Early Risers.

[Andrew P]

35 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Well, funny you should say that..... I'm not sure where I last updated ERs, so a resumé might help. 

 

The latter part of 2019 was marked by several key events in Alison's life. As some will know, I tend to travel by Eurostar to and from Blighty, and when I got back last August she met me off my local train from Paris and told me she was pregnant. At 54. A pro-life sort of person she carried the child, of course. When she eventually told François he initially said he would support her - yeah, yeah, yeah - but basically did what he always does when life gets tough and disappeared into his farm. At about 20 weeks, I think, Alison was out one day when she got tell-tale twinges and went straight to hospital, where the baby was lost. Naturally it was I who picked her up in a very distressed state and took her home to her boys. 

 

But something more positive had already begun - she had been asked to provide sickness cover for the English teacher at a local secondary skool. A fully paid legit job would help her application for citizenship, albeit losing her social security claim for some months. The incumbent - French, of course, and not possessed of great English, in all honesty - proved to be an awkward cow, and A knew the kids were not getting the best of deals. Sadly after no more than 10 days of teaching A developed chest pains, and guess who took her back to the local hospital? As had happened in 2016, she was transferred to a Le Mans hospital, all the heart tests were done - no real fault found.  So again I picked her up a couple of days later. She was then signed off until the New Year, but the new term did see her succeed in teaching for the required 6 weeks, and the school were pleased with her performance, to the extent that she will now teach three days a week from September. I think I mentioned Sherry and I were guinea pigs at a skool exam. 

 

So by mid-Feb she was back from teaching, and on Feb 15 - yes, the day after Valentine's - François moved in. Of course, he'd moved in for nearly two weeks last Summer, but wifey got stroppy so he meekly went home. This time he stayed three months, but towards the end of that period became increasingly distant and grumpy, so when he left - after two days of both of them in tears, sigh - it was almost a relief. This coincided with the lifting of lockdown, and he knew his wife was now going to pursue divorce, with the threat of his precious farm being at risk. Of course she didn't do that, but continued to hold the threat over him. Then he got all brave again and moved back in for the third time in late-June. This time he stayed 12 days. You couldn't make it up could you? But during that time A managed to get him to see a lawyer about starting divorce proceedings.

 

And, as of two days ago, he has moved back in for the fourth time. Hey, they came for a social visit here on Thursday afternoon. Sherry was not very impressed on her first meeting with F. The marital fat does seem to be in the fire, but he is a pitiful man. Wifey is also a business partner, and holds all the purse-strings, in both business and marriage, so he has no access to cash. She holds all the key data to running the farm, because he has no idea how to turn on a PC. Milk yields and all sorts of stuff about acreages, needed by law, are a complete mystery to him, because it's all online, of course. A tractor has just been repaired, but she has refused to sign a cheque, so it may have to go back and be sold to pay the bill! He has for some weeks been locked out of his own house - only allowed in when wifey is home. He has not been allowed to close the loo door, because he might just be texting A. Who would want such a drip, you ask? Such is love, apparently, 

 

Phew. 

And I thought I had a busy life doing the washing up..  Your a brave and gallant man to keep helping Ian.

[Barry O]

Ey up! 

No thunderstorm last night but it chuckeditdarn for ten minutes. Now , it is drizzling outside..but it is scheduled to stop raining about 12 so game should be a delayed start..the ground at Saltaire is right beside the river and is in a public park. You can see Salts mill when umpiring. The club have a net and a small boat to use to go fishing for balls which have been despatched into the river..

 

Dudders, seems like A could be in for a lot more pain and anguish. I hope it will turn out well for all concerned.

 

Today will include awasred morning. To be at the ground by noon means leaving here at 11.:30. Other than organising some "tea" to take with me there is no real time to do much before departure.

 

Have a productive day everyone!

Positive thoughts to all ERs especially missing ones.

Baz

[BokStein]

10 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

reference was made earlier to the use of the term “customer“ in reference to what “properly should be called “passengers“. The difference between a “customer“ and a “passenger” Is that a passenger purchases a passage from A to B on a means of transportation, whereas a customer is someone who purchases items or services.

 

Sir, I beg to disagree!

 

In the first instance, the use of the term 'earlier' is superfluous as, chronologically, it  HAS to be before your post; no way could it have been, for example, later!

