rgbstock
4 Letter Words
1. krayker16 July 2010, 13:45 GMT +02:00
You can only change ONE letter, AND/OR rearrange the letters currently available. The first word is:
WINS
8450. xymonau18 July 2013, 15:07 GMT +02:00
That scan looks excellent, Michael. I don't have a scanner or printer, but I hope to get them one day. I found when I owned them previously I seldom used them, and printing photos on a home printer was really expensive. However, since getting into images (I always say that as I'm no photographer and most of my stuff is graphics) I have seen some really interesting things done with scanners, and that has inspired me.
Your Mum is doing really well. A good age and independent as well.
I looked after my parents a lot as they aged. Not so much cleaning or things like that for them, but driving them everywhere when Dad got too frail to drive, and shopping for them, etc. They had me later in life, so they were a lot older than the parents of my friends. After Mum died, Dad moved in with me and I had him there for four years. Eventually he went to an aged person's place in another town, as I was moving to Brisbane and starting uni studies. One of my sisters lived in the town, so she could visit and see he was okay. I always felt I killed him because he died twelve months later. But that's how life goes and you can't go back. He was becoming very frail, and I was raising my son and trying to earn a better living. I would pass it up if I had my time over, but hindsight is always much clearer, isn't it?
To be honest, I think family should help out where possible, simply because the elderly (and disabled people and children) being cared for by people who don't love them are so vulnerable. I've also met several dreadful aged care nurses who were drug addicts and generally people you wouldn't invite into your home. Often nurses who had been sacked previously, but who were able to get employment in that industry in another state. Several of these were homeless men. I would hate to think my mother was being cared for by some I've met.
However, I'm also a realist and I don't think I could manage to help an elderly person as I am now. And I wouldn't mind going to an aged care hostel if I began to have health issues that needed supervision. I'm just not sure about full on nursing homes.
I got a funny email about the toilet in my new home earlier this week. I had asked whether the septic had been cleaned recently (sometimes they block up and need this). The owners told my solicitor that there was no septic, just a "rubble trench". I was aghast, and immediately looked up this horror on Google. Couldn't find anything except house foundations or similar. I phoned the agent, and he explained that the owners clearly had no idea. The rubble trench is the end stage of a septic system. Once the bacteria have completed their task, the resulting liquid goes through the rubble trench and is absorbed into the ground. (Sounds awful, but lots of people have these systems and they work just fine. They're also very natural.) I was relieved that I had a standard form of a toilet system!
I hope you have had no more headaches, Michael. And have you solved the wool issue, Christine?
If you came here you would
feel
disorientated trying to cross the roads. I felt that when I went to the US. You get in the habit of looking for traffic from a particular direction. I nearly got run over at the airport in Los Angeles shortly after I arrived! LOL And it felt just wrong travelling in cars and doing a left hand turn. ARRGH!
8451. Groningen18 July 2013, 20:41 GMT +02:00
@Michael: that scan looks really good; can you PB me some details about what to take care of when you make scans (adjustments?)
@Dez: o me o my sometimes I get these crazy ideas and I have to follow them. I was happily knitting the second sock for my mother and determined that I wouldn't mind giving her two different socks when out of the blue I wanted a pair of comfy house-socks for myself and wanted them finished on Thursday.
So since Tuesday late afternoon I have been knitting like crazy finishing a pair of thick cotton socks, knitting until one in the morning knitting until my wrists hurt and now I have almost finished them (only the toe-part of the second sock).
Why? I don't know.
But I still have time to finished my mothers birthday gift.
I won't buy a second knot because at almost 9 euro they don't come cheap and I feel bad throwing away lots of good wool only because I don't like the color.
In tiny letters it's printed on the wrap "every sock unique" s*h*i*t*
and I have been busily cleaning my apartment;
the good thing about cleaning up is that you find lots of things to throw out and make room for new things which I will throw away in a couple of years LOL
tomorrow I will travel to Zwolle and pick up my niece and we will have a nice long weekend here. The weather is going to be extra nice to us and we are planning a trip to the open-air swimming pool De Papiermolen (The Paper mill) http://www.de-papiermolen.nl
I really don't like those indoors tropical- swim-paradises bleh, give me fresh air even when it rains the swimming is lovely. Sadly enough I seldom swim.
aka wrong side of the road driving>>>I almost got run over trying to cross a street in London even when it is printed on the road *eek*!
felt
update: corrected the name, sorry Michael ;-)
8452. Ayla8719 July 2013, 13:06 GMT +02:00
I was driving around yesterday to see my alternative practitioner once again. This time she told me I should try to do yoga to relax more. Well, I'm not too sure if that will be the right thing for me. I
feel
like I might end up as a knot or something, we'll see.
