Early Risers.

[The Lurker]

Morning all, it's beautiful blue sky over Borough Market Junction - with a band of grey in the distance. It was dark and cloudy when I left home so I couldn't see out in the garden whether there was any fence damage. There is one panel at the back that is very fragile. I didn't replace it last year as I doubted it was outs, but finally a search at the land registry suggests it is ours even though it covers our property and next doors.

 

Trains were slow last night and this morning but got on and commuters' behaviour much more civilised. I even got a seat at Lewisham this morning when lots of people got off! Makes a nice change.

 

 

The rest of the family visited the dentist yesterday. Mrs overbrushes and needs to have work done, Elder Lurker doesn't brush enough and needs work done, Younger Lurker perfect, my wallet the best part of a grand lighter. Ouch!

[Killybegs]

I was about to say: "Gosh! You have mail delivered before 0800 ?" then realised what you meant! D'oh!

 

When we only had two postmen, the post didn't arrive until after 5.00pm. Since they were joined by a postwoman, it arrives between 2 and 3.00pm. It's all part of living in the country!

 

We have been out with the dogs. For 5 minutes we were blown up the road before Steph (the sensible one) suggested that perhaps we ought to turn back. The return trip took nearly 15 minutes struggling against the wind, at times it was even hard to stay on your feet and we are not exactly weaklings! Normally our little lane gives protection from the wind but today it was blowing straight up it. Anyway, back safe and sound with all limbs intact and no dogs airborn and heading north!

 

Steph has a big pot of soup on the go just in case the power goes off later.

 

Stay safe everybody.

[Smiffy2]

Morning all. Very windy last night, and shocking weather. A quick glance shows the bird feeder to be absent without leave, a big yellow trug in the middle of the garden and a man in a hi-viz on the roof of a house at the back replacing some ridge tiles. Inspection later.

 

Thoughts are with Mal. We were in the same position with my stepfather and it was hard.

 

Ian - as someone said (I think it was Jock) the answer to single-handed cupboard fitting is a batten on the wall to take the weight. It also ensures straightness, as that's a lot easier to do with a batten. In France I've used wide architrave, mitred in at the ends, and it looks quite good.

 

We're off to do something this morning - no idea what, I was told but I wasn't listening - and then picking Blondie up from school. We may make dip candles for Borrowers (we have Borrowers in our house, under the clock in the hall...) but we may just eat cake. She does so many 'activities' from Drama club to dance, gymnastics and tennis  that quite often she's exhausted.

 

So have a good day, everyone. Carpe, as previously noted, diem.

[southern42]

Morning all, haven't quite caught up with the mornings posts, so I'll catch up later.

 

The Royal 'we'….Gets me every time.  You just know you're done for when 'we' is used to address anything.

 

Morning all.  Wet and windy right now but hopefully will be OK in an hour or so.

 

Seems to work the other way round in our house.  

 

 

The weather is a bit brighter this morning but it's still quite breezy although the jackdaws are managing to hang on in our tree - just - seems they prefer the leeward side facing into wind!  Now, me, I prefer to stand back to the wind if I've not been knocked down by it, of course.    Well, hope that little bit's cheered you up a bit.

 

Hope those with damaged property manage to get things repaired/moved back into place without too much bother - and don't injure yourselves in the process.  Let's give the supportive button a little rest, too, shall we? 

 

And I must say I'm really impressed by those El Capitan fellas.  I remember the first climb when it appeared on the telly though I much preferred watching the climb up the Old Man of Hoy.

 

Take care if you're out and about and watch those limbs/pinkies if your modelling/climbing rocks.

[Smiffy2]

Apparently we're going out to look at fireplaces. And buy bread and doughnuts. FBM.

[Purley Oaks]

Good morning all

 

I'm overwhelmed by all of the messages of support here - thank you so much, also for the words of encouragement and hope and where to turn as my mum gets better. I don't know any of you physically, but the virtual support feels so strong.

 

It must have done some good for my mum, too - on Monday we were told to prepare for the worst and I asked the hospital to ensure that she was comfortable and not in any pain or discomfort; by Tuesday she recognised us and smiled but movement was restricted; yesterday when I went in and asked how she was she smiled and said 'better'. It was so good to hear her voice - later on she said more words including 'custard', and by the end of the visit four hours later she could tell the time, 'it's seven o'clock'. As I left she took a moment to get her words together and asked 'how long am I going to be here?'. Luckily a nurse was close and she said that there was no set time and that it could be a while.

 

During the visit the speech therapist came by to check her swallow - she was fed a carton of yoghurt, and later a carton of custard and had a cup of tea beaker-fed; she has also been put on a nutritional drip feed.

 

My mum can now move all her limbs on command and squeeze with both hands, and wiggle her toes.

 

So quite a remarkable improvement - I hadn't expected it to be so soon, as though the brain was just rebooting and re-routing certain things. Hope that it continues.

 

Overall, a long way to go, but small steps...

