Early Risers.

[AndrewC]

3 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

Who's going to be first to get a GROAN, then?

Already gave Udders one on the petition thread. 

Had to be done. 

[Andrew P]

1 hour ago, BokStein said:

 

Roughly East South East of your new abode!

 

Used to be just norf-eastish of said new location!

Does that make you a Fish, or a Land Crab? haha .

[Ian Abel]

Moaning all,

BIN day today, everything suitably sorted and BINNED...

 

Ozexpat, looks bad, we've friends in Medford and they're on the verge of evac orders apparently, also Jemma flew into Portland Wednesday night and overnighted before taking a flight out yesterday. She said her hotel room smelled more like a campfire, scary!  Stay safe.

 

We've a standing get-together now on Friday nights with our travelling friends, dinner and watching "Murder in Paradise", which we all enjoy and none of us had seen the latest series as it's just been released here - we're wending our way through an episode or two at a time, punctuated with lashings of vino  

We're all social distancing from the rest of the world, with the exception of required shopping trips etc., so it does provide a little company.

 

6 first thing and cloudy, may reach the dizzying heights of 15 with some possible rain later.

 

Here's to the weekend

 

 

[iL Dottore]

5 hours ago, newbryford said:

..I used to do 3-day trips to paper mills in the USA.

Usually fly out Wednesday, Do the visit Thursday and Friday, flying home overnight Fri-Sat.

 

I went to Spokane WA (via Portland OR) one Wednesday to return Saturday. Back in the office on Monday and told I'm off to Massachusetts in 2 days.

All trips were either in club or first as I'd just got an AA gold frequent flyer card and got upgraded!

Knackered, but the air miles paid for a holiday to the US a few months later!

 

 

Well you got off easy....

 

Try this for punishing: Sunday Morning: BSL-LHR-SFO. Sunday Evening San Francisco. Monday Morning: Meeting in San Francisco, Monday Evening SFO-LHR-BSL. Tuesday Lunchtime: Back in Office.

 

Mind you, the powers-that-be were well aware of how punishing this is and, wanting me to be useful  upon arrival, sent me Business Class and to 4 Star Hotels. Having gone from blue card to gold card on BA's frequent flyer programme in 6 months did mean I got upgraded to first on a fairly frequent basis. Mind you, I never managed to match Mrs iD's achievement: upgraded to First (on Swissair) on the way out to SE Asia and on the way back! The best I could manage was getting upgraded to First on the Bangkok - Sydney leg of a trip to Oz....

 

The three-day and two week trips to the US were the best: the first meant that you didn't have to deal with the time-zone differences, the second meant that you had already dealt witht he time-zone differences early on in the trip, the worst were the 5 day trips; too long to ignore the time-zone differences, too short to adjust to the time zone differences.

 

Although going east from the US to Europe always had a jet-lag penalty, but - surprisingly - going east from Europe to SE Asia rarely gave me any more than mild jet lag.

 

Aah! Happy Days.

Edited September 11, 2020 by iL Dottore
typo

[Tony_S]

36 minutes ago, AndrewC said:

Already gave Udders one on the petition thread. 

Had to be done. 

The buttons list certainly  has grown today.

[simontaylor484]

21 minutes ago, Ian Abel said:

Moaning all,

BIN day today, everything suitably sorted and BINNED...

 

Ozexpat, looks bad, we've friends in Medford and they're on the verge of evac orders apparently, also Jemma flew into Portland Wednesday night and overnighted before taking a flight out yesterday. She said her hotel room smelled more like a campfire, scary!  Stay safe.

 

We've a standing get-together now on Friday nights with our travelling friends, dinner and watching "Murder in Paradise", which we all enjoy and none of us had seen the latest series as it's just been released here - we're wending our way through an episode or two at a time, punctuated with lashings of vino  

We're all social distancing from the rest of the world, with the exception of required shopping trips etc., so it does provide a little company.

 

6 first thing and cloudy, may reach the dizzying heights of 15 with some possible rain later.

 

Here's to the weekend

 

 

I love the scenery on that show especially the sort wearing bikinis

Our second trip to the Dominican republic (got married there first trip) the security operative was model beautiful (no not N gauge) stamping exit visa on passports it was the only time i wanted to have a problem with my passport. She could have slapped the cuffs on anytime

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Sorry that I have been AWOL again - blame the decorating of the dining room, which has been brought forward now three times and is now semi complete - God how I wish that Laura Ashley had never gone bust, as this work is all the result of their doing so, which has not only resulted in loads of work but has also cost us a few hundred quid.  It does mean that not all posts have been read or rated.

