FastFreddy2

The "leak" fairy paid a visit to my plumbing system -again- yesterday. I'd heard a noise during the day that sounded like my neighbour was doing some work on our joining wall. I ignored it. Hours later, the noise could still be heard, but was more frequent and seemed to be more noticeable. I began to realise it sounded like dripping water. Within minutes I had discovered the cause.... The 22mm bore pipework that makes up our hot water supply system, had sprung yet another leak. It took me the better part of 15 minutes to find the hole, as some of the bathroom floor had to come up. This time the 'cancer' in the pipe finally had me beat, because the leak was on a bend which meant I couldn't use my tried and tested 'patch' technique to effect a temporary repair. With old bath towels placed to soak up the dripping water I proceeded to empty about 50 gallons each of water from both storage tanks, one of which was expensive heated water.... Faced with (finally) replacing a 3m run of 22mm pipe with fittings (£30's worth of materials alone) I decided to use 15mm as it seemed I had accumulated all the bits needed to do that. Though any investment was only short term as a revised system is going in, one way or the other this year...... So I got replacement pipe job finished about 2.30am with Mrs Freddy hopefully having slept through the work. Feeling pleased with myself, and while the system was dry, I decided to install an in-line valve to the (current) kitchen sink. Big mistake. Having cut the pipe, I couldn't fit the valve, as there wasn't enough 'wiggle' room in the pipe run. (In fact there wasn't any movement at all!) So I'm thinking, I'll just cap it off, and leave for daylight the next day? No.... Historically, I've had to force mains water back up into the warm tap to remove an air lock that prevents the hot water system working. No hot tap in kitchen, no hot tap anywhere..... Eventually I got my 'wiggle' room by breaking the already damaged fitment that held the tap in place. No big deal as the whole reason for fitting the valve was to change the taps anyway, but 3am definitely wasn't the time to do this job. Once the kitchen tap was again operational, it took another 10/15 minutes to fill the first (cold) tank which then feeds the second (hot) tank. As expected, the hot side wouldn't run (air lock) so I had to use the cold mains into hot system trick. A further 10/15 minutes later, I had running water from the hot side too. With 4 sinks, a toilet and a bath, it took a little while to get all the air out of both systems, but it did all come good. I put the boiler on to heat water, just to make sure everything was going to work for Mrs Freddy first thing. It also gave me a little time for a tidy up too. Heated water arrived (eventually) around 4.30am. I had a quick wash, brushed my teeth, and climbed into bed 15 minutes later. The only upside to this event, is that a fairly long run of pipework, known to past it's useful life, has been replaced. I noticed, when I removed the grotty pipework, at least one other hole had already began the early stage of leaking. There had only been maybe 10 or 20 drips, but a full-blown leak was possibly only a couple of weeks away. The kicker - as always - is that I seem to find these leaks later in the day, not 9 or 10am in the morning when I would have the (luxury) of doing a repair in daylight.

