Early Risers.

[The Stationmaster]

G'day all,

 

Cadburys Flake did the trick and this morning (I am informed) his(?) mousefulness was duly trapped within the trap.  He was released into the nearest patch of lavender in order to hide the scent from Charlie the great tabby hunter but quickly made his(?) way from there to the wood pile carefully avoiding the attentions of both Charlie and any patrolling kites.  The latter of course would hardly be likely to go for a dashing mouse in any case, they reserve their attention for chicken and lamb chop bones plus the occasional go at the bread when extreme hunger strikes.   As the mouse headed for the wood pile that would seem to explain why Charlie spends a lot of time sitting in a particular place outside the kitchen - he's always got his eye on the wood pile from there.

 

The window cleaners have been but as yet the bin men haven't.  I suspect the Good Doctor is now coping much better with daytime sleeping as although the window cleaner was instructed not to tackle her window he was making a little noise anyway but he did all the others round at the back of the house.  The GD's night shifts end this evening so I presume she'll be back on day turns at the weekend.

 

In the good news area we appear t have a Great Tit taking to the nest box on the shaded part of the south side of the garden.  Not sure what he was at yesterday as he looked too fat to actually get into the box - time will tell.

 

Have a good day one and all and continue to exercise care.  However I suggest not following a photographic example seen on the 'net today where one resident of the USofA appears to be putting his faith in a pump action shotgun and his 'freedom' to protect him from the virus.

Edited April 22, 2020 by The Stationmaster

[Coombe Barton]

That's the excitement for today over or so I thought - the bin men have been and the post has delivered the EMGS newsletter - then the tall ladies have informed me the book that was scheduled for tomorrow is going to come today.

 

It's about Data Visualisation.

 

Excitement is all over me, like a dog seeing squirrels on the lawn and they're behind a window.

[81C]

Morning All 

sunny and bright 

Up at 4am for a pee and could not get back to sleep the phone pinged and it was my Babe she was awake as well we had a short chat and got back under the duvet, that was spooky we live 60 miles apart.

 

Yesterday I lost my aunt Betty (aka The Duchess) to Coronavirus she was 91 and very ill, I couldn't get any news as the story was 6th hand.

 

Slapped #rse started an argument about the divorce I advised her and her two halfpenny solicitor I would seek an adjournment on the divorce 

hearing unless S.A. revealed her finances which I got to see later in the day fingers crossed it should be the last I hear from them.

 

 The air is blue at Farnborough Towers a new Samsung refuses to be programmed I will seek out an "Ology in phones" from within the family to have a mess with the bloody thing the old one keeps giving up the ghost 18 months old it was a written off it by the man in the store months ago

I waited till the cost of the contract came down to below the price of the repair. 

Stay Safe All Bob

[Shedman5]

Afternoon, sun is shining with a slight breeze. Only surfaced this morning around 11 after bests night sleep I have had for a while. Not a lot to report going to venture into the shed later on I think.

I am excused shopping duties tomorrow  and confined to barracks till Monday apparently, not that there is anything to venture out for apart from shopping!

 

Take care All

 

Alan

 

 

 

 

[Stubby47]

Sorry to invade the tranquility of ER Corner, but I thought this was worth a mention.

 

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by Stubby47

[AY Mod]

14 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

Sorry to invade the tranquility of ER Corner, but I thought this was worth a mention.

 

Thanks Stu; I was going to do the same but struggling to keep pace with the donations coming in. Amazing people!

[TheQ]

Afternoon awl, 

Keel sanding went well,  the next side has been filled. 

 

Then to the MhRC, 

I've decided to build a reservoir,  tiny items for the filling up of, I need to order much metal grating for a tiny radar that will be close by.

 

Shortly after starting on the above building work.,  I felt really rough and tired so I laydown on the MhRC sofa.. 2 hours later I awoke.. 

 

Ben the impatient collie wanted his long walk,  which he got,  in our massive 12C, I'll keep loading the stove for now,  anyway,  he is now stopping to rest part way round,  age is catching up with him as well. 

 

I shall now go and inspect the post box to see if something about 18mm is in there as well,  I'm also expecting a sister company of the strong ladies,  to deliver a book,  recommended by Portchullin to someone else,  about parallel bits of metal I went to school on. 

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by TheQ

[Ian Abel]

Ta da... HUMP day

 

Yesterday quite the brain teaser trying to get a particular "nasty" report created for the "client"!

