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Post by shrjeff on Jun 26, 2021 8:31:34 GMT 2
a perfect example of the maxim: locks are to keep out honest folk or to persuade the thieves to look for an easier place... obviously an isolated place that is not currently occupied gives the bad guys all the time in the world...
reminds me of coming home to our horse ranch on 9 acres the night before the movers were coming to pick up our stuff to ship to israel: all our possessions were packed and in cartons! the bad guys stole all my hand tools - but left everything else... apparently there was a good market for used tools in flea markets and they are virtually untraceable... with the police report and a call to our insurance i was able to go out the next morning and buy replacements... the moving truck got a flat tire so was still there when i got back and was able to include the new tools in the shipment!
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Post by auntieannie on Jun 26, 2021 12:02:38 GMT 2
Hmmm… reminds me of happenings when we had a holiday house in Catalonia. We didn’t have the grids everywhere. After they broke in the first time and found nothing of value, they desolidarised one of the glass panels so they could open the door easily. They would sneak in when they saw us/ guests leaving for the day. The word was to not leave anything of value whatsoever. It was before mobile phones and laptops for all. We had a safe hidden somewhere in the house. They got surprised a couple times when we had forgotten something and came back after a while, earlier than they expected.
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Post by Baz Faz on Jun 26, 2021 13:20:20 GMT 2
When we lived in France there were people in the next village whom we could always tell had gone away. They left washing on the line so burglars would think they were at home. The washing was never taken in, even if it rained.
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Post by Netsuke on Jun 29, 2021 11:19:12 GMT 2
That’s a dead giveaway Baz. When I go way, I tell my neighbours when I’m leaving and returning and if they see anyone hanging around or making a noise to please call the police immediately. I also explain a male family member will be collecting mail every few days. I have been lucky - I’ve not had anyone breakin or steal things.
ETA: A place I rented in 1995 had old fashioned sash windows which had safety locks on them so I could open the window only 10-15 cms. Coming back after being out for a couple of hours, I was horrified to see that somebody had been in the backyard because my bedroom window 🪟 which faced the side way had the curtain pushed in and the things on the chest of drawers had been pushed forward.
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Post by OnlyMark on Jun 30, 2021 8:55:48 GMT 2
We've always had problems with the pool tiles. But only the top at the lip. They are easy to pull off as even though they come as a 'mat', they are easy to separate. Plus, and the main problem, whenever I put the cover on for the winter, I can be sure that the next spring when I take it off, the natural sag of the cover has pulled off the top two layers or so. It's just something we never thought of when we decided how we wanted it. The idea was to have an infinity type pool where there is no lip or change of tile at the top edge. I've been sticking the tiles back on for the last six or seven years and I thought I'm fed up of it and wanted something done. We decided the solution "may" be to have a larger tile at the top. So we are trying that. The workers came, had just over half a day ripping of the top layer and sticking on some new ones. We now have a defined border and we'll have to live with it - but as it was not often we filled the pool right up to the very top anyway, I think it'll be fine. Only us will know the difference anyway. I've just started filling it back up after a clean and I'll take some more photos when it is to the level I want. For now though, this is how it was before - And this is the start of how it will be -
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Post by OnlyMark on Jul 1, 2021 16:18:24 GMT 2
Eventually it's full enough and I need the water for other things. When the hosepipe is on it takes all the supply away from the rest of the house, apart from a small trickle. That'll do for me. It's fine. Now I can start working my way down the list of jobs.
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Post by slowcoach on Jul 2, 2021 13:22:55 GMT 2
I can appreciate that it could spoil the intended illusion but I would prefer the current contrast.
How to move seamlessly from one type of finish to another is always a challenge and a marked contrast is often the best option.
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Post by OnlyMark on Jul 2, 2021 14:02:07 GMT 2
I actually filled it up another few cm's so the water level is very nearly at the top. Yes, I'm quite happy with it. Maybe we should have done that at the start.
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Post by Voy on Jul 2, 2021 15:06:06 GMT 2
The way the pcs are is super - with the water right at the edge of the top ones - it looks absolutely as tho you meant it that way.
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Post by OnlyMark on Aug 14, 2022 11:54:46 GMT 2
I thought that after a few years I’d add on a little about my workshop. The rest of the house is doing well, nothing much of note, just routine maintenance and touching up here and there. Things like replacing some mosquito nets, replacing the odd tile that was broken, painting etc etc. The workshop though has been suffering somewhat from “settling”. Plus being burgled. It’s also had so much use over the years I need to give it a good sort out and get rid of old paint tins, empty containers, packets, boxes and so on. From the door looking in - High ceiling. That is the bottom of the pool patio. The wall to the right is the side of the pool - To the right of the door. The left side and far end are also sides of the pool. The window is where the burglars gained access. I’ve left it open (there is a grill on the outside) so that any more can see inside and see there is nothing else worth stealing. They did take my power tools which were in any case about knackered and cheap ones. Under the window, under the kitchen worktop are some tyres. I have a Summer set which I put on when I come to Spain and an all weather set I use in Germany and Bosnia because the regulations say I have to - Looking from the far end - The outside wall has settled making a couple of cracks - I can see daylight through it - The front has cracked as well but not so severely - I have workers coming in a week or so to “staple” the walls top and bottom of the cracks to make it secure. The staples are U shaped metal/steel/iron things that straddle the cracks placed every so often. This is the grill that was levered or pulled or jacked away from the wall to gain access. It did have a steel mesh also on the front to stop rats/mice getting in. That was removed easily enough I’ve only just replaced it because there is a feral cat hanging around. The cat is welcome, but he tends to kill a rabbit, take it into the workshop to eat it and invariably leave bits of it around which attracts the wasps and other insects. It also smells badly and it’s difficult to work in there until I leave the doors open half an hour or so. The cat’s favourite trick though is to leave me a rather messy and smelly present under my bench - Lastly, the damage to the grill done whilst ripping it off. I’ll weld that at some time - I’ll update this when the work is done.
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