Early Risers.

[newbryford]

1 minute ago, Simon G said:

 

 

 

Todays walk around the village and beach was an interesting affair.  Many people are either too stupid or too selfish to consider what a 2 metre distance is and why it currently makes sense.  Also, according to the number of cars on the beach car park, “essential travel only” obviously equates to “must go to the beach today”.  It is no surprise how quickly Coronavirus is spreading when people behave like this.

 

I'll bet after a week or two at home with the kids off school the beaches will be full - just to get them out of the house.

[Ozexpatriate]

8 minutes ago, newbryford said:

... the beaches will be full ...

Not as full as Florida beaches were earlier in the week. There were lots of Spring Break outrage stories on the US news. The beaches are closed now.

 

Belongs in the "Why we can't have nice things" file.

[Coombe Barton]

Typing, and many typos.

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2020/03/19/preparations-and-still-learning/

[newbryford]

With all the distractions, both of us almost forgot [*] that today is the 28th occasion of celebrating one year of wedded bliss.

 

I could have got less for murder.......

 

Stay safe folks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

[*] Luckily - I remembered first.

Edited March 19, 2020 by newbryford

[Ozexpatriate]

I loved this post in the "Things that make you : )" thread. It's hilarious (to me anyway.) Your mileage may vary.

 

Particularly since my therapy today was to assemble the LEGO Ford Mustang (10265) which just might be the most complex LEGO kit I have ever assembled.  It is complex enough that I've been stretching it over three sessions of a couple of hours over three days.

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

5 minutes ago, newbryford said:

[*] Luckily - I remembered first.

Lucky indeed.

 

There was one year I forgot completely. Fortunately my spouse did too - or at least she said she did and there were no repercussions.  I was in the middle of a job transfer (when we were planning to move from Chicago to Oregon) about which she was very excited and was preoccupying our minds and time.

[The Stationmaster]

Every sympathy for those expecting to take exams soon but, like Nidge, I think the best decision has been taken having been left as late as it could be.  My biggest worry about it is that the little darlings could  be loose in supermarkets and shops next week and after what I saw of an hysterical child with its chav mother last Saturday I think total isolation behind  barbed wire might be an attractive alternative (for them!).  Currently shopping in many places is a very anxiety heavy process and and keeping things as calm as possible is surely an essential?

 

Anyway we now have a grow-bag mountain established in the front porch with our usual complement of eight all purchased today albeit in two tranches because the Good Doctormobile can only hold readily four at a time.  The chicken was incidentally replaced by a nice piece of beef which will hopefully still be in good nick come Sunday when it will be roasted.  The sage & onion stuffing made for the chicken has been frozen for future use and this evening's dinner was sausage casserole.

 

The arrival of a nice soft day firmly put the kybosh on any hope/intention that 'somebody' might have had of directing a workforce towards the garden.  Decorating has yet to be mentioned ('wrong sort of weather, too damp dear') and the dining room can't be tidied as it is serving as the lad's office.  'The Archers' are continuing in a wonderfully detached world with Neil & Susan returning from Majorca or wherever it was with not a single mention of cancelled flights or hotels in lock down etc while Roy has been bookinga. disco for a wedding party and the Grey Gables gym is still open - almost as good escapism as watching 'The Smallest Show On Earth' which has just finished gracing Talking Pictures, smashing film.  

[andyram]

Evening all and congrats to Mick NB on completing another year of “bliss” / “his sentence” (delete where applicable).

 

Good wishes shared to all ER’s with hope that the virus has not come to stay. 
 

An update from here. We have had it confirmed that foster child will be entitled to attend school so, from Monday, it is one in and one at home. The school will no longer provide transport to the child’s contact sessions though so that is two more additions to my timetable. A good book or magazine will be needed for the ninety minute wait in the car park.

 

Today was the second day of the reduced opening times. Matlock Bath was much quieter today than on Tuesday. Fortunately there were some online and telephone sales so some funds have come in. Unfortunately my favourite cafe has joined the ranks of those who have decided to close so no more delicious cakes or breakfast sandwiches for a while. Their decision to close is perfectly understandable of course.

