The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room #8

[TxRad]

Your idea might be the better story for the group here but I don't think it would pass the film industry standards for a TV show.

The midnight coffee will be a little early as I'm not sure when I'm going to come up from air next.

I figured out where I went wrong but the problem is easily solved by flipping the third chapter to the first and doing a little shuffling of characters within.

 

[DarkRaven13]

Time for bed soon ... good night all I'll see you for coffee when I wake.

 

[sirhugs]

The morning coffee is hot, dark and strong...

 

[oggbashan]

I need coffee.

Today is worrying. Both of our cars are having their annual roadworthiness tests (MOTs). We are going away for a short break next week and need the Volvo. If it doesn't pass -w we are in trouble. The wife's car, an older Skoda Fabia is less important. I can't get in it, so it is only used occasionally for the wife's shopping. But without the Volvo, I can't even get as far as the local shops and I have an appointment at a bank tomorrow. I could take a taxi for that. I'd rather not. Getting into some of our local taxis could be difficult.

 

[Handley_Page]

I need coffee.

Today is worrying. Both of our cars are having their annual roadworthiness tests (MOTs). We are going away for a short break next week and need the Volvo. If it doesn't pass -w we are in trouble. The wife's car, an older Skoda Fabia is less important. I can't get in it, so it is only used occasionally for the wife's shopping. But without the Volvo, I can't even get as far as the local shops and I have an appointment at a bank tomorrow. I could take a taxi for that. I'd rather not. Getting into some of our local taxis could be difficult.

My old Vauxhall is now booked-in for it's MoT.
I suspect it won't be cheap. . . .
And I have an appointment with the Eye clinic to see if I need a burst of the YaG laser treatment. I ain't lookin' forward to that.

But what I really need is coffee.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Bloody cars. Ours got damaged as they fixed something else during the MOT, so I needed a hire car last month, which beeped randomly and annoyingly. If the ULEZ expansion goes ahead, we'll need to sell it and buy a newer less-polluting one, but affordable automatics are like gold dust atm - even this one is allegedly worth almost what I paid in 2017.

If I didn't need it for family reasons I'd just sell and use public transport.

 

[TxRad]

Ah yes, cars and inspections both lead to insanity.

Good to see that the morning coffee got taken care of.

All modifications to my story have been made and everything is back on the right track. Now for a nap and then back to, uh, writing.

 

[DarkRaven13]

Good morning everyone. And mmmmm ... I smell coffee

Sorry to hear about everyone's cars. May I ask what MOT stands for? I see that Ogg mentioned it was a roadworthy test.

We used to have a similar thing here where I live, but they did away with it a few years ago. I think a study was done to see if the breakdowns we're worse or not if they were done, and they must have not found significant differences.

 

[oggbashan]

MOT? That is an abbreviation for Ministry of Transport which is now obsolete but people still call them MOT tests.

They are a compulsory annual road worthiness check looking at brakes, suspension, lighting, steering, and engine emissions.

But? Good News! My Volvo passed. We will collect it shortly and hand over the Fabia to see whether it will pass too. We expect it to fail and be scrapped.

 

[DarkRaven13]

Thank you for that definition Ogg. (Btw, I hope it's ok that I address you as Ogg. I think that's what I've seen others call you?)

And yayyy for the Volvo passing.

 

[MrPixel]

Where we lived 20 years ago had inspections. It was rife with fraud, in both directions. A sleazy shop - many dealerships would fall into that category - would fail your vehicle over trivia or a creative fiction, or for small private operations, a $50 bill clipped to your registration paperwork granted an immediate "pass".

Our current state has none. The two most noticeable problems I see on the road are vehicles with one operable headlight and windows with blacked-out limousine tints - even the windshield. Oh... and pickup trucks jacked up so high a simple rear-ender is likely fatal to occupants of the other vehicle.

 

[oggbashan]

Thank you for that definition Ogg. (Btw, I hope it's ok that I address you as Ogg. I think that's what I've seen others call you?)

And yayyy for the Volvo passing.

Ogg is perfectly normal and acceptable compared with some of the names I get called on the Politics Board.

 

[DarkRaven13]

Ogg is perfectly normal and acceptable compared with some of the names I get called on the Politics Board.

I saw a couple of topics I was tempted to weigh in on. Then I decided to keep my distance. I've been playing it safe and posting on forum boards that are of minor significance except for fun and work/writing avoidance.

However, this thread and the Halloween 2022 are the ones I got to when I have questions about the site or about writing. (Well also for work/writing avoidance too lol.)

 

[oggbashan]

Where we lived 20 years ago had inspections. It was rife with fraud, in both directions. A sleazy shop - many dealerships would fall into that category - would fail your vehicle over trivia or a creative fiction, or for small private operations, a $50 bill clipped to your registration paperwork granted an immediate "pass".

Our current state has none. The two most noticeable problems I see on the road are vehicles with one operable headlight and windows with blacked-out limousine tints - even the windshield. Oh... and pickup trucks jacked up so high a simple rear-ender is likely fatal to occupants of the other vehicle.

I started driving before MOT tests. Now I think how dangerous some of the vehicles were then.

One of my brother's friends had a pre-war MG sports car. The exhaust pipe ran under the floorboards which were plywood and could, and would, catch fire. He sheathed the plywood with flattened beer cans which would delay the fire for a few weeks.

One of my friends had an old large prewar Austin. The battery was mounted under the driver's seat. One day his mother wanted to move it so she could get her car out but she was a heavy woman. Her weight on the driver's seat meant the metal seat springs shorted out the battery, caught fire, and gave her a singed backside. She was not amused.

