2021 Quick Daily Posts

[Mabel Figworthy]

Woohoo for nice needles (R) and for having completed a task and being paid (S)

[wendywombat]

I had some Bohin needles in France. At first I couldn't get used to them, they were so smooth and finely finished.
Now they are my first choice.

[rcperryls]

Woohoo for nice needles (R) and for having completed a task and being paid (S)

I agree! I use John James 28 petite needles. Started that when stitching on 32 and 28 count fabrics. Now everything else feels bulky and cumbersome, so no matter the size, that's what i use. And I just read a long (very long) post on our neighborhood newsletter forum about customers/clients not paying for work completed when the job is done, but postponing and delaying payment. I was surprised to see how many others replied with similar complaints.

Carole

[fccs]

Postponing/delaying payment? That's awful...most businesses need payments so they can make their own payments. I have an acquaintance who works for Instacart. She said Instacart shoppers can see the tips on the orders and that of course is something they consider when accepting the order. Unfortunately, she said people often lower or completely delete the tip after delivery, even when delivery was perfect. Wrong wrong wrong.

[Serinde]

The chap whose book is now with the publisher is exemplary when it comes to paying -- by return, which now means straight into the bank. I've worked with him for over 35 years, and many volumes, so really we are pals -- just sorry he's moved down south. The worst payers are those who easily can -- a major publishing house kept me waiting for months. Eventually, I fined them (as the law allows small businesses to do), and then they paid up with interest. But really.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Yes, as you say it's the ones who can afford to who often don't. Perhaps they are so big they don't care about their reputation

Stitch Magazine, in the days when I started contributing to them, paid very well and paid promptly the moment they had the article and stitched models in their possession; now they pay less (although still better than many other mags, some of which don't pay contributors at all ) and not until about a month after the article is published, which is about 5 months after I've handed in all the work. Still, I do realise real paper magazines are struggling at the moment so I'm not too bothered about it, but if I was actually making a living from it it would be awkward!

[Serinde]

I wonder if the change has something to do with the general financial mess the Embroiderers' Guild finds itself coping with over the last few years?

[Mabel Figworthy]

Possibly - the cover has also become less thick and glossy...

[Serinde]

Global supply issues have certainly hit the publishing industry, especially for exactly that sort of paper. Plus it's a bit more expensive, of course.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Argh! I've been trying to get those flipping stitched models mounted today but work keeps interfering. I know it provides our bread and butter and heating and light and all sorts of other very useful things, but really, it's terribly inconvenient

[rcperryls]

Having been unusually productive in domestic tasks last week, I went on a binge of doing laundry. 5 loads, which for me is a little more than usual, and on the 4th load I suspected that my 30+ years old washer and dryer were not quite up to snuff. I thought I smelled something like a motor overheating. no smoke, no flames. Thought it was my imagination. As the 5th load finished in the washing machine, I was pretty sure that something wasn't right. I thought about calling a service man, but the reality is the call would probably be half the cost of a new machine and it was pretty questionable if there are even parts available. The washer and dryer are the only appliances that we brought with us when we moved in and I don't remember how long we had already had them. Anyway, I now have new ones which are more energy and water conserving than my old friends. However, a positive about this happening right before Xmas is that I decided that more personal gifts would be required for family. There is a wonderful website that converts photos into all manner of things. Blankets, mugs, pillow cases, make up cases, glass cases , jigsaw puzzlesetc. I have used them before and now have great ornaments coming for children and grandchildren. Much less than it would have cost me, I'm sure, but so much better. I was thinking of telling them that their Xmas presents were that Grandma won't visit in dirty clothes, but knew that would be really tacky. I showed them to my neighbor and she said to send . Ornaments for the grown-ups (I think this may be a new tradition) and jigsaw puzzles for the children. And I had a lot more fun deciding on the photos and items than I ever have had wandering the aisles of a store.

Carole

[Serinde]

I've been giving the Boys tree decorations for years now, in the hopes they would use them once they had their own homes and Christmas trees... one day!

All machines eventually give up, and yours lasted longer than most from the sounds of it. More energy efficiency and less water use is always good.

Re visiting in dirty clothes... did the students ever return from university with a bag of "dirties"? It would be the completion of the Circle of Clothes, then, wouldn't it?

[Mabel Figworthy]

Hope the new washer and dryer give you years of faithful service! And the personalised ornaments and jigsaws sound like a great idea, they will know that you chose the pictures especially with them in mind.

[richardandtracy]

Unfortunately we are now bringing FIL & MIL clothes home to wash... And the kids are there, so we're washing for 6 at the moment.

