Amazon exiles discussion
Don't Kill Snails with Salt ... Creme Eggs & Toasted Teacakes ... Biscuits & Bench Stories, Life, the Universe, & Everything!
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Craig White
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Dec 12, 2017 12:57PM
best to stay clear of Saltcoats! :)
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Granny wrote: "I do not know how to post a picture. I found a humorous one that truly depicts the difference in coping with snow between the east coast, south, and upper midwest. I can't post it. Drat"Awww Granny, it is very easy once you get to know how to do it - the only problem is that it is very hard to be able to explain it properly on here because it insists on trying to make a link of your explanation and if it can't then it just blocks out the relevant info instead.
The only way that I have found to explain it on here is like this - by putting it all going downwards one line at a time - and so, if you take a piece of Paper, you will need to write it all out across-ways in one long continuous line ... if that makes any sense? - LOL! ...
First click to 'Copy' on your image online ... 'Paste' it into your Post Box on Goodreads ... then if you put ...
<
img
src=
"
YOUR LINK
"
>
... all together with only just the one space in it all just between the img and the src= ... and with that you will have it ;o>
Yay, it worked. Thanks Suzy! Great instructions!
Suzy, I know you buy books from time to time, as do I (both new and second hand). Do you use Booko? I use the Australian version but there is a UK one:https://booko.co.uk/?region=gb
It has two price lists - New and Used - and both include postage charges. Both ABE and eBay prices are included. It also distinguishes between hardback, paperback, audiobook and e-book AND it shows availability - vital when you're looking for that bestseller as a Christmas gift and it's sold out everywhere, like this one:
One of the great advantages I find is that I often score free shipping just by entering via the Booko portal. Sometimes, if I'm looking for a new book, it will direct me to ABE where the cheapest is from The Book Depository, BUT it's at a cheaper price than if I just went straight to The Book Depository site for some reason. Always worth checking Booko!
Apologies if I'm carrying coals to Newcastle!
Val wrote: "Yay, it worked. Thanks Suzy! Great instructions!"Ohhh fantastic, Val! ... x x x ;o>
I'm glad my way of getting around the Goodreads Automated System worked. If you try to just write it all out going across it blocks the words out because it thinks you have given an invalid Link, even if you break them up. Writing them going downwards instead is the only way that I've found to put it all together! - LOL! ;o>
Val wrote: "Suzy, I know you buy books from time to time, as do I (both new and second hand). Do you use Booko? I use the Australian version but there is a UK one:https://booko.co.uk/?region=gb
It has two p..."
Oooh? - I must admit I do tend to mainly use eBay and Amazon ... Amazon for fuller descriptions and reviews, and eBay for more competitive pricing and to collect my Nectar Points as well, if it is cheaper on there. But I will certainly give 'Booko' a go.
You mustn't encourage me though, Val, as I am being ruthless with my Bookcase at the moment and have filled more than just a few large bags for Charity Shops this last year. I must have had well over a 1,000 but have now successfully got my collection down to a far more manageable 300 to 400 or so now. And it was rather a painful process - but I'm very proud of myself for doing so! ;o>
I lost my Mind a little when I first discovered Internet Shopping and how ridiculously cheap so many great Books were after I bought myself my first (and current) Laptop and it was just far too easy to buy a really fab and interesting Book for only a couple of £'s ... HA HA HA!!! ... but I'm finally back in control of my Bookcase now and I much prefer it that way.
... (*she says after treating herself to two of Clive James's Poetry Books after having a conversation with a certain someone who shall remain nameless, Val!) ... ;o> ... ;o> ... ;o>
As a nurse Suzy, I'm sure you'll find this poem "interesting". From the pen of Alan Gouldhttps://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poet...
HA HA HA HA HA!!! ;o>I wish I had had a Teacher as fascinating as Miss Tarbuck! - what a story!
