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Scotsman
22-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
I knew clearing out my Edinburgh flat would be tough, but I didn't expect it to be so embarrassing
Veronika - The great clear out hasn't gone that smoothly Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... I recently bought a new property, then sold my flat. Thus, the grand clear out begins, as our July move-in date slowly approaches. As we're a pair of hoarders, it's no small job. We're lucky to have an awful lot of storage space, and, my goodness, over the last 12 years, we've filled every inch. Although we're upsizing a bit, the new place hardly has any cupboards at all, so we have to be totally ruthless in our decluttering. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's been a strange process, like peeling back layers of time. I find it quite emotionally draining. However, at the same time, I feel as if I want to get rid of all my inanimate ties and start again with a fresh slate. While I'm tethered to so much clutter, I will never fulfill my dream to get on Scotland's Home of the Year 2026. I'd quite like to just put everything in a giant macerator, and watch it all be chewed to pulp. That would make me feel lighter and slightly more Buddhist. However, failing that, I don't want to bin things. Instead, I'm trying to freecycle, or sell on Vinted or Gumtree. Perhaps, as the moving date draws closer, I might change my mind and need a panic trip to the dump. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As far as random finds go, down in our cellar, I unearthed all sorts of ancient nonsense, including an accordion. It's mine, as I decided, about 20 or so years ago, that I wanted to learn to play. I was thinking I'd start with Ebeneezer Goode, by The Shaman, then move into some folky tunes. My wish came true when my husband bought me a beginner's version for my birthday. After it was unwrapped, I never touched it again, and he brought it up, to torture me, every couple of years. This is not atypical. I often have hobbyist fantasies, then ditch the idea after I realise I have to make a significant investment of time. For example, when I was a teenager, my dad bought me an expensive sewing machine, when I decided I wanted to make my own clothes, and I used it about three times to whip up a batch of Sixties-style A-line dresses, before ignoring it. Incidentally, I have recently rehomed that item, too, after 30-odd years of hanging on. I couldn't find the pedal and power cord, but they happily took it anyway. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Perhaps I should be made to drag these items along on a rope behind me, as penance. I've learnt, over time, to stop acting on these whims, but to wait until the feeling of wanting to learn something new passes. It always does. Anyway, back to the neglected accordion, which had been slowly mouldering under a pile of other boxes. I inspected it. Bit dusty but, otherwise, it looked fine, so I whacked it on Gumtree for £30. Someone got in touch, a few days later, to say they wanted it, and could they pop by at the weekend. I'd be out and about, but my husband could pass it on, and take the readies. When I got home, I asked him how it'd gone. Apparently, the guy had come all the way from Fife. He could play, and wanted to give it a whirl before buying. Fair enough. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After slinging the strap over his shoulder, he began his tune. However, when he pressed the first chord, all the keys fell out, and clattered onto the floor. My husband went red, tried to pick up the monochrome notes, which had yeeted everywhere, and asked him if he wanted to take it for free. No thanks, the man said, and left. When I heard the story, I was SO mortified that my toes curled up and went inside-out. I actually wanted to weep. 'Well, try being the one who had to stand there and watch the accordion fall to bits,' my husband said, very unsympathetically, I thought. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad And, so, into the bin it went. I wanted to message the guy to apologise, but I thought it was better to just go into hiding. Perhaps it was time for me to become a hermit, up in the Pentlands. There have been other more successful sales, with a tenner here and there. I've found our local Facebook free share group super useful, when it comes to rehoming items that might otherwise end up in landfill. For example, I decided to get rid of a Seventies camp-bed, which I'd rescued from my mum's house when she moved a couple of years ago. I was SO sentimental about it, because we used it for all my childhood sleepovers. It's such a sturdy thing, with its paisley green and mustard canvas print and trampoline-like springs. It's also quite clunky, and squeaky. Time to go, especially as it seems that everyone uses inflatable mattresses these days, or proper sofa beds. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I didn't think anyone would want it, but it got snapped up quickly, by someone with kids. I felt quite happy for it, as I waved it off to its new life of midnight feasts and all-night chatting. Or, just, feeling useful again, how nice. My other half has also been waving off a few trusty old objects. He nearly cried when he sold his Scott road bike - the one that's been on lots of adventures, including taking him up the Stelvio Pass - and the only-used-once bike bag, which a young guy collected, as he was going on a trip to Italy with his dad. These things have got to go, because our new house does not have space for a peloton's worth of bikes.
