The Night Mail

[Happy Hippo]

Last night I was dispatched to the loft in order to seek out some guiding equipment for Nyda.

 

As I opened the wooden chest which holds such goodies, there was a buzz followed by a sharp sting:  A wasp attacked me, no warning, just straight in an zap!

 

More appeared so, I whipped off my shirt and proceeded to make a fighting withdrawal out of the loft.

 

A few wasps died, but I still received a few more stings.

 

However, I had my revenge🤣.

 

I killed all the lights, and then put the industial strength blue light insect death machine into the loft by the hatch, and switched it on. Within seconds it was crackling away and at least a dozen of the little darlings had succumbed before I got the hatch closed.

 

This morning I popped my head into the loft.  There was still some  wasp activity, but I gave up counting their corpses after I reached 75.

 

I left the machine running and I can hear it still collecting.

 

Obliviously, there must be a wasp's nest in the loft space, so it will be a job for DanDan the insect man.  Dan is the son of Phil the Rat catcher, who is head honcho of the local pest control business.

 

Fortunately Phil owes me a favour after I gifted him a load of ammunition.

 

 

Edited July 28 by Happy Hippo

[DenysW]

12 hours ago, AndyID said:

They actually built two but abandoned the second pretty sharpish.

My understanding is that the Defense (of the Roman Empire) budget was stretched and the number of legions allocated to keeping the revolting British tribes under control was cut by 1. Consequence: abandon the northernmost province plus the forts north of the Antonine wall that were starting to Romanise the glens, and withdraw to Hadrian's wall. How times don't change.

 

There are also places on Hadrian's wall where you can see the result of earlier budget cuts: the foundations were done first and are wider than the wall built onto them. Down-scoping. How times don't change.

[Oldddudders]

1 hour ago, DenysW said:

the revolting British tribes

Now just you look here, my man!

[iL Dottore]

6 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

It's the amount of paperwork that's going to be involved that's worrying me Bear. I'll have to collect the receipts and fill in all the paperwork, most likely in triplicate. Then when it gets rejected because you forgot to include the alcohol free pick me up as you were considering whether to have curly fries with the pizzia, you've have the hassle.

There is the alternative: a daily allowance.

The ISB Committee has decided that - depending on location and activities undertaken - the per diem allowance (excluding travel and accommodation) is between £1500 and £4500.

 

We know it's not much, but until Synth-O-Cola renews its sponsorship deal we have to "tighten our belts'

 

Sorry!

[Flying Fox 34F]

HH has all my sympathy with regard to the Wasps.  I have been having a running battle with them for the last three weeks.  The little darlings have tried to set up nests in five different locations around my house.  On each discovery treatment has been dispensed, reapplied three days later and yet again three days after that!  At least they are not inside anywhere, just access tiny gaps into roof spaces!

 

Also, where do I send my expense details to for the ISB?  Somewhere in Switzerland?

 

Paul

[jjb1970]

11 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

There is the alternative: a daily allowance.

The ISB Committee has decided that - depending on location and activities undertaken - the per diem allowance (excluding travel and accommodation) is between £1500 and £4500.

 

We know it's not much, but until Synth-O-Cola renews its sponsorship deal we have to "tighten our belts'

 

Sorry!

 

Good God, when people agreed to help we weren't expecting to be treated as slaves, that's barely enough to cover a half decent bottle of sake!! I must insist on reasonable subsistence rates, £17,478 per day with additional reasonable expenses such as provision of a Maybach and chauffer at cost plus 10%.

[Tony_S]

