Early Risers.

[TheQ]

Mooring awl,  inner Temple Hare, 

4.5hours + 1.5 hour sleep,  I could have done with more,  but Ben the I need out Collie was getting impatient. 

 

It's a clear blue sky out there,  not frosty but very close to,  I'll be keeping the fire going for a bit longer yet. 

 

Today will be a brownie points earning day,  we came up with the idea,  of decking board shelving on the outside of the gardening shed now occupied with potted strawberry plants..  Today I'll build some more on one side of the garage,  which will help unify the look of the garden. Eventually the boat shed will get moved to its final position and get the same treatment. 

 

I'm trying to work out how to build and install the rotating cabin on the floor below the radar aerial . On the real thing the motors are on the top floor of the supporting framework and the cabin hangs from the aerial.  The model has to have the motor beneath the building.  Also on the real thing the radar transmitter and receiver are in the building beneath but a waveguide rotating joint in the building roof,  goes all the way up through the cabin before heading out to the horns on the aerial .

I'll imitate the wave guide with the drive shaft.. 

 

This is a picture of inside the cabin.  I spent many hours in there every six months checking aerial  alignment. A box with 16 little light bulbs was plugged into one of those small Drums on the take off ring. It showed a Grey code pattern 0000,0000,0000,0000 being due North. ( the tall drum on left of picture) 

One man would be in there peering at the box and adjusting the three units inside the drum, the partner in crime was up on top of the aerial peering through the fixed telescope.  Telling the man below when to Stop winding the aerial by hand at certain points.  If you missed you had to go round again due to backlash in the system. 

The points for Neatishead were a power station chimney  20 miles away,  the edge of  a church tower and the point of a cover on an old windmill. 

It was accurate to 2.164 minutes of arc.. 

 

Now I've bored you time for a Muggacoffee.. 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by TheQ

[polybear]

8 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

The return address wasn't 10 Downing Street.  I wasn't sure where else to send it.  

 

 

 

I came across a copy of letter my Uncle had sent to No. 10, regarding parking (this being a real red rag to my Uncle - "It costs enough to run a car, without having to bloody well pay to stop it!").  I believe Tony Blair was the main man at the time.

Part of it went like this:

 

"Please pass on my regards to John Prescott - you know him, don't you?  He's the one with two Jags.

And his father.  If he has one...."

 

I laughed so much I nearly p1ssed myself.

And yes, he did get a reply - although not from Tony.  I have a copy somewhere.

[5 C]

Morning awl,

 

All the talk of retirement reminds me that yesterday should have been the last day in my current contract. Circumstances have dictated I'll be there for a bit longer which is most welcome on the muddling tokens front. Quite how much longer I don't know. It's all a bit open ended with a week's notice which suits me fine. The work, which was already fascinating, has really moved up a gear in the last few weeks and I can't quite believe I'm working where I am right now.

 

When I started, my plan for the end of the contract was to find myself a remote cottage in somewhere like South Hipposhire and wind down by isolating for a week. The thought of isolation is rather less appealing right now, although the desire to enjoy some beautiful, open countryside at the height of Spring remains. That, coupled with a trip or two behind something vapour powered running on parallel strips of metal in that area would have been the perfect break. Soon, hopefully.

 

This weekend I have the stack of ironing I created last weekend to tackle, alongside tinkering with various unmentionables. I realised late yesterday afternoon that I hadn't stepped outside my house since last weekend, so some exercise and a vitamin D top up are required.

 

Proper breakfast ingredients?

 

I'll just leave this here.

 

Staffordshire Oatcakes.

 

Regards to awl.

[TheQ]

9 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

 

To be provocative, I would claim that this is the natural and inevitable result of the combination of trying to extract as much money as possible from a business with the customer’s insistence of buying everything at the lowest possible price. Everything you do to produce something has a cost, and this includes rodent control. So, minimise rodent control and you make a few more pennies in savings on production costs and the customer gets a product which is a few pennies cheaper. “Elitist” demands such as quality and hygiene being the province of the more expensive item and the customer who is prepared to pay for what he or sHe gets. 

Actually as IiRC Bill Bryson , explained,  it's a function of government law,  in the USA when food standards law was framed it allowed a small percentage as there was no way then of keeping it out. 

The American laws on that have never been revised,  and with the orange one are not likely to be.  In the UK and Europe the laws have been steadily tightened.

 

You could of course argue the USA's governmental system , means the manufacturers have got too much influence,  and stopped any revisions. 

 

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Another Saturday, another no cricket day. Never mind next year will be here soon enough.

 

For some reason the lockdown seems to have speeded up time. While I am fonally getting stuff sorted the days are not long enough.

