The Vent and Rant Thread

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Hemmi

Just when I think I've seen it all in regards to my coworkers. Drama coworker gave her notice about a week and a half ago. Thank goodness I don't have to waste any more of my life hearing about the wedding.

Anyway, she was supposed to be working a couple more weeks until her new job starts. Thursday she comes in for about an hour and then suddenly has to leave. Won't be in Friday nor the weekend she was supposed to work. Calls in Monday. Apparently she's convinced she has COVID but she won't test get tested. Has none of the symptoms. She just needs to be in quarantine for the next 3 weeks. Funny how that's the exact amount of time she has left on her notice.

Needless to say, she's now unemployed because she refuses to go get tested and refuses to come to work.

Regardless, though--isn't this all a good thing? Won't this make you happy, Hemmi? You've loathed and despised this woman for YEARS! Right? So...hooray, yes?

Hitch

[Hemmi]

Yes, makes me very happy. Longest 2 years of my life! Just incredible the things some people come up with.

We all predict her new employer will be rid of her quickly. They won't put up with half the crap we did.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Hemmi

Yes, makes me very happy. Longest 2 years of my life!
{snip}

At my age, I hope ALL of my remaining years are the longest in my life.

[Rumpelteazer]

Another Family Thing update:

The solicitor emailed my uncle last week, also telling him he had to pay back €25000 instead of €5000. He went off at them; he didn't need to pay back that money because he accepted the inheritance "beneficiary". He was wrong about that and a couple of other things. On Monday the solicitor tried to call him, but his landline was disconnected and he didn't pick up his mobile phone. My uncle moved recently, so that might be why the landline has been disconnected. We suspect he recognized the telephone number of the solicitor and didn't pick up his mobile phone. But through my father's aunt and the website of my uncle's business we were able to get two other telephone numbers for the solicitor.

We got an email yesterday, the solicitor had spoken to my uncle and he denies knowing that he promised to pay back €5000, and he isn't planning on paying back €25000. He also doesn't want to sign for the sale. The solicitor is going to talk to him one more time, but they don't believe it will make a difference. They will continue with the preparation of the sale of the house, though.

They could see two options for us: first, the house gets sold, the money that's left over is divided between my father and aunt and they have to see how to handle my uncle. Or, the house is sold, the money is set aside and then my uncle is dealt with. Either way makes sure there are only minimal costs for the estate. I think we're going to go for the latter.

It looks like we're going to court again, whatever happens. We've also decided that if we go to court we're going to claim the full €25000 and not just €5000. The difference in what is inherited will be a couple of thousand euros (if my uncle ever pays up). At first we hoped we could opt for a quick court case, if we didn't ask for the money, but it looks like that isn't a possibility at this time. So we're going full in.

We're a month away from the 7 year anniversary of the fire, which is when this all started.

In Dutch we have a children's song, that is sung when traveling/going somewhere. Translated it goes like this: we're almost there, we're almost there, but not quite yet. Right now that is the best description for the whole situation.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

Another Family Thing update:

The solicitor emailed my uncle last week, also telling him he had to pay back €25000 instead of €5000. He went off at them; he didn't need to pay back that money because he accepted the inheritance "beneficiary". He was wrong about that and a couple of other things. On Monday the solicitor tried to call him, but his landline was disconnected and he didn't pick up his mobile phone. My uncle moved recently, so that might be why the landline has been disconnected. We suspect he recognized the telephone number of the solicitor and didn't pick up his mobile phone. But through my father's aunt and the website of my uncle's business we were able to get two other telephone numbers for the solicitor.

We got an email yesterday, the solicitor had spoken to my uncle and he denies knowing that he promised to pay back €5000, and he isn't planning on paying back €25000. He also doesn't want to sign for the sale. The solicitor is going to talk to him one more time, but they don't believe it will make a difference. They will continue with the preparation of the sale of the house, though.

