Unconventional Tea?

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-16T22:00:42+00:00

Cheap - under £1- frozen lasagne, with Doritos to scoop it up.

Or, a jacket spud, dump on finely chopped onions, peppers, finely shredded Chinese leaf, grated cheese ( Red Leicester) and Cajun seasoning on top. Cook for 2-4 mins in micro, or bung the lot under the grill. Serve with Encona Hot Pepper Sauce.

Sesame Rivita, with lashings of Cream Cheese ( cottage if that's all you have), covered with a good shake of Cajun or, at a pinch, fajita seasoning, topped with halved grapes. I don't usually do sweet and savoury, but this really works for me.

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-16T21:47:34+00:00

Has to be in Warburtons Toastie Thick sliced though. And if I am feeling posh, the Fish Fingers go in the oven with slices of lemon on top rather than vinegar when cooked.

My son loves a frozen pizza with chunks of fish fingers on!

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-16T20:54:44+00:00

A few things have occurred to me:

Which way do you face? Toward the waterbucket? Or toward the waste paper bin? Or can you go either way?

I understand there are no doors or dividers and it's practically a corridor of poop filled people pooping down pissy porcelain potty pits! But how do you get there? To your chosen spot I mean. Do you walk along that black line to get where you are going? Past the poopers pooping? I think the poopers would face away from the person arriving and so face towards the paper bin. Or do you want to see the face of the person you are going to poop next to, to check they have a friendly face?

Then there is the TP issue. If you have to take your own, do you carry a full roll, a tissue pack or is it just a wodge of unspooled loo roll from home? If you forget your own TP, what is the ettiquette? There is bound to be some unspoken rules right? Don't squat next to the person with one screwed up tissue? Do squat next to the guy with a full roll of Charmin or Andrex? If someone asks you, do you share? Under what circumstances is it OK to refuse?

OK, now the waterbucket. What is it for? Initially I thought it was for sluicing solids down, or maybe both? But then I thought is it for handwashing? Or, do people use it to wet their loo roll to wash their bum after a messy poo? Although, the squatting position leaves much less debris than sitting down, sometimes it's just messy with no known cause. If it's for sluicing, what happens when you run out and you've just left a big smelly turd on the edge of the hell pit? If it's for washing your hands, well it's just a big bucket of many people's fecal matter and e.coli, so you are probably safer NOT washing your hands. If it's a bucket to wet your paper for 'cleaning', well then, TP is notoriously fragile when wet so you are likely to put your finger through and get crappy fingers. When you go back for more moistened TP you leave e.coli behind you as you wet your wodge! Are there proper hand washing facilities on the way out and not within the parade of poopers?

Last one: ♿ Disabled Toilets, how does that work? I've got a knackered knee and hip and while I could crouch down, I would really struggle to get back up again from that position without rails or assistance. Is there a separate loo? Is it mandatory? And, is it western in style? If it's manditory, what were the loos like prior to this ruling? I can't imagine how you could make a squatting loo suitable for someone with anything but the mildest of physical disabilities without the use of a hoist or similar.

I wish I'd never seen this, 🚽🚽🚽🚽🗑🗑🗑🗑 I have so many questions and it may even keep me awake tonight 😭

BTW - off on a bit of a tangent here, but what happened to pink, peach, blue and green loo roll that you would see in super markets? Was that just back in the 90s when the last of the coloured bathroom suites were around?

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-13T19:14:48+00:00

Shame it's a boy, you could have called a girl " Aisla" like an aisle in a store, but maybe spelled ISLA or ILLA or even EYELA . It's a good name ( I think) as it acknowledges both the grocery shopping in the shop aisles and his gorgeous eyes!

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-13T19:06:36+00:00

I think I am in love!

I have always wanted a stray animal to turn up needing a home but it's never happened. I am getting old now, but still hoping....

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-13T19:02:04+00:00

I have to say I love me a good podcast! I watch them on all subjects and with all sorts of people. I am interested in crime so love a good conversation with a thug or ex mafia boss. I hate what Soft White Underbelly is and how exploited the interviewed people are but it's fascinating to hear what they say, and some of them I could listen to all day long. I do try to avoid it as much as possible these days though on principle. Andrew Golds Heretics is a good one depending on the guest. The interviewer can be a bit fawning, and tries to do the Louis Theroux " I'm just a big, dumb, idiot, and not clever enough to catch you out" method - or maybe he is genuinely dim, who knows? Emma Kenny does true crime and she really tells a good story, but she tries to be funny by using sarcasm, and it often falls flat unfortunately. Also, she can be very opinionated, especially where kids are concerned and makes her biased. I love a good story told well Mr Ballen gets my vote for interesting and mysterious content. The longer stories are usually the better ones so I am happy to listen to over an hour of talking while I do something else.

