What is your pet peeve of the day? -- 2021

[ls99]

Outsize real estate taxes and idiotic realtor as well as owners describing multi level houses as ranchers.

I've been looking for a true rancher, a long term project, for later in life. My current house, paid for long ago is a tri level, no way to make it, if necessary wheel chair useable or single level living. No way to even install an elevator. I does have a three car garage, used as such for my vehicles.

Recently found one that would have met all of my criteria, everything on a single level no steps at all, including the attached 3 car garage. Listed as 300K +change. It has one too many bedrooms at 4, but can be ignored.

Was ready to pick up phone and call listing agent, then, in a moment of sanity check, thought about the taxes. Looked at tax history of said place, in ten years it went from around $10k to currently $15K per year.

Left phone alone and considered: Just what the hell does a municipality and school board provide me, a retired single male for $15K. I concluded it is a pure ripoff. I never had kids, almost always owned my house and paid school and local taxes. Most of my houses were ralitively modest.

Passed on the the place. Will keep looking in a less money hungry municipality. While the area is fairly nice, it is not worth $15K handout from me.

 

[euro]

Yeah, IS99 that's a lot - are you in Texas? I assume you already know whether they have any homestead exemptions for Seniors? My DMIL in San Antonio gets a significant break. Alas, probably every community is different on that.

 

[Boho]

I cooked a fresh artichoke for the first time then went looking for the heart. I did research on the internet to confirm what I'm looking for or whether I can eat some of the leaves. I ended up throwing it all away. The most expensive vegetable I ever bought.

I discovered one of my almost full bottles of lens cleaner cracked and there was no lens cleaner in it.

And...the riser for my old desk fell on my desktop computer, knocking it into my monitor, and now I don't know which broke but I can't use my desktop. Luckily I have a laptop and a pretty new backup on my backup drive.

 

[euro]

I cooked a fresh artichoke for the first time then went looking for the heart. I did research on the internet to confirm what I'm looking for or whether I can eat some of the leaves. I ended up throwing it all away. The most expensive vegetable I ever bought.

I discovered one of my almost full bottles of lens cleaner cracked and there was no lens cleaner in it.

And...the riser for my old desk fell on my desktop computer, knocking it into my monitor, and now I don't know which broke but I can't use my desktop. Luckily I have a laptop and a pretty new backup on my backup drive.

.... rough day!

 

[ls99]

Yeah, IS99 that's a lot - are you in Texas? I assume you already know whether they have any homestead exemptions for Seniors? My DMIL in San Antonio gets a significant break. Alas, probably every community is different on that.

Not in scorpio country. Am in SW Pennsylvania. No exemption for retirees.

 

[folivier]

Eating an artichoke is an art......

 

[ncbill]

Outsize real estate taxes and idiotic realtor as well as owners describing multi level houses as ranchers.

I've been looking for a true rancher, a long term project, for later in life. My current house, paid for long ago is a tri level, no way to make it, if necessary wheel chair useable or single level living. No way to even install an elevator. I does have a three car garage, used as such for my vehicles.

Recently found one that would have met all of my criteria, everything on a single level no steps at all, including the attached 3 car garage. Listed as 300K +change. It has one too many bedrooms at 4, but can be ignored...

They can also be installed outside...saw one TV show where the elevator went from off the wooden deck above to the concrete patio below...that's what I'd do here if I needed one.

Or, have you considered relocating?

IIRC, PA has a hefty inheritance tax, assuming you wanted to leave anything to heirs.

 

[Boho]

I'd buy canned artichoke hearts but they're mostly from Peru which I read has food quality issues. Even Whole Food's brand is from Peru. Cento is acceptable except they're even more expensive. I don't like the idea of spending $3.00 a can when most veggies are 1/3 the price. Cento also has an organic version that's even more expensive. If I become a celebrity I'll insist that organic Cento artichoke hearts be available on every set I'm on.

