Early Risers.

[NGT6 1315]

Mawnin‘ awl. Scorchio conditions have arrived. As have predictions of t-storms, but I’ll only believe this when I see them!

 

Back to work later today, and I wonder if it’ll feel odd after this month of parental leave.

 

Best wishes to everyone suffering, worrying or otherwise under the weather...

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. If there were any thunderstorms hereabouts last night I must have slept right through them. Very muggy here this morning so it might be that the storms missed us. Getting ready for Railex, might chance the M25 but will have to check the traffic news. Got to get ready so best wishes to those that require them, be back after Railex.

[Barry O]

Hey up!

Jamie, I can hear the birds singing from here!

 

Mugatea drunk, second one requested.

 

Email last night from the manager of the home team today. Start at 12 (was 11am), 50 overs..ok...is it red ball or pink ball? We shall find out....

Always like umpiring at Castleford. Big ground, nice people.

C u later

Baz

[JohnDMJ]

Surely everybody says PAT testing? I have never heard it said differently in all the times I have heard it. Even PAT testers say it.

PA testing brings to mind something in the office that may get you arrested.

 

I must, then, be the exception as a qualified PAT certifier!

 

For cricket matches if I am umpiring I arrive in a smart jacket, clean shirt and tie (mine is generally my Lords' Taverners tie), clean chinos

 

For on field wear I have white/ivory/blue ECB ACO shirts,black Craghopper cargoes (thermally lined ones for cold days) and pimple soled cricket shoes. I wear flight socks (stops you legs aching after a 100 over match) and white cricket socks (marino wool) A Nice white or black umpires hat finishes it off.  If I need a jacket its either a White ACO one of a blue ACO fleece (dark clothes for white ball and some pink ball cricket).

 

If it is really cold long jumpers (wool) and thermal t shirts are added. NO GLOVES... indeed looking at some of the Test Match bowlers over the last few days all of those bandages and tapes on fingers/hands are verbotten!

 

Baz

 

IIRC from my days as a member of the former ACU&S, wearing their regalia afforded you insurance from injury, etc. during the game.

 

But if you said enter PAT and done PIN nobody would believe you!

 

To what you get up in your spare time is entirely your own business!

Edited May 27, 2018 by JohnDMJ

[roundhouse]

No thunderstorms up here. Another sunny day here in Aberdeen.

 

Cup of tea made and drunk. Time to get my other half up. She likes her lay ins but we have a train to catch to Dundee then Perth for opening time. Then a few stop offs till we reach Haymarket station.

[Andrew P]

Thunderbolt and Lightning,

 

Very very frightning,

 

 

[Andrew P]

Some pre-pond life could not wait for tomorrows thunder storms so was letting fireworks off earlier

Night awl

Yeah, we could hear them from our Pad Laurence.

[jamie92208]

Hey up!

Jamie, I can hear the birds singing from here!

 

Mugatea drunk, second one requested.

 

Email last night from the manager of the home team today. Start at 12 (was 11am), 50 overs..ok...is it red ball or pink ball? We shall find out....

Always like umpiring at Castleford. Big ground, nice people.

C u later

Baz

Yes, Castleford, an interesting town work wise.   There was one large sports ground that used to have a large chemical plant opposite that contained large quantities of Phosgene at all times.  The contingency plans were interesting.  My other memory was going to a fire at a house on one of the estates.  The house had internal walls that contained compressed straw. The mess after the water fairies had finished, looked like the inside of a barn.   However great people to work amongst.

 

Enjoy your day there.

 

Jamie

Edited May 27, 2018 by jamie92208

[BlackRat]

Garage almost sorted........Including putting up a partition wall.

 

Been waiting months for the builder to do it, so I've done it myself. Might have taken a bit longer but I fail to see how he quoted 2 days when I managed it in a day and a bit!

 

You can actually get in and out.

 

Even got access to the old dresser which has been buried under junk for quite some time!

 

Whilst not quite finding treasure trove, an old biscuit tin was discovered ( full of Peco point motors) and a string tied bundle of MRJ's.

 

The point motors will find a use at some point ( see what I did there) but the Journals are off to join the other mags in the great recycling skip in the sky.