We had an early breakfast just after 6.30. We didn’t have to vacate the cabin (no idea why cruise lines call them staterooms) until 9 am but left it at 8.30 as we had been given a gangway time of 8.45 and waited in a designated seating area until,we were called. All went smoothly but one of our bags was missing from the luggage hall. A nice lady suggested going over to the left luggage office where all the cases they the labels had dropped off were. Our case was there. The car was waiting and we managed to escape from parking without anyone driving in to us. Following exit signs and clear instructions from chaps in hi vis clothing seems too much for some people after a couple of weeks on a ship. The journey back via M3 and M25 south was ok until bed approached the Dartford tunnels. One had been closed until 10 am and and there was still a tailback 2 hours later. 
Unloading the car didn’t take long and I wandered round the house opening windows. That is until I opened the window in the en suite bathroom and noticed that the pedestal-mat round the lavatory was wet, soaking wet in fact.  There was a tiny drip from a flexible hose that connects to the cistern. I touched it and it became a big drip. 
I wasn’t expecting to doa plumbing job today but I actually had the exact replacement hose in my plumbing tool box and took the opportunity to replace the cistern filler too. 
The floor is wood not laminate so it should be ok. I suppose I should now have a look at any other flexible hoses but I think the one that failed was the oldest. I now know why @polybear recommends moisture sensors and alarms. Aditi said she had noticed the mat was slightly damp before we went on holiday and thought I was responsible!

We did enjoy our trip to Scotland and Iceland but I am glad to be home despite dodgy plumbing. 
Tony

Edited July 28 by Tony_S

[polybear]

7 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

There was a tiny drip from a flexible hose that connects to the cistern. I touched it and it became a big drip. 

I now know why @polybear recommends moisture sensors and alarms.

 

I've set reminders on the lappy to change flexi's as a routine job - though the ones upstairs are "overdue".  Must get my Bearyarseingear on that one....

[AndyID]

9 hours ago, rockershovel said:

It's my understanding that the Auld Alliance (specifically, the Treaty of 1295) was superseded by the 1560 Treaty of Edinburgh which ended the Siege of Leith and ended the three-way warfare which had plagued the Borders for many years (at least notionally).

 

The Scots refer to the English as The Auld Enemy. The English laugh, for them (and despite "two World Wars and one World Cup") the "Old Enemy" is France, and always will be. 

 

Portugal was notionally England's "oldest ally", resulting in the Peninsular War and the sending of an under-strength and militarily useless division to France in WW1. My parents used the phrase to denote unwanted offers of assistance, from whatever source; I imagine the 1970s Revolution there has rendered it null and void. 

 

Whether Berwick on Tweed has now concluded peace with the Tsar of All The Russias, I neither know nor care. I'm sure it isn't high on Mr Putin's to-do list. 

 

Superseded but never revoked.

[SM42]

Today started wet and continued to be so on and off. 

 

During breakfast  a very loud siren sounded across the town. 

 

Now as there was no general panic amongst the hotel staff, I deduced that it may be how the volunteer firemen are called in.  

 

Shortly after the sound of emergency vehicles hurrying  off. 

 

Around 2pm a pleasant breeze blew up. At around 5pm this turned suddenly to a full blown gale. 

 

We have had to dodge round bits of tree on the way back to the hotel. Small branches litter the streets. 

 

Fire engines and police cars are everywhere. 

 

We've seen a least one car looking all the worse for being hit by a falling tree. 

 

The siren has recently sounded again. 

 

Andy

Edited July 28 by SM42

[Hroth]

 

@Tony_S  No matter where you roam, its always nice to get back home!

 

I'm on my hols at present, but it'll be good to be back in my own bed on Friday...

 

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

We had an early breakfast just after 6.30. We didn’t have to vacate the cabin (no idea why cruise lines call them staterooms) until 9 am but left it at 8.30 as we had been given a gangway time of 8.45 and waited in a designated seating area until,we were called. All went smoothly but one of our bags was missing from the luggage hall. A nice lady suggested going over to the left luggage office where all the cases they the labels had dropped off were. Our case was there. The car was waiting and we managed to escape from parking without anyone driving in to us. Following exit signs and clear instructions from chaps in hi vis clothing seems too much for some people after a couple of weeks on a ship. The journey back via M3 and M25 south was ok until bed approached the Dartford tunnels. One had been closed until 10 am and and there was still a tailback 2 hours later. 
Unloading the car didn’t take long and I wandered round the house opening windows. That is until I opened the window in the en suite bathroom and noticed that the pedestal-mat round the lavatory was wet, soaking wet in fact.  There was a tiny drip from a flexible hose that connects to the cistern. I touched it and it became a big drip. 
I wasn’t expecting to doa plumbing job today but I actually had the exact replacement hose in my plumbing tool box and took the opportunity to replace the cistern filler too. 
The floor is wood not laminate so it should be ok. I suppose I should now have a look at any other flexible hoses but I think the one that failed was the oldest. I now know why @polybear recommends moisture sensors and alarms. Aditi said she had noticed the mat was slightly damp before we went on holiday and thought I was responsible!

