WAMT....what annoyed me today!

Batteries.

I'll have to look up when I got my latest phone but the battery is rapidly weakening. It used to last the best part of a week but in the last coupe of weeks it's gone down fast and is now needing a charge every two days and I think to be available for emergency use it'll need charging every night.

Is this sort of stuff only supposed to last 2 or 3 years now before the batteries wither away?

I think my laptop battery only lasts about half an hour now, if that.
 
Last edited:
I wanted a couple of spare batteries for my Lumix S1. Duracelldirerect.fr had a good deal on them; buy two, get one at half price & free shipping from Holland via UPS. Only four days delivery time including the weekend. What's not to like? Well, one of the batteries supplied is for a Sony, not my Panasonic! And, we are going away tomorrow morning touring in the motorhome so no chance of resolving the issue until we get back.
:headbang:
 
Clive K said:
I wanted a couple of spare batteries for my Lumix S1. Duracelldirerect.fr had a good deal on them; buy two, get one at half price & free shipping from Holland via UPS. Only four days delivery time including the weekend. What's not to like? Well, one of the batteries supplied is for a Sony, not my Panasonic! And, we are going away tomorrow morning touring in the motorhome so no chance of resolving the issue until we get back.
:headbang:
Click to expand...

You're lucky it wasn't a fondu set.

I can't remember what I'd ordered but I was out when it came so they left it at a neighbours house and when I went to get it I thought What The... Also it was so badly packaged it was damaged.
 
woof woof said:
You're lucky it wasn't a fondu set.

I can't remember what I'd ordered but I was out when it came so they left it at a neighbours house and when I went to get it I thought What The... Also it was so badly packaged it was damaged.
Click to expand...

The Duracell packaging was very secure and I got more email messages from UPS than everyone else put together. My only gripe is that I only got one of the two things that I ordered and now will have the hassle of returning the item that I don't want.
 
woof woof said:
Batteries.

I'll have to look up when I got my latest phone but the battery is rapidly weakening. It used to last the best part of a week but in the last coupe of weeks it's gone down fast and is now needing a charge every two days and I think to be available for emergency use it'll need charging every night.

Is this sort of stuff only supposed to last 2 or 3 years now before the batteries wither away?

I think my laptop battery only lasts about half an hour now, if that.
Click to expand...
Wife had one that acted like that, found there was an app that was constantly trying to update, it was eating juice like no tomorrow, deleted the app-never used anyway- and went back to normal use. Maybe worth checking?
 
mj4456 said:
Many mobiles no longer have USER replacable batteries, just another way of forcing upgrades.
Click to expand...


My big, blue letters!
 
My gripe is Gumtree - today’s the sixth time I’ve messaged about camera ads (one tripod, two R6 IIs, three R6s), and no response from any of them. Today there’s been an ad for a R6 very near me… and tumbleweeds.

I was about to ask how hard it is to buy a camera off Gumtree, but I’ve just remembered that the last time I tried that, I got scammed
 
mj4456 said:
Wife had one that acted like that, found there was an app that was constantly trying to update, it was eating juice like no tomorrow, deleted the app-never used anyway- and went back to normal use. Maybe worth checking?
Click to expand...

I was going to post again but forgot until I read your reply. It was indeed some sort of issue and not the battery. I had looked through the settings and I couldn't see anything but I remembered that there had been an update recently so just incase something I couldn't spot had changed I did a reset out of hope and the phone is now lasting much longer. I haven't deleted anything. Just he reset has fixed it.

That's saved me buying a new one and more importantly the hassle of setting it up.
 
Last edited:
Couldn't care less attitudes...

Went for a walk at lunchtime to a local garden centre. There are a number of small cafes, including an Italian Deli. Had a delicious lunch there a few months ago with friends, one of whom recommended the Chianti which I bought and enjoyed. I went there today with the intention of buying another bottle and some tarallini...

