quote:

---

Originally posted by Ian Climacus:
but one thing I am slightly concerned about it me having enough low denomination notes to go around. I tend to use card for everything.

---

Cards are pretty common in the US these days. About the only places I regularly spend cash these days are the canteen at work and the bar, and both of those places will take cards (it's just that cash is faster).

US ATMs almost uniformly in my experience hand out $20s and nothing else. Buying something for a few bucks with a $20 is completely normal. (Yes, there are ATMs that carry other denominations - there's one in the downtown branch of my bank that has singles - but they're not that common.)

Usually if you pay for a service in $20s, you'll get change including the kind of notes that the server is hoping to get back as a tip

As Brenda noted, change is almost completely worthless in the US. $1 coins exist, but you're unlikely to be given any in change. 25 cents is the largest coin you're likely to encounter. Don't leave change as a tip, but rounding up bill+tip to whole dollars and leaving that is OK.

You're going to want to tip 15-20 percent for a restaurant meal. A buck a drink is normal in a regular bar; more if it's a fancy place. 15% is about the going rate for taxi/limo drivers.

[ 10. January 2018, 00:37: Message edited by: Leorning Cniht ]
 

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Posted by Ian Climacus (# 944) on :
 
Thank you all; exceptionally helpful, and puts my mind at rest. I was not sure if tips could be given by card [and Pete expresses some of my concern about who gets them!], but that would make it easier. Luckily I have a fee-free (even OS) debit card.

Now to get in the mindset of tipping. Coming from a non-tipping culture, it is so easy to just forget.

My sincerest thanks again.
 

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Posted by georgiaboy (# 11294) on :
 
Also on the subject of restaurant tipping:

You will find very few -- almost no -- restaurants that include 'service' in the bill. (Which I found quite common in Europe).
The few which do so are found mostly in NYC, Chicago & California.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Always glance over your bill to be sure they haven't already added 'service' in. This often happens if it's a large party. Also it's worth checking if the bill is correct, and (if you hand the server your credit card) that you're getting the correct card back again. All those dark-gray Visa cards, very similar in a dark restaurant.

If you're traveling, it's worth phoning your credit card before you leave, and telling that you're going to Georgia or wherever it is. (Use the customer service # on the back of the card.) This prevents them from tagging the unusual charge as a stolen-card charge, and freezing your card out. If your card is tied to your cell phone you might get a text or automated call, asking you to confirm that it was you who just charged $200 in Atlanta. But if you don't have a cell, or you fail to reply to the text, they could pull the plug on your card and you'd be stranded without it.
 

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Posted by Lots of Yay (# 2790) on :
 
Many of the banks allow you to do that online. I know NAB and ING both have functions on their apps to tell them that you’re going overseas, which countries and which dates you’ll be away. Although I must say the ING people are very friendly when I call to tell them about my travels and always wish me a good trip.

What I found annoying in the US was how difficult it was to find an ATM that would give me money. My cards generally work everywhere... except there. I also dazzled the staff at one shop by showing them that their credit card machine had tap and go functionality. That was a few years ago now but fairly sure I could only use contactless payment at that one shop. Everywhere else wanted signatures. I had never ever used a signature with my visa debit card before that.
 

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Posted by simontoad (# 18096) on :
 
Good on you Ian. Enjoy the trip. I almost never tip in Australia (although I did yesterday after 4 hours in the pub getting larger than standard whiskies). I tipped everywhere in the States - its necessary for those poor bastards in the service industries. We used the credit card to pay for the meal and left cash on the table. I'd also give people who took our bags to the room a tip, although if you are staying in mid-range Holiday Inn type places, you lug your own bags. For random services like that I'd give what I had, and hope it was a tenner.

Ordinary thing that freaked me out the most: No kettles in hotel rooms for making hot drinks. No kettles anywhere in fact. We tried to buy one so my MIL could have her powdered coffee drink fix.

One question to USA people: Is it considered appropriate politically to lower your tip below the 10% mark for bad or below-par service? Obviously, from a rich leftie perspective, but I'd also especially like to hear from someone who relies on tips, or did when younger.

Also if you stay at a mid-range Holiday Inn place, should you tip room staff and reception? Maybe not for a night, but what if that was your base for a week?
 