Oh yuck!! How could you Val?The pedant in me was however, happy to see the misuse of ‘phased’. 🤓
I'm happy to say it's a transcription error. My original has "unfazed".There's also a rather amusing poem ( for anyone named Alan) called "Ballade for Alan Gould" by Alan Wearne, which can be googled (I'm back on the phone and can't paste a link).
"We Alans always stick together"
That poem also made me laugh out loud as well, Val ;o>And here's a Link to it ...
http://cordite.org.au/poetry/antihero...
Interesting to read the recent glut of posts on our new forum - (it's great to see snails once again popular after the latter days of how it was on Amazon.) Nice pics of the Christmas pud and tree snails!Well, Grach (Granny), WE were the poor unfortunates who had best part of 1' of snow dumped on us earlier this week with accompanying temperatures of around -12C. With advance warning, I was able to get shopping in on Saturday so we hunkered down and snuggled up to keep warm. Schools were closed across the area on Monday so snowmen sprang up everywhere. Our road is a cul-de-sac and on a gradient, so bin collections never happened and we've had no mail delivery for days. Wifie had a foot operation one and half weeks ago so she has confined to the house anyway, but Tuesday I had to take her back to the hospital for a re-dressing. I was not looking forward to the experience of trying to get back on to our estate afterwards. Getting off (mainly downhill) wasn't too bad (only got stuck with wheel spin once). Hospital car park not cleared so negotiating that with crutches and protective boot was precarious. The drive back was like a 'winter wonderland' in areas and I stopped to take photos of what was perhaps the best snowman ever - almost an exact representation of Raymond Briggs' 'The Snowman', complete with Santa hat, scarf, carrot nose, and sprig of berries as a brooch. The return to our road was as difficult as feared - taking about 45mins of chipping away at hard packed snow and ice to allow our auto car to climb the slope to allow wifie to get as close to our house as possible. Then the temp climbed, drizzly rain started and by mid afternoon that ice had turned to slush and all traffic climbed it without issue!
A deep carpet of snow is lovely to look at if you don't have to go out in it, and certainly it is festive. However, to have to travel anywhere in bad snow in the UK, this brings gridlock, accidents and frustration.
Wednesday, our daughter (The Doc) arranged for a 'Man with a van' to call in on us to collect a dining table and chairs we had stored for her. The van driver had had to travel from Sheffield to Cornwall and called in on us on the return journey. The whole journey had been snow free - apart from the area around by ourselves!!!
"Our road is a cul-de-sac and on a gradient, so bin collections never happened and we've had no mail delivery for days." - perfect description of where I am in the midlands. Only difference, we drive up the slope to get out and as we're built in to the slope (our garage is beneath the house) we have a flight of steps to negotiate to the front door. That was fun to clear after the snow, melt, freeze and repeat of the last few days! No bin men yet but the post has finally appeared. I clearly remember doing the Christmas post in the snow as a student and no question of 'it's a bit iffy out there, no deliveries today'. (I'm beginning to sound like my parents).
We have to take the car out today, so fingers crossed last night's freeze will have softened a bit by 10.30. :0)
Isabella wrote: ""Our road is a cul-de-sac and on a gradient, so bin collections never happened and we've had no mail delivery for days." - perfect description of where I am in the midlands. Only difference, we dri..."Ditto Isabella. As a schoolboy I had a paper round and as a student I had a Christmas Post round - both in the snow with no excuses. Our postman finally turned up today after 4 days. He told me they had been asked to 'work' indoors until it was considered safe to go out to do deliveries. Strewth!
We are just north of Brum and still have treacherous ice on footpaths and roads. Main roads are clear thankfully.
My paperboy’s dad brings him in his car !
P wrote: "Interesting to read the recent glut of posts on our new forum - (it's great to see snails once again popular after the latter days of how it was on Amazon.) Nice pics of the Christmas pud and tree ..."A FOOT? Holy buckets, Paul! That's inconvenient for a bit here until the plowing's done. Anybody with a beater pickup and plow can make money by plowing for folks. I can see how it's horrific without a system for snow removal. The northern states have a whole way of plowing/sand-salt distribution simultaneously. I hope your wife's foot is healing well.
