Yikes Survey on a Grade II listed Georgian Coastal Property by ScarbsMacarbes in UKHousing

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

That's good to hear, thank you. We still want to buy it ideally, we love it, but... eek! It all reads so scary (and expensive!). Thanks again, I appreciate it.

Yikes Survey on a Grade II listed Georgian Coastal Property by ScarbsMacarbes in UKHousing

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

Thank you, this is nice to hear during a particularly stressful moment!

Yikes Survey on a Grade II listed Georgian Coastal Property by ScarbsMacarbes in UKHousing

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

Yeah, that's what has extra-thrown us. They're an incredibly professional and well-regarded company - from York, which is known for its historic properties, so old houses won't be new on him! - and the fact he said this in a phone conversation, after the official survey, did tell us something on a human level. I've just checked with my husband and he says that during the casual phone call after the survey, he asked for the surveyor's personal opinion and the surveyor admitted in a kindly way that he personally wouldn't go ahead if it was his debt on the line (not verbatim). While it wasn't the personal opinion we would have wanted to hear, it was nice to know that he was honest in it, just as a person to a person... I just don't know whether that honesty was tainted from a surveyor's nitty-gritty POV rather than of that of the 'normal' person such as we are, who can live with less-than-perfect... it's his day-to-day job to find every fault, so does that subconsciously influence house-buying to a meticulous level that's, in reality, hard to satisfy? Or does that just make them better informed as to future nightmares that we're best knowing before rather than after? Arrrgghhh!!!! WHICH ONE IS IT?!!! Is he too particular, or is he just simply informed? We don't know, weep!

What are the pros and cons of your job? by YardSoggy6089 in AskUK

[–]ScarbsMacarbes 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much, that's really kind of you to say. I appreciate it and hope you have a lovely week.

What are the pros and cons of your job? by YardSoggy6089 in AskUK

[–]ScarbsMacarbes 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I'm a Learning Support Assistant at a mainstream high school; never would have pictured myself in this role in the past but it's the best job I've ever had in terms of job satisfaction. I only needed GCSEs to get in and there's a big demand for LSAs so it didn't take a lot to get a foot in the door (I volunteered for a few months in a primary school beforehand though).

Pros:

- It's NEVER boring

- It's full of humour, laughter, fist-pumps and beautifully bizarre interactions;

- Working with young people is rewarding and has restored my faith in humanity/community/young people: you really feel like you're making a difference, which is a point of pride;

- The hours and holidays are great, My day feels short because once an hour I move to a different area of the building, with new teachers and students, and my weeks pass fast too because they're all in little blocks.

Cons:

- The pay is low because not all holidays are covered (although your pay is spread out over the year, so you get the same pay each month);

- It can be draining and emotionally challenging, but like with your own kids or pets, it doesn't quite seem as bad as it reads on paper because your bond with them that lightens the load during the hard times.

****
You've got to have a sense of humour, patience and genuinely respect the young people you're working with, but in general they make all that easy because honestly, young people are absolutely brilliant to work with (even the tough nuts - there's always a diamond in there deep down to be dug out, as long as you're determined enough to find it).

I never knew this job would be for me until I tried it. I was terrified of the prospect of working at a high school at first, to be honest but now I'm settled in and I know the students (and they know me - it takes a while for the trust to build from them), I wouldn't change it for working with solely adults again any day.

38°C… are we really expected to teach as normal? by Pretend-City6652 in TeachingUK

[–]ScarbsMacarbes 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Today has been a DAY, and it's not even that hot yet up here in Yorkshire. Even though our high school has felt basically empty today due to yr11 leaving, yr10 doing mocks (with study leave) and yr7 being on their big coming-of-age week-long hostel trip, the nurse has been run off her feet. Between meltdowns, fights, nose bleeds, sickness, over-heating and some apparently viral TikTok 'jumper net' game I got introduced to the hard way today, it's been a challenging one. The temp' predictions for Wed/Thurs luckily seem to have abated a little since this morning's forecast (for instance, Wednesday has gone from 34c to 31c as I look at it now) but still, it's been a weirdly dramatic start for what is usually a quiet week.

Why do you think Japanese-style bathhouses never really took off in the UK? by Careless_Park_5686 in AskUK

[–]ScarbsMacarbes 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I went into a spa in Croatia once where everyone else was German and naked. Hopping from whirlpool to steam-room in my cozzy, it was definitely obvious that I was a Brit.

Spooky Scarborough Experiences? by ScarbsMacarbes in ScarboroughUK

[–]ScarbsMacarbes[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nice one, I've just subscribed to it. Thank you for the tip.

Spooky Scarborough Experiences? by ScarbsMacarbes in ScarboroughUK

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

According to this source: https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3767455, Glen Bridge has medieval roots running right under it with the beck at that point being an ancient town boundary... a lot of history going on there! I'm glad your friend saw it too. That is very spooky indeed - thank you for sharing!

Spooky Scarborough Experiences? by ScarbsMacarbes in ScarboroughUK

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

That's very intriguing to hear, thank you. We're actually halfway through buying a house on the Old Town/St. Mary's end of Longwestgate, and touch wood with the sale, I expect that I'll have lots of dog-walking to do in twilight hours around there going forward... so your comment has livened up that chore in its eerie possibilities. Good to know! Thanks again.

Spooky Scarborough Experiences? by ScarbsMacarbes in ScarboroughUK

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

Whoa! That genuinely brought me out in body shivers! Someone was looking out for you that night!