1) Average age of first-time home buyers as a graph covering the last 50 years.
2) Average monthly mortgage repayment over a similar time period - adjusted for inflation. Because this would adjust (somewhat) for house prices going up while interest rates are low.
Between them these would tell us something about the affordability of housing over a long period.
2) Average monthly mortgage repayment over a similar time period - adjusted for inflation. Because this would adjust (somewhat) for house prices going up while interest rates are low.
Between them these would tell us something about the affordability of housing over a long period.
This is Flo's Clothkits doll, Ella, with the clothes we made together after Christmas. The sheet and nightie were a kind present from ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
callmemadam, and Ella has to put her nightie on every night before she goes to bed!
Underneath is another piece of Christmas knitting: a hat I made for Rosie's friend Felicity, modelled by Rosie. I can't understand the young people's passion for grey, but Felicity likes it, and wore it all evening yesterday while she was here watching a film.
callmemadam, and Ella has to put her nightie on every night before she goes to bed! Underneath is another piece of Christmas knitting: a hat I made for Rosie's friend Felicity, modelled by Rosie. I can't understand the young people's passion for grey, but Felicity likes it, and wore it all evening yesterday while she was here watching a film.
Ok, so the pipe has been replaced and everything's been put back together and painted. It looks great.
This leaves two things:
1) A bit of crumbling concrete on the outside. This is being inspected next week to see how much work it'll take to fix.
2) Replacing the carpet in that room, as Julie's asthma isn't too fond of spore-laden carpets.
The insurance is covering the floor, and the cheque is in the post (presumably to be eaten by polar bears on the way to me). However, we'd quite like to get wooden flooring put down rather than carpet. But....
The boiler is dying. And by dying, I mean it hasn't worked in two days now for heating. It's fine for hot water, but the heating is giving up the ghost. It's an old boiler, and not a good make when it was originally bought 15 years ago. And it's noisy, goes out intermittently, and frankly needs to be thrown away. Oh, and the radiators are all full of rubbish and need to be flushed.
Flushing them is part of installing a new radiator anyway, so it makes sense to get that all done in one go. But I don't want to put down the flooring until after the flushing takes place, in case it causes a pipe to explode - which wouldn't surprise me, given the quality of work that's generally been done on the flat.
So the remaining work seems to be:
1) Get new boiler installed in the kitchen (which is a much better place for it to be anyway). This means that the flooring in there needs to be replaced.
2) Replace the flooring in the kitchen and the now-sorted bedroom. And probably the study, as I've hated that carpet since I moved in. And possibly the hall, as the floorboards there are _shit_ and it's cheaper to get them all replaced at once.
3) HAVE A NICE FUCKING FLAT FOR US TO LIVE IN.
4) Spend all our time there, as that's our money gone for the year. Oh, and that includes my bonus that I won't get until March. If I don't get it, then expect me to be selling my kidneys on ebay.
This leaves two things:
1) A bit of crumbling concrete on the outside. This is being inspected next week to see how much work it'll take to fix.
2) Replacing the carpet in that room, as Julie's asthma isn't too fond of spore-laden carpets.
The insurance is covering the floor, and the cheque is in the post (presumably to be eaten by polar bears on the way to me). However, we'd quite like to get wooden flooring put down rather than carpet. But....
The boiler is dying. And by dying, I mean it hasn't worked in two days now for heating. It's fine for hot water, but the heating is giving up the ghost. It's an old boiler, and not a good make when it was originally bought 15 years ago. And it's noisy, goes out intermittently, and frankly needs to be thrown away. Oh, and the radiators are all full of rubbish and need to be flushed.
Flushing them is part of installing a new radiator anyway, so it makes sense to get that all done in one go. But I don't want to put down the flooring until after the flushing takes place, in case it causes a pipe to explode - which wouldn't surprise me, given the quality of work that's generally been done on the flat.
So the remaining work seems to be:
1) Get new boiler installed in the kitchen (which is a much better place for it to be anyway). This means that the flooring in there needs to be replaced.
2) Replace the flooring in the kitchen and the now-sorted bedroom. And probably the study, as I've hated that carpet since I moved in. And possibly the hall, as the floorboards there are _shit_ and it's cheaper to get them all replaced at once.
3) HAVE A NICE FUCKING FLAT FOR US TO LIVE IN.
4) Spend all our time there, as that's our money gone for the year. Oh, and that includes my bonus that I won't get until March. If I don't get it, then expect me to be selling my kidneys on ebay.