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Posted by simontoad (# 18096) on :
 
Ian, many petrol stations in the US have pay at the pump. That's their preferred method I think. But the pump wouldn't take my NAB visa. You just have to go inside and pay there. Don't tear your metaphorical hair out and be all stressed like I was the first time
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
I do not believe one tips the reception person at a middling hotel, but you could leave a tip in the room for the chambermaid, who will surely be able to use it.
If you get bad service in a restaurant, see if you can determine who's to blame. Your waiter may have been panting to bring you your food, but the kitchen had fallen off the sled about cooking it. In nearly all cases it's worth complaining to the management instead.
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Re kettles:

I'm surprised that there weren't any. There's usually *something*--I'm used to a glass carafe and a special hotplate. Some places provide microwaves, so you could heat water there.

You might look at a drugstore or department store for a "hot pot" or electric kettle. (Drugstores like Walgreen's or CVS.) Be mindful of whether it actually has an off switch, or if you have to unplug it to turn it off. (May sound obvious, but people don't always notice that sort of thing.)

You might also look for an immersion heater. Basically, pieces of metal attached to a cord and plug. You put the metal end directly into the liquid, and plug in the cord. That heats up the liquid. I've never seen one with any kind of switch, so you would have to unplug it *and* place the metal end on something non-flammable to cool.

You could also check with the front desk. They might have a kettle to lend or rent.

FWIW.
 

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Posted by simontoad (# 18096) on :
 
we couldn't find any kettles at all in places like Walmart but I don't think we thought to look in Drugstores. That's one of the areas we differ I think. Drugstores mean Chemists and to us that means medication, perfume, health supplements, bandages and small bags of lollies for diabetics. The other possibility is that we just didn't have the eyes to see kettles because they were called something else or put in an area where we don't think to look. We will be back in California around Thanksgiving, so I think we will go explore a drug store. My wife likes to post pictures of stuff she finds weird or funny in shops on her facebook page. I think there is a Walgreens in Sutter Creek. It rings a bell. I think its logo is cursive script on a slant...

Thanks for answering my queries re tips too guys. If you give a stuff (and I do) it can be a bit of a minefield.
 

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Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :
 
Target stock kettles. They'd be the first place I would look.
 

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Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :
 
Re tipping for housekeeping - it is worth taking some envelopes to put the tip in and writing ‘for housekeeping’ on them. If you just leave money lying around, they may just think it is your loose change.

Kettles in rooms are rare in much of continental Europe too. Coffee makers are becoming more common though.
 

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Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :
 
Bear in mind that to many in the US, a kettle is the old fashioned metal thing you put on a stove. The electric kettle is not ubiquitous in people’s homes as it is in the UK.

I have friends who take a travel kettle with them.

As for tipping - on the other message board I frequent, that is the equivalent of a Dead Horse! It gets very heated. I would say, if there is a problem, bring it up politely with the manager and give them a chance to sort it. If the service is really bad, let them know why your tip reflects that, otherwise they will just think you are another foreigner who doesn’t understand tipping. But I have to say, I have never had bad service.

Things to bear in mind (from the perspective of a UK visitor, I can’t speak for Oz):

If you tend to order starter and main course at the outset, you may find they bring the main before you finish the starter. This is due to cultural differences. To avoid it you can either ask for a break between courses when you order, or just order one course at a time.

Incidentally, appetisers = starter and entree = main course, not starter as it would be in France.

The other cultural difference is clearing plates. I have seen so many Brits complain about rude service in the US because the server cleared their dirty plate before others in the party finished eating. But this is good service in the US, they don’t want you sitting looking at a dirty plate.

Also you may find the server puts the check (bill) on the table before you have finished eating. Again, Brits may feel they are rushing you to finish and pay. Nope - it just means you don’t have to flag someone down when you finish.

[ 11. January 2018, 05:33: Message edited by: Gill H ]
 

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Posted by Ian Climacus (# 944) on :
 
You people are wonderful!

Thank you all so much.
 

---

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gill H:
Bear in mind that to many in the US, a kettle is the old fashioned metal thing you put on a stove. The electric kettle is not ubiquitous in people’s homes as it is in the UK.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:
Target stock kettles. They'd be the first place I would look.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
Unless you have vast luggage it's a bore to carry a kettle with you. I like the notion of an immersion heater, but even with that be sure they'll work with the local plugs/wattage. (There are jacks you can buy so that you can power your coffee machine -from the port in your computer.- If you plug your computer in to charge up then it works great.) As long as your hotel isn't of the most economy class, I'd ask at the desk -- they'll lend you one. Most hotel rooms now have a coffee setup en suite.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by balaam:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gill H:
Bear in mind that to many in the US, a kettle is the old fashioned metal thing you put on a stove. The electric kettle is not ubiquitous in people’s homes as it is in the UK.

