HOUSEHOLD TIPS NOT FOUND IN WOMAN'S WEEKLY

[PanBiker]

You would love to go camping with our friends though!

I doubt that very much Maz, we go at our own pace, same goes for the cycling. There is an element of no gain without pain but if a hill is too steep I have no problem at all in getting off and pushing.

[Tizer]

Don't forget to check the operation of your smoke and CO alarms. Mine were working but in one of the CO alarms the battery terminals had corroded.

[PanBiker]

Our smoke alarms are linked and mains driven with battery backup, the detectors flash when the battery needs replacing. Mains powered were a stipulation of the building regs and planning consent when we had the loft conversion done. Also two Velux windows, one accessible as an escape in the event of a fire below, one hour fire door on the room as well. First floor egress is via our DG bedroom window which is double hinged and gives access to the kitchen roof for escape. CO detectors also flash when the battery is low, it's recommended to replace the whole unit when the battery fails which is what we do.

[Stanley]

Mine beep at me when they need attention, all have replaceable batteries.
We all have remote control boxes and when they start to get lazy it's a good idea to clean the terminals and replace the batteries. Only Triple 'A's but they last a long time.

[Tizer]

Don't trust them to beep for attention. Check them now and then, regardless of what they're supposed to do. The one of mine that had the corroded battery terminal wasn't beeping.

[Big Kev]

I have the benefit of being able to reach mine without a step ladder, I can be very annoying when testing

Apparently 6am is not a good time...

[Stanley]

You make me think that I should repeat my call to the Fire Brigade for assistance with my smoke alarms. I did it once before but nothing happened. When the present unpleasantness has subsided I shall bend their ear again! My remaining alarm is in a dodgy position above the stair well and even though I have a step ladder I know my limitations! I need one downstairs as well in the hall.

[Stanley]

Today's tip is if you want an uncomplicated life, don't have a dog as a close companion.
What's thrown this up is the fact that Susan, who usually looks after Jack if I am unable to, has a new kitten Seraphina and doen't feel it is fair to expose her to a strange dog at this stage. I can understand that but it leaves me with a problem, what do do about Jack when I have to leave him for at least 48 hours. I can get my mate Phil to look after him if he stays in the house but that means that a dog who is accustomed to 24X7 company is going to be left on his own. Daft I know, but this is worrying me more than anything else!
If anyone has any suggestions I'd be grateful for guidance.....

[Marilyn]

Try the Vet. Most do short term pet boarding. You may have to provide the cooked sausages...

[LizG]

I understand exactly how you feel Stanley. The kennels I took my dog to made a point of pairing the dogs with another friendly, same size / aged dog so that they had company. The older dogs were all inside with access to outside when they needed and they had either beds on the ground for the ones who couldn't jump, or couches for the dogs who were used to it. Dare I say there was a tv on during the day, an air conditioner for summer and heater for winter.

It may sound over the top but I could leave them there and not worry at all. They were lovely with my old girls. I will add though that when we got home from our trip to England we'd left 2 of them there and the bill would have bought us another flight to Europe.

Both girls are gone now.

[Stanley]

Useful advice Maz. There is a lady called Jackie who I trust and Jack knows her but I don't know how to get hold of her. She lived on Bank Street the last time I knew.
Sounds like pat heaven Liz.... (And a price to match!)

[Wendyf]

Luxury dog boarding at Higher Close Salterforth, looks like it's £25 a night but for peace of mind that's probably worth it!

http://www.higherclosefarm.co.uk/

Or this in Barnoldswick at £15 a night.

https://uk.dogbuddy.com/dog-sitter-barn ... ire/400167

[Wendyf]

Here is another home boarding place in Kelbrook. It's the people who have the secure field for hire between the Stone Trough and the Kelbrook Roundabout but they also board dogs in their own home.

https://www.dogdayslancs.co.uk/dog-home-boarding/

[Stanley]

Thanks, I am looking at them!

[Wendyf]

Our pet household is just starting to settle down after the introduction of Billybob the stray and Bella the kitten, otherwise we would offer to have him here.

[Marilyn]

Hopefully he won't pee in anyone's passage, Stanley. He will need a good man to man talking to about blotting his copybook.

[Stanley]

That's all behind us now Cathy, I solved it by giving him a trot in the afternoon on the Green at 15:00. It was all my fault in the first place!
Thanks Wendy.... I shall be making arrangements this week when I have had a word with Susan this morning hopefully.
Today's tip, allow yourself to worry about what some would see as unimportant matters like making sure a dog isn't left on its own. It's just responsible behaviour!

[Stanley]

Digging pays off! That's today's tip. I have found the ideal answer to the Jack problem after a bit of research and a couple of calls.

[PanBiker]

From a former professional operative in the Christmas decorations installation industry (Sally).

When lighting a Christmas tree, garland or any other decoration.

a. Plug the lights in first to make sure they are working.

b. Distribute the lighting chain while powered for easier even spread.

c. Stand back at regular intervals during dressing and squint at the display, (this helps in recognising dead areas).

[Stanley]

Better still, don't bother with a tree or lights.... Bah! Humbug.....

[chinatyke]

Better still, don't bother with a tree or lights.... Bah! Humbug.....

Me too!

[Tizer]

Stand back at regular intervals during dressing and squint at the display, (this helps in recognising dead areas).

That reminds me of advice I was given when I started publishing books by a man who taught printing and publishing at Oxford Brookes University. When checking the typesetting of pages on a proof always run through them again quickly but upside down. You're not trying to read them but instead it lets you concentrate on the blocks of space and the presence of any undesirable patterns in the text. This was in the early days of digital printing when the printers still strived to do a perfect job and relished creating a good looking page. I was astonished when he showed me pages upside down and I could pick out all sorts of things you miss when looking at them right way up. As well as incorrect spacings you might find, for example, diagonal runs of the same word. You'd think that statistically it wouldn't happen but it does and can annoy readers. (I must get out more.)

[PanBiker]

Just like the gobbledegook paragraphs that your brain can interpret when scanning the text. Our brains have an amazing ability to compensate for all manner of imperfections both mentally and physically. I have learnt a lot more about this function from the neuro physio's with my present medical condition.

[Tizer]

Take a look at this paragraph. Can you read what it says? All the letters have been jumbled (mixed). Only the first and last letter of ecah word is in the right place:

I cnduo't bvleiee taht I culod aulaclty uesdtannrd waht I was rdnaieg. Unisg the icndeblire pweor of the hmuan mnid, aocdcrnig to rseecrah at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mttaer in waht oderr the lterets in a wrod are, the olny irpoamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rhgit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whoutit a pboerlm. Tihs is bucseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Aaznmig, huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghhuot slelinpg was ipmorantt! See if yuor fdreins can raed tihs too. (From here: LINK )

[PanBiker]

Word perfect I reckon with an odd re-scan. You can interpret with the context of the words within the sentence.

When learning Morse Code because that includes an interpolation in your head initially. We were taught not to anticipate the next letter or the ending of a word. Joe and John who taught me were both ex RAF radio operators would alter letter spacing slightly to try an trip you up on receive. "The" could be just that or Their, There, Then, lots of other shorter words that can be extended slightly into a different word. As you got better in proficiency you build up memory of the rhythm of how an individual word sounds, you don't listen to the individual letters. The rhythm of the words becomes just like spoken language and you don't need to do the translation in your head which if you are still at that level limits your copy speed.

"The" is dah dit,dit,dit,dit dit, say it in your head and you get the rhythm I have double spaced the letters for clarification. Timing wise a dah is three times the length of a dit, the spacing between the letters is equal to one dit and the spacing between words three dits or one dah.