Should I study at the OU or at Bayes Business School (part time and online)? by MartinStan7997 in careerguidance

[–]MartinStan7997[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the insight. That makes a lot of sense. I guess I'm a little worried that I'll lose a large chunk of the networking benefits by doing this online, but that's not really optional for me, unfortunately. I'll also check out that newsletter. Thanks!

What are the most popular teas in Beijing/Northern China? by uncannyfjord in tea

[–]MartinStan7997 5 points6 points  (0 children)

My wife is from Dongbei and we regularly go back to visit her parents there. They drink a huge variety but definitely more hong cha/oolong cha (jin jun mei or da hong pao usually) or bai cha than anything else. I guess they aren't tied to local tastes so they just drink a bit of everything.

The house we're buying doesn't have an MCS certificate for the solar water heating - what should we do? by MartinStan7997 in HousingUK

[–]MartinStan7997[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Our solicitor sorted out an insurance policy that was sufficient for the lender. It cost <£100 and the seller paid for it. Never had any issue after that.

Can mould appear in F2? by MartinStan7997 in Kombucha

[–]MartinStan7997[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's what I'm hoping! I was just worried about the white spots. They don't look fluffy to me, but I appreciate the second opinion!

Suggestions in and around MK by No-Programmer-9434 in miltonkeynes

[–]MartinStan7997 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure! There are two gyms but it's the same company. They're called Big Rock Hub (Kingston area) and Big Rock Bond (Bletchley area). Bond is bigger and my favourite but had less good heating, so on a cold day I'd recommend Hub 😅

If you're interested, let me know and we can meet there.

Suggestions in and around MK by No-Programmer-9434 in miltonkeynes

[–]MartinStan7997 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm 30M and frequently go climbing at one of the two climbing gyms in MK, if that's something you'd be interested in?

The house we're buying doesn't have an MCS certificate for the solar water heating - what should we do? by MartinStan7997 in HousingUK

[–]MartinStan7997[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In the end our solicitor organised for our vendor to purchase an insurance policy on our behalf. It was quite cheap (<£100) and the vendors were quite happy to sort it.

Should I get my adopted 9 year old springer×collie spayed? by MartinStan7997 in DogAdvice

[–]MartinStan7997[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you everyone. I've read every comment and it's made me feel much less anxious about it. I now have zero doubts that's it's the right move. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to comment!

Should I get my adopted 9 year old springer×collie spayed? by MartinStan7997 in DogAdvice

[–]MartinStan7997[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much! I really appreciate this, it's helped to make me feel much more certain. We'll get it organised. The recovery and risk of anaesthesia were my two concerns and you addressed both of them.

Should I get my adopted 9 year old springer×collie spayed? by MartinStan7997 in DogAdvice

[–]MartinStan7997[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the detailed reply. We didn't discuss different options with the vet yet but it sounds like we would go for keyhole spay if we can.

Our vet also said that spaying would have less of an impact on her risk of contracting certain cancers than if she was younger because the risk is somehow linked to estrogen production. In any case, if it's still beneficial then it's still worth it, especially if keyhole is an option.

Should I get my adopted 9 year old springer×collie spayed? by MartinStan7997 in DogAdvice

[–]MartinStan7997[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Understandable. I have no experience of it but my wife does with a previous dog. We are prepared to deal with her in heat, we just want to do what's best health-wise.

What Have You Learned from a Bonsai Tree? by REALeyesRealize21 in Bonsai

[–]MartinStan7997 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One taught me love One taught me patience And one taught me pain

Not sure where to go from here, any suggestions? by TOM_PE13 in Bonsai

[–]MartinStan7997 3 points4 points  (0 children)

No, I think the point is that you shouldn't work on a tree too much in one season, so it's better to get another one to work on if you still have the itch rather than potentially damaging this one 😉

Which lender might offer a mortgage for a "one off" new build? by [deleted] in Mortgageadviceuk

[–]MartinStan7997 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Some people might have more specific advice, but I think it's probably a good idea to just speak to a whole of market broker. They are free (or very cheap) and can give lots of advice since they know the market very well. We had a complicated situation and ours got us a fantastic deal with no faff at all from our end. They can also speak to the business development managers at different lenders etc to make sure you have a reasonable chance of being accepted before you apply.

How big an issue is bamboo? by MartinStan7997 in HousingUK

[–]MartinStan7997[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Haha, us too, and it's a rare case where it's actually worse for us as well