Apropos see - you can see the drive if you want. I wasn't driving by car, of course, I drove by bus. The practitioner lives in Kleinmachnow, which is just outside of Berlin. Exactly where Berlin ends Kleinmachnow begins.
Here you can see what it looks like there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbDr_v04dbs
No great video quality, a lot of reflections from the window, no glasshouse mountains in sight and I have nothing to tell you...
Oh, I admit I haven't understood that rubble trench thingy, because my understanding of such handicraft issues is quite limited. But I'm relieved to hear that after all everything seems to be up to usual standards... I suppose there is a sort of time scedule for the fresh water tank and the septic tank how often they need attention. It would be nice to get some experiences told by neighbours, they certainly have similar systems.
8453. xymonau20 July 2013, 5:58 GMT +02:00
I went on the bus ride with you, Michael. Your camera is good and clear, and it was excellent. What a pretty place! I love the gingerbread architecture in places, and the place is full of trees and nice and clean. The left hand turns worried my balance a bit - as our right hand ones would yours!
I gather those are automated announcements regarding the next stops? Very modern and nice. I really enjoyed it. I'll never get to Germany, so it was nice to experience it like that.
Yoga seems to help a lot with some health issues, but I'm not into the spiritual side of it. Would Tai Chi also be an option?
I have been reading up about septic systems and greywater systems (which I'll have) and there is a lot of science to them. You also can get sick if they malfunction, so I am going to be scrupulous about what needs to be done re maintenance.
Christine, I understand completely. I once got it into my head that I was going to make a little dress for someone's daughter. I had to just sit there all day and finish it. Everyone got sick of me as I commandeered the kitchen table, but I did finish it, and I felt really good. I think if I had put it away that I might not have gotten back to it. It was also a bit complex (for me, that is) so I needed to concentrate.
That swimming centre looks fabulous - lovely large pools. Indoor swimming centres are not as common here. We have them, of course, but I suppose because of the mild climate they have never been as popular. I agree - getting into the sun while you have a swim is the healthiest option, as long as its warm enough. I hope you both have a really fun day.
Cleaning - argh! Yes, I have to bite the bullet and start doing a lot to prepare for my move. My hands have been so sore that I have used that as an excuse, but no more excuses. I have a lot to throw away. I have a habit of keeping things "just in case". My son claims I'm a hoarder because I recycle plastic bags. He makes me laugh. He just hasn't been poor enough to appreciate economy.
I have so much still in boxes, but I will use things like old linen once I start letting the birds out again, to keep the furniture and floors clean. Birds do their droppings every 15 minutes. That's the theory. I think it's more often.
leaf
8454. Ayla8720 July 2013, 12:55 GMT +02:00
Nice that I had your company with the bus drive. Yes, these announcements are automated. The bus driver has to use the board computer to play them automatically... The name of the next stop is also on written display in the bus which is a good help when you are not familiar with the area there.
Today I was fast enough to
lead
Mimi in front of the camera:
http://abload.de/img/mimiv3ukr.jpg
http://abload.de/img/mimi2pwsyj.jpg
8455. xymonau20 July 2013, 14:20 GMT +02:00
Wow! What a pretty face she has! She's beautiful! Has she settled more? And how is her health? Is she playing?
deal
8456. xymonau21 July 2013, 6:19 GMT +02:00
Oh, dear! I just received an email from my solicitor to say there are outstanding building and plumbing requisitions. Obviously there are serious problems if the council requires change. I'm paying for a search of the records, but I suspect I am not going to get this house either. I am limited in what I can afford to spend on repairs. Plumbing - especially with a septic system - is vital and very expensive. We will wait and see, I guess...
8457. Ayla8721 July 2013, 8:24 GMT +02:00
That sounds risky, but I have no clue if the council would go so far to force you into bankruptcy. Maybe you can talk with them about the situation. Find out if they hear to a
Lady
Mimi is doing very well, her health is good with only minor problems which don't seem to disturb her too much. She plays quite a lot even at nights so that we better take away her toy mouse in order not to disturb our neighbours. And she doesn't like to be left alone. When we go shopping she is huffish, but also very happy when we're back.
8458. xymonau21 July 2013, 10:05 GMT +02:00
Well, that's a great change. It sounds like she feels at home at last.
