What AM I doing Today in the World?

[Mad Dilys]

How disappointing RR. We do indeed become reliant on our wheels, I gave up the car because of the ridiculous parking situation here. Finally when I was charged £10 for a stay that would have cost me £1.50 in Dartford I realised I was beaten.

It's not just the UK, Santa Eulalia is terrible too - very few car parks and often we can cruise around for 20 minutes trying to get parked. No free parking but not too dear though. I guess it explains the huge number of scooters and motorbikes.

[Horus]

Arrived back home from my short break in Wales, but however nice it is to go away its always nice to sleep in your own bed again. We all had a geat time, took in some interesting places and a few good meals and a lot more beers. Lots of walks and paddles in the sea for Annie although she forgot that the sea is salty Took lots of pictures so will post a few later.

[LovelyLadyLux]

@RS - stick to your guns as I can only imagine a strapless, zipperless, backless, quilt cotton dress made out of a totally different pattern Am sure it could be done (well not really) with mega mega work but nobody will like the end result! Good on your for saying 'go back to the drawing board.' I'm also sure the ladies in the shop(s) should be able to point your friend in the direction of the fabric that matches the pattern.


As for transportation it doesn't always seem that the one day you don't have a car is the day that everything is going to happen that you'd like to be at!

In Salulito in Mexico (small town up north) everybody drives golf carts. Not only are the towns streets real narrow and cobblestone they're 100% full to bursting with vehicles so the smallest wheels you can get to get around are what is needed. Plus the town is built like a wagon wheel so the center of town is totally jammed out and, not that I was driving there, but it would take forever for anybody to find a spot to park.

Annie is looking good H! Does she drink the salt water? I had a dog that would forever do that then end up throwing it all back up.

Today, well tonight, is the night of the big performance! The show is 2 hours and the boys are there all day long today doing a final rehearsal in costume. Hopefully I'll be able to get photos (the daughter sewed all the costumes for this)

[Ruby Slippers]

Welcome home again, Horus and Annie! Glad to hear you've had a good time and enjoyed yourselves. Hope everything goes smoothly tonight, LLL.

[Grandad]

Good to see you back H. We did play nicely while you were away MD came back and immediately started complaining about the weather RS's car was written off so her and DH are looking for new wheels LLL is keeping the RCMP on their toes (but she has not yet had a shunt in the vehicle, at least she has not admitted as much to us). And yours truly is getting a bit anxious about the battery on the scooter which may be starting to lose charge. At least I can put it in neutral gear and 'SCOOT' it if it fails in town

Looking forward to some pictures H

[LovelyLadyLux]

@Grandad - re: scooter and battery life - although I'm no professional and have no expertise on the life of batteries I don't think your scooter should be losing battery life yet at all. If it is that is a real "gosh darn" cause the battery is hardly that old.

[Mad Dilys]

My goodness Grandad! I have been wondering whether to get a conventional battery or a lithium battery powered scooter - the lifetime of the scooter hadn't entered my calculations.

Of course I complain about the Cardiff weather - everyone in Cardiff does! It gets 115.19cms of rain compared to 55.74cms for London.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/b ... 03812.html

There's a thought battery powered scooter, lot of rain...…...…...….. how often will I be able to use it?

[Horus]

Sadly with the current battery technology it does not surprise me that Grandad is starting to see a fall off in performance. They are designed for rapid charge and discharge and are relatively small in size and when you consider the load they carry. Dependant upon use the batteries can usually last between 1 & 3 years and I think Grandad may have had his for a year? Most should be charged overnight after each use as that will keep them in top condition and depending upon the brand can be replaced for around £50 to £75 so I suppose that is not too bad as a running cost.

[Grandad]

@Horus
You are about right H, I have actually had the scooter for 18 months. I use it fairly frequently, mostly into town which is about 4 miles round trip. I always charge it even after just a short trip.
I don't think I am yet at the point of getting new batteries (there are two 12v 18Ah) but I have noticed a slight reduction in battery life remaining after a usual trip.
As you say, replacements are not exorbitant and the way it gives me some independent mobility, it is well worth it.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Really that is the cost of a scooter battery there? WOW!!! Batteries here then must be made in outer Mongolia personally by a host of technicians then hand walked and paddled all the way here cause batteries HERE cost a proverbial arm and leg! I just bought a new phone set for $52 (in the States) cause to replace the batteries in my OLD phones (granted maybe 10 yrs+ old) costs MORE than buying a whole new set! And I'm talking SMALL SMALL battery.

A car battery for a regular old car is probably $250+ (at least it was the last time I replaced the car battery) so WOW that strikes me as more than reasonable. I truly was thinking in the range of $500 to replace your scooter battery.

One of the things I do via volunteering with the RCMP is to Register bikes. I've been to two events and at the first one a lady (probably my age range) brought in her new electric bike. Big fat tires and a big cushy seat that would let you ride around all day with no bum stress or fatigue (gotta worry about bum fatigue).

I did ask her about the battery (cause batteries here are a primary concern) and the stats she cited were not bad to keep it going in top form with something like a 1000 charge life however a replacement battery price was going to be up there.

Today I'm not doing much other than getting ready to leave for a few days to the States. Be back Wednesday.

[Horus]

Enjoy your trip LLL

[LovelyLadyLux]

Thanks H - just some shopping and picking up the new phone set and an insinkerator for one of the rentals here.

Here to purchase an Insinkerator aka Garburator for the exact same new model 1/3rd HP is $298 + 12% tax. To buy a 1/2HP one exact same model in the States is $55. Go figure the difference in $$$ hence the trip cause I'm picking up a few more things as well.

So much for the "buy local" mantra. I would if prices were at all comparable but when you're talking such a HUGE difference in price I can't help but go to where I'm saving.

[Grandad]

It is about 5 weeks since I had the angiogram and I have been waiting for some sort of report or follow up. I had anticipated that the most likely follow up would be the insertion of a pacemaker, a letter this morning confirmed that with an appointment on August 8 for one to be fitted. I am really happy about this because it seemed to be the answer to my arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
So the good old NHS has not given up on me.......yet

[Horus]

Great stuff Grandad, don't go near any magnetic devices afterwards

[Kiya]

That's good news Grandad you'll be up and running in no time

[Horus]

Just been shopping in Tesco.

[Kiya]

[Mad Dilys]

You caught me, didn't see it at first then choked laughing.

[Mad Dilys]

My daughter and I both have hearing difficulties, but often when we are at home we don't wear our hearing aids as they make our ears itch. Her house and garden is quite roomy and people stand further apart than usual, making our interpretation of events quite bizarre.

Instead of constantly saying "I can't hear you!" she says "Half past nine" and I say "I haven't had a drink all day!" in a shocked voice. I know it's nuts, but so are we.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Good one MD! I have a sneaking suspicion I am starting to become hard of hearing but so far have resisted having my hearing checked. Maybe will have to think about it seriously.

Am back from my travels not that this was a holiday trip was more a gotta do some shopping and get some stuff trip.

Was going to run out and water everything as the gardens seem pretty dry but just talked to the daughter who said the grandkids end of the year field trip for tomorrow was cancelled cause it is predicted we're going to get 10mm of rain this evening. Huge dump coming so I'll trust the prediction and leave the watering 'til tomorrow.