 

A car jack, tent pegs, rubber mallet, gollock ( Google it) and some metal BBQ skewers were amongst other treasures found!

 

Just need to get up in the roof space and see what's up there today..........

Edited May 27, 2018 by BlackRat

[TheQ]

Galileo, which is a European satellite system, an improvement on gps.

 

Yes it's hot out there, as the morning patrol showed, there are dire warnings of yellow rain thunder and lightening on the radio. But mapped weather charts just show some light rain for here.

 

I see they are looking at more national parks, of which there are 14 ( the Norfolk Broads are NOT a national park) in other words more theme parks for city dwellers with no regard to the locals.

Breakfast has been had time to wind up the mower...

[laurenceb]

Yeah, we could hear them from our Pad Laurence.

Why let off fireworks at 20:00?! Was hoping that the noise was not upsetting your dog

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Sun shining but we've just had a heavy shower and more rain forecast along with thunder.

Last night's storm was pretty impressive with 2 hours of thunder and lightning from about 22.30 along with torrential rain.

Enjoyed the rugby final yesterday and the result was really as expected. Mako Vunipola deservedly made MoM. I may get a chance to watch England v The Barbarians later before we head off for a wedding reception. 

Soon be time for breakfast so I bid you farewell for now.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited May 27, 2018 by grandadbob

[grandadbob]

 gollock ( Google it)     

 

Er yes, I did. 

 

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gollock

 

 

Puzzled of Sutton.

[Purley Oaks]

Morning all

 

See we had some rain recently judging by the wet pavements. No thunderstorms, though.

 

Speaking about open-top bus-rides, waiting for a scheduled bus yesterday to take us to town for Deadpool 2; the next bus at the stop was an open-top on the regular 26 route, so hopped on that. A good way to travel into Edinburgh! The 26 usually takes-in some East Lothian coast as far out as Port Seaton or Tranent then runs through Princes Street, Haymarket and onto west Edinburgh.

 

The Edinburgh Marathon is today and the runners will need loads of buses to transport them from the finish line back to the city. With around 20,000 runners, if only half want a bus that's well over 100 bus journeys, maybe closer to 200.

 

Deadpool 2 was very funny and irreverent, but there is a lot of swearing and sexual references if you don't like that. Good to see the 4th wall being broken, just not too much.

 

Disappointed that Liverpool lost the Champions final last night; thought the foul on Mo Saleh was a bit too professional. Looked like he was being targeted by Real Madrid. Hope he's OK for the World Cup. Edited to add that Gareth Bale's overhead goal was absolutely fabulous!

 

Then watched the Noel Gallagher set on BBC2 which I really enjoyed. Glad I did cos we're seeing him at Edinburgh Castle in July.

 

On a more disturbing note, had a call from our daughter at 3 this morning. She was in tears, her "boyfriend" with whom she stays, had kicked her out of the car miles from home and she didn't have a phone, money or anything. Someone in the street had found her crying and taken her in - she called us from there. So we collected her and she's now safe here at home. This is the third time since the New Year that he's done unpleasant stuff to her. The first time he begged her to go back saying that he'd change, but it's now obvious that he won't and she must leave him and stay here to recuperate and heal.

 

I'm off to make breakfast in bed for Gabe and me.

 

Hope your day is a good one

 

Mal

Edited May 27, 2018 by Purley Oaks

[lightengine]

Just the first few Google results show how the majority say it.

[Happy Hippo]

If there is one bit of portable electrical equipment that needs frequent examination and testing it's an extension cable.

[lightengine]

I guess my circa 1963 model railway transformer is ok. Not been PATted yet!

[grandadbob]

Mal, my thoughts about the so-called boyfriend are unprintable. I know what I'd feel like doing!

[lightengine]

Mal, my thoughts about the so-called boyfriend are unprintable. I know what I'd feel like doing!

Re-educating?

