The Original Tea Room # 8

Also, you need green, brown, moisture and heat to make good compost!

Roger, that's quite an increase!

 

Sorry - was unclaer - the increase was to €300 a year from €240 a year.

 

We pay $14. a month ($42. due every 3 months in advance) for a 56 gallon garbage can on wheels which they supply. We have to take it to the street. That seems like a lot for garbage pick up.

 

Our is a 140 litre bin (the one you have would be a 240 litre bin here) on wheels, just like yours which we have to wheel to the street once a week.

We do get a once a month recycle bin pick-up (same size as your bin) included in that. €300 a year works out to --- $33 a month.

 

We pay Council Tax which is £1150.28 annually which is spread over 10 monthly payments and includes rubbish collection and a bi weekly recycling collection. Our water rates are separate at £25.27 a month.

We visited our friend who had her appendix out on Sunday afternoon. She is being discharged today, just 48 hours after having a perforated appendix removed. She is a single mum living in a first floor flat (apartment). I think that is truly disgusting. Please keep her in prayer. She is still in pain and not looking at all well.

I hope everyone is ok here. We have got the high winds and rain back. Going back to my studies now, will look in later.

God Bless

Sheila

 

If the 'dump' weren't 20 miles away, I'd cancel our service and just take it myself but it's in a town we only go to for flu shots. Not much else there! We'd spend more in gas if I had to drive that each week PLUS Jim's afraid a bag would burst open in my little SUV and the smell!

I've wondered if it's a good idea to have a garbage disposal when you have a septic tank. That would save a bit of garbage too. We have neighbors who burn all their paper trash. It's against the rules, dangerous and pollutes the air. I'm guessing they don't have regular pick up.

 

What else is included in the Council Tax Sheila?

Ouch about the friend! (for American readers first floor is upstairs - what you all call first floor is the ground floor here ) Is there someone to look after her?

 

Our water bill runs about $36.- $40. every two months. It had gone up while Jon was living here and just about the time he moved out, they raised our rates a LOT.

Hope your friend does okay Sheila! That's awful!

 

We have no water rates here.

 

Our Council Tax includes the county rate, the local district rate, the parishrate , the police authority plus the services such as the lighting comes under the county, refuse collection and recycling comes under the district but we get Leo's "poo bags " "free" from the parish council LOL.

Diane, our friend has an 11 year old and is going to be dependent on friends to look after her and help her.

 

Living in the country, we take our hard garbage to the dump once or twice a month, and recycle much every two weeks. Our water is our well, so the only fee there is hydro to run the pump, septic system, so no sewer fees, but still annual taxes of $2000.00 (approx). We do burn some things in a burn barrel, which is quite legal and does not pollute as much as the hydro generating stations using coal fires all over Canada and the USA.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Thanks for explaining Roger! I thought she was on ground level. That's extra hard Sheila!

Our house taxes are less than $500. a year here Jim but we have no street lights, there's no need for snow or ice removal and I'm not really sure WHAT it's for!

We have neighbors who burn leaves all season. Lots of neighbors! It bothers Jim's asthma. They're supposed to get a burn permit from the fire department because of the danger of fires but most don't.

 

Diane,

When I saw her at lunchtime she was worried how she would get up the stairs to her flat. There are no lifts apparently.

This really is too soon to discharge someone, IMHO and I am really unhappy with her treatment. She is still in quite a lot of pain.

Thank you for your concern,

Blessings

Sheila

 

If it is anything like here there is a DESPERATE bed shortage in hospitals at the moment - not that that excuses anything.

 

Women who have mastectomies are being discharged after one day here because of insurance companies!

 

It is very sad that money and finances come before the care of patients. I am sure our hospitals could do away with a lot of the beaurocracy and put the money to better use.

Sheila

 

I was told of a lady at a counter in the doctor's office crying and begging they do SOMETHING for her husband who was suffering from cancer but had no insurance coverage and was turned away.

 

Diane, That is horrific. Over here we understand that the American system will not turn anyone away when there is a genuine need. Maybe that is what they would like us to think. The reality appears to be different.

Well, thank goodness our NHS, though far from perfect didn't turn Mariel away when she needed medical attention.

Sheila

 

You cannot be part of the working poor, Sheila. Those who don't make enough to be able to afford health insurance but make too much to qualify for medicaid. Those do without.

 

Diane,

Did you get to hear anymore on this poor lady and her husband who were turned away?

This really shocked me. How can anyone turn away a fellow human being who is suffering like that? It is beyond my comprehension.

Sheila