 

Thank you all again - yes, windy here, too, and I can see a lot of white tops on the Forth this morning.

 

Mal

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Bin bag day today so as is my usual habit I put the bags out for collection before bedtime of 1 am. I got up this morning to see the pink recycling bag literally flying down the street on the wind, this despite it containing a couple of metal tins and some newspapers, plus a lot of pizza flyers. By the time I was dressed and went to recover it it was nowhere to be seen. On the subject of driving the wrong way down a one way street I am glad to say I haven't done that but come pretty close a couple of times, just spotting the (usually partially obscured) signs in time. Although I only just avoided an accident when in the US on holiday, I had just filled the tank at a service station and when I was leaving I simply looked to the right as you would in the UK, only to receive a loud blast from a horn as a pick up truck swerved round me. A similar event occurred a few years ago near the American base at Mildenhall involving a USAF civilian worker regrettably with fatal consequences, there but for the grace of god etc.

[Happy Hippo]

 

 

 

Alison here after 9, so shower and breakfast beckon.

 

 

Will that be beckon and eggs?

[PhilJ W]

I forgot to mention the wheelie bin, needless to say I righted it yesterday morning and its on its side again this morning so its staying that way for the time being.

[petethemole]

I think birds keep their heads to the wind because they're built that way. Wind from behind would get under the feathers and be uncomfortable.  It was very windy here in the wee hours but fences etc. are all ok. I should hope so, because the fence one side is new; a joint effort, paid for by me and kindly erected by the neighbour who's good at that sort of thing.

 

I'm still fighting a throat/chest infection and feeling run down; I was about to go back to bed for an hour when I had a phone call I had to deal with. I'll have a shower instead; that will wake me up.

 

I may pop over to Ron Lines' new shop today; it was due to open yesterday. I feel an urge to buy something....

 

Have a good day.

 

Pete

[gordon s]

COINCIDENCES

A farmer went into a local bar and ordered a glass of champagne.

The woman sitting next to him said, 'How about that? I just ordered
champagne, too!'

'What a coincidence' the farmer said. 'This is a special day for me. I am
celebrating.'

This is a special day for me too, I am also celebrating,' said the woman.'

'What a coincidence!' said the farmer.  As they clinked glasses he added:
'What are you celebrating?'

'My husband and I have been trying to have a child and today my
gynaecologist told me that I am pregnant!'

'What a coincidence!' said the man. 'I'm a chicken farmer and all last year
my hens were infertile, but today they are all laying eggs again.'

'That's great!' said the woman, 'How did your chickens become fertile?'

'I used a different cock,' he replied.

The woman smiled, clinked his glass and said 'what a coincidence'!

[PhilJ W]

Pete, what you said about the birds facing into the wind reminds me of the the hen that did not face into the wind, it laid the same egg six times.

[southern42]

I do notice though that birds just happen to be more streamlined/aerodynamic than I am.

I'm more your stocky steamroller mongrel thoroughbred type.  Woof!   

[Smiffy2]

Encouraging news, Mal. As someone else said, treatment nowadays is good. I hope her progress continues at the same rate.

[grandadbob]

A man is watching a game of golf on TV. But he keeps switching 
channels to a movie featuring a lusty couple having raucous sex.

"I don't know whether to watch the couple or the golf game," he says to his wife.

"For Heaven's sake, watch the couple," his wife says.

"You already know how to play golf!"

 

 

[Horizontal]

Jeiaru Kamotsu banzai!

 

Lovely locos!

[DDolfelin]

That seemed to me to be great news, Mal!

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I forgot to mention the wheelie bin, needless to say I righted it yesterday morning and its on its side again this morning so its staying that way for the time being.

A friend with this trouble secures his wheelie bins by the handles to a couple of trees, using salvaged carabiner style snap hooks from a couple of old heavy duty tow ropes, to avoid this nuisance. Lives on a windy corner with a gradient...

 

 

Regarding fencing I would always recommend the use of concrete posts it may cost more but well worth it...

The aspect of concrete post I most like is that if slot in panels are used these act as pressure relief, and 'disengage' without significant damage when the wind really gets up. Put them back in the following day, and that's all the 'repairs' usually necessary. Any that chafe over many years and lose enough wood to matter get a thin batten nailed down one edge (whichever is most worn) to restore width.

[Oldddudders]

Now then, about this cupboard. Putting a batten up is not an option. Why? Well remember this is a cupboard that has already spent at least 11 years on this wall. And, probably early in that timeframe, the wall beneath, and up to the bottom of the cupboard, was tiled, as you do at the back of a kitchen work-surface. So there is no way I can put up the requisite batten without damaging the tiles. I have placed 4 heavy duty (40kg) hollow-wall fixings in the plasterboard, and these align with the new piece of wood on the back of the cupboard, i.e. I used the piece of wood as a template. I know it will fit because it has already been fixed by all four screws, and now it is on the back of the cupboard.

 

Alison is just finishing her bathroom stint, then we get on with the cupboard action!

