Early Risers.

[Horsetan]

I believe it is claimed that 80% of the world's venomous creatures are only found in Australia and that 80% of Australian wildlife can be lethal.   

 

All our snakes and spiders are venomous and many are potentially lethal.  Kangaroos are harmless until you get too close then those huge back feet can flatten you and the claws ........

And that's without mentioning the jellyfish that tend to cruise near Aussie shores....

 

.....I don't think it ended well for the bunny either.

[BSW01]

Having slightly driven over an already dead skunk in Vermont I think some North American roadkill is nasty even when deceased.

A similar thing happened to my brother in Canada, he straddled a dead skunk, not even touching the corpse, but said it took over two weeks for the smell to fade!

[roundhouse]

Good afternoon from drizzly Somerset.

 

Earlier today, I was just inspecting a rather sorry looking clematis that is struggling to survive by the side fence when I noticed a pile of cigarette butts on the ground near the fence post.

 

Presumably, my neighbour is going outdoors for a crafty fag and then chucking the cigarette ends over the fence. I was tempted to pick them up and lob them all back, but considered that to be too childish - so I sprayed the top of the fence with cat repellant to keep his marauding tabby away.

We have had that, and I did. No more fag butts over our side since.

 

So I think that they got the message and we haven't fallen out with them either.

[BSW01]

I noticed a pile of cigarette butts on the ground near the fence post.

 

Presumably, my neighbour is going outdoors for a crafty fag and then chucking the cigarette ends over the fence. I was tempted to pick them up and lob them all back, but considered that to be too childish - so I sprayed the top of the fence with cat repellant to keep his marauding tabby away.

A few years ago, a previous neighbours kids kept chucking part eaten apples over our fence, they were cooking apples so very sour. One day, un beknown to the kids, I happened to out in the garden and was almost hit by one, it immediately went back over the fence along with a half dozen others, it never happened again. Edited September 28, 2016 by BSW01

[45156]

We had our flu jabs yesterday and so far there have been no side effects. It looked as though they had booked everyone at the same time, the waiting room packed to standing room only.

Our practice had the sense to book all the flu jabs for a Saturday, and are spreading them between the main and the branch surgery, so that as many patients as possible are being treated outside of the normal appointment times - mine was done a couple of Saturdays ago, and the patients were booked in at three minute intervals, to be seen by one of the four nurses on duty, one of whom was the fully qualified sister needed to cover possible anaphylactic shocks.  Went well, and very smoothly, with my booking at 8.30, and out at 8.33 as planned.  Previously, at a different practice which I went to further up the valley, they booked the local institute, and did a free flow clinic, whereby you checked in, rolled up your sleeve, and queued up to be injected by one of the six practitioners standing at the top of the room.  Seemed very impersonal and primitive, and also involved a six mile drive to be treated - the number of complaints about lack of privacy and the long drive ensured that this was not repeated.

 

Back from town (again) having bought the requisites, and being shorn, then on checking my watch, it was still saying ten am, when it was knociing on for 11.  Oh well, it's got a lifetime battery - er no, that one hasn't, and it is quite an expensive piece, so of course, has a commensurately expensive battery - I was quite gobsmacked, but when I saw how small it was, not at all what I normally get for my other two. 

 

Not yet caught up, but hey-ho there's time yet.

[45156]

A similar thing happened to my brother in Canada, he straddled a dead skunk, not even touching the corpse, but said it took over two weeks for the smell to fade!

And here's what Loudoun Wainwright III had to say about this subject

 

http://www.metrolyrics.com/dead-skunk-lyrics-loudon-wainwright-iii.html

 

Edited September 28, 2016 by 45156

[jonny777]

A few years ago, a previous neighbours kids kept chucking part eaten apples over our fence, they were cooking apples so very sour. One day, un beknown to the kids, I happened to out in the garden and was almost hit by one, it immediately went back over the fence along with a half dozen others, it never happened again.

 

 

Neighbours eh?

 

I have had some strange types here.