They could see two options for us: first, the house gets sold, the money that's left over is divided between my father and aunt and they have to see how to handle my uncle. Or, the house is sold, the money is set aside and then my uncle is dealt with. Either way makes sure there are only minimal costs for the estate. I think we're going to go for the latter.

It looks like we're going to court again, whatever happens. We've also decided that if we go to court we're going to claim the full €25000 and not just €5000. The difference in what is inherited will be a couple of thousand euros (if my uncle ever pays up). At first we hoped we could opt for a quick court case, if we didn't ask for the money, but it looks like that isn't a possibility at this time. So we're going full in.

We're a month away from the 7 year anniversary of the fire, which is when this all started.

In Dutch we have a children's song, that is sung when traveling/going somewhere. Translated it goes like this: we're almost there, we're almost there, but not quite yet. Right now that is the best description for the whole situation.

Wow. He really is a piece of work, I must say. Remarkable, truly.

Hitch

[Rumpelteazer]

Not much of an update this week. The solicitor has made a new agreement, which they ran by my father first. One thing included is that my father and aunt will keep the possibility to take my uncle to court to retrieve the money he owes to the estate. Usually in an agreement the possibility to prosecute is blocked/denied. It also states that my uncle isn't getting anything of the inheritance, but that the money will be deducted from his debt to the estate.

We're not expecting my uncle to sign, let alone that he pays back the money he owes. So now we're waiting for his refusal so we can set a new court case in motion. The agreement was sent to my uncle on Thursday, hopefully we'll hear back from the solicitor early next week so we can get things going ASAP.

[Rumpelteazer]

The council is going to put stickers on the sidewalks outside stores in the city center to indicate where people have to stand to wait to enter a store. This is to prevent people from standing too close. A lot of stores already made their own waiting lines with duct tape or chalk. But the council thought all those different ways looked too messy and decided to make the stickers. On Friday they spray painted crosses where the stickers will have to be put.

Last week we also saw that people parking their bike in front of the store and people waiting in line got too close. So on Saturday I made signs to put on the window asking people to park their bike across the street, where there is official parking space for bikes and mopeds.

Now I often get annoyed when customers park their bike in front of the store, most of the time there's enough space across the street and if someone bumps against the bike or when it's windy it can fall against the window. If the window breaks it's going to be expensive, because it's a really big window.

I put up the signs on Saturday and of course within an hour a customer with a bike comes walking up, reads the sign and parks his bike not just in front of the window but against it. When he came in and I asked him to move his bike he wanted to go into a discussion because he only had a small errand and nobody's waiting in line, blah blah blah. I insisted and he did move it, but then refused to be helped by me. When he was waiting for his lightbulbs to people walked up, saw that we have a 2 customer limit and waited outside.

We also had several customers coming in together whilst there was already another customer. When asked if one or both of them could wait outside they say that their together. That doesn't mean you count as one person!

We could have 3 people in the store, but we often have to get out behind the counter to get something for a customer and then it's difficult for everyone to keep their distance from each other. Also, we could get a €4000 fine if the police/council thinks you have too many people in the store (excluding employees). So we'd rather play it safe, both for our health and our wallet.

People are obviously having difficulties adjusting to the "5 foot society". The first month it worked but since then people are starting to get tired of and annoyed by it. But it might be here for a while yet. So people will need to start getting used to it.

[4691mls]

I know the Trader Joe's store here has people wait outside. I don't know if they have markings on the sidewalk for distancing. I never shopped there anyway because it was always so crowded with noplace to park.

The grocery stores I do shop at are large supermarkets so there's never been a line to get in, but inside the store they have aisles marked as one-way and in the checkout area, there are markings on the floor for distancing. People do seem to be observing these.

Rumpel, maybe you should tell your stubborn customers about the expensive fine. Even if they don't care about the disease maybe they would respect your wish to avoid paying the fine. You never know what will motivate people!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I know the Trader Joe's store here has people wait outside. I don't know if they have markings on the sidewalk for distancing. I never shopped there anyway because it was always so crowded with noplace to park.

