Early Risers.

[Andrew P]

22 minutes ago, Kingzance said:

Good morning awl,

 

Today sees not just Jamie92208's Emily completing an orbit of our own star but I have similarly been occupied in carefully observing that celestial body and am now back at the point where I started. I can report that, apart from expanding a little, it's still much the same - HOT, I tell you, HOT! I also have to admit that celebrations of my minor achievement in continuing to exhibit signs of life are notably less this year than was the case some 366 days ago but the daily count of pills required to keep me here and annoying other global citizens has risen. I look forward to a fun-filled day of massive excitement - well, at my age one doesn't want / need too much of that and certainly I shall not be partaking in any of the Outdoor Sex mentioned earlier - the bits are hiding from the chill wind and I need loadsa notice too! Nor shall I be shaken a leg with bells on at any nearby public grass space / monument either, but good luck to Chris_F.

 

Many years ago, I signed the OFA to be allowed access into - oh, I don't remember, must be an age thing .

 

As those who have retired will attest, proper breakfasts are a delight but we more mature persons must balance the delights of "one moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips" with the rate of wear on knee joints. Chocolate biscuits and cake are sadly a rather limited commodity in this household too - party because SWMBO annexes such biscuits and places them in her "secret squirrel" store, never to be found by her slave. Polybear beware!

 

It is cool, dry underfoot and there are occasional glimpses of sun through much cloud. The day will bring - who knows. The day's plans are to continue to rewire the reverse loops with confusing identical wire colours as only 2/3rds got done yesterday (protesting knees and a Mink D got in the way if you must know), to open a decent bottle of alcoholic red juice (Morgon? CdP? St Emilion?) ahead of barely cooking a nice bit of rump to go with a few Jersey Royals later, perhaps I shall order some more Uisge as toasting Captain Tom saw off the last of the Highland Park post clap and during the Camera Club meeting last night and to try out a new flash that SWMBO generously ordered to my specification in celebration of the day.

Onwards, upwards and time to Baz it!

Happy Birthday, Hope you have a good day.

[grandadbob]

Many Happy Returns KZ. Have a great day! 

Edited May 1, 2020 by grandadbob

[Tony_S]

Happy birthday, KZ .

Tony

 

[tigerburnie]

Blimey there's a lot gone on since I've come back from the greenhouse...………..

firstly Happy Birthday KZ

OSA.when I signed up for my apprenticeship with the AEI in Leicester I had to sign documents prior to signing as we made marine radar and naval defence stuff(ban the bomb mob used to picket on Saturday mornings), well it came to where my Dad was born...….Moscow(his parents were evacuated there during WW2)…..so I had to wait two weeks till we got clearance so I could start work, ( Brother has a similar problem when he joined the Royal Artillery).

Breakfasts...………...when in "Molly Gunnings" in Stonehaven many moons ago I asked for a large breakfast, "would you like the Glasgow one" she said...………….?????...………"Yes please"(not knowing what it was exactly). There in the centre of a large oval serving dish, surrounded by baked beans(yes I know), tattie scone, black pudding, eggs, bacon, toast and fried bread ………………….was a great chunk of CAKE, fruit cake to be precise, but apparently it was clootie dumpling. I ate all the fired stuff first then had the bean soaked cake for afters...…….very nice it was too.

Best breakfast however was in Tenerife, where the above was served...……….minus the clootie dumpling...…………………..but with a pint of beer...…..a mans breakfast I was told..hic………...

[Erichill16]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Let's see now....change the bed, do the washing, clean the laminate floor in the railway room/bearcave/workshop.....

I hope retirement gets better....

 

 

Oh, please....

So did I!

[Dave Hunt]

Breakfast - bacon, sausage, eggs, tomatoes, fried slice all excellent. Pudding (black, white or any other colour) yuk. Beans, mushrooms, hash browns etc. unnecessary. For perfection should be preceded by grapefruit and orange juice and succeeded by brown toast and thick cut marmalade, the whole lot washed down by lashings of coffee. I can feel my arteries hardening just thinking about it.