 

Whilst a passenger is, clearly, an item being transported, with or without pre-payment, from A to B (possibly via C, D E & F) by some mechanical (teleporting?) means other than walking, the term 'Customer' is multi-faceted.

 

Whether or not financial remuneration is involved is irrelevant. A customer is simply the recipient of anything offered and received from a 'donor'.

 

Example: if I were to find myself working in a warehouse and one of the fitters came to me and requested a floggletoggle which I was able to supply to them, they would thus be my customer.

 

Example: If I worked in the IT department (oxymoron alert?) and a colleague asked me to install some software, said colleague would then be my customer.

 

 

10 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

And whilst we are on the topic of the bastardisation of proper terminology, what’s with all this “train station“ nonsense?

 

Agreed but if the Railway Station, as it should be, is thus referred, does the Bus Station then become a Road Station and where does that leave a Gas Petrol Station? Whilst I also abhor the term you quote, I see that there may be some logic behind the abuse, init, like?

 

10 hours ago, Tony_S said:

John mentioned the packaging on handkerchiefs. I had to buy some when we were on our cruise to the US and Canada. They were similarly wrapped. I have loads of handkerchiefs but they are all embroidered (is that the correct term) with “K”. This isn’t one of my initials. Aditi’s Dad used to have a relative who sent him lots of handkerchiefs as gifts. Aditi’s Dad never used them, only paper tissues, so I got them. Their surname began with a K. 

 

The logic of linen handkerchiefs faded from my memory some 40 years ago when I realised several things:

 

Why do I want to preserve that which is dispelled from my nose?

Will my washing machine be thorough enough to not wash the residue into the other garments in the same cycle?

Brands like Kleenex (others are available) offer perfectly serviceable tissues designed for use once and dispose of.

Toilet roll has a similar texture and composition to the branded paper tissues and is flushable (and less labour intensive in washing and, all too often, ironing!)

If out-and-about, I will indulge in the purchase of packs of pocket tissues; at Migros, for example, a brick of 42 packs of 10 tissues for under CHF4.00 is not, IMHO, to be sneezed at!

 

Edited July 25, 2020 by BokStein

[AndyB]

Morning all. 

Today's homework is to make a Swiss roll.

Wait for it....wait for it.....

The youngest is doing an O level thingy in cooking.

 

When they changed from O levels why not just call them 7mm exams like normal folk would?? 

 

SWMBO headed to town the other day and obviously was conforming to wearing a mask. After 30 mins sweltering in the bank doing paperwork she reports that she'll "not be up for doing as much shopping in the future." 

 

I've naturally written to the bank manager to thank him for stringing her visit out for 25 mins longer than needed. 

 

I believe it is also fridges and freezers - not just dehumidifiers - that need time to settle before switching on. I was told years ago it is to stop excessive wear in the pump. Tempting though it is when you get new white goods to fire them up the minute the packaging has been removed.

 

Game theory suggests that in Rock Paper Scissors you are most likely to win overall if you pick a category and stick to it no matter what.  A quick practice shows this seems to work. I wonder if the same might be true for multiple guess. OK, moderated by in The Q's point that some exams need an 80% pass mark and may have 6 possible answers!

 

I was thinking of taking the kids to Stonehaven for a swim in the sea as I'm not sure if indoor pools are yet open in Scotland? The news that The Bay (?) is an award winning chippy may swing the deal. 

 

Now I really need to work on my beach bod before hitting the surf....

 

 

[tigerburnie]

15 minutes ago, AndyB said:

Morning all. 

Today's homework is to make a Swiss roll.

Wait for it....wait for it.....

The youngest is doing an O level thingy in cooking.

 

When they changed from O levels why not just call them 7mm exams like normal folk would?? 

 

SWMBO headed to town the other day and obviously was conforming to wearing a mask. After 30 mins sweltering in the bank doing paperwork she reports that she'll "not be up for doing as much shopping in the future." 

 

 

 

I

 

Now I really need to work on my beach bod before hitting the surf....

 

 

Seems the Carron has also won an award........................possibly for it's deep fried Mars Bars lol.

[roundhouse]

Morning and a wet one it is here. Very much needed in the garden though.

 

Good to see Olddudders on here and to here of the ongoing lifes tribulations with A.

 

After yesterdays mammoth walk / pub crawl we were planning on staying in today but my other half is keen to go out today rather than tomorrow as she is back at work on Monday albiet at home. She cancelled the last two days leve next week of what should have been our USA trip. We would have been in Portland OR at the moment, so just aswell we aren't with the escalating problems around the courthouse in downtown. I suspect its creating mayhem with the MAX light rail which passes right by there.