---

Bear in mind that some US electric kettles are set not to come to the sort of rolling boil that is required to make a decent pot of tea. In Northern states nipping into Canada for a kettle is not unknown. So that is not a bad thing.

---

quote:

---

Many of the banks allow you to do that online. I know NAB and ING both have functions on their apps to tell them that you’re going overseas, which countries and which dates you’ll be away. Although I must say the ING people are very friendly when I call to tell them about my travels and always wish me a good trip.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
Unless you have vast luggage it's a bore to carry a kettle with you. I like the notion of an immersion heater, but even with that be sure they'll work with the local plugs/wattage. (There are jacks you can buy so that you can power your coffee machine -from the port in your computer.- If you plug your computer in to charge up then it works great.) As long as your hotel isn't of the most economy class, I'd ask at the desk -- they'll lend you one. Most hotel rooms now have a coffee setup en suite.

---

Electric coffee pots do not typically boil the water, so aren't suitable for making tea.

Standard computer USB ports provide up to 0.5A at 5V, which is a mighty 2.5W. The specific heat capacity of water is 4.184 J /g /K. At 2.5W, and assuming perfect insulation (!) it would take 8.5 hours to raise the temperature of an 8 oz mug of water from room temperature to 100 degrees C. A standard 1.5 kW US electric kettle will accomplish the task in 50 seconds.

Or there's always the microwave (many hotel rooms have a microwave), but it's a little tricky to judge when the water has reached boiling point in a microwave (although dropping a teabag in superheated water is always amusing).

---

This is an amazing post. Truly wonderful. I knew a fellow who was absolutely fanatical about tea. He would print this post out and keep it in his wallet, I'm sure.

 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
If I may ask, what is the advantage of bringing water for tea to a rolling boil?

Thx.
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
BF--

I've heard "First Gentleman" most often. I like it--it's the exact counterpart of First Lady.
 

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Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Golden Key:
If I may ask, what is the advantage of bringing water for tea to a rolling boil?

Thx.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by bib:
Re tipping: Are there any services in the US for which one doesn't have to tip?

---

quote:

---

Why do I have to tip, particularly if the service is bad or non existent

---

quote:

---

and what will happen if I don't tip?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by cliffdweller:
But us Americans-- we're just not that into tea.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ian Climacus:
My friend, a fellow worshipper of the demon brew, dragged me to Peet's on numerous occasions. The look of horror when my other friend suggested Starbucks had to be seen. I quite liked Peets: good coffee.

Thanks for the continued tips (ha!) all.

I'm staying at 2 B&Bs: may I ask the rules for tipping there?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
@Golden Key - yes, 'First Gentleman' sounds OK.

My rather uncharitable thought was that Mr. Clinton rather spoiled his presidency at one point by not behaving in a gentlemanly fashion...

IJ

---

That part aside: at his best, he'd be an excellent First Gentleman. E.g., he'd have great fun arranging who would sit next to each other at state dinners. Much mischief. Unfortunately, he hasn't been at his best for a long time.

If Hillary had become president, I figured there should be a rule that he couldn't meet with a woman alone, unless the door was open. He's an admitted sex addict. Or he could go into a cloistered monastery for several years.
 

---

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Ohher--

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ohher:
Well, here's my query: Do any shipmates have experience with wearing tabi-style shoes?

As I age, I've developed a bunion and a hammer toe, and wondered if the split-toe tabi shoes from Japan might be helpful in preventing further damage.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ian Climacus:

I'm staying at 2 B&Bs: may I ask the rules for tipping there?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ohher:
Well, here's my query: Do any shipmates have experience with wearing tabi-style shoes?...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Golden Key:
Ohher--

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ohher:
Well, here's my query: Do any shipmates have experience with wearing tabi-style shoes?

As I age, I've developed a bunion and a hammer toe, and wondered if the split-toe tabi shoes from Japan might be helpful in preventing further damage.

---

I think I tried some, long ago. Big toe separate from the others? That's like flip-flops. If you try *those*, you might get an idea.

Tabi *socks* felt weird to me.

Good luck!

---

Haven't tried those, but my son who has rather widely spaced toes swears by Vibrams which have all 5 toes separated. He loves them and says his feet actually hurt if he uses regular shoes. They have a similar feel as being barefoot, some runners swear by them.