 

My daughter has always loved the sun (with factor 30 or so liberally applied). One day many years ago she was revising for A Levels on a hot morning in a white t-shirt and a short denim skirt. I only mention this detail because I was wearing a white t-shirt and denim shorts.

 

I was in the kitchen preparing some lunch and noticed the neighbour painting preservative on his side of the fence. When lunch was ready, my daughter came in and said she thought that was enough sun for the time being and went to eat her sandwiches while watching Friends on tv. I thought that as it was a nice day I could sit outside to eat my lunch, so went to sit on the chair where my daughter had been.

 

The neighbour was still sloshing preservative further down the garden, but after a couple of minutes he suddenly came back to the part he had been doing earlier. I thought that it was a strange way to paint a fence - backwards/forwards but suddenly noticed I could see his eyes through a small gap in one of the panels, and they were seeming to look in my direction - so I did what any friendly neighbour would do - I waved at him.

 

With that he got up, went inside his house and shut the back door; and I never saw him for the rest of that day.

 

I mulled this over in my mind for a while and concluded that while painting that part of the fence, he probably had a rather revealing view up my daughter's skirt. When she went inside, he moved further down the fence assuming the show was over; but as we were wearing almost identical coloured clothing, he initially thought she had returned with her lunch, only to discover to his horror that it was her father.

[AndrewC]

Having slightly driven over an already dead skunk in Vermont I think some North American roadkill is nasty even when deceased.

Driving over a skunk, dead or alive is a crap shoot. If you miss the scent gland all is well. If you hit the scent gland then, whoa. In the summer on a hot day you can smell a dead one from a couple of km away. Getting the scent off the tyres is not easy. Worse still if the critter's stinky bits get lodged in the wheel wells, or on the radiator, or stuck in the engine compartment. For those that have never had the pleasure of smelling one of these nasty little beasties, you are lucky.

[Smiffy2]

So. First time logged in for a few days...

 

Got the estimate for repairing and repointing the walls. €10500.

Got the estimate for the new shutters. €2000

Got the car repaired. €225

 

Getting ready to go home tomorrow and I was sitting in the utility room changing a plug when I heard a crash from the cupboard where the water heater sits. Or, to be accurate, hangs on the wall. Or to be even more accurate used to hang on the wall...

 

Emergency plumber coming out tomorrow at 08:30, we leave at 10:00. Our neighbour will sort him out, all we have to do is leave a cheque...

 

This has been the most expensive 'relaxing break' I've ever had. I could have toured the world for less.

And we will have to come out in 3 weeks to see to the new works.

 

Sorry to moan, and I haven't read through the 6 or 7 pages of posts, but my very bests to all.

 

I'd bang my head against the wall if I didn't think it would fall down.

 

 

Peek-a-boo!

Edited September 28, 2016 by Smiffy2

[AndyID]

So. First time logged in for a few days...

 

Got the estimate for repairing and repointing the walls. €10500.

Got the estimate for the new shutters. €2000

Got the car repaired. €225

 

 

Gordon Bennett!

My shed wasn't much more than that including the excavation.

[Coombe Barton]

FIL back in hospital - various drips, medications and assistance required.

 

At work - busy. 

 

And experiencing cockwonmbles

 

'nuff said

[New Haven Neil]

Day cheered by coming home to find my USA Dock Tank waiting for me (Worth Valley 72) and a letter from the tax man giving us money BACK! Wooooo!

 

A local man has just won £1M on the lottery thing too, but not this local man unfortunately.

[BoD]

An Aussie was asked if there was anything there that was not out to kill you, after thinking about he replied "some of the sheep". Friendly place

And that's only because they are close relatives.

[Oldddudders]

Not a lot to report, but Rick, take care when visiting the dunny

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-37481251

 

"Nursey! Nursey! Can you take away the pain - but leave the swelling?"

