for my business, I treat people the way I want to be treated and I can sleep well at night knowing that I didn't steal from someone.   The other day I had a guy come back to me saying he wasn't happy with the photo I took of him and was willing to pay me to do a reshoot....I wouldn't take the money, he wasn't satisfied and I wanted to make it right.  I just don't get why there are so many grifters out there

[Betty LaRue]

3 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said:

 

It is infuriating that so many of the service businesses aren't happy enough with making an honest dollar.  When I deal with a good and honest business, I pass their name along as much as I can. As for my business, I treat people the way I want to be treated and I can sleep well at night knowing that I didn't steal from someone.   The other day I had a guy come back to me saying he wasn't happy with the photo I took of him and was willing to pay me to do a reshoot....I wouldn't take the money, he wasn't satisfied and I wanted to make it right.  I just don't get why there are so many grifters out there

Ahh, Michael, it seems to be the way of the world. If there is an easy path by providing a service that can be manipulated, too many people think they can get away with cheating. I wish more were like you.

I don’t know if you remember, but years ago, maybe even 15 years ago, one of the TV shows did an exposé on mechanics. They took the same car with some minor thing wrong, like a disconnected spark plug or something that would take seconds to fix. I think it was a woman that took the car to each of the mechanics. . I think there was only 2 out of maybe 10 that was honest and fixed it, no charge, and the rest quoted all sorts of big problems for costly amounts. Maybe in NYC? Not positive, but in the area the TV studio was.
It happens all over. I expect not as much in small towns and farming communities where everyone knows everyone and they care about each other.

 

[Michael Ventura]

1 hour ago, Betty LaRue said:

Ahh, Michael, it seems to be the way of the world. If there is an easy path by providing a service that can be manipulated, too many people think they can get away with cheating. I wish more were like you.

I don’t know if you remember, but years ago, maybe even 15 years ago, one of the TV shows did an exposé on mechanics. They took the same car with some minor thing wrong, like a disconnected spark plug or something that would take seconds to fix. I think it was a woman that took the car to each of the mechanics. . I think there was only 2 out of maybe 10 that was honest and fixed it, no charge, and the rest quoted all sorts of big problems for costly amounts. Maybe in NYC? Not positive, but in the area the TV studio was.
It happens all over. I expect not as much in small towns and farming communities where everyone knows everyone and they care about each other.

 

Oh yes, I remember that show, it was hard to watch those sheisters, I know it happens all too often and I am sure more to women than men.  

[Bryan]

Sorry to hear of your woes Betty. Not sure what to suggest other than to stick with tradespeople that you know and can trust. Our aged car goes to a Fred in the Shed, who was recommended by a friend years ago.  Not been let down as yet.  In the past I would have done it myself, but those days are long gone.

[Betty LaRue]

5 hours ago, Bryan said:

Sorry to hear of your woes Betty. Not sure what to suggest other than to stick with tradespeople that you know and can trust. Our aged car goes to a Fred in the Shed, who was recommended by a friend years ago.  Not been let down as yet.  In the past I would have done it myself, but those days are long gone.

When I moved 41/2 years ago, I had to find new people. I did get recommendations from my daughter. Those tradesmen didn’t overcharge them, with my son-in-law in the house. It’s another story when they deal with a senior woman. I did find a great plumber who has done me well, but he had to abandon my water heater problem after assessing it when his father had a stroke.

He actually recommended the plumber I ended up using, assuming he wouldn’t pad the bill. Wrong assumption.

Now the primary doctor I go to is retiring at the end of August and I have to find a new one.

 

[Allan Bell]

3 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

When I moved 41/2 years ago, I had to find new people. I did get recommendations from my daughter. Those tradesmen didn’t overcharge them, with my son-in-law in the house. It’s another story when they deal with a senior woman. I did find a great plumber who has done me well, but he had to abandon my water heater problem after assessing it when his father had a stroke.

He actually recommended the plumber I ended up using, assuming he wouldn’t pad the bill. Wrong assumption.

Now the primary doctor I go to is retiring at the end of August and I have to find a new one.