Yesterday I watched the 2007 TV series of The Diary of a Nobody. This is a brilliant one-man performance by Hugh Bonneville, one of the best interpretations I know. The interiors are a delight and watch out for the Pooters' yellow breakfast set: I have a part tea set in the very same pattern!
Or similar.
My copy was recorded off the TV but if you live in the UK you have to wait until March this year to get a DVD. Why such a well-kept secret? Americans can buy it on amazon.com right now!
My reading and TV watching are linked at the moment. Watching the David Jason version made me re-read The Darling Buds of May; I re-read The Diary of a Nobody last month; the other evening I watched I Capture the Castle and now have a strong urge to read that again.
Note that everything I'm watching is a recording. This is because, just when the weather is at its worst and TV and knitting call, there is NOTHING ON in real time. Another treat has been to start watching my Christmas DVD: the complete series of Outnumbered. Utterly brilliant! And at one point the Hugh Dennis character is channel hopping (with rude remarks) and complains, '47 channels!' and he still can't find anything to watch. Back to the DVD then.
-
A comparison
-
Galaga FTW!
-
I wonder how long they can hold their breath for.
-
For a given lesson, one instructional technique turns out to be optimal for all groups of students, even though students with certain learning styles may not love that technique.
-
Now that's the kind of knowledgable answer I like to bump into.
I ordered myself a new phone and upgraded my contract yesterday on account of my MASSIVE phone bill last month because I utterly annihilated my text limit. Said new phone arrived this morning which made the fact I was 45 minutes late for work owing to rail!fail slightly more bearable until...
...turns out I can't get the back off it to put the battery in.
I am meant to be heading homewards tomorrow forsmileonice's birthday party. Right now neither National Fail nor the weather forecast is looking entirely optimistic on the subject. Whilst I might be able to get to Grotport okay, I need to come back first thing Sunday morning to go epic queue in Boringwood as auntieflo has managed to score studio tix for DOI. Thus I would like all the snow to bugger off right now bitte thanks.
...turns out I can't get the back off it to put the battery in.
I am meant to be heading homewards tomorrow for
smileonice's birthday party. Right now neither National Fail nor the weather forecast is looking entirely optimistic on the subject. Whilst I might be able to get to Grotport okay, I need to come back first thing Sunday morning to go epic queue in Boringwood as auntieflo has managed to score studio tix for DOI. Thus I would like all the snow to bugger off right now bitte thanks.
Shall we have a poll? You love polls! I love polls! Everybody loves polls! Even former Premier League referee Graham Poll loves polls! Well, I was guessing the last bit there, but I'm sure it's probably true.
Tomorrow, at approximately lunchtime, it will be Friday lunchtime. This usually signifies my weekly visit to William Hill, where I part with one hundred of my hard earned pence on football bets for the weekend; usually in the form of four lines of homes/aways/draws placed at 25p each. I rarely win, but that's hardly the point. You have to dream, don't you?
However, this coming weekend I have a slight dilemma. You see, due to the traditional British overreaction to the slightest hint of cold weather, I have a horrible feeling that a number of games on the fixture list may be called off. Perhaps something of a precedent was set last weekend, when only about three matches seemed to take place in the whole of Scotland. So now I'm just a little bit concerned... should I refuse to be put off by the weeniest speckle of snow, or would it be more realistic for me to save my money and instead spend it buying my girlfriend two packets of Minstrels or something?
Hmmm, maybe you can help me? Poll!!!
For those of you genuinely neutral on the question, you will notice that I have cunningly inserted a third option which rather evades the question altogether.
Poll #1508570
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 8
All votes must be cast by 1pm tomorrow please.
Tomorrow, at approximately lunchtime, it will be Friday lunchtime. This usually signifies my weekly visit to William Hill, where I part with one hundred of my hard earned pence on football bets for the weekend; usually in the form of four lines of homes/aways/draws placed at 25p each. I rarely win, but that's hardly the point. You have to dream, don't you?
However, this coming weekend I have a slight dilemma. You see, due to the traditional British overreaction to the slightest hint of cold weather, I have a horrible feeling that a number of games on the fixture list may be called off. Perhaps something of a precedent was set last weekend, when only about three matches seemed to take place in the whole of Scotland. So now I'm just a little bit concerned... should I refuse to be put off by the weeniest speckle of snow, or would it be more realistic for me to save my money and instead spend it buying my girlfriend two packets of Minstrels or something?