 

Todays walk will only be around 4 miles total to and form The Inn on the Pond coimng back via the Jolly Brickmakers, two pubs that we haven't been in since Dad moved from the nearby care home 7 years ago. Might even get to see a freight on the way .

[jamie92208]

Good moaning all,.  Not had time to read all posts as it has been an eventful morning. Beth fell in the living room about 08.15 today and couldn't get up due to pain in her left hip and right wrist.  I called les pompiers (fire and rescue) and 3 of them attended and then called a Dr. He arrived with two nurses and Beth is now en route to The Danglies of St Jean for x rays and further treatment.  I was instructed to wait a while before following so have been ringing the kids and having another cup of coffee.  Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Back later. Just been summoned to breakfast. Waffles today.

Tony

[Barry O]

Just getting ready to set off for cricket and.......

 

Its chuckinitdarn! PAH!!!

 

Hope Beth is OK Jamie.

Baz

Edited July 25, 2020 by Barry O

[Oldddudders]

17 hours ago, roundhouse said:

After 11 miles walking we arrived at the Red Lion in Betchworth. Its a lovely pub and the best pint to that point, Pilgrim Progress. Also handy for the bus stop outside but the last bus is at 16.36. Luckily only a few minutes face mask wearing to Reigate but at £9 for the two of us... Ouch.

 

I went to primary skool in Betchworth, basically up the hill beyond the pub and turn left towards the village, from 1953-59. The Red Lion is on Old Reigate Road, which diverges from its modern counterpart, the A25, by the large roadhouse formerly called the Barley Mow, more recently Arkle Manor and then, I think Harvester. The other end of Old Reigate Road is of course opposite the pond at Buckland. Our tied cottage was by the Barley Mow, and under the same ownership. The 414 bus stopped outside - fare stage 33 of 65 between West Croydon and Horsham, so literally half-way. I caught that bus daily to school in Dorking from 1959, at which time Sherry was catching the same route from Dorking to Capel, during her last two years at primary skool. 

 

I am very sorry to hear Beth has had a fall. I sincerely hope things are better than they first seemed. 

[Tony_S]

58 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Good moaning all,.  Not had time to read all posts as it has been an eventful morning. Beth fell in the living room about 08.15 today and couldn't get up due to pain in her left hip and right wrist.  I called les pompiers (fire and rescue) and 3 of them attended and then called a Dr. He arrived with two nurses and Beth is now en route to The Danglies of St Jean for x rays and further treatment.  I was instructed to wait a while before following so have been ringing the kids and having another cup of coffee.  Regards to all.

 

Jamie

Hope Beth is ok. When Aditi fell (on both occasions breaking a wrist) I asked her why did she stick her hands out to break the fall. She said she wouldn’t want to land on her face. 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

A sunny start to the day, but we've just had a brief shower, so the cricket match at Old Trafford today might be a bit dodgy. 

 

Currently in the workshop where I'm just about to start working on the turntable control panel. 

 

Jamie, I hope Beth makes a swift recovery. 

 

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

[BokStein]

Best Wishes to Beth; hope all is OK!

[Andrew P]

Hope Beth is O.K. and back home giving you some stick soon Jamie, keep us informed please.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I hope that Beth is going to be OK and nothing serious has occurred. A bit damp here this morning, as predicted by Arthur Itis. The kidney stone has been quiet lately, only the occasional twinge, I may have become a little dehydrated but I've going to ask for an ultrasonic scan. No more news on the water main burst but I expect the roads in the area to be closed for a few days. Most of the mains around here are probably cast iron going by the reddish brown stains I sometimes get in the wash basin and toilet bowl. Most of the mains are at least 60 years old and due for replacement.  

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Sorry to hear about Beth - hope things are not too serious and thoughts are with her (and you Jamie).

 

A mention of 'Ready Steady Go' could create some amusement here but I shall wait until the offspring have, in seniority order, a. recovered from night shifts, and b. recovered from the return trip from Corsica via Marseille, before mentioning it en famille at which point Mrs Stationmaster might well be inclined to delve out various still photos of herself, in a rather short dress, on the set of the programme in the company of various popular music stars of that era.  She effectively had free access to the show when staying with her uncle in London because he was the Stage Manager for a number of years.

