Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

8 hours ago, chrisf said:

There is little of note in the week ahead.  On Wednesday there is to be

..... a rail industry-wide minute's silence at 09.43 in memory of those who sadly lost their lives near Stonehaven.  Trains may be held briefly in platforms where safe to do so.  

 

Welcome to Moan-day Upon the Slightly Autumnal Hill of Strawberries.  The first signs are here; the air smells different, there are leaves crisping and browning on trees and a few falling in the breeze and the horse-chestnuts are ripe and falling.  

 

However the monster hayfever season from a Norwegian town with a Gods-expedition continues.  I have never known it to last so long.  At this rate I'll still be sneezing and snotting through Christmas. 

 

SWMBO has taken delivery of a turkey platter which is part of a set of crockery she is currently collecting; it is "twice the size" she expected despite that size being clearly stated on the advertisement.  And just now another large box arrived containing the pair of Begonias for the terrace which will take up residence in the strangely-shaped pots she found a while back designed to sit around down-pipes.  More bright colour for the outside; more cardboard for me to remove to the recycling point.  

 

In other news SWMBO managed to take herself off to the Post Office after lunch.  It's a small village shop style of place currently working on the one-at-a-time-inside method and which includes a general store, dry-cleaning agency and a number of other functions.  Her need was stamps and padded envelopes.  That's quite a big step for her as she hasn't been into any sort of shop, other than the village pharmacy to collect her prescription, since March.  It was described as "all right".  

 

Very very slowly she is taking small steps back into the Wider World.  But currently I am still not permitted to visit any indoor establishment other than for urgent shopping until there is a vaccine because she remains vulnerable.  Which is becoming tiresome when according to the PM we can go about more or less freely these days.  We ended last night's discussion over where to go if we hired a car with stalemate.  Beaches?  Likely to be full.  Gardens?  Need to book in advance and everywhere we looked at was fully booked.  Houses?  Mostly closed and they are indoors anyway.  Lunch out?  No - it has to be a picnic prepared at home.  Pub?  "If you dare to set foot in a pub you will find the locks changed when you get home".  

 

One step forward, one step back.  

 

Have a good day.  Signed : your bored and over-all-this scribe.  

 

 

[jamie92208]

Blood tests are no problem here. We ring the nurse, tell them what type of test is required and the next morning, Frederique, Marie or Dominique appear  and do the deed. Results out of the ordinary are emailed or faxed to the Dr that day. We get a copy of the results in the post a couple of days later. Simples. 

 

I spent a bit of time wrestling with Robbingair this morning. They owe me for a cancelled  flight in April. Surprise surprise, when I used the online chat, it was just being processed.  I am to expect it in 7 to 10 working days.

A nice walk was had with Beth after lunch and I have even done some muddling. Wonders never cease.

 

Jamie

Edited August 17, 2020 by jamie92208

[simontaylor484]

The last time Rolo the dachshund had his blood test at the victor echo tango we got the result within 10 minutes. When the bride of draclear visits i have to wait 2 days. Our surgery will do some types of blood test dome ypu have to go to the hospital and take a ticket.

Well i have been waiting all day for the diabetic nurse to ring at 3 no call Swmbo has been sat at side of me to listen to call she rings drs at 310 it transpires she rang swmbo phone at 255 which didnt ring. A voice mail then popped up on her phone after she finished call. We were offered another phone appointment at 6pm on the 28th.

To quote Baz pah.

So i am no further forward.

It dosnt help my anxiety and depression and PTSD (im not a service veteran) i was first struck with it badly late 2009 it cost me my job as a transport manager i recovered to the point i could start working again this time litter picking for my local council. Sadly the same has happened again 

[simontaylor484]

Part of the problem has been discovered 3 network in this area is undergoing maintenance.

Dr tried ringing twice phone went dead. We have a land line but its data only 

[AndyB]

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

.  We ended last night's discussion over where to go if we hired a car with stalemate.

 

 

 

How about the Alice Holt forest just south of Farnham - a weekday after school goes back? Some nice trails.

 

[Ian Abel]

"T'was on the Monday morning that the gas man came to call..."

Sunday actually, but before I elaborate, congratulations and commiserations where required as I've been very busy and missed keeping up since late last week!

 

Generally a good few days and weekend, overall improvement in health and mobility and work really ramping up - near panic mode given it's a Quarter end they're not trying to report and since the last time the quarterly reports were used the excrement seriously hit the fan with a huge amount of updates to reports for all the pandemic stuff. That keep me on my toes all through late Wednesday, Thursday and right up to quitting time Friday! 

 

So - basement recovery was going along swimmingly (ironic humor), and Sunday was the expected removal of all the fans and dehumidifiers - these folks work weekend too as they charge BY THE DAY for the equipment - so they remove them soon as they are finished and humidity levels are satisfactory.