 

You might think that updating the firmware on a camera was simple. It used to be - trust me. The idea is that you go to the website, download the file, put it on a memory card, stick it in the camera and switch on. Use the menu to go to "Firmware version" and hey presto it reads the card and sees there's a new version, offers you the update option. Or not. Four cameras to do, and I have, after abandoning the iMac and shouting at the recalcitrant PC - that's why I bought the iMac - managed just one, the cheapest, naturally. But they are all Nikons, so the website and process are identical. Sigh. 

 

Meanwhile, in the real world, my wife has had her bank account raided to four figures. It was Apple who alerted her, when a transaction was from a device she hasn't registered. Card cancelled, and Turkey not a favoured location right now. All monies will be refunded, but it's all hassle you don't need. And Sherry has never been to Turkey, or at least not recently. Another sigh.

[RhBBob]

Interesting occurrence yesterday was a man at the front door bearing a large folder of prints and the usual 'I am deaf, etc.,' on a piece of card. I sent him away by waving my hand and thought no more of it.  Beggars of suitable nationalities are quite common in these parts.

 

This morning my next door neighbour called and - without knowing about my 'visitor' - warned me about such people as it is 'all over Facebook' that they are trying to gain entry to properties.  I looked on Facebook and saw an incident over in Lancashire where the resident called 'hang on' after the man had walked away and - surprise, surprise - he turned around !!

 

What a lovely world we live in !   I have made the 'no cold callers' page larger and moved it to the front door.

[New Haven Neil]

I've got that T shirt, Ian.  Paris though, not Turkey, with a card than never went to France but was used to pay the deposit for the hotel in advance! As it had never been previously used, it wasn't hard to work out where the problem was! 

[Oldddudders]

I've got that T shirt, Ian.  Paris though, not Turkey, with a card than never went to France but was used to pay the deposit for the hotel in advance! As it had never been previously used, it wasn't hard to work out where the problem was! 

 

Yes, my Barclaycard got nobbled in 2008, when I was commuting to Deb's second hospital in Le Grand Lucé. I suspect the bloke in the petrol station there, the only place the card had been momentarily out of my sight. The thieves booked a couple of expensive holidays in Japan and bought some seriously pricey wine. I like to think fraud people met them as they boarded the plane for the Orient.... Barclaycard behaved impeccably, as Nationwide have for Sherry. Indeed, the chap she spoke to at their fraud unit admitted he'd been a victim five times - much to the amusement of colleagues!

[Happy Hippo]

 

Another reason I prefer where I am to more of the southern/western parts of the US.

There's "now't much" around here to be bothered about. Even the outer reaches of Minnesota are only home to timber rattlers which are generally fairly small, reclusive, and don't deliver a deadly result except on extremely rare occasions!

Ian,

 

For your delectation.  A Canebrake/E Diamondback hybrid.  (A Canebrake being very similar in size and temprement to a timber rattlesnake:  some say they are the same species!)

 

This particular specimen is over 2 metres in length and definitely thicker than my arm.

 

Best stay oop north!

 

[New Haven Neil]

Yes, my Barclaycard got nobbled in 2008, when I was commuting to Deb's second hospital in Le Grand Lucé. I suspect the bloke in the petrol station there, the only place the card had been momentarily out of my sight. The thieves booked a couple of expensive holidays in Japan and bought some seriously pricey wine. I like to think fraud people met them as they boarded the plane for the Orient.... Barclaycard behaved impeccably, as Nationwide have for Sherry. Indeed, the chap she spoke to at their fraud unit admitted he'd been a victim five times - much to the amusement of colleagues!

 

HSBC were good too, I have to say.  It was stopped after the two 'trial' small purchases, a pizza and a mobile phone bill!

[emt_911]

Most of the paperwork completed and I might even work late to get it out of the way.

 

Dick - That sounds like a very expensive break

 

John - Sorry to hear that FiL is back in hospital

 

Back later

[grandadbob]

A great day had by me  - not. Took The Boss shopping as requested and all was well until I tried to start the car in a car park off the Purley Way, Croydon, Battery virtually dead and just a clunk and barely able to turn over the engine. AA called and they turned up within 40 minutes as promised and confirmed I needed a new battery. I could source one myself or buy one from him immediately. I took the latter option as we were in a hurry but that cost £109. I know damn well that I could have got one quite a bit cheaper but didn't have the time as we had to be somewhere else. Ah well - that's life I suppose, the old battery was 9 years old so hadn't done too badly.

