Early Risers.

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

Whatever happened to Sunday?  I was active in the kitchen and transformed a packet of sauce mix, four rashers of bacon, three chicken breasts, two onions and what may or may not have been 115 grammes of button mushrooms into coq au vin which should have been enough for four days but isn't.  The bottle of red wine, lovingly imported by Tesco from the Antipodes, was consumed all too swiftly.  For once I had an afternoon nap and forgot all about "The Heroes of Telemark" on TV, which I must have seen a dozen times already.  Then came the washing up, oh happy day.  Before all that I had exchanged pleasantries with fellow ERs, some of whom recoiled in horror at the very thought of me wearing pink speedos.  Believe me, I share their horror and have pleasure in reassuring all and sundry that it will never happen.  Now rainbow speedos are another matter!  I also responded to an e-mail from a schoolfellow now domiciled in Peru.  We were not exactly friends at school but he got in touch out of the blue and we converse intermittently.

 

Today is likely to be dull by comparison.  There will be the purposeful stride to a purveyor of lottery tickets for my weekly donation to charity and there will be laundry.  Perhaps there will be m*d*ll*ng.  Maybe I shall venture into the jungle and check for space in the garden waste bin because some redundant nettles are looking for a new home.  I ought to clear space for strawberry plants just in case the rumours that garden centres may reopen soon are true.  After the PM's broadcast last night I think that I am cured of optimism once and for all.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[BoD]

Good morning all

 

This morning should have seen us in a hotel on the banks of Loch Tummel for a few days.  Buggrit all!!

I was going to use the opportunity to take some photos to stitch together for backscenes too.

Ah well........you know what that Scottish fella said about the plans of mice and men.

 

Stay safe, stay well.*

 

*I refuse to say stay alert

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

After the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds overflew cities like New York and Washington

 

 

...And  to think that many people  reckoned  that  the US government is doing nothing to fight the virus....! 

[leopardml2341]

Morning folks, another day in paradise, well at least following yesterday's activities the home office is a bit tidier and cleaner. I also have a better music source almost on stream.

 

Be alert - the country needs lerts. I will say no more about buffoons (sorry lerts).

[Ozexpatriate]

1 minute ago, monkeysarefun said:

...And  to think that many people  reckoned  that  the US government is doing nothing to fight the virus....! 

Not only that, but of course, crowds gathered to watch.

 

[Barry O]

Ey up!

While I slept ok , her indoors didn't  so she is a bit grumpy. But all is not lost as she has brought me a mugatea.

 

 BoD her indoors was supposed to have gone to Scotland on a tour with her Aunt next week..it is rebooked for the same datesish next year.

 

I have always liked being a lert. Love to know which eeediot came up with the new slogan..I have my suspicions!( the give away is how mant time "scientist" was usedin the ramblings).

So..like BoD I suggest we "Stay Safe, Stay at home!"

 

Time to and kick start Monday!

Have as good a dat as you can..hope the missing ERs are well!

Baz

[roundhouse]

10 hours ago, Barry O said:

Sarcasm is dead......

Killed by Covid19??

 

Morning

 

Just been watching the fox dig out the hardcore on the patio that I put in place on Saturday. He was a mere 2M distancing from us in the conservatory. Not sure what he pulled out but looks like back lining material that I wasn't aware was in there.

 

Hopefully my other half can stay working at home as there is no way she can avoid public transport to get to Moorgate  over 20 miles away. I suggested walking or cycling but I can't repeat her response here. We certainly wont be heading to any beach as they are now likely to be wedged at weekends. No point if there are no drinking establishments open. Also just mentioned on TV that people arriving form France on Eurostar wont have to quarantine but Mayor of London just said that they will. However, it does appear that I may well be Ok going out to my favourite locations locally to photo freight. I suppose we will find out more in the next couple of days.

 

4th of July could be a day to celebrate here aswell as across the pond

 

Today I will be in the shed then its food run to Sainsburys.