 

Cue the Mrs, who heads down to the basement for her laundry Sunday morning, returns and says "Um, you better come and look..."! 

Turns out our hot water heater has decided THIS is the week to begin leaking from the base, probably corroded/rusted, and filled the surrounding area with water

"Man" comes out quick as a flash, cleans it up - this is now the FOURTH time in the past couple of weeks - but has to leave some of the fans and a couple of dehumidifiers running to clear THAT mess up, should be only 48-hours this time, says he... 

 

We have a new water heater being installed between 12 - 4 today, and frankly the next time there is water in the basement, it'll likely be the FIRE BRIGADE that will need to respond 

 

"other than that Mrs Lincoln, how was the play..." - basically the way we're feeling <phew> <sigh>

 

Weather, on the other hand has been delightful, modest 14-16 overnight and only looking at 25 for a high with sunny skies and low humidity.

 

Tally ho - I may start building an Ark in the back garden...

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon all,

 

Interested to see that his Debs is getting hold of the retirement idea far more rapidly than NHN is taking to it.  Neil, the first phrase you need to learn is 'what list dear?'  if she intends to continue in this dictatorial manner.  Might I suggest also that you make sure you are not passed out for taking charge of the iron or ironing board and that you make sure your culinary skills are limited (might be too late for these things of course but a relapse could often be handy.

 

Today we were promised occasional light showers - what has been delivered is off & on 'coming down like stair rods' showers that last for up to an hour plus occasional thunder as an accompaniment for them.  But I Then i suppose the 'occasional' bit was right.   In consequence there has been very limited venturing our t of doors on the part of any of the biped members of the household, the quadrupeds have been very much as normal and have ventured out in the drier intervals if their attention has not been grabbed by food or sleep.

 

I hear that a decision has been reached regarding A level results - boils down to the best of two, if the algorithm reduced grades they'll be pushed back up to the original predictions, if the algorithm increased your grades you will keep the increased level.  Apparently the idea of all this is to maintain confidence in the system and reduce the stress - yeah, I really believe that!   One girl already interviewed has expressed dissatisfaction with both, she wants her own true results to reflect her own ability not some predictions; simples, sit the exams in the autumn term.   No doubt the 'confidence in the system' could be tested by looking at university drop out rates over the coming couple of academic years?

 

Ah well back to reality and the catering dept has not only prepared a dish of stewed rhubarb and apple but a carrot cake has emerged as well - yum, yum.  As for blood tests - simples, fix an appointment and pop down to the surgery and a phlebotomist or one of the Practice Nurses will do the extraction job.  it then all goes off to the lab so you don't get the results anything like as quickly as you do if one of the cats is tested at the vet's.  INR results are always back the next day despite the convoluted journey involved and if awkward a 'phone message will arrive the same day.  Other stuff is usually an answer and consultation within a week asa. consequence of processing time at the lab and it getting back to teh surgery, sometimes quicker than that.

 

INR - great efficiency.  Once upon a time the blood travelled c.10 miles to the lab, in the same hospital as the INR clinic, sho sent back my form overnight.  Nowadays the blood travels c.20 miles to a different lab, they send the result, presumably by email, back to the hospital 10 miles from here.  The hospital post the form to me - it travels 46 miles to the sorting office, the sorting office sorts it and sends it 50 miles back to the delivery office here from which it is delivered to me in the morning post.  So between me being tested and subsequently getting the result the blood has travelled 20 miles, the result has been emailed about 17 miles, and the advice note to me has travelled almost 100 miles - giving a total mileage between me giving a blood sample and getting the result of almost 140 miles.  I should no doubt be grateful for the contribution all of this makes to our national economy and employment although the carbon footprint of my single blood test and getting the result to me involves c.120 miles of travel by assorted motor vehicles, six times the distance in travelled by road in a fairly distant past, apparently this is progress (and we're greening the economy so I've heard).

 

Have a good day one and all and stay safe

[AndyB]

Today's results plan...  

With a purely parochial view teachers' assessments (or for that matter mocks' results) are good news, although I note each top grade achieved will cost me an "arm and a leg" under my eldest's reward scheme. I'm happy on this occassion to have my wallet plundered.

 

I think it was iD who mentioned entrance exams for univerities. Of course a couple of unis do offer these. Past papers are definitely worth a read. Albeit they say much about how language can be used to give the illusion of academic superiority rather than the actuality. Verdict - there is more challenge in deciphering deliberately wordy prose than in drawing conclusions from it. 

 

Back to work tomorrow and wondering if FUBAR will be muttered.  

