Early Risers.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

As some know, I was in London yesterday for a gathering of what is known as the Brains Trust.  Its original purpose was to advise Flavio [Il Dottore] on matters pertaining to m*d*ll*ng but nothing stays the same and yesterday's conclave barely touched on the dreaded subject.  The gathering was convivial and the venue well chosen.  On the way there my anxiety levels rose as what Roundhouse calls the Great White Worm accrued lateness of 25 minutes between Bedford and St Pancras.  This is not very good when the service interval is 15 minutes.   I had planned to divert via London City Airport in connection with my trip to Dublin but thought better of it, preferring instead a punctual arrival at my destination.  The limitations of off-peak ticketing ruled out anything other than going straight home afterwards to keep an evening appointment.

 

In other news, the letter about my winter fuel payment has arrived.  When I next have occasion to visit the bank I will check whether the payment itself is where it should be but with any luck I will not need the helpline number that I researched so diligently only days ago.  The next cause of needless anxiety will be the travel documents for my Swiss trip.  As these are sent by special delivery I will have to arrange to be at home when they come - not always easy!  A mere three weeks from today I will be cooling my heels at St Pancras waiting for the rest of the tour party to assemble.  The drawback with hanging around till the crack of noon is that it constricts the choice of overnight resting places, as the tour company found to its chagrin.  I'm sure they know what they are doing. 

 

Today?   Buying another box of corn flakes and unspecified pottering.  The seasonal greetings cards are on their way to their recipients so don't discount reports of outbreaks of peace and goodwill.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Definitely on the chilly side up here in the North West Leeds Highlands this morning.

Mugatea has arrived so TTFN!

Baz

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner temple Hare, 1101/687.

 

3.5 hours + 1.5 hours plus unspecified semi dozing, not enough good sleep really.

 

Knowing my luck I'd definitely be Keel Awl'd,  but I do have the advantage of 1 Collie power protection..

 

Talking of Whom, Ben the Border Collie did decide to go out this morning, however with no moon, it was still dark , so he didn't venture beyond the outside light zone.

 

There are now 2 trees on the way in to work, being kept awake by illuminations..

 

The Dire warnings of Yellow ice didn't come to pass, not even a hint of frost anywhere getting here.

 

We've had two more political party leaflets arrive, I'm pleased to report one was not shiny and burnt well..

 

Time to...  wander down to the lab, I have some current shunts to measure...

 

 

 

[JohnDMJ]

33 minutes ago, Robert said:

However, the best way to cross the channel will always be the Hovercraft!  Even today, nothing is faster.

 

Have a good day everyone...

 

About 20 minutes, IIRC, much the same as the Eurorats!

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Still dark but dry and a cool 5°C and sunshine is promised.

A reasonable night's sleep had and the tooth is about the same as yesterday so bearable at the moment.

First task today is a visit to an excellent butcher in Worcester Park to get a joint of beef for Sunday's birthday meal.

Later we are going to a funeral. Friend Russ next door's Mum (who lived there and then sold the house to him when she moved) died a couple of weeks ago about the same time as another friend who used to live next door to them. Both funerals are today within a hour of each other but as one is in Worthing we had to make a choice. Also we've been friends with next door longer. As the funeral cortège is starting here we've been offered transport to the crematorium and the "celebration of her life" in a local hotel which is quite handy.

Tea has been taken up to Her Bossness who I'm sure will shortly be down cracking her whip and telling me to "get a move on!"  

Have a good one,
Bob.

Edited November 29, 2019 by grandadbob

[TheQ]

Hmm user won't release the shunts..

 

So I've started a outside customers temperature meter, It arrives via our european bases booking in system.

The code on the traveller  Shows it's measurement & record only, which is very much cheaper than measure & record, adjust, measure & record.  This is the same as last year, except also on the traveller ths year  and on a BIG  label on the unit.. Alignment required. The traveller says also Do Not adjust the code..

Me thinks, someone on the the continent has a "special " deal..

