Early Risers.

[tigerburnie]

Well after last nights weird dream that woke me up there's some trepidation about going to bed tonight, cheese has just been consumed and we have been watching James Bonds "Spectre" movie, I think a restless night could be on the cards lol.

[Ozexpatriate]

55 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

I have read somewhere  that unless the cheque is for an amount above a certain limit, nothing gets checked including the signature.

That's almost certainly true for human examination. Everything is processed automatically by OCR and I don't think the programming really cares about the date. Companies will cash cheques that are dated for a later time. Forget about signature verification.

 

Once upon a time, my bank returned all my cancelled cheques to me. I can't remember how many years ago that was. Today my statement contains digitally scanned images for *some* of the cheques. Most of the regular payments - to banks for credit cards etc are processed without even this confirmation.

[Ian Abel]

This cheque (checks here in the US, of course!), actually reminded me of one of the "incidents" that took me off course between Christmas and the New year.

The Saturday evening (28th), the Mrs and I were calmly watching TV when a strange gurgling was heard in the shower adjoining the basement family room.

There was almost an inch of standing water in the shower, coming from a  partial backup of the sewer apparently triggered by running the washing machine!

Unable to get anyone out until Sunday (8AM fortunately), we made use of the facilities at the local supermarket before we turned in

 

The emergency sewer service only took checks, and I was more than happy to write it out for them

 

That being said we almost never use checks now, 99% of the transactions everywhere are in some electronic form, many store no longer even take checks. Utility and other bills received via snail mail are the few that remain paid by check!

 

Edited January 7, 2020 by Ian Abel

[Ozexpatriate]

23 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Paying in a cheque for us now requires a visit to the post office with a paying in slip and a special envelope. Either that or go to another town with a bank.

Can you not simply mail a personal cheque with the billing statement return slip from your creditor?

 

I still do this instead of online bill pay.

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

Went into Sutton and got the the specs fixed FOC. Then went to a jewellers to get a new watch battery (I couldn't blow the bloody doors back off!) and that only cost £5.99

Took The Boss with me and we were going to 'spoons for lunch but there only seemed to be one person serving and about 9 or 10 waiting so we walked up to the pub next to the station and had a very enjoyable lunch there (with prompt and friendly service.)

I'd been thinking about going to the Stevenage show so popped into the station to enquire about train prices and was pleased to discover that I only had to pay £8.70 supplement to my Freedom pass so that's now on for Saturday all being well and no GDBs occurring.

Also intend to visit Alton, Basingstoke and Ally Pally in the next couple of months with a bit of luck and a following wind. 

 

 

Edited January 7, 2020 by grandadbob

[Ozexpatriate]

4 minutes ago, Ian Abel said:

... many store no longer even take checks ...

I gave up writing cheques at the supermarket long ago. I didn't like the idea that it might lead to dirty looks in the checkout queue because of the time taken to write a cheque. I wouldn't even think of using them for purchases at other stores.

 

The daily dramas at the checkout can be sad - when people try card after card only to have it declined, or the other day when someone emptying their purse and counting out loose change to cover the bill apologized (unnecessarily).

[JohnDMJ]

7 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I gave up writing cheques at the supermarket long ago. I didn't like the idea that it might lead to dirty looks in the checkout queue because of the time taken to write a cheque. I wouldn't even think of using them for purchases at other stores.

 

The daily dramas at the checkout can be sad - when people try card after card only to have it declined, or the other day when someone emptying their purse and counting out loose change to cover the bill apologized (unnecessarily).

 

Gone are the days when the checkout used to be able to print the cheque for you; the cashier then presented it to you to check and sign!

[jamie92208]

Here in La Belle France the personal cheque is alive and well and used a lot. They are trustec and I have been told that it's a criminal offence to write one without having funds to cover it.  Most supermarket  tills have cheque printers. However today a lady spent several mi utes talking to a security gaurd that she obviously knew, before bothering to open her handbag and give a cheque to the checkout operator.  The others in our queue were not amused.

 

By the way, thanks to KZ about the white wine tip. I didn't have any handy so used Pineaud instead along with a pinch of mustard powder and grated gruyere.  It wws very nice.

 

Jamie

[AndyB]

Evenin' all.

Day 5 of the diet and 6 lbs lost. 

Today's traffic on the M3 was rather Guildfordesque due to a middle lsne breakdown and then M27 west  being closed. 2 hours to go from south Winchester to Basset. 