No, the council requirements are not negotiable, but I need to find out what they are. They don't involve themselves in pipes and the like, so it has to be the septic or greywater tanks. They cost about $7 to $10K to replace. Also, the building is mentioned. That may be the height of the soil, but if it is anything else, it may cost a lot. I would be disappointed, but I have to be realistic. I can't fix things without money. I could make an offer of less money to the owners, but I think they would take their chances on finding someone to ourchase as is - and they would get another buyer.
lade
8459. Ayla8721 July 2013, 12:12 GMT +02:00
Yes, we have no doubt that Mimi feels at home here now, she is really relaxed and well at ease.
You should definitely try to get the price reduced when the costs are clear. Your best argument is that every new owner would have to bear these costs anyhow, so that they have no chance anymore to sell the house for that price now. You, on the other hand, would, buy right now for a fairly reduced price without them having any more fuss.I think it's worth a try.
land
8460. xymonau22 July 2013, 8:23 GMT +02:00
I haven't heard from the solicitor re my questions, but I may be able to force the owners to fix whatever is wrong. I will be philosophical again if I have to. *sigh*
The weather here has been really annoying. It keeps raining. We have only a few moments of sunshine a couple of times a week, or the skies are dull, or it's drizzling rain, interspersed with heavy rain. It's miserable! Our winter is supposed to be dry and bright. I feel ripped off this year! Still, the rain has made it warmer. I'm in a short sleeved shirt today (I have reverse cycle air con at work if I need it) and I don't feel cold at all. The skies are frowning away outside and I think it will pour down just about the time I have to take the bin out this evening.
damn! :o)
8461. Ayla8722 July 2013, 11:08 GMT +02:00
31°C over here today
damp
not my kind of wheather, I don't like too much of summer, you know...
working in the dark so that the warmth of the neon lamp doesn't add to the heat in my office...
8462. Ayla8723 July 2013, 7:12 GMT +02:00
@Christine sorry, but I can't give good advice for scanning images, for me they are all different and I visually try out what works best. That needs a little bit of experimenting. Automatic scanner settings and then some photoshopping to adjust brightness and contrast will also mostly serve fine. I try to offer rather large scans because I know that the users at RGB are quite hungry for big photos.
lamp
8463. xymonau23 July 2013, 7:26 GMT +02:00
31C is hot. I like my temperate weather, too. I was walking under the gloomy clouds this morning feeling very depressed, but the sun has peeked through the cloud cover this afternoon (it won't last long) and it lifted my spirits. Fortunately it's also cool. I believe tomorrow is supposed to be fine, for a change. We'll see. I have washing draped all over the place at home. Not very tidy, but it does dry out eventually.
What's the worst town you've ever visited?
I think the worst place I've been is Rockhampton in Queensland - about 4 or 500kms north of here. It's ugly, has weather extremes of cold and hot, and the people would have to be the unfriendliest on earth. Horrid place and I hope never to go back. It sits right on the Tropic of Capricorn. I'll find some photos eventually and illustrate the joys of the place. One thing they do have is a beautidul botanical gardens, but that isn't enough to make up for the rest of the place and the obnoxious residents.
palm
8464. Groningen23 July 2013, 20:14 GMT +02:00
it might surprise you but the worst place I have been to is Paris!
Hot hot hot and very unfriendly people who speak a horrible dialect brrr
it is hot here to, too hot to think, too hot to sleep; maybe there will be thunderstorms tomorrow and than it will cool off/down
thanks for the info Michael, right now my computer alone is adding more than enough heat so I will postpone scanning until the temperature drops
I had a lovely weekend with my niece, we played Mario Kart a lot and we both enjoyed the swimming and cooling water. But I did get a severe sunburn, my back side (not my bum that was covered!)
difficult to apply lotion to an area that is just out of reach LOL
I managed to finish the socks in time; the knitting is sloppily done but that's okay because they are house socks (why does that remind me of Dobby?)
calm
8465. Ayla8724 July 2013, 7:27 GMT +02:00
Some years ago I have visited Halle an der Saale which may be basically a nice little town in eastern Germany, but when I stepped out of the central station I was greeted by ruined skyscrapers ("Plattenbauten"), looking something like that, only that nobody lived there anymore:
http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/mhY4Fjy/
It was a very sad welcome for tourists. Generally every town has its unfriendly spots, sometimes smelly and untidy places. But there is always hope that these areas get renovated one day. Peoples friendliness is a bit harder to renovate... And there are indeed some horrible dialects around, in Germany, too... I don't like the bavarian dialect, for example. But that seems to be a matter of taste or a question of acclimatisation to get used to it.
Oh yes, I'd love to have an own house-elf. But for the time being Mimi will have to be sufficient.
male
8466. xymonau24 July 2013, 23:34 GMT +02:00
Just make sure you don't give Mimi one of Christine's socks!