 

Back to the now & here and real rain - as opposed to recent attempts at rain - is promised for later today although it looks like the clouds are running a bit late.  Herself has said that she will be putting out the washing so that will hopefully encourage the arrival of rain which is sorely needed to refill the water butts and provide sustenance for the weeds veg.

 

Seems we are back to the hoary old(ish) chestnut of stations as well as customers and passengers.  As ever we can take a lead from history and how terminology developed.  On some early railways passenger stations seem to have been referred to as depots (hence, in all probability, the US usage of the term) but station was well and truly established in Britain by the 1850s and the duties of a Station Master were by that time all embracing terms of what we would call management of the operation of the railway at his station.  Hence we have a station on the railway = railway station.  The only differentiation from fairly early times was between passenger stations and goods stations but still they were railway stations, i.e. stations on the railway.  By extension of that logic a train station would be a station on a train.

 

The matter of passengers and customers is also interesting and as I previously explained passengers were people who travelled by train (and were clearly identified as such by Parliamentary legislation)  while customers were those who sent or received parcels etc and freight which was conveyed by train.  If we are to adopt a terminology which differs from the understanding of 'a station on the railway' it would seem to me most logical to follow the lead set by the Byelaws - which in contemporary form refer neither to 'passengers' nor 'customers' but universally to 'persons'.  Thus a station which deals with people joining or alighting from trains would logically have to be a 'person station' rather than a 'passenger station' and very definitely not a 'train station' because it is not a place where trains are stationed.  We do for example have police stations - where police officers are stationed, and 'bus stations' where, albeit not in every instance,  'buses maybe or are stationed.  In fact it could be more logical to call an airport a 'plane station' because, in many cases, it is a place where aircraft are stationed than it would be to call a railway station a 'train station'.  The latter being a term which seems to have emerged from the mire of what is sometimes referred to as 'estuary English'  (with due apologies to those on here who live in that area but obviously don't communicate in that manner).  However, as ever, I doubt if logical development of language or terminology features very high up the scale for many people.

 

Have a good day one and all and stay safe however unfashionable that might be. (As appears to be the case in part of the population of Marseille according to comments from his ladship this morning.)

 

 

 

[Chris116]

Best wishes to Beth and anyone else who is suffering in any way. 

 

I now know why the weather is going down hill, they have started to play cricket! I just hope it does not rain tomorrow around the Aldershot area as a wet track can spoil the racing and I am looking forward to my first Stock Car meeting of the year with the Superstox and 2L Hot Rods in action as well as the Bangers. 

 

Feeling a bit hungry now as I woke late and have been shopping quickly as rain is forecast so I have not had any breakfast except for a muggatea. 

[TheQ]

Of course the big thing against calling it a train station is.... a train of what? Camels?  Elephants, horses,  or road wagons... A train is an assembly of items, following each other, not necessarily carriages on parallel bits of metal. 

. It of course would not be a plane station,  that's where you keep all your planes of the wood slicing variety. 

It would be an aircraft or aeroplane station, however early flying was much influenced by the navy,  so such places became airports, if they had customs facilities,  airfields if they did not. 

 

Meanwhile so far, sanded the dark areas of deck, bleached the wood,   washed it off and while waiting for it to dry, roughly sanded the hull side from the deck edge to about 6 inches down all round..

I've just stopped for a bit while the dust settles,  in a few minutes I'll go and wipe it all down then revarnish the deck.. . . 

[Gwiwer]

13 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

There is a massive water main burst just a couple of miles from me. Slightly worrying is that its only a couple of hundred yards from our clubroom.

https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/live-basildon-a132-east-mayne-4362036

EssexLive said 

Quote

traffic heading towards the Watermill roundabout is flowing well.

Either blissfully ignorant of the context or fortuitous copy-writing.  

 

Welcome to Saturday.  A slow start to the day which began with a polite knock at the door from our regular meat delivery person.  Always smartly attired in uniform and with a beaming smile the delivery is "Between 7am and 7pm" which isn't ideal but allows them to efficiently manage their resources.  Ours was first off the van this morning at precisely 7am.  And the usual greeting "Good morning Mr. Rick - have a good day - thank you".  Is it any wonder we are happy and now weekly customers?

 

Much domestic engineering is required in advance of tomorrow's Afternoon Tea with Bunting for several of SWMBO's work colleagues and partners.  The seaweed-wranglers aren't altogether on our side as we must host outdoors but we have everything crossed which safely can be for at least a dry afternoon.