 

Tomorrow my thoughts will turn towards former colleagues in schools. Some may feel teachers are going into isolation or having an extended holiday. Not so, many will be in teaching those who still attend school. They will also be updating online learning resources whilst all the time feeling that whatever they do will be inadequate. It will feel like unfinished business because the year stands to incomplete. Thoughts also for all those students working hard for A Levels, GCSE’s or even SAT’s who will not get the chance to properly finish the job. Sad times.

 

Keep safe

 

Andy  

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Nothing much to report except Facebook seems to be taking an age to load content. I'll check again shortly to see if theres any improvement.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

The boiler passed its inspection and the engineer left just before 9:30. Whilst he was busy I tested some old 12v relays I found in a small drawer in the workshop when I was cutting the circuit boards the other day, I’d forgotten that I had these. There are small the old open frame type relays, so I wondered if they would fit the circuit boards I’d just cut. There were 32 in total (some still in boxes) and I require 28, so there was more than enough for what I needed. These like a lot of stuff I’ve got stashed, we’re destined for the skip following a departmental closure and having been told, help yourself before it’s thrown away, I got loads of bits like that. Testing proved that 3 were faulty, swapping a few components meant that I was able to make 1 good one out of the 3, so I had 30 serviceable relays to hand. So a few tweaks with the design confirmed that they will indeed fit. Now there were 2 different makes of relay, one which came with a pair of mounting screws, so I made a small insulated plate, from an off-cut of plasticard to cover the tracks to prevent short circuits. The other just had a couple of very small holes, so these were opened up to 2mm, then tapped 2.5mm and fixed to the circuit board with nylon screws, so that they didn’t short circuit the tracks. Both sets of fixing holes lined up with the holes in the veroboard, so I opened 2 in each board to 2.5mm and mounted the relays.

 

I then made a start on making the soup, a total of 8 portions were eventually made, 2 were had this evening and the other 6 are now in the freezer. Oh, and as for the leeks, they came in bags of 2, so the 4 leeks actually only counted as 2 items. I’ll use the courgettes when I make the next batch of soup sometime next week. 

 

Throughout the day I was try to book my car in for a service and it’s first MOT, I finally got through just after dinner, I’ve also arranged for it to be collected and dropped off.

 

On Tuesday next week, we should have been meeting up with some friends from Leicester at our favourite pub in Derbyshire, but we’ve decided to cancel that. Although were disappointed, it’s probably for the best, as we don’t really ‘NEED’ to go there. The effect on small restaurants, pubs etc must be worrying for all those whose livelihoods depend on it. 

 

Whilst we were having dinner, Sheila asked if I’d help clean the hall stairs and landings paintwork, it wouldn’t be straight after dinner as she had a batch of washing she wanted to finish first. This task is one we always undertake after the boiler service, as the access door needs to be open for well over an hour and the ‘boiler room’ is quite mucky. So whilst I waited for the go ahead, I just about had to build 2 circuit boards, each one with a different relay. These were tested when we’d finished and were sat down having a (late) mid afternoon cuppa. I’m pleased to say that they both worked perfectly and as a consequence, I’ve just saved myself over £60, which would have been the cost of the 30 relays and bases and chosen. Photos are shown below,

 

Below an example of each of the 2 relays

 

The finished circuit boards, on the right the planned type of relay, the centre and left the 2 built and tested today. 

 

The night was rounded off by watching last nights repair shop with a bottle of Doombar. 

 

Mick. Congratulations on your anniversary 

 

Goodnight all 

[pH]

Interesting development in some cities in British Columbia. To protect their bus drivers from heavy exposure to the public, BC Transit have said people should board buses by the rear entrance(s). (People who need the wheelchair lift can still enter by the front doors.) Transit will not be accepting cash for fares for the foreseeable, and not all buses are equipped with touch pads at the rear doors for pre-loaded fare cards. So ... travel on BC Transit buses will now be free!

 

(Edit - on reading that back, I feel I should make it clear that free travel will be official policy, not just passengers taking advantage of circumstances!)