[Compound2632]

18 minutes ago, AndyB said:

With a purely parochial view teachers' assessments (or for that matter mocks' results) are good news,

 

The recognition that the standardisation methodology was fundamentally biased and flawed has come far too late. Thank goodness the idea of using mock results was rapidly withdrawn - the point being missed was that mocks are primarily a motivational tool - most pupils make a significant improvement between the mock and the exam; to award grades on the basis of mocks represents a severe misunderstanding of how the GCSE or A-level year actually works. In the absence of exams or assessed coursework, teacher assessments are the only valid measure - only teachers know their individual pupils abilities.

 

Was there ever a greater display of serial incompetence on all fronts?

[Barry O]

The results for my blood tests were probably at the surgery within two days (I know what they are as they can be viewed on line).. but as for trying to talk to Sister Drac.. this may involve an 8 am phone call .. she doesn't start until 9:30  .. but I can leave a message.. will they pass it on to her? God only knows...

 

e had visitors today. They are looking at buying next door.. but wanted to know how easy it is to do a loft conversion.. so they visited ours!. Very nice people.. but things weren't helped by the estate agent saying.. get dormers it will give a lot more space.. OK but no one else around here has them and the lady of the pair said.." I don't like the sticky out conversions."..Doh!

 

It was warming up nicely earlier (two loads of washing dried by her indoors on our outside whirlygig.. but it has gone very, very dark and I can smell the storm coming...Pah!

 

Time for some snap I reckon!

 

Have a nice evening/day wherever you are!

 

Baz

 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I was about to start on the shed just after lunch. As I went to get the stuff out of the garage I felt a few spots of rain and a few minutes later it was pouring down. Tomorrows weather is reckoned to be the same and Wednesday is reckoned to be wet, wet, wet so no progress expected until the end of the week. Time for dinner now, its whatever the use by date lottery turns up. Be back later. 

[Barry O]

Wow! Who upset Thor.. Thunder, lightning and deluge of the cold water stuff for about 20 minutes here. It became very dark very quickly!

 

Baz

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

I only post photos of these sort of things once, but our little miracle will be coming home tomorrow.  Would have been today without yesterday's nursing lack of forethought #sigh#. 

 

Still, 6 days ago we were wondering if she would survive, today, she looked into the camera and posed.  We have a lot to thank all at the hospital for.

 

D'oh forgot the photos.

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by New Haven Neil

[Andrew P]

21 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Evening.

 

I only post photos of these sort of things once, but our little miracle will be coming home tomorrow.  Would have been today without yesterday's nursing lack of forethought #sigh#. 

 

Still, 6 days ago we were wondering if she would survive, today, she looked into the camera and posed.  We have a lot to thank all at the hospital for.

 

D'oh forgot the photos.

 

BRILLIANT.

[PhilJ W]

41 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Evening.

 

I only post photos of these sort of things once, but our little miracle will be coming home tomorrow.  Would have been today without yesterday's nursing lack of forethought #sigh#. 

 

Still, 6 days ago we were wondering if she would survive, today, she looked into the camera and posed.  We have a lot to thank all at the hospital for.

 

D'oh forgot the photos.

 

Neil, things are going to get expensive from now on.

[New Haven Neil]

4 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Neil, things are going to get expensive from now on.

 

They already are - I have a Grandaughter 4 months old! 

[Erichill16]

 

Neil, glad things are looking a bit rosier now, lets hope thing continue to improve. 
Robert.

 

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

Balance bad today, feeling drained.
Busier than average day.

Keep well and Good night

Robert

[Andrew P]

13 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

They already are - I have a Grandaughter 4 months old! 

Call that EXPENSIVE Neil.

I have 4 Stepchildren, in their 50's, (2 sets of Twins 15 Months apart)

Their 4 other halves.

5 Grandchildren,

Their 5 other halves,

and 

8 Great Grand Children.

Now that is what you call expensive, a Birthday almost every 3 weeks, and don't talk to me about Christmas, haha.

[iL Dottore]

Well, that is indeed good news. I am pleased and happy for you Neil.

As little Grace (will she ever be a “Gracie“, I wonder) is still in her infancy, you still have plenty of time to work on becoming the perfect “Eccentric Uncle” (every child should have a suitably eccentric Uncle).

May I offer some tips?

 

Firstly, clothing: e.g. kaftans, floppy bow ties, embroidered waistcoats, crushed velvet jackets, Jellabiyas, Tartan Trews (or even a kilt and sporran) etc. Whatever it is, it must scream that you are anything but ordinary... Jeans and a T-Shirt just won’t do.
Secondly, accessories: e.g. a hollow walking stick that contains a long thin flask of the water of life, a folding knife - that’s used for everything from changing a tyre to carving a roast; or perhaps a gold or silver hunter instead of a wrist watch. Whatever it is, it should be unusual and - for a child - incredibly intriguing.