[Danemouth]

All this talk of handkerchiefs reminded me of something I saw in the office over thirty five years ago. One of my colleagues, a widower who was always immaculately dressed pulled out his handkerchief, spotlessly white and ironed and blew his nose quietly. Sat with him was his boss, a really scruffy man who wore nylon shirts long after everybody else had got rid of them. He too decided to blow his nose and produced a crumpled handkerchief that look so grubby that I wouldn't have used it to clean the car - the sound he made was like a foghorn!

 

That incident has stayed with me to this day - I always carry a neatly pressed handkerchief.

 

And it's raining and dull in the capital of the Principality

 

Dave

Edited May 27, 2018 by Danemouth

[Simon G]

Mal, fully agree with others here on the so-called boyfriend. I think if he had done that to a daughter of mine, I would be tempted to string him up by some uncomfortable parts of the body!

 

I also enjoyed the premiership rugby final yesterday and agreed that Saracens were worthy winners.

 

Another warm sunny day in prospect here, so more gardening likely. We should manage a walk out as well.

[newbryford]

 

There is no legal requirement to be "pat" tested, The requirement is that you ensure electrical equipment is safe for the users and third parties.

 

There is no requirement for annual testing, in fact stuff like a TV or computer that is never unplugged it's recommended that the inspection be 5 years.

 

Each item should be assessed as to its need for testing, so say for power tools, it should be visually inspected before use, and tested at least annually if not more often. But a fridge plugged in and left 5 years will do..

 

 

 

 

If there is one bit of portable electrical equipment that needs frequent examination and testing it's an extension cable.

 

 I did some H&S work (including PAT) for a friend of mine filling in the time whilst I was training up and starting the business as a driving instructor.

Most of the work was at a factory that makes artic trailers. The H&S regime there wasn't the best and my friend was brought in to drag it up to some sort of insurable standard!

 

The test cycle for the power tools and extensions was determined at three months due to the arduous nature of their environment. More often that not, they wouldn't survive that long.

If an extension wasn't long enough, particularly if they were working on a high level platform alongside a trailer, the solution was simply to give it a sharp tug as that would instantly make it longer....................... and usually over a sharp piece of metal. And then they wondered why it didn't work.

And when the work was finished on the platform, the power tools were dangled by the flex to the ground - or worse

 

My main task there was reconnecting plugs, sockets and replacing cables and condemning broken power tools.

 

I caused mayhem at one place that nearly shut the factory down. I condemned the kettle in the brew room as unfit for use.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[lightengine]

Having worked in the care sector, I have had PAT testers testing residents equipment yearly. In 6 or 7 tests only one of the testers checked the fuses in the plugs.

Whether he was the exception I'm not sure but he told me it was the procedure.

[BlackRat]

Er yes, I did. 

 

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gollock

 

 

Puzzled of Sutton.

Try the Malayan spelling........ Golok

[Gwiwer]

Morning all. Fresh warm sun Upon the Hill with feathered friends twittering away loudly. Last night was a differnt matter as two large and very active storm cells passed through lightening up our late evening and offering torrents from above which would have a parched Aussie outside, dancing naked while consuming a beer and yelling “Send her down, Huey!!!” The show persisted until well into the small hours.

 

We had hosted an Indian food night with Neighbours (Upstairs) who luckily had less than two metres to walk home in the rain. Tonight we are apparently to be their guests though as they lack a suitable communal room they are bringing the meal down to us! How badly wrong can pasta bake go? Please don’t answer that until later tonight!!

 

PAT/PIN/GDB and many otherd are all TLA of MDL*. You definitely would not have got away with a PAT test on the three Patricias I have known and if you prefer Patricks then please remember that is not the same as PAT Rick’s

 

Hayfever? Yes I endured 43 years of it. Wet hankies in wet pockets or discreetly hung somewhere hoping to dry, sore red eyes and nose and usually worst at exam time. When we moved to Australia it abruptly ceased which I put down to the specific pollens which triggered my allergy being absent or only there in minimal amounts. But having returned and now into my second Sneezing Season there has been hardly a sniffle. I think it may indeed have gone.

 

Now it is time to clean the venetians, windows and bathrooms in advance of the Invasion of the Dragon in Law. Wish me luck.

 

Kind thoughts to all and notably Debs, Andyram, Mal, Tony & Aditi and others known to be in need.