Early Risers.

[TheQ]

Mooring awl inner Temple Hare, 

 Three hours, sleep  long gap, three hours sleep. 

Ben the desperate Collie wanted out an hour ago but is now snoring. 

That might be because there is a line of rain heading north, less than ten miles away according to the radar,  and my fingers. 

 

A note for those who don't live in the UK,  Dental charges,

under 18s, very low income, pregnant women,  war injured ex services,   no charge. 

 Very low income means having no savings of over £ 6000, and it's very complicated,  but the maximum income for not qualifying for free treatment is about £16,000(before tax) 

 

Band 1 £ 22.70,  that's inspection,  clean and if required X-ray. 

Band 2 £ 62.10 , filling,  removal , root canal, 

Band 3 £ 269.30, crowns, dentures , bridges and anything more complicated. 

 

Rumble rumble,  Thor's arrived, Ben is hiding in his cage, then the room  just illuminated  for a second.. Before more noise. 

The illuminations are coming from out to sea,  and the interval between light and sound indicates about 3 miles.  It's getting considerably darker.  The radar now shows a huge rainstorm off the coast we're just under a not heavy edge. 

 

Time I went and made breakfast,  just in case we loose power.. 

[polybear]

31 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

You’ve pretty much confirmed what I suspected: that many will not pay to keep themselves in good nick. Unless they can get it “for free” on the NHS, they won’t bother. So it would seem that the mindset would be that of “repair when necessary” instead of “routine preventative maintenance” - one of the curses of modern life... 

 

 Those who puppy farm (and even some “reputable breeders” who insist on the most perverted of “breed standards”) are the vilest of individuals and are deserving of the harshest of punishments. An Old Testament retribution “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” would more than appropriate here. Having a few puppy farmers die, slowly and painfully, from an avoidable disease would be fitting punishment indeed...

 

 

A friend of mine often used to say "I've really got a headache - I reckon I've got a brain tumour...";  we were milk-bears at the time, on the local Express Dairies Milk Float.  He was the sort that would go to the dentist once he'd got tooth ache, but not before.  Anyway,  his eyesight was playing up (he's in his 20's at this point) but did he go for an eye test?  Nope....

He eventually went when he started seeing double.  The optician remarked "Oh yes, there is a slight problem - I'll give you a letter to take to your doctor - you're to go now, and I'll phone ahead to tell them you're coming...."

You've guessed it - brain tumour.  He went thru' the surgery, treatment etc. etc. and made a few years, but it got him in the end.  Some years later his dad went the same way, apparently.

I saw his son a few years back - he was at about the same age as when his dad and I were "on the milk" together.  He was the absolute image of his father - it spooked me, I can tell you.

 

28 minutes ago, chrisf said:

I was working for Green Shield Stamps in Edgware on that fateful day. 

 

A few years ago I wondered what had become of Green Shield Stamps - it seems they became Argos....

 

As for iD's wonderful idea regarding Puppy Farmers, can I add those that think it acceptable to "own" and "train" Dancing Bears (if you don't know how they "train" them, take a look - but I warn you, it isn't pleasant) as well as those that run Bear Farms for the purposes of obtaining "Bear Bile".  I could have real fun educating some of those little scrotes, I can tell you.

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Cool with grey clouds /mist..pah!

My dentist retired last year. I have yet to meet my new one..I will eXplain to him the agreement I had with Charlie (the old one)..you hurt me..we may have a problem ...

 

Good to hear positive news from little Grace..long may it contniue. I hope the drying process continues ok Dave.

 

AndyRam..sounds like the suggestion /decision made should be seen as a positive..but give it a while and see if things pan out..

 

Parcels to be packed and posted, grass to be mowed, but, most importantly..mugatea to be drunk!!

TTFN..

 

Baz

Edited August 14, 2020 by Barry O

[TheQ]

Ben wouldn't come out of his hidey cage even for a piece of bacon,  so I placed it on the floor just outside,  a nose appeared,  sniffed,  gently took the bacon,  and then disappeared inside. 

 

When we moved here, the nearest dentist with places was 20+ miles away,  after couple of years we turned up for the routine annual check up as per the appointment they issued,  and got told" we don't do NHS anymore. "

We got that treatment but we're I thought given it very grudgingly .