 

Blue skies outside at the moment. Her indoors has set the washing machine going so looks like today could be our tidy up the house da

 

Enjoy wharever your day beings you..but grab the day and get it sorted!

Bazy

[Happy Hippo]

9 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Will they pay me?

On your bike!

 

They won't pay me  despite my having a world wide reputation for extremely high quality and immense quantity in that department.

[Andrew P]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

It sounds, dear fellow, that you too suffer from severe GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Whilst my guitar playing is - at best - adequate, I have been unfortunate enough (in Mrs iD’s eyes) to not only suffer from VERY severe GAS but also have the wherewithal to treat my GAS. Over the years I have accumulated a lot of guitars and there are only a few types that I don’t have: a PRS 24, a Dobro/Resonator guitar and a double-neck guitar. Strangely enough, whilst I have had “the Joneses” for Gibson and Fender, Gretsch, Rickenbacker and Martin have never appealed (nor have, for that matter, the big body Jazz friendly guitars from Gibson).  What, in recent years, has been both a revelation, and – in the eyes of Mrs ID – a curse, are the house brands from Gear4Music and Thomman.  Their very high quality for the price “inspired by“ (i.e. copy of) Stratocasters, Telecasters, Les Pauls, PRSs, etc. allow one to try out a particular guitar type before shelling out the big bucks to get the real deal.  I recently bought a house brand thin line nylon electroacoustic guitar, which after an inexpensive set up plays beautifully. The on-board electronics are a bit ”bleh”, but will be relatively in expensive to upgrade.  Currently I am toying with the idea of getting the Thomman Harley Benton PRS clone to see if it is the sort of guitar I would get on with

 

Cheers

 

iD

Been down that route, (to many times), and I've found over the years that some of the none, main brands are made in the same Factories as some mainstream stuff, so they know how to put them together and set them up.

My Benson Bass is a case in point, it plays as good as my Squire PJ Bass, and the Classic Vibe 60's Jazz Bass, and out of the Box needed no setting up, just tuning, and that was £120 through their E-Bay Shop, inc Gig Bag, Strap, Lead, tools and some Plectrums PLUS FREE Delivery, and it's more than good enough to Gig with.

I've now also been looking at their Benson 335 in Burgundy Wine Red on E -Bay. Gear 4 Music also do a nice looking 335, and the woods used and the hardware all look impressive, as does the price.

I've had an Aria PRS copy years ago, and that was nice, but very heavy, but the best of those was the Aria 335 BB King TA40, in Black that was really nice.

 

My GAS has suddenly got a lot worse, since I was told were putting the Band back together. The Strat is purely for home, but I'm a sucker for the Hank Strat so it had to be had. Even at £349 it's not the dearest of the Squire range, but it does have the American Alnico Pick ups.

 

You mentioned the big body Jazz Gibsons, and my very first Guitar was a second hand £25 Hofner New President, from Courtney and Walkers in Portsmouth, but as a tiny skinny (yes I know that's hard to believe now when you look at me) 15 year old, I couldn't get my arms around it properly, so I gave up Guitars, and turned to Motor Cycle Trials and Scrambling for a few years.

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Andrew P

[Ozexpatriate]

54 minutes ago, TheQ said:

... in the USA when food standards law was framed it allowed a small percentage as there was no way then of keeping it out. 

The history of the original US food safety laws is surprisingly interesting. Recently a documentary aired on public television entitled:  The Poison Squad: THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEY WERE EATING.

 

It focused on Dr. Harvey Wiley, a tenacious, turn of the century chemist, and his experiments where he fed government employees (who volunteered) increasing doses of chemicals found in processed food at the time. He experienced a great deal of effective political opposition from the Guilded Age Robber Barons who owned the food processing companies. Back then processed food included such additives as formaldehyde (in milk), copper sulphate (in tinned beans to make them look green) borax (in butter), sulfites, and salicylates. 

 

The demand for processed food had been driven by the exponential increase in urbanism in the US caused by industrialization during the Gilded Age.

 

Ultimately he found an ally in President Teddy Roosevelt who remembered the revolting tinned 'beef' supplied to soldiers during the Spanish American War and the contemporaneous publication in 1906 of Upton Sinclair's ground-shaking book "The Jungle" about conditions in Chicago abattoirs (aka slaughterhouses in the US). 

 

Wiley's work led to the Pure Food Act and creation of the Food and Drug (and insecticide) Administration in 1906.

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[leopardml2341]

Morning folks, sorry, I forgot to 'sign out' last night was a bit frazzled.