 

Official secrets - my RAF job required what was called positive vetting that involved me and several referees being interviewed by gentlemen in dark suits unaccompanied by anything resembling a sense of humour. While the process was ongoing I was at Mum & Dad's house on leave and went with Dad for a beer. The landlady welcomed me and then asked if I was in trouble with the law. Somewhat surprised I said no, why did she ask. "Well," she said, "A few days ago there were two men in here asking about you and they looked like policemen." Big brother was alive and well after all....

 

Back in the 90s we got secure, encrypted radios called Havquick fitted in our aircraft. To use them required a course almost as long as that needed to learn how to fly the bl**dy aeroplane and they were the biggest PITA I think I've ever come across. Thankfully we didn't have to use them for day to day stuff and eventually they were superseded. A friend used to describe using the system as 'Havquick wrestling'.

 

Enjoy Friday people and get your May off to a good start. I'm off to carpe it now.l

 

And all the best to KZ.

 

Dave

Edited May 1, 2020 by Dave Hunt

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, Barry O said:

Breakast should also include kidneys (lamb or pig are acceptable)....

Sir! You are indeed a Scholar and A Gentleman! Devilled Kidney are indeed a joyous addition to the breakfast table. As are, for that matter, Kedgeree, a cold chop or two, a slice of cold roast beef or bone marrow on hot toast.

8 minutes ago, Kingzance said:

...proper breakfasts are a delight but we more mature persons must balance the delights of "one moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips" with the rate of wear on knee joints...

Some claim, as did my Uncle, that the culprit is not the diet but the lifestyle. At the time Glasgow was considered "The Heart Attack Capital of Europe" (or words to that effect), my Uncle - a well read and erudite fellow - claimed that the reason for this being that although the lifestyles of most Glaswegians had changed since Victorian times (i.e. heated housing, affordable/personal transport, office work replacing manual work, etc) their diet had not. So, my Uncle claimed, a Glaswegian doing manual work in a shipyard, living on an upper floor of an unheated tenement, walking or cycling nearly everywhere could easily "burn off" a carbohydrate and fat rich breakfast, not so a "cossetted office worker".

 

There is much to be said in favour of the old adage "breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dine like a pauper". If you know what goes in during one meal, you can counterbalnce this by carefully choosing what goes in the next meal (for example, when I am in Britain and I have a "Full English" for breakfast, lunch might just be an apple or a yoghurt...)

[Happy Hippo]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

Of course if someone has signed the OSA they are never to tell anyone that they have done so....apparently...can't confirm or deny it ..if you get my drift.

 

Current wait for a prescription from our Surgey is 7 to 10 days. I wonder what our GPs are doing? Without seeing patients they can get back to you by phone within 12 hours of you ringing them. Hopefully once this is all over people who overload the NHS in Doctors Surgeries and A&E normally will stay well clear of them. 

 

Now , drink mugatea time then...watch out Friday I am coming to sort you out! 

 

Have a good day everyone and stay safe!

 

Baz

The OSA is nothing!  It's just a blanket document, but once you start getting enhanced security clearances, there are much bigger implications.

 

For instance, we were not allowed to take certain civilian flights because they overflew certain nations.  Even when we flew by military transport the flight had to be routed so that any emergency diversion would land us in 'safe' territory. 

 

When I left the Army way back in 1994, I was presented with a list of counties to which I was not to visit without permission.  Even after all this time there are still some countries to which I would be advised against entering. (no great loss there as they are s**tholes).

 

 

[Sir TophamHatt]

A promising start to the day with sun shine all over the place.

Alas, it is not to last according to the local weather lady.

 

Disappointing that if I amend my Asda order, it'll take off 4 things I've added.

Don't amend, I miss out on the extra items I could do with.

 

However, discovering My Family again from the Beeb.  On Series 3 now.  Didn't realise there was a whopping 11!

[Chris116]

9 hours ago, pH said:

Australian Timtam = UK Penguin (without the silver paper wrapper). Discuss.