I noticed a couple of months ago they were advertising for nhs again. 

 

It took us a while but we found places at a dentists 5 miles away,  and have been generally very happy with them.  They are part of a local chain of about 10 surgeries, which has however, a turn over of staff,  as new dentists move off to become a partner somewhere rather than an employee. 

 

It's still. Very dark and rumbly out there.. 

 

 

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

Might I ask what the SSN is? It's probably something really obvious.

As far as I know it's the US navy abbreviation for a Nuclear attack submarine.  SSBN is a ballistic missile sub. The Letters are usually folliwed by a number.  

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good moaning to all from a cloudy but dry Charente that is still, thank goodness, a long way from IKEA, but fortunately  much closer to a certain Cognac distillery.  

Neil, good news about Grace and I hope that the good progress continues.  

GDB, glad that you are back amongst us. I had wondered if the NHS had arranged for you to be in some sort of softly padded room to avoid strain on their resources by reducing injuries.  Good news about Steve and Abbie.

 

Andyram  can I echo Baz's sentiments above. 

 

Dave, i hope that the drying out continues without serious warping and damage.

 

In the meantime we had a good fish and chip meal last night and are out quizzing and eating tonight.  We suspect that the hordes of English visitors will be departing ahead of the quarantine decision. Fortunately our region is still almost virus free.

 

Not a lot to do today but I might do some more scanning this afternoon.  I've now got to the end of my near negative files and am now trying to sort out a Curver box full of  prints and negatives from about 1998 till when I finally went digital in 2008. I have a cunning plan.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

Edited August 14, 2020 by jamie92208

[AndrewC]

Greetings from a cooler boring borough. 

3 massive rain blobs on radar heading our way yesterday. One seems to have been stuck in traffic on the M25. The other 2 petered out before reaching us. Net result is about 2mm of light on and off drizzle last evening before 7pm. Oh well. A few beers and dinner were enjoyed on the patio under the awning at the time. The inside of the pizza oven house has cooled to 22c finally. Actually got a reasonable night's sleep. 

 

Good news about Grace. Hopefully things will continue to improve quickly. 

 

Nothing else of note. Enjoy the day. 

[iL Dottore]

7 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

And yet another "boot in" from "I'm neutral. I'm Swiss."

 

There are plenty of things wrong with the NHS  just as there are plenty of things wrong with health-care in USA. It's good to know the Swiss have it all figured out, just as they did eighty years ago.

Why do you think that this is a criticism of the NHS? It is a criticism of people who do not take care of themselves and then expect the NHS to sort it out all.

Just one example: do you think that it is acceptable to drink yourself into liver failure, get a liver transplant and then drink yourself into a second liver failure and then demand a second liver transplant? because I don't.

Whatever happened to personal responsibility.

BTW your gratuitous digs at the Swiss are getting tedious.

Edited August 14, 2020 by iL Dottore

[AndyID]

5 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Why do you think that this is a criticism of the NHS? It is a criticism of people who do not take care of themselves and then expect the NHS to sort it out all

 

 

You might be missing the point. The NHS is not responsible for determining the reasons behind a patient's potential self-destruction. It's simply not their job.

 

 

 

 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

It’s a bit duller and greyer than the recent weather we’ve been enduring having, it’s also a lot cooler currently 17C. Once I’ve finished my breakfast I’ll go for my short walk to the butchers to collect the weekly meat rations and a pastie for dinner. Once I’ve returned I’ll make myself a second muggertea before heading off to the Trafford Centre for a few more comestibles. After that there’s nothing planned, so a day of doing nowt important may be on the cards. 

 

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

[New Haven Neil]

Morning.

 

No Grace news as yet this morning.

 

About to take Mrs NHN for an injection into a troublesome hip, second time.  I suspect a day of being No.1 gopher like a dutiful hubby.

 

Cool 18c here with no rain near at all.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Morning. After much rearrangement of the furniture upstairs all night long and the liquid sunshine still holidaying here instead of the Lake District, a sight never previously seen in 25 years our present location. Raingauge brimful, so something like 60mm in 24hrs (it's only calibrated to 50mm) that's all of Hertfordshire's typical summer month rainfall in one go. I wonder how deep the water is at the bottom of the hill? 