[jamie92208]

Morning from the south west highlands of Leeds. It feels a bit cold here but I'm still under the duvet.  A good day was had yesterday and many trains were seen for the first time. In between times I got various texts from offspring about house moves. Rachel's chain has broken a link so they are going to stay with friends while the remaining link is reforged.  Paul has finished packing and moving so I'm off to meet estate agents and solicitors this morning along with collecting paint for shutters. 

 

38 minutes ago, JohnDMJ said:

 

About 20 minutes, IIRC, much the same as the Eurorats!

We drove onto the beach at Boulogne and hardly stopped as we were the last car on. 25 minutes later we were on the concrete ramp at Dover. A great pity that thd service finished.

 

Anyway it's time to get up.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

Edited November 29, 2019 by jamie92208

[AndyID]

37 minutes ago, JohnDMJ said:

 

About 20 minutes, IIRC, much the same as the Eurorats!

 

The Bristol Freighter didn't fly that much higher than a hovercraft.

[Ozexpatriate]

10 hours ago, AndyID said:

Someone has been trying to censor certain books at the local library.

It has been fun following this story on The Late Show.

 

First mention and introduction of the "unhidable" book on November 15.

 

Follow up package when book is delivered, broadcast on Wednesday night.

[Kingzance]

19 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Morning from the south west highlands of Leeds. It feels a bit cold here but I'm still under the duvet.  A good day was had yesterday and many trains were seen for the first time. In between times I got various texts from offspring about house moves. Rachel's chain has broken a link so they are going to stay with friends while the remaining link is reforged.  Paul has finished packing and moving so I'm off to meet estate agents and solicitors this morning along with collecting paint for shutters. 

 

We drove onto the beach at Boulogne and hardly stopped as we were the last car on. 25 minutes later we were on the concrete ramp at Dover. A great pity that thd service finished.

 

Anyway it's time to get up.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

I do hope that Rachel doesn’t suffer a protracted period getting her chain reconnected, it can be very stressful as my recent experiences show!

[Dave Hunt]

An exciting day in prospect as 'we' have decided that an attempt to dispose of the several tons of leaves that currently lie in drifts around chez nous has to be made - deep joy. Apart from that I have to look at renewing our energy supply contract, which comes to an end soon, and it's my turn to do the cooking this evening. We're having a sort of Scottish smoked haddock stew called cullen skink.

 

During my time in the RAF I've flown in helicopters many times from Whirlwinds to Sea Kings and Chinooks and even had goes waggling the levers. Each time I've come away thinking that although they are a great way to get around and do a great job in many situations, I was glad that I was on fixed wing.

 

Have a good one people.

 

Dave

Edited November 29, 2019 by Dave Hunt

[Ozexpatriate]

Home after Thanksgiving dinner. We will have another freezing night tonight with the possibility (I think remote) of overnight snow late on Saturday. The cold air was hailed with the annual first triggering of the tyre pressure gauge.

 

This is a wonderful invention but on my car it has (in my opinion) a flaw. Once the low profile tyres warm up after friction with the road and pressure exceeds the trigger point (28 psi) the alarm will not reset until the car is restarted with tyres above the low pressure trigger. Hopefully the garage will remain warm enough for when I next use the car.

 

So the drive home was accompanied by a bright yellow tyre pressure warning lamp on the instrument cluster and a separate flashing "psi" sign on the "computer" display despite the tyres being at a safe level of inflation.

[Kingzance]

Morning, bright and chilly outside. We did the channel hovercraft once, would be better today with noise cancelling headphones .

I am tasked with awaiting a ParcelFarce delivery as madam is expecting a new coat and she has more pressing things to do (gassing with daughter I believe). Today is the last local Farmers Market before Christmas. Oxtail, steaks, lamb chops and liver are to be obtained plus eggs from another purveyor. The decorative wood panels that I mentioned yesterday are stored in the wrong part of the garage, why am I not surprised?
A little light electrical bodging is called for to connect a secondary circuit interrupter in the internal cabinet illumination system that is part of the expensive kitchen dresser / unit. As this includes two SMPSU’s and operates at 12V DC, I shall use  a single two-pole switch. Phase two (in which Doris gets her oats - according to John Lennon anyway) will involve the installation of the tv from the lounge once a new model has been acquired. I know which model I would like, it is the big one that shows fish swimming around a haunted coral reef .

