The Velodrome

7:54 AM

@Mσᶎ if it is any consolation I'm starting to feel your pain.....Mrs has bid on four or five eBay auctions for chicken coops. She's lost them all and getting quite ratty now! Our lives are being put onto "pause" at the moment (as in, "I need to be in front of my computer at half-past-two this afternoon"). Whoever invented eBay....

Batman

11:42 AM

why not build one yourself?

PeteH

12:05 PM

@Batman she's decided she wants something in plastic. The wooden ones look good, but apparently they are susceptible to Red Mite. You generally need to burn the coop if it gets infected/ The plastic ones last longer, and can be cleaned effectively with a Karcher (pressure washer)

But the plastic ones can be really expensive. The larget ones we have seen are ~£800 new, and not much less secondhand on eBay. You can get smaller ones (which would do us at the start) for ~£350 new.

We'll get the larger one secondhand off eBay if we can, the smaller one if we have to

When you look into it, it is just like cycling. Catering to noobs who have too much spare money!!

PeteH

12:21 PM

@Rilakkuma am hoping you're not near any volcanoes at the moment

Batman

2:46 PM

@PeteH - I'd imagine a PVC one you design yourself wouldn't be very expensive

PeteH

4:00 PM

@Batman got to be fox and badger proof too though.

Batman

4:59 PM

Just let the fox raid the chicken coop then eat the fox.

PeteH

5:15 PM

.....ah, sneaky :)

omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/eglu_cube is the expensive one. If you click around the same site, the "Go" is the realistic one

PeteH

5:42 PM

@Batman its been very quiet in here this weekend, I'm thinking that everyone got invited to George Clooney's wedding except me and you

PeteH

6:35 PM

One auction just finished at £612......for something that costs £699 new. See what I mean about secondhand prices being ridiculously high?

freiheit

@PeteH Maybe you should just go ahead and buy a new one and save yourself all the eBay hassles and delay-caused marital strife?

PeteH

I reckon that's what we'll end up doing @freiheit. But we aren't planning on getting the birds for a month so we have a little time to dither yet! Fortunately there will be no strife as I think we both want the same thing, just a question of seeing how good a deal we can get

But plenty of other reasons for strife. Daughter left home today, left a note and all......but came home 2 hours later

freiheit

7:29 PM

@PeteH Left home, as in "ran away"?

PeteH

@freiheit got it in one. I'm still not quite clear on why. I think it started with something as trivial as me asking her to bring the dirty dishes from her bedroom into the kitchen, her ignoring me, and me going into the room to get said dishes. She is fifteen!

freiheit

@PeteH Yikes!

PeteH

@freiheit It is fair to say that she has....issues. I don't think all kids become like that, at least I hope not.

The big problem we have at the moment is not really wanting her with us - it can get quite unpleasant sometimes - but at the same time worrying about whether she could cope with a job, share a house with other people etc.

freiheit

7:47 PM

@PeteH Seems to me most kids hit a stage (during teenage years / later puberty) where they want more independence but really aren't yet equipped to handle it. Also, puberty makes you crazy.

But I don't have kids or any plans to have kids. :)

PeteH

@freiheit yes, I'm hoping that in 10 years time we can look back and smile... It's difficult because daughter isn't at all academic. I mean, I was a bit of a rebel at her age but did well academically, so going away to university was a natural was out of the parental home for me. But for her I see no such route.

But, you know, it is just one of those things you live with.

And keep chickens to take you mind off it :)

andy256

9:26 PM

@PeteH Good morning from here, eve'nin for there. Sounds like it's family conference time, to express what each party thinks is reasonable behaviour, and agree on what the rules are.

PeteH

hi @andy256 we try that, they get ignored....Groundhog Day!

andy256

Ah but are they agreed? Like, "we think it's unreasonable to have week-old dishes in your bedroom."

One can have more "issues" with a teen girl. Plus any social issues. And boys. Or not.