At least it was something of an achievement eventually - though did require a walk around the neighborhood to blow the cobwebs out of my remnants of a brain before I could solve it.

 

Watched (we missed it live) the concert that was put on a few days back "One World together at home" and I for one (as was the Mrs) was moved by the contributions, honest comments/information from real knowledgeable people and the various front line workers.

Might not have been everyones cup of tea but I still believe "we're all in this together", and it resonated with us. I think, if he even heard about it, that it probably put the WH resident nose squarely out-of-joint given the support of the WHO from everywhere!  Couldn't happen to a nicer nastier person.

 

Today - some work, thought still waiting for a new panic to occur.

Then we're off to the liquor store to replenish supplies - already ordered and kerb-side pickup set.

 

After that - more of the same... nothing much, just the next jigsaw puzzle

 

6 here and sunny first thing, expecting NINETEEN!!!! for the high... maybe spring DOES EXIST!  

 

Stay safe everyone...

[polybear]

7 hours ago, grandadbob said:

The Boss has been grumbling about having nothing to do and then saying that there is housework that urgently needs attention. I will suggest putting 2 + 2 together!

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

Been nice knowing you.....

[polybear]

Spent a fun day with the pressure washer.....

All the underside of the car done (hopefully to wash off any remnants of winter salt) using a rather clever trolley attachment that Karcher sell; also a lance with a nozzle bent round at something like 120 degrees (courtesy of some bloke on ebay).

Then the drive blasted.  I'm not sure what got wetter - the drive or me.....

Whilst doing the drive the car was shifted into the road, underneath the bloody great tree in front of my house.  It seems an ostrich has learnt to fly and is nesting in said tree; he must've had a dodgy curry last night, judging by the size of the multiple dumps (think saucer here) he had all over the front of my (was clean) motor.  B'stard.  At least I still had the hose out.

 

I went for a medium drive in the afternoon, partly to drive the car off but also to give the battery a charge - it's barely been used since 25th March;  came home to discover one of those dreaded "we tried to deliver your parcel" cards on the doormat   But....The nice man from Mr. Amazon came back about an hour later when I was in   Brownie point awarded.

 

Still no sign of a works pc to use at home and since I've only got 5 days left before official early retirement I reckon I'm pretty safe.  Seems I do need to go in on my last day next week for about an hour, just to sign a bit of paper and hand over my pass; it'll be useful anyway, just to make sure my desk is clear and also to visit a shop or two close by.

 

If the Great Empire were switched on they would've been better off Furloughing me - still, it's worked well for me as I've effectively spent the last 4 weeks (so 5 next week, funnily enough) on paid gardening leave.  It'll work well for Isabel Hospice too, as they can have the petrol money I would normally have spent.  I've a feeling they'll find it very useful in the current climate.

 

[grandadbob]

7 hours ago, roundhouse said:

Did I spot a lift out section on your boards in the shed?

 

It's a drop down flap Ian, done at the suggestion of,  IIRC His Royal Hipponess. However I believe he also suggested putting a gate under as well but I never got a round tuit.

The two little white plastic blocks on the LH side swivel out to provide extra support and I also use a quick grip mini clamp to pull the joins tightly together. It's a bit rough and ready and belt and braces (like most of the layout) but it works.

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by grandadbob

[tigerburnie]

7 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

There is hydroponics - but rarely used for legitimate crops

You'd be surprised, a huge amount of British salad is grown this way.

[newbryford]

36 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

 

It's a drop down flap Ian, done at the suggestion of,  IIRC His Royal Hipponess. However I believe he also suggested putting a gate under as well but I never got a round tuit.

The two little white plastic blocks on the LH side swivel out to provide extra support and I also use a quick grip mini clamp to pull the joins tightly together. It's a bit rough and ready and belt and braces (like most of the layout) but it works.

 

 

 

 

 Hmm - can't decide which is more dangerous.

A drop-flap to hit the knee, or a lift-up flap to endanger the head.....

 

Hopefully, there is some form of electrical cutoff or other protection to prevent unwanted enactments of the Tay Bridge disaster?

 

Then again, it's only G*R stuff.............

[grandadbob]

11 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

 Hmm - can't decide which is more dangerous.

A drop-flap to hit the knee, or a lift-up flap to endanger the head.....

 

Hopefully, there is some form of electrical cutoff or other protection to prevent unwanted enactments of the Tay Bridge disaster?

 

Then again, it's only G*R stuff.............

