AlwaysAVFC

I became a postman 2 1/2 years ago. My contract is 30hours. It does vary a lot from office to office. After a fair while of just doing my 30hours at the start, I managed to increase it to full time 39 hours plus an extra 3 hours collecting on a Friday afternoon. I then relocated in August to buy a house and transferred office. It's a bit hit and miss whether I work full time hours at the moment. There is overtime available if I wanted it, as there are local offices that are struggling but this would be after my normal shift had finished or working days off. So I don't tend to push for it as I usually have the kids to sort out. In my current office I work 6 days for 5 weeks then have a week off. So this week and holiday I'll only get my paid my part time 30hours. Although the week off does allow for overtime if they need someone. So I can only talk for the 2 offices I've worked in but yes you can bump it up but can depend on office, you may need to push for it, and some people tend to get asked first, but if you're reliable and keen you can ensure the manager thinks of you early on. Things can change though, like early on in lockdown, with loads going off to isolate. They panicked on staffing cost, with all the sick pay and the cost of covering them, they cut all overtime. It didn't last long as offices were struggling so much.

When's that though, will they not go through the waiting list after that?

I can't even remember whether it was like that when I went on the list, it is a strange system as I'm just looking at getting one on my own, it doesn't really matter where. I'm guessing I chose The Holte as that's where I used to have one, but would be annoying if someone that registered way after me got one because they chose Doug Ellis.

With regards to the waiting list, has anyone checked that it is just following on from the start of last season? I presume so with how many they have said there are on the list already. *Just noticed that the waiting list has reopened, and it won't let me do it (says I'm already assigned) so I guess that answers my question. I doubt anyone joining now will get a sniff of a seat for a while.

I would say a typical establishment will want to make 60% gross profit. So a dish that costs say £6 would have a menu price of £18. Some places will have higher margins and some lower but I'd say 60% would be typical if what places want to achieve, that's coming from working in a hotel, pub, restaurant and a University. Some dishes you wouldn't make the 60% but you can maximise on others. So if a cheap pub was offering a large mixed grill for a tenner. It would have to cost no more than £3.33. so they either aren't making their 60% or are buying some very cheap meat.

Oh and her farts aren't as vile now, either we are used to them or giving her dry food instead of the mix she had at the centre has worked. And, I'm also now not the loudest snorer in the house.

A week now since we brought her home and she's settled in really well. Considering it's pretty likely she was used for breeding, someone has looked after her. She's been great with the kids and is good with other dogs too, albeit a bit exited when she sees another dog but good when they meet. Plus squirrels and bird, she'll go for as soon as she sees them, so it will be a while until we can let her off lead. It get you thinking, how she ended up as as a stray? We originally said that we wouldn't have her on any furniture but she's part won that battle as we've allowed her on a bit of the sofa with a throw on. She likes to test her boundaries with us. She is smaller than she looks in photos. We didn't see a picture of her before visiting as the centre contacted us before she was advertised. I was almost a little disappointed when she was brought out. She's about Staffy size. We'd have taken anything up to a mastiff or rottweiler but she is probably the right size for us, with the youngest not quite 4 yet.

Still waiting for mine My brother, who I told about it after saw it here and ordered, got his straight away. I believe it was dispatched yesterday, so should be here soon.

We have an extra member of our household as of today. A brush coat Shar pei. She's finally relaxed had a sleep. After the last attempt at rehoming fell through. This one hasn't been smooth sailing either. After we saw her, she was booked in to be neutered, when they spotted some skin irritation and entroprian (eyelids turned inwards) both of which are common in the breed. They initially said she would need an operation (which they would do) and a course of treatment for her skin. We visited again today to find out what the situation was. They have decided that the eyelids aren't causing irritation but may or may not in the future but an operation is not necessary currently. Knowing that this now won't be covered by insurance if she does need an operation in the future, we had a think about it but decided to carry on with the adoption. We were allowed to come back later on in the day to collect her and she's now snoring away after a busy day. Oh and her farts are vile

I had a bottle of that last week and would recommend it too. I still find drinking sours a strange experience though. I have that what the hell is this taste at first, but then it grows on me as I drink it.

Could have gone in the drinks thread but the obsession made me laugh. Had an email with a few different craft beer hampers on. There was one that I soon realised was a Coventry brewery as they had an official club lager. I then saw this one

Having only bought one house and recently, so not the most clued up. I'm amazed at how poor some solicitors are, even considering my process was from last August to Feb which was a very busy time for them. My solicitor was always on the ball. Bank statements were pretty much the first thing they did along with ID. Which makes sense as it seems like such a crucial early stage to know if you can afford the deposit and where the money is coming from. My brother in law was buying at the same time as us (actually started before and competed after with no chain) but they seemed to be waiting on some searches which ours were again done early on, their seller also seemed a pain. Plenty of issues with one of the solicitors in my chain of three too.