We did enjoy our trip to Scotland and Iceland but I am glad to be home despite dodgy plumbing. 
Tony

 

When we are going to be away for more than 24 hours I shut the water off at the main. There's a valve under the stairs. I also leave a tap open at the lowest sink in the house in case the shutoff isn't 100% effective.

[SM42]

A mystery has been solved. 

 

When we arrived back at the hotel, the TV was on. 

 

Now we didn't leave it on. 

 

We've just had power cut and when power was restored the TV switched on. 

 

Andy

[AndyID]

5 hours ago, DenysW said:

My understanding is that the Defense (of the Roman Empire) budget was stretched and the number of legions allocated to keeping the revolting British tribes under control was cut by 1. Consequence: abandon the northernmost province plus the forts north of the Antonine wall that were starting to Romanise the glens, and withdraw to Hadrian's wall. How times don't change.

 

There are also places on Hadrian's wall where you can see the result of earlier budget cuts: the foundations were done first and are wider than the wall built onto them. Down-scoping. How times don't change.

 

I imagine some members of the legions were starting to get a bit antsy about being posted to that part of Britain too.

[SM42]

The power can't decide whether to be on or off. 

 

What I do know is the TV and the lights are on different phases as they didn't go off at the same time. 

 

Andy

[Oldddudders]

4 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

I imagine some members of the legions were starting to get a bit antsy about being posted to that part of Britain too.

Yeah - no McDonalds!

[Hroth]

8 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

I imagine some members of the legions were starting to get a bit antsy about being posted to that part of Britain too.

 

They kept writing home for boots and underpants...

 

[bbishop]

TNM almost moves forward too quickly for me to post.  So maybe a bit retrospectively...

 

My kid sister (alright nearly 60 at the time) was a wench during the opening ceremony in 2012 so I was required to watch on telly.  Not that I saw her.

 

Then sport.  Obviously cricket and I have the opportunity to watch it live at Lord's including practically every ball of two Test matches.  And get free food and drink as well.  I provide them with my first aid skills in return so it is a "win - win" situation.

[Oldddudders]

1 minute ago, Hroth said:

 

They kept writing home for boots and underpants...

 

You're right - no Boots or Primark anywhere near. 

[AndyID]

7 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Yeah - no McDonalds!

 

NON ULLUS FILLIUS DONALDI

[SM42]

This is getting daft. 

 

My emergency torch doesn't work now. 

 

I've changed the batteries for some freshly charged rechargeable and still no joy. On any of the three lights. 

 

Now I can't get the things out as they are such a tight fit. 

 

I suspect they will be wrecked and fire risk by the time I do get them out. 

 

Andy

[SM42]

As suspected the batteries are now very dented by removal. 

 

I've tried some more that I know are not flat ( they work in the camera)  and have concluded the torch is at fault. 

 

Andy

[J. S. Bach]

If they are so tight, how did you get them inserted? Having to force them in should have given a clue, IMNSHO.

[SM42]

25 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

If they are so tight, how did you get them inserted? Having to force them in should have given a clue, IMNSHO.

 

They are not forced in. They fit in quite easily

 

The size is correct, AA. 

 

When you put the lid on and screw it down they get pushed down further and that's when they become a very tight fit. 

 

Unless there is a size between AA and AAA, it's a design fault with the device or batteries are bigger than they used to be for a given size.

 

Andy

[AndyID]

10 minutes ago, SM42 said:

 

They are not forced in. They fit in quite easily

 

The size is correct, AA. 

 

When you put the lid on and screw it down they get pushed down further and that's when they become a very tight fit. 

 

Unless there is a size between AA and AAA, it's a design fault with the device or batteries are bigger than they used to be for a given size.

 

Andy

 

I sometimes have to use a key on the negative ends to pry them out a bit.