The grocery stores I do shop at are large supermarkets so there's never been a line to get in, but inside the store they have aisles marked as one-way and in the checkout area, there are markings on the floor for distancing. People do seem to be observing these.

Rumpel, maybe you should tell your stubborn customers about the expensive fine. Even if they don't care about the disease maybe they would respect your wish to avoid paying the fine. You never know what will motivate people!

I was thinking something different--put up a sign saying "if we get fined $4K (or whatever the amount is) for you ignoring the rules/laws/statutes, we're going to make YOU pay it!"

(Now, realistically, you don't scan retinas on every person who comes into the store, etc., so you probably couldn't, but it might get their attention and the lukewarm-smart ones might believe it.)

Hitch

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I was thinking something different--put up a sign saying "if we get fined $4K (or whatever the amount is) for you ignoring the rules/laws/statutes, we're going to make YOU pay it!"

(Now, realistically, you don't scan retinas on every person who comes into the store, etc., so you probably couldn't, but it might get their attention and the lukewarm-smart ones might believe it.)

Hitch

Great idea!

[Rumpelteazer]

I haven't had to tell a customer of the €4000 fine. All except one listened to us, occasionally with some moaning or attempt at discussion. One customer, in one of the first weeks, not sure if the fine was already in place then, we asked to leave. He didn't want to keep his distance.

We've got our Corona Rules posted outside, on the shop door, just inside the shop and on the counter. One of those is that customers should listen to our directions. I've had one customer stomp off angry, telling me he would never return to our store. I didn't mind, those types of customers we'd rather not have. So a win situation for us.

[binaryhermit]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

The grocery stores I do shop at are large supermarkets so there's never been a line to get in, but inside the store they have aisles marked as one-way and in the checkout area, there are markings on the floor for distancing. People do seem to be observing these.

And yet somehow it seems like more people are going the wrong way down one-way aisles than the right way where I work, somehow.

And people are doing more stupid stuff as time goes on...

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by binaryhermit

And yet somehow it seems like more people are going the wrong way down one-way aisles than the right way where I work, somehow.

And people are doing more stupid stuff as time goes on...

I've accidentally gone the wrong way a couple of times. I have been going to the same store for years and had a habit of going down a certain aisle first, then up another for items I buy regularly. It's hard to break the habit.
Thankfully the store has recently added more visible floor markings. The first ones were light yellow and easy to overlook.
But if I'm looking at the overhead signs trying to find something I don't buy often then I may forget to look down at the floor for the arrows.
I'm sure I will form new habits but for now it's tricky.

And sometimes you want to go back and forth in the same aisle, like when there's a large variety of similar items and you want to compare brands and prices.

[Rumpelteazer]

Next week will be either good or meh.

Last week my uncle told the solicitor that a judge had told him he wouldn't have to pay back the money he owed my grandmother's estate. This isn't true, the judge said she wouldn't do that. The solicitor let him know he was wrong. And although he doesn't agree with the agreement (because it keeps my father's option open when it comes to getting back the money my uncle stole) he will sign.

The solicitor has an agreement with the bank where my grandparents got their mortgage that runs out on Friday. So things need to be signed on Thursday. It can be extended but that means more paperwork (and thus costs) for both the bank and solicitor.

My parents managed to save over a third of what the house will costs, the remainder will be borrowed from a family friend. He needs two days to get the money.

Which means that my uncle will have to sign the agreement tomorrow in order for me father to go to the solicitor on Thursday to sign the sale documents for the house.

Tomorrow my father has to get up early and start calling.

Hopefully I'll have some good news soon. I've already made thank you cards for both the solicitor and our lawyer and I hope I can mail them soon.

[Rumpelteazer]

On Monday my uncle hadn't signed yet, but the solicitor had confidence he would. Yesterday we started transferring the money to the solicitor's account. If my uncle wouldn't sign it would be returned immediately.

The solicitor just called, my uncle did sign! So now my father's going to the solicitor on Thursday morning to sign all the documents and then the house is ours!