Word of caution: you MUST get the five-toed socks that go with them and wash them every day or your 5-toe shoes become impossibly stinky. We tried everything-- baking soda, soap & water, lysol-- once they develop the funk there's no getting rid of it. So socks washed every day is a must.
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
cliffdweller--

Did you try Borax? IME, good for both odors and stains. There are probably detailed instructions online.

NOTE: It's important to rinse the washed item *very* thoroughly with water, afterwards. Borax can irritate sensitive skin.

FWIW, YMMV.
 

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Posted by simontoad (# 18096) on :
 
Ohher, I have a protrusion from the knuckle joint of each big toe that I thought was related to gout but looks like the bunion on the wikkipedia page. My toes don't have a slant though. They don't give me any trouble YET! Not compared to the trouble I had with gout anyway.

In my disability work, people often develop trouble with their feet, and getting the right shoes is very important in helping them with pain management and remedial stuff where appropriate. If you haven't yet consulted a foot person, I recommend making the investment. Specialised footwear can be expensive but you might also be able to pump your foot person for info on what sort of stuff or foot positioning would be most helpful.

One of my clients whose toes fold underneath her feet wears slippers and those sock shoes only - very cheap! She's in a wheelchair so not much rubbing, but hard to match with a party dress

[ 13. January 2018, 12:25: Message edited by: simontoad ]
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by cliffdweller:
...So socks washed every day is a must.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by cliffdweller:

Word of caution: you MUST get the five-toed socks that go with them and wash them every day or your 5-toe shoes become impossibly stinky. We tried everything-- baking soda, soap & water, lysol-- once they develop the funk there's no getting rid of it. So socks washed every day is a must.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by simontoad:
Never heard of Peets.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by lilBuddha:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ian Climacus:

I'm staying at 2 B&Bs: may I ask the rules for tipping there?

---

The general rule of thumb I have heard and use is that if the owners are also the staff, then no tip. If they employ others as staff, tip housekeeping ~$5 per day and meal service the standard 20%.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by North East Quine:
American shipmates- does UTF stand for something? I sent a Christmas card to an elderly relative who lived in a senior living community in America. It was returned to me today with UTF in pen and a sticker saying "Return to sender. Not deliverable as addressed. Unable to forward" I don't know whether my relative has died, been moved to somewhere that provides more care, or whether I misaddressed it. [/QB]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
Double check to be sure you didn't write the address wrong. Then, contact the care home. She may simply have been moved to another floor or another facility. (Sometimes merely putting the wrong room number gets the mailpiece kicked back.) If the family has moved her somewhere else they may have a forwarding address. If she has passed away they almost certainly know that.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
I have no idea how the mail people do this. But a lot of the delivery is now computerized (that little bar code printed by the PO at the bottom of your envelope) so the wrong room number can be an issue.

---

I guess it would depend on whether the postal carrier delivers and sorts, or if the mail is delivered to the home where an employee sorts it.

But if the person has changed rooms, or moved elsewhere, or joined the bleedin' choir invisible*, there should be a forwarding order on file. If my card to her was returned unforwardable, what about more important correspondence that didn't reach her?

*Well, I guess there's no forwarding address to there.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
I deal with the returned mail here at my office. I would judge that a goodly percentage of it, about ten percent, is perfectly correctly addressed and sent to a recipient who is there and has not moved. Nevertheless the post office drops the ball and tells me they're not there. I phone, and the recipient tells me that no, their address is the same and they've been there since 1979. There is nothing to do at that point but to blame the postal people.
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
I've exchanged Christmas cards for many years with a woman who attended a church where I used to work and then moved across the country. She had mentioned in previous years that her health was failing (cancer), and in her Christmas note in 2016 she said that it was probably her last Christmas, and she was o.k. with that -- she knew something better awaited her and her suffering would be over. I sent her an Easter card last year*, not something I normally do, and received a nice note of thanks. This year I sent a Christmas card and did not receive one in return, but that could just mean that she was too ill to respond. My card was not returned "unforwardable." So this morning I Googled obituaries and discovered that her suffering ended in August. I guess my card to her was dumped in the trash either by her facility or by the post office. Rest in peace, Jean.