Thirdly, a weird or unusual hobby: well, you ARE a railway modeller, so I think we can safely cross that one off the list...

Fourthly, be a Weltbummler: You really don’t have to travel far to be, in the eyes of a child, a Weltbummler (which you can loosely translate as “Globetrotter“ although that term doesn’t quite catch what a Weltbummler truly is). It is sufficient for the destination to be outside of the child’s experience and thus exotic. Who knows, for little Grace the Shetland Islands or even London might be exotic and mysterious.

Finally (and I am being fairly serious now) an Eccentric Uncle should be able to pass on a useful life skill or interest to their niece or nephew. I had an eccentric uncle and what he passed on to me was the confidence to not be afraid of bold spices and herbs in cooking and he gave a great (and lifelong) interest in - what was at time - “Foreign Food” (I should point out that we are talking about the late fifties/early 60s in the UK in terms of time reference). My uncle was also very much a true Weltbummler, and tales of his adventures in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau and Japan prompted in me a lifelong love of these countries and their cuisines.

I am most curious, Neil, as to what you will wear, what accessories you will equip yourself with and to what destinations you will have travelled in order to proclaim yourself as a true “Eccentric Uncle“.

 

iD

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by iL Dottore

[Gwiwer]

4 hours ago, AndyB said:

 

How about the Alice Holt forest just south of Farnham - a weekday after school goes back? Some nice trails.

 

We have secured two tickets for Great Dixter gardens.  Saturday will therefore be spent driving to and from the Kent / Sussex Borderlands by way of some pretty lanes rather than the M25 / A21.  SWMBO always falls asleep in the passenger seat of a car but has asked to be driven through the High Weald.  I shall endeavour to keep her awake by some means though I am perfectly happy to drive anywhere a car will fit  and prefer lanes to motorways anyway.  

 

This evening's news has been sprinkled with reports of "apocalyptic" rainfall in places as diverse as Barnstaple, Chelmsford and Northampton causing flooding and disruption.  We were on the edge of a couple of monster black clouds but had nothing out of them.  There was a little rain around lunchtime but it barely wet the ground.  Former Neighbour (Upstairs) has spent the day on a Dorset beach and has managed a sea swim.  I am only slightly envious  ; I don't swim anywhere except to save a life but am absolutely hanging for some good beach time.  I know they are mostly packed right now.  I also know a few spots likely to be less busy but requiring a fairly determined effort to get to.  

 

It is bed-time.  There is movement around the Hill of Strawberries as we are now fully-occupied once more and the student members of our community have little to occupy their time other than being with each other and making noise.  Not excessive, it must be said, but enough to be heard and as it is still warm enough there is a lot of conversation coming from the balconies.  Ah well.  I was young once and probably kept a few people awake in my time.  

 

Sleep soundly.  All will be well.  

[polybear]

Bear's Tip of the Day:

 

When trying to suppress a cough whilst reading ER's and having a gobfull of Tea:

1.  Be very good at it, or:

2.  Swallow quick, or:

3.  Point yer gob on a safe heading.

 

Apologies to iD, who copped (spelling?) the full blast - along with the keyboard.  Bvgger.  Me thinks Larry the Laptop will be spending the night in the airing cupboard.

 

And absolutely, definitely no sniggers or laughing - even at the back.......

 

 

 

 

[jamie92208]

2 minutes ago, polybear said:

Bear's Tip of the Day:

 

When trying to suppress a cough whilst reading ER's and having a gobfull of Tea:

1.  Be very good at it, or:

2.  Swallow quick, or:

3.  Point yer gob on a safe heading.

 

Apologies to iD, who copped (spelling?) the full blast - along with the keyboard.  Bvgger.  Me thinks Larry the Laptop will be spending the night in the airing cupboard.

 

And absolutely, definitely no sniggers or laughing - even at the back.......

 

 

 

 

I should really have ticked freindly/supportive but couldn't resist a laugh.  

 

Hopebit dries out OK.

 

As to ID's point, I am very proud to be the eccentric uncle to a very bright and recently engaged 22 yr old.  I've just scanned some photos of her blowing out the candles on her 5th birthday cake. That's enabled me to date a film that my forgettery couldn't place at all. We've just had a good chat on messenger and she's been emailed the photos. I suspect that her wedding will cost me but I've only got 3 nieces.

 

Jamie

[Barry O]

Goodnight all!

 

Baz

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I mentioned the other day that my easy chair had collapsed and I replaced it with a folding directors chair. That too has collapsed, not as drastically as the easy chair, merely a dry joint so its out with the sandpaper and PVA glue tomorrow. Its not done too bad for a £5 purchase from a charity shop. Luckily I have another similar chair but with a steel frame, its also new and unused so should be OK. Now to catch up with Farcebook, be back later.