Edited March 20, 2020 by pH

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[pH]

View from today's walk:

 

 

Freighters waiting for a berth in Burrard Inlet. Vancouver off to the left, Port Moody to the right, Indian Arm straight ahead (entrance between the two freighters), which stretches to the base of the further-away mountains on the right.

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

I’d like to thank Joseph for his kind words yesterday.  The reason I wrote what I did is that I had been bigging up the Dublin trip for ages, ever since I had the inspiration to attend Dublin Pride.  It gave me something positive to announce on my birthday.  I had been so chuffed that all the ingredients had fallen into place so neatly and might even have been a bit starstruck at the prospect of marching in the same parade as Leo Varadkar [calling him by his name saves me having to remember how to spell Taoiseach!].  Rest assured that I will remember all this when the time comes to put the trip back together again in 2021.

 

My diary was not quite empty after all the cancellations were announced earlier this week but three of the remaining items went overnight – RailWells, the Scalefour AGM and Cambridge Beer Festival.   At the time of writing there are still two significant but vulnerable events for me to enjoy.  One is Sidmouth Folk Festival in the first week in August.  I understand that the Director and his team are reviewing the situation.  The other is Bristol Pride in July.  Here there is a deafening silence from the webshite and a non-refundable hotel bill.  In neither case am I at all optimistic.  A rare conversation with e-friend Harry last night produced this gem: “None of us will be travelling for ages hahaha”.  Listen, mate, it’s no laughing matter.

 

I spent an hour in my local Tesco yesterday morning.  45 minutes in a checkout queue gives ample time to reflect on the purchasing policy of other shoppers.  Leaving aside the bulk acquisition of bog rolls, which does make me wonder just how many backsides some people have, I puzzled at the sheer quantity of bottled water in the trolley ahead of me.  I may be odd in many ways [all together now!] but when I want a bottle of water I find an empty bottle and run the tap.  For the record, I got everything on my list but had to go without porridge oats and some other afterthoughts.  I have not come across orange top milk before but had to settle for it in the absence of anything else.  No doubt I have condemned myself to several days when my cuppa does not taste right.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Congrats to Mr and Mrs NB!

This morning weatherwise looks like a proper English Spring day. Beautiful. The daffs are out, the blackthorn hedge is sprouting, the birds are singing..great!

It does lift the spirits!

According to our leader 11th June is target date for getting rid of the bug...could be we get a half cricket season in. Fingers crossed this will happen

 

Today will include moving a van hire date (Bristol Show is off so next up Wigan), a bit of crust earning and packing what shopping her indoors can collect at moreasons. 

 

Have the best day you can have..use your time wisely!

Baz

 

Edited March 20, 2020 by Barry O

[BoD]

Morning all

 

Quite a hard frost up here this morning but a very pleasant morning nonetheless.

Re Spring Equinox - it’s just nice that it’s light enough again to see where the dog craps to  be able to pick it up.  Gosh, the things that cross our minds at breakfast time.

 

Stay safe.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare,  989/618

A reasonable nights sleep, 5 hours solid followed by a lot of dozing..

 

My great niece was wingeing on facefart the other day about her school being open when others had closed, Her mum works in Asda, her dad in Health care, bad news for her... She'll still be going to school...

 

BSW 01, I recognise that circuit... the railway I inherited had over 30 of them though arranged for up to six on one Veroboard.

 

If the boss managed to sort the problem I have a major system to check the results of this morning, He'd found a unexpected value in a correction file further up the calibration tree, and was having to back track and find the source to correct the value down the chain. This meant the major system I did yesterday was on Hold..

3 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Ey up!

Congrats to Mr and Mrs NB!

 

Acoording tou our leader 11th June is target date for getting rid of the bug...

 

Have the best day you can have..use your time wisely!

Baz

 

 

I think you miss interpret the Words He said "the tide will turn in 12 weeks"....

 

That means that's the peak of the tide!!!! only then will that reduce after...

 

So... 

 

On that  Note

 

Time to go do some work

[Ozexpatriate]

I had been looking forward to a trip to Hawaii with friends in late April. Yesterday, the Governor of Hawaii requested all visitors to postpone visits for the next 30 days, the end of which was right around the time when I had planned to arrive. My friends immediately cancelled their plans. I had been looking forward to this trip for several months.