What did you do on New Years eve? For the last 4 or 5 years, I've done just about nothing. Age .... tears away your energy, and dull's your enthusiasm. So ...... Despite Boris the likable buffoon telling us all to stay out of London, I didn't. It's been a long long LONG time since I visited during NYE, perhaps more than 20 years. I thought I would give it a try, again. The night before, I found the firework display was ticket only, and tickets had (quietly) sold out some time ago. Barriers would stop people getting to watch for free. I went anyway. If I'm honest, the display area is my usual evening high heel walkway, I figured I'd find a place .... (wrong). I had to park just off Regents Street, as all roads further South at that point were closed to vehicles. I didn't know it at the time, but I was a mile and a half away from the river. I'd chosen to wear the shoes in my avatar, with a full 5 inch heel. The West End, specifically Piccadilly and Leicester Square are always busy, but the area was even busier than usual. The real difference was the amount of police present. We didn't exactly have one each, but it was close. During the evening, I must have walked past at least 1000 police officers. Never less than 10 in a street, sometime 30 or 40 of them in places. Sorry no photo's. I didn't think it prudent given what they were there for, and I was out for some entertainment not a confrontation. It was a slow walk. I stopped many times to gawp at the scenery. Many girls were out in their highest heels. Walking along the Strand, there are many alleyways that lead to the river embankment. Everyone of them had barriers, and security personnel on them. Arriving at Waterloo Bridge, 8ft metal gates prevented movement onto it. I waited for the better part of thirty minutes for the fireworks, hoping to get a glimpse of them through the gap over the bridge. When the display started, the sky lit up from time to time, and the sound can only be compared to thunderclaps, possibly keeping better time than they do when mother nature is in control. I saw one or two trails, but no fireworks. About 10 minutes in, and with 5-8 minutes left of the show, the large metal gates in front of me opened, and several hundred people surged toward the bridge. No obvious attempt was made to stop anyone. To be honest, it wouldn't have been worth the trouble. What did I do? I just watched everyone around me, barring 4 others, walk or run toward the bridge. Unless I was wearing sports shoes (trainers) there was never any prospect of me reaching the bridge to see the show, and the chances were high I'd just meet several thousands people leaving instead, who would be walking directly toward me to get off the bridge. The purpose of the evening was to start the year as I would want to continue. Out wearing a very high heel (for me) on NYE and not sat vegging in front of a TV. In that respect, mission accomplished. Then there was the walk back to the car..... Not sure if many here will know, but standing still in a high heel is harder than walking in them. While walking, the balls of your feet get some rest. While standing - no rest. I'd pretty much stood around for better than thirty minutes, my feet weren't happy. It was an hours walk to the bridge, and even longer getting back. The last half a mile walking up Regents Street was a struggle. I don't tend to get pain as such, it's more (usually) my left ankle doesn't want to rotate in-line any longer. The balls of my feet weren't hurting as such, but they felt sensitive to every step, and my left ankle wouldn't stay as upright as normal but wanted to twist sideways. Eventually I was resting every 100 yards or so, to make sure I didn't do anything daft like twist the ankle pushing it too far. These shoes have been worn by me perhaps three times, and I've always insisted they weren't shopping (hiking) shoes. In fact the first time I wore them, I had to have a VERY short walk as my ankles weren't at all happy. Things improved quickly afterward, but a 3 mile 2½ hour walk was never on the cards - ever. Back at the car, I was relieved to sit down. I had just been 'spotted' by a very attractive young woman as I approached the Oxford Circus crossing, with my hat an scarf hiding any potential for a blush. (She really was pretty!) There was more than physical comfort sitting inside the car. I'd passed a lot of broken glass on the pavements and in the road, and people somewhat the worse for wear were becoming more and more obvious. The drive home was quick, care of almost empty roads. If only it could always be as easy! The evening was largely a success. Got there, got back, went to where I wanted to be. It didn't rain, wasn't blowing a gale, though it was a bit cold. Didn't get to fall asleep (bored) in front of a TV am too old for wild parties, no regret about "wishing" I'd done it either. Got sore feet wearing a 5" heel. Yay!

I've (finally) added some new candid's of people wearing heels in public. I've been trying to stay away from my computer, so as to get more work done in the house, or outside earning some pennies. (And I do mean pennies.) Anyway, new year and hopefully a new regime. Doing more of everything. So I made some time to do some editing, and I've added some photo's for the first time in a while. I've also got some ready queued too. But ..... One of the pictures added today has a Christmas tree in the background, so you might be tempted to think the picture is quite topical? Well, it is, but was more topical when it was taken TWO YEARS ago. I am now over two years behind with my editing. I haven't had the Olympus repaired either. I decided the money (probably circa £100) would be better spent on a replacement. Like maybe a TG3. If only my camera budget matched my shoe budget?

Went to see Guardians of the Galaxy. Can't remember my footwear, but it was a really good film. I wasn't the only person to think so, if I remember it did the best at the box office in 2014. More recently I went to see Interstellar. Wore heels, having to keep my feet fairly still for 3 hours, sitting on chair fitted to a slope. Felt like I was wearing 6 inch heels at the time ...... The experience was spoiled by the two 'erberts sitting next to me. Place was practically empty, but the next two seats to me had people in them. The worst was they used their phones for texts/Twitter/Facebook while seated, and both ate popcorn continuously for the first 30-40 minutes of the film. I swore it was my last visit to a public cinema. While they were in their mid-twenties, I might have well been sitting next to a couple of 10 year olds. Adults, they weren't. That aside, the film was really really good. It did not seem at all like a 3 hour film, and apart from one (almost forgivable) hole in the plot that was pretty missable, it was entertainment from the first minute to the last. Took a couple of minutes to warm up my ankles when we left, but going in and leaving were eventless. P.S. I may have just realised, the last four films I've seen (at least four that is) were sci-fi. I'm obviously a child of the 60's.

Adam Lambert is known to be a high(er) heel wearer. I thought I'd posted a link somewhere, but maybe not ....