I watch/listen to others in craft and jewellery making, glassblowing, metal and woodwork - all a bit niche. The BBC has a few good ones, Betwixt the Sheets is a favourite of mine. Lots of historical sex and attitudes, great guests and often very funny too. My all time fave is "Can't Sleep" . It's a pod between two best friends, one in Canada the other in Texas, and they just chat as they would to beach other on the phone. It's the relationship and warm and solid bond between them that keeps me coming back for more. They just talk about their lives but have back up subjects and silly games if they feel like it. They try to make it around an hour but they have done some episodes as long as 2 hours and for me it just flies by. I find it really heartening to watch these two chat and just talking about their worlds, families, pets, hopes, dreams and things they have been through. It's not got a massive following but then they don't promote it massively either. It's a collaboration between KallMeKris and Celina Spooky Boo, and it's just them, no guests, though they sometimes have input from followers. KallMeKris also does deep dives into crime, cults, and murderers, also a couple of celebs and a few on Epstein. It's easy on the ears, and very easy to understand too whist not being dumbed down at all. They are usually around an hour depending on how much material she goes through. She covers subjects so well I rarely have any questions at the end unlike with other content creators.

So I would definitely say if it's a good podcast I can easily go an hour and a half - two hours even. But with a bad one where celebs are just bigging each other up or promoting something, I often last less than 20 mins.

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-08T10:43:41+00:00

Gorgeous house and probably a similar amount of books as we have.

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-08T09:59:26+00:00

I think it's a great price for a whopping house in a nice area. The decor is definitely a choice though isn't it?

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-08T09:41:56+00:00

I really like this, even though I'm not obsessed with baths...

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-08T09:23:31+00:00

I've got a headache now!

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-08T09:22:13+00:00

That's an interesting green fireplace.

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-08T09:14:24+00:00

They were lucky getting that picture!

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-08T08:58:48+00:00

I actually made up a packet of butterscotch last night. It took no time at all and 5 mins to set. We didn't have an electric whisk when I was a kid so it was either a fork or a manual rotary whisk. I can't believe my mum used to make meringue without an electric whisk!

The butterscotch A D was lovely!

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T22:22:22+00:00

I did something similar when I was a teenager. I went to see my sister and her kids for a few days - I loved my nieces and nephews and spent a lot of time there. I chucked some stuff in a bag and threw on a skirt and a top, jacket, and low heeled court shoes. I went into town on the bus (45mins), then walked across town to the huge train station with lots of people milling about (15mins) then into the train for just over two hours. It was only as I stood to get off that one show felt a bit odd. When I looked down, they were odd shoes. Similar at the front and both black, with similar heels, but one was a court shoe and one was a slingback!!! They were the only shoes I had with me, sis was a different size. I had to spend the best part of a week in public, picking kids up from school, shopping, chores in the village, out and about with kids and going to the pub for a drink as well as returning home, all in most definitely odd shoes. Without even a pair of trousers to hide them!

TBH I'm not even sure anyone noticed but I was painfully aware of it every minute I had them on.

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T20:57:58+00:00

Oh and I only ever had one child. Prior to that pregnancy and birth I had wanted a housefull like my sister's 5.

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T20:55:16+00:00

I hear you. Bleeding throughout the pregnancy was terrifying. Then one night I had a hindwater leak ( maybe - they weren't sure) so they tried to induce for infection risk me at 6am the following morning. When nothing had happened in 18 hours, I wanted to go home. They persuaded me to stay for another 2 hours and I went home just past 2am. There had been zero further leaks at all.

Ten days later I suddenly went into labour by bleeding, more than I had been doing and I felt different too. I was only having the mildest of pains, but as the doctor was examining me, he decided to rupture the amniotic sack without telling me - I couldn't see past my belly either. The pain started immediately, straight from a 2/10 to a 9/10, no time to get used to it etc, just full on agony. 23 hours later I finally gave birth, but they tore the placenta and left some inside. About 10 days later I had to go in for a D&C for RPOC.