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It is very overcast here. I don’t think it rained at all here last night. We did hear some thunder.

I have no idea what we will be doing today. Certainly no doctors or dentists appointments. No bin collections. Perhaps the weather in Southampton will permit some cricket to be broadcast and watched. I may have a haircut (diy), I put the clippers on to charge last night, I know I am not going anywhere but I don’t want to wander about the house with half a haircut. 
Tony
 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I must admit that I never went near a dentist for almost thirty years. The dentist I had before that was basically incompetent and on the fiddle as well. The incompetence I experienced myself and resulted in the 30 year absence from the dentists chair. He put the anaesthetic in the wrong place and then proceeded to drill into a nerve. And that was his 'fiddle', he wasn't qualified to administer anaesthetics but was doing it himself and claiming the cost of an anaesthetist from the NHS. It all came to light a couple of years later when a patient died in his chair from excessive administration of gas. He ended up being struck off and in prison. I was eventually persuaded to go back to the dentist for a check up after more than 30 years where I was pleased to find that I didn't even require a filling, all that was required was the removal of some plaque. I put that down to my not having a sweet tooth, apart from my mum's bread pudding. Back when I was in my teens/twenties I knew of several people of similar age to myself who had false gnashers even at such a young age. My father had false teeth but he lost his teeth due to war service in the Burmese jungle where diet and lack of any means of daily dental care were a contributing factor.

[PhilJ W]

This came up on Facebook, can't help thinking that one squirrel has got it wrong somehow.

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from a cloudy but currently dry Sidcup. As AndrewC has already noted, the boring borough is down to more reasonable temperatures, although we have not had the hail or flooding that some have.

 

Good to read of improvements for Grace; may the trend continue upwards.

 

Also good to hear that GDB's Joe has done himself proud with the A level. Elder Lurker is reasonably content with his result although we are investigating whether to appeal one of the grades as it fell below the mock results he achieved and the assessed grades in that subject for his entire time in 6th form. He doesn't need the grade, but it is worth him seeing if he can get the higher grade. He is certainly in a lot better place than he was after his GCSEs a couple of years ago, where the text he sent Mrs Lurker after getting them was truly alarming. We had a celebratory drink last night, which I am sure helped us sleep!

 

Good to see Andyram back here, although his news was at best mixed. 

 

I couldn't get an NHS dentist once i became an adult and moved to Northampton. And pretty much the same here too. It took me more than 10 years to pluck up courage to go, and I was probably fairly fortunate that i only needed one filling. I think that was the time i was greeted with the comment "Ah Mr Lurker, it's good to see someone whose teeth all fit in their mouth". I took that to mean i had small teeth rather than a big mouth....

 

i do now go regularly to a dentist in Sidcup although it is a cursory two minute poke around the mouth and being told to come back in a year - and by the way that's £60.  I also go to the Hygienist.

 

Anyway, work beckons. Take care all!

 

 

[PhilJ W]

Christian Jihadist's?

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2020/08/christian-parents-call-wisconsin-school-districts-face-mask-requirement-satanic/?fbclid=IwAR2AIGK3glroK_kYFcfqCd5Nzd2Us0Pjt8A4m7OTJAvYQ4qwzWF_7XUXs3w

[Dave Hunt]

When we moved to our present location in 2001 there was no NHS dentist anywhere near accepting new patients but a few years later the primary health care centre was enlarged and a dental section added. We both joined the patients' register but after being treated by the ex-private dentist there decide never to go again; the cause was an obvious lack of real concern about the treatment given, some of which was quite slipshod, and things came to a head when I had a crown fitted that broke within a few months only to be told by the dentist, "What did I expect from getting the cheap and cheerful NHS version." We then managed to get onto one of the private dentist's list again and much to our amazement after another few years were told that they were going to take on a limited number of NHS patients and would we like to be among them? I asked the question, was there any difference in the treatment we would get and was told emphatically no, apart from some of the more complex cosmetic procedures that they only did privately. In over ten years of being on their NHS list and having had some quite involved work done we have nothing but praise for the practise to the extent that even if they ever decide to go all private again we will stick with them. As an example of their service, I had a large filling replaced and a few months later another part of the tooth broke off, requiring the whole thing to be redone. When I went to pay I was told there was no charge as it was classed as a repair to a recent treatment that had failed, even though (as I said to them) it was a different part of the tooth that had broken. Their attitude was that the potential failure should have been seen when the earlier work was carried out so it was their fault! All in all well worth a measly 22 quid for a six-monthly check up, scale and polish, which is a requirement for remaining on their NHS list. 