 

The mention of Cadbury 'chocolate' always promote this reaction from me:

 

"It's not proper chocolate" so it doesn't matter (to me) what they do to it; starts out c@rp, ends up c@rp.

 

Kippers, I like them, they don't like me - everyone else suffers

 

This may sound odd, but my preference is kippers and poached eggs on a bed of wilted spinach with crunchy granary toast and a BIG mug of steaming hot tea from a certain company in Harrogate.

 

I treat myself occasionally, then wonder why I didn't learn from the last time.

 

Plenty of self inflicted domestics to do today and tomorrow, mostly outside, forecast is amenable to digging and building in garden; dry and not too warm to be uncomfortable. Later may see some indirect muddling being done and then I have a bottle each of Wychwood Firecatcher, Honest Graft (a Martson's brand) IPA and Mws Pws (Purple Moose) Chocolate Stout to look forward to. The Stout might be saved though, it's my last bottle.

 

Stay safe, stay well and make the most of the day.

Edited May 2, 2020 by leopardml2341
'chocolate'

[polybear]

Just reading up on how to to a DIY home haircut......

I've a feeling I'm gonna regret this.

[Happy Hippo]

 

The last few days I've been out cycling, but didn't seem to have any energy.

 

The MAMILs were all sweeping past me.

 

Then I took comfort from this: 

 

 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Lovely sunny start here and it should stay that way.

Another Shed day is on the cards.

All this talk of guitars made me get one of mine out of hiding. It's a Tanglewood Earth 1000 acoustic with a lovely tone. Unfortunately I've not tried playing for a very long time and the touch of Arthritis in my fingers, particularly my left hand made it rather difficult. Not being a great player anyway doesn't help but I shall persevere. Next up will be the electric which will be easier on the hands. That's a Yamaha Pacifica which I "play" through a Marshall Valvestate 60watt Hybrid Amp. Somewhat overkill for domestic use but it would be my first line of defence attack against noisy neighbours - if I had any! I've also got an Aria 12 string Acoustic which I've had the longest, I bought it in the 70s. I've had the others for over 20 years but as I said they haven't been touched for years.

Once again we have a Sainsbury's delivery to look forward to and I've already managed to get a slot for next Saturday. Just waiting for the email that will tell me what's been substituted and what we're not getting.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by grandadbob

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Up until two this morning trying to catch up on Farcebook then my eyelids demanded inspection.

1 hour ago, Barry O said:

 

 

For some reason the lockdown seems to have speeded up time. While I am fonally getting stuff sorted the days are not long enough.

 

 

Think of it as practice for retirement, its always like that when you're retired.

 

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

 However, I was told, once the courier managed to screw up and turned up with an 18 wheeler loaded with stool samples from all over the country just after the lab had shut up shop and there was nobody to take in the samples and put them in refrigerated storage. To make a long story short, the stool samples were left in an unrefrigerated trailer over a hot summer weekend. Biology being biology, the gut bacteria in the samples happily multiplied, produced methane and sometime on the Sunday there was an almighty explosion of faecal matter. Apparently they were hosing down the reception area of the laboratory building for weeks afterwards.

 

Cheers

 

iD

I bet that caused a stink.

56 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

On your bike!

 

They won't pay me  despite my having a world wide reputation for extremely high quality and immense quantity in that department.

Its the word 'bull' in front of it.

[Andrew P]

1 minute ago, grandadbob said:

Good morning all,

Lovely sunny start here and it should stay that way.

Another Shed day is on the cards.

All this talk of guitars made me get one of mine out of hiding. It's a Tanglewood Earth 1000 acoustic with a lovely tone. Unfortunately I've not tried playing for a very long time and the touch of Arthritis in my fingers, particularly my left hand made it rather difficult. Not being a great player anyway doesn't help but I shall persevere. Next up will be the electric which will be easier on the hands. That's a Yamaha Pacifica which I "play"! through a Marshall Valvestate 60watt Hybrid Amp. Somewhat overkill for domestic use but it would be my first line of defence attack against noisy neighbours - if I had any! I've also got an Aria 12 string Acoustic which I've had the longest, I bought it in the 70s. I've had the others for over 20 years but as I said they haven't been touched for years.

Once again we have a Sainsbury's delivery to look forward to and I've already managed to get a slot for next Saturday. Just waiting for the email that will tell me what's been substituted and what we're not getting.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

The Yamaha Pacifica is a nice Guitar Bob, a mate of mine had one, and it played and sounded really good, and the Marshall a loud punchy Amp, I know, I've had one, superb. Definitely one to sort out the neighbours, and those in the next street as well I should think.

I've never owned a 12 string, I can manage 4 on a bass, struggle with 6 a bit nowadays, on a normal and that's about my lot.