Other tasks on today’s list include wrapping son’s birthday present ready for Monday - definitely not as mature as our Sutton correspondent who celebrates his the previous day, chopping some logs into sizes that will fit our miserly log burner and being ready coiled like a tiger to spring into action at any subsequent behest that may be transferred telepathically or whispered from 20 paces by herself. I hope all readers and writers of this gentle literary ramble have a better day than yesterday and overcome whatever needs to be overcome. Carp E DM as Baz would say!

 

[45156]

Morning All

 

It's chilly here - a drop of around 12C since yesterday - started at +10 yesterday around 10 am, and dropped to -2 at 7.30 this morning.  This was forecast, and as a result, I put the cover on the car when I brought 30747 back from work,  The builder working across the road from us asked why I was doing this, and was incredulous that I thought I might need it.  Obviously nobody else in the street was listening to the forecast either, as we were showering and so on to the sound of scraping of some of the neighbours' cars at about 6.40.  We went out at 7.25, took the cover off the car, and away. 

 

So anyways, it's generic greetings all round to the ailing and the celebrating.   And I wonder how long the Awl has been suspended, Debs?   BTW, how many years ago was the pic of you driving the pannier taken? 

 

So chez 45156, it's the last creative writing class today - sadly, as Marian is a really good teacher, and my writing has improved as a result.  I think that it was money well spent.  Then there's a shopping list to be obtained in Lancaster, a visit to Barclays for a battle with theit infernal IT, back home to walk Lily, and then into town again to pick up 30747 who has to visit the fangmeister after work (regrettably she's working 5 sessions this week as she's covering sick and holidays for colleagues).

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Kingzance]

27 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

An exciting day in prospect as 'we' have decided that an attempt to dispose of the several tons of leaves that currently lie in drifts around chez nous has to be made - deep joy. Apart from that I have to look at renewing our energy supply contract, which comes to an end soon, and it's my turn to do the cooking this evening. We're having a sort of Scottish smoked haddock stew called cullen skink.

 

During my time in the RAF I've flown in helicopters many times from Whirlwinds to Sea Kings and Chinooks and even had goes waggling the levers. Each time I've come away thinking that although they are a great way to get around and do a great job in many situations, I was glad that I was on fixed wing.

 

Have a good one people.

 

Dave

Many sympathies with you Dave, we had a number of ash trees in and around the previous stately pile and this season always meant dealing with piles (not of the anal kind) of fallen leaves. Thankfully our bijou little place here doesn’t have anything more than three very small fruit trees.

Cullen skink is a delightful dish IMHO, although we tend to do a baked version that uses eggs and flour to bind and is served with roast potatoes.

As for rotary wing flying machines, I have never had a go in a fixed wing device but spent a few hours at the controls of a few helos. I absolutely loved it, particularly when controlling a venerable Augusta Bell that was a bit like the old MASH versions with the huge Perspex bubble. If I didn’t follow the expensive hobby that draws us together, I would have loved to do more rotary wing stuff.

I hope you are not N-Powered, it looks like they may be the next potential failure in our dubious energy market judging by lay-offs and noises from the German parent. I have been more than happy with a smaller company called I-Supply Energy (no commercial link) for five years now - competitive prices and good customer service.

[Andrew P]

My first, and I have to add ONLY, Parachute jump was from the top of our garden shed.

I was about 6 or 7 at the time and had seen a Parachute jump at a show or somewhere, and thought they were made of paper.

I bet you can already see where this is going.

 

So having got my dads paper, remember Broadsheet in the late 50's, I tied string to the 4 corners and climbed up on top of the Brick Sheds roof, and decided to be Hoo St Werbergs first Super Hero.

 

IT HURT

No not the jumping, the landing. I didn't try it again, but Mum and Dad obviously thought it was hilarious.

 

WARNING to GDB and others = DONT TRY THIS AT HOME folks.