All look nice to wear. My fav from those shown; the right hand pair in the first photo. Not usually big on Mary Janes, but that heel is delicious.

"Unisex" seems to have positive connotations, as might the label; cross-dresser. "TV/Drag" less so. 'Drag' conjures up an image of a pantomime dame. Not a look I'm after. TV brings visions of men wanting to dress up and 'pass' as ladies. 30 years ago, an opportunity I sometimes may have gotten away with, but not now though. Well, not without a cosmetic procedure to make my facial skin taught once again anyway. I fully understand and agree about appealing to the widest possible market, but does it work? I'll admit to being sceptical, especially as the 'sleaze' aspect rings true.

House of Fraser Oxford Street have ALDO, but I don't remember seeing them in other HoF stores? I am trying to get past the "buy every pair you like" stage. Seven years in, I still struggle. I think I'm getting better though. I've been returning some back that I liked, that weren't different/comfortable enough to want over styles I already own. During the next couple of months, I REALLY must have a major overhaul of 'the collection'. As I write I'm aware of at least two (if not three) styles I've over-ordered. One in particular, is a style shyguy had or has a pair of: <picture to follow possibly> I have at least 3 pairs of this style in PU (possibly 5) and two leather pairs of an identical style I bought from ALDO. I think I've worn one of the PU pairs, 2 or 3 times tops, and every time at Westfield White City as they have a flat even floor. The heel is thin and high, easily snapped if it went down a crack in an outside pavement. I've four pairs of calf boots I bought from Priceless, one of which I've worn 3 or 4 times shopping in London. I've two VERY nice pairs of block heeled ankle boots with rounded toe from River Island, not worn either pair. I could go on ........ (and on and on). My only defence for buying them all, is that I don't have any other vices .... Don't drink (never been able) don't smoke, and I'm too old to womanise..... What's left, but heels?

I was in Marks and Spencer Brent Cross the other day (up to no good) looking for a boot they sell that had been reduced in the crimbo sale. To my amazement, I found a pair my size. There's a lot more to the story to be reported in another thread, but .... While fishing out the money from my pocket, I had the boots -very obviously my shopping- resting on an empty bench in the ladies department when a nice looking assistant walked past. She looked at the boots, then me, and smiled. A minute or two later, me with cash readied and walking toward the till, she passed again while returning to her section. Another glimpse of my shoes, and this time her smile practically included a wink as she passed me. A very pleasant reaction. Shame the grumpy lady on the till wasn't having such a good day ....

I found some for sale, 100% perfect. I had to buy them .... Ha..!! Forgotten I'd mentioned these ..... Some weeks later I found a pair languishing in a KG shop. Not quite £75, but close enough. I own them. The right shoe tries to cut two of my toes off while I have them on, and the heel is too high for me to walk in without 'warming up' in some other heels first, but they are beautiful. Expensive, and I'll never wear them. But they are so lovely to look at, I knew as soon as they arrived they weren't going back.

I haven't bought any shoes or boots from an auction site for some time now. There is a pair I've resisted for a couple of months. £40, but not leather, nor a PU version of leather either, meaning I would more easily get spotted wearing them. Have spent plenty on shoes and boots in shops though..... I'll be taking some back soon as I bought the same style of boots, cheaper in the crimbo sales. I too have decided to move on some of my excess. Probably the worst time of year to try though? "Sales" are on, and people are about to get their credit card bill and end-of-year utility bills. I've also been trying to sell my less expensive mountain bike, with no luck. I had hoped someone would consider it a late crimbo present for themselves, as the thing is almost unmarked. No luck so far, despite 3 enquiries about delivery arrangements, and 7 watchers. I guess these people are waiting for a price reduction.....

