ali-cat
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Posts posted by ali-cat
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Brilliant!! Wish we could use it as I always think it looks wonderful. I'm really jealous!! [:)]
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Does anyone know anyone who cuts cat hair??!! Our house was hoovered to within an inch of it's life yesterday & yet as I sit here & type there are little balls of furry tumbleweed drifting across the hall floor. Looking at the amount of it, why we don't have 3 bald cats is beyond me!!
Penny - The main culprit!!
[IMG]http://i308.photobucket.com/albums/kk325/markatards/Thewisestmemberofthefamily.jpg[/IMG]
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[quote user="just john "]Who cares about a £10, I've just seen a news item showing that her expenses totalled £145,000, which together with her salary and other allowances of £144,000 make a grand total of £299,500 for last year[:-))]
just where does it end? [/quote]..... & she still can't afford to pay 88p, out of her own money, on a bath plug. Now, that make's me mad.
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I think that Feliway may be just for cats, but there are similar products for dogs. D.A.P. is the only one I know of, but I'm sure that your vet will sell other products if it's not available in France. Good luck!!
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[quote user="Jo"]Cats find it impossible to resist as a super-size scratching post[:D]
[/quote]I seem to be following Jo around the forum agreeing with her about cats!! [:)]
They will rip & tear seagrass to shreds!! It would be like waving a red rag to a bull. We have a seagrass type mat in our kitchen - & it's in tatters ..... although the cats claws are now nice & sharp!!
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[quote user="Jo"]Things tend to 'spook' them which we don't even notice, particularly springers! Would it be worth trying a Felliway (spelling?) diffuser first? Calms them down a treat.
[/quote]I just want to second Jo's suggestion. One of our 8 year old cat's all of a sudden decided that either our bed or the sofa were her new "toilet" & after a few days of spraying Feliway on the furniture, it stopped. We have no idea what could have spooked her into starting, but the furniture has been "pee free" for the last 6 months.
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You must admit. It keeps him amused & gives us a laugh. [:D]
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Who? Is it Gordon ..... or Harriet ....... or Tony ..... or?
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[quote user="Dog"]
This seems incredible - not only have they alledgedly just about got away with misusing NHS equipment and fraud invovling a supplier but one has been suspended for a year - I BET ON FULL PAY and no loss of pension. I wonder if this pair would admit membership of the local lodge?[/quote]
More than likely membership of the Labour Party, along with the rest of them who seem to have no morals regarding "perks of the job".
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Ferrari admit new regulations leave 2009 car lacking in pace.[:-))]
[IMG]http://i308.photobucket.com/albums/kk325/markatards/FerrrariF12009.jpg[/IMG]
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[quote user="Scooby"]Why on earth then should your statement make me feel sorry for public sector employs???
[/quote]I didn't ask you, or anyone to feel sorry for Public Service employees. Why would I? - I certainly don't. I only pointed out that the example of your husband is anything but typical & therefore hardly relevant.
Instead of blaming Civil Servants for lose of pensions surely the blame would be better aimed at the bosses who raided pension funds or the Government for pouring taxpayers money into bailing our greedy bank bosses.
I've kept most of my past health problems off this forum, but as a member of the “bad back brigade” I would like to point out that I did not want to leave the Civil Service when I did. I was diagnosed with arthritis at the grand old age of 16, worked through treatment for cancer in my 30's, came into work 2 days after finishing treatment for viral meningitis & returned to work the day after having the tendons & ligaments in my hand stitched, happy to type & file one handed – so I can assure you that when I was medically retired it was not at my behest ... & it certainly wasn't the lure of my £1,200 pension either!!
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We have an upright fridge freeze & a very small chest freezer. The upright is full of Mr Cat's things (meat, fish, leftovers of home-made lamb curries etc.) & the chest freezer is mine, for all the veg, bread, home-made bean burgers & veggie curry. At least this way I know roughly which boxes of left overs are his or mine!!
My main problem is the bags of herbs from our garden. Having added handfuls of corriander instead of parsley to our Italian one night I have colour coded the clothes pegs which keep the bags sealed!!