 

In addition to being a superb dentist, the lady partner Jill and I see is married to the chap who runs our local organic farm with its excellent shop and fresh organic milk, so the whole family are among the Good Guys.

 

Dave 

Edited August 14, 2020 by Dave Hunt
lowsy speling

[grandadbob]

Good morning all, (Just)

Many thanks for the all the welcomes back.

It's a bit dull here and 20°C so a lot more bearable than of late.

Up late today as I had a terrible night and was awake for about 4 hours with chronic indigestion. Not sure why, didn't eat or drink anything more than usual.  

We had a really good evening at Nicki's to celebrate Joe's success although we did get absolutely soaked as we got out the cab and the heavens opened.  Soon dried off though and a good time was had by all.  

The Boss has just brought me another cuppa and told me to take it easy today.  "Will do Boss" says I.

I'm in a good mood as Rugby is back on the box.. Quins v Sale Sharks tonight for starters.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[grandadbob]

Many years ago my dentist, who I liked considerably, told me that he was no longer going to treat NHS patients himself.  I could change to one of the other dentists at the practice but I decided to stay with him.  To do this I had to join Denplan and although it is more expensive I've never regretted it.  It currently costs me £28 a month which covers all routine check-ups, consultations, fillings, root fillings, X-Rays, and all other clinical time. However you are liable for the materials and making costs of crowns etc. Also any dental treatment needed in an emergency anywhere in the UK or overseas. There is an excess payable of £15 if the treatment is outside of normal surgery hours.

Any dental treatment required after an accident or trauma up to £10,000. No excess payable.

Additional cover for oral cancer and a cash benefit of £30 per night inpatient hospital admission for dental treatment.

 

As I've had quite few problems dealt with over the years including a couple of root canals  I'm quite happy with the cost.  He retired a couple of years ago but the young chap who has taken over the practice is, in my opinion, an even better dentist.

 

Edited August 14, 2020 by grandadbob

[Joseph_Pestell]

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

 

Just one example: do you think that it is acceptable to drink yourself into liver failure, get a liver transplant and then drink yourself into a second liver failure and then demand a second liver transplant? because I don't.

Whatever happened to personal responsibility.

 

 

I knew someone who did just that. I can only agree.

 

Same for bariatric surgery (gastric bands).

 

What happened to personal responsibility? That's easy. Ambulance-chasing no win - no fee lawyers and irresponsible media reporting.

[simontaylor484]

Afternoon all 

 

Glad to hear baby Grace is improving hope it continues. Much more pleasant here today temperature wise. Bit of sunshine and cloud cover.

 

Feel really tired, garden bin emptied yesterday but cant motivate to csrry on with heavy duty hedge cutting today. 

 

 

[AndyB]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Christian Jihadist's?

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2020/08/christian-parents-call-wisconsin-school-districts-face-mask-requirement-satanic/?fbclid=IwAR2AIGK3glroK_kYFcfqCd5Nzd2Us0Pjt8A4m7OTJAvYQ4qwzWF_7XUXs3w

 

Is there a facepalm button available in here?

[simontaylor484]

What planet are some folk on,or what drugs it seems.

 

As my Grandad would have said 

"Typical American hillbillies "

Picking up earlier comments i do like the scandi noir myself 

My favourite has to be the Arne Dahl series. Although the Swedish version of Wallander are quite good. 

But nothing beats midsomer murders though especially the more bizarre methods of murder

[grandadbob]

Another vote for Arne Dahl and I really liked The Bridge as well.  I've only ever seen the Kenneth Branagh Wallander series.

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2020 by grandadbob