PeteH

They are agreed until it is inconvenient. In fairness, this is a kid who is already seeing professionals for mental health problems, so we are an extreme case.

Particular problems with tidiness (i.e. not crudding the place for the rest of us) and "helping herself"

She once pinched a bottle of Mrs PeteH's Chanel Body Lotion. $75

Mostly she'll just take something trivial....like your towel from the bathroom. Then you go to her room and find 6 towels. Not joking!

andy256

So my only suggestion, since my experience doesn't go there, is to just be consistent. The recent behaviour is certainly attention-seeking. I think I'd be talking in those terms.

"Ok. You got our attention. Talk. And stick to what we agree for the next week."

PeteH

Mrs and I are pretty consistent, since we pretty much agree on how we want to live life.

andy256

9:38 PM

Just been reading what your wrote while I wrote.

Seems that she wants one set of rules for her and another for you.

Does treat us as she wants to be treated have any resonance?

PeteH

It is very difficult. There is also a certain amount of polarity in there also. For example, you criticise her for not taking dishes through to the kitchen, she takes it as "you hate me".

So every small issue becomes a love me/hate me kind of thing.

It feels like "Reason" doesn't come into it

andy256

So don't criticize. "Darling, much as we love you, we also love to eat from plates. Could we have them back? Before Thursday?"

My daughter has similar behaviour, just not so bad. The world revolves around her and her rowing.

PeteH

Trust me @andy256, Thursday would come and go.

andy256

Yep.

PeteH

Does yours still live @ home?

andy256

9:45 PM

And then it's "Darling, remember those plates. Dinner will happen when we have them back"

Son and D move as they please btw 2 houses.

Currently D is with Mum, for the foreseeable.

But she is 20.

PeteH

She will skip meals, then take in a midnight snack. Also food can disappear - not just snacky food - we've had e.g. a pie destined for a meal, just vanish

You think you're going mad - did I buy that or did I just imagine it!!!

Mrs has suggested fitting a lock to the kitchen

andy256

:-) That's what I mean about treating others as she'd want to be treated.

Don't over-react.

Just consistent.

If she swipes stuff then you should be able to swipe stuff.

If she stops, then you stop.

But just do it less.

Are you talking to the treating ... er ... quack?

PeteH

Actually we have very few sanctions. The only thing that seems to work is disconnecting internet

andy256

Hey @Omen!

Omen

hi all!

andy256

9:52 PM

What part of the world are you in?

PeteH

Mrs deals with quacks mostly. But they don't appear to be much good, except as a source of drugs!

Hi @Omen

andy256

Yeah, I have no faith in them. At all.

Omen

I am in the land of Oz (Ausralia)

PeteH

Aw jeez not another one ;)

andy256

@Omen me too - Melbun.

Omen

9:53 PM

lol

central Queensland coast

PeteH

Most of this room is Aussies, they come in here when they're s'posed to be working!

Omen

lol, as a teacher, I am on holidays...yeaeeeeah!

andy256

Indignant it's only 8!

PeteH

@Omen what, today or always?

Omen

and I just wave my mate off to work...hehehehe

andy256

9:55 PM

And I was thinking of going back to bed.

Omen

@PeteH for the next week

want to hear something funny?

PeteH

I was thinking of going to bed, but Die Hard 2 on tv, so may stay up for a bit

@Omen, sure

andy256

Oh, that'll keep you awake.

Omen

I have never been able to ride a standard 2 wheeler bike

PeteH

Nothing like gratuitous violence

Omen

9:57 PM

last time I tried, I was chased by a cow and landed in a compost heap, headfirst

On a two wheeler?

yup

soft landing though

Depends whether the cow landed too.

Omen

I am wondering if there are training wheels tht don't look like training wheels - subtle but helpful

PeteH

9:58 PM

so do you ride not-2-wheels?

andy256

It's called a trike.

Omen

the cow moo-ved along

i fell off a trike too

PeteH

@Mσᶎ rides a veloceraptor.....or something

andy256

Or something!

I was about to suggest such ...