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[quote user="Scooby"][quote user="ali-cat"]Nor did I complain about my taxes going towards paying for Child Benefit, Unemployment Benefit or Housing Benefit, [/quote] But it has paid for your DLA / IB
[/quote]I have benefited from many things, paid for by everyone by their taxes & have never said otherwise. I have been in hospital many times, visited the dentist regularly & I'm pretty sure I've driven down roads where pot holes have recently been refilled by tax payers money. The fact is we all pay taxes but don't choose where they go. But I still don't complain & whine that my taxes go towards something that doesn't affect me.
As for the figures you quoted earlier. Brilliant pensions ... if you are able to serve the full 40 years & are on the top step on the salary scale. Most don't, therefore their pension at retirement age is greatly reduced. The maximum wage for an Administrative Assistant is at present £15,115 which certainly wouldn't quite give the “gold-plated” pension some people like to go on about, regardless of length of service, would it?
As for leaving your old post to help your husband promotion chances, the length of service in the Civil Service has absolutely nothing to do with chances of promotion - & I'm sorry, that if in hindsight, you now think of it as a bad career move.
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It's pretty obvious from this thread that some people are regretting the choices they made. The main word being choice. Everyone has the choice of deciding to go for a decent, well paid, enjoyable, rewarding job ..... or joining the Civil Service. I never complained when people discussed the much higher wages they received in the private sector for doing similar work or talked about their company cars etc. - because in my 30's I made the choice to join the Civil Service. Nor did I complain about my taxes going towards paying for Child Benefit, Unemployment Benefit or Housing Benefit, none of which I have ever claimed. I feel really sorry for anyone whose pension has been decimated but I certainly see no reason to have to apologise for being a civil servant who chose a 'safer' career, when others didn't.
After many years working in the private sector I applied for the Civil Service because of the conditions & security it offered, taking a £4000 pay cut in the process. For the first 3 years of service, even after annual & performance pay rises, my wages still had to be stepped up because they would have been below the legal minimum wage. For me the lack of a decent salary was counterbalanced by the benefits that came along with the job i.e. working conditions, unlike my previous job where I had to cancel holidays at the last minute, due to lack of cover & the security of permanent employment, having been made redundant twice previously.
Scooby, I hardly think your husbands example is typical – with the average Civil Service pension being below £7000. From the figures you have quoted I presume he is in a top management post – which would equate to about 2% of the Civil Service work force. It would be like saying every bank clerk will receive the same redundancy package as “Fred the Shred”. He must also be a very lucky man to be able to wander in & out when he pleases – I can assure you that the other 98% (including presumably his own staff) would be sacked for doing the same.
I think it's sad that some people have to look for irrelevant scape goats rather than taking responsibility for their own decisions.
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Okay; I'll play.
With deepest sympathies to those who have lost out; presumably you chose to work in the private rather than public sector and that this choice was because the private sector held certain attractions to you. In purchasing a private pension you purchased an investment vehicle like shares or property. Like negative equity in property a shrinking pension is the flip side of the boom years.
Public sector pension schemes are part and parcel of the terms and conditions of work which otherwise, by and large, are much less attractive than those in the private sector whether it be salary levels, annual pay rises, performance rewards, career opportunities, workplace conditions, job satisfaction etc. In comparison to comparable private sector opportunities, its small wonder that civil service management level jobs in London a few years ago had to be filled by casual staff.
I'm sure you're right to feel aggrieved that your investment didn't return what you were led to believe it would but I fail to see why you should then be miffed with public sctor workers - were they in some way responsible, If you do wish to question the very existence and likely future costs of public sector pensions that is an other issue entirely. Given the choice over again, knowing what you now know, would you have chosen to work in the public sector?
PS - Public sector workers pay tax also.
Mr Cat
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Cat coughing
in Pets
I'm really sorry to hear your latest news. You're doing all you can for her & I know will continue to do so - knowing what is best & not to stressful for her. I really hope that your vet will be able to give you better news next week & that continuing the steroids will improve her condition. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you. -
[quote user="Dog"]
The major reason Sein Fein finally after very very lengthy talks agreed to end hostilities was because the UK government paid them off. During the 'talks' for example they were being paid £1000 a day expenses no wonder the talks dragged on and on.