*It's very difficult to find an Easter card that doesn't have (a) Bunnies, or (b) lots of cheerful talk about life.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
I wrote an article for a magazine recently, about things to do to make it easier for your survivors after you die. The major stuff (decluttering, your will) we all know about. But it's also useful to have a handy lit of people who ought to be informed when you pass away. People like the Christmas-card list, or the folks you play bridge with, or your online hangout here at SoF.
 

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Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
I wrote an article for a magazine recently, about things to do to make it easier for your survivors after you die. The major stuff (decluttering, your will) we all know about. But it's also useful to have a handy lit of people who ought to be informed when you pass away. People like the Christmas-card list, or the folks you play bridge with, or your online hangout here at SoF.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
I called a care home to check the address of a friend when a card to her was returned as undeliverable. The woman who answered was very nice and polite, but due to privacy concerns she could not tell me anything. It turns out my friend was still at that facility, but in a different room. (So why didn't the person sorting the mail know that?)

---

Privacy concerns... "It's worse than that they're dead Jim dead Jim dead Jim. It's worse than that they're dead Jim dead Jim dead."

[ 22. January 2018, 20:17: Message edited by: simontoad ]
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
My middle brother lives in Chicago. I am going to make a wall hanging for his birthday next year. Usually I would hang it from a piece of dowelling I don't know if it exists there under that name , but it's a length of round wood that comes in various diameters (think broomstick handle right down to kebab stick size). I want to send the hanging without the pole it's to be hung from (due to postage costs).

My questions are; does it exist there?

Would a place like Wal-Mart sell it?

Huia -postal cheapskate
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Huia--

Yes, we have doweling, dowels, dowel rods here. (Various names.)

He can get it at a hardware store or an art store.

ETA: In my experience, it's usually pretty cheap.

[ 26. January 2018, 05:40: Message edited by: Golden Key ]
 

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Posted by Sparrow (# 2458) on :
 
I'm having an intermittent problem with my DAB clock radio. I've had it several years and it's never played up before. But now periodically the sound becomes very distorted, voices and music on all stations sound like they're coming from underwater.

Is this likely to be a hardware problem, ie some problem with the speaker, or maybe interference from outside, e.g. a neighbour's broadband or something? I've been trying to work out whether there is any consistency in when it happens but it seems to be any time of day or night, sometimes it is ok for days at a time then it will play up for a few days, then ok again.

Any ideas anyone?
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Thanks, Golden Key. Good to hear that the terminology is the same, as it simplifies matters from this end.

Huia
 

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Posted by LutheranChik (# 9826) on :
 
Facebook question here: I am still listed as administrator for a Facebook page I started for an organization that I’m no longer a part of. I still get notifications for stuff I no longer care about. How do we get my name off the page?
 

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Posted by Ian Climacus (# 944) on :
 
Do people still put two spaces after a full stop, or has that gone away in the digital age? I do, and didn't think about it until I saw a tweet on it, suggesting we were Luddites.
 

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Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :
 
A friend certainly does.

Jengie
 

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Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
I still do too. But I probably am a Luddite.

M.
 

---

Posted by Sparrow (# 2458) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ian Climacus:
Do people still put two spaces after a full stop, or has that gone away in the digital age? I do, and didn't think about it until I saw a tweet on it, suggesting we were Luddites.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sparrow:
I'm having an intermittent problem with my DAB clock radio. I've had it several years and it's never played up before. But now periodically the sound becomes very distorted, voices and music on all stations sound like they're coming from underwater.

Is this likely to be a hardware problem, ie some problem with the speaker, or maybe interference from outside, e.g. a neighbour's broadband or something? I've been trying to work out whether there is any consistency in when it happens but it seems to be any time of day or night, sometimes it is ok for days at a time then it will play up for a few days, then ok again.

Any ideas anyone?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sparrow:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ian Climacus:
Do people still put two spaces after a full stop, or has that gone away in the digital age? I do, and didn't think about it until I saw a tweet on it, suggesting we were Luddites.

---

That is certainly what I was taught to do many years ago in secretarial college! One space after a comma, and two after a full stop, semicolon or colon.

My current version of Word doesn't like it though, and I keep meaning to go into the settings and force it to do what I want. Does anyone know if that is possible?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sparrow:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ian Climacus:
Do people still put two spaces after a full stop, or has that gone away in the digital age? I do, and didn't think about it until I saw a tweet on it, suggesting we were Luddites.

---

That is certainly what I was taught to do many years ago in secretarial college! One space after a comma, and two after a full stop, semicolon or colon.

My current version of Word doesn't like it though, and I keep meaning to go into the settings and force it to do what I want. Does anyone know if that is possible?