Yes, they had the bottle I was looking for and the taralinni and I thought, it is quiet I will have lunch here. Asked if there was room (9 tables, only 2 occupied), ok I will sit on this one... Waiter said no, sit over there on the 2 person table. I said ok then, looking around at the mostly empty cafe. Although, he was about to pass me a menu I said it was not necessary I'll have a Moretti and a lasange (it was good last time)...you need to order at the desk. They were not busy and all he had to do was remember what I wanted and take it back to the desk. I just grabbed my coat and left.. Loss of sales to them approx £45. Nice weather here, good opportunity to eat out on a Friday lunchtime and it was 2/3rds empty....and they turn people away by being awkwards. Nice fish and chips in company restaurant for £6. Richmond's no.2 TripAdvisor reviewer is going to have fun later.
 
welshwizard645 said:
Couldn't care less attitudes...

Went for a walk at lunchtime to a local garden centre. There are a number of small cafes, including an Italian Deli. Had a delicious lunch there a few months ago with friends, one of whom recommended the Chianti which I bought and enjoyed. I went there today with the intention of buying another bottle and some tarallini...

Yes, they had the bottle I was looking for and the taralinni and I thought, it is quiet I will have lunch here. Asked if there was room (9 tables, only 2 occupied), ok I will sit on this one... Waiter said no, sit over there on the 2 person table. I said ok then, looking around at the mostly empty cafe. Although, he was about to pass me a menu I said it was not necessary I'll have a Moretti and a lasange (it was good last time)...you need to order at the desk. They were not busy and all he had to do was remember what I wanted and take it back to the desk. I just grabbed my coat and left.. Loss of sales to them approx £45. Nice weather here, good opportunity to eat out on a Friday lunchtime and it was 2/3rds empty....and they turn people away by being awkwards. Nice fish and chips in company restaurant for £6. Richmond's no.2 TripAdvisor reviewer is going to have fun later.
Click to expand...

Fortunately, never had a problem asking to be seated at a table other than the one a waiter/waitress..server..it's easier...lol ..took us to.

You've mentioned fish 'n chips at the end of your post. We used to go to a fish 'n chip restaurant..they serve oysters too which are really expensive but my wife loves them so I just do a day's busking down town...lol. Anyway..coming from the north..well, north west..I love 'me mushy peas'. One day we went there there it was on the menu Fish-chips- mushy peas. What came was fish-chips and 'crushed,minted garden peas. Bloody awful... excuse me. As you probably know mushy peas are made with marrowfat peas and added bicarbonate of soda. My wife really does like this place. .No doubt about it, it's first class.. and very popular, you have to book.At lunchtime , when we go, it's usually packed with retired people like us. So, we went again and I asked the waiter if we''d get mushy peas which was written on the menu. "No..crushed peas." he said. I told him I had them last time and didn't want them. He said "Well, they come with the meal, just leave them" which annoyed me. Before I could respond my wife gave me a 'look'..ie don't say anything...lol. She knows I would. Now, she wants to go again for her upcoming birthday. I'm thinking about this. Either call them and ask about the 'mushy peas' or go and see if they still have 'mushy peas' on the menu and if they do and those crushed ,minted, garden peas are served I'll then ask to speak to someone in charge..the owner runs a couple of these restaurants so it's not a family business..and tell them that they are contravening the Trades Descriptions Act and as this is the third time we've been I'm going to report it. I did notice that other diners had left their 'mushy peas'.,too. I think us Brits are better than we used to be about complaining but my guess is that people just leave the peas. Thing is, they are doing it to save money..ie make more profit ,because crushed garden peas are a lot cheaper to serve than mushy peas which take a bit of preparation. Any views ?
 
woof woof said:
I've never come across crushed garden peas. Up North I think there'd be a linchin.
Click to expand...
I can imagine. My wife makes fish 'n chips at home..just in bread crumbs (over a beaten egg) and lightly fried in oil..not cooked in a deep fryer and we have Bachelors orginal mushy peas with them. I wouldn't enjoy fish 'n chips without mushy peas ...and a cup of tea. Used to have bread and butter too but I'm on a permanent semi- diet these days to keep to 11st 9lb and bread really puts on the weight.
 