"My paperboy’s dad brings him in his car"see that quite a lot, les, there's an area not far from me where the paperboy would need G4S to assist with his deliveries! that is, if any of the jakey wasters in residence there could read! :)
Well, I'm having to wear a "Humbug Grumblepants" sticker all day at work (and make a £2 donation to Save the Children) for not wearing a Christmas jumper. My only complaint is that the sticker isn't big enough.
Gordon wrote: "Well, I'm having to wear a "Humbug Grumblepants" sticker all day at work (and make a £2 donation to Save the Children) for not wearing a Christmas jumper. My only complaint is that the sticker is..."
2 quid? Totally worth it!
I used to get called names at work for refusing to have anything to do with the ridiculous ‘Secret Santa’. Somebody said “‘But you won’t get a present”. Oh dear, how would I cope?
Gordon wrote: "Well, I'm having to wear a "Humbug Grumblepants" sticker all day at work (and make a £2 donation to Save the Children) for not wearing a Christmas jumper. My only complaint is that the sticker is..."
This so reminds me of The Staples Singers song ... "Who Took The Merry Out of Christmas?" ... and the answer is not those who decline to join in ... but those who rigidly enforce a sense of artificial festive spirit on others by making previously unheard-of and untraditional days into compulsory and competitive community Charity days.
And as proud as you were to wear your "Humbug Grumblepants" sticker all day at work, Gordon, I must admit that I am actually rather surprised that in this, at times, almost obsessively over-the-top P.C. society we live in today that anyone should ever have been made to wear a Badge like that in a Workplace?
It sounds very much like a classic case of 'Hysterical Happiness Harassment' to me - LOL! ... and you could even claim compensation on the grounds that you are been bullied for suffering from a severe form of 'Preposterous Pullover Phobia!' ...
HO! HO! HO! ;o>
If anybody had tried to make me wear such a badge they'd probably have gone away with it stapled to their forehead.
Oooooooooooooooooooooh?!! - I can just picture that, Derek! ;o>
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Oooooooooooooooooooooh?!! - I can just picture that, Derek! ;o>"Suzy, the thing is that in an office environment when you truly can't stand the whole Christmas thing like I do you have to be ruthless, particularly in an open plan office. If you're not, next thing you know you're wearing a stupid paper hat.
For at least the last thirty years of my working life I always made it clear that any Christmas decorations that impinged on my working area would be removed, with prejudice if necessary. In most offices it only took a few practical demonstrations of my determination to remain Christmas free to make people realise I was serious.
I will admit that the guy who thought it was funny to leave a four foot tall blow-up Santa in my chair after I'd gone home one night was a bit startled the following morning when I stuck a paperknife through Santa's heart and impaled the remains on the office noticeboard.
I’m so glad I worked in local government. We were largely protected - specially libraries - from the worst excesses. No decorations, stupid hats or music. I suspect that any remaining libraries nowadays might be expected to be more festive.
Our local Libraries have a small decorated Tree and a few festive little decorations here and there - and each one has their own low-key Christmas Coffee Morning offering up free Hot Drinks or Juice and Mince Pies or Biscuits which I think is rather nice ;o>
Awww, Derek! - poor Santa! ... HA HA HA!!! ;o>A lot of people just don't seem to be able to get that Christmas is something that should not be made to be compulsory for everyone else?
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Awww, Derek! - poor Santa! ... HA HA HA!!! ;o>A lot of people just don't seem to be able to get that Christmas is something that should not be made to be compulsory for everyone else?"