Hmmm, maybe you can help me? Poll!!!
For those of you genuinely neutral on the question, you will notice that I have cunningly inserted a third option which rather evades the question altogether.
Poll #1508570
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 8
Should I do the decent thing at Bill Hill on Friday lunchtime?
View Answers
Yes! It's an important tradition, and traditions are important.
4 (50.0%)
No! You're just throwing your money away; brrr, it will be too cold for anyone to run around in shorts. 2 (25.0%)
Tickybox! 2 (25.0%)
All votes must be cast by 1pm tomorrow please.
- Mood:Polltastic
- Music:The Venus Beads: Incision
How do I do this?
Damn it I'm probably doing this wrong.
Lalalalaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Ahhhhhhh! lol
Why can't things be more simple?
Damn it Damn it Damn it! OK if this dont work I don't care.
Damn it I'm probably doing this wrong.
Lalalalaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Ahhhhhhh! lol
Why can't things be more simple?
Damn it Damn it Damn it! OK if this dont work I don't care.
- 22:17 Wake up fr sleep wit such cold weather...Ya,I hop we got cold weather bt it jus tat out of control air con again from tho Jap Genius :P #
- 22:20 Use fan (same brand) wil blow til u can't stand tho strong wind...use air con?? Also blow until u so cold...I wonder how,I wonder why (Song) #
- 03:44 No power...Microwave is not working so have to use old way to heat up by using gas...Tat is something :( #
- 04:12 Do I hv to brush teeth everyday??I heard tho old times ppl they don't do tis n why today we ned??Some they bath once per year,so cool man :) #
- 04:41 Two of our "under" dogs eat chicken heads everyday,do notice why all d chick face r same,r they clone??B( #
- 05:35 Got like 20 fruits from house garden,take 8 n other share wit our dogs...They finished theirs,steal again ours like 4,left only 4 there. #
- 05:37 We human knw how to count one u know??Wen I saw d chair left behind 4,so pissed off so scold them n they all very fast run back home...Ha :D #
- 13:38 Jus finished dinner wit friend,almos wan blow up already,buffet steamboat,mixed ice n juice...mmm.Tomorrow continue :p #
- 15:57 Not sure wat I ate,nw keep wan go toilet...Even got friend spent bt stil suffer nw...Oh my,have mercy n pls forgive me. #
- 18:09 Time to sleep again,toilet issue seem stopped...Well,no ned go hospital...Haha,not tat serious la XD #
I have a cable project on the go, looks like this
but with temperatures below freezing every day I need a hat more than I need a new waistcoat. So I've started a simple beanie shape using this yarn:
When the Aran is finished, I'll start some complicated socks. Meanwhile, I always like to have an easy, portable pair on the needles; it's a security thing, like carrying a book around with you. The next pair will use this self-patterning yarn.
It makes sense; I'm usually reading two or three books at the same time.
but with temperatures below freezing every day I need a hat more than I need a new waistcoat. So I've started a simple beanie shape using this yarn:
When the Aran is finished, I'll start some complicated socks. Meanwhile, I always like to have an easy, portable pair on the needles; it's a security thing, like carrying a book around with you. The next pair will use this self-patterning yarn.
It makes sense; I'm usually reading two or three books at the same time.
- Mood:
busy
Next time someone says that the Y2K bug was a load of rubbish, point them at this example of what happens when people don't test their software/hardware before rolling over a minor date change.
-
Were there ever two finer words put together? Or is it three words?
I am beyond completely fed up with SE failway who appear to be the only London operator still running a revised timetable. Seriously, the revised timetable only benefits the likes of my boss who live in the Deepest Darkest Wilds of Kentfordshire. Luckily I managed to cut out walking to get the DLR this morning as the bus conveniently appeared as I was passing the bus stop. Mind you, by the time I crammed on to the Jubbly Line at Canary Wharf I was wondering just exactly where all the money I give TfhelL on a monthly basis goes to.
And I'm *still* a day behind on work.
On the upside the cinema did refund us the ticket money for last night when I eventually managed to talk to a human being since SE Failway were shutting down for the night around 2000 getting home from Clapham would have been... an experience.
ION, I'm still wearing my over the knee stripy socks because my thighs are frozen. It's an actual look.
I really have nothing else to say other than my commute is shit and there is a sad lack of snow and it is cold. This is the tragicnosity of my life, amigos.