---

It's easy to fix in the final version. Go through and do a global search and replace, subbing in a single space for all double spaces.
If the thing is going to be published, the magazine/book people will go through and force the house style onto your Word doc anyway.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
Thanks, Golden Key. Good to hear that the terminology is the same, as it simplifies matters from this end.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
... But it's also useful to have a handy lit of people who ought to be informed when you pass away. People like the Christmas-card list, or the folks you play bridge with, or your online hangout here at SoF.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ian Climacus:
Do people still put two spaces after a full stop, or has that gone away in the digital age? I do, and didn't think about it until I saw a tweet on it, suggesting we were Luddites.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ian Climacus:
Do people still put two spaces after a full stop?

---

Of course. Civilization has not disappeared completely.

Interestingly, we use Dreamweaver to edit MW reports for publication and to prepare the various MW index pages. Dreamweaver will automatically delete the second space.
 

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Posted by aliehs (# 18878) on :
 
A comment about Rossweise's advice concerning decluttering:
I am without family where I live; my cousins [of whom I am now the oldest] all live overseas, but we enjoy good communications, and I have been to see them about 2 years ago. I took the family jewellery and distributed them appropriately, or at least as I wished, and asked about the various bits of family memorabilia that I have here, and who wanted what. To my surprise, no one wanted anything, with one exception, a shepherd's crook .[ This cost me an arm and a leg to send, as I couldn't detach the crook from the handle, so it made a very odd shaped parcel].

So, it is all very well to declutter, but I can't and don't want to chuck stuff out or sell it on EBay, while I can still enjoy it,[and do].
I have threatened my friends that I will leave some smallish antiques and paintings with labels on the back, and that they should come and rescue them once I have gone, but my solicitor is my executor, and I haven't told him about this arrangement.
All monies including funds from the sale of the house are going to charities, but it is the disposal of personal items that challenges me.

Any Ideas?
 

---

Posted by aliehs (# 18878) on :
 
sorry, I was trying to remember and of course it should have been Roseweisse's comment.

But a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Not a lawyer, and I don't know much about wills; but maybe say "any personal belongings not otherwise designated should be given to (charity name)".
 

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Posted by Pangolin Guerre (# 18686) on :
 
No - be much more precise than that. Label things as you intend, but catalogue them as to who gets what, and give a copy to your solicitor so that he/she can amend the will accordingly. Alternatively, dispose of items in advance, if that's possible. (That has the great advantage of making your intentions clear and indisputable because you have presented one and all with a fait accompli.)Perform the "What could go wrong?" mind experiment, assuming nothing about people's good behaviour. Similarly the proceeds from the sale of the house. Specify the charities clearly and the precise proportions they are to receive from the proceeds of the sale. Your solicitor should know to do this, but keep him/her up to speed on your intentions.

My mother's will was a masterpiece of clarity and simplicity, and my sister and I agreed on the division of the furniture, jewellery, and art in my mother's presence. Drinks all around.

[ 04. February 2018, 05:42: Message edited by: Pangolin Guerre ]
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Well, it was my way of keeping it as simple as possible.

Certain specific things would be designated for certain recipients--and I'm thinking just a few things (or even 1) for who I pick.

Anything else (other than papers, which should be handled separately) would be given to a charity I would name--one which has a hauling truck. No further sorting needed. A lot of books, and some household stuff.

I don't have family as such--a few estranged folks. So I don't have to go through the fuss of wrangling over who gets what. (Whew!)
 

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Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
On the Styx thread about Ship mugs, I had enquired about microwavablity of said precious recipients of life-giving fluids.

Having now, as a friend said, finally arrived in the ... 1980s , and got myself a microwave oven (!), a question:

Can you actually make tea in that machine?

So far, I'm playing around with max setting (800W) and up to 2 mins for reasonably hot water (the bag - yes, I know, sadly no loose leaf tea for me! - is put in later), but I find the reasonability to be rather at the low end of the acceptable.

Any suggestions? (Re-heating a cuppa is ok for me, and truly a nice feature, but this here is about the first brew.)

Thanks.

[ 08. February 2018, 09:54: Message edited by: Wesley J ]
 

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Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :
 
I've never put my Ship of Fools mugs in the microwave but I do regularly drink hot coffee from them and wash them in the dishwasher.

I make tea by boiling a cup of water in the microwave (not, admittedly, not Ship of Fools mugs) and then steeping a teabag in the water. But hey, I'm American.
 