 

Oh no it isn't! There's also GNR, LNER, LMS, SR and BR various regions along with other odds and ends. There are even diseasels and an APT-E.  

There is an electrical cut off in the form of a switch on the wall. I just need to remember not to switch on until the flap is raised.   

Edited April 22, 2020 by grandadbob

[AndyID]

9 hours ago, The Lurker said:

Someone in our group had the idea of processing ethanol from potatoes, so we duly set up a plant in Idaho. It never turned a profit and we gave the keys back when the lease expired. 

 

Should have switched over to wodka Comrade.

[New Haven Neil]

Ah well, hope sproinged eternal, website should go live....tomorrow evening!  Hassles to get the payment portal working, although it worked on the 'dummy' parallel site.  It was expected, by the IT chap, as it has given issues previously on upgrades.  As this isn't an upgrade but a new product entirely from different suppliers, its no surprise whatsoever.  The new suppliers helpdesk folk seem good, fully up the the Abel standard I am told.  All while I ran trains in the garden....well I did my share yesterday, and we are still socially isolating, esp as the IT guy's partner 'had it' last month - she's an NHS worker.  He's only just come back to work from total isolation.

 

So a long day tomorrow tidying up all sorts of little things that didn't transfer quite right, and orf we jolly well go.  Hopefully.

[polybear]

Lesson for today:

Brand new Kitchen Devil Knives are very, very sharp.  And getting them out of their packaging is a right b'stard

If only that Amazon delivery driver hadn't been so bloody persistent....

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

It's about Data Visualisation.

In the spirit of Charles Joesph Minard?

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

Watched (we missed it live) the concert that was put on a few days back "One World together at home" and I for one (as was the Mrs) was moved by the contributions, honest comments/information from real knowledgeable people and the various front line workers.

Might not have been everyones cup of tea but I still believe "we're all in this together", and it resonated with us.

I had not intended to watch it but when it came on I found myself interested. While many performances desperately needed a sound engineer (and Sir Paul really needs to just stop, he's done singing, as was already evident in the 2012 Olympics) that they were so evidently recorded live* it had a level of truthfulness in the performances I found compelling.

 

* Not broadcast live, but not laid down in tracks (with the exception of Keith Urban) and engineered.

[newbryford]

53 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

 

Oh no it isn't! There's also GNR, LNER, LMS, SR and BR various regions along with other odds and ends. There are even diseasels and an APT-E.  

There is an electrical cut off in the form of a switch on the wall. I just need to remember not to switch on until the flap is raised.   

 

Ok - so can it be made to differentiate between G*R and everything else......?

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

Watching television at bedtime I noticed commercials from local pawn brokers and thought "that's different". They don't usually advertise on television. It took a couple of minutes for the penny to drop - with so many people out of work and the governmental measures to help mired in the gears of bureaucracy and/or hopelessly unprepared for the sheer volume of need, pawn shops are anticipating a boom. 

 

During an errand last week, my tyre pressure alarm indicated a low pressure warning of 20 psi and holding. It even when up as the tyre further warmed. I inflated it at home to 35 psi. The next day I jumped in the car to run to the post office and back and pressure had dropped again. Dropping off my mail, I first visited the place where I purchased the tyres, but they had closed early at 4:00pm and then took it to a tyre service centre. Even though it was late afternoon and they were short staffed with four vehicles ahead of me, they still patched the tyre and got me back on the road before their closing time and didn't charge me. (I had purchased tyres there before.)

[Coombe Barton]

38 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

In the spirit of Charles Joesph Minard?

Sometimes.
 

It's mainly about method.

[pH]

9 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Having been involved some years ago in setting up the local food bank I am in regular contact with the people who are running it at present and the number of people who are in dire need is frightening. That such a situation exists in a nation such as ours is dreadful, even taking into account the CV situation.

 

The person in charge of one of the local food banks was asked whether she thought food banks were a good idea - the tone of the question implying that they weren't, people came to rely on them, take advantage of them etc.

 

Paraphrasing her answer, she said she agreed with the questioner, they were a bad thing, they should all be closed. Unfortunately, until something was done which removed the need for them, they would have to continue to exist.

[newbryford]

Not a bad view (and sound) from my WFH desk...

 

 

 

[BoD]

6 minutes ago, newbryford said:

Not a bad view (and sound) from my WFH desk...

 

 

 

Never mind the groan button. I want a green, jealous button.