But in fairness this was the first problem on the motorway since I started this commute in mid November. 

 

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Can you not simply mail a personal cheque with the billing statement return slip from your creditor?

 

I still do this instead of online bill pay.

The bank used to have a box for cheques to be paid in if you didn’t wish to stand in a queue. I don’t know if they could cope with things being posted. Actually if I look up the sort code for our bank that closed it is now some sort of financial bunker in Kent. I think Aditi’s French Circle think she may be dangerously modern paying money into their account using online banking. 
Tony

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

You T2 sugar ad weight loss chasing guys really, really do need to read either 'The Obesity Code' or 'The Diabetic Code' , Dr Jason Fung.  You will be amazed.  There's nothing wrong with 'healthy fats' including cheese - links to cardiac issues have been disproved - they don't tell you that do they......all the research is referenced properly, and is eye opening.  Give up the bl**dy carbohydrates!  Eat meat and eggs.  GI load control helps, yes, but more importantly its the spuds, rice and pasta. 

 

Or for T2's, get on diabetes.co.uk forum and read what people have achieved.  There are very ill folk who go totally carb free on there who have reversed T2, I'm not that bad so still treat myself to Fish n Chips once a week (tonight!) and just regulate carb intake to sensible levels - lentil pasta or cauli rice etc helps.  

 

As for BP - mine is a hideous 160/100 in the surgery, and now 115/76 at home - get a monitor!  White coat fever is to blame, even though I used to work for the buqqers. Or maybe that's why... The diet has helped here too.  

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

53 minutes ago, JohnDMJ said:

Gone are the days when the checkout used to be able to print the cheque for you; the cashier then presented it to you to check and sign!

Never experienced that on this side of the pond - I always had to bring my chequebook.

[Ozexpatriate]

6 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

... now 115/76 at home - get a monitor!  White coat fever is to blame,

I had the opposite problem. When using the (automatic) home monitor I would freak myself out with the 'extra' alarm features it has and my doctor told me to stop using it. I was better off having to sit in the waiting area and chill before having a reading. Being relaxed before a measurement is important.

 

My BP was very stable with good numbers very like your 115/76 for a long time. In the last few months it's crept back up. I'm hoping my current regime will bring it back down.

[BoD]

32 minutes ago, AndyB said:

Day 5 of the diet and 6 lbs lost. 

 

By, that's going some.

[leopardml2341]

Gloating mode on.....

 

I actually lost weight over the Christmas holiday period; 2.1 kilos.

 

I tend towards what  I call the 'moderation diet', that is everything in moderation including moderation It seems to work for me, though I am fortunate to be blessed with quite a high metabolic rate; I say blessed for weight reasons, but it is an absolute curse at times simply because of the body heat. My winter duvet is only 6.5 tog, and often I'm still too warm.

 

Which reminds me, I need to go make lunch for work tomorrow, water the dog and sort some laundry then off to mi bed with a cuppa decaff tea.

 

G'night all.

[JohnDMJ]

29 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Never experienced that on this side of the pond - I always had to bring my chequebook.

 

You take your cheque  book, tear out a blank cheque and the cashier puts into their printer. All you still have to do is check it and sign it.

 

32 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Evening.

 

You T2 sugar ad weight loss chasing guys really, really do need to read either 'The Obesity Code' or 'The Diabetic Code' , Dr Jason Fung.  You will be amazed.  There's nothing wrong with 'healthy fats' including cheese - links to cardiac issues have been disproved - they don't tell you that do they......all the research is referenced properly, and is eye opening.  Give up the bl**dy carbohydrates!  Eat meat and eggs.  GI load control helps, yes, but more importantly its the spuds, rice and pasta. 

 

Or for T2's, get on diabetes.co.uk forum and read what people have achieved.  There are very ill folk who go totally carb free on there who have reversed T2, I'm not that bad so still treat myself to Fish n Chips once a week (tonight!) and just regulate carb intake to sensible levels - lentil pasta or cauli rice etc helps.  

 

As for BP - mine is a hideous 160/100 in the surgery, and now 115/76 at home - get a monitor!  White coat fever is to blame, even though I used to work for the buqqers. Or maybe that's why... The diet has helped here too.  

 

 

 

I try to stick to near-natural food; cheese, butter (not any of the processed substitutes), meat, eggs, spuds (occasionally carbohydrate products derived from fermentation, such as bread, are included!), even salt! (The body needs a certain amount of sodium chloride!) With one or two exceptions, including chlorophyll, the human is an omnivore designed to eat and digest pretty much anything.