 

As of now most of the west coast of the US is under "shelter in place" instructions. Here in Oregon there is not yet a "shelter in place" requirement, but bars, dining areas and schools are all closed. Restaurants are permitted to offer take out / delivery options but many have closed anyway. No gatherings of more than 25 people are permitted and the recommendation is for fewer than ten. There are no performances (artistic or sporting) and personal celebrations (like weddings) are similarly affected.

 

With anticipated shortages of personal protective equipment for health care workers, local health authorities are requesting veterinary surgeons and dentists to postpone all non-critical activity to conserve masks, shields and other medical PPE. A technical school that offers medical assistant and similar courses (now shuttered) is donating their supply of unused PPE. (I saw an article online indicating that TV production companies that make medical procedural teledramas, are donating unused PPE from their prop departments.)

 

The COVID-19 fatality total for Washington and Oregon is half of the national total, though almost all of these have occurred in Washington with a large cluster in a single nursing home. A single nursing home in Oregon now has 14 positive cases.

 

Edited March 20, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[jamie92208]

8 hours ago, newbryford said:

 

They aren't the "typical railway modellers" that I know then......

 

We all know that any typical railway modeller already has enough of a stash of unfinished/unbuilt kits etc to last any decent lockdown and shouldn't need to buy any more................................

 

But if you open up a kit you bought on Ebay  and find it has the wrong tender what do you do apart from send an email and flex the plastic.

 

Jamie

[AndyID]

14 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I had been looking forward to a trip to Hawaii with friends in late April. Yesterday, the Governor of Hawaii requested all visitors to postpone visits for the next 30 days, the end of which was right around the time when I had planned to arrive. My friends immediately cancelled their plans. I had been looking forward to this trip for several months.

 

As of now most of the west coast of the US is under "shelter in place" instructions. Here in Oregon there is not yet a "shelter in place" requirement, but bars, dining areas and schools are all closed. Restaurants are permitted to offer take out / delivery options but many have closed anyway. No gatherings of more than 25 people are permitted and the recommendation is for fewer than ten. There are no performances (artistic or sporting) and personal celebrations (like weddings) are similarly affected.

 

With anticipated shortages of personal protective equipment for health care workers, local health authorities are requesting veterinary surgeons and dentists to postpone all non-critical activity to conserve masks, shields and other medical PPE. A technical school that offers medical assistant and similar courses (now shuttered) is donating their supply of unused PPE. (I saw an article online indicating that TV production companies that make medical procedural shows, are donating unused PPE from their prop departments.)

 

The COVID-19 fatality total for Washington and Oregon is half of the national total, though almost all of these have occurred in Washington with a large cluster in a single nursing home. A single nursing home in Oregon now has 14 positive cases.

 

 

The Great Orange Sphincter is only interested in being re-elected. If he had any cajones he'd shut everything down for a month to save lives.

 

[New Haven Neil]

Morning - 'not' bike club day  

 

Congrats to the NB's, close one there!

 

Dry cold and frosty here, outside much the same.  First case just confirmed here, someone that came back from Spain, and the moron from the restaurant is in custody! I suspect they will be made an example of.

 

So off soon to try to get some of the low carb bread, had none for a fortnight due to the locusts, so I doubt today will be any different.  I'mm missing bread!

[jamie92208]

Good moaning. It's bright and sunny again here on day 4 of lockdown.  We seem to be surviving and no murders have been committed in this household......yet.  we even managed some normality yesterday.  In the morning we returned to the hospital and Beth had her blood pressure monitor removed. In the afternon the G word was mentioned and the grass now looks a lot neater. The last two shutters are now on the trestles in the shed and miracle of miracles, the tumble dryer was not in use but the washing line has been used.  I no longer need to check the bearings in the meter....   Whilst all this activity was going on a neighbour called, respecting the distance rules, and left us a tin full of eggs.  The mayor was sited walking past so I was able to sort out a garden fire permit for next week.  That will help to get rid of a large pile of garden debris from last year.  I now need to move the pile a few yards to, a) avoid the overhead power lines and b) make sure no hedgehogs are nesting underneath.