 

[Boho]

The timing of this one is a little amusing to me but it still sucks. Yesterday I put most of my broken apart desk in the right spot for disposal by the building porters. The exception was four wooden draw sides that I threw down the compactor chute, each 16-1/2" x 6" x 7/16" with metal glides attached. There's not really a rule against that that I'm aware of. Today I had to pick up my new shelving by the mailboxes, throw out more old desk parts, and go to the building manager's office to hand in some paperwork. As I approached the manager's door with a cart full of my next load of desk parts, I overheard her saying to someone "someone took apart a piece of furniture..." then something about how it got caught and nobody being around and they're going to post a notice. There are security cameras that saw me but IDK if they'll review them. Not sure whether there was damage but I guess I'll know when I read the notice.

 

[Venturer]

Well one of my pet peeves hit again yesterday. Dr. keeping me waiting in the exam room for over 1 hr. for a 15 minute bi yearly check up. I had 8:30 am appt. arrived 15 min. early was called back to exam room at 8:48 then nurse said he will be right in. At 9:40 I stuck my head out the door and ask if they had forgotten me,"he'll be right in"then he came rushing in at 9:55 apoligizing for being so long. My time isn't important to him but we really don't know anyone else here to ask. We started using him because when we moved here our DS/nL and his family use him. And he went to school with him. I am just GRRRR at this point.

 

[REWahoo]

More a than a pet peeve...

I bank at USAA. A few weeks ago I received a check from USAA in payment for some miscalculation they had made on a CC cash back amount. When I deposited the check I was notified there would be a seven day hold before the funds would be available, something I don't recall happening on other checks I've deposited.

The seven days were up today and I was notified via email and in a separate text message that "The funds that were on hold are now available.". All this for a check from USAA, drawn on a USAA account, then deposited in USAA - for a whopping $1.15. Really?

 

[braumeister]

Alas, USAA Bank and PenFed CU have both fallen so far from their glory days ...

 

[travelover]

Well one of my pet peeves hit again yesterday. Dr. keeping me waiting in the exam room for over 1 hr. for a 15 minute bi yearly check up. I had 8:30 am appt. arrived 15 min. early was called back to exam room at 8:48 then nurse said he will be right in. At 9:40 I stuck my head out the door and ask if they had forgotten me,"he'll be right in"then he came rushing in at 9:55 apologizing for being so long. My time isn't important to him but we really don't know anyone else here to ask. We started using him because when we moved here our DS/nL and his family use him. And he went to school with him. I am just GRRRR at this point.

This happened to me years ago - they really did forget I was in there - naked and shivering. I got pizzed, dressed and left. When I got home there was a message on my answering machine - "Mr. Travelover, where are you?"

 

[ls99]

They can also be installed outside...saw one TV show where the elevator went from off the wooden deck above to the concrete patio below...that's what I'd do here if I needed one.

Or, have you considered relocating?

IIRC, PA has a hefty inheritance tax, assuming you wanted to leave anything to heirs.

Excavating to access basement with elevator to utilities, laundry room and my electronics shop plus three floors is beyond the call of duty. I'll be moving in time when I find a suitable rancher with reasonable tax load. Or renovate my 25x60 camp building to be a residence on 14 acres. By then there will be robots to cut, stack firewood, feed the stove, drone delivery of food, massuses, nurses and doctors if needed

 

[Boho]

...four wooden draw sides that I threw down the compactor chute, each 16-1/2" x 6" x 7/16" with metal glides attached...

I checked the house rules. Turns out I broke one and the fine is $50. I asked them to double check the $500 fine.

Makes me wonder what I should do if I decide to throw out my 15" ruler. They'd probably laugh at me for bringing it downstairs.

 

[euro]

I checked the house rules. Turns out I broke one and the fine is $50. I asked them to double check the $500 fine.

Makes me wonder what I should do if I decide to throw out my 15" ruler. They'd probably laugh at me for bringing it downstairs.

Ouch! Looks like management are running a tight ship over there.....

 

[Boho]

To turn this into a literal pet peeve, I hate bad instructions. The rules pertaining to garbage should be posted in the compactor closet on every floor next to the recycling posters (which they didn't update per new laws!).

 

[Sue J]

Here's another USPS peeve and it's not about our mail carrier, she's been great.

