General Chat

Hi Tec and Barbra, You both sneaked in while I was posting, was cold at first this morning and then sunshine all day.

Diane x

Hi Berona, Sue, Diane, Barbra, everyone,

I have actually been doing some research and got carried away. You know how it is when something suddenly clicks into place, and you knaw away at it like a dog with a bone.

Been another lovely day here, but very cold tonight, so the heating has been on.
I hope you are all ecstatic and beside yourselves with glee today

Tec

Good evening everyone,
Barbra your mention of hanging baskets just reminded me that I bought some winter flowering pansies for the hanging baskets this morning. I had forgotten about them,i wonder where OH has put them? I will have to try and remember to plant them up tomorrow

Hello to Barbra, Berona, Alison, Linda, Diane Sue and Tec...my apologies if I have missed anyone

Linda pmsl...perhaps your watch is doing what we keep telling you to do..unwind.

Berona, I'm miffed! it took me ages fossicking in the waste bins at the back of C*les to find that bunch of flowers...no easy matter at 3.00am in the pitch black.

Barbra Where did you get the impression that I'm 5' 3"....I'm al least 6' in my six inch stillettos.

Tec, where do the ladies get the notion that we can't function without each other/

Allan

Diane - you make me tired just reading about what you do! Don't over-do it!

I have a not-so-pleasant task to perform to-day. One of our neighbours has not paid her quarterly fees all year (and a bit more) and faces legal action - so I have the (doubtful) honour of talking to her to make sure she understands her situation. I'm sure she is financially embarrassed, and I don't like to pry but have to make her understand how serious it is. She is a lovely European lady who is sometimes hard to understand - and she sometimes doesn't understand the full meaning of what is said....I've invited her to come in for a coffee so that we can talk - but I have no idea of what I am going to say to her....I'm dosing myself up on coffee while I try to even think how to get started!

Oh dear Berona, you could try "Pay up or you're out", but maybe you want to be just a tad more subtle

Berona,

Talk to her as you talk with others on this Thread (I exclude Tec and myself as you talk to us like the twits we are:0))) )

Just lead gently into it and say that it has come to your attention that some fees have not been paid, perhaps she has forgotten; let her know that the consequences would be serious and, without knowing how your association is structured, perhaps making the offer of paying off the arrears by increased quarterly payments in the future, although if she has no cash that won't be a solution.

Does she have any children whom you could contact?

All in all, not a situation that I would like to be in


Allan

On second thoughts, I think that Allans solution might be better

Hi Allan
How do you walk in those heel's, I have a problem in 2inch one's.

Berona my saturday's are not usually that bad, it's just that I was to tired yesterday to do my shopping and as for the ironing I had let it pile up, so I decided before I had gone to work that the ironing was to be done when I got home, so before I sat down and changed my mind I just got stuck into it lol

Diane x

Well, Linda - that is the attitude of our strata manager - but those of us who know her, don't want to see that happen. This kind of legal action could lead to her being declared bankrupt and she could lose her home. I doubt that she realises that.
To add to her dilemma, we voted to engage a consultant to inspect all of our homes whilst still under builders' warranty - at a cost per unit of approx. $1000. She was not at the meeting when this was decided, so even though she said she didn't want to be part of it - that was added to what she already owed, as the decision meant that all were involved. I feel sorry for her that this was added onto what she owed, but most of us have paid this off monthly and the last payment is due next week. I know she has changed her jobs a couple of times; she has back-traded her car and had the phone and internet disconnected, perhaps other things too - so I can see she is trying, and I feel sorry for her.

Diane, I usually take the heels off when I get to the grassed areas.

My offer for the ironing still stands....but from the sound of it you may be charged for excess baggage by the airline :0))

Allan

It is a difficult situation Berona. I don't know your system ,but are there not any state benefits which she would be entitled to?

Hi Linda,
I went to the garden centre today tp get winter pansies for my pots.It's a waste of time having hanging baskets here in the winter because the severe gales we get blow them to pieces. Anyway, I wanted bright yellow ones, because they look cheerful in the wintwer light, but they only had rather drab varieties, so I left them.

Good Morning Allan, I really don't understand why the girls think we need to hold each others hands on here. I am quite happy to be in here alone, albeit with my bullet proof vest, and tin hat on, as I'm sure you are.

Berona, An unenviable task, but I'm sure with your wisdom you will find the right way into the conversation with this unfortunate lady.

Tec

No children, Allan. She is in the country alone. An only child, parents died in their early fifties and she decided to travel. Brought her dog (now nearly 18) - that's all she has. I think she had a couple of job which relied heavily on commission and I don't think they were successful. Prior to that, she paid her fees on time and in full.
I left her a note saying we (exec.committee) had been advised of her arrears and I would like to talk to her. She then knocked on my door and said she would come for coffe this morning. I hope that does mean she WILL talk about it - I think the other exec. members are relying on me to give them a reason for asking the action to be delayed.

Ok Barbra...I'll be Heathcliffe to your Kathy (Shades of Kate Bush)

I used to be cuddly until I dropped from 85 kgs to 67 kgs, although my weight has increased a bit recently as my walking became a bit hit and miss

Allan

Yes Linda, but she seems to be working - a lot - perhaps extra to earn overtime - but that's what I need to find out.

I just have one hanging basket which is in a sheltered spot Tec, plus a couple of plant pots in old chimney pots. They are just outside the patio door,so give a bit of colour in the winter.
The leaves are coming down with a vengeance now. OH used to try and rake them off the lawn, which is hard work. We have a petrol lawn mower and he discovered that if he raises the blades so they don't cut the grass, it is a far easier just to run over the lawn and take the leaves up that way

Allan, did you seethe link to Howard and Marina in Last of the Summer Wine?

Linda, what type of grass is planted for a petrol lawn??

Allan

funny man Allan