Scotsman
22-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scotsman
I knew clearing out my Edinburgh flat would be tough, but I didn't expect it to be so embarrassing
Veronika - The great clear out hasn't gone that smoothly Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... I recently bought a new property, then sold my flat. Veronika - Thus, the grand clear out begins, as our July move-in date slowly approaches. As we're a pair of hoarders, it's no small job. We're lucky to have an awful lot of storage space, and, my goodness, over the last 12 years, we've filled every inch. Although we're upsizing a bit, the new place hardly has any cupboards at all, so we have to be totally ruthless in our decluttering. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's been a strange process, like peeling back layers of time. I find it quite emotionally draining. However, at the same time, I feel as if I want to get rid of all my inanimate ties and start again with a fresh slate. While I'm tethered to so much clutter, I will never fulfill my dream to get on Scotland's Home of the Year 2026. I'd quite like to just put everything in a giant macerator, and watch it all be chewed to pulp. That would make me feel lighter and slightly more Buddhist. However, failing that, I don't want to bin things. Instead, I'm trying to freecycle, or sell on Vinted or Gumtree. Perhaps, as the moving date draws closer, I might change my mind and need a panic trip to the dump. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As far as random finds go, down in our cellar, I unearthed all sorts of ancient nonsense, including an accordion. It's mine, as I decided, about 20 or so years ago, that I wanted to learn to play. I was thinking I'd start with Ebeneezer Goode, by The Shaman, then move into some folky tunes. My wish came true when my husband bought me a beginner's version for my birthday. After it was unwrapped, I never touched it again, and he brought it up, to torture me, every couple of years. This is not atypical. I often have hobbyist fantasies, then ditch the idea after I realise I have to make a significant investment of time. For example, when I was a teenager, my dad bought me an expensive sewing machine, when I decided I wanted to make my own clothes, and I used it about three times to whip up a batch of Sixties-style A-line dresses, before ignoring it. Incidentally, I have recently rehomed that item, too, after 30-odd years of hanging on. I couldn't find the pedal and power cord, but they happily took it anyway. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Perhaps I should be made to drag these items along on a rope behind me, as penance. I've learnt, over time, to stop acting on these whims, but to wait until the feeling of wanting to learn something new passes. It always does. Anyway, back to the neglected accordion, which had been slowly mouldering under a pile of other boxes. I inspected it. Bit dusty but, otherwise, it looked fine, so I whacked it on Gumtree for £30. Someone got in touch, a few days later, to say they wanted it, and could they pop by at the weekend. I'd be out and about, but my husband could pass it on, and take the readies. When I got home, I asked him how it'd gone. Apparently, the guy had come all the way from Fife. He could play, and wanted to give it a whirl before buying. Fair enough. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After slinging the strap over his shoulder, he began his tune. However, when he pressed the first chord, all the keys fell out, and clattered onto the floor. My husband went red, tried to pick up the monochrome notes, which had yeeted everywhere, and asked him if he wanted to take it for free. No thanks, the man said, and left. When I heard the story, I was SO mortified that my toes curled up and went inside-out. I actually wanted to weep. 'Well, try being the one who had to stand there and watch the accordion fall to bits,' my husband said, very unsympathetically, I thought. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad And, so, into the bin it went. I wanted to message the guy to apologise, but I thought it was better to just go into hiding. Perhaps it was time for me to become a hermit, up in the Pentlands. There have been other more successful sales, with a tenner here and there. I've found our local Facebook free share group super useful, when it comes to rehoming items that might otherwise end up in landfill. For example, I decided to get rid of a Seventies camp-bed, which I'd rescued from my mum's house when she moved a couple of years ago. I was SO sentimental about it, because we used it for all my childhood sleepovers. It's such a sturdy thing, with its paisley green and mustard canvas print and trampoline-like springs. It's also quite clunky, and squeaky. Time to go, especially as it seems that everyone uses inflatable mattresses these days, or proper sofa beds. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I didn't think anyone would want it, but it got snapped up quickly, by someone with kids. I felt quite happy for it, as I waved it off to its new life of midnight feasts and all-night chatting. Or, just, feeling useful again, how nice. My other half has also been waving off a few trusty old objects. He nearly cried when he sold his Scott road bike - the one that's been on lots of adventures, including taking him up the Stelvio Pass - and the only-used-once bike bag, which a young guy collected, as he was going on a trip to Italy with his dad. These things have got to go, because our new house does not have space for a peloton's worth of bikes.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Daily Mail
A vet and her friend claimed a dog owner falsely accused them of stealing her pet... here's why they're the ones who have to pay $660,000
