Suddenly I'm a Handyman!

[Mary Fisher]

LOL! Is that regarded as a treat up there?

I don't blame them, I would too.

Perhaps it was part of their education, aversion therapy ... :-)

I once went to the Metro Centre, it was quite new. We needed an alarm clock when all other shops had closed, can't remember why an alarm clock was important but we didn't get one anyway. It wasn't a pleasant experience but no shopping is, to us :-(

People come from all over the north of England to shop in Leeds, we never go beyond the commercial outskirts and that's only once a month, to the so-called farmers' market.

Retail therapy? You can keep it!

Mary

[Andy Dingley]

I could regularly do with one - for lots of jobs I just don't have enough arms.

[Geoffrey]

Mary, are you absolutely certain you are female?

[Dave Liquorice]

Evil neccessity, was supposed to be a birthday/christmas present shopping trip for No.1 Daughter, she did get a few things but not all she wanted. Combined with the monthly trip to Costco to stock up on consumables and beer so not a complete waste of time.

Quite but SWMBO'd seems to enjoy it. I try an organise what I want to buy and/or look at before hand and just plough in for those items. The idea of just wandering around looking at the shops doesn't appeal at all, at least not the sort of shop that is in the Metro Centre. Now a good tool or machinery store on the other hand...

[nightjar]

In that case, he says, 'I used the last of those on the previous job. I could go and get one from B&Q, but it would be cheaper if I wait until the wholesaler is open on Monday. Which do you want me to do?'

Colin Bignell

[Mary Fisher]

Perhaps thelittle onecan too.

Now, what's the limiting height for 'little'? I wonder if there's a BS? Or perhaps Brussels has made a regulation ...

Mary

[Mary Fisher]

Well, our five children, my gynaecologist and of course my husband seem to think so ...

Mary

[Mary Fisher]

"nightjar .uk.com>"

LOL! That sounds like the voice of experience :-)

Mary

[Andy Hall]

Definitely Brussels. Have you ever seen the Manneken Pis?

It has to be one of the biggest disappointments in Europe apart from the European Commission.

Certainly the Belgians would be the experts on the definition of 'small'

[Andy Cunningham]

Mary Fisher mumbled something on 22/01/2006 17:03:

Thanks for giving me a good laugh today.

I tell everyone that when I found a redhead who didn't want kids, hated shopping, and was a wonderful cook, I'd just had to marry her.

[R obbo]

Sell yer body............

Medical science is always looking for a new challenge ;-^

[R obbo]

Spanners............you need to re-familiarise yourself with spanners!

[Mary Fisher]

Only in pictures.

Itake your word for it.

What were you expecting - after all, it IS a manneken - a little man ...

I've only been once and it was closed so I don't know.

Mary.

[Mary Fisher]

I was a brunette (now dark grey), didn't want kids (had five - lust is a powerful urge), do hate shopping and am a good and passionate cook - but already married.

Thanks for asking :-)

Mary

[Mary Fisher]

...

Ah, well, there I'd agree with you. Or a proper stationery store (not Staples and its ilk).

Mary

[Andy Hall]

Well I suppose. The thing is that this and the Grand Place are hyped as *the* tourist attractions. Both are a disappointment. Yet they also have the Ardennes region which is arguably some of the best landscape in Europe.

I have to say that it's never high on my travel agenda.

One of the amusing stereotypes is that the Dutch think that the Belgians (meaning Flemish Belgians) are bureaucratic, while the Belgians think that the Dutch are wide boys.

[Mary Fisher]

When I've seen all the wonderful UK landscapes, if I'm still alive, I'll start on Abroad. Although I do have a yen to go to Greenland ... or any far northern countries.

But you HAVE to go to these places don't you?.

Do you have an opinion on which is accurate?

Mary

[harbinger20000]

Andy Hall declared:

The only reasonably good thing about Brussels is the Grote Markt/Grand Place. Try Antwerp/Antwerpen, Ghent/Gent, Bruges/Brugge or go off the beaten track. Brussels is a dump.

> Certainly the Belgians would be the experts on the definition of > 'small' >

[Andy Hall]

I must admit that I would think of the Yorkshire dales among the great European landscapes.

So do I - that one is definitely on my agenda. I did visit northern Sweden in February some while ago. -45 degrees and great fun.

I very nearly went to Svalbard as part of my 50th birthday celebrations - I had enough frequent flyer miles for the trip. It was part of a grand plan to visit the North Pole and you can do trips to there from Svalbard. One small problem. Cost is £10k for an afternoon, and I couldn't justify it to myself. Might still go to Svalbard though - I could at least go to the most northerly settlement in the world.

Generally yes :-(

Both.

[Mary Fisher]

Oh - and I think that being there is like being boiled in treacle! So lush .... I prefer something more rugged.

I think we had this conversation at the time. I remember being envious.

Mary