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Bright & sunny at the moment but more rain promised for later - if I can get the timing right I should be just about finished catching-up on RMweb about the time the rain starts   The rest of the fence - as far as I can see so far - is still there including the two panels that have been closest to collapse for several weeks (I'm told I should be removing them today - c'mon rain).  As reported we already had someone lined up to do a rebuild but as the gaping gap is visible from the road I wouldn't be surprised if we get a stream of visiting 'professionals' with rings in their ears (sorry, i shouldn't be pejorative, they are 'professional' with  tarmac) or itinerant visitors hailing from Dallas; all will be politely(ish) declined.

 

But notwithstanding that life must go on, so my able assistant and I are unlikely to change our plans to visit the Astolat MRC show in Guildford on Saturday (very sensible move as it would be the only day the two of us area available for removing further bits of inebriated fence).

 

Ah, Baz talks of the good ol' days of 'jack and pack' - very useful way of lifting things higher than your jacks could extend but not entirely right for a corner cupboard I think.  When I put up the one that sits behind this 'puter I put a couple of bits of hardwood batten on the wall first and then lifted (!!!) the cupboard onto those before fixing it to the walls, that seemed to work.

 

Have a good day one and all - hope that Mal's mum continues to improve, that Gordon's golf course remains underwater so he can devote time to a proper hobby, that GDB carries on the good deeds of cake making, and that no one finds the weather unduly destructive.  Pasty for lunch today I suspect (unless laddo pinched it from the 'fridge).

 

PS  The CGM (Chief Garden Manager) is now on duty and has identified various additional jobs such as removal of some plants plus ground clearance in the affected border - why did I think this was going to happen?  Where's that bottle of rum the neighbours kindly brought back from Cuba?  (Meanwhile the good Doctor is no doubt happy in the fact that she is doing an extra shift today and no doubt equally pleased that despite the presence of 'smoke and a burning smell' [and the Fire Brigade] her place of work is still standing and it will be too dark to do any gardening by the time she gets home.)

Edited January 15, 2015 by The Stationmaster

[The Stationmaster]

Now then, about this cupboard. Putting a batten up is not an option. Why? Well remember this is a cupboard that has already spent at least 11 years on this wall. And, probably early in that timeframe, the wall beneath, and up to the bottom of the cupboard, was tiled, as you do at the back of a kitchen work-surface. So there is no way I can put up the requisite batten without damaging the tiles. I have placed 4 heavy duty (40kg) hollow-wall fixings in the plasterboard, and these align with the new piece of wood on the back of the cupboard, i.e. I used the piece of wood as a template. I know it will fit because it has already been fixed by all four screws, and now it is on the back of the cupboard.

 

Alison is just finishing her bathroom stint, then we get on with the cupboard action!

Sounds ok Ian but if it comes to it get a drill bit suitable for ceramic tiles - put some masking tape on the tile where you are going to drill (to stop the bit slipping when you start) and mark your spot to drill.

[Smiffy2]

How about a French cleat?

A batten mounted on the wall (well above the tiles) with the top edge chamfered at 45º. A mirror image batten is fixed to the back of the cupboard and then dropped onto the wall batten. Invisible, very strong, and easy to fit. If the wall is a bit iffy you have several chances of a solid fixing for the wall batten.

 

http://www.finewoodworking.com/how-to/article/how-to-hang-a-cabinet-on-the-wall.aspx

[Judge Dread]

Sounds ok Ian but if it comes to it get a drill bit suitable for ceramic tiles - put some masking tape on the tile where you are going to drill (to stop the bit slipping when you start) and mark your spot to drill.

Put the masonry drill bit in a hand drill and slowly, with a back and forward motion, mark the spot for drilling. Then swap the  drill bit into an electric drill and with a pulsing action slowly and carefully drill away. 

Don't forget to put down newspaper to keep the site clean!

Best of luck.

[Ashcombe]

I forgot to mention the wheelie bin, needless to say I righted it yesterday morning and its on its side again this morning so its staying that way for the time being.

 

A friend with this trouble secures his wheelie bins by the handles to a couple of trees, using salvaged carabiner style snap hooks from a couple of old heavy duty tow ropes, to avoid this nuisance. Lives on a windy corner with a gradient...

 

 

 

 

These wheelie bins appear to be planning some kind of mass escape - glad they are being shown who's boss!

[Shedman5]

Morning, dry and sunny here with a slight breeze, stronger winds forecast for later.

 

No damage from last nights gale, the fence that takes the brunt of the winds will take some destroying as I replaced it about 4 years ago.

Utilising the concrete posts I bolted angle iron both sides  to each concrete post using the convenient hole already in the posts top and bottom.

Then bolted three angle iron bars across the fence width to the above angle iron and then bolted individual treated boards 2 meters high and just over half an inch thick to the angle iron across.

Took me a week to do it and its been no problem despite facing the oncoming winds.

 

Better news for you Mal hope things continue to improve.

 

Enjoy your day folks