But you obvoiusly type faster

PeteH

ok, how did you fall off a bike (thinking there's going to be a punchline in a minute)

sorry, a trike

(typing too fast!)

Omen

10:01 PM

I was punched, lost my balance and crashed into a letterbox

andy256

Were you in Spain at the time?

Omen

my centre of balance is in Western Australia (and I am in Queensland)

PeteH

You were punched?

Omen

punched by a swooping magpie

andy256

Cyclists punch each other over there, I hear.

PeteH

10:02 PM

I would certainly punch other cyclists if I could catch them

Excellent, a magpie, this is getting better. Why did the magpie go for you?

andy256

At @PeteH Magpies are medium sized birds, who protect their nest territory.

Some cyclists think putting zipties on their helmets will scare them off.

PeteH

@Omen is this true, were you attacking the bird's nest on your trike?

Omen

I tried singing opera... it got the maggies MAD!

andy256

But it just makes the cyclist look more of a threat.

I never thought of that

Omen

@PeteH nah, just going through the maggie's territory

PeteH

10:06 PM

@Omen next time, you could try not singing opera. That works for me.

Omen

I am tempted to ask the question of modification to a bike to allow someone as clumsy and uncoordinated as me to ride

@PeteH what?!?!?! that's crazy talk

PeteH

maybe so, but I have never been attached by a magpie.

Omen

hmmm thre may be something in that

I get attaked even when I am thinking of opera

PeteH

Ah, I don't think of opera either. No point tempting fate.

Omen

lol

PeteH

10:09 PM

I did manage to annoy a pony once, which was quite scary

Omen

I annoyed a cow once

PeteH

They look much bigger up close

Omen

it had an awful sCOWl on its face

andy256

We herd about that

PeteH

Cows can be scary too. We were in a field of them once and they came running towards us. They didn't seem malicious, in fact they looked like they were smiling

andy256

10:10 PM

@PeteH much bigger than what?

PeteH

than me!! This one clocked 25mp/h until it gave up

(This is an estimate, the Garmin was on my bike, not on the pony)

andy256

Oh, so it was just playing

PeteH

It was just nasty

andy256

Lol

PeteH

@Omen, if you think you have any chance of a sensible answer, you could ask us

andy256

10:13 PM

Sense?

Or Sensibility?

That is the question.

Omen

i wonder if I can modify a bike to have 'hidden', functional guide wheels (and a death ray won't go astray)

PeteH

@andy256 it's ok @Batman will be here soon, he gives sensible answers

andy256

Yep. This has got me stumped.

Straight through to the keeper.

Omen

whats that?

PeteH

I'm interested in the death ray bit, I could use one of them.

andy256

10:15 PM

Cricket.

On the D?

Omen

cricket? ewww

andy256

@Mσᶎ was talking about eating them :-)

PeteH

Excellent, an Aussie who doesn't like cricket, liking you even more!

Omen

cricket, to me, is about as exciting as a dead decomposing wombt

andy256

I'm confused. Now you're saying it's exciting?

Omen

10:18 PM

lol, no

PeteH

Oh yes. Do you ever ride past decomposing wombts? We have squirrels here

(I see everyone else has left the room)

andy256

Yes, on occasion.

Blew them away.

Omen

well, I walk past them occasionally, cause if I ride them I would land on it

andy256

Lol

Dead foxes are more common. Road kill.

PeteH

gosh it is 11:20pm here, Iam already thinking I must lie in tomorrow

andy256

10:20 PM

How's Die Hard going?

PeteH

He's just figured about the Outer Marker....the tide is turning

andy256

You'll have to see the end.

It might be different this time.

PeteH

Oh yes the end is good. Yippee kyay

or something

andy256

Just watched Prometheus for the third time with my son.

Ended the same way as before.

Omen

just watched World's End

andy256

10:23 PM

It lied.

Omen

love the argument with the alien and the epic bar fight scene

PeteH

Never mind. Cannot remember Promethius but mrs says I have watched it

andy256

'cos we're still here.