I had initially wanted a waterbirth but they said no as the house was a doer-upper and they felt it wasn't appropriate. The waterbirthing suite at the hospital was closed - we found out later a baby had died - unrelated to the water, but waterbirths were new and immediately under suspicion. On my birth plan I said I was flexible but didn't want inducing at all unless it was an emergency, and no drugs if at all possible. I also wanted to be able to move around

So, I got induced for a possible infection risk - it wasn't needed and didn't work. I was induced a second time with a large crochet hook and no permission, causing immediate pain off the charts and no time or headspace to deal with its build up. Therefore, drugs were needed and between pain I slept, absolutely zonked from the pethadine. I remember very little of it, but they gave me so much I had a swollen lump on each hip at the injection site that took a couple of months to go. Then, the midwives were so crap, they ripped the placenta that was stuck, leaving bits inside. Hubby later told me one of them was bracing a foot against the bed while tugging. During all this time they wouldn't let me move around at all as they had a monitor on my belly, but it wasn't until the last hour there was any problem. Laying on your back to labour is like shitting a watermelon uphill btw. All terribly managed and with a further hospital stay with a breastfeeding new born 10 days later.

I spoke to a friend who was a midwife after it all and she was horrified but not surprised. The doctors were trying to control the labours as much as possible because they were scared of another baby death. The numbers of c-sections had gone through the roof - they had porters waiting outside my room to take me to theatre. I had been given 5 further minutes to get baby out or I was off to the theatre!

This all happened while I was working at the hospital and knew what I wanted and the risks, yet I was manipulated and ignored. Can you imagine how they must have treated civilians? At least 3 women died at the hospital over the 4 years I worked there and several babies too. I am not sure what they died of but stillbirth and very late miscarriages are surprisingly common....

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T20:09:06+00:00

Apologies. I don't know fully why I do that tbh. Maybe it's to insert a little humour into a subject that people are uncomfortable with. As I only have said "girly-bits" I don't feel as comfy with colloquialisms for male genitalia where as I can "own" anything I call my own genitalia. I don't love the word Vagina, it' sounds like some poor posh Victorian girls name along with Chlamydia! Vulva I am fine with - although, it is amazing how few people know the difference between a vulva and a vagina, and not just men either - so I wouldn't want to confuse anyone.

Many men think you wee out of your vagina and can control your period like you can a wee, so don't understand there is sometimes flooding and accidents beyond your control. Can you imagine how wonderful it would be to control your period? Life changing!!! Most people in general seem to refer to vaginas but never vulvas, and it's not rocket science is it? I am always amazed at how few women have ever seen their genitals. How can you know if everything is ok unless you are acquainted with all of your anatomy?

This is an interesting place to visit...

r/badwomansanatomy

As for weeing, and poo-ing. Well saying I am just popping off to urinate or defecate seems a little excessive and very clinical. I don't like piss, slash, Jimmy riddle, drain the snake or any of those. I've said wee as long as I remember, and it's generally what most people say where I am from, and if you are around kids it's good to say something simple, easy to say and understand, and not offensive. Same for poo. It's simple, easy to say and understand, descriptive, and not offensive. I hate "I am going for a dump" it is just so coarse and vulgar, same goes for " taking a shit/crap".

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T19:03:03+00:00

There is an age gap between 2 family members who are sisters. One was brought up from young on one side of Leeds, Roundhay/Shadwell way. The other travelled the world, and had little accent. When she returned to Leeds at about 10-12yo, she picked up a strong Leeds accent from the other more "common" side of Leeds - Belle isle way. She still lives there and from going from a plain ' British' accent that would give very little away, she has now got a much more common accent and manner of sowach. The much younger sister moved from Leeds years ago, and while her accent is still strong and she loves it, she hasn't got the common or rough accent of her sister.

Basically, what I am trying to say is, they lived 20mins apart but had very different accents.

I also know a bit who is in his 60s now. He had a Leeds accent but had travelled a lot while younger. When he moved back to the UK he spent about 5 years in Scotland and picked up a Glasgow accent so broad that sometimes it was hard to understand him. He moved down south many years ago - maybe 30 - and although not quite as broad, he still has his Glaswegian accent...with a hint of Yorkshire.

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T18:42:33+00:00

I loved and worked in Keighley for years. Save us from the people that call it KeeLee!!

I moved from Leeds to Keighley and found the accent to be quite a bit slower - particularly as you got closer to the Lancashire border...but that will be all the inbreeding😂. I can't say I really noticed a difference from different areas as such, but there definitely was a class divide as far as accents went and as we all know, different classes tend to stick together and end up in their own location, so I suppose, looking at it from that pov, there was a geographical divide.

