Andy Collins

Just tell him to pay up for the rope, he cut it, he pays for it. Not even worthy of an insurance claim anyway.

I think a tirfor will more than earn it's keep, I have three, picked up at car boots, sales etc and they have been a godsend on certain jobs. Especially with narrow access. Yes they're hard work and slow, but they get it done.

I saw wreaths yesterday for 24" at £60!!! We've harvested and made our wreaths and they're out for sale all decorated up already. Not getting £60 for them though.

I agree with the above. Since I had my ops my gut wall muscles are permanently relaxed. I work more now with my legs and shoulders to lift everything, I can't lift with my mid section as I prolapse. I can tell the change in use post op, I'm broader across the shoulders/back, and even to lift very light things I work through my legs more. As for pain relief, paracetomol is the best there is. It acts as a base for other more potent drugs such as morphine, making it work better. If I have any pains in my mid section I just have recommended doses of paracetomol these days.

Hi Andy. Good to hear from you, and yes I'm not too bad thanks

In the workplace there are different categories of "worker". There is the grafter, busting his nuts to do the job, get the brush out, carry the logs out, rake up, and get on. There is the "empty can", he rattles around with a load of bluster, hey look how much I'm (not) actually doing, shouting at everyone else because he feels he's doing the lions share, but does next to nothing. There is the "puppy dog", the boss chucks him a ball, he runs around the yard wagging his tail furiously, chases up and down and gets nowhere, comes back and the boss pats his head, waiting for he ball to be thrown again. Then there is the older guy, who just gets on with the job, doesn't grizzle or complain, teaches the less experienced, quietly sorts any problems on site and without moving fast, gets through a pile of work. We're only human, with faults of our own. It's down to the bosses, the management, to gel together a team that can get the job done, with the minimum of hassle, and in each team with be a mix of different people.

Apparently this product, and similar, have been trialled and used and proven in the world of agriculture. I have no evidence for or against this, other than what I was told. Apparently Bartletts have trialled and now use Biochar. I only understand the very basics, I have always introduced wood ash and soot to my veg plots, and we have good veg so something produced commercially along those lines, using a by-product from another process, can't be bad, can it?

I "feed" the leather now and again with neatsfoot oil, otherwise I use Chelsea dubbin, have done for a long time. My current boots are about 3year old and holding up well. Dry feet too. personally, I think the secret in boot longevity is to dry them slowly, get mud and grit off them and treat them at least once a week. I usually wear out the soles before the uppers fall apart. I think the only exception years ago were the old Oregon green boots.

I think the relevance was in the opening post, the whole topic has tipped on its head since then.

if the cars are on the highway legally, what gives you the right? I think there is a fine line between what is reasonable access, and what is done out of sheer pig headedness. Most jobs, where access was needed, we'd get the police to come out and cone off with official police cones it's then an offence to move the cones to park, and the cars can be officially removed, by the correct authorities. Taking the law into your own hands is asking for a world of trouble.

Thanks, in a way what you've told me here has vindicated my proposed trial. The soil is sand/gravel, nutrients and goodness wash away very very easily. I have tried every combination along traditional methods when planting, to retain moisture and nutrients. If this product, (or indeed a similar product) makes a difference then it's worthwhile. I am always cynical of claims, many in Arb are simply alkin to the Emporers New Clothes, tbh there is little new in the world, just re-vamped and re-badged and pushed out there.

Marketing and commercial pricings are the ways of the world, whether or not we like it. Clever marketing uses the in-words of the time, words that help a product stick in the mind. Using a name to be associated and accepted by people is a very common practise, even down to user-names here . The way I see it, in very simple terms is that there is a by-product, given a new name, package it nicely to appeal to people, and sell it to them. Better that than dumped in landfill. Would I use it? I'm currently in discussion with one of my larger clients to test it on this seasons plantings, proof is in the pudding

As an uneducated man on these matters, can someone explain the problem with this product? In my understanding as a gardener (domestic) it was always common practise to incorporate wood ash and soot from chimneys to the soil, to improve water retention and potash levels around fruit bushes. So IMO this is a marketed by-product along those lines, what is wrong with that? Surely it's a form of recycling/returning that which came from the earth to the earth?

I removed your post, under the naming/shaming ruling. I didn't find it at all offensive and it is useful to know suppliers that there may be issues with. But we do have a rule in place to help protect the site. I "soft-deleted" it for the time being, and if the other mods andthe Site Admin decide it was a reasonable thread, then I'm happy to be over ruled and the thread be re-instated. Hope this clarifies things.

I've worn pfanners for years, I have three pairs that I alternate and they're al fine. I always wash them with the zippers zipped up and the button done up. I wear them properly without them hanging off my ass, and they're fine. I guess my newest pair of pfanners are three years old. I've bust through miles of thorn, gorse, and heaved tons of timber in them.

This is the best idea I pve ever heard. I wonder if it's something we could encourage more dealers to do, even if they have a bin to chuck old chains in when you call in. If something good came of this thread then this is the answer.

I wouldn't condone moving a vehicle without the owners consent. Insurance wise, you wouldn't be covered, legally I doubt you'd have good reason (twocking) and if heaven forbid you scratched it, you have to pay. Ok on the council moving them, that's their responsibility, not yours. If someone moved our car without consent I'd be rightly annoyed. I've been there when cars are left in the way, especially London. It happens, work around it. Leaving a note is not a legal document, or order, it's only a request. We hit an illegally parked vehicle obstructing a building site years ago, ripped the side of the motor out trying to get through. The insurance tried to wriggle out of it because the car (hire car) was illegally parked in a restricted area, clearly signed with huge signs that it was a construction site access, and parking was forbidden. We were found at fault as it was us that hit the vehicle, illegally parked or not. From then on, in a similar circumstance, we would turn around and leave the job until parking issues were resolved. There's always another day.

I've been with CICA for many years. They went through a very bad patch with sales techniques, but I believe they have sorted their system out. One thing I will say, on the couple of occasions I've found it necessary to make a claim they have done exactly what they promised, to the letter. When the chips are down they come up trumps. When things go wrong, the last thing you or your family need to worry about is if the insurance will cover you. I'm still with CICA, and probably will stay with them until I retire.

Elaborate?

I modded a wooden handle for my silky some time ago, much prefer it now.

I must be a brilliant people person then

Alcohol is the one drug that will kill you, even if you stop taking it. Worse than heroin or crack. But I'm not going on my high horse, IMO no place at work for either, if you want rec drink/drugs, do that in your own time, be clear for work. It's called responsibility. I rather lose 50% of a work force than have one death on my conscience.

Banter is all well and good. A Mars bar in the boots turns into a nail hammered throught the sole. Oh how amusing. Not. When I was a teenager, just starting out, on sites, "pranks" went on all the time. It escalated until someone took up the scaffold boards around the corner of the third lift on a boiler house. Hilarious. Not when you're struggling with hods full of bricks. It escalated when I punched the culprits lights out. He was the foreman. Time and place for having a mess about is after work, down the pub with a few jars.

Fair enough, I didn't read the comments section. In that case, the pupils had done nothing wrong and should not have been sent home, regardless of a change of heart of the head teacher or anyone else.

Forget the racism, the turbans, all that. This is to about that. This is about a school rules and regulations being broken. If they turned up in jeans and t shirts, they'd be sent home, cadet uniform is not school uniform. Simple. I do sympathise with them, and their intentions were all good, but wrong time wrong place. They should have asked for special permission from the school, maybe donated say £1 to the Poppy Appeal, per uniform worn. There are ways to do things, and their way, in this case was not appropriate. Wearing a poppy, on Armistice Day, would suffice to show support and respect.