Early Risers.

[trisonic]

Here in the Highlands we have a surface that is like wet sheet glass after overnight wind, and rain which fell on freezing ground - Pleased to hear Mals news, and big congrats to Petes daughter. Have a good day whatever you're thinking of dooing

Cheers, Jack.

At present we have about 5” of snow but it’s expected to turn over to rain in a couple of hours. Then after the weekend a further 1-3 inches of snow on Monday night. Rest of the work week not expected to above 0C. Which is quite normal for this time of the year.

 

It’s 6:00 am on a Saturday and I just heard a snow plow rumbling past. They are on the ball here. Just gone past again in the opposite direction.

 

I just noticed that almost the entire country of France is under a heavy Snow warning!?? With dangers of power outages etc.

Has Ian checked in yet?

 

Best, Pete.

[trisonic]

 If hippos had opposable thumbs they would be unstoppable!

 

Have you tried to stop a Hippo, Tony? Not on my Bucket List.......

 

Best, Pete.

[Tony_S]

Has Ian checked in yet?

 

Best, Pete.

He has added a comment to one of posts on another social medium site.

[Tony_S]

Have you tried to stop a Hippo, Tony? Not on my Bucket List.......

 

Best, Pete.

I meant as a species! I wouldn't want to get anywhere near where a hippo wanted to go.

I don't think I have a bucket list.

[Judge Dread]

We did away with stairs 25+ years ago when we bought a bungalow - but I do notice it when I go to Glasgow and on from the station to the SECC!

That tube you have to walk through from the station to the SECC  is quite something leaving the site. I have used it to seek out places of refreshment after a long day with the layout at said show. I am always glad it's down hill on the return whilst full of several pints of "heavy" and a wee dram. A special thanks must go to the provision of the pointer indicating the direction of our hotel.

[Judge Dread]

Thanks to all re: the wiring. I've had to pay a quick visit to the electrician as he's local (friend of a friend etc...) but he's changed his mobile number since I last called him. It's a complicated story, but there is still some work to be done to this house and renovation is still ongoing, although nearly finished. In a nutshell, shortly after installation, there was a fault with the breaker feeding the boiler spur and the boiler was wired into the lighting circuit as a temporary fix until a new breaker could be obtained. I wasn't aware of the "quick fix" and the sparkie completely forgot about the replacement breaker... I can live with that explanation as most houses are rewired in one go, not in stages with several months passing by between stages! He's going to call in this afternoon and replace the breaker and arrangements have now been made for the top floor of the house to "go live" in a week or so (the new wiring's there, just no sockets or switches). That's a weight off my mind. Thanks again for your help!

As a retired electrician myself I sympathise but am mindful of those far gone days when I would report back to my boss some of the bodges I had seen that day. He would say, "Well son it's all work, either for us or the fire brigade depending on who gets there first"!

[shortliner]

Yes - after a long day walking around the show, that uphill climb is a killer for elderly legs, I'm just glad that I still have the use of them rather than being a wheelchair user! And please don't confine yourself to "A" wee dram - we need to keep the distilleries in business!

[Happy Hippo]

I meant as a species! I wouldn't want to get anywhere near where a hippo wanted to go.

I don't think I have a bucket list.

In that case I take it that you won't be coming to the Stafford Show next weekend?

[The Stationmaster]

Ah, Birdwatch.  If we'd done it yesterday we could have added 5 Red Kites although maybe they didn't count if they only touched ground long enough to collect a piece of meat before clibing back out again to regain soaring altitude?

[gordon s]

…any resemblance is purely coincidental….

 

[Simon G]

Morning all (just).  Was about to say that it was a nice sunny morning, but the rain has just started!  I managed to get to the PO to post some ebay items, then a walk to the beach, so at least have got some fresh air and exercise before the rain came.  Smells of fresh bread wafting in as the breadmaker is nearly finished.

 

Probably off to look at cars this pm, as my car will be taken from me when I finish work, and I will need something to drive round in.

[DDolfelin]

Is this a perfect holiday hotel for ERs?

Good food, smart rooms, horizon pool (on the roof from where this picture was taken).