Edited May 11, 2020 by roundhouse

[jamie92208]

Morning all from the Charente. It's D day here, no not an invasion of Parisians but decorating.  There have been rumblings about US getting the kitchen done forca week or so. I have followed ordersxwith as much grace as I can muster and yestetday all the ornaments, pictures, shelves etc were taken dow, washed wrapped and safely boxed. My assistance with that obviously earned some brownue points as I was able to spend a couple of productive hours in the shed.  Breakfast has now been consumed and it's now time for me to go and fetch the materals from the shed.  TTFN.

 

Jamie

[iL Dottore]

11 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

...And how! A lady friend of mine shared a flat with medics during her student days. I found their "humour" very difficult to live with...

There’s always been “black” or “gallows” humour In the professions that see humans at their worst (medicine, nursing, policing, etc.). As other have said, it’s a coping mechanism, but also - I would argue - a way of sticking two fingers up at mortality (plus a little bit of “whistling past the graveyard”)

For quite a while, I had a human skull sitting on my desk as a paperweight (a plastic teaching model, if you have to ask. I couldn’t afford a real one) Somehow, soon after I met the then future Mrs iD, it got “lost” when we moved in together. So, at the moment, the only anatomical relic that I have is a deer’s scapula. I’m still hankering after a full sized human skeleton (and a full sized Dalek prop) to put in the entrance hall...

Returning to “black humour”, Halloween has taken off in Switzerland as of late (lots of US ex-pats) and last Halloween coincided with the arrival of a whole lamb carcass which I broke down into various joints for the freezer. Mrs iD only just dissuaded me from opening the door to the trick-or-treaters clad in my blood and flesh fragment bespattered Butcher’s Apron, with meat cleaver in hand....

10 hours ago, brianusa said:

Only in America!  In spite of dire warnings about ignoring official advice, a sizable number are protesting.  A bad outcome of this is that some who abide by the law and see the the consequences of ignorance complain to authorities of violations.  This in turn bring threats , some serious, from the violators who seem to have a death wish on themselves and those who disagree with their right to liberty; which means do as they darn well please.  With these well armed individuals who delight in poncing around in their AK47s  and ammo strung around their necks, the smallest error in judgement could bring on a one sided firefight with disastrous consequences...

I would argue that, certainly in the US, COVID-19 has brought out all the nutjobs and extremists (apparently, YouTube alone has uncountable videos of people claiming that “the pandemic is a conspiracy to XXXX” or pushing insane and dangerous nostrums [“inhaling MekPak kills the Corona virus!”])

Having said that, the US has long been home to many apocalyptic end-of-days cults who fervently believe that only by being armed like an Iraqi warlord will they survive...

Despite all their bluster, I wonder if these groups realise how short lived their existence would be if they kicked off and the US government decided (to use the vernacular) to get “medieval on their a**es”?

9 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Waste of good indifferent fizzy beer dropping it.

Paradoxically, there is a lot of very good beer coming from American Micro-brewers. It’s only the huge US brewing giants who are pushing carbonated urine onto punters (and I would imagine the profit made on each can of “Bud” [or other, equally ghastly, so-called “beer”] in many thousandfold the profit made on a microbrewery craft beer)

5 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

That idea was not limited just to 'Nam; it was/is common in almost all wars.

The reverse of the “not invented here” syndrome, everyone else’s equipment is better. Leading to such strange things as Wehrmacht soldiers sometimes preferring captured Sten guns over their MP38s/MP40s (which were, arguably, the better made and performing of the two, but which had the drawback of the magazine being under the body of the gun, not to the side, like the Sten). Sometimes, however, the enemy’s equipment IS better - take the AK47: cheap to make, simple to use, very reliable and can take a lot of abuse and keep on working.

16 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

....And  to think that many people  reckoned  that  the US government is doing nothing to fight the virus....! 