Sign of the times ......? Without appearing to be critical, I would say that younger people have grown used to getting more for less. They've never really known hardship, not known hunger, not really known what it's like to go without anything really. With that in mind, I would suggest younger people are not expecting to bear discomfort for fashion. A long time ago (100+ years) it wasn't unusual for a woman to wear a corset whenever she was awake. During the 1940's 50's and even 1960's, a woman might not be considered 'dressed' unless her shoe had a heel, even for work. Mrs Freddy can remember never leaving the house without a high heel shoe on her feet (as with two other ladies from my past). Time moves on. The young expect to be able to spend money even when they don't have any. They expect modern electronic communication devices (phones/computers) regular holidays etc etc. I don't know many younger people that could do much in the kitchen beyond boiling a kettle or switching on a microwave ..... Wearing a high heel isn't easy. It slows you down, and badly fitting shoes can hurt. (I'm lucky with that, as my feet aren't prone to pain even with an open wound.) I've seen girls out with high heels, and of course fashion shops sell many pairs, but recent (10-15 years) experience increasingly suggests these heeled shoes are for 3-4 hours out in the evening - not for all day use. Often, high heeled shoes are not even worn for the whole evening. I've seen girls slip their heels on at a bar entrance, and remove them just before or immediately after the night out. In other words, they've worn them to get attention (by looking more attractive), not as a lifestyle statement. In the UK we have a term for younger women who are usually quite/very pretty, and make themselves available for glamorous evenings out in the hope of grabbing (or keeping) a well-paid sportsman. The term is WAGS. (Women And GirlfriendS). These girls, and others leading glamorous lives might choose to wear heels more often (in case they get pap'd) but most girls will be dressed in flat footwear, for comfort and speed. (I have worn flat shoes in my last 3 shopping ventures out, because I needed to walk distances in short amounts of time.) Older ladies will be used to enduring some mild discomfort to look good. Most will have given up of course, but some are die-hards - thankfully. I saw one recently. I would put her at late 30's early forties. Blonde, with hair extensions. Black skirted suit and quite trim. Had some lovely knee high boots on, with 4 inch stiletto heel. Not poor, to even quite well off. She had the look of someone who is used to being out dressed, possibly she used to be an air-hostess, or someone with her own boutique. Certainly, members here would have noticed her. The last time I saw anything vaguely similar, was Oxford Street during spring, when I saw two WAGs leaving a large department store and get into a black cab. There is at least one store I know of, where seeing women of all ages walk around shopping in a heel, is something I can expect. These are 'ladies who lunch' of course. Meaning they have partners who provide enough wealth for the children to be with a nanny or away getting a private education, he is busy working, so the lady fills her day meeting friends for lunch or shopping in town. Not only do they have the money to buy nice shoes, but the time to wear them too possibly? Younger/poorer girls, are too busy/late/in-a-rush to wear a heel maybe? And perhaps wisely, don't want to wear heels for very long periods in case they cause long term damage to their feet? I personally doubt it's wisdom though, more like; 'can't be bothered'.

I would agree that mostly ALDO tend to be accurate, even possibly a little generous. I did buy a very attractive ankle boot from them that came up a bit small, but to be honest, they were a very slim style and it may be I had them laced up a bit tight for that particular style. (I don't like loose shoes where my feet can slop around inside.) Just to contract myself, I had/have listed on an auction site, a pair of ALDO high heeled courts marked/sold as UK 8. They are not an 8. In fact they are barely a 7. It's not just me. Several reviewers have commented they've had to go up a size. I can get them on -I sometimes take a 7 in a court shoe- but they would hurt after a while so I'm trying to move them on. For the most part I've found Topshop/Dune/Lipsey tend to come up a half to a whole size small for me, and I have slim-ish feet. I think I've commented before, some brands don't even have the same sizing gauge between styles. Can't think exactly who I had in mind, though "Barratts" seems likely, and it meant/means ordering online is nothing less than a gamble. If the brand gets it wrong a couple of times, would you go back for a third try? I think not, which might help explain the demise of the brand. I've had similar failures with ASOS. Ordered shoes in a UK8 several times and had to return them. Yet I have some lovely block heeled ankle boots from them, in a UK7?

Found them.

Just got 'ripped' for carriage again. Bought 2 items, thin circular plastic rings, 80p carriage each. Ordered two at the same time, 80p carriage for both? (They weigh about the same as an A4 sheet of paper.) Nope. Carriage reduced from £1-60 to £1-05. It's only 25p but why the extra at all?

I really like mules. Given a choice I would own some Karo ones shown elsewhere. They come with a very high wedge heel, and clear perspex cover with open toes. Lovely! The ones shown here are nice, but I would prefer a higher heel. If I remember these styles come with a very wearable 4 inch heel? Nice, but not much of a challenge, and wearing a heel out is the only exercise I get at the moment. I had spotted the second pair with a view to doing the same, wearing them as a boot, but something that slipped off easily when shoe shopping. I've seen and tried on something similar at Zara but my foot wasn't comfortable in them. The bit at the back of the heel felt like a blister-in-waiting so they were returned. I've also spotted some elsewhere that had tempted me .... but I don't appear to have bookmarked them. [Duh!]