The ringing of the level crossing alarm for 'train coming' gave just enough time to get to the station platform to catch the train.

 

[NGT6 1315]

This is not unusual with Homebase. (…)

 

We don't shop there anymore!

 

 

Incredible.

 

 

Indeed. Was this the only compensation you got, John? Was originally going to write that that voucher should have been worth at least what that summer house cost and then some, but I doubt I'd have made any further purchases there either...

[Oldddudders]

Afternoon all

 

As ever, Pete's gloomy view of France is greatly distorted by distance! No snow here, hasn't been any snow here, next 10 days forecast sees little chance of any real snow.

 

http://france.lachainemeteo.com/meteo-france/ville/previsions-meteo-nogent-le-bernard-31707-0.php

 

Freezing rain, however, we do. As I stepped out this morning - after only just over an hour on the phone to Sherry, natch, and still before breakfast - it was evident there'd been rain, but only when I got closer to the car did I find it treacherous underfoot. So I started the car and put blower on etc. 15 mins later, and despite using de-icing spray and the usual Halfords scraper, I was struggling to get the frozen rain off the screen and windows. The road, however, showed no sign of ice of any hue.

 

Then, having finally got a hoof sheath of the right dimension - ebay from Austria - I wanted to apply this. Deb had always used Stockholm Tar for holes in the foot, but my lovely young American friend had not tried this - and her dad's a vet, so I wasn't gonna argue. Anyway, the tar was applied to a poultice, after I'd washed the foot with a scrub and rinsed it. All went fairly well, but the tar is a menace, and some ended up on my jacket and gloves. It may come off, hopefully, as it did off my hands. Interestingly, despite being called Stockholm Tar, it apparently originates in Norway. Let's hear it for the Geographically Challenged! It's a natural substance with strong anti-bacterial qualities, so the tin says, from pine trees. Allegations of carcinogenous side-effects hardly matter to a horse in her last few years! Finally the shoof is in place and a much better fit than the last one, so the hole, which has already shrunk, should heal quickly now. Varian has walked fine for the last fortnight, anyway.

 

Glad Pete75C has sorted his wiring problem. I think I might have sent a copy of the certificate to my insurer, giving them full name, rank and number for the firm, and asked whether they'd pay up if this caused a fire? That would provoke some correspondence!

 

Sunny now, with a light breeze. Not bad for late Jan!

 

Glad we have good news from Edinburgh and Tokyo, among other worthy causes. Keep it up!

 

Hope your weekend living up to expectations.

[Tony_S]

In that case I take it that you won't be coming to the Stafford Show next weekend?

Unfortunately not. I haven't visited Stafford for a very long time and even then it was because it was on the way to Stoke. The model railway show does look like one I would enjoy. I hope they provide you with appropriate wallowing facilities. Edited January 24, 2015 by Tony_S

[Killybegs]

Indeed. Was this the only compensation you got, John? Was originally going to write that that voucher should have been worth at least what that summer house cost and then some, but I doubt I'd have made any further purchases there either...

 

I'm afraid it was. Needless to say there were some strong words exchanged on the matter.

 

On a brighter note, the sun has come out but we still have a wickedly cold wind. Lots of jobs to do around the house today, some already done, some can wait until after lunch and, if it stays dry, I might take myself out for a nice long walk.

 

We bought a new telly yesterday but we can't try it out until Sky come to upgrade the box in two weeks time. The very pleasant lady on the other line apologised for the delay and suggested I ring up on Monday morning and see if there are any cancellations. In the meantime I can take out the VCR which hasn't been used in years (and according to my son won't work with the new TV anyway), remove all redundant cabling and tidy up what's left. Sky were surprised that the TV came with no cables (other than a plug) but assured me that the engineer will have some in his van. I think we only need the HDMI between the Sky box and the TV as there is already a SCART cable to the DVD.

 

Make the most of the weekend

[Tony_S]

When I last tidied behind the television I removed lots of leads that no longer went anywhere at either end.

