The joy of eccentric elderly parents and their routines.

The joy of eccentric elderly parents and their routines.

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CanAm

9,114 posts

271 months

Sunday 21st April 2019
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Not my parents, though at a push she might be someone's. I help out in a charity bookshop; this week a borderline elderly lady came in and proceeded to take her cash (both coins and notes) from a screw-top glass bottle. Not the most convenient way to carry around your cash.

j4ckos mate

Original Poster:

3,009 posts

169 months

Tuesday 30th April 2019
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Mums got to entry buzzers into her flat
One at the main door and one into the hallway.
Everytime someone rings, she answers, then sits down, then looses her st when the second one gos

dirky dirk

Original Poster:

3,009 posts

169 months

Wednesday 19th June 2019
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Todays gem was putting flowers in a glass, on the cooker

with no water in them,

and then taping the flowers upto the splashback so they dont fall over,

i suppose it shows ingenuity if nothing else

Stuart70

3,910 posts

182 months

Thursday 20th June 2019
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randomeddy said:
We are 'only' in our mid fifties but always unplug the TV before going to bed and make sure most things are at least off at the socket if not unplugged.
Why? Why do you do this?

RizzoTheRat

25,085 posts

191 months

Thursday 20th June 2019
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My mother (mid 70's) stayed with an old school friend of hers the other day, and apparently the friend turns off everything when not in use: oven, washing machine, kettle, etc. She said trying to do anything in the kitchen was a nightmare! I asked if she also turned off the fridge and freezer but was told not mention the idea to her just in case biggrin

HTP99

22,443 posts

139 months

Thursday 20th June 2019
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RizzoTheRat said:
My mother (mid 70's) stayed with an old school friend of hers the other day, and apparently the friend turns off everything when not in use: oven, washing machine, kettle, etc. She said trying to do anything in the kitchen was a nightmare! I asked if she also turned off the fridge and freezer but was told not mention the idea to her just in case biggrin
My dad used to turn everything off when we went on holiday, "in case it caused a fire", oddly he was fine with the fire risk when the house was occupied!!


Edited by HTP99 on Thursday 20th June 16:33

Cantaloupe

1,056 posts

59 months

Thursday 20th June 2019
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Stuart70 said:
Why? Why do you do this?
I know folk who leave computers, chargers, routers, printers on all the time, even 24/7.

They are amazed at the fact I switch things off when I don't need them .

I presume these wazzocks leave their cars idling all night ?

RC1807

12,482 posts

167 months

Thursday 20th June 2019
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Roofless Toothless said:
alorotom said:
Roofless Toothless said:
I have a confession to make.

I'm over 70, and previously had never owned a mobile phone, when I mentioned to the family that I am starting to feel a bit vulnerable when out in the car on my own.

For my birthday in January my son bought me a rudimentary mobile phone. Yesterday I made a call on it for the first time, just to see if it worked.
Please tell us it was the speaking clock that you called??!
The operator couldn't put me through.
wink

laugh

Stuart70

3,910 posts

182 months

Thursday 20th June 2019
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Cantaloupe said:
I know folk who leave computers, chargers, routers, printers on all the time, even 24/7.

They are amazed at the fact I switch things off when I don't need them .

I presume these wazzocks leave their cars idling all night ?
So, you feel you are saving the planet by switching off and unplugging devices which power down when not in use.

Proud of you man. Thanks, from all of us.

gmaz

4,382 posts

209 months

Friday 21st June 2019
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My dad always turns everything off at the wall, including the Sky box. So when he wants to watch TV he turns it on and as it takes about 2 minutes to boot up, he thinks its not working so turns it off and on again which makes the problem worse.

Then he complains that the TV warmed up quicker when it was valve powered.

Peanut Gallery

2,418 posts

109 months

Friday 21st June 2019
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gmaz said:
My dad always turns everything off at the wall, including the Sky box. So when he wants to watch TV he turns it on and as it takes about 2 minutes to boot up, he thinks its not working so turns it off and on again which makes the problem worse.

Then he complains that the TV warmed up quicker when it was valve powered.
Outlaws do this - but also have extra sound bars, extra HDMI switches etc in the mix. None remember anything if they are switched off, so you need to go into the settings of different items and adjust the sound delay, etc.