 

Stay safe.

 

[jamie92208]

All this talk of fecal matter reminds me of a tale told by a friend who was a face worker down the pit. When the face advanced they would leave their lunch tins in the 'gate' which were the access tunnels either side of the face. Obviously there were no loos down below so such matters werecattended to in the mined area between the gates, known as 'the gob'.  Tom's team found that when a certain deputy was working, sanwiches were going missing from their snap tins. One man decided to sort the matter and one day took two slices of bread down with him. Nature called so he retired the the gob with the bread and made a 'sandwich' which was then put back in a snap tin.  For some reason they never had any more snap go missing.  On that lovely note I will widh you all good moaning.

 

Jamie

[AndrewC]

moaning all from the boring borough. 

 

Elder cat isn't doing too well. He is 16 and we found out the other day that his kidneys are failing. Off today to pick up a urine collection kit from the vet. Either I do it, or they do it via an overnight stay and catheter. I think I know which one Tiggr will prefer. Prognosis all depends on the weee testing. Drugs and fluids may keep him going and comfortable for a couple of years, or he may be gone in a week. He has lost a lot of weight. He used to be 10kg. A bloody big cat. Now he is around 6kg. 

 

Today I shall also be picking up some flour and a sourdough starter. (must not mix up my errands) 

 

On matters fecal, I see McDonalds and Burger King are set to start reopening for delivery. 

 

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

55 minutes ago, leopardml2341 said:

 

 

Kippers, I like them, they don't like me - everyone else suffers

 

 

 

Kippers like me. They stay around all day.

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, and a belated HB to KZ - hope you had a great one, Chief.

 

iD, kipper pate is indeed a delicacy, which can be found in several eateries on the rock - mostly little home-spun places.

 

As for the inevitable indigestion, eating something very sweet afterwards (or with - one local custom is marmalade ON them.....not tried that) kippers sorts that, but diabetes has stopped that! 

 

I also have to warm our kippers outside, due to the lingering aroma, you don't need to 'cook'them of course.  The gas barbie comes in handy for that purpose, I prefer the real charcoal thing for cooking meat.

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, Andrew P said:

... I've found over the years that some of the none, main brands are made in the same Factories as some mainstream stuff, so they know how to put them together and set them up.... My GAS has suddenly got a lot worse, since I was told were putting the Band back together.

I’ve been very lucky inasmuch as being a well paid Dinky (Dual Income, No Kids). I have really been able to treat my GAS (alas, it is only temporary relief). I have two custom shop guitars: The David Gilmour Black Strat (I sold a wine red Gibson Les Paul to pay for this guitar. I regret selling the LP, but I absolutely love the DG Strat - worth every penny) and the Gibson Pete Townshend Gibson SG special with the wraparound bridge (a guitar I very rarely get out and will probably sell in the next few months [see below]). Another guitar that may get sold off is my very first “serious” guitar after the Epi Les Paul - the Epiphone Sheraton II Pro in Ebony with Gold Hardware, further upgraded with Seymour Duncan pickups. Again, rarely used.  I also have a Fender Squier Telecaster, very much a nice player. A “70’s Tribute” Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (not happy with the pickups, but I like the neck), plus the usual 6-string (Yamaha Compass Edition), 12-string, thinline Nylon electroacoustic, Bowl-back electroacoustic, Lap steel and a bass.

Although I am lusting after the Harley Benton PRS clone in emerald, I’ll probably not get it. My next purchase will be the HIWATT Little Rig D 20/0.2 W head and replica WEM cabinet. My Roland Cube 30 is ageing and I have finally been convinced to switch from solid state to valve amp. But the HIWATT is very expensive, so the SG and Sheraton will probably go

Despite a reasonable collection, I find myself playing just 3 electrics - the DG Strat, the Tele and the LP Goldtop (although it is nice to have the SG and the Sheraton in case I have an Angus Young or John Lee Hooker moment)

46 minutes ago, polybear said:

Just reading up on how to to a DIY home haircut......

I've a feeling I'm gonna regret this.

Oh, I don’t know. A quick close cropping with the hair clippers will do the trick and if the result is not pleasing, then what the hell, it’ll grow back.

Upon reflection, a close cropping might not suit you. Depending upon your body type and facial features, a close crop may make you look either like a weedy, artistic, intellectual or a beefy, scary, bruiser. Not necessarily what you’d want (unless you are looking for such an effect)

34 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

..Unfortunately I've not tried playing for a very long time and the touch of Arthritis in my fingers, particularly my left hand made it rather difficult. Not being a great player anyway doesn't help but I shall persevere...