Tony

Edited January 24, 2015 by Tony_S

[travelintrev]

Good Afternoon all,

 

was the site ready  - of course not !  "So when are you bringing the crane?"  When you've cleared the site (I have to get that big blue box into the building in the background all 30 tonnes of it) so I can bring the crane -"well  we're going to clear it"  - that's what you said  two weeks ago........end of rant! 

 

Onto electrics of the domestic sort,  the last house we bought had been owned  by a CEGB  engineer. The kitchen walls had been covered in  thin tongue & groove pine paneling.  Well the ex decided  she wanted new kitchen units and tiled walls, so off comes the wall covering only to find that power cables to various 13a double sockets (the flat grey twin & earth) had been held in place by nails driven through the insulation.   

 

Ok now time for an afternoon nap & maybe some modelling, 

 

be good, 

 

Trev

[NGT6 1315]

I'm afraid it was. Needless to say there were some strong words exchanged on the matter.

 

Incredible.

 

(There's an echo in here, it seems…)

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Oh yes, horrors in the wiring. I went with a friend to look at a house he was considering, and there were a number of electric storage radiators, with 30A T+E visible descending beneath the floor coverings. Lifted the carpet and this T+E was neatly held down to the floor boards with brads through the middle of the insulation. As installed by 'Eastern Electricity approved contractors' according to the paperwork held by the current owner covering the installation of storage radiators. As for the vast holes they had drilled through floor joists to make cable runs, and the resulting copious piles of sawdust in which the wiring nestled...

 

Had an excellent birdwatch, and got blackcap, goldcrest and redwing among the more infrequently seen visitors to our garden for 14 species in the hour. Mike's red kites would count if they touched ground...

[The Stationmaster]

Unfortunately not. I haven't visited Stafford for a very long time and even then it was because it was on the way to Stoke. The model railway show does look like one I would enjoy. I hope they provide you with appropriate wallowing facilities.

Judging by last year, my only ever visit, Stafford is a good show although the triple arrangement of abutting halls is interesting as they seem to offer three climate zones - cold, temperate, and ruddy hot.

 

Nine Red Kites today but dinner had just about gone by the time I got home so I only saw 4 touch ground.

[NGT6 1315]

Nine Red Kites today

 

The Commies are coming! 

[trisonic]

Amazingly the Snow Blower fired up on first stab! Yes, I have an electric starter motor - I’m not totally stoopid....

 

Took about an hour to clear the drive even so. Warmest snow clearing I’ve done - it was about 3C.....

 

All roads are open and people are behaving normally i.e. going shopping.

 

Have a nice day everybody.

 

Best, Pete.

[Tony_S]

Pete (Trisonic). When does your daughter have to make a commitment to the uni offers? It is somewhat different to the system here? Matthew did explain it to me when he was looking for North American universities. My nephew was recently "over there" looking at assorted universities on the US east coast and California. He was looking at PhD options but he has identified one closer to home that he was interested in and has been accepted. It is a research project based at Cambridge and Tübingen.

Matthew has stated that he doesn't want to stay in education beyond this year. Hopefully he will get his wish of being employed! Instead of a dissertation for the MSc he was accepted on to a scheme where he works on a project with another student and they write a joint report. Most of the scheme providers are "city" type businesses. Matthew is wondering how the two students who got United Utilities will cope with the travelling. Matthew will be in Camden working with a housing association. I was interested that the nearest tube station is Mornington Crescent. I will be meeting him in Enfield on Monday evening. I had to explain why giving directions was mildly amusing.

Edited January 24, 2015 by Tony_S

[New Haven Neil]

Trisonic Pete - ride the New Haven to Boston - yay!!  Oh that it still was....a nice NH club car would be just the job!

 

Gordon, as we're both somewhat towards being hippotic, Tempur was the answer - expensive, but once you get used to it, superb.

 

I think I have worked out the rogue 2-EPB's appearance, I think I bought it from an RMWebber (Steve Lewis?) when I was ill after my surgery, so what passes for my brain wasn't at full power, due to the tramadol and codeine diet......bought it and put it away when it arrived and promptly deleted the memory!  I do recall buying a 4-CEP from Andy Y though!