A vet and her friend have been ordered to pay $660,000 in legal costs after losing a defamation case against a dog owner and a pet detective. Ainslee Munro and agronomist Lauren Marchant lodged the case at the NSW District Court in 2020 after they claimed they were falsely linked to the disappearance of a five-month-old puppy. Judge Judith Gibson ordered on April 24 that the two women pay $629,000 to the pet detective and $30,000 to the dog owner. The judge found they had stolen the puppy, which was a high-value Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and taken him to a breeder. The spaniel, 'Teddy', was reported missing when his owner Shannon Wheeler returned home in Young, NSW, on June 9, 2020. In a post to a Facebook group at the time, Ms Wheeler said: '(The back) gate could have been opened any time between 9.30am and 7pm. We are very worried.' She then found CCTV images of two women walking down the street with a small black dog on the day of the incident and posted them on social media. Social media users identified one woman as Munro, who had worked with Greyhound Racing NSW, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. An investigation by Ms Wheeler and pet detective Anne-Marie Curry ensued as they looked into Munro and her friend Marchant. Ms Wheeler, a beautician, then shared a 'name and shame' social media post tying them to Teddy's disappearance but, within 24 hours, she and Ms Curry were served concerns notices. Marchant and Munro claimed the posts and comments painted them as 'criminals, dog thieves, (and) liars'. But the defamation case was dismissed in NSW District Court by Judge Gibson in February after she found evidence supporting the allegation the pair stole Teddy. 'The intention to deprive the true owner was more or less instantaneous with their recognition of the value of Teddy,' Judge Gibson found. Teddy was a black and tan male, non-desexed Cavalier King Charles, with puppies valued from $1,000 to $3,000 on Gumtree. The court heard Munro and Marchant did not take Teddy to a pound when found him on the street, reported. They instead drove to a former colleague's home who was a licensed microchipper and Cavalier King Charles breeder. Teddy jumped out of the car and escaped. He has never been found. Judge Gibson told the court she was 'comfortably satisfied' Munro took Teddy to the breeder 'namely to put Teddy into his backyard'. 'I am comfortably satisfied that she did so for the purpose of seeing if he would like to keep Teddy,' she said. She added Munro took Teddy there knowing the ex colleague had the 'expertise and equipment to remove and replace Teddy's microchip if required'. Judge Gibson also said that, if Ms Wheeler and Ms Curry had not proved the pair stole the dog, she would have ordered damages of $10,000 to Munro and $15,000 to Marchant. But as a result of the judge's findings, it was the pair who were ordered to pay $629,000 to Ms Curry and $30,000 to Ms Wheeler who self-represented herself, meaning her legal costs were lower. The demand has been stayed as Munro and Marchant filed at the Court of Appeal on May 13.
Perth Now
13-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
How one Perth council is making Facebook Marketplace exchanges safer
The City of Stirling has rolled out a 12-month trial aiming to give people a safer place to exchange items purchased and sold online. It intends to provide a more secure option for people using online selling platforms, such as Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree, through having CCTV surveillance and passive public surveillance in a public space. The site at 679 Beaufort Street in Mt Lawley was chosen as it was deemed the most suitable location without the need for 'significant investment'. Your local paper, whenever you want it. The city believes the site has most of the key features for a good exchange location: free parking, accessible seating, good lighting, a public toilet and access to public transport. Mayor Mark Irwin said this was an emerging safety issue that was only going to become more prominent. The Mt Lawley location was considered the most appropriate site for the trial. Credit: Google Maps 'A lot of people who use these online platforms are happy to make exchanges at their house or at someone else's house — and that's fine,' he said. 'A safer exchange site just gives members of our community another option and allows them to meet in a public place where they may feel more comfortable. 'If this trial is successful, we will look at the possibility of creating safer exchange sites in other areas of the city.' Last year Victoria police created 35 exchange sites outside police stations after a trial in 2022. There are currently no plans announced to replicate the Victorian model in WA, so this would be the first of its kind in the State. The area is now fitted with signage and the city is encouraging community members and local businesses to share their feedback. The trial was proposed by deputy mayor Suzanne Migdale and will run for 12 months from May 6, with support from WA Police.
NZ Autocar
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
Gumtree to make NZ appearance through NZME deal?
Australian listings operator Gumtree wants to bring its Carsguide brand to New Zealand, partnering with NZME. AutoTalk says the pair announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at leveraging Gumtree's existing automotive brands and its technology platform. It is unclear which brands (of Gumtree Cars, Carsguide, and Autotrader) will make it to New Zealand. AutoTrader here operates under the majority ownership of Optimus Group. NZME Chief Executive, Michael Boggs, said the automotive listings market in New Zealand is worth $125.3 million annually. It is currently dominated by Trade Me. Boggs said this is an opportunity for NZME. He added that automotive dealers had expressed interest in increased competition. 'The new marketplace would capitalise on NZME's extensive audience reach and Gumtree's technology, providing an attractive alternative for dealers and consumers alike,' Boggs said. The partnership, initiated by Gumtree Group last year, also includes a content-sharing arrangement. Under this, NZME's Driven Car Guide will feature selected Carsguide automotive reviews and articles. Advertising revenue will be shared between the two entities. Gumtree Group Managing Director, Tommy Logtenberg, described the partnership as an exciting development, stressing the significant demand for greater competition in New Zealand's online automotive sector. The MOU includes an initial evaluation period investigating marketplace potential before a more formal launch. Trade Me said it is not surprised by NZME's return to the marketplace which it had anticipated. Jeremy Wade, head of motors at Trade Me commented: 'Our focus will continue to be on doing what we do best—driving value for our dealers to help them be more successful through our data and insights products, and increasing our audience reach.'