It's interesting hearing you talk about dialects. Of course, with English widely spoken, there are many differences in various countries. The odd thing about Australia is that it is huge, but we all sound much the same. I guess it's because the English speakers settled relatively recently.
However, over time there are slight differences appearing. You can pick a Sydneysider by the way they pronounce their Os. They strangle them a bit and they sound even more like "oi" as in the word "point". This has been getting worse over the years. I lived in Sydney for 7 years and it wasn't obvious at that time.
South Australians have a recognisable accent as well - but mostly to the trained ear. It's a little bit "posh", but I think that might be because a lot of German people settled there in the early days, and I imagine they were speaking precise English as their second language.
But we fall very far short of actual dialects. I think one of the worst versions of English is the really broad Scottish accent (and I am part Scottish myself via my grandmother). I once watched a Scottish movie. At first I thought it was a foreign language film, but I kept recognising words. It dawned on me that it was an extremely thick accent and dialect of English. It was agonising! Since it portrayed uneducated people, I guess in every country you can pick those who have had less education. I know I speak better now than I did before I became a white collar worker.
exam
8467. Ayla8725 July 2013, 10:50 GMT +02:00
Some of the German dialects sound really nice, I like the saxon dialect, it sounds quite funny and I have known the saxons to be very friendly and homelike people. But not everyone likes their dialect, it really is a matter of taste. The dialects certainly sound like different languages and are sometimes hard to understand. So Australia must be a paradise for tourists because it is easier to come around with your good old school English.
For Sunday the weather forecast predicts that we are about to get 38 °C, so I think it's better not to leave the house. That's just not funny.
Still no news on outstanding plumbing work and costs?
beam
8468. xymonau25 July 2013, 13:23 GMT +02:00
I had the official letter re settlement today. I have to go there on Tuesday - settlement day - to inspect the premises to ensure they are left in good condition. I think I get to keep the keys then. Once I approve the solicitor hands over the bank cheque and all the deposit money and solicitor's fees are taken out of my account, leaving it quite barren. This is genuinely scary. I have to survive and work until the monster is paid for now! Or sell it after a couple of years. We'll see. At least I won't be at the mercy of landlords any more.
However, no, I have no word on the problems. I called the solicitors today and they will get back to me tomorrow. I need this cleared up before I move forward. Also, the agent is going to go there tomorrow to settle once and for all whether there is a septic tank - there's certainly a big tank that looks like it - as the owners are still saying there is not. I think they are very dumb.
Actually, if you have learned British English our accent is not too bad, but our slang terms are very different. If you have an ear for American English, then you can have a few problems with the Australian version. I like the South African English accent. The most dreadful accent I ever heard was a Canadian girl who had lived here several years. She had a cross between her original accent and the Aussie one. It was UGLY! She was a nice girl - we wagged school together - but she was nasal and just awful when she spoke. The mad lady that used to abuse me when I came home at night was Canadian, and her accent had taken on some Australian hints, and it was ugly, too. Poor Canadians. Someone should warn them! LOL
To be honest, our accent is rather ugly. We don't hear it with each other, of course, but when you hear the contrast between an Australian and, say, a Brit, we don't sound great. However, when I arrived back in Australia from the US, it was like music to my ears to hear the accent again. In New York it felt like I was on a movie set all the time! The New Yorkers were friendly people, however, and generally had the best manners.
bear
8469. Groningen25 July 2013, 19:54 GMT +02:00
movie set as in Crocodile Dundee??
the Dutch have a wide variety of accents although the Friesians call theirs a language ;-)
our former prime-minister Balkenende originated from Zeeland (the province not the archipel) and it was noticeable even though he was educated (Nerd).
It took me a long time to understand Gronings but now I can utter a few typical expressions like nait soezen (quit moaning).
In Germany I think people from Berlin have the funniest accent (no disrespect).
dear
8470. xymonau26 July 2013, 9:05 GMT +02:00
Crocodile Dundee? LOL - yes, probably a bit, but I do know what a bidet is. And I wasn't romping around with a buxom blonde. I stayed with an Italian family in Corona. However, I did use the toilets at the Plaza hotel twice, so I felt quite posh. Couldn't afford their pastry trolly, though, could I?
I am always impressed with the standard of langualge on here. Most people have English as their second language, and the written word is perfect. I would still like the oppotunity to speak another language before I die. It's unlikely to happen, unless I emigrate. Now I'm a mortgage owner, my dreams have ended!
doer
8471. Groningen26 July 2013, 20:20 GMT +02:00
so Dez owns the house?