Why waste time discussing when it is much better to just eat them? 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

A sunny start to the day, but we had some heavy rain during the night which woke me up. We also had some a®$ehole ring up withholding their number, 4 times in succession, I didn't answer them, but again they woke me up. I'm thinking of getting myself a whistle and answering the phone nextime. 

 

Time for clearing the gutter, then I'm off to the workshop. 

 

Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later. 

Edited May 1, 2020 by BSW01

[bbishop]

So I signed whatever I signed, four times - and I still have one copy somewhere.  Three summer jobs and then employment with the Post Office.

 

I'm not needed yesterday or today.  I sign that things are quietening down before the second spike.

 

Bill

[tigerburnie]

1 hour ago, tigerburnie said:

Blimey there's a lot gone on since I've come back from the greenhouse...………..

firstly Happy Birthday KZ

OSA.when I signed up for my apprenticeship with the AEI in Leicester I had to sign documents prior to signing as we made marine radar and naval defence stuff(ban the bomb mob used to picket on Saturday mornings), well it came to where my Dad was born...….Moscow(his parents were evacuated there during WW1)…..so I had to wait two weeks till we got clearance so I could start work, ( Brother has a similar problem when he joined the Royal Artillery).

Breakfasts...………...when in "Molly Gunnings" in Stonehaven many moons ago I asked for a large breakfast, "would you like the Glasgow one" she said...………….?????...………"Yes please"(not knowing what it was exactly). There in the centre of a large oval serving dish, surrounded by baked beans(yes I know), tattie scone, black pudding, eggs, bacon, toast and fried bread ………………….was a great chunk of CAKE, fruit cake to be precise, but apparently it was clootie dumpling. I ate all the fired stuff first then had the bean soaked cake for afters...…….very nice it was too.

Best breakfast however was in Tenerife, where the above was served...……….minus the clootie dumpling...…………………..but with a pint of beer...…..a mans breakfast I was told..hic………...

I forgot the sausages, can't have breakfast without bangers

Edited May 1, 2020 by tigerburnie

[chrisf]

Greetings again one and all, or hello hello I'm back again.  Eek!  Was that Gary Glitter?  If so, forget I said it.

 

Boris will not like what I did this morning and to be honest I don't much care.  I drove ten non-essential miles each way to have a brief encounter with the three friends that I meet every year on May Day.  As I drove past the pub where solid and liquid breakfast is served on that one day a year it was a blaze of light, and at 4.45 am too: odd for a place to whose front door is affixed a a placard reading "Closed until further notice".  Gradually followers of Hemlock Morris gathered by the monument.  I have no idea why for I was not expecting any dancers and none appeared.  Eventually we all dispersed and I went home to a breakfast majoring on one of those tins of beans and sausages that I found it so difficult to obtain earlier in the crisis.  Sorry, Flavio.  I will reflect more on your breakfast blueprint before tomorrow morning.

 

Until yesterday afternoon I had nurtured the notion that I might yet get to Dublin for the postponed Pride.  Oh no I won't, for it has now been cancelled.  Instead there is to be a virtual Pride on 27th  June.  This I must see.  I have ticked the necessary boxes which should result in my being kept informed of what is supposed to happen.  Talking of being kept informed of what is supposed to happen, the borough council has reduced the frequency of green bin collections.  Fancy thinking that putting it on the webshite is good enough to let everybody know.

 

Nearly forgot: happy birthday to Kingzance.  Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[petethemole]

Beltane blessings to all ERs (or Happy May Day).  Happy Birthday to Kingzance. Happy retirement to Polybear.

 

I signed the OSA document several times in my younger days; for the Xmas post at 16, for a temporary job at the DHSS at 18, again when joining the Board of Trade shortly after, and when employed on an archaeological dig by the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works.  So I can't tell you what was found.... Nor can I reveal what my Dad told me about a WW2 military operation that didn't go well.