 

 

It is a bit on the young side for a primary doctor to retire at 35 years old isn't it?😊

 

Allan

 

[Bryan]

So we were driving along a motorway somewhere south of Manchester when we spotted a car slowing to a halt with its hazard lights flashing. There was no hard shoulder, its place being taken by a slip road to some destination, so this car appeared to be stranded in the busy  slow lane with nowhere to go. I was driving but my wife decided to try to contact emergency services using her phone.

 

Now, for a bright person, she is remarkably inept where smartphones are concerned, even swiping to answer a call causes her difficulty, so this was always going to be a problem. However she did get through to an anonymous answer phone, was receiving automated messages and being passed from pillar to post without speaking to another human, so she reluctantly had to give up on helping the stranded motorist. Surely there should be a number you can call which will speedily put you through to the relevant service?

[gvallee]

Got Covid.

[rickygui]

53 minutes ago, gvallee said:

Got Covid.

Speedy recovery

[Bryan]

3 hours ago, gvallee said:

Got Covid.

 

Hopefully a mild case ?

[gvallee]

27 minutes ago, Bryan said:

 

Hopefully a mild case ?

 

Yes, only a small tickle in my throat for me and a bad cold for hubby. We're already coming out of it after 2 days only. We found a nice patch in the Bush among termite mounds to isolate. It even has the Internet! Solar at 100%, icecreams in the fridge. Could be worse.

[Allan Bell]

1 hour ago, gvallee said:

 

Yes, only a small tickle in my throat for me and a bad cold for hubby. We're already coming out of it after 2 days only. We found a nice patch in the Bush among termite mounds to isolate. It even has the Internet! Solar at 100%, icecreams in the fridge. Could be worse.

 

Get well soon both of you.

 

Allan

 

[gvallee]

16 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Get well soon both of you.

 

Allan

 

 

Thank you Allan. 

[gvallee]

4 hours ago, rickygui said:

Speedy recovery

 

Thank you Ricky

[Michael Ventura]

I hope it is just a mild case for both of you Gen!  I think, eventually, everyone will get it.  I am amazed that I haven’t, with my work having me around people so much.

[gvallee]

2 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said:

I hope it is just a mild case for both of you Gen!  I think, eventually, everyone will get it.  I am amazed that I haven’t, with my work having me around people so much.

 

Thank you Michael. Yes it is quite mild luckily. We had avoided it for 2 1/2 years living in the Great Outdoors but we went to an indigenous festival where we learnt there that the small community had just been decimated by Covid. I guess they still had some cases lurking around.

[Bryan]

4 hours ago, gvallee said:

 

Yes, only a small tickle in my throat for me and a bad cold for hubby. We're already coming out of it after 2 days only. We found a nice patch in the Bush among termite mounds to isolate. It even has the Internet! Solar at 100%, icecreams in the fridge. Could be worse.

 

Jen you have a cheering, but not very financially rewarding, sale in today's The Times online.  See the sales found thread.

[Betty LaRue]

5 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

I hope it is just a mild case for both of you Gen!  I think, eventually, everyone will get it.  I am amazed that I haven’t, with my work having me around people so much.

My daughter avoided it until July. Hers was a bit nasty with the worst sore throat she’s ever had in her life. That was the only part that was so bad. Oh, she had fever, aches and headaches, but the sore throat defined it.

[gvallee]

10 hours ago, Bryan said:

 

Jen you have a cheering, but not very financially rewarding, sale in today's The Times online.  See the sales found thread.

 

Oh thank you Bryan to bring it to my attention. I might check the thread at the end of the month or I might not as I'm rarely in the British market.

 

@Betty I seem to remember you mentioning about the same. You're also in it this month, check it out.

[gvallee]

7 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

My daughter avoided it until July. Hers was a bit nasty with the worst sore throat she’s ever had in her life. That was the only part that was so bad. Oh, she had fever, aches and headaches, but the sore throat defined it.

 

Well it had a sting in its tail. While I felt totally normal during the day yesterday, boy o boy my throat during last night!! It was like someone was trying to strangle me with one hand. It was so painful that my throat had spasms and I couldn't breathe. I've lost my voice this morning. Some might say it's not a bad thing...