Petrichor_ness

My nearest Sainsbury's is a few hours away and my local Asda doesn't stock it. But a few people have suggested this now so I think I'm going to have to plan a Vimto road trip soon!

Yup, this is currently taunting me with its "Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock." message, right under the "You've purchased this too many times" message!

OK, it had never occurred to me you can mix squashes, you might have just changed my life!

But cocaine is better for you than bleach...

I just knew there would be someone who wanted to tell me I shouldn't be drinking sugary squash so thought I'd pre-empt it. I also love fizzy water but have heard plenty of people say how bad that is for you too. Compared to my diet of cigarettes, Pepsi and coffee that I lived on in my 20s, I'm getting better.

My local Asda doesn't have it and I don't have a Morrison or Sainsbury's near me. I can see myself planning an entire day road trip soon just to go on a tropical twist vimto hunt!

Unfortunately, my nearest Sainsbury's of any size is about a 2hr drive away. Nearest big Tesco is about one hour and I haven't seen Waitrose in years! Thought if I asked on here, I can plan ahead next time I'm going on a longer drive down south.

I'm guessing that contains mango though?

It took a lot of time and effort but yes, I have a wonderful life now. I kept a lose eye on the guy next door as we grew up. He ended up moving into a care facility and was a known character round the local town and was well liked. He unfortunately passed away a few years ago, far too young but so many people had so many lovely things to say about him online.

Growing up, we'd always be able to hear our neighbour beating the ever living daylights out of his son. We'd hear the son begging him to stop through the paper thin walls. The son was in a bad car accident and was left mentally and physically disabled. His dad kept him in the house because he was able to get money from the council (as he'd repeatedly scream at him between kicks) Because my dad used to kick the living daylights out of me too, I just thought it was normal.

I can't imagine anything short of a frontal lobotomy would get me back to London voluntarily now!

I grew up very poor, raised by abusive parents in the West Midlands in the 90s. I watched too many American rom com movies as a younger teen and wanted to have some big glamourous marketing job, wear fancy clothes and spend my time travelling about for important meetings whilst living in a fancy apartment in the middle of London. Turned out 13 year old me had no business taking career advice from Reese Witherspoon or Kate Hudson. I had that life for two years but there's no salary that could compensate for the stress. I now live in the middle of nowhere in the Highlands, work part time as a self employed marketing consultant and I love my life.

Now imagine you were sitting next to him. Oh and it's the middle of summer, very warm and every time he slurps one into his mouth, his hand go straight back to his keyboard in our hot desk office!

I mean you could stick your hand in the toaster if you wanted to....doesn't make it a good idea!

Dude came back from Iceland (shop, not country) with a pack of frozen prawns and proceeded to munch them at his desk for the afternoon.

Thank you, I've added them to my reading list!

My tastes usually run to chick-lit, cheesy crime or witchy fantasy. I like to read before I fall asleep so don't like anything too intense or stimulating. But the books I often reread are: * Enid Blyton's St.Clair's books because my nan read them to be as a child - comfort books when I'm feeling rubbish * Flowers for Algernon - read for GCSE but often go back to it because it reminds me to be grateful for what I have now and nothing is guaranteed forever * Harry Potter - Used to reread this every year but when I was really ill a few years ago, I got stuck in a loop with it so haven't been back to it for a while

I'd also pay a premium to have a kid free supermarket for an hour or two at the weekend when I'm shopping Nothing against the kids themselves, but more the parents that think anything their unruly child screams is adorable just by virtue of them being a child.

My grandmother had a friend called Tiggy but it was a nickname from Tabatha

Pay someone else to do it!

Before we bought our first house, we rented a flat in Wimbledon Village. Very stupidly, we assumed because it was a nice flat in a nice area, we'd have nice neighbours. The two bed flat above us had a family of six living in it who had parties several times a week. The music would be so loud you could literally see the ripples on our drinks on the coffee table. Guests would spill over the balcony above and no amount of headphones or ear plugs could block it out. We tired speaking to them, asking them politely to keep the volume down after 111pm, tried complaining to the letting agents several times as well as the council but nothing ever happened. We had no choice but to move and now live in a detached house.

I (F) was diagnosed two years ago (when I was 37) with ASD. By this point I'd already designed my life to be comfortable for me (self employed, WFH, moved to the middle of nowhere Highlands). But I just wanted to know for my own peace of mind. I knew my mother was autistic, I knew I had a lot of her traits and I knew how miserable she made her own life and didn't want to end up like that. I ended up getting a private assessment done because the NHS kicked me off their waiting list after a year. It hasn't changed my life in a movie kinda way but I do find life a lot easier now and find it easier to push myself into things I couldn't do before and know when it's OK to unmask and when it's not.

