Early Risers.

[Ozexpatriate]

25 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

Christmas Eve is the last day of Advent.

Do vigil services (which might begin after or around sundown on Christmas Eve) count as Advent or Christmas?

[brianusa]

27 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

They don't start for two weeks yet. If the UK is similar to the US, the Christmas season as observed ends at New Year's Day, not through the 12 days.

 

One likes the Christmas season or not for various reasons from religion to the hearty celebrations that go with it.  I've always like it from early kid days to the present.  Not so many presents these days, nor should there be, I've got it all!  Or most of it!!  But we do the old fashioned things, things we all learned from childhood with some inherited from our parents, etc.  Chicken for Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, Christmas pud, real Cadburys chocolates from back home (not the Hershey imitation) and a little drop of what you fancy in a bottle.  We have a little (phony) tree these days with ornaments that are older than me and I might be encouraged to play carols on the organ!

The cards are beginning to arrive and duly placed on the mantelpiece and some holly from the garden shows it off.  The shopping is nearly all done so we can slow down a bit.  All this will remain until Twelfth night; none of this American all done before Boxing Day sort of thing in our house!

      Brian.

[Coombe Barton]

2 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Do vigil services (which might begin after or around sundown on Christmas Eve) count as Advent or Christmas?

In the Anglican and Catholic traditions Midnight mass starts on Christmas Eve and ends on Christmas Day. It's called the first communion of Christmas as the communion takes place (or should take place) on Christmas Day.

 

Days start at Midnight, not sunset. This is different from the Jewish tradition where, for instance, the Sabbath starts at sunset on Friday and continues to sunset on Saturday.

[TheQ]

Evening awl, 

Just back from the MRC Christmas dinner,  now lying on pit ready to explode..

Good food good company good evening. 

Tried some Christmas spiced çider,  won't make that mistake again. 

Ben enjoyed his box of leftovers,  chips and the trimmings from a steak,  he didn't get any of my steak... It was covered in... Stilton..  He shows no Ill effects from yesterday's Stilton,  it was just a small piece that had been intended to go with two other cheeses and biccys. 

 

Extremely soggy out there,  it's been raining for several hours and it's still windy,  the marquee has survived  50-60mph winds from North and South.. 

 

Tomorrow is Christmas card day,  since I have the day off,  Also Have to write cheques for RM Mag,  MRJ,  and the motor boat insurance..  Once that lot is done,  I may do some work on the toolbox.. 

 

But first... Time to hit the snooze button... 

[Ozexpatriate]

1 minute ago, Coombe Barton said:

... the communion takes place (or should take place) on Christmas Day

my emphasis.

 

It's my understanding that the the denominations you reference do offer vigil Christmas services in the evening of Christmas Eve.  I have fond memories of the midnight service. Once the youngest of my brothers and sisters were old enough, we would attend the midnight service and afterwards would be permitted to open one small present before going to bed.

[Ozexpatriate]

14 minutes ago, brianusa said:

none of this American all done before Boxing Day sort of thing in our house!

Most Americans will leave their decorations up until New Years. With New Year's Day occurring on a Wednesday, I can imagine a lot of decorations coming down over the weekend of the 28th / 29th, football games not withstanding.

[Coombe Barton]

My decs come down at the Epiphany

[Barry O]

goodnight all!

 

baz

[The Stationmaster]

Our Christmas decorations (basically Christmas trees, various plus a Christmas wreath on the front door) normally go up the weekend before Christmas day but will be retimed earlier this year as one day of that weekend is drinks etc in the Mayor's parlour to which we're all invited this year.  In proper Christmas tradition in our house the ritual of 'tidying the dining room' is already underway, we eat our Christmas meal in there, just about the only day of the year when wee don't eat in the kitchen.  Decorations come down on 12th Night; 'untidying the dining room' commences as soon as I can get away with it.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I haven't put up Christmas decorations for years, living alone why bother? I have purchased Christmas lights of the plain white LED variety as they are useful for model railways.  Strung along behind model buildings they illuminate the buildings nicely.

[PhilJ W]

Oops nearly forgot, I hope Ian can now look forward to Christmas with Sherry. C&C's to all other ER's who require them.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

After this morning’s Sainsbury’s Grand Prix, apart from baking the fruit tea loaf, not a lot else has been done. I must admit it’s been rather nice. 

 

Tomorrow will be different, as I will be making a huge pan of spaghetti bolognese and a salted caramel cheesecake ready for our usual midweek guests. 

 

Goodnight all 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[AndyID]

4 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

The shower waste runs along the bottom and that will acquire an in line trap.  The sink waste will be cut off near the top of the 32mm part and have some new pipework added to mate up with the new sink.  The washer waste will connect into the sink waste trap and on the right where the washer waste is running temporarily I will add a U bend for the dishwasher waste.  The pipework has obviously been  added to over the years which is why there are two sets of hot and cold feeds.  One in 12mm pipe to the sink and one in 16mm to the shower.  The new bathroom spurs off the 16mm pipes just out o to the left.  More insulation will be added as well.  It should keep me quiet for a day.

 

 

Crikey! Where's the skinny copper pipe that merges into waste coming from? Is the waste line connected to a roof vent or does it drain into a vented trap outside the building?

[AndyID]

3 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Ecclesiastcal calendar rules around Christmas (simplified)

• Start at Christmas Day
• Count backwards four Sundays, that's Advent Sunday. There are always four Sundays in Advent. Hence there are a variable number of days in Advent. Christmas Eve is the last day of Advent.
• Christmas starts on December 25 and lasts twelve days, ending on 5th January. There could be one or two Sundays in Christmas, more often two
• Epiphany is 6th January.