 

Recall (/ research) that the calorie controlled diet was debunked within months of it being published.

 

Recall, also, that most (non-root) legumes (cabbage, broccoli, carrots, peas, beans, sweet corn (maize), even brussel sprouts are more nutritious to us when eaten RAW!

 

To add insult to injury, most 'fresh' veg from the market or the greengrocer's have less nutritional content and flavour than those which have been rushed from field to deep freeze!

 

Let the floodgates of controversy fling open!!

[Tony_S]

Our winter duvet is 4.5 tog.

I need to lose weight . Last time I lost weight was when I had pneumonia and lost 7.5 kg in just over two weeks.  Soon put it back though. For most of my adult life I was rather underweight but once the condition that was causing the weight loss was controlled my weight started to increase. 
Tony

Edited January 7, 2020 by Tony_S

[Dave Hunt]

I totally agree with NHN that it is carbohydrates that are the things to be severely reduced if you want to reduce weight and/or blood sugars. Not totally cut out but reduced in favour of meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and fruit and even cheese. Dr. Michael Moseley has written extensively about the subject and maintains that, "There is overwhelming scientific evidence that a low carb Mediterranean-style diet — one rich in vegetables, olive oil, nuts and the occasional glass of wine or bite of dark chocolate — is better for weight loss, blood sugar control and improving cholesterol than going on a low fat diet." It works for me and for several others I know - my only problem is being sensible and not always having chips when I go to a restaurant! I'm afraid that being silly during Christmas regarding puddings, mince pies, roast potatoes etc. in industrial quantities has damaged my waistline but I'm back on the straight and narrow again.   I find a good alternative to pasta is to use courgettes made into strands using a spiraliser and given a couple of minutes in a microwave - makes a pretty good spaghetti. I think that this eating regimen is possibly going to take centre stage chez nous as Jill's BP was still very high today and she will be going to see the GP about it next Monday; I just hope he refrains from peddling the (as far as I am concerned) disproved theories about fat Bad, carbs Good. 

 

Our friend who has just had the operation for bowel cancer has been in touch and seems to be feeling OK if a bit sore. We're hoping to be able to see her soon.

 

Off to the fang fixer lady tomorrow for a crown prep. as stage 1 of modelling token reduction getting a crown fitted.  

 

Have a quiet and peaceful night, whenever it occurs where you are.

 

Dave  

 

  

[brianusa]

15 hours ago, chrisf said:

Matters arising 1: Belated thanks to Monkeysarefun for posting the article on koalas.  Some of these wonderful marsupials have shown remarkable initiative by, in effect, blagging water from cyclists and firefighters.  They are desperate, as is the situation, and face extinction within 30 years unless the right thing is done and quickly.

 

We have all seen these pictures which are hard to view!  Literally millions of animals have been killed by these fires and the lucky few are what we see.   I don't think there is much 'blagging' to be done as we all sympathise with the animals plight and try to help.  A tragedy for humans too but there is always aid for people in such crisis whereas animals are usually not so fortunate. Pray for rain of which we have in biblical amounts in the PNW right now!

       Brian.

[New Haven Neil]

Totally agree with Dave and John!

 

Dr Moseley is quoted in Dr Fung's book, they collaborate.

 

Reduced calorie diets always fail as the body adapts to the lower intake - it's clever.  Then the second you slip - the weight goes back on.  Got the T shirt.

[JohnDMJ]

27 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Reduced calorie diets always fail as the body adapts to the lower intake - it's clever.  Then the second you slip - the weight goes back on.  Got the T shirt.

 

Simple law of Physics; calories are energy; without energy, we become lethargic and can not function properly! Any excess needs to be stored somewhere!

 

Oft times, the body knows much better than the brain's conscience thought processes!

Edited January 7, 2020 by JohnDMJ

[leopardml2341]

Even simpler:

 

Calories In > Calories Out = Weight Gain

[Barry O]

Evening to most..other times are available.

 

Cricket umpired..3.5 hours of avoiding a very hard ball propelled at great speed completed successfully.  A glass of diet Indian Tonic Water has been dru k as all this exercise can being cramp on.

 

I am cutting out the carbs as well..no big changes yet but feeling better for it.

 

Sleep well  positive thoughts to all who ail or are missing

 

Baz

[Barry O]

Goodnight all!

[tigerburnie]

G'night all