 

More later.  I am currently required to do stuff not involving use of a computer.  

[Coombe Barton]

6 hours ago, BokStein said:

Why do I want to preserve that which is dispelled from my nose?

Will my washing machine be thorough enough to not wash the residue into the other garments in the same cycle?

Brands like Kleenex (others are available) offer perfectly serviceable tissues designed for use once and dispose of.

Handkercliefs and masks are washed - the soap disrupts the lipid (fat) coat on the virus. And given a normal washing machine it does not deposit on other clothes. I am ass=uming that people don't wash their underwear separately because the same argument could apply.

 

Handkerchiefs have many other uses than blowing your nose.

 

Tissues - fine, until people have to dispose of them, then they do it anywhere. And they are likely not biodegradable as the additive used to strengthen them prevent this. Couple with the relatively high use of virgin timber they tend to use more resources than would be ecologically friendly.

A quote from https://hankybook.com/hanky-or-tissue-which-is-better-for-the-environment/

While the tissue dominates modern culture, the handkerchief is experiencing a resurgence. The question still lingers as to which option is better for the environment. A deep analysis and comparison of the problem was conducted by Greenlifestylemag, using data from Duke University research on paper and Cambridge University research on textiles. They compared a 1 g tissue with a 15 g handkerchief. If you think that makes no sense because hankies are reusable, don’t worry, they also factored in an estimate of 520 uses for the full lifespan. Just marginally greater than the few seconds of life that a tissue has. They studied the effects of water footprint, energy, and waste. In every category they concluded that the hanky was easily the more sustainable option.  

 

 

Edited July 25, 2020 by Coombe Barton

[Coombe Barton]

Best wishes to Jamie and Beth.

[simontaylor484]

Its still dry here in our part of West Yorkshire (Pontefract) though it siled it down last night. Im still stuck inside self shielding till Aug 1st. To those posting above i hope their loved ones are ok. 

[TheQ]

Well,  a few minutes time has been a bit longer,  I'll depart shortly now I've inspected eyelids. 

Many years ago I was given a handkerchief set with my first initial on, very rare you don't often find that available. 

A gentleman should of course carry two,  one in a pocket for his own use and a neatly folded absolutely clean one in his breast pocket only to offered for the use of a lady in distress or for first aid purposes. 

 

I accidentally left some IPA sanitation wipes from work in my lab coat.  They are definitely not just paper tissue as they have survived undamaged and look like new.  They will find a permanent home creating scenery for the hobby not to be mentioned.  In fact I've stopped throwing them away,  and once the remaining IPA evaporates,  I collect them for future washing and use.

 

Which brings me to the " disposable" face masks.. Why are the disposable?  Because that's what the NHS do,  as they don't have the time to collect them all safely and then send them to the wash.

 

Ours are dropped into a plastic bag without our touching the face bit,  kept sealed in the bag,  in a loose jacket pocket,  emptied into the washer without touching,  and washed with our normal 60C wash clothing. That and washing tablets will kill any virus..  OK the disposables won't last long,  but it costs you nothing environmentally,  and saves you money. 

 

Time really did get out there to do some varnishing.. 

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon  to all and welcome to Simon

47 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

Its still dry here in our part of West Yorkshire (Pontefract) though it siled it down last night. Im still stuck inside self shielding till Aug 1st. To those posting above i hope their loved ones are ok. 

I spent 4 very happy years working in Ponty, 95 to 99 with a viewvofvPonty Prince from the office. I still have a coffe jar full of washed and graded coal from there, that a manager gave me for adding to loco tenders.

 

Anyway thanks to all of you for the kind messages.  Beth is now home and by some miracle had not broken anything.   She has some deep bruises and probably a torn muscle and is now in bed going to sleep.  As we have some fresh mussels in the fridge that were going to have for lunch, I am apparently  going to be instructed in the dark arts of preparing moules et frites for tea.

 

Good to see posts from Ian again and hear of A's adventures.  We have nothing so racy happenning in our village though we suspect one of our neighbours of engaging in extracurricular activity with another friend.  

 

Greetings to all and sundry. I am shortly off out to empty the trailer that's half full of logs then go and collect another trailer load before it rains tomorrow.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[simontaylor484]

I suppose the Nhs are used to single use PPE due to cross contamination reduction. Even though they have access to autoclaves and other sterilization methods.