Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Moving house

First, to forestall comments: yes, this building is indeed in need of a paint job, in places. It's in the works. It's been delayed. Somehow, despite the regular fee all of us pay to upkeep, the housing association have managed not to be able to find the money for it last year. (Normally done every four years.) And some of us have been arguing that they've been wasting money, because they paint the whole indoors and outdoors at the same time, and it all really does not decay at the same rate. There was also talk about it seemed they didn't use the best offer tradesman. Good grief...
[Update Wednesday: the first painter of the team actually arrived today, starting with our complex. He came in and is starting right now on the handrails by the stairs... which are in *perfect* condition, no need to paint them, except to make the layers of paint thicker and make the necessity of it's removal a couple years closer. Madness. Why not make an evaluation of the things which need doing?]

One of our neighbors are moving, small family. To a house with a big garden. Good for them. The guy has been stuffing their furniture and stuff in their station wagon for three days now, so far. What a job! You'd think you would find a way to rent or borrow a van, huh? And if he can't afford pro movers, at least he must have a couple of friends or colleagues to bribe with a beer come over so it gets done in an afternoon? But what do I know, that's his headache.


Lemon tree! Kewl. I actually didn't know you could get them to grow serious lemons at this latitude.

14 comments:

Michael Burton said...

Lemon tree very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.

But I'll bet you already knew that.

TC [Girl] said...

The lemon is WONDERFUL to eat: You can use the juice from a fresh lemon on MANY things, such as fish, chicken, or salads; the making a fresh lemon meringue pie; and even homemade lemonade.

My favorite thing to use a fresh lemon for? Squeezed into plain old yummy cold water! It's GOOD for you!

And...here's a *few* more recipes using lemon. Bon Appetit, Michael!! :-)

Michael Burton said...

I was quoting a song that was popular in the 60s, but is apparently forgotten now. Here's a YouTube video with a version by Peter, Paul and Mary. (I would ignore the video and just listen to the audio.)

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

(Put qoutation marks around quotes, makes it easier on the reader.)

I suspected it was a quote. But I only knew the song through Herb Alpert's superb instrumental version. (Which I'll post now.)

Anonymous said...

There are times you can't even bribe friends with beer to help with moving. Some of your stuff you shouldn't entrust to friends that have taken you up on the beer deal.

Popular bumper sticker in the US. "Yes this is my truck and no I will not help you move."

I have made a personal vow that the next major move I make, there will be but one item and there will be six gentlemen on the handles.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Hehe. I understand the sentiment.

One of my friends helped two friends, a couple, move last year. They worked for hours and hours, and they were far from finished, and he had to go. Now the thing is, those friends are really well off. Why the heck not just hire pros? I did last time, big relief.

Timo Lehtinen said...

Now the thing is, those friends are really well off. Why the heck not just hire pros? I did last time, big relief.

Same here. I've moved several times and I've always hired a moving company. Even when money's been tight.

If someone asked me to help them move house, I would be insulted. It means they consider my time less valuable than what it costs to hire one moving company worker.

Once or twice when something like this has happened, I've offered to pay for the moving company for them, hoping that they get the hint (especially when they are better off than myself).

They typically then explain that it is the socializing that matters. Carrying furniture is just the "theme" of the event. Well, in that case why not sit down for tea after they've settled in their new place. It's a much more civilized and comfortable way to socialize. Also, it is easier to talk when you are not short of breath.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Well said.
Moving furniture is both delicate and hard work.

I admit the first time I moved between countries, I used friends and a hired van, because I thought pros would cost a fortune. The second time I used pros, and it turned out it was actually cheaper!

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Oh... did they get the hint?

Anonymous said...

"I was quoting a song that was popular in the 60s, but is apparently forgotten now."

Not forgotten, TC Girl's just a moron. But then you all know that. I mean we're talking about someone who hasn't figured out to use italics after all.

Anonymous said...

If someone asked me to help them move house, I would be insulted. It means they consider my time less valuable than what it costs to hire one moving company worker.

Yes, but then you're a douchebag. Friends do things like this for each other. It's part of being friends. Also professionals are often careless, they will cover the cost if something's damaged bu some stranger doesn't give two shits about damaging something. Besides, what does a piss poor piece of shit like you have to move? A jar of mustard and couple of old cycle magazines?

Joe said...

"if he can't afford pro movers,"

Most decisions in life come down to cost.

If you have more time than money. Then you go with the thing that you have the most of. This guy has more time so that is what he is spending to do the move.
Joe

Aniko said...

Anonymous, you're so funny.

"Besides, what does a piss poor piece of shit like you have to move?"

Haha !

If I was writing a scenario, I would definitively be inspiried by your writings to build the bad guy's character.

Aniko said...

Coming back to my first thought:

It is wierd to me that houses engage companies to take care about the house. In France they do that too. Why don't they pay somebody from the house to do it? It must be a question of wealth, they have more money then time, as for the question of moving. But there are always problems with these companies tht take the money and actually don't really care about the actual situation.

In the two huses I have lived in in Hungary
- one, a with around 12 families, was taken care by one of the elderly lady living there.
They were taking the decisions togeather, voting, when there was a decision to take.
- the other house, 4 families, it was a turning job, each family was taking care of t for one year.

I can understand that people give this job away to companies because they don't want to deal with the problems themselves. But I d'ont understand why they don't chose somebody local, who is interested in dealing with the problems not only because of the money.