[Kingzance]

25 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

My first, and I have to add ONLY, Parachute jump was from the top of our garden shed.

I was about 6 or 7 at the time and had seen a Parachute jump at a show or somewhere, and thought they were made of paper.

I bet you can already see where this is going.

 

So having got my dads paper, remember Broadsheet in the late 50's, I tied string to the 4 corners and climbed up on top of the Brick Sheds roof, and decided to be Hoo St Werbergs first Super Hero.

 

IT HURT

No not the jumping, the landing. I didn't try it again, but Mum and Dad obviously thought it was hilarious.

 

WARNING to GDB and others = DONT TRY THIS AT HOME folks.

Obviously the News of the World was too flimsy, something more solid like The Times or the FT would have worked .

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Bright and sunny this morning and it looks as if its here for the weekend and into next week as well. Still recovering from the exertions of last weekend just as well theres no shows etc. this weekend. Wishing you all a good POETS day, be back later.

[Barry O]

Visit to moreasons completed successfully. I didn't have the £5 breakfast *2 eggs, 3 sausages, 3 bacon, 3 black pudding, 2 fried bread, 2 toast, beans, mushrooms and grilled tomatoes) but a lot of people were!

 

Glad we had her indoors' car in the garage as the Beast is still covered in ice.. Brass monkeys all look a bit...frozen...

 

Now off to the post office, then to pick up a prescription then finish booking a venue for various meetings..
blue sky and sunny but... no heat!!!

 

Baz

[grandadbob]

I've never jumped out of an aeroplane or off a shed roof  but I have occasionally fallen out of bed and a few bars over the years. 

I duly "got a move on" as directed earlier and the butcher was visited and a nice piece of topside was obtained.

Now drinking coffee and thumb twiddling before getting ready for the funeral.

[tigerburnie]

Morning all(just) I have been up for a while, just catching up on forums. I have never had the desire to jump from anything of height, I did fall out of a tree as a kid collecting conkers once. However should I win tonight's lotto along with a Koenigsegg a helicopter of some sort will be top of my shopping list, great way to travel, I can still remember waiting at Aberdeen heliport in the early 80's  with the sky full of choppers, I remarked on this to a fellow traveller who told me that a lot of the pilots were Yanks from the Vietnam war, it is a very quiet heliport these days by comparison. Those Chinooks flew in all weathers, we saw thick fog and 100mph winds when the cranes on the rig had to be tied down, but those choppers were still flying, standing on a rig heli-deck as one came in is an experience I still remember well.

[Barry O]

Steady.. rant approaching..

 

Why do people multiple order things on line then clog up the post office with their returns - free to them but in reality subsided by the rest of the Royal Mail users.. One lady this morning had 12 items to go back..the lady behind the counter said it would have been quicker if she had gone to the shops in town.. the answer was priceless.." never thought about that I can use my phone to order things dead easy"   yes but you keep getting the wrong size/colours/designs you prawnball!

 

 

In other things happening...I might get some modelling done this afternoon!! ooh err!

 

Baz

[BSW01]

Good morning afternoon everyone 

 

Late on parade today, we were late up so I can only assume we needed the rest. As I was late I didn’t have time to post before I headed out to the Trafford Centre, however, I wasn’t there long as it was very busy. I arrived at the TC just after 10 o’clock and was back home having visited Asda and the butchers as well. 

[The Lurker]

6 hours ago, Robert said:

 

 

However, the best way to cross the channel will always be the Hovercraft!  Even today, nothing is faster.

 

 

Now there I have to disagree. The noise and vibration made me feel sick as a dog, something a late October ferry crossing in a storm didn't.

[The Lurker]

4 hours ago, Kingzance said:

I do hope that Rachel doesn’t suffer a protracted period getting her chain reconnected, it can be very stressful as my recent experiences show!

friends of SiL have had to use a bucket for more than 2 years because "he" won't or can't fix it and refuses to spend money on a plumber and "she" doesn't want to go against him.

apparently the bathroom door is off too, so you have to whistle....