The Night Mail

[br2975]

9 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

...........................the main vacuum cleaner is a Shark

.

We have a Shark

.

Or to be more correct, WE have a Shark, and I use the  Shark

.

It's very good.

[AndyID]

24 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Sadly there's nowhere to plug in an HDMI input. The old one may well find its way down to the shed though.

 

Dave

 

As Jamie might say, quelle bummer.

 

But, assuming it's not a 405 line Bush, all may not be lost. Does it have input jacks on the back for connecting the likes of VCRs etc? If so you might be able to use something like this:

 

https://www.roku.com/products/roku-express-plus-2018

[rockershovel]

Meanwhile...  you know you're in Waitrose when there are oysters in the "reduced" shelf..

 

[Tony_S]

11 minutes ago, rockershovel said:

Meanwhile...  you know you're in Waitrose when there are oysters in the "reduced" shelf..

 

Surprised they aren’t in their “Essentials” range!

[PhilJ W]

8 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Buy a vacuum cleaner?

 

You've all been suckered. 

 

A feather duster and a French Maid's outfit is all I require.

 

For a really deep clean, Nyda just spills some single malt in the precise location that needs attending to.

 

7 hours ago, Canal Digger said:

brain cleaner please ASAP!

[Compound2632]

9 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

A feather duster and a French Maid's outfit is all I require.

 

34 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

 

 

No no no! I was hoping against hope that we'd got away without anyone picking up on HH's rash remark!

 

(Anyway that's not your pukka French Maid outfit - the pink tulle suggests ballet...)

 

(I incautiously googled hippo French Maid, getting pictures of either hippos or French Maids; the combination just really isn't a thing, according to the internet, where there are few things - however unsavory - that are not things.)

Edited January 30, 2023 by Compound2632

[SM42]

20 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

 

No no no! I was hoping against hope that we'd got away without anyone picking up on HH's rash remark!

 

 

I don't remember him saying he had a rash

 

Perhaps it was from the salty water 

 

Andy

[AndyID]

52 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

 

 

I believe that's Hyacinth Hippo from Fantasia.

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, SM42 said:

 

I don't remember him saying he had a rash

 

Perhaps it was from the salty water 

 

Andy

 

Bit worried by that remark Andy as it clearly indicates you've been looking at HH in his pink tutu at to closely for your mental health. I'd go and lie down in a darkened room if I were you or better yet do some painting to take your mind of it.

 

Yours a concerned TNM'er.

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[polybear]

10 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

He agreed with the advice that various TNMers gave us recommending either Samsung or LG and what swung us towards the former was the 5 year guarantee.

 

Dave

 

LG do come with a 5 year warranty from JL, and possibly other retailers too; I'd certainly agree that the choice between Samsung and LG is a very close thing though.

[Happy Hippo]

Yesterday, Morgan came over in his professional capacity and demolished an Ash tree and a Silver Birch in our back garden.  He and his team then carried out a pollarding exercise on a Crack willow tree that sits on the edge of Muddy Hollow (Forward).  They are back again this morning to carry out a crown reduction on a multi stemmed Alder which sits close to the boundary of our property and the road.

 

I am not a fan of the serial felling of trees, but in each case there was a good reason.

 

The Willow (Crack variety) needs pollarding on a regular basis as the epicormic growth it generates (the long whip like branches used for basket weaving) if left, will break off and potentially fall into the road. The Alder being multi stemmed also has inherent weaknesses in the  multi stems, so needs the top reduced in height and  overall area.  

 

Both these trees are subject to a TPO so any work requires a planning application and council approval.  Since the company that Morgan works for is an approved contractor with the council, it is much easier for them to approach the council for permission as they are working with the relevant department on a regular basis.  I have put in various applications over the years, and have found the process more and more awkward each time I apply.  So take the easy way out!

 

In these two cases the work is being carried out on safety grounds, but is proactive in that it is being actioned prior to the growth getting to the point where it poses a risk. In the case of the Alder, the last request for a crown reduction on the TPO was back in 2008.

 

The Ash tree had self seeded into the boundary hedge and due to the nature of the ground in the garden(compacted clay) had decided to surface root, so the roots were spreading out sideway and were causing issues in our lawn and to a lesser extent, in next doors lane.  It had also got to a height where it was blocking light.  After it had come down, our next door neighbour (RHS) came around to thank us as he had no idea how much light the tree had been blocking from his kitchen and sitting room.

 

The Silver Birch was overhanging next doors garden and again had got to a height where we felt it was getting to the point where it would get unstable (due to the fact that the builder of the property planted it on a tump of dumped soil) and was posing some risk to falling into our neighbour (LHS) garden should it ever decide to collapse.  Since it was opposite the Ash tree it was also stealing light.

 

This morning there was a significant difference in the light levels coming into our rear facing rooms, and you have to bear in mind that both the trees were bereft of any foliage.

 

Next on the list is the Oak tree which belongs to the neighbour whose property backs onto ours.  This tree does belong to them so is their responsibility.  Unfortunately, although they are very 'protective' of their tree, they have done absolutely nothing to protect it and keep it in good health over the years. So much so, that when it was looked at with a view to a crown reduction,  it was recommended that before any work was carried out, that a certified forester ought to make a survey of the tree and then recommend a suitable course of action. Our neighbours are awaiting the Forester's report before any work can be progressed. So that is a tale for another day.