JohnC6 said:
Fortunately, never had a problem asking to be seated at a table other than the one a waiter/waitress..server..it's easier...lol ..took us to.

You've mentioned fish 'n chips at the end of your post. We used to go to a fish 'n chip restaurant..they serve oysters too which are really expensive but my wife loves them so I just do a day's busking down town...lol. Anyway..coming from the north..well, north west..I love 'me mushy peas'. One day we went there there it was on the menu Fish-chips- mushy peas. What came was fish-chips and 'crushed,minted garden peas. Bloody awful... excuse me. As you probably know mushy peas are made with marrowfat peas and added bicarbonate of soda. My wife really does like this place. .No doubt about it, it's first class.. and very popular, you have to book.At lunchtime , when we go, it's usually packed with retired people like us. So, we went again and I asked the waiter if we''d get mushy peas which was written on the menu. "No..crushed peas." he said. I told him I had them last time and didn't want them. He said "Well, they come with the meal, just leave them" which annoyed me. Before I could respond my wife gave me a 'look'..ie don't say anything...lol. She knows I would. Now, she wants to go again for her upcoming birthday. I'm thinking about this. Either call them and ask about the 'mushy peas' or go and see if they still have 'mushy peas' on the menu and if they do and those crushed ,minted, garden peas are served I'll then ask to speak to someone in charge..the owner runs a couple of these restaurants so it's not a family business..and tell them that they are contravening the Trades Descriptions Act and as this is the third time we've been I'm going to report it. I did notice that other diners had left their 'mushy peas'.,too. I think us Brits are better than we used to be about complaining but my guess is that people just leave the peas. Thing is, they are doing it to save money..ie make more profit ,because crushed garden peas are a lot cheaper to serve than mushy peas which take a bit of preparation. Any views ?
Click to expand...


I lived up in Bolton for a few years in my youth (really loved it there) and a Friday night staple was going to the chippy on the corner of Entwhistle St. We always had proper mushy peas. We sometimes make fish and chips at home, always use plaice or sole fillets, with a beer batter and use maris piper tatties for the chips.
We had the worst Turkish meal ever last night. We discovered a Turkish restaurant only a mile from us which has only been open 3 months. We decided on a takeout, so had two kebabs, salad and bread. When we got home, the meat was cold (real mystery) and only the salad and bread was half decent. I don't think they will be in business very long if they serve food like that.
 
woof woof said:
I was going to post again but forgot until I read your reply. It was indeed some sort of issue and not the battery. I had looked through the settings and I couldn't see anything but I remembered that there had been an update recently so just incase something I couldn't spot had changed I did a reset out of hope and the phone is now lasting much longer. I haven't deleted anything. Just he reset has fixed it.

That's saved me buying a new one and more importantly the hassle of setting it up.
Click to expand...
Depending on your level of android.
If you go into settings/battery and scroll down, it will tell you, by %, what is using battery capacity.
 
welshwizard645 said:
Couldn't care less attitudes...

Went for a walk at lunchtime to a local garden centre. There are a number of small cafes, including an Italian Deli. Had a delicious lunch there a few months ago with friends, one of whom recommended the Chianti which I bought and enjoyed. I went there today with the intention of buying another bottle and some tarallini...

Yes, they had the bottle I was looking for and the taralinni and I thought, it is quiet I will have lunch here. Asked if there was room (9 tables, only 2 occupied), ok I will sit on this one... Waiter said no, sit over there on the 2 person table. I said ok then, looking around at the mostly empty cafe. Although, he was about to pass me a menu I said it was not necessary I'll have a Moretti and a lasange (it was good last time)...you need to order at the desk. They were not busy and all he had to do was remember what I wanted and take it back to the desk. I just grabbed my coat and left.. Loss of sales to them approx £45. Nice weather here, good opportunity to eat out on a Friday lunchtime and it was 2/3rds empty....and they turn people away by being awkwards. Nice fish and chips in company restaurant for £6. Richmond's no.2 TripAdvisor reviewer is going to have fun later.
Click to expand...
One of the biggest differences I notice when travelling around Europe is how grateful people are for your custom, and treat you accordingly.
In the UK it's much more prevalent that they act like they're doing you a favour letting you buy.
 