One evening in the local public house I and a friend were complaining about our cars. One of our friends suggested we could swap cars to confirm just how bad they were. My car had a habit of breaking back axles, caused by a distorted chassis. His car used oil - about 45 miles an imperial gallon.

I warmed him to let out the clutch gradually and gently. He was drunk and didn't. My former car broke a back axle before he was out of the car park.

I drove off leaving a cloud of blue smoke behind me. I bought an evil compound called Krause B which was supposed to take up cylinder wear. It didn't. I was waiting at traffic lights before starting off. As I did so, the road behind disappeared in blue smoke rising to the upper floors of nearby buildings. I scrapped his old car about a week later.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I started driving before MOT tests. Now I think how dangerous some of the vehicles were then.

Even the MOT left plenty of dangerous vehicles on the road. A student mate had a car where he asked passengers to watch their feet when getting in. This was because of various holes in the floor, including one about a foot across in the passenger footwell.

Another mate set up a business getting dodgy cars through their MOT as cheaply as possible. Turns out you can legit have a remarkable proportion of a car held together with gaffer tape (duct tape) and still pass, at least according to the legal reqs in the 90s.

Though the most memorable was going on holiday with friends in a car which had two working gears: second and fourth. To Cornwall. It actually coped OK with the hills and bends - the worst problem was parking with no reverse. Four of us would have to just pick it up and plonk the back end where it needed to be.

 

[oggbashan]

Surprise. The Skoda passed its MOT too. I suppose we shouldn't have been surprised. It had only done 115 miles since last year, but then there were advisories for rusty bits and it had sat on the front drive exposed to sea spray. But this year? No advisories for rust, only for a slightly delaminated mirror glass.

 

[Bubo_bubo]

I know where cars that don't pass the technical tests in Europe anymore but still can be driven end up.
(I see enough of them on the road every day).

 

[Duleigh]

Ah yes, cars and inspections both lead to insanity.

Before I enlisted, I was a licensed inspector for the state of New York. Sounds impressive but all it means is that I could jack a car up, wiggle a tire and make sure the ball joints are good, take a tire off and look at the brake pads, check the front wheels for alignment, beep the horn, and make sure the lights are coming on. Colorado just snorts the exhaust.

Didn't make it to coffee this morning, hope you found a fourth for pinochle, this week is part of my bi-annual fight with the Veterans Administration. They say things like "We can't find your records, they burned up in the St. Louis warehouse fire." I reply "That was in 1974, I didn't enlist until 1976, try again..." Second attempt: "Your records are being digitalized (scanned into .pdfs)" my response "I've been retired from the military for 26 years; how long can it take?"

They fly a weak excuse, I shoot it down like an airsick goose, we play our little game every other year, it ends in a draw, and I refile my claims for the next biennium. it keeps me busy between stories.

Catfish and grits for lunch, I love living in the south.

 

[oggbashan]

Today my older granddaughter made a cup of tea for her father.

She used a teabag, cold water, and salt.

She thought the kettle had boiled. She thought the salt was sugar. He likes two teaspoonfuls of sugar in tea (none in coffee).

I suppose it is the thought that counts. He had to come to his in-laws for proper tea.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Peas, carrots, and little sausages for Donnie brought about belching while I enjoy coffee and cake to his little symphony of burps and giggles. Now, as we listen to Fernando, he dances like a mad cat, with our insane kitty running around him, meowing like he's her kitten. And so goes my day, write a little, play a little, clean as little as possible, and hope he crashes soon!

 

[MrPixel]

Today my older granddaughter made a cup of tea for her father.

She used a teabag, cold water, and salt.

Reminds me of the time my father asked me to pour him a beer. I think I was six or seven. I evidently thought beer was simply foul-smelling soda pop, so I dropped a half-dozen ice cubes in his glass. I can't recall whether he and Mom laughed or they yelled at me. But there was a reaction.

 

[Duleigh]

Ogg mentioned those SPAM insufferable bills for antiviral software (which you really need if you open that attachment) but has anyone received the SPAM that is impervious to junk filters? Somehow they're being sent without properly formatted originating email addresses which is how they can slip past the junk filters. AWS, Amazon Web Services is the company that "runs" the internet and proper attention by them prevents this from happening.

Since Amazon is willing to suck the monetary value out of anything it makes me wonder if they are behind this. My question will be answered when we start seeing SPAM for McAfee or Norton that will filter those emails come out without a properly formatted email address

 

[TxRad]

90 more posts until I bring in the cleaning crew with the fire hose and disinfectant. Maybe some new paint this time.

The midnight coffee is ready.

I spent most of the day in the shop. I sold two boats this morning so I need to build replacements. All the wood is cut for both.

 

[DarkRaven13]

I've seen old threads replaced by new one....may I ask how to find the new one when it's time. I would need to "watch" it again? Or would my "watch" from this one carry over?

 

[Haulover]

Ogg mentioned those SPAM insufferable bills for antiviral software (which you really need if you open that attachment) but has anyone received the SPAM that is impervious to junk filters? Somehow they're being sent without properly formatted originating email addresses which is how they can slip past the junk filters. AWS, Amazon Web Services is the company that "runs" the internet and proper attention by them prevents this from happening.

Since Amazon is willing to suck the monetary value out of anything it makes me wonder if they are behind this. My question will be answered when we start seeing SPAM for McAfee or Norton that will filter those emails come out without a properly formatted email address

Not sure where you heard that, but it's not accurate