This year Advent Sunday was 1st December. 

 

 

Instead of sending them an Advent calendar I had planned to send the daughters twain a dad joke for each day of Advent but the lurgi put paid to my dastardly plan.

 

Just received the 2020 "Broons" calendar from my brother in Aberdeen.

[TheQ]

Mooring awl,  Inner Temple Hare, 

About 5 hours sleep so far,  will try for more. 

 

We don't bother with decorations,  there is just the two of us and live two far away from any family to expect visitors.  Christmas for us is more time off work,  old films on TV and walking Ben on the beach. 

 

Edited December 11, 2019 by TheQ

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

The weather is fairly chilly this morning, but dry.  The radio were reporting freezing rain in places, but the temperature with us is 3°C.

 

3 hours ago, AndyID said:

Crikey! Where's the skinny copper pipe that merges into waste coming from?

 

It looks like it could be the central heating boiler expansion overflow.  We had a similar construction until our heating system was renovated.  It is usually associated with a pressure release valve which vents water from the system when the pressure is too high.

 

There was an interesting piece in the news this morning.  Apparently, Plants emit an ultrasonic "scream" at between 20 and 100KHz when they are cut or damaged.  The paper concerned has yet to be peer reviewed, but I was reminded of one of Roald Dahl's "Tales of the Unexpected".  I seem to remember that one of those was about a Man who invented a machine that could hear plants and trees screaming.

 

Have a good day everyone...

[Ozexpatriate]

12 minutes ago, Robert said:

Plants emit an ultrasonic "scream" at between 20 and 100KHz when they are cut or damaged. 

What part of plant anatomy could vibrate at that frequency?

[AndyID]

21 minutes ago, Robert said:

There was an interesting piece in the news this morning.  Apparently, Plants emit an ultrasonic "scream" at between 20 and 100KHz when they are cut or damaged.  The paper concerned has yet to be peer reviewed, but I was reminded of one of Roald Dahl's "Tales of the Unexpected".  I seem to remember that one of those was about a Man who invented a machine that could hear plants and trees screaming.

 

 

Very "last Century stuff'

 

Exactly how or why I found myself at the U of E at an exhibition of similar goings-on is steeped in the mists of antiquity but MrsID still hasn't forgiven me for the return journey when some jerk rammed the back of her VW 1500.

 

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

I see we are discussing festive decorations.  In my book there is no point in decking the halls with boughs of holly or anything else if I am not going to be here over C*****mas to enjoy them.  My pragmatic compromise is to put a dab of Blu Tack at each corner of each card and arrange them much in the manner of a mosaic on the lounge wall.  I am sure that the hotels in Interlaken and Chur where I will be staying will have pulled out all the stops to help guests get into the spirit of the season but I will soon find out.

 

It was heartening to learn yesterday that the 68 year old Falklands veteran who was kicked out of the Navy for being bisexual is to be given back the medals that were stripped from his uniform.  That was an indignity and injustice to whch he should never have been subjected.  So often the law has been shown to be an ass.  Thank goodness that it has been changed for the better.  Think of this case, and that of an unknown number of servicemen and women, when you see troops marching proudly in a Pride parade.  What matters more than anything else is that a man or woman is fit to fight for their country.

 

I must stay in until Postie arrives today because the tickets and other paperwork for my holiday is due to arrive by special delivery.  There is a certain childish excitement surrounding this simple procedure.   Up to now all I know about my holiday is when and where we are going and the names of three fellow travellers.  In the mix should be some old friends and some who I do not yet know.   Some will mix more easily than others.  On Friday week we will gather at St Pancras at the crack of noon and take it from there.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[Barry O]

Ey up!

We have a tree.. it will stay in the garage until this weekend. Hers has decided when and where the decorations are to be placed this coming Sunday.

 

We are off to the Lords Taverners' Christmas lunch at Headingley today. Guest speaker is Steve Harmison.

 

I am, as some may know, not a great supporter of the Christmas festivities.  I do enjoy the family being in one place for a few days though.

 

Parcels to pack and poste  tea to be drunk...

 

Positive thoughts to all who ail!

TTFN

Baz

[Robert]

58 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

What part of plant anatomy could vibrate at that frequency?

 

Precisely!  I have no idea.

 

However, Here is a link to the article in question: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-record-stressed-out-plants-emitting-ultrasonic-squeals-180973716/

[TheQ]

An hours more sleep has been had,

Ben the impatient collie got me out,  I suspect we've had overnight visitors of Wodney's Welatives . Ben charged all round the garden nose to the ground.

Tis frosty crunchy out there... 

Breakfast and more importantly,  a Muggacoffee is required.. 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all, 

Getting light outside and the sky looks clear and it's dry at present. Heavy and thundery showers are a possibility later.

Decorations go up here for my birthday on the 1st December and have done since our children were toddlers and able to "help" decorate the tree. The grandchildren have carried on this tradition and still insist on doing so even though they are 20, 17 and 15. Long may it last. The decs come down when The Boss decrees it, usually about the 2nd or 3rd of January.  

This morning we are shopping a day early as we have visitors tomorrow and  "there's lots to do before they get here." Not sure what all the lots are yet but I have been tasked with making some individual Bakewell tarts. I don't expect that to be all I'm doing.

Just been told not to forget that we've got to go to Sainsbury's shortly - as if I could!

Have a good one,

Bob.