I'm glad I have a stinking cold at the moment, apparently FIL's clothes are rank because he has refused to have a shower or any significant wash since my MIL broke her hip & went to hospital 6 weeks ago. The hospital doesn't wash private clothes, which is why we have to do a pick-up & drop-off when we visit. And FIL would leave his to fester in the machine, because (in his words) 'It's not my f***ing job. It's the stupid cow's job.' Nice man. His social inhibitors have been stripped away by his mental illness, exposing more of the real person underneath.

The current level of care my FIL is getting at home is going to cost £500 (US$675) a month when the emergency period of grace expires in 2 weeks, and we hope to get his agreement to paying it without too much more flying crockery. If not, it has to be a nursing home. And given his levels of pleasantness and co-operation in everything, I think we'll start looking for nursing homes in the North of Scotland or maybe Northern Ireland. They say 'Be nice to your children, they chose your nursing home...' I wonder if FIL ever deigned to hear that little homily. (OK, I am joking, but in some ways, wish I wasn't)

Regards,

Richard

[wendywombat]

I am full of sympathy and understanding for you and the need to find appropriate care for your FIL.

My late father was a most objectionable man and towards the end of his life even more so. His house was indescribable. Meals on wheels food uneaten and left to fester in cupboards for Months and his clothes.....I shan't describe the state of them here, nor the state of the bathroom!!
The house was full of rubbish, he'd never thrown anything away
When he was finally placed into a care home it was a great relief to us and his carers, half of which he'd sent packing as they were "interfering and stealing" from him. Not true but he was certainly taken advantage of by one such volunteer.
He spent his last days in irritated confusion in a care home and the sale of his house paid for that.

I hope you can find a placement for your FIL which will be understanding to his needs and far enough away from you not to require regular visits!

[Roland]

Ooh Richard! I remember those days all to well.


FIL was never one to wash regularly. MIL made him wash before church on Sunday. (He was the minister after all. ) After she developed Alzheimer’s he just stopped washing altogether. He said “it’s quite interesting, but old men do not smell”. I pointed out, that was true…if you are talking about their nose…they lose the ability to smell. However, their body stinks to high Heaven!

After MIL passed, and FIL developed cancer, he was staying with us between treatments. We had a carer coming in to clean him. He got quite upset that this stranger was washing him, even his “you know”. And said he would not allow it again. I said it would be a lot more embarrassing and possibly painful if I were to start washing his “you know” and he decided to allow the carer.

[richardandtracy]

I an so sorry that Tracy & I are not the only ones who have been in this situation. I'd prefer no-one was, but I'd rather it be restricted to us than being widespread. However, just to be contrary, I'm glad it's not just us that life has picked out to be dumped on for some gross infraction we can't remember...

Thank you so much for your sympathy & solidarity. It is a balm.
Wendy, that must have been horrible for you. And Roland. Oh yes. It might come to that. Eww. Not looking forward to it.

Regards,

Richard

[rcperryls]

Not quite been there as we were fortunate to have a wonderful step-mom to take care of our dad and he was only half as ornery as y'all have described. My grandfather wasn't that difficult either but he did manage to get himself tossed from a few retirement/nursing homes until my father and uncle could find a place that he could tolerate and that could manage him. We knew it was the right place because he complained about the fire drills (we were delighted that they had them), that the movies they ran on movie night weren't what he liked and other activities he didn't like (but he went to them and we were glad that the notices in the elevators were actually taking place)and that they did regular room searches to gather hidden food (secret hoards of forbidden items like candy for diabetics) and liquor bottles that could have awful effects when mixed with certain medications. He lived to his mid 90's. My uncle (his older son) died from cancer while my Grandfather was in the home. He died 6 weeks later. We weren't surprised as he had told my father (his younger son) he was not going to ever bury another child. Hard on my father but understandable.

Richard, I feel for you both and Tracey and hope that y'all can find a home that will care for him. And if it is a little far away, that would be an extra added attraction.

Carole

[Serinde]

We are waiting for the first named storm of the season to hit later today -- high winds, rain and possibly snow. Just in time for our Thanksgiving bash on Saturday, of course. And DH is under the weather (sinusitis)... it's all happening! At least the tablecloth is ironed.

[richardandtracy]

Good luck with the storm. Hope you're braced...

As for 'Thanksgiving', I wonder how many are being celebrated on this side of the pond? It's one holiday that really hasn't been widely taken up here. I wonder if it will take off eventually like Halloween seems to have done - that was equally un related to UK popular culture before being adopted. In the 1980's I really cannot remember anything about Halloween here, it was all 'Guy Fawkes & the Gunpowder Plot', 'Penny for the Guy' etc etc.. That's been lost in the Halloween stuff & the only desultory remnant seems to be fireworks aimed at scaring everyone's pets.
In some ways I really like the 'Addams Family: Family Values' take on Thanksgiving, with the speech Wednesday gives before destroying the Thanksgiving play is hilarious.

Regards,

Richard