My arthrosis is a nasty and I’ve already gone down the two steel knees route... However, although Mr Arthrosis is frequent visitor to my hands, I find that some gentle guitar exercises (as one would do when warming up) help me tremendously, eases the discomfort and stiffness which means I can then go on to enjoy my playing. Mind you, my playing tends toward the Dave Gilmour end of the spectrum when it comes to speed, I’m not sure if such exercises would prepare me well enough to shred.

 

Cheers

 

iD

[Kingzance]

Good morning all from a generally sunny NEHerts. Firstly, thank you for all the birthday wishes, I am sure I write that on behalf of little Emily too - but she’s only one and struggles with her iPad at the moment . It was a strange day, no opportunity to go out and celebrate but I was pleased that my daughter and eldest granddaughter made the effort to bring a small chocolate cake and a bottle of gin for me. The chocolate cake was duly cut and SWMBO and I both had slices. The rest, quite rightly, disappeared with them to feed their household. My rump steak was very good, as was the bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape - probably too good! Last night’s nightcap was something from the oldest registered distillery in the USA, Lynchburg to be precise. of course it is perfectly drinkable but to my mind lacks a certain something that I find in my preferred uisges.

 

Re the faecal test kits, is this another way our insidious state exerts control? After all, it is possible to extract DNA samples from such matter and those of us who take part (I almost wrote partake) in those tests provide our names, addresses, DoBs and an indication of our menus over a period of time to The Programme. Shipyards were also a place where Not So Little Richards could appear in dark corners. There is a tale I can tell regarding an Italian dry docking experience but it’s a little early in the day to upset readers’ delicate feelings. I love kippers, she doesn’t! I buy whole Crasters from my fresh fish man and would love to get on a kipper taste panel. My kippers are carefully cooked on an aluminium tray in the barbecue - no household odours you see. And breakfasts, well I love a good one as much as the next man but as part of the “I must get into those clothes again” plan, a large food intake is no longer permitted but hell, I miss it. When we escape from our incarceration, a decent holiday breakfast will be high on the agenda.

 

What is on the cards for today? Well, SWMBO is just rising so I will know later. I think a walk will be in order, as will be some online shopping for refreshments. We will need to decide on the contents of our Waitrose delivery, or the bits that we would like rather than what they will deign to provide to us, scheduled for Thursday. My knees are only complaining a little so I may give them a further bashing and complete the replacement of some electric string - I look forward to that as it will mean less working in uncomfortable positions and spur me to greater unmentionable things. 
 

We are hearing of more and more friends and acquaintances who have sadly been taken from us either directly or indirectly through this virus. It certainly will be a time for re-evaluating what are our priorities in the future. Otherwise, otherwise, seize it, seize it.

Edited May 2, 2020 by Kingzance
Insert a little Richard!

[Chris116]

SWMBO asks me every evening to wake her up at 9.30am but come the morning says she wants an extra 30 minutes sleep so when I arrive with her mug of coffee at 10am she complains about me waking her up too early. Then I ask her what she would like for breakfast she asks for me to wait for half an hour and then once we have eaten it becomes my fault that we have not done anything before midday! Hopefully she will allow me to get breakfast soon as I am starving. You have to love female logic, as they call it. 

[Joseph_Pestell]

4 minutes ago, Chris116 said:

SWMBO asks me every evening to wake her up at 9.30am but come the morning says she wants an extra 30 minutes sleep so when I arrive with her mug of coffee at 10am she complains about me waking her up too early. Then I ask her what she would like for breakfast she asks for me to wait for half an hour and then once we have eaten it becomes my fault that we have not done anything before midday! Hopefully she will allow me to get breakfast soon as I am starving. You have to love female logic, as they call it. 

This sounds familiar! I learned to have my own breakfast before waking her.

[Simon G]

10 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I don’t like kippers. 

 

I'll have yours!

[Sir TophamHatt]

What a lovely day so far.

While I'd like this sunshine to last, I guess it won't.  The good lady needs to get out of the house today so we may go for a walk whatever happens!

 

Get to work from home for two days next week.

Not sure how I'm going to be able to sell train tickets from home, but hey - I'm not complaining!

 

Perfect time to fit out a bunch of coaches with lights, although my layout can only have three in an HST rake.  I have space to store two more coaches in the same box so maybe I'll fit them all and run a longer train - a treat!

Edited May 2, 2020 by Sir TophamHatt

[Happy Hippo]

I have just made some bread rolls which are now in the oven.  They will form part of our Saturday lunchtime bacon extravaganza.

 

The Obergrumpenfuher is making lilac cordial.  I'm not sure which extravaganza that will be a part of.