With the current incumbent in the White House doing his bit and with many state Governors doing their best to be nominated “official state nut job” (a bit like the official state bird, but for the ideologically blinkered), the US authorities are in a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation”. I have the nasty suspicion that - for many reasons [mostly political] the lockdowns will be eased prematurely with a very high probability of a far more severe second wave. Then even the most avid COVID-19 denier will have to face reality (or am I being irresponsibly optimistic again? About them facing reality, that is).

On a more pleasant note, today I’ll be turning some elderly white asparagus into a soup for lunch, whilst this evening I shall try, once again, to replicate my late Great Aunt’s amazing bacon and onion suet pudding, served with braised celery (but, alas, unless I’m lucky, it will - once again - be a instant of “close, but no cigar” )
 

Enjoy this grey and dismal Monday as best you can

 

iD

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

A brighter start to the day, but I got up later than planned so it’s only a quick look in before completing the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix. Later today I also have to collect a click and collect order from screwfix. After that I’m not sure what the management have planned. 

 

STAY SAFE, STAY SANE, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later. 

[Sir TophamHatt]

Morning all!

 

£70 spent on a loco today. A good deal, £20 less than the going rate.

 

Consodering I'm not supposed to be spending any money at the moment! Good deal though... 

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

We will be alert for the arrival of our shopping later this morning.

It is windy here and I suspect not that warm . 

Otherwise not a lot is happening here today.

Tony

[Simon G]

I have just been listening to Radio Cumbria, and there were over 100 drivers fined over this last weekend for making unnecessary journeys to the Lake District.  People had driven from London and Essex, only to be turned away by police.  Another driver was trying to get from Edinburgh to Wigan to buy a puppy.  He was turned away by police, but was then stopped again, while making a second attempt.

 

The latest announcement by Boris appears to have caused considerable confusion here.  Both our local MP, who is Boris’s PPS and the Assistant Chief Constable, are seeking clarification on whether yesterday’s message means that these people can now drive to the Lakes.  Both have said that they don’t want people travelling into the Lakes, as it is too soon for such a relaxation of the rules.  

 

By contrast, Nicola Sturgeon has been on TV, and is crystal clear in her message that there will be no relaxation in Scotland yet.  I think Boris needs to learn from her!

 

There will be at least one happy person on ERs on the fact that golf clubs can reopen as of Wednesday.  This does seem reasonable to me, as golf clubs are pretty much designed for social distancing, at least until you get to the 19th hole!

 

It is sunny but very cold here so far today.  yesterday’s wind has died down, so I will be outside soon, well wrapped up.

 

 

[AndrewC]

Good moaning all from the boring borough. Tiggr still doing okish. 

 

 

Tiggr in the first pic. Second pic is, Tiggr, his brother Oscar on the right, and George on the left. 

 

@iL Dottore & @J. S. Bach Thanks for your kind words and suggestions. I'm just waiting to hear back from a vet service that specialises in palliative care and end of life that is all done at home. I didn't realise how common it is, as there are at least 4 companies in London alone that do at home end of life care. 

 

Finally managed to get the shed cleared sufficiently to use it as our local. Beers and a few hours of darts were enjoyed yesterday afternoon. 

 

That's about it. Coffee needed. Enjoy the day. 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. On the use of 'enemy equipment' North Africa was the place where the equipment swapped sides. The jerrycan must be the best example, the 8th army began using captured ones and found that they were so superior to their own that copies were produced and eventually used by all the allies. The Germans also sought after some items of British equipment, even Rommel himself used captured armoured command vehicles, several in fact.  Even in the far east theatre some Japanese equipment was used. My dad was driving a self propelled Bofors gun. One particular item for the vehicle was that it required a particular type of spark plug that was in short supply. But it was found that Japanese tanks used the same type of spark plug and where my dad was knocked out Japanese tanks were plentiful. Have to shop today so be back later.