And I'm *still* a day behind on work.
On the upside the cinema did refund us the ticket money for last night when I eventually managed to talk to a human being since SE Failway were shutting down for the night around 2000 getting home from Clapham would have been... an experience.
ION, I'm still wearing my over the knee stripy socks because my thighs are frozen. It's an actual look.
I really have nothing else to say other than my commute is shit and there is a sad lack of snow and it is cold. This is the tragicnosity of my life, amigos.
Calling all authors. Seen this twice in 24 hours, via comics and SF.
Via J.N. Fenn's Garret.
Via @VictorianClam Laura Howell
I'd advise any published UK authors reading this who haven't registered for PLR to do so, as at over 6p a loan, that's a pleasant post-Xmas bonus.
Via J.N. Fenn's Garret.
RT Public Lending Rights, meaning you get a payment every time a book with your name on the title page gets loaned from a library
RT All the info you need to sign up is on their website: http://www.plr.uk.com/
RT Incidentally, you can't get away with just going into a library and writing your name on the title pages of all the books in biro.
RT Apparently.
Via @VictorianClam Laura Howell
- Mood:
geeky
How do I do this?
Damn it I'm probably doing this wrong.
Lalalalaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Ahhhhhhh! lol
Why can't things be more simple?
Damn it Damn it Damn it! OK if this dont work I don't care.
Damn it I'm probably doing this wrong.
Lalalalaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Ahhhhhhh! lol
Why can't things be more simple?
Damn it Damn it Damn it! OK if this dont work I don't care.
- 03:25 Finally the money r flying into d bank acc...Nothing is better when "agong" is saying hi to d ATM machine which the money is for u :) #
- 03:27 Tis morning is so hot...Wait...I forgot to open d air con n fan also...No wonder is like Oven here. #
- 03:38 Received a Christmas Music CD gift after Christmas,so nw stil playing it everyday,who care n who ask them late :( #
- 03:44 They said don't eat n watch TV cos wil get fat...No,I won't...Bt is tat because of too excited so wil get fat??Same wit tho married couple?? #
- 04:27 Mayb in other thought,I am d 1st person who start celebrate Christmas for 2010...Cos nothing is too late or too early...Haha XD #
- 09:45 Will received some free shopping coupon soon,didn't knw print out paper also can buy thing. #
- 11:54 I wish our dogs can cook themselves,eat then even help with house works...OR at least take bath of their own :( #
- 16:55 The air con always too cold at night,no matter how to adjust also seem not understand wat we want...Not sure what technology is tat :( #
Another emailed list from AbeBooks, this time of reasons for not reading a book. I'm always surprised when one of the reasons given is, 'it's long' but then, I personally love Dickens and reading him is no hardship. Have a look at the list of twenty five books people have in the TBR pile but don't actually read. I've read five of them, started and failed to finish a sixth and feel no guilt at all about not having read the rest. Never even heard of some of them and so wot?
A striking illustration of a good example: another book purge. More to go, especially as a person might be stuck indoors for a fortnight with time to tidy up.
That fiendish normblog quiz: update. The answers are here. I got 40/50 and I'm absolutely kicking myself except over a couple of authors I'd never heard of. Anyone else going to own up?
A striking illustration of a good example: another book purge. More to go, especially as a person might be stuck indoors for a fortnight with time to tidy up.
That fiendish normblog quiz: update. The answers are here. I got 40/50 and I'm absolutely kicking myself except over a couple of authors I'd never heard of. Anyone else going to own up?
- Mood:fed up
-
Actually, in 672 bytes.
-
The Singularity, as experienced by a non-geek.
-
It (and Dexter) have more people pirating it than watching it live...
Only 45 minutes late for work. Fail épique. Having ascertained that SE Failway were running a reduced service and chances of me getting on were entirely non existent. Turns out I made the right decision as Maria texted me saying she'd gone back home for a couple of hours and was going to try getting on later. I, on the other hand, stomped up to Loosharm to get the DLR and choob which took a little over 1.5 hours to get in and was greeted by my boss with 'you're late'.
He may have regretted that.
Snow was falling steadily at Canary Wharf. It's kinda sleeting in town but not really.
Oh well, time to crack on with working on yesterday's pile of new arrivals. Joyous.
I am also seeing direct correlation between snow in London and going to see Chicago *hee*
He may have regretted that.