I never was very good at playing the corporate games Suzy. You wouldn't believe the management outcry at one (as usual pointless) appraisal when I put down as my career objectives:
1 - To earn as much as possible
2 - To retire as early as possible
For some reason they didn't think I was taking the process seriously. I informed them that I was deadly serious about the above:-)
We all had an annual review from our librarian. Fairly informal but every year I was asked why I hadn’t applied for any more senior positions. Every year I explained that money wasn’t everything and that any advancement would mean attending unnecessary and interminable meetings, writing reports, compiling statistics and being more of an office manager than working with the public and actually handling books. I was pretty much told off for lacking ambition in not wanting to move from the library I’d been at for 20 years! I also got told off for being ‘too honest’ because I wasn’t afraid to express my opinion.
check derek the santa slayer! got to hand it to you, big man, that's genius level crabbitness! we are not worthy! :)
Lez wrote: "any advancement would mean attending unnecessary and interminable meetings, writing reports, compiling statistics and being more of an office manager than working with the public and actually handling books. I was pretty much told off for lacking ambition."Did any managers ever read "The Peter Principle"? It always amazes me that anyone who is good at their job (say a classroom teacher) is immediately slated for promotion to a desk-bound administrative role.
Derek - how do you find Christmas in France? I still think of it as a largely Catholic country and I would think a small village is probably going to observe the religious aspects of the season. Do you find it better than the U.K.? - less schmaltz? less emphasis on "Hallmark moments"?
Val wrote: "Derek - how do you find Christmas in France? I still think of it as a largely Catholic country and I would think a small village is probably going to observe the religious aspects of the season. Do..."Val - it is much quieter than the UK, yes all the shops have signs up trying to sell you stuff but it's much more low key. The big supermarkets have christmas music playing but usually just carols and not loud.
Also, it doesn't start in October! The christmas lights in Catus went up last week although assorted small christmas trees, real and wooden painted ones, started appearing the week before. It's not quite just the twelve days of christmas but it's definitely not the three months of christmas.
The French celebrate christmas eve rather than christmas day I don' know why. I was quite surprised to find the village shops open christmas day last year. They won't be this year though since it's on a Monday.
Interesting, Derek, - and it all makes sense. Christmas as a marketing opportunity takes much of the joy (and fun) out of the season. But then everything is a marketing opportunity these days.
inspired by the season, and by Derek's approach to this and employment, I drafted a memo to my colleagues regarding constantly finding my good pens (call me Pauline!) in the wastepaper bin (why doth he raketh in the bins, I hear you cry, well, to find my pens!). as follows,please note,
these calligraphic instruments have been hand crafted to accommodate the fine hand-writing styles of the truly cultured creators of fine script. the ink has been subject to thousands of years of experimentation to achieve the likeness of flow such as that of blood coursing through the veins and bled onto fine parchment, as an extension of the writer's deepest innermost thoughts with a determination to attain a oneness between ink and flesh - if you like, illumination of the soul through the scriptural process.
so stop throwing them in the ****ing bin, you speed writing bastards! x
Tech wrote: "inspired by the season, and by Derek's approach to this and employment, I drafted a memo to my colleagues regarding constantly finding my good pens (call me Pauline!) in the wastepaper bin (why dot..."You tell 'em techy!
Tech wrote: "inspired by the season, and by Derek's approach to this and employment, I drafted a memo to my colleagues regarding constantly finding my good pens (call me Pauline!) in the wastepaper bin (why dot..."WoW! - I'm almost moved enough to let you borrow my Bic Biro, Tech ;o>
EDIT : I say 'almost' though because I don't think the length of elastic I have tied around it (to ensure that it too doesn't get taken and lost by anyone) will reach all the way from Stockport to Kilmarnock? ... Hee, Hee, Hee!!!
Pen knife through Santa? Over here you'd be sent for "counseling" for violent tendencies and be watched for any other mental problems. We have weapons-free zones here. A pen knife is...horrors...a weapon. I have wanted to puncture the Santa many times at work but can't afford the suspension. We have quite the "jolly" attitude here at work. I am the grumble pants but just grin and bear it. My revenge is introducing Dominic the Donkey tune. Now it has become the cheery folks' ear worm and is driving them mad. Mwooohahaha.
My friend and I used to holiday in Austria every year and one year decided to go for a week at Xmas as well as our usual Sept. one. We were the only people in the hotel and the beer cellar was closed! Apparently all the Santa Claus stuff happens on St Nicholas’ day on the 6th Dec.