Now others think perhaps it's their turn to get to the trough.
In Eire three years ago I met some very militant IRA who had lost friends to the UK military and were ready to give me a good battering just for my accent. I had to assure them that the dead wouldn't be brought back through violence and that many in UK think that Ireland should be returned to the Irish.
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Dog. Sinn Fein being the richest political party in Ireland, it is unlikely that Stormont expenses swung the argument. More likely being rewarded by greater political concessions than they managed to achieve through decades of violence.
Many in the UK (sic) may think that but it is not in their gift to expel a population that is an integral part of the UK.
The Irish republic has had independence since 1921. The majority of the population in NI are British and are happy to remain part of the UK. Northern Ireland now has a devolved power sharing assembly. What more needs to be given back and what excuse remains for continuing violence?
Any solution that ignores the fact that there are two traditions is no solution at all.
Mr Cat
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My money is on the French sub sitting right up the exhaust of the British sub - just before trying to overtake. [:D] Or maybe they were late getting home for lunch!! [Www]
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[quote user="PaysansG"]
Get dusting, Tony [:D]
In the first instance I'm thinking that we should get as many people as possible to hit the Exportability Team inbox (and I have a name!) with demands for reinstatement!
Will put something together next week.
Tina
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If I can be of any help - count me in.
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Thank you PaysansG & wild geese for your replies. I really wish that another, more appropriate department was dealing with my appeal. A department that actually deals with DLA or the exportability of benefits - which has as least an inkling about what is happening & not just an outside agency that the Northern Ireland Civil Service has passed all their cases on to.
I guess I'll be back on the phone on Monday morning trying for the 100th time to get the facts across & desperately trying not to either lose my temper or (more like me) bursting into tears with frustration. What a nice way it'll be to spend my Birthday!! [:(]
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I've been following this thread closely as I also had my DLA payments stopped in July 2006, when we moved to France. After appealing (as advised to on this forum [:)]) I have had nothing but trouble & what I can only describe as incompetent help!!
Having moved from Northern Ireland my appeal is being dealt with by “The Appeals Service” in Belfast who have absolutely nothing to do with the DSS & are a separate sub-contract organisation who seem to know nothing about the changes in the EU legislation (during one phone call the clerk asked me to let him know if I heard anything about the EU ruling as they had never even heard about it!!)
I received a letter yesterday stating that I have to attend a tribunal, in Northern Ireland, on 6th March. This is the 3rd such letter I have received & although I have written & phoned them explaining that due to the circumstances of my appeal a tribunal is irrelevant, I am still being asked to attend a hearing. At least they say I can claim a refund on any Ulster Bus fares .... brilliant!!
I would love to know if there is anyone else from NI experiencing similar problems – or if anyone has any suggestions? ...... before I pull the rest of my hair out!!
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I think we'll have to head out & buy a couple of new receivers - preferably before the kick-off of Northern Irelands World Cup qualifier!!
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Thank you both. We have just tried the small TV from the kitchen in the lounge (easier to move!) & it will only receive static (flickering beween static & blue screen), so we are now pretty sure it's the wireless remote boxes which are not working.
We have also tried the unplugging suggestion, but to no avail. As for the thought of even owning a Plasma or LCD TV ..... I wish!!
Could it be possible that we somehow need to reconfigure the remote boxes to the sky box?
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Can anyone recommend a trustworthy and competent artisan in the Charente/Charente Maritime border region (Jarnac/Rouillac area). I noticed this morning that we have lost a number of roof tiles from the main house. I'd have a go myself but (a) I'm chicken and (b) don't have a long enough ladder!
Many thanks
PS - Is this damage likely to be covered by insurance?
Mr Cat
![[IMG]http://i308.photobucket.com/albums/kk325/markatards/FerrrariF12009.jpg[/IMG]](http://i308.photobucket.com/albums/kk325/markatards/FerrrariF12009.jpg[/IMG]){kind=link}
The summer's coming. It's time for a hair cut...
in Pets
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She is lovely, isn't she!! [:)] Maybe I'll just wrap her in cling film, to save on the hoovering, instead!!