Omen

are we?

PeteH

World's end was crap I thought, though I like Simon Pegg

andy256

10:25 PM

@Omen I am. I think ...

PeteH

Paul was particularly good.

Omen

i wonder if I am

PeteH

No, you're definitely here

Omen

I'm there?

andy256

@PeteH Prometheus

I'm lost

G'night @PeteH, got to do some of that work you mentioned. Later @Omen

Omen

10:28 PM

catch ya @andy256

PeteH

laterz

So @Omen was that really your question?

Omen

yup, of sorts

PeteH

You never know, it might be worth asking. People tend to be quite helpful, the only thing that gets people annoyed are the product rec questions.....what bike should I buy

Omen

product rep questions would annoy me as well

PeteH

If you think the question might be off-topic, might be worth posting something on Meta first, although Bicycles Meta isn't used much

There are a couple of really good blog posts though.

Omen

10:33 PM

i'll probably read some of the posts first - then word mine in a similar manner

PeteH

What do you teach (apart from kids)?

Omen

Physics, Chem, Maths - all the fun ones

PeteH

Ha, I did my degree in Physics, got A levels in Physics and Maths. Great fun. But 25 years ago now.

Omen

i am transitioning from seconday to eventually, tertiary teaching/research

PeteH

Yes I always though teaching kids would be difficult, far better to teach people who want to be in the room

Omen

10:37 PM

exactly

its a psychological war between me and them

worse than magpies sometimes

PeteH

but not worse than opera?

Omen

about equal

PeteH

Still, you have a week off. That has to be good

Omen

oh yes, I can plot their doom... erm... i men relax

PeteH

yeah, kids are horrible. I know, I have one. Riding my bike keeps me sane

I think

However I must finish now and go to bed. Tomorrow I have to do all the things I put off from today.

Omen

10:45 PM

if I could ride my bike, and avoid the magpies, cows and gravity - it would probably keep me same

lol... you have a good nights rest and a great day f anti-procrastination

PeteH

well there you go,, nice to speak to you

Omen

geat to speak to you too

Mσᶎ

11:02 PM

@PeteH on the chicken coop front, could you convert a plastic drum or bin into a coop? Over here we can get 200 litre plastic drums for $10-$30 second hand and I use those for water tanks. Hard to beat $100/kl even if plumbing them in is harder. But one of those would probably also make a good house for a couple of chooks, put a floor in and use the space under to collect poo, add a nesting area and they'd be jake, mate.

That way if it does get mites you just remove the floor, hose it out, burn the floor, straw and so on, then start again. Making a new floor is 10 minutes work...

Batman

@Omen - I'm not sure what you could do to make a bike more coordinatable - for an adult, they do make training wheels (but as this question points out: bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/16512/…) they might not be good for an adult (and it suggests using a small bike as a coaster with the cranks off)

But choosing a not twitchy bike can help

like don't start on something like a race bike - start on something stable. Old rigid mountain bikes or most hybrids should work well for this

but you just have to get used to it - with practice it will feel more stable

smooth tires also help on the road - some mountain bike tires (especially on BSO's) are awfully squirmy on the road

Omen

and no cows

Batman

is it that you can't ride a bike or that you just don't feel stable on your bike?

Omen

11:17 PM

no coordination at all

Batman

maybe a recumbent trike or something would be better then. though I think the advice in that question is pretty good for trying to learn to ride

what kind of bike od you have?

Omen

no bike yet, always borrowed my cousin's dinosaur of a bike

Batman

i unfortunately don't know much about teaching people to ride bikes - when i learned, my cousin just pushed me forward on a bike and i fell until i could ride

its a lto harder to run alongside an adult holding their seat to help them balance since adults are a little too heavy for that.

i do kinda understand teh issue of learning ot ride a bicycle when you're an adult - I've recently bought a unicycle and I've found it quite tough to get going; theres that bit of your mind as an adult which sorta blocks you from trying.

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