The only one I know of, is a "free" bus pass. Everything else is worse. We'll have to agree to disagree on this VAT thing. I've tried to keep it simple, to show that the bags (free carriage) provide a VAT saving opportunity for some. It doesn't make anything cheaper to the consumer, but does provide advantages for the seller. The cashflow and bags (cost of sales) are not pertinent in my examples. I did like your two examples of food and new start-ups. I'm not looking to fall-out over something I've no (real) interest in, since I no longer have anything to do with VAT, or any taxes come to think of it.... This advantage was explained to me by a volume seller, and I got the concept. If we are both wrong, then we are both wrong, and it doesn't matter. [i'll stay in fools paradise. I like it here. ] Back onto your (justified) criticism of multiple orders ..... I have challenged sellers in the past, once recently. First one was selling (I think) wiring heat shrink. If I remember, carriage was free and I wanted 3 different sizes, 3 different lengths. I asked about discount, bearing in mind there was only one lot of postage etc. The answer given was; "We pay pennies for envelopes, and postage is done on weight. More weight, more cost. 3 pieces sent together would cost the same as 3 sent individually." I suspect some of this is true, but not all. Anyway, I didn't get any discount. More recently I bought a Solid State Drive that came with free carriage. I put an extra item (£12) in the basket too, and up popped a carriage charge of £4-50 (or £4-99). I contacted the seller to ask why? They blamed the auction company software, but wouldn't remove the carriage charge by way of a basket discount. I removed the second item (cooler) and just bought the SSD. Hunting around the site I found the same cooler for £8-05 delivered. Delivery of the second item was slow, but it's still sitting here waiting to be used, so carriage was plenty fast enough! As with me paying £5-20 for carriage that cost the seller £2-80, we have a choice. Buy, or keep our money to spend elsewhere. In an ideal world, we'd get everything at the best price .... Sadly, we live in a far from ideal world.

Regarding VAT ..... There is no difference to the buyer, but there is to the seller. Tesco/ASDA for example, can "claim back" VAT paid for the plastic carrier bags they give away at the checkout. (In reality they keep more of the VAT collected for the Revenue in till sales). We all know they aren't free, the cost is lost in any purchase made. My understanding is this is why "free" carriage is attractive to the seller, they get to claw back some of the VAT, if they are VAT registered. I've had to fill in VAT returns in the past, so I know you only pay the difference on what you spent, to what you collected in sales. You can't collect VAT on something you "gift" to a customer? [The VAT paid for the bags, is kept back against -say- the VAT you charged on a pair of shoes. The only VAT the Revenue sees, is the shoe VAT -LESS- the VAT saved.] Taken to an extreme ...... (always amusing) ....... Lets say I buy 1000 bags at £50, and pay £10 VAT on that. I sell some shoes at £30, ("gift" one bag) and £5 of that selling price is VAT I've collected for the Revenue. I don't buy or sell anything else that quarter, when I do my VAT returns. I get a £5 rebate from the Revenue, which cost me one 5p bag. Put into context, any VAT paid by the seller for carriage of the goods (they have sold to a customer) which is subsequently "gifted" (not charges for - no VAT collected), allows the seller to claim credit for the VAT paid in their carriage costs. It may not seem like much, but a company with 1000 postal customers a week, would doubtless see a noticeable difference in their bottom line. Which of course attracts a different kind of tax if their accountant was not doing his job very well. I can't remember the case study we did, but it revolved around a coffee company, someone like Starbucks. The study was to show the real cost to businesses of our VAT recording system. The story started at somewhere like the papermill. Who charged the printers for paper adding VAT. It then went to the cardboard company who folded and packed the printed card, who charged VAT. The packed cups then went to a wholesaler, who stored the cups, until they were sold to the fanchees. VAT was added again. At the coffee shop, there was no direct charge for the coffee cup. In fact if you went into a shop and asked for water, you were given a paper cup filler with water, for free. No VAT was collected for the cup as none was charged. BUT every other business that touched that cup had VAT records, and got fined for late submission or errors. I suppose the same VAT 'dodge' is also good for coffee shops?

Hello and welcome. HHp is quite busy, H4M not so. Could be because this is almost a 'gentleman's club' rather than appealing to a broader spectrum of high heel wearers, meaning women as well. The variety of interest is wider at HHp too. TV's are positively discouraged here, where they are -if not welcomed- they are an accepted part of the (community) furniture over at HHp.