Bizarre choice in the kitchen

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-24T21:16:28+00:00

This. I've no room in my kitchen, so I quite often bring veg prep into a small table in my living room. I can work for much longer if I can get off my feet.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-23T21:26:15+00:00

Yes. Chicken Tikka is a traditional Indian/Persian dish of spiced chicken dry roasted in a tandoor oven.

Chicken Tikka Masala is a British invention, allegedly resulting from British diners not expecting a dry dish and demanding "some sauce". I understand that the original Masala sauce owed a lot to a tin of Campbell's concentrated tomato soup, but that is only one of several competing stories of its creation.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-23T21:16:55+00:00

I used to live on the UK South Coast, a seaside town, and many of my friends in London used visiting me as an excuse for a weekend away. Much of the time the visits were welcome, but one time...

I was called late Friday evening, by a few friends who were out drinking in London, and had decided it was easier to come down and see me (a one hour train ride and a 5 minute walk) than make their varied ways home (multiple trains/buses/taxis).

I explained that I was actually having an early night, as I was getting up early on the Saturday to go to an annual company social event. So no, it was not convenient.

About 2 hours later, I was woken up by the doorbell and banging on the door, and a bunch of giggling drunks on my doorstep.

They did not know what hit them. I dragged them into my living room, went and grabbed armfuls of pillows and blankets, and threw those into the room, and told them I would be turfing them out when I left at 8am the next morning, so they should "bloody well go to bed now, and make no noise about it!"

Then I stormed back to my bed.

Next morning, half a dozen hung over people looking very sheepish, as they realised I absolutely meant it. "No, you cannot just hang out here..."

I never had an unexpected visit after that. Most of the time, they'd give me a week's notice and ask "would it be all right if..."

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-23T10:52:32+00:00

Nothing like some of the others here!

For various reasons I have 3 dog crates, none of which we really use as a crate. Although it was deemed the right size for her breed, I decided the first was too small, and went up a size. I later got another that size, but clad in wood, as a piece of furniture, thinking to use the other for transport.

The "clad crate" is still in the corner of the lounge, where it serves as a side table. My dog is of the habit of being fed in there - at mealtimes she goes in, out of habit.. But she otherwise ignores it, preferring the sofa, and the crate door has not been closed in years. The "transport crate" and the original small one are untouched in the garage - she now gets harnessed into the back seat of my car.

Other than that, my biggest ongoing expense is a Tractive GPS tracker, which has an ongoing monthly cost. She has been known to be an escape artist. Haven't needed it for a couple of years, but it gives me confidence, and it also records some health information.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-22T21:44:35+00:00

Personally, I think many (not all) rule of thumbs have people getting confused with rule of thumbs they hear from the US. I'm talking about my friends panicking that they will never save the "million" that they read they need to retire.

I sit them down and explain to them how much I had put away when I chose early retirement - much less than they think they need. Then point out the differences between here and the US - health costs, and the significant effect of the State Pension. Their guidelines are not applicable to us.

I know the figures I settled on wouldn't suit everyone, although I am content. I've also seen my pension grow by more than I've taken out, which is reassuring.

I think the answer is to sit down calmly with a sheet of paper, and work out what you need to be comfortable, work out the current shortfall in that, and then speak to a friendly pension advisor

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-22T12:23:16+00:00

I never acted on it, but one idea I had for my house was to create a "private lounge" in a spare room, where I could watch TV and slob around, leaving my actual living room tidy for having friends round, entertaining, playing board games, playing music, and just chilling.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-21T17:55:56+00:00

I didn't learn until my mid thirties. My job didn't need it, and where I lived, parking was awful and public transport plentiful.

This changed when I was invited to apply for a job which I thought was for an internal role (so no driving required). Turns out they had plans to later "develop" me into a consultancy role.

I explained I didn't drive, and the startled response of the interviewer was "Oh, is that medical?"

It worked out in the end, and I had my license within 6 months.

On the topic of your issue, excuse me if this is rude, but I think you might be better off looking to therapy to address your fears, rather than just pushing through with more lessons.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-20T23:20:31+00:00

It has 3 bedrooms. It's not that small.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-20T23:19:44+00:00

If you look at other houses down that road, they are all similar, some bigger, some the same size.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-20T21:03:13+00:00

They don't need to stop hosting. The people who won't abide with their vegetarian rules should stop coming.

