We've extended the house
which has been quite a challenge what with reputable builders being thin on the ground and materials shooting up in price with what seems like a Weimar Republic level of inflation. Clawed back a few grand by doing some of the work ourselves so we've saved the cost of a couple of very fine holidays AND spend the time we'd have been on vacation building walls, installing lights, fitting a kitchen etc.
( garold you're on mute I SAID YOU'RE ON MUTE, Tue 31 Aug 2021, 13:56, archived)

sounds like a good use of time not spent holidaying, plus cash saved
we're seeing the cost of materials going up all over the place - not sure if it's the materials themselves or simply people trying to recoup insane shipping rates. Today's latest is a 16% increase in our packaging. Just one thing after another at the moment.
( Queef Smegwin U r a 🔔🔚, Tue 31 Aug 2021, 14:00, archived)

My neighbour is is a journalist for a trade magazine on shipping
he's been forwarding about the huge problem of shipping container shortages for months now. Instead of shipping containers having return journeys taking goods one way, then being refilled to go somewhere else a huge number have just been delivered... then nothing. The result is a global shortage of the boxes used to move goods and now Mr Garold can't get the IKEA dining table he wanted.

www.ship-technology.com/features/global-shipping-container-shortage-the-story-so-far/
(this wasn't written by my neighbour FYI)
( garold you're on mute I SAID YOU'RE ON MUTE, Tue 31 Aug 2021, 14:06, archived)

article dated April 21
'Maersk, the largest container shipping line and vessel operator in the world, has been significantly affected by the container shortage but believes that the current situation will soon improve'

no sign of that yet, quite the opposite
( Queef Smegwin U r a 🔔🔚, Tue 31 Aug 2021, 14:25, archived)

The shipping container shortage may get resolved
but you'll know about how long it takes to get logistics plans in place. You can't get the materials and the components so goods can't get manufactured pushing up the price. The closure of the Suez Canal fucked things up. Covid fucked things up. Brexit isn't through fucking things up yet, we're still waiting for that to fully kick into force.

We are going to be keeping our freezer fully stocked because supplies are going to become a lot more precarious for the next year or two.
( garold you're on mute I SAID YOU'RE ON MUTE, Tue 31 Aug 2021, 14:39, archived)

I think you're being overly nervous here
I fucking hope so - more about the 'or two' bit than the 'next year' which I think is pretty much a certainty. Wot larks
( Queef Smegwin U r a 🔔🔚, Tue 31 Aug 2021, 14:47, archived)

FOOODWARS

( mongychops, Tue 31 Aug 2021, 15:01, archived)

oh god not again

( Queef Smegwin U r a 🔔🔚, Tue 31 Aug 2021, 15:11, archived)

🍮🍮🍮🍮🍮🍮!

(Runcorn shitty limits, Tue 31 Aug 2021, 14:03, archived)