Complaining in eateries, my wife’s pretty good at this but she is a good cook, me if I ask for BLACK coffee at the end I expect a black not muddy brown muck, sent cups back 2/3 times, at £3 a go it’s not rocket science.
 
Cockney said:
One of the biggest differences I notice when travelling around Europe is how grateful people are for your custom, and treat you accordingly.
In the UK it's much more prevalent that they act like they're doing you a favour letting you buy.
Click to expand...


In Europe, waiting on tables is a proper job while here in the UK, it seems to be a way for students to earn enough to get bladdered at the weekend.
 
I don't know if I'm luckier than others but I've never come across restaurant staff or even people in proper caffs who aren't friendly...

Waitresses in Gloucester Cathedral restaurant Leica M3 24.JPG
 
JohnC6 said:
I can imagine. My wife makes fish 'n chips at home..just in bread crumbs (over a beaten egg) and lightly fried in oil..not cooked in a deep fryer and we have Bachelors orginal mushy peas with them. I wouldn't enjoy fish 'n chips without mushy peas ...and a cup of tea. Used to have bread and butter too but I'm on a permanent semi- diet these days to keep to 11st 9lb and bread really puts on the weight.
Click to expand...
We buy frozen mushy peas from Sainsburys, I prefer them to the canned versions. Almost as good as the original 'steepy' peas my parents used to make for us when we were children.

I also like pease pudding, eaten cold with a good quality ham in 'stotty' bread.
 
andya700 said:
I lived up in Bolton for a few years in my youth (really loved it there) and a Friday night staple was going to the chippy on the corner of Entwhistle St. We always had proper mushy peas. We sometimes make fish and chips at home, always use plaice or sole fillets, with a beer batter and use maris piper tatties for the chips.
We had the worst Turkish meal ever last night. We discovered a Turkish restaurant only a mile from us which has only been open 3 months. We decided on a takeout, so had two kebabs, salad and bread. When we got home, the meat was cold (real mystery) and only the salad and bread was half decent. I don't think they will be in business very long if they serve food like that.
Click to expand...
As lads..17/18 year olds we'd decide on Friday night which dance to go to on the Satrurday. We'd heard that Rivington Hall Barn,Chorley/ Bolton was good so off we went. Just a 45 minute drive. Maybe it was a dance hall when you lived there. It was the first time I'd seen thundersnow as we approached the venue. . A winter thunderstorm. Still have the image in my mind's eye.
 
broc said:
We buy frozen mushy peas from Sainsburys, I prefer them to the canned versions. Almost as good as the original 'steepy' peas my parents used to make for us when we were children.

I also like pease pudding, eaten cold with a good quality ham in 'stotty' bread.
Click to expand...

Ok..We have a Sainsburys just a couple of miles away that we sometimes go to so we'll try them.
 
JohnC6 said:
Ok..We have a Sainsburys just a couple of miles away that we sometimes go to so we'll try them.
Click to expand...
Our Sainsburys has a choice of a twin pack of individual 150g portions in plastic tubs or a larger bag (900g) of mushy peas (both frozen).
As my wife (southerner) doesn't share my enthusiasm for mushy peas we normally just buy the tubs.

A 5 min burst of microwave heats a tub from frozen.
 
broc said:
Our Sainsburys has a choice of a twin pack of individual 150g portions in plastic tubs or a larger bag (900g) of mushy peas (both frozen).
As my wife (southerner) doesn't share my enthusiasm for mushy peas we normally just buy the tubs.

A 5 min burst of microwave heats a tub from frozen.
Click to expand...

We use these, at 35p a tin from Lidl, reet grand wit battered haddock, enough for two.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1AtLdBnQqs


:)
 
Nod said:
In Europe, waiting on tables is a proper job while here in the UK, it seems to be a way for students to earn enough to get bladdered at the weekend.
Click to expand...
Grandson is second waiter in a Michelin starred eatery-his third-, seems some people think that because they’re paying a lot of money can treat staff like sh*t, others he says are pure gold, although they do tend to be regulars. I just I could afford to eat there, no friends and family discounts.
 