 

What this does illustrate is that whatever you own, be it a tree, a model railway, a motor car, or even yourself, regular maintenance to keep the item in tip top condition is essential.

 

Of course, all this felling will be followed by quite a bit of replanting as Nyda has a number of  small trees that are currently living in pots awaiting their turn in the ongoing garden restructuring. An Apricot and a Cherry tree standing out from my fleet of various Japanese Maple (Acer)

 

I am now off to bask in the newly admitted light in the dining room😂

 

 

 

 

Edited January 31, 2023 by Happy Hippo

[Dave Hunt]

12 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Surprised they aren’t in their “Essentials” range!

 

Oysters? Bleccchhhh - salty, slimy snot lumps. When we were organising catering for a reunion with some of my ex-schoolmates Jill insisted on having oysters even though I told her I detested them and wouldn’t eat any then, when I was true to my word, said, “I thought you might have had some since I ordered them.” FFS.

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

 

LG do come with a 5 year warranty from JL, and possibly other retailers too; I'd certainly agree that the choice between Samsung and LG is a very close thing though.

 

The chap we’re buying from told us that LG only give a 12 month guarantee except for the more expensive models and/or when they have a special offer on.

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

13 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

As Jamie might say, quelle bummer.

 

But, assuming it's not a 405 line Bush, all may not be lost. Does it have input jacks on the back for connecting the likes of VCRs etc? If so you might be able to use something like this:

 

https://www.roku.com/products/roku-express-plus-2018

 

Thanks Andy. However, we have now decided to get a new TV anyway and put the old one in the workshop but I shall certainly look into getting one of those devices for it.

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

34 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

What this does illustrate is that whatever you own, be it a tree, a model railway, a motor car, or even yourself, regular maintenance to keep the item in tip top condition is essential.

 

As a friend of mine is fond of saying, “If I’d known I was going to live this long I’d have taken better care of myself.”

 

Dave

Edited January 31, 2023 by Dave Hunt

[Tony_S]

I spent ages messing about with a locomotive yesterday that ran perfectly on a rolling road but was very hesitant on track. Eventually sorted it. Then I played with a new tool. I need to connect a few items with RJ12 connections. So I purchased, plugs, cables and a crimper. Amazingly it all worked. I had also bought a cable checker device. Cable crimpers really vary in price a lot. I suspect the £9.99 one I bought won’t last as long as the versions 5 or 10 times as much but I won’t be using in “the field”. 
Tony

[Oldddudders]

2 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

 Cable crimpers really vary in price a lot. I suspect the £9.99 one I bought won’t last as long as the versions 5 or 10 times as much but I won’t be using in “the field”. 

Having read exhortations to buy the best crimper, I still bought a Maplin plastic thingie. 25 years later it performs just as well on 6-pole plugs as it did then. 

[Happy Hippo]

30 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

salty, slimy snot lumps.

So oyster shells appear to be the landing fields where you flick the pickings from your nose

[Happy Hippo]

1 minute ago, Oldddudders said:

Having read exhortations to buy the best crimper, I still bought a Maplin plastic thingie. 25 years later it performs just as well on 6-pole plugs as it did then. 

Some years ago I announced to the family I was off to get a new crimper.

 

Imagine Nyda and Merryn's disappointment when I returned home with one of Maplins finest and not a crimper from BaByliss.

[Tony_S]

8 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

As a friend of mine is fond of saying, “If I’d known I was going to live this long I’d have taken better care of myself.”

 

Dave

What seemed minor injuries (falling off motorbikes) years ago seem to appear again as I age. I fell over yesterday and my wrist was sore for a while but is fine now. I was aware of head butting a door as I fell but at the time I was more concerned about damaging the door. I can feel a slight painful area on my head this morning! This was at the neighbours house when I had gone round to sort out their dogs. Neighbours were on dash to hospital. They are still there,  but I think in turns at the moment. I have sent an message saying I will look after the dogs if necessary and not bash their doors today. The only problem yesterday was that when I tripped it scared the puppy and I had to tempt her out from underneath a sofa. 
Tony

[Tony_S]

7 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Having read exhortations to buy the best crimper, I still bought a Maplin plastic thingie. 25 years later it performs just as well on 6-pole plugs as it did then. 

Mine appears to be identical to the Fluke crimper except that the plastic handles are blue instead of yellow. 

[Dave Hunt]

21 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

So oyster shells appear to be the landing fields where you flick the pickings from your nose

 

We really do need that yuk button.

 

Dave

[Happy Hippo]

5 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

We really do need that yuk button.

 

Dave

Yes, but in my defence, you started it and I was merely offering an explanation for why there is a shell for the Oyster.

[iL Dottore]

Oh dearie me, we do have some gastronomic wusses amongst us.

 

Not liking oysters? They are the very essence and epitome of man versus sea (and enjoyed since antiquity - the Romans highly prized Colchester oysters). Perhaps it may help to think of oysters as whelks or winkels without the curly shell.

 

Being a reasonably minded Gastronaut, I can concede that raw oysters may not be to everyone’s taste (especially if you’ve grown up on a diet of meat and two [overcooked] veg). Although it is sad to observe that the gastronomically timid are passing up on such delights.

 

However, our cousins across the Atlantic in New Orleans have the perfect solution to the “oyster-hesitant”: Oyster Po’ Boys! Fresh oysters are breaded or battered then deep fried and served in a fresh roll with accompaniments like remoulade sauce or coleslaw.

 

Certainly beats Turkey twizzlers and oven fries…