The psycho twins I stupidly believed said they owned the house and were renting out their spare room. Within a week of moving in, both their Chihuahua's had puppies (which they only did to make money), one pup didn't survive so it got thrown in the wheelie bit. They wouldn't get any vet help because they didn't want to sacrifice any 'profit'. Within another week, the water stopped. First it wouldn't come out hot, then it started coming out brown then it just stopped. Turns out, they didn't own the house, it was rented and they weren't allowed pets. They couldn't get the water fixed because they couldn't tell the landlord because they couldn't move their puppies. I'd just moved to a new city for my first proper job out of uni and couldn't wash. When I said I'd be moving out (the smell alone was horrible), the kept letting themselves into my room to empty all the drawers and basically trash the place. They were one hobnob short of a packet!

There was an elderly woman trying to stop traffic on a busy main road I came across the other week. Her greyhound had escaped and was walking about in 60mph traffic. Husband and I stopped and I got out. I always keep rope in the boot and used it to get hold of the dog along with the dog kibble I always have in my pockets and was able to lead it home (can't really lead greyhounds by their scruff). My husband will never again ask why we keep a random piece of rope in the boot!

I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

There's a group near me that calls themselves a 'mental health walking group' because they want to make it clear it's not just for retirees. But they meet at 10:00am on Wednesdays!

Graduating in 2009, the stability of the internet was nowhere near the top of my list of concerns, the recession was kinda taking all top ten spots!

I haven't talked to her for a few years but she's still convinced the internet is just a passing fad. Mother was always one of those people who wrote off anything she couldn't understand as 'beneath her'

I went into digital marketing when I left uni 2009. My mother said the internet was just a fad and it will never take off and I'll be unemployed within a few years.

The reason 'rambling' is seen as an older person activity is because a lot of the group walks are arranged in the working day or a weekend morning when younger people are either busy with their young families or recovering from their hangovers. It's also a good activity for older people because it's a way to get out, meet other people and exercise without doing anything too risky. If anyone does have an accident, there are plenty of people around to help them. My granddad was an avid rambler and took it very seriously (although not seriously enough to protect his skin as he died of skin cancer). I'm not sure I'd call myself 'young' (late 30s) but I love going for long walks with my dogs. I live in the Scottish Highlands and the scenery is one of the best parts of living here. My ideal day is a ten mile explore with my pups where I won't meet a soul!

I've been down to that part a few times and it can get the most incredibly warm weather! Personally, I can't stand the heat so this is a bit much for me but I'm loving looking out my home office window out to a calm blue sea, and pale blue sky!

I volunteer and donate to a few different charities. I have fostered dogs over the years, done home checks and attended fund raising events and have a standing order donation. I won't touch the national charities with a barge pole but happily support the smaller ones where I know how important every last pound is. I also volunteer for a local community car. Anyone in the local community who needs a ride can request one and a team of local volunteers will transport them. Helps those who can't drive get to important appointments and gets them out the house.

This is one of my all time favourites my sister got: She's 14, just been picked up from the police station again (for shoplifting this time). We're dirt poor but parents have remortgaged the house and cut back on everything to keep her in her private school. Mum: I mean <name> I just don't understand, is it we're not giving you enough attention? What do we need to do to help you? sister: (Crocodile tears) You don't understand how hard it is for me, all my friends can have anything they want and live in such big houses with parents that drive fancy cars and I'm just stuck here Mum: Would horse riding lessons help? Yep, my mothers approach to my sister getting arrested by the police and having to spend time in a cell at the age of 14 was offering her horse riding lessons. For context, we lived of tesco value food (I'd often eat paper in my room because I was so hungry), my mum once had a meltdown at a petrol station because she went 5p over at the petrol pump and didn't have the extra 5p. We couldn't afford a picture of a horse let alone riding lessons!

Empty white sandy beach in the Scottish Highlands. Just been for a lunchtime dog walk, not a soul about. Walked for 15mins along the gentle lapping waves under a clear blue sky before walking up to the dunes at the top of the beach and sat and watched the world go by for ten mins before walking home. It's about 22 degrees, just enough of a sea breeze which combined with a tootsie paddle is just enough to keep me cool.

You really don't! Did you not read my comment - **I find folding laundry calming!** I mean, I was never going to be a rock star but 15yr me is very disappointed with just how pathetic I am!

I used to be like this but I fold and put away everything now (I have more drawer space than hanging space) For me, it was incorporating it into my routine rather than looking at folding like a chore. When I do the laundry now, I know that in the evening, I'll sit on the sofa, put some mindless junk on TV and just fold everything (and I mean everything, even knickers and socks). I find it very calming. I watched a load of TikToks and YT Shorts on folding techniques and everything slots perfectly into drawer dividers now, like laundry origami.

Well a 15yr can certainly be arrested for solicitation which she was. And yes, we all have trauma and I'm sure being told she could do and have anything she wanted as a child whilst I had the ever living daylight beaten out of me was very hard on her. But when you're in your 30s and still think people with mental health problems are just faking and attention seeking, it's very hard to make someone like that admit they need help. Of course I tried, lots of people in her life tried to help her over the years but you can't help someone who doesn't want it or even admit they need it. Maybe the next time she's driving when she's drunk out of her skull or answering her oh so important Whatsapp messages doing 80pmh on a 40mph road, it will be you she'll smash into and you can show your empathy in person.