And all the remotes are kept in plastic bags.

bristolracer

5,527 posts

148 months

Friday 21st June 2019
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Bearing in mind how many cheap Chinese made electrical goods we all have about,I think unplugging them when not in use is quite a good idea.

Have you felt how much heat comes out of a cheap replacement laptop power supply?

Jinx

11,345 posts

259 months

Friday 21st June 2019
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Cantaloupe said:
I know folk who leave computers, chargers, routers, printers on all the time, even 24/7.

They are amazed at the fact I switch things off when I don't need them .

I presume these wazzocks leave their cars idling all night ?
The main risk to electrical equipment is during the "surge" of power when they are turned on (think light bulbs that fail when you turn them on - rarely when they are already on). Constantly turning a device on and off will reduce its lifespan. Most modern devices have a low power state that is better for them than a cold restart. Also many devices require "updates" that can be done when you are not using the device - saving you time when you actually want to use the thing.

Cotty

39,389 posts

283 months

Friday 21st June 2019
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Peanut Gallery said:
And all the remotes are kept in plastic bags.
Never hear of that, why do they do it?

bristolracer

5,527 posts

148 months

Friday 21st June 2019
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Cotty said:
Peanut Gallery said:
And all the remotes are kept in plastic bags.
Never hear of that, why do they do it?
So they dont wear out or get dirty.
You often find that they will also have kept the covers on the sofa.

dirky dirk

Original Poster:

3,009 posts

169 months

Friday 21st June 2019
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Yep seconded covers on the sofa,

To be honest we think her odd ways are a subversive way of getting attention she never got as a kid

There's 93 purpose built retirement flats in her complex,
the 94th has hi viz sticky tape on hers to alert people where her doorbell is, incase its a few microns out of position for the others,

she had some un imoprtant medical appt to get to and me and my sis were struggling to get time of work to take her, she complained about the fact it cost her 20 quid each way,
But its completely ok for us to use a days holiday up, a fiver in parking and then we end up getting a few bits from the shop for her on the way back!

80quattro

1,724 posts

194 months

Friday 21st June 2019
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My Dad (almost 80) has three bright orange stickers stuck to his Honda Jazz (yes, really) glass. One each on the windscreen, rear screen, and passenger side rear quarter. Each about half the size of a bank card. Apparently they help him with parking.

Every time I visit my folks for dinner I take my sons with me (14 and 15 year olds) and their portion sizes are so small, I have to give the kids a second dinner when we get back home. I don't comment as its obviously rude, and I appreciate the opportunity for the 5 of us to sit down and eat together.


WAVman

199 posts

63 months

Friday 21st June 2019
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My in-laws lived in Cyprus for c20 years following FIL's retirement.

They have been back here for approx 5 years now, but still do EVERYTHING as though they still live in the Med.

They are up at 5, before it gets too hot to do anything.
Gardening, cleaning, all done before 7.00. Then off to the Supermarket when it opens.
Lunch at 11.00'ish.
Afternoon siesta, then watch TV or 'potter' for the rest of the afternoon.
Dinner at 4.30.
Bed at 7.30.

My wife and I just laugh. What else can you do?

Barchettaman

6,282 posts

131 months

Friday 21st June 2019
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Seems quite a sensible way of organizing their day, if unconventional.

RC1807

12,482 posts

167 months

Friday 21st June 2019
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80quattro said:
My Dad (almost 80) has three bright orange stickers stuck to his Honda Jazz (yes, really) glass. One each on the windscreen, rear screen, and passenger side rear quarter. Each about half the size of a bank card. Apparently they help him with parking.

Every time I visit my folks for dinner I take my sons with me (14 and 15 year olds) and their portion sizes are so small, I have to give the kids a second dinner when we get back home. I don't comment as its obviously rude, and I appreciate the opportunity for the 5 of us to sit down and eat together.
The widow stickers thing, my driving instructor had that on his 205 back in 1987, so you knew where to 'point' the corners when doing your 3 point run or reversing around the corner. Worked well.
As for portion sizes, old folk are like that, as that's what they had, typically. Portion sizes we've adopted over time should be much smaller, hence why may of us are fat knackers. laugh