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Posted by BroJames (# 9636) on :
 
I would have said that for tea ‘reasonably hot’ water won’t do. You need to make sure it’s thorougly boiling. Then take it out of the microwave and add the tea bag promptly, ideally cover (otherwise it will cool too quickly) and allow to brew. Then remove tea bag and add milk etc. if you use it.
 

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Posted by Wesley J (# 6075) on :
 
Yep. I love to hear and then pour the 'rolling boil' of the kettle (which is a whistling one on the stove for me)!

From what I've read about microwaves, they will not 'boil' your water, but bring it to just below that. I think that must be the sudden tiny bubbly effect for a very reasonably high temperature I've noticed in a water-only SoF mug. For my appliance, that seems to happen at 2 mins 30 secs at max setting. I guess I can live with that; it also means that the mug itself gets quite hot, perhaps a bit more so than when using kettle-boiled water. Bag follows then, milk and sugar later, if desired.

Hm. Though I must say I somehow miss the sound of the boiling kettle and the whistle compared to the so sexy and 'modern' (for me!) miniature-wave device. And I miss putting in the bag before the water. But it does stop when it's done; the whistling stove kettle had me quickly and prematurely de-shower myself more than once!

 

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Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :
 
The water will boil in the microwave. Having tried this years back. The water will look still but if agitated with boil over. Sometimes explosively.

As an 8-10 cup a day tea drinker not a tea bag drinker, the water should be just still for black teas, about 80°C/180°F for green and yellow teas, just slightly more than green for oolong, slightly less for white.

The price for loose teas is more up front, but you get 225 cups per pound. You have to be careful in tea shops. They hang onto dried out old leaves and charge far too much. I've mail ordered tea for decades.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
You can make tea in the microwave but I consider the result highly inferior to using the kettle. Kettles are now widespread in France since tea has become fashionable but this wasn’t always the case and the go-to for many French people was the microwave.

In my experience, it always leaves a layer of foamy scum on the top of the tea.
 

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Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Wesley J:
From what I've read about microwaves, they will not 'boil' your water, but bring it to just below that. <<snip>> I somehow miss the sound of the boiling kettle and the whistle.

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Depends on the power of the microwave, I think. Mine brings water to a rolling boil that continues for seconds even after the cup is removed. And old age has robbed me of the ability to hear the tea kettle whistle anymore.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
The microwave is useful for heating up SOUP (in a mug, rather than a pan!) if the Episcopal Stove is taking too long (or I can't bear to wait any longer).

I have been known to boil water, and teabag, in the ping! machine, but yes, it does seem to leave a scum....

IJ
 

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Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :
 
The scum may be minerals in the water. (I'm known to take my own water on road trips to make tea with, if the water is suspected to be inferior)

Boiling tea in water. Yes, I do this when making chai, though it's 50% fake milk (almond usually), which is lovely on a frigid winter's day. (we're in the mid -30s this week)
 

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Posted by Qoheleth. (# 9265) on :
 
What's the most appropriate way to refer in print to those Indian cities that have changed their names in recent years?

quote:

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Ms X served as a Mission Partner with the CSI in Madras (Chennai) for 37 years.

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The place was Madras all the time that she worked there, becoming Chennai in 1996.
 

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Posted by Eutychus (# 3081) on :
 
"Chennai (formerly known as Madras)" is how I, as a translator, would put it if I put the old name at all. Which I would do if my audience was more likely to have heard of Madras than Chennai and I felt they needed educating.
 

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Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
And I, as someone who needed educating on this would be grateful that you did so.

Huia
 

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Posted by Eutychus (# 3081) on :
 
The whole art of being a good translator is pretending you always knew things that you have just learned through what you have just read

[ 10. February 2018, 08:12: Message edited by: Eutychus ]
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
This has come up in the course of writing a story about vampires. As you know from Bram Stoker, one may defend against vampires with the paraphernalia of Catholicism -- crucifixes, holy water, etc.
My question is: Is there a Protestant equivalent? Would reciting the Westminster Confession of Faith be sufficient to repel a vampire, or do you need a real physical artifact? Which would be a problem, since the Reformation cleared out all those relics and crucifixes and stuff.
 

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Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :
 
Protestants still accept the cross (minus the corpus). I suppose if you brandish that, or perhaps the Bible (King James, of course), at a vampire it would put it to flight.
 