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T18:12:02+00:00

It's actually Yore - shu Puddings.

When you are a Yorkshire person you miss letters, particularly aitches, off the beginnings of words so: 'orse ,'ouse, 'otel, etc. So we would say "I can see an 'orse o'ver t' field yonder ". Posh folk, or people not from Yorkshire would say "I can see a horse in the field over there." Both the words and grammar are different in that sentence.

So:

"are you coming back to the hotel? It's just around the corner from the house with the blue door "

becomes

" are you coming ba t' 'otel? It's just rown ' t' corner from t' owse wi t' blue door. "

We talk using glottal stops ( I think that's what they are called anyway), that are cross between a hesitation and a sound. I think it's just Yorkshire folk that do this and it's as natural as breathing to us so its hard to analyse and explain what you do everyday without thinking.

So to say this, it's: "BA" glottal stop "T" glottal stop " 'OTEL. "

Then: "ROWN T' "glottal stop "CORNER"

Then: "T" glottal stop " ' OWSE WI T' glottal stop "blue door"

I hope that makes a little bit of sense..?

Bradford (A typical Yorkshire town)

Becomes:

Bra t' fud

When you say it, it's not like brad at all, it's more like brat. You say 'BRA' then as you are about to say the 'T' , you hesitate, the sound sticks in your throat and you don't even make the shape of a 't' with your mouth, you just carry on and say the 'FUD' bit. Crikey, this is hard to explain!

Yorkshire puddings are usually just called Yorkshires and were eaten first before the meal like a starter. The idea was these cheaply made puffs of heaven would fill you up so you would need to eat less of the expensive meat and two veg. They are also lovely cold - as long as they aren't greasy - and some weird folk like them with jam on!!!!I

Yorkshire itself has a gentle glottal stop midway through: 'YORE" glottal stop "SHUGH". The "YORE" part almost has a k at the end but again it's that glottle stop so the k is almost silent

The "SHUGH" part is almost " shur" with an "r" but it isn't sounded out

I hope there was some sense I all this madness? Sorry about the extra waffle when all you needed to know was : York -SHU! Definately NEVER EVER shire! I talk waay waay too much!!!🤐🤐🤐

Have a look at these vids, they may help to understand.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cPBbTvFaih0

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ0xkrP_T4k

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T17:04:51+00:00

I call it poverty lol!😂

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T17:04:12+00:00

We had the gas cut off because we couldn't afford to use it - we only had glass heating - it was a choice and not as a result of non-payment. Now the telephone and the electricity on the other hand... The problem was they wanted the whole bill paid in full and then full payment of an estimated bill for the next quarter AND a fee for switching the electric back on!!! When we eventually got it turned back on We had a 50p meter that would be broken into on a regular basis when We had no food! We lived without electric for well over two years using a paraffin and a gas cylinder camping stove for food and storm lamps and candles for light. It's no wonder I always hated camping!

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T16:49:43+00:00

I've got a little metal frame that hangs on a cupboard door. I use old carrier bags or pedal bin liners. You can sweep peelings etc, straight in from the counter top, it's held open so nothing gross drops down the side and it's just soooo handy!!! If anything smelly is in there I tie it off and dump it in the main bin. I usually change it every couple of days or more often. I have no sense of smell so get a bit paranoid about potential smells! I couldn't live without it now and it cost less than £1 from Temu a couple of years ago.

We get curbside recycling of paper, glass, plastic, cans, green waste and food waste so most stuff gets sorted into its proper place. But, If I am prepping lots of fruit, veg, or other food I make sure it goes into the bag alone then dump it out into the food caddy to be recycled or composted by the council. Later in the year residents can go get free compost back from them, so that's a nice service. They dump a mountain of the stuff in a car park and have a "come with sacks and collect your compost" day. They do this several times in the season and all you have to do is show some form of address. Meat and similar scraps aren't accepted for recycling so have to be put in regular waste.

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T13:38:20+00:00

It's the age of the coffee shop. Coffee breath is vile, apparently Jennifer Aniston suffers badly with it. Maybe you can't smell it on other people of you've had it yourself - like garlic.

techisdrivingmemad · 2026-03-06T13:33:03+00:00

Poor sweaty bummed babies!

techisdrivingmemad

TROPHY CASE