 

Generic greetings are, of course, offered to all ailing and celebrating ERs

 

However, our bank statement today gave us another unexpected bonus in the form of another PPI refund, this time from Barclaycard, and it amounted to a five figure sum, so between the loans from Barclays and this we are quite a few K up - all due to a speculative enquiry.

 

Back sometime over the weekend.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[simontaylor484]

It just goes to show that it was worth looking into it 

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup where there is blue sky and a bit of sun.

 

Best wishes to Ozexpat and others caught up in the fire area. We passed through there last summer and stayed overnight in Medford having come in from the coast (Newport) and gone to Crater Lake, which is up at about 7,500 feet. It had been 102 that day in Medford and getting out of the car was a shock.

 

Work is hectic - we have several things all of which need to be done by close of play Monday, after which time a new financing arrangement comes into play. We have been pushing them forward as far as possible and now they are in the hands of other people. One i think will happen and one possibly won't - and there will be hell to pay if it doesn't, as it will restrict our funding by about 10%. 

 

Still,it is nearly the weekend and i have no major plans - we are having our conservatory replaced starting Tuesday next week and so i would have been working from home anyway - but i need to go into the office on Monday, partly because they have finally decided i should have a work laptop...they have finally heard my complaints about the flaky internet connection and antiquated nature of this machine! I guess i might have to put my suit on for the first time in nearly 6 months. Isn't it supposed to be very hot on Monday?!!

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Just zapped a few more weeds this afternoon. Most of them are in what I laughably call a lawn, more weeds and bald patches than grass. The grass hasn't dropped all its seed yet so once it has the remaining grass will get cut and next spring it will get re-seeded.

1 hour ago, 45156 said:

Afternoon All

 

 

 

However, our bank statement today gave us another unexpected bonus in the form of another PPI refund, this time from Barclaycard, and it amounted to a five figure sum, so between the loans from Barclays and this we are quite a few K up - all due to a speculative enquiry.

 

Back sometime over the weekend.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

 

44 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

It just goes to show that it was worth looking into it 

It certainly is, I also received a tidy sum in PPI and I only realised that I was due anything when I found an old statement. Sadly the deadline for claims has past.

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

The buttons list certainly  has grown today.

When I saw them this morning I assumed (wrongly apparently) that they must have been around for a while.

 

Stinky yellow air again today - somewhere in the very unhealthy to hazardous range. (It's curious how much air quality numbers from various online air quality reporting websites vary - so much so that the data are not really trustworthy.) Today the eyeball and nostril test is sufficient to see that it is bad.

 

The world is changing when the "smoke forecast" becomes a major part of the nightly weather report as it has for several weeks now. Andy in northern Idaho is forecast to see our smoke on Sunday.

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

... we've friends in Medford and they're on the verge of evac orders apparently

The Medford area (a long way south of me) has been hard hit. Parts of two small towns between Medford and Ashland, (Talent and Phoenix) have been completely destroyed.

 

Medford and Ashland are only about 20 miles apart and are in Southern Oregon.

[Happy Hippo]

3 hours ago, AndrewC said:

Can't see that one being of much use on ERs that's for sure. 

Well not any more.  All the tools have already been let go by AndyY.

[BokStein]

 

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

The buttons list certainly  has grown today.

 

I think you may have made a spillong mustook hear! Grown Groan

 

4 hours ago, AndrewC said:

Can't see that one being of much use on ERs that's for sure. 

 

Could read 'Thought Provoking' as 'Mind Boggling', perhaps?

[Debs.]

.........................

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

Didn't get around to oven cleaning today (how sad) as the shopping trip took a bit longer than I expected and by the time we got back I didn't feel like it.  Instead I paid The Shed a visit and had a pleasant few hours playing with little wheeled thingies.  One was playing up a bit and stuttering a lot and it took me a few minutes to realise that the wheels were filthy.  A few minutes work with IPA and it was running as good as new.  I really should get on with platform building and track ballasting instead of getting sidetracked though.

At a loose end tonight as no rugby on the box or even  tomorrow as far as I can see.  At least there's a couple of games on Sunday.

Watched The Repair Shop earlier and Rick may be interested to know that a couple of people from the Penlee Lifeboat Station were on with a rather large cast iron collection box.  He may know the guy as he was the son of one of the crew lost on the Solomon Browne. 