[jonny777]

Yes, my Barclaycard got nobbled in 2008, when I was commuting to Deb's second hospital in Le Grand Lucé. I suspect the bloke in the petrol station there, the only place the card had been momentarily out of my sight. The thieves booked a couple of expensive holidays in Japan and bought some seriously pricey wine. I like to think fraud people met them as they boarded the plane for the Orient.... Barclaycard behaved impeccably, as Nationwide have for Sherry. Indeed, the chap she spoke to at their fraud unit admitted he'd been a victim five times - much to the amusement of colleagues!

 

 

Yes, My card has been 'done' a few times, and one seems to have been from our local Co-op just down the road. One was used in Cardiff to renew car insurance (how stupid is that, when you think about it?) and another time the money went on some Gibraltar based gambling site.

 

I think there must be more because occasionally I see a pending transaction for a few hundred quid which was not me, and then a day or two later when I am waiting to see who the payment was to, it has vanished.

 

The credit card company have always refunded my money, and my only discomfort was to change my number.

[newbryford]

Plasterer arrived very promptly at 8am and by 8.05 after a quick chat about the work and where he could brew up, I was on my way.

Returned home to find a very large expanse of very smooth plaster drying out nicely. He has a few more bits to finish off, but will be back on Friday to do them. Most pleased with the work so far. He was recommended to me by our new soon-to-be next door neighbours where he has been doing their house.

 

(Just for Horstan) New twice weekly at the moment commute is 22 miles each way. Average speed 37mph out and 41mph back, with an overall fuel consumption of 63.4mpg. (66.4 on the way out with a reduction on the way back, although theortically it's downhill!) I will be trying to improve upon that without resorting to Sunday driving tactics of no more than 30mph.

 

So I'm spending less time on the road, using less fuel doing less miles.... (Having said that, it's now directly from my pocket, rather than as a valid work expense, but I'm not bothered)

 

Driving as usual with a test tomorrow, then new job again Friday. But some modelling may be done tonight to prepare a loco for a trip to Wigan Ex this weekend for some advice about suitable decoder and speaker(s) for a small engine.

 

Have a good what's left of HUMP day folks. Bins tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[newbryford]

Yes, My card has been 'done' a few times, and one seems to have been from our local Co-op just down the road. One was used in Cardiff to renew car insurance (how stupid is that, when you think about it?) and another time the money went on some Gibraltar based gambling site.

 

I think there must be more because occasionally I see a pending transaction for a few hundred quid which was not me, and then a day or two later when I am waiting to see who the payment was to, it has vanished.

 

The credit card company have always refunded my money, and my only discomfort was to change my number.

 

We once had a card that was used over 200 miles away for a few small transactions, such as topping up a mobile phone to test the water. Then they paid for their car insurance with it............ Which must qualify for a potential Darwin award.

Our bank were straight on the case with no questions asked.

 

With regard to pending transactions, have you used it at a hotel or similar as pre-authorisation? The amount will appear as pending and then if you pay by other means, then the transaction will disappear.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[grandadbob]

About 25 years ago my credit card never even reached my house. I got a statement showing something like £3000 of restaurant bills, petrol, jewellery etc that were nothing to do with me. When phoning Access discovered that a new card had been sent a couple of weeks earlier as mine had nearly expired. All investigated and refunded and some months later our postman was caught down the road in a car with an accomplice going through the mail. B#stard only got a small fine for that. It's a good job I didn't get hold of him as in those days  I was rather more beligerent than I am now and I'd always thought he was a really good bloke and trusted him implicitly.

 

 

 

Edit: According to "Management" I'm still just as beligerent and bl##dy minded as ever.

 

Further edit: NO I'M BLOODY NOT!!!!

Edited September 28, 2016 by grandadbob