It's celebration time
bring in the soup
who knows it maybe the solution for the mould!
The rest of your life starts here > .
We could from now on post only in German, that might help you learn a second language? Not that my German is any good, right after school finished I dumped all superfluous learning; after all English is the lingua franca heute ;-)
BTW I finished the blue birthday socks two days ago, knitting with virgin wool during a heatwave is NOT funny LOL
I am too lazy to make pictures and show the socks on Facebook, you will have to be patient sorry. But I am glad that there was just enough blue yarn left after I cut out all the black/grey; phew that was close... leftover material was only about 10 inches of yarn :P
and now I am knitting blue cotton fingerless gloves for myself because my hand clings to the Wacom tablet in an uncomfortable way
the first and second time I knitted a glove I failed but I have found a different pattern, so this time I hope (keep you fingers crossed) that the results will be wearable
the weather outside has cooled but in "da house" it is still stifling warm bleh
dose
8472. xymonau27 July 2013, 3:54 GMT +02:00
That was really lucky to have enough wool, Christine. When you say "fingerless" gloves, do you mean like Michael Jackson or like mittens? I assume it isn't mittens, as that wouldn't make sense. But then, with a Wacom, it might. I have a very old and cheap Wacom, but I find I am now more accurate with the mouse than that. For some reason I rarely use it. Do you use yours to do your silhouettes? They are awesome.
Did your sunburn heal in a short time? I'm really pale, with lots of light freckles, and although my skin is a bit tougher now, I still burn easily. The last time when I had a severe sunburn the unbearable soreness was followed by unbearable itching, and that was the worst.
Do you keep in touch with your niece? And is she a good swimmer? My granddaughters are learning well, although one is better than the other. But they love leaping into the water and making big splashes. Last summer, at a motel with me, they spent most of the time getting out of the water and diving back in.
No, please don't write in any other language! I'll have to rely on the Google translate button, and we all know how effective THAT is. Most of the time you can get a vague idea of what has been said, but sometimes the results are hilarious. For example, someone on Facebook mentioned me in Portuguese. I translated and my name is "Ten Bread". I know "Pain" is a French name (it's my ex-husband's name) and that it means bread in French, but I hadn't thought about my first name at all. Quite an odd moniker (name), really.
Our weather continues to be cloudy and rainy most days, with a rare brief patch of sun. This is going to make moving awkward. I don't get the keys until Tuesday, Christine, but the train is unstoppable now, and the house will be mine. The solicitors told me yesterday that they were too busy to discuss the council problems with me but that it could be sorted out before Tuesday, whatever that means. I find it more than frustrating that they can't take five minutes to let me know what the problem is. I need to know if I can move straight in or if there is some major repair to be done first. Before I move any of my stuff over there, I want to have the place sprayed and the termite barrier put in place.
I wasn't kidding about them taking all my money. The legal fees are huge, with search fees for council records - $250 for the press of a button and a printout for just one item. I am not going to buy anything new - except perhaps some basic curtains for privacy - and I will look for second hand items that I need. I was going to buy a new bed - mine is very old and uncomfortable - but I don't need that. What I do have to purchase is a front loader washing machine. My machine needs an expensive repair, and is old, but it also uses a lot of water. Front loaders use far less water, and I have to keep that in mind now. I'd also like a small freezer, but I probably won't buy that for now. I'll continue to make do with the freezer on my refrigerator.
I have waves of excitement about it all, but I always try to maintain a balance until it's done. And the sheer effort involved in moving and organising things has to be addressed first. Given that I can hardly grip a cup at times, I am going to rely on friends and family quite a lot. I'm very lucky, and I'm so relieved to be getting out of rental. By the way, in the middle of all this, the rental agent sent me a notice that they want to inspect the premises again (they do that every three months). I don't want to tell them I'm leaving until it's all under control, so I'm going to have to have the place tidy and not look like I'm moving out on the day. Hopefully I might have been able to give notice by then, anyway. But in a small town you can't always get your carpets cleaned, etc, when you want them done, and there can be delays.
dove
8473. gesinek27 July 2013, 15:59 GMT +02:00
German dialect are so different e.g. I can't understand someone from Bavaria, when they talk their dialect. A few years ago we staxed for hollydays in Bavaria and went to a rural restaurant for dinner.
The owner came to us with friendly greetings, looked at me and wanted to know what I like to drink.
I looked at him as if he's from outer space, dont understand anything. But the guy who stayed there with us was used to that dialect and he only said: She takes a beer too.
But I understand a little bit dutch, cause we have a dialect here called Hamburger Platt which is slightly similar to dutch.