 

In the evening we went out for a meal, clutching our attestations. (No sniggerring at the back there that's not an EA).  The mobile fish and chip van is still allowed to operate so we supported them, and sat in the car and ate fish and chips out  of the box.  What an evening out.  Even the gendarmes called to collect some.  

 

Today there will be more of the G word then hopefully some shed time checking kits.

 

Good wishes to all in these interesting times and congrats to Mick and Mrs NB.

 

Jamie

[45156]

Morning All

 

Sorry, but due to other matters, much use of this laptop for serious stuff, etc, I've been off this site.  I've had to skip about three days, which I might, or might not, be able to read and rate - so I hope I've not missed anything too important.  If I have, of some kindly ER would PM me, I'd be grateful.   And, of course, generic greeting are on offer to the ailing and the celebrating - though at present, more likely to be the former than the latter, with any real celebrations being on hold due to restrictions on gatherings, etc.  However, happy anniversary to Mr and Mrs Mick.

 

Still no reported cases of the C word in Lancaster, the nearest are in Blackpool, about 25 miles down, and Barrow, which is a lot closer as the crow flies, but about 50 miles by road.

 

Went shopping in Aldi at Carnforth yesterday, and was pleasantly surprised to find that they were quite well stocked though there were a few gaps, like beans, and strangely, crisps and some biscuits.  I will need to break the stay at home "directive", as otherwise we would starve, as Aldi don't yet do online.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Kingzance]

Good moaning valiant few,

 

Cool, grey, dry are our weather words today. CowboysRUs continue with a vengeance attempting to lash up the rest of the shacks before they are shut down (and Mr & Mrs KZ will get a chance to sleep soundly through the early morning). I wouldn’t touch their erections with anyone’s barge-pole! 

 

Last night’s Live View photography club meeting was well received by the 30+ members who logged in I think. Yes, it was basic Lightroom but I am rather basic (as you will no doubt have gathered from my ramblings, not for nothing do I have an alias of Sid Rumpo me dearios). The topic of next week’s session is yet to be announced but I am fairly confident that Thursday evenings will remain focused on cameras .

We will contact our local pub later and see if we can have a pub meal - collected of course with a couple of pints of foaming liquid to be enjoyed chez-nous. Meanwhile, our key worker in the delivery field may bring me some stuff from Deluxe Materials so our hermit like existence (she in the lounge with tv and me in study / garage doing unmentionable things) may progress. Sadly, she has no hobbies as such so I am regularly interrupted to be told what she has just seen on The BBC / Sky / Faceache / her WhatsApp groups. Although I am keen that we avoid social contact (haven’t I always been?), I also feel that “cabin fever” can be avoided if we take ourselves off to wild or unpopular places. Given that we live in dear old John Betjeman’s Commuterland, that may be simply restricted to unpopular places. I am currently investigating where are our local sewage aeration tanks. Noise cancelling headphones may be a purchase from the home of gigantic and strong ladies before too long if the weather turns nasty.

 

Other forms of day seizure are available but whatever you do, I wish you a safe, healthy day without fear of starving or running out of newsprint in the smallest room....

 

P.S. belated happy anniversary withes to Mr & Mrs NB.

Edited March 20, 2020 by Kingzance
P.S.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Many congratulations and Happy Anniblisserversary Mr & Mrs Mick. Well done for dodging a bullet Mick!

Hints of blue sky and brightness here but the chance of some drizzle.

I believe what our leader said was that he was "confident* that the tide will turn in 12 weeks provided everybody does what they are told/asked" or words to that effect. As it is obvious many people are not  doing or going to do that then I wouldn't hold your breath!

It is being suggested that we do some gardening today. Weeding seems to be the main requirement to prepare the beds for some bedding plants we've ordered online. I need some fresh air so I will comply with the request.

Have a good one,

Bob. ( AKA Number 6.)

 

 

* I have been confident on many occasions in my 71 years on this planet. Lots of them have resulted in abject failure.

Edited March 20, 2020 by grandadbob