Everyone spends Xmas Eve at home with their families. Xmas Day is completely dead then on St. Stephen’s (Boxing) Day all the parties happen. There was a big do in the Tyrolean version of a village hall with special guests - a Swiss yodelling choir (coals to Newcastle?) and various competitions. One was guessing the number of coffee beans in a ginormous glass jar. My friend only went and won! Of course there was no way of getting it home so they gave us a couple of bottles of wine instead. Job done!
Granny wrote: "Pen knife through Santa? Over here you'd be sent for "counseling" for violent tendencies and be watched for any other mental problems. We have weapons-free zones here. A pen knife is...horrors...a ..."Granny - it wasn't a pen knife it was a paper knife, standard office implement for opening letters (remember them), no sharp edges and a dull point (but sharp enough for an inflatable Santa).
Val wrote: "Interesting, Derek, - and it all makes sense. Christmas as a marketing opportunity takes much of the joy (and fun) out of the season. But then everything is a marketing opportunity these days."Val - you also can't wish anybody a Happy New Year in France until after the clock has finished striking midnight on New Year's Eve. Apparently it's considered terribly bad luck if you do.
Derek, do you have to sing ‘Pour la cause depuis longtemps’?😀
Derek wrote: "Granny wrote: "Pen knife through Santa? Over here you'd be sent for "counseling" for violent tendencies and be watched for any other mental problems. We have weapons-free zones here. A pen knife is..."Aha. Not allowed at my job. Strictly no weapons. We unsafely use scissors instead of letter openers. My state has a high number of folks with concealed carry permits but the government in Madison is easily offended liberals that make everywhere "weapon-free" so criminals have free rein. I have a sturdy ball-point pen in my pocket in case of active shooter. If anyone popped Santa, it'd go badly for the deflator. Sad state of affairs.
We used to have talks at the library on personal safety and they always recommended keys as a legitimate effective weapon. Used in the right place they can do a lot of damage. Metal combs too.
Lez wrote: "We used to have talks at the library on personal safety and they always recommended keys as a legitimate effective weapon. Used in the right place they can do a lot of damage. Metal combs too."Good thinking! On an aside, a good earworm can be destructive. Start humming various tunes and everyone falls apart. I introduced Dominic The Donkey and now my coworkers keep singing and humming it and glaring at me. It's hilarious. After it gets quiet and they're just beavering away, I'll hum it quietly and start the wave moving again. Same with MaNaMaNa, deet deet, deetdeeeeet, deedeedeet. Jingle Bells. I Wish I Were an Oscar Meyer Weiner...
Havoc raised by humming. It's evil and I love it.
This Forum Christmas Party is turning out to be fantastic!!! ;o>We have lots of my Fairy Lights, Martin writing out all the jokes to go in the Crackers, Tech's sensational Snail-themed Catering, Derek enthusiastically sharpening all of the Paper Knives ready to pin everything onto the Walls, Lez Lee teaching Isabella some of her prize-winning Yodelling techniques, Val and Sera creating an enormous Christmas Tree out of a mini mountain of her empty Terry's Chocolate Orange boxes and his Lee's Macaroon Bar wrappers, and Granny happily cackling away in the corner over the DJ Decks and the Karaoke Machine!
I'm not quite sure as to where our P has got to? - but I have just been told that 'Santa Claus' with his trusty Elf, 'Grumblepants', will be here soon with all our Secret Santa presents! ... WOO-HOO!!! ;o>
just watch out for 'stepping razor' les with her sharpened metal comb and foot-long serrated keys! she's chibbed up and ready to party! yowsah yowsah yowsah!
Amazon exiles
Books mentioned in this topic
Ten Poems about Snow (other topics)And So This is Christmas: 51 Seasonally Adjusted Poems (other topics)
The Tiger Who Came to Tea (other topics)
The Quangle Wangle's Hat (other topics)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Christina Rossetti (other topics)John Keats (other topics)
Joan Aiken (other topics)