We are signed up for Informed Delivery. Over a week ago a tracking number showed up in our listing for a package. DH said he didn't order anything and neither did I. It's coming from Cleveland, OH which is about 35 miles away. When I clicked on Product Information for the tracking number it says it's Certified Mail. Hmm, curious, what could that be? Isn't Certified Mail what you use for legal stuff, important financial stuff, etc? Certified Mail requires a signature so it must be IMPORTANT. Somebody paid to make sure that this important thing is signed for by one of us.

This originated in Cleveland on Feb 12th and sat there through the holiday weekend, leaving Cleveland on Feb 15th. Today is Feb 20th and there is no additional tracking, it's just "In transit to the next facility."

Could this be a bogus tracking number showing up in our informed delivery? Or is something REALLY IMPORTANT on our way to us.

We still have no clue as to what this could be!

Our Certified Mail finally showed up on March 12th, making it a whole month to get here. It's from our county property appraisal department telling us that we have a Zoom hearing on Monday, March 15th at 8:30am. This is because we filed an appeal on our property evaluation in January.

It also says that if we have any documentation to present it must be mailed to them 5 days in advance of our hearing! So that's not going to happen.

At 8:30am on Monday I'm not here, I'm at my crossing guard corner from 8-9, so DH will have to handle this. DH can hardly form full sentences at that hour, but he says if I write him notes, etc, he can handle it.

Our only defense in this hearing is that our valuation increased by 30% while the county average was 12% and our neighbors increased from 3% to 20%. We are asking that our valuation be changed to an 18% increase instead.

I made a list of 8 neighbors valuations and their increases that DH can show them and a screenshot of the Certified Mail USPS delivery. That's it, that's all we've got to show them. I doubt this is going to do any good, but it's worth a try.

 

[Badger]

I cooked a fresh artichoke for the first time then went looking for the heart. I did research on the internet to confirm what I'm looking for or whether I can eat some of the leaves. I ended up throwing it all away. The most expensive vegetable I ever bought.

Sorry to hear. Artichokes are one of my favorite veggies but for first timers you may need some tips or guidance. First of all you don't eat the leaves. You only scrape the inside bottom of the leaf after you dip it into melted butter (my preference). Once you get close to the "choke" part the fiber have to be cut or scooped out before you eat the heart. Lots of Youtube videos for instructions.



Cheers!

 

[38Chevy454]

I guess growing up in California I learned how to eat artichokes, no big deal. Taught DW when we first started dating, she had never had one. Now they are one of her favorites. Just wish I could find them for less cost back here in Ohio.

 

[RobbieB]

Yeah, and get the big ones too. Ain't enough edible on the small ones to justify the work.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Sorry to hear. Artichokes are one of my favorite veggies but for first timers you may need some tips or guidance. First of all you don't eat the leaves. You only scrape the inside bottom of the leaf after you dip it into melted butter (my preference). Once you get close to the "choke" part the fiber have to be cut or scooped out before you eat the heart. Lots of Youtube videos for instructions.



Cheers!

One of life’s pleasures is eating an artichoke. Good excuse to slurp melted butter with garlic!

 

[CardsFan]

DW does an Italian stuffed artichoke. Bread crumbs, herbs, butter/oil, parmesan cheese and anchovies.

Steamed until done, toasted to brown, then eaten dipped in butter.

I have looked at recipes on the web, and none call for the anchovies. Must be an old family habit, but it does enhance the flavor.

 

[Gumby]

One of life’s pleasures is eating an artichoke. Good excuse to slurp melted butter with garlic!

Carciofi alla Romana -mmmmm, good!

For a few years we grew our own artichokes, but they take up a lot of space and are not very prolific or winter hardy in our zone, so we stopped.

 

[folivier]

My mother passed along her recipe to my DW and once or twice a year she treats me to a few stuffed artichokes. These are stuffed with ground meat, bread crumb, olive oil, parmesan and Romano cheese, and LOTS of garlic. And a lemon slice on top.
Absolutely wonderful but you want to avoid me for a couple days after....
But being near New Orleans I can occasionally pick up a container of artichoke balls which are pretty good without all of the work and mess.