The agency I worked in had a fully subsidised kitchen and bar, the only unwritten rule was you waited until after lunch to have a drink and you didn't get drunk at work. We'd get the creatives back and sit around on beanbags with a drink going over the work, critiquing the visuals or pulling initial decks written by juniors apart. I was once on a recruitment project (for some reason, they struggled with retention for junior staff) and suggested we cut the drinks budget by one third and reassign to junior salaries - I was told if I can't suggest anything serious then I should keep quiet.

Nope, husband and I both WFH with digital focused jobs and husband is a gamer. Our internet is much better here than it ever was in our old Sussex commuter town.

I'm very happy with my life now. I wouldn't be doing the job I'm doing now without that foundation and the contacts I made and for that I'm grateful.

I grew up in a small working class town in the West Midlands. I wanted to live in London and work for a glamourous media agency, I wanted to wear smart clothes, work late nights putting important pitches together that I go to present to important boards of directors. I wanted to hang out at fancy bars, drinking expensive cocktails and eat at fancy restaurants. I basically watched too many US romcom moves in the late 90s and early 00s. I've learned two things: 1. 13yr me had no business planning 30yr me's life! Yes I got to have that life, I managed one year before I started hating it and another year before I moved on. 2. I'm now in my late 30s, work as a freelance/self employed contractor, WFH, live in the middle of nowhere in the Scottish Highlands and I love my quiet, simple life.

I'm late 30s and Lidl is my closest supermarket. They only have large wheel baskets which I don't like using so if I'm only going in to grab some weekend pastries or a few fresh bits for a salad, they're going straight into my canvas shopping bag.

I went to a pretty crappy school in the West Midlands in the 90s/00s. I remember a teacher once having a go at a kid for some minor uniform infraction, telling him one day he'll have a job and have to wear a uniform which is why it's so important to understand its importance in school. One kid called out that their dad didn't have to wear a uniform, he wore his jeans and tshirt to work (this kid's dad worked in marketing/early webdev), and I remember the teacher replying: "that's all well and good for your father but most of you will end up working in a job that requires a uniform and for most, it will be a Tesco\* one and that's if you're lucky" \*at the time, they were building a huge new Tesco in our town and it was often referenced that it would provide so much local employment and how lucky we'd all be to have a job for life.

I WFH and had to dial into a video call earlier. Everyone on the call is ranging from short sleeve shirt to strappy vests. I'm sat here with my chunky knit cardigan over my long sleeve top. I do live in the Highlands though!

Ten years ago, I was living in London, working a stressful 60hr week job in digital marketing and employed by a soulless entity who quite literally didn't care if their staff lived or died. I now live in the Scottish Highlands, I'm self employed and work part time. I finish work on Thur, computer/work/email is shut off until Monday morning. I'll spend Friday going for a long walk with my dogs, learning a new skill/DIY around the house, working in the garden, crafting - anything away from a screen. My life is so much better now. If I could find a way to spend even less time online, it would be even better.

Unfortunately, no she won't. Mum will leave everything to her and whilst mum's not rich, between the house, fathers life insurance money, inheritance from when her mother died, they'll be enough to keep her going. She's just one of these people who will never learn any accountability because nothing bad ever happens to her!

OP sounds more mature and responsible than most adults I know. I think being able to own up to a mistake, take accountability and learn from it is one of the hardest things we ever have to do and it's incredible just how many grown ass adults have never managed to pull it off!

Yup! I've called a few people out over the years for it, here's some of the more common responses I've had back: * "oh we never bothered with all this nonsense back in my day/everyone these days are too scared of a few germs" - the older dog owners * "Oh I didn't notice" - the owner too busy staring at their phone * "Oh I didn't notice" - the owner who just let's their dog run off lead out of sight

Not a 'bad' person per se but my sister was always the exception to any rule. Scholarship to private school for being exceptionally smart and therefore taught from a young age what a special person she is. Parents Golden Child. But coming from a poor family and having a bat crap crazy mother, she was taught perception is so important. So she started shoplifting and stealing from her classmates, schoolwork suffered. Her scholarship got smaller and smaller so parents Remortgaging/almost bankrupt themselves to keep her in private school - still telling her she was worth every sacrifice. She gets herself expelled just before GCSEs, has to go to local rough school where yet again, she 'chameleons' to fit in, by now she's 15, drinking, drugs, prostitution and just about get's through school with a handful of GCSEs. 20yrs late, she's a career estate agent (much to mother's disappointment) who still believes how people see her is the most important thing in the world and that rules don't apply to her. She lives beyond her means, last I heard, mother still keeps sending her money. Huge complex believing the world revolves around her and generally a very toxic and selfish person. But, life just always seems to work out for her/money just appears to make any problem go away/she never gets caught (drunk driving/using phone whilst driving/stealing etc)

Pretty common up in the Highlands but I'd never seen a wild otter until a few months ago. It ran less than a meter in front of me on the beach into the golf course alongside us. It was at least the size of a cat. I was so thankful I have bullet like recall on my dogs that day!