 

I hope Chris's attendance at Ampthill for dawn was successful.  Some Morris dancers I know have been dancing in their various gardens.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Many happy returns KZ. I'm with Flavio with regards baked beans for breakfast, or for any other meal for that matter. I'm not that happy with those other new world items either, tomatoes and potatoes in various shape or form for breakfast. Marmalade should have chunks of peal in it, the bigger the better, preferably as big as chips. Not to fazed about it on toast, my preference is on a doorstep of brown bread without any butter or margerine. The best thing on (hot) toast is beef dripping, with plenty of the jelly. As I mentioned tomatoes and potatoes were unknown in the Old World until after the discovery of the Americas. That didn't stop the author of one historical novel having the emperor Nero eating a tomato. I can't now remember the title of the novel or the author which perhaps is not surprising.

9 hours ago, newbryford said:

 

Why don't polar bears eat penguins?

 

Because they can't get the wrapper off..............

Pedant mode on. Because there's to much distance between them (Arctic and Antarctic). 

2 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Morning all.

I don’t think I know any official secrets. 
Tony

I'm more interested in the unofficial ones. 

[Tony_S]

8 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

9 hours ago, newbryford said:

Because they can't get the wrapper off..............

Pedant mode on. Because there's to much distance between them (Arctic and Antarctic). 

My first conversation with a Canadian was about penguins. She was an exchange teacher when I was in second year junior school. She was talking about Canadian wildlife and mentioned penguins. I innocently announced that perhaps in a zoo but not in the wild. She shouted at me for being rude, how dare I contradict her about her own country etc.

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

When I left the Army way back in 1994, I was presented with a list of counties to which I was not to visit without permission.  Even after all this time there are still some countries to which I would be advised against entering. (no great loss there as they are s**tholes).

 

 

I presume that those are the ones that would fail Mike Gatting's Mother in Law test.

 

Jamie

[TheQ]

I remember the big gloomy hangers at AEI,  having been there for the odd visit,  I'm glad I didn't work there.  I didn't however make it to Molly Gunnings it was a force 10 we were hiding from in Stonehaven's harbour, we never made it past the pub.. 

 

Of course penguin is from the Welsh word meaning the Great Auk, Pen Gwyn,  but I don't think that teacher was old enough to remember them even though they were native to the UK and Canada they were last seen in 1852.

 

That you can't go there list,  has been in existence with variations since at least ww2 some of the countries I was shown no longer exist. 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Hmm, posted earlier but it seems to have vapourised.  Sums up its contents really!

 

Going to have to nip into work to do something I forgot yesterday I was so busy with another task.  Knickers, I hate having to go in on my day off!

[southern42]

' morning all from red dragon land.

 

HAPPY MAYDAY to all ( the traditional Mayday that is!)  Hope you have all got your Maypoles set for social distance Maypole Dancing...

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KZ and have a great day.

 

Our family calendar photos for APRIL, which I created for the kids in their various locations, had one granddaughter sitting in a yellow car, and the other with her head through the hole of a big yellow sunflower on standup board with the added words:

You are may SUNSHINE!

 

Today, turn the page to MAY, and one of the granddaughters is up under the umbrella with her other Grandma (at the zoo) and the words:

I'm singing in the RAIN!

 

I got that one right then!  After all the glorious weather we have had, I am delighted to have the garden watered by Mother Nature this month!

 

Even so, the overcast and wet weather yesterday dampened my spirit a bit.  I was also waiting for Ray to bring back the scissors from the shed so I could cut up a piece of cloth from an old t-shirt to oil the old fife and, more especially, the new fife so that I could try it out.  And when I did, wow, I was not expecting such a rich sound for such a high instrument.  I was expecting a pretty good sound because of Instrument descriptions and also from a few YouTube videos, which are not the best sound sources, anyway, but when you hear and feel the sound, and I do not pretend to be other than a mediocre player, you know you have a good one!  So, the excitement did me the world of good.  First tune?  Brian Boru's March...

but not to this standard!  I wish!  Just goes to show what you can do with a tube of timber!

 

 

Fitt  and   Elfie inspired.

 

Play safe.

