Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I've done sod all today but listen to the sound of drills saws and lawnmowers drifting in through the open windows. Its too hot for anything strenuous so its an all day siesta. I have made some tea however which is about to be drunk, be back later.

[Ozexpatriate]

Based on the volume of posts it seems the ER community has had a prodigiously busy bank holiday weekend. The Labor Day weekend in the US arrives next weekend and I am looking forward to it.

 

Yesterday I had to replace my grill brush. After brushing the hot grill I normally oil the grill with oiled, sturdy paper towels propelled under the brush. You might think these would catch fire. Normally they don't but on Saturday they did. Not wanting burning embers flying away and having nothing to hand to extinguish the flames I tamped the burning paper towels down with the brush. This caused the accumulated grease in the brush to catch fire releasing the fine metal bristles from the brush. This rendered the brush useless. No one wants fine metal bristles working their way through one's system.

 

Bon voyage to Tony and Aditi. Hopefully you are well underway by now.

 

Most of my work transitioning activity was completed last week, though I still have some customer meetings that I was requested to keep on my calendar. I plan to spend the balance of the day continuing to reach out to colleagues to let them know my circumstances. As the week progresses, I will move to more focused job hunting activities. I have begun the effort of moving the detritus of 25 years of employment from the office - having plenty of time to accomplish this helps. (I had wanted my son to help accomplish this in a fell swoop but he was away for the weekend.)

 

Before long it will feel weird coming in to the office with little responsibility for the next five weeks. But I plan to take advantage of the companionship of the office and retain some vestiges of my old routine before shutting myself away at home.

[Ozexpatriate]

For those who enjoy more scientific internet diversions, ever since Kilauea's most recent eruptions (starting more than a year ago) I liked to check in on the website for the USGS Hawai'i Volcanoes Observatory. During the eruptions they were mapping the lava flows on an almost daily basis. With little happening in the last 12 months since the eruption ceased, updates were fairly rare.

 

Recently however a pond started to form in Halema‘uma‘u - the main Kīlauea crater. This seems to have caused great excitement amongst the observers and they started posting photographs almost daily as the pond grew.

[andyram]

Afternoon fellow ER’s. Special thoughts to John and Sandy and I am pleased that they had an enjoyable day out. 

 

I have just just arrived home from a very warm Bank Holiday in Matlock Bath. Actually, it was nice and cool in the shop - the advantage of being so close to the cliffs and slightly  off the main front. The downside is that, on some days, people don’t always want to walk the short distance to the shop. Today was one of those days with numbers to the shop down on previous Bank Holidays. That being said, the shops all seemed quiet except for the chip shop, arcades and sweet shops. A different sort of visitor on days like this I think (although a couple of regulars made the day worthwhile)

 

At least the quieter day helped me to clear the backlog of online marking and I am back on track.

 

The battle with the dark canine continues.

 

Best wishes

 

Andy

[TheSignalEngineer]

8 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

T20 today may seem a bit of an anticlimax after yesterday's heroics. My 9-year-old pundit will fill me in with the details, batting, bowling and fielding stats, and odds of the final result as we go along.

Well frazzled after 3 hours in the sun at Old Trafford. Weather brought out a record crowd for a non-Roses T20 Blast game there, 14,752. Unfortunately the result didn't go the way the lads wanted, too many singles on the middle of the innings and Lightning ended up 12 runs short. 

[gordon s]

Have I missed anything?  Go easy on me, it's been a long time......

 

Jeez, it's hot out there....

 

It's really hard dipping in and out of forums as many things happen and you miss them if you're not here every day. Please accept my best wishes if life has been rough, but ER’s was always set up to provide a supportive network of friends that won't judge or pass comment, other than a hug or support when needed.

 

I'm sure those of you who have always been there for others, will have embraced that ethos.

 

Been taking my summer sabbatical, with golf most days during the week and shed building (again) at the weekend. 

 

Needless to say, ET has been languishing once again, but things may progress once the temperature drops a bit. Mind you, I doubt anyone cares after all these years....

 

Those more skilled have probably built a few layouts in this time.....

 

Wasn't the cricket great......sat and watched most of the last day and for a lifelong Spurs fan, cricket has never been one near the top, but yesterday was a whole afternoon of edge of the seat stuff.....

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2019 by gordon s

[newbryford]

Driveway finished yesterday. I thought it would be a 3 day job and turned into 4 weeks off and on as my original plans were delayed by the weather and then finding that I needed to lift more slabs than planned.