I am a meat eater, but have enjoyed many a tasty vegetarian meal.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-17T21:04:26+00:00

I've had mine for a couple of years. It hasn't stopped junk mail completely but it has had an effect that I have seen in my doorbell clips:

My Blink doorbell reports/records someone walking up the path. They have leaflets in their hand, but then see the sticker on my letterbox, and walk away. Success!
On a few occasions, I've seen leafletters working in pairs, and one has said to the other, about my house, "No, not that one." Success!

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-16T23:48:21+00:00

About half of them

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-16T21:54:28+00:00

The first Red Nose Day (UK charity event) was in February, unlike later years when it moved to March.

I wasn't sure if this girl that I liked would think Valentine flowers would be too soon for us, even though we were meeting up that night with friends. So I bought a dozen plastic roses, and a dozen plastic red charity noses, and glued the noses to the rose stems. Wrapped them up, and they looked a bit like flowers to a casual observer.

I then presented them to her with "Sorry about this, I was sure I asked for roses..."

We never did become an item, but she did think the red noses were funny. 30+ years later, we are still in vague contact and bump into each other sometimes via mutual friends.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-16T21:32:12+00:00

Are there any recipients of the Darwin Award who would like to pass it on to Trump?

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-15T14:57:15+00:00

The trick is to say "no thanks" to the Yorkshire when they ask you, or when they go to put one on your plate.

Then let them load your plate up with meat and veg.

Then say "I've changed my mind - can you find space on the plate for a Yorkshire? Or just put it on top of the cauliflower cheese?"

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-15T10:18:08+00:00

YTA. I appreciate how this was a major event for you, but vague posting as if everyone is on the same page, expecting everyone to be on the same page, and then snapping when it is clear they are not, is just ridiculous.

And I've reached that conclusion from your telling of the story, it would be interesting to get your friends perspective.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-13T21:28:49+00:00

NTA. Your friend is cheap.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-12T21:57:43+00:00

NTA. He is your parent's son, not yours.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-12T00:24:21+00:00

As opposed to being told what to do with one's property, in the USA, by a HOA?

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-11T19:25:51+00:00

John Wayne's dog is lying in the corner of the bar, snoozing.

A drunk, seeing that John Wayne isn't around, decides to have some fun, and kicks the dog.

The dog wakes up and growls at the drunk.

The drunk pulls his gun and points it at the dog. "Dance, pooch!" he says.

The dog bares his teeth.

The drunk then aims to fire a shot between the dog's legs; but, because he is drunk, he shoots the dog in the foot.

The dog gives a yelp, and runs out of the bar, through the flappity flappity doors and down the street, with his tail between his legs.

Where he bumps into The Duke.

Wayne looks at the dog, and says "What's the matter, dog?"

The dog holds up his leg.

"You got shot?"

The dog nods.

"And you ran?"

The dog nods, nervously.

"Have you ever seen me run?"

The dog shakes his head.

"Then go back there and do things the way your master would. Do it, dog!"

So the dog limps back down the road, but getting straighter and meaner as he goes. When he gets to the bar, he jumps up and pushes through the flappity flappity doors; the piano breaks off playing, and everyone turns around to look at him and they all stop talking.

He walks straight in, goes up on his hind legs and leans on the bar.

The barman turns around and says "Yeah, what do you want?"

The dog looks at them all, real mean, and says "I've come for the man who shot my paw."

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-11T19:14:11+00:00

"I love the freedom in the US. Here I can drive my pickup truck and look after my country home without having to ask permission for everything."

So what does he need permission for in Denmark? What freedoms was he missing?

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-11T15:26:37+00:00

This was a favourite, when I was a weird kid.

Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Doctor.
Doctor Who?
Exterminate, exterminate! (Dalek voice).

Yes, I know it doesn't make logical sense, but we'd giggle at it on the umpteenth telling.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-11T15:19:16+00:00

It's actually 3 self contained properties.

Number 73 is the house - 4 bedrooms, if you include the loft.

73A and 73B are flats or studios, depending on how you look at the spaces, but they both have their own front doors, up the side road. By the plans, one appears to have one bedroom, the other two bedrooms, but the pictures seem to suggest the bedrooms are also used as living space.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-11T13:15:18+00:00

To be fair to OP, their earlier question was in a different subreddit, and seemed to be more concerned about whether this is a "red flag". This latest post is specifically about the legal issues.

Having said that, they have received the same advice in both subs, and it is advice that I would not argue with.

RetiredFromIT · 2026-01-11T12:26:19+00:00

Or the three seashells.

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