[tigerburnie]

Morning, for those who were due in Sconnie Botland any time soon, yer not missing much, it is flippin' Baltic, 1.2 degrees inside my greenhouse last night, wildlife doesn't know what is going on. 2 days ago we had Swallows flying over the roof, they're probably in Brighton now if they have any sense.

I thought Corona made pop, they did when I was a kid, I don't drink cat's wee so if it's a lager then it has passed me by.

I would have posted last night, but my broadband dropped off and the sky box both got stuck at the same time last night, odd the tv played up as I don't have the box connected to my broadband, which irritates Sky no end it would seem lol.

Have a safe day and for those who are allowed out...enjoy for those in Scotland, Wales or Norn Ireland, be careful they've put the fines up...………………..

[Happy Hippo]

7 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

That idea was not limited just to 'Nam; it was/is common in almost all wars.

But perhaps the question is why the AK47 was so popular?

 

It could fire both NATO and the Soviet 7.62 mm round.  NATO rifles could only fire the NATO round so battlefield resupply (picking up more ammn from the recently deceased, or  finding abandoned ammn and mags) was much easier.

 

The AK had an auto fire capability whereas most (not all) NATO 7.62 mm rifles were only semi auto, so even picking up an AK just to lay down suppressive fire was a useful capability.

 

The AK was pretty crude and it's accuracy at longer ranges was not brilliant, but since it was probably made in a tractor factory and not in a watchmakers, the tolerances were more generous:  So it was quite capable of being dragged through many muddy hollows, stood in a bad of wet sand and grit, taken out then tarred and feathered, and after that it would still work with just a rudimentary swill, or a brush down.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Still somewhat draughty here after a very windy night and not very warm either.  It should stay dry with some sunny spells. 

Various parcels due over the next few days.  Some interesting (mine), others not so much (hers).

No walk today as we don't feel like it.  Lazyitis perhaps?

The Boss is making some soda bread at the moment.  I'm just thumb twiddling and drinking coffee.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

[Happy Hippo]

11 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

 

I thought Corona made pop, they did when I was a kid, I don't drink cat's wee so if it's a lager then it has passed me by.

 

My stripey friend, I think you will find that Tiger pee is the main content of lager, and in all probability what was once whisky or fine ale having passed through your kidneys was eagerly gathered in by the lager bottlers for resale to the less discerning.

[The Stationmaster]

6 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

After the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds overflew cities like New York and Washington, we had the F15s from the local Oregon Air National Guard wing stationed at PDX a few days ago. I heard them but didn't see them.

 

They are easy to see on takeoff from the terminals.

F15s are also very easy to hear.  In fact 'too easy' might be more correct as they make one heck of a racket especially with the oilman's friend afterburner adding to the fun.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

We had some local asparagus as a starter a couple of evenings back - top notch stuff and of course real British grown asparagus is now in the shops at last.  Big news today, and I really do mean big, is that Mrs Stationmaster compost order has been delivered by a smiling cheerful Yodel driver who was the first delivery man I've seen wearing gloves.  The fun(?) bit is that he delivered 4 large cardboard boxes which puzzled me a bit until I looked at the label and found them addressed to herself.  Why 40kg bags of compost are put in cardboard boxes for delivery is an interesting subject - is it to avoid scratching and splitting damage to the bags (probably) or is it a clever way of avoiding spreading Covid infection?   The boxes are easy to safely open and quarantine for few days (pending total dismantling and adding them to the recycling bin) and the bags haven't been handled for at least three days which means they don't need disinfecting or super careful handling and care for the next three days.  All handy stuff although I suspect the boxes are really there in order to avoid damage to the bags.   Anyway that makes one of today's tasks quite clear without having to be asked instructed.  

 

Today's weather is turning out very much like yesterday with stronger wind gusts than were originally forecast and scudding clouds overhead.  A bit chillier than of late but reasonably pleasant to be out in  - for not too long.

 

Enjoy your day and stay alert safe.   (I think the big problem with using the word 'alert' is that a substantial proportion of the British population haven't got a clue what it means,  and that includes the media in our benighted land.)