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Posted by Robert Armin (# 182) on :
 
Read the 39 Articles! That should settle their evil vampire ways.
 

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Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :
 
I think it's in the Roman Polanski movie "Fearless Vampire Killers" that a vampire who was Jewish in life is presented with a cross and says something along the lines of "Oy vey, have you got the wrong vampire".

(Just checked on IMDB.com and yes, that's the line)
 

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Posted by Hedgehog (# 14125) on :
 
There was an X-Man comic where Kitty Pryde (Jewish) holds a cross before Dracula. He laughs and brushes it aside and grabs her by the throat, because she has no belief int he cross--but Dracula then gets burned anyway because she is wearing a necklace with the Star of David.

This sort of ties in with the approach taken in Doctor Who's "The Curse of Fenric." The object isn't important--its the faith. A Communist soldier is protected from the vampires (although they weren't called that) because he has faith on the Communist Revolution. And it is suggested that the Doctor protects himself by reciting the names of his past companions--those whom he has faith in.
 

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Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Yes, that's also a common feature, which I may well use. But does it have to be something physical? Is a generalized belief in the Communist Party sufficient, or do you need your Lenin pin? (And, if the Communist Party would do, would Star Wars? What about SoF?)
 

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Posted by Rossweisse (# 2349) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
... Would reciting the Westminster Confession of Faith be sufficient to repel a vampire, or do you need a real physical artifact?...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Hedgehog:
This sort of ties in with the approach taken in Doctor Who's "The Curse of Fenric."

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Yes, and the vicar who has a bible in hand but no faith comes to a sticky end.

There's a Buffy episode where Willow wonders why a Star of David doesn't work against vampires, but they don't come to any conclusions.

Also the scene in The Mummy (1990s) where Kevin J O'Connor tries to ward off the Mummy by showing him a cross and when that doesn't work working through various symbols before trying a Star of David which the 'ancient Egyptian' recognises.

I think it's a recognisable trope, but no two people can agree what the rules should be. Post-Dracula crosses rather than crucifixes are more in use. You don't have to be Catholic to cross two candlesticks a-la-Peter Cushing.
 

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Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :
 
It comes into the German musical ‘Tanz der Vampire’ too. The Jewish innkeeper becomes a vampire and laughs when someone tries to use a cross to stop him.
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Also in the film "Love At First Bite". Dracula is having a restaurant dinner with his romantic rival (RR).

RR is talking D towards a confrontation, and suddenly pulls out a Star of David necklace from his shirt, in great triumph.

D flinches, reflexively, then takes a closer look. "I think you should find a nice *Jewish* girl, and leave [name] alone".

Really good scene in a fun movie.
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
BTW, good cast in "Love At First Bite"--especially George Hamilton as Dracula.
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Nicole--

quote:

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Originally posted by Nicolemr:
I think it's in the Roman Polanski movie "Fearless Vampire Killers" that a vampire who was Jewish in life is presented with a cross and says something along the lines of "Oy vey, have you got the wrong vampire".

(Just checked on IMDB.com and yes, that's the line)

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Thanks for this. I heard and used the line quite a bit, decades ago, but I don't think I knew the source.

 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Brenda--

quote:

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Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
This has come up in the course of writing a story about vampires. As you know from Bram Stoker, one may defend against vampires with the paraphernalia of Catholicism -- crucifixes, holy water, etc.
My question is: Is there a Protestant equivalent? Would reciting the Westminster Confession of Faith be sufficient to repel a vampire, or do you need a real physical artifact? Which would be a problem, since the Reformation cleared out all those relics and crucifixes and stuff.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Honest Ron Bacardi:
Wise advice, Brenda. (Even more so in the case of would-be amateur gas-fitting).

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quote:

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Originally posted by Sipech:
Question for any of the ship’s sparks.

A few weeks ago, a bulb blew quite spectacularly. I went to turn the light on and there was a momentary bright blue flash of light that lit up the whole flat. It tripped the circuit breaker and the bulb had a distinct scorch mark on it. Now, though, any bulb I try in that fitting doesn’t work. Yet the same bulbs work in other light fittings. I’m wondering if the fitting itself might somehow be dead. Is that possible?

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quote:

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Originally posted by simontoad:

Our next trip will be in November. We'll be going from LA to the Grand Canyon, possibly via a Mexican border town, then up to Sacramento via Death Valley and Yosemite, then over to the Monterrey area for Thanksgiving with my Yankee family and then up to San Francisco, from where we fly home.

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