Last edited:
mj4456 said:
Grandson is second waiter in a Michelin starred eatery-his third-, seems some people think that because they’re paying a lot of money can treat staff like sh*t, others he says are pure gold, although they do tend to be regulars. I just I could afford to eat there, no friends and family discounts.
Click to expand...
I'll never forget the time we went on a Caribbean cruise, with (Royal Caribbean) and we gathered in the Hotel in Miami to be taken to the ship. The female bus driver wore a karkhi uniform with badges. They do love their uniforms and badges..Lol. Anyway, she had a clip board and was accounting for all the passengers she had to pick up. There was an elderly, white South African lady who wore very expensive jewellery ,my wife tolk me...lol..who, having not heard her name called out said "What about me?" The driver asked her name and she gave it. The driver checked her list and told the lady ..I use the term 'lady' rather loosely.. that her name wasn't on it. The lady retorted with "It better had be" in a very unpleasant tone. "You're not leaving this hotel without me" she said. My wife and I exchanged a look. Oh dear. The driver made a phone call and shortly afterwards it was sorted. I thought what an unpleasant women. The driver was lovely, too. I mean her demeanour ,so helpful yet she remained polite to this awful women.

You can imagine how we felt when having boarded the ship and gone to the dining room only for the Maitre d' to take us to a table...with her on it. There was another couple..in their 20's,too, who had just been on a trip around Malaysia,Thailand and Burma/Myanmar. They told us some tales and the South African lady just picked holes in it. I have to say they were a bit dull considering the wonderful trip they'd just had. THEN.. along comes the waiter. French. He was only about 18 years old. They have so many different nationalities amongst the staff. Yes, he was heavily accented but we understood him ok, the couple understood him but not her. Rather than say. "Sorry I didn't catch that" or something similar, she asked him why he couldn't speak english properly and how did he think she was able to understand him. She told him to go and learn to speak english properly and added insult to injury by telling him to get another waiter who could speak "english properly" and added that she was going to make a complaint. We were all exchanging looks..again. The waiter was so pleasant and polite. At the end of the meal I went to the maitre d' ' and told him she was going to make a complaint explained what had happened and reassured him that the waiter was very polite despite her hostility and my wife and I and the young couple could understand him,ok. I also told him how rude she was to the female driver at the hotel. He thanked me for letting him know. I took the opportunity to ask to be moved to another table for the rest of the cruise. We'd paid a lot and weren't going to have it spoilt by her. Guests remain at the given table ,for evening meal only, right through the cruise. Guests are informed that if they really don't like someone at the table then just tell Maitre 'd that you are "incompatible".Loll. That's the term they used.

Next eveningfMaitre d' sat us at a table with a middle-aged women who was taking two 40 -ish year old who had Down's syndrome lads. Theyb were lads to us. I didn't realise they were that old.. but high end, as they say.. and a couple in their mid to late 20's who had just got married. The two young men were so funny..they didn't know it but they were. The carer had them immaculately dressed each evening but I have to relate this. The lads were friends in a 'home '..not related and one of them..Jimmy..spent a few minutes telling my wife and myself about his dad who was in the US military. "My Pa's in the military" he kept saying it and telling us where he'd been fighting The carer leaned a large middle-aged women from Ohio ,leaned across the table to him and said, "Ah keep telling ya, ya mom and pop's deed". Oh dear me. The lad's head dropped and he looked so sad.He really wanted ice cream but the carer said no..they weren't to be returned to their residential home overweight. My wife persuaded her to let him have a small amount that wouldn't make any difference. She agreed. The waiters treated them so well, too

The other couple ? She was half-Mexican and an absolute hoot..Her of a couple of weeks...husband was the son of the owners of the cookies and snacks manufacturer in the US..Nabisco. He was quite deaf and she had to sign language him. I can hoenstly say those peopole made that crusie for us. South Africans ? There were group of them and they really spoke down to the staff. I expect that's how they talk to their house staff and gardeners back home .Black ones,of course.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top