I spent all day outside, but was very careful not to overdo it in the heat, just plodding away with cement mixer and block paving.

Many brownie points have been earned with Mrs NB.

Also being careful to save my exertions for today's golf.

 

Saturday's golf was a club Texas scramble, with our team finishing a very close second. The result will have given the confidence of one of our guys the world of good as he's been struggling a bit of late.

 

Back to today - club senior doubles knockout final. My partner was taking part in his first knockout this year and was quite surprised to find himself in the end game - fully deserved as he's played well in the past few rounds.

Nip and tuck all the way with good golf from all four players and our opponents going 1 up with 4 to play. 3 pars on 15-17 halve the holes, with ourselves unable to get the win on the 18th to force a sudden death play off from the 1st onwards.

Congratulations to our conquerors Dave and John after a great match.

 

There may be some mudelling done as it's pleasant evening to fire up the airbrush, getting some stuff ready for Wigan in a few weeks.

 

Have a good week folks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

p.s. Welcome back Gordon.

 

 

Edited August 26, 2019 by newbryford

[Barry O]

Been not reet welltoday. Will visit my GP tomorrow as rge beta blocker eyedrops state not to be used with patients already tak8ng a variety of drugs..one of which is mine. Despite not eating my weight is alsorising far too fastfor my liking. Joined up NHS? Pah!!

Managed some spray painting of coach roofs as wellas a tender...

 

Now to make her 8ndoors tea. I may go for a lo cal ryvita!

TTFN

Baz 

 

[Coombe Barton]

I'm barbecuing tonight because it's just too hot to cook any more in the house.

 

Trouble is the kitchen timer *** doesn't work in the garden.

 

*** Some people call it a smoke alarm.

[Barnaby]

What I enjoy about getting up early is to find my shed is nice and cool and some time to get some building done, then I get to snooze mid-morning before taking an iced-coffee and doing some more work while the coffee keeps me cool.

Next I leave the heat of the afternoon and get back in the shed after tea. then it's shut all the double windows, the double doors and power off the floor box fan.

It'll start all over again in the morning. 

 

Best

[brianusa]

10 hours ago, Stubby47 said:

As I look out into the garden, beady eyes are staring back at me.

On the left is Whistler, a seagull who has been coming the garden since she was able to fly. Tame enough to be hand fed by SWMBO.

At the back is Ginge, a feral cat who will sit by the back door, staring in through the glass, but hiss and snarl as you put food out for him.

 

 

 

Don't have a seagull, they are down in the harbour, but we do have feral cat as a neighbour,  A lovely cat really, part Persian, and just the same; go near him and he hisses and snarls.  He lives somewhere around and somebody feeds him, we don't as we have a fixed female short haired tabby who incidentally came from a feral family but has domesticated herself to the extent of sharing our bed!

     Brian.

[brianusa]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

 

 

Before long it will feel weird coming in to the office with little responsibility for the next five weeks. But I plan to take advantage of the companionship of the office and retain some vestiges of my old routine before shutting myself away at home.

 

"Shutting yourself away at home" isn't all that bad, Mike.  Time for yourself and family which may not have been available in your work schedule is now open.  Weekends are no longer and every day is available to do whatever is required.  If you feel the need to keep working then there is time to explore any opportunity.

      Brian.

[Debs.]

1 hour ago, gordon s said:

Needless to say, ET has been languishing once again, but things may progress once the temperature drops a bit. Mind you, I doubt anyone cares after all these years....

 

 

 

Hello Gordon, we most certainly do; update us when you can. 

[gordon s]

Hi Debs, apologies for being miles behind. I did hear you hadn’t been well, so I really hope you are making a full recovery.

 

One of the problems you have is breaking the ice again. You get to the point it so long since you dipped in, you don’t know how to just say hello.....

 

Thankfully our immediate family is OK, but like others a day rarely goes by without some sad news of one way or the other. We went to a family gathering on Saturday for my cousin’s 50th wedding anniversary and it was a lovely occasion even though my cousin is suffering with Parkinson’s and MS.

 

We just count our blessings the five of us are all still here since we were all brought up together in the 50’s.....

 

On the upside, we still have our two doggies, although the eldest at 15 has poor eyesight, yet still enjoys bounding down a beach like a young pup. It will be a sad day when he leaves us.

 

Enjoying watching Whitehouse and Mortimer going fishing. How I wish life was just as idyllic all the time.....