_________

Best wishes

Polly 

 

[Barry O]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

The OSA is nothing!  It's just a blanket document, but once you start getting enhanced security clearances, there are much bigger implications.

 

For instance, we were not allowed to take certain civilian flights because they overflew certain nations.  Even when we flew by military transport the flight had to be routed so that any emergency diversion would land us in 'safe' territory. 

 

When I left the Army way back in 1994, I was presented with a list of counties to which I was not to visit without permission.  Even after all this time there are still some countries to which I would be advised against entering. (no great loss there as they are s**tholes).

 

 

I have to ask before I go near certain countries. As it's a need to know then I can't comment further. .

Baz

[Coombe Barton]

8 hours ago, TheQ said:

Since then GEC got split up by the directors,  one side effectively went down the pan with the .Com bubble

There was also a bit of missed/incomplete management information where they ignored a whopping loss of one of the divisions. One of my colleagues uses this as a case study for audit.

[Barry O]

Happy Birthday KZ. I hope it is going well!

 

Life can be interesting. Some clown on Farcebook is casting assertions about a large green and black object which fires 120mm rounds at very high velocity.

 

Like my other learned colleagues we have to stay silent as he continues to ramble on. Hopefully the moderator will evict him (or cut him off at the knees!).

Pah!

 

Baz

 

[Gwiwer]

Cala'me Bys Vyken!!!  Onen Hag Oll!!!

 

And for any Padstonians and some other Cornish folk : OSS OSS!!!

 

 

A Happy May Day to one and all.  One - the only one in peacetime - upon which the annual revelries in Padstow have been cancelled, falling victim to something so small yet so large in the global mindset.  

 

Happy Birthday KZ.

 

2 hours ago, chrisf said:

Boris will not like what I did this morning and to be honest I don't much care

Deep in my heart I support that.  We need a break and within the bounds of being careful (a closed car = no viral risk to others) then if needs must then needs must.  The official advice even states that a valid reason for being out is "Visiting family and friends if essential".  For the mental and moral wellbeing of some it may indeed be considered essential to make such trips albeit sparingly for now.

 

There have been many more people through the House of Fun today and not all by any means have obviously been key or construction workers.  There have been numerous drunks and other itinerants who seem to be about because they have nothing constructive to do and are bored.  Police stopped, interviewed and ordered home two hoodie-wearing youths who arrived on a train from Salisbury and were duly returned with £60 apiece added to their day's expenses.  Not ten minutes later we were alerted that the land sheriffs had persons of interest under their control aboard a train from Waterloo and required the police to attend and remove them.  Sheriffs only have limited jurisdiction effectively as security personnel.  Four persons were escorted from railway premises though for what reason specifically I never learned.  Another group of four who were doing anything but social distancing gathered at the far end of a platform, sat down, commenced drinking and smoking and then climbed the fence which is supposed to prevent access to the "live" side on the tracks.  They were swiftly spoken to by a colleague (who I know to be ex-police and was happy enough to take on four at a time) and after a fair measure of abuse shouted at us all they stumbled and fell aboard a train and - I hate to say it out of respect for colleagues and customers alike - became someone else's problem.  

 

I have had reports from Cornwall of a sudden and dramatic increase in road traffic with queues to locate car parking.  Whether these are all locals is for the police to determine and act if they se fit.  Devon & Cornwall police have been doing sterling work in identifying and dealing with those who have no business in the area right now.  

 

And it is the weekend so far as I am concerned.  A Friday which dawned with a stunning rainbow, promising better times ahead, above the Hill of Strawberries as I waited for my train into work. The day has now become a post-luncheonal opportunity to do as I please within the bounds of the garden fence.  No naked Maypole dancing though - It wouldn't breach advice within private property but it may result in excessive shockery and mockery

 

In case anyone notices and asks - the signal which appears to read "wrong road" on the far left is FW94 and is for access to the depot.  It is a curiosity here that trains can depart both platforms in the same direction simultaneously with one heading towards Teddington and the other off to rest its wheels for a while.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by Gwiwer