[Harlequin]

Two weeks off starting today! (I work at home so the current unpleasantness hasn’t changed my working life at all.)

 

Maybe I can get something creative done if the chores, the lack of materials, the garden, the cats and other unforeseen events don’t get in the way.

 

I tidied up the workshop yesterday, a task which never seems to justify my precious time normally. I will assess my timber stocks today, but first...

 

One of the unforeseen tasks: retrieve dead rodent from behind bookcase. Thanks, Cat Number 2!

Edited May 11, 2020 by Harlequin

[BoD]

1 hour ago, tigerburnie said:

2 days ago we had Swallows flying over the roof, they're probably in Brighton now if they have any sense.

 

If yours was anything like that Nor’eastener we had here yesterday they probably had no choice.

[petethemole]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

My stripey friend, I think you will find that Tiger pee is the main content of lager, and in all probability what was once whisky or fine ale having passed through your kidneys was eagerly gathered in by the lager bottlers for resale to the less discerning.

 

I can't remember when I first heard "The human body is a machine for turning real ale into lager", probably in the early days of  CAMRA.  About 15  years ago, running an excavation in central Southampton we discovered a load of intact bottles of "Graham's Golden Lager" in the basement of a wine merchant's shop that had been bombed in 1940.  The digger broke some of the bottles, which smelt most unpleasant.  My boss decided it was a good idea to get the local BBC out (the studios were close by), so I was interviewed for the local news.  I mentioned the above to the reporter, who tried to get me to repeat it on camera.  No thanks, too many easily-offended lager drinkers about, and my appearance was (still is) quite distinctive.  Graham's Golden Lager was brewed in Alloa by Allsopps and became part of the Ind Coope empire, being rebranded as Skol in the '50s.  Interestingly, one of the few legitimate examples of brewery branded railway vans was for Graham's Golden Lager.

 

I found the text I had copied off the BBC website; it's no longer available online:

 

Archaeologists' intoxicating find

Thursday, 2 June, 2005

By David Fuller
BBC News

Archaeologists searching for remains of a city's medieval past have made an intoxicating discovery - a cache of World War II beer.

The hundred-or-so bottles of lager buried beneath Southampton's Guildhall Square were still capable of developing a head when they were opened.

It is thought they had been stored in the cellar of an off-licence which was destroyed in the Blitz.  The bottles were in good condition, but the liquid inside was not.

The routine dig was to study the site before a new arts centre was built.

Pete Cottrell, the dig leader, was hoping to find evidence of a medieval leper hospital known to have been in the area.

He said the bottles were in very good condition, but the liquid inside was not.

"I think you'd be very ill if you drank that, it's absolutely rank."

Some of the bottles have now been handed to the city's museum, while the rest has been reburied.

 

In other news, it's windy, rather chilly, like yesterday, but the sun's out.  Later I will do shopping and posting.

 

Stay safe and elfy,

 

Pete

Edited May 11, 2020 by petethemole
Added text & picture

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Cold here - about 3 degrees C when I went out to Lidl this morning, and feels about six out there now.  Shopping duly purchased.  30747 was asked to attend the Drs this morning, and when she got there, the surgery was closed.  It's a branch surgery, so is operating on reduced hours - a phone call to them, and they said the appointment was for tomorrow - she was quite sure it was for today, but I guess we'll never know.

 

Greetings to all who are ailing or celebrating - all posts since last night have been read and rated.

 

I wonder whether Boris will clarify his ten minutes of confusion from last night (that is not a political statement, it is a statement of fact)  30747 was a bit taken aback when he mentioned the schools possibly going back in a phased return as soon as 1st June, and her comment was that she felt that whoever thought that up had clearly never seen the antics of kids at school, to whom social distancing is a totally alien concept.

 

Will have a bit of time with the jigsaw again later - we managed quite a few pieces yesterday. 

 

Regards to All

Stewart