Snow was falling steadily at Canary Wharf. It's kinda sleeting in town but not really.
Oh well, time to crack on with working on yesterday's pile of new arrivals. Joyous.
I am also seeing direct correlation between snow in London and going to see Chicago *hee*
There is like 0.5cm of snow outside and it's jolly freezing. I'm hopig for a snow day tomorrow but also kinda not cos Maria and I are meant to be going to the cinema s-ooo... tricksy beastie.
Ce soir I have bee a-theatre-ing thus missing the epic rail!fail that was SE trains earlier and also getting to have a good perve over the fabulous Ruthie Henshall in Chicago (again, yes, shut up). Whilstobvs she was fabulous when we saw her before Christmas (shut up, I'm blinkered) she was even more so tonight and has really settled back into the role which makes mehappy and will hopefully shut her up about being a pit pony. Pit pony, my arse... anyway, in light of her self defining as a pit pony, Lauren and I thought it would be mildly hilaire to buy her a My Little Pony with a note on it saying she really wasn't a pit pony. And we got some random bits to go with it, put it all in a sparkly bag and raced round to the stage door after where we were amused by oe of the chorus coming out and yelling 'IT'S SNOWING' really joyously and loudly. The half the cast were yelling at her cos her cab was waiting (epic hilaire) so we kinda just thrust the bag at her and I said 'awesome' about seventy times in a row then said my New Year's Resolution was to learn more adjectives and she was all cute and wee and smiley and kept stroking my arm (:|) and saying she wanted to stop and chat except we were yelling at her to go home cos it was snowing and freezing and she had a train to catch and her poor cabbie had already been waiting ages. *hee*
AND THERE'S SNOW.
Ce soir I have bee a-theatre-ing thus missing the epic rail!fail that was SE trains earlier and also getting to have a good perve over the fabulous Ruthie Henshall in Chicago (again, yes, shut up). Whilstobvs she was fabulous when we saw her before Christmas (shut up, I'm blinkered) she was even more so tonight and has really settled back into the role which makes mehappy and will hopefully shut her up about being a pit pony. Pit pony, my arse... anyway, in light of her self defining as a pit pony, Lauren and I thought it would be mildly hilaire to buy her a My Little Pony with a note on it saying she really wasn't a pit pony. And we got some random bits to go with it, put it all in a sparkly bag and raced round to the stage door after where we were amused by oe of the chorus coming out and yelling 'IT'S SNOWING' really joyously and loudly. The half the cast were yelling at her cos her cab was waiting (epic hilaire) so we kinda just thrust the bag at her and I said 'awesome' about seventy times in a row then said my New Year's Resolution was to learn more adjectives and she was all cute and wee and smiley and kept stroking my arm (:|) and saying she wanted to stop and chat except we were yelling at her to go home cos it was snowing and freezing and she had a train to catch and her poor cabbie had already been waiting ages. *hee*
AND THERE'S SNOW.
I looked at the centre of the map and thought it looked pretty cold:
And then I looked at the edges, and realised that those temperatures (forecast for Friday night) are in _Farenheit.
Brrrrrr.
(cheers tosneakingyoda for pointing me at that)
And then I looked at the edges, and realised that those temperatures (forecast for Friday night) are in _Farenheit.
Brrrrrr.
(cheers to
sneakingyoda for pointing me at that)Page Summary
- andrewducker : Two numbers I would like to see [+2]
- craftybison : Christmas roundup [+3]
- andrewducker : Flat update [+11]
- callmemadam : The Diary of a Nobody [+9]
- andrewducker : Delicious LiveJournal Links for 1-8-2010 [+1]
- pim2005 : (no subject) [+5]
- andrewducker : There's snow place like home [+4]
- tonight_we_fly : Poll [+16]
- m4sure : m4sure's Tweets [+0]
- callmemadam : Cold Weather Knits [+12]
- andrewducker : The Y2010 bug [+15]
- andrewducker : Delicious LiveJournal Links for 1-7-2010 [+1]
- pim2005 : The name on everybody's lips is gonna be... [+2]
- cdave : PSA: PLR [+3]
- m4sure : m4sure's Tweets [+0]
- callmemadam : Oh, read what you like! [+8]
- andrewducker : Delicious LiveJournal Links for 1-6-2010 [+15]
- pim2005 : (no subject) [+4]
- pim2005 : I love yer, honey, I love yer... [+4]
- andrewducker : It's cooooold outside [+12]