The reduced aisle is frequently my saviour. I'm a decent cook, but hate thinking of family meal ideas to suit everones taste. If I can't decide and no one else is being very helpful (as per usual). It'll be the first place I go and usually there is something to inspire me for the evenings tea.

Had a quick search to see if I have mentioned it before but couldnt see it. I've had 2 starring TV roles. I played Nip the squid on Going Live with Sarah Green in the early 90s And was on the National Lottery Winning Lines game show. I did crap, well I didn't get any answers wrong but was too slow to answer and didn't get through to the next round and never spoke at all.

Reminds me of me as a young child on a trip to Bodymoor Heath maybe about 93/94. Excitedly getting autographs, I'd just got Doug Ellis's, then saw Nigel Spink. I wanted to be a keeper for a few years so was delighted. He was chatting to someone, who I completely blanked. It was only afterwards my Dad asked if I knew who it was? It was Peter Withe.

Personally I've been saying he's not good enough to be considered for England. That said I think Targett along with Grealish, Martinez and Konsa have been the stand outs over the season. Targett has probably made the least mistakes out of all of them too.

It wasn't a short cut as it was a fraction longer but I used to live not too far from Leigh Delamere services on M4. Coming off at the services saved me a couple of times due to crashes and nipping off before getting caught up, and once when junction 17 was unexpectedly closed. It's a long way to 16 and back so was very grateful to get off before the junction.

I think they are quite active dogs and need lots of stimulation. You would need to make sure the garden is secure too as they are known to escape. They're always following their nose so it's probably out of curiosity of a scent or boredom but they can dig under fences.

So we met her yesterday, said we'd happily have her in our home. Paid a small deposit and later arranged to collect her on Saturday. Today I get a call to say that some previous owners have tried to claim her back. That may not of stopped the rehoming but they said that she bit their child. So now they won't re-home to us. I suspect it was the previous owners saying it to stop the rehoming but that now means she can't go to us and I don't know their policy but maybe not them either. I've got 2 very disappointed girls now, 3 including the wife. Not a lot we can do, back to the obsessive searches of rescue centres.

As a postie its without doubt that its the smaller ones that make all the noise when I'm coming towards the door. Whether its the breeds or the typical owners of these dogs that don't tend to train them. Like you say, there is not much about at the moment certainly for ones suitable for young kids. We haven't been choosy at all, we just wanted something Staffy upwards in size and not a greyhound or Lurcher. I also ideally wanted a Boxer but the chances of one becoming available were slim. I don't think there is a specific boxer rescue in the Midlands and the couple of other breed specific rescues I spoke to weren't taking any registrations due to demand. Since we moved into our house in Feb. We've gone for every dog suitable for kids we've seen. A couple of Shar pei crosses, a Staffy, a Chow Chow, a Shepherd crossed with something which was massive and only 6 months. This Staffy cross is the first chance we've got to meet one. Although its probably not a bad thing that we didn't get the Chow Chow as they would have been pretty demanding on the grooming and a large amount of dog hair about. They are expecting a flurry of dogs to re-home over the coming months but I imagine all these are going to have separation anxiety. So not straight forward unless you are always home and can help increase the time alone the dog has.

Yeah Its definitely something he needed to work on, more how clever he is in those situations when to do it and how to use his physicality. He used to get frustrated (as well as us) but he just never got anything, there were times he was fouled and got nothing, when he put a bit more in himself he got penalised. Then there were times he tried to buy the free kick and still not given.

My Mrs worked for Blue Cross for a number of years, so it's the only way we would go.

Possibly close to getting a rescue dog. We've wanted one a while but as we were planning on moving we held off. It's so hard to rescue a dog at the moment. Demand is still high, particularly ones that are suitable to be rehomed with children. I've been checking the sites regularly to try and get in first. Finally today had the call, to arrange to visit a 6 year old Staffy cross on Sunday, so fingers crossed she likes us.

I think the ESL plan will be to provide their own subscription service anyway. They are out to get as much money as possible and they will look to exceed traditional TV deals. They will want all advertising revenue to themselves as well as the subscriptions.

Twice for me. Once on an average speed check on the M5, which I did a speed awareness course for, 56 in a 50 i think. It was foggy and completely forgot about the restrictions coming from M6. Suddenly remembered and I must of slowed down just in time as was probably doing 70+ at the start of the the zone. The other was in Florida, just getting used to the Mustang we had. There was a speed trap and a police car burst out of hiding and pulled me over.