 

Edited August 26, 2019 by gordon s

[AndrewC]

2 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Based on the volume of posts it seems the ER community has had a prodigiously busy bank holiday weekend. The Labor Day weekend in the US arrives next weekend and I am looking forward to it.

 

Yesterday I had to replace my grill brush. After brushing the hot grill I normally oil the grill with oiled, sturdy paper towels propelled under the brush. You might think these would catch fire. Normally they don't but on Saturday they did. Not wanting burning embers flying away and having nothing to hand to extinguish the flames I tamped the burning paper towels down with the brush. This caused the accumulated grease in the brush to catch fire releasing the fine metal bristles from the brush. This rendered the brush useless. No one wants fine metal bristles working their way through one's system.

 

I've got a metal spiral brush for mine. Works fine. Would never use one that is like a toothbrush with the bristles stuck into holes in the handle. I have however started cleaning down the hot grille with balled up tinfoil. The geeks on the BBQ forums I'm on all use that method. No sharp bits of metal and it works great. 

 

To everyone else. 

 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Thought the house was getting a bit stuffy then I realised what was wrong. When I go out I shut all the windows as the house will be empty but when I got back I forgot to open them again. They are now open and the house is beginning to cool down. When I did get back the grasshoppers were kicking up a racket, it must be the mating season.

[AndyID]

8 hours ago, Rugd1022 said:

 

I can't hear or read the name Forfar without thinking of the tea time footie results from World Of Sport in the '70s... ''East Fife, 4, Forfar, 5'' .

 

 

 

Every time I hear "Forfar" I can't help but remember how close it is to Kirriemuir.

 

Many thanks for all the good wishes on our anniversary (47th if you must know). I wasn't entirely sure what the appropriate gift for a 47th is supposed to be. I thought something 3-D printed might be appropriate. It seems I was wrong.

[Barry O]

Early bed time tonight, so ,

 

Goodnight Awl!

baz

[AndyID]

3 hours ago, gordon s said:

Those more skilled have probably built a few layouts in this time.....

 

 

Yeah, and probably telling a bunch of gigantic porkies.

 

(OK, I speak for myself.)

[Coombe Barton]

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/08/26/sandys-treatment-day-251/

[Kingzance]

38 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/08/26/sandys-treatment-day-251/

Bletchley is a fascinating place and staffed by many very helpful people. Do contact them first and explain your issues - I am sure they will pull out all the stops to assist. On the down side, it is a place that requires more than one visit to really appreciate what was going on there and I would urge you and Sandy to use a wheelchair for her convenience. Ventilation inside is not great so wait until the temperatures moderate!

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

The weather stayed cloudy dull until after dinner, which made work on the front door a little bit more comfortable. However, after dinner the sun came out and shone and it got very warm. As planned, the front door received a final light sanding, before I then wiped it all down. Whilst it dried I had my mid morning muggertea, after about half an hour I was able to give it it’s first coat of undercoat, finishing just before dinner. 

 

After dinner I painted the lock’s barrel black, to go with the rest of the new door furniture. Try as I may, I was unable to buy a new barrel pre-painted in black, so I took the original barrel to the workshop, gave the face of it a good clean and polish, then applied the blackening liquid I use on my model loco’s before spraying it black. I also did the latch part of the lock too, as again I couldn’t get one in black. All was going well until I was dismantling the latch, when the spring flew off and disappeared out of the workshop door. Well could I find it, could I f*@#, I even lifted some of the decking up thinking the spring had fallen between a couple of planks, but to no avail. I looked in my spares box, to see if I had anything that was suitable as a replacement, but again I was out of luck. I finally found the spring behind a potted rose, about 5 feet in front of the decking, how the f*@# did it get there I asked myself. Anyway, after a couple of coats of paint the barrel and latch look really nice and Sheila is very pleased with the results too!

 

Tonight after tea and some of the heat had gone, I once again went outside and watered the plants, once back inside, I poured my a bottle of Doombar. 

 

Goodnight all 

[Dave Hunt]

Had a very pleasant day with friends although it was tinged with sadness too. One of them is starting a course of treatment next week that involves simultaneous chemo and radio therapies for eight and a half weeks then twelve weeks later will have an operation to remove part of the lower bowel. She's had a stent fitted in her arm and will have quite a large bottle of the chemo liquid with a pump strapped to her midriff all the time. She's one of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet and both her and her husband have lost spouses in the past. It just doesn't seem fair sometimes does it?

 

Nothing else to report; I feel quite low just now.

 

Dave

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.