 

 

 P.S.  Just seen that Debs has visited so now expecting a slap!  

Edited September 11, 2020 by grandadbob

[Coombe Barton]

Have some very unusual fish here. I bought it yesterday. But it's become very mysterious. Very, very mysterious.

 

It's the piece of cod that passeth all understanding.

 

[grandadbob]

John is obviously working very hard today. 

[simontaylor484]

I remember watching a documentary on the Penlee lifeboat /Union Star disaster very tragic but a very brave set of Men. I was only 4 at the time I do.remember the Falklands conflict a few months later.

Father Brown on at 8 then Hunting Hitler, I can't make up my mind wether I believe that he escaped Berlin or not. 

 

[Happy Hippo]

21 minutes ago, Chris116 said:

A nice bit of Railway Modelling! 

Ducks for cover!

There are safer places to discuss this at your leisure and  where ducking for cover is not required.

[brianusa]

2 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

The Medford area (a long way south of me) has been hard hit. Parts of two small towns between Medford and Ashland, (Talent and Phoenix) have been completely destroyed.

 

Medford and Ashland are only about 20 miles apart and are in Southern Oregon.

 

Wondered where you were, Mike.  Can't afford to lose anyone from the PNW as there are precious few of us around these parts.  It hasn't been as as bad as some places here in GH, except that we get the smoke so this is a stay indoors day and keep the A/C on.  Look forward to an on shore flow off the Pacific to cool things off!

   Whatever happened to Covid?  It seems to have dropped of the headlines!

      Brian.

[Joseph_Pestell]

46 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

I remember watching a documentary on the Penlee lifeboat /Union Star disaster very tragic but a very brave set of Men. I was only 4 at the time I do.remember the Falklands conflict a few months later.

Father Brown on at 8 then Hunting Hitler, I can't make up my mind wether I believe that he escaped Berlin or not. 

 

 

That episode of Repair Shop was very interesting. One has to admire the bravery of a guy who is on the lifeboats despite having lost his father in the Penlee incident. I think I am right in saying that RNLI have not lost anyone since which is remarkable.

I think that I have mentioned it before but I can not recommend strongly enough the afternoon tour round the RNLI College at Poole. They even have an excellent bar, restaurant and accommodation for those coming from further afield.

[Sasquatch]

15 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Hello everyone. I hope you are all keeping well.

 

This is a quick drop-in from troubled Portland. I haven't kept up with you all. If I have missed any injuries, illnesses or personal tragedies, please accept my sympathies / condolences in absentia.

 

By "troubles" I'm not referring to the >100 consecutive days of overly politicized but relatively isolated protesting. Even 100 days of deliberately provocative fires mostly set in the middle of the road using mattresses and dumpsters are nothing compared with the destructive forces of climate change.

 

After a mostly delightful summer, and with warmer than average September temperatures, on Monday the wind changed to the east. Instead of Mary Poppins and a spoonful of sugar, the offshore airflow brought smoke, 50 mph wind gusts and explosive wildfires on the west slopes of the Cascade Mountains. 

 

On Tuesday afternoon I ran an errand southeast of here. The easterly winds exploded the Beachie Creek wildfire on the west side of Mount Jefferson down the Santiam River valley. Running an errand, looking south, from south of the Willamette River and the Portland metro area the wildfire smoke looked like this:

By Wednesday the combined Beachie Creek and Lionshead fire complex ripped down the Santiam River valley largely destroying small towns along the very scenic Oregon Highway 22 like Detroit and Mill City. There have been reported fatalities. It is unclear whether there additional fatalities amongst people who have refused to evacuate. Wildfires are capricious. Often a home will be totally destroyed while an adjacent structure is intact. Even local TV reporting is uneven with the difficulties of accessing the fire damaged areas.

 

Wednesday saw eerie dark yellow skies. Interior lighting was needed even in the middle of the day.

 

The Portland area is literally surrounded by fires to the southeast, west, and southwest. There is even a fire at the coast.

 

The weather has been hotter than average. The combination of high forecast temperatures, topography and the heavy wildfire smoke created a temperature inversion. Due to heavy smoke aloft, sunlight did not heat up the air at ground level, such that the smoke which the east wind had earlier carried aloft, dropped today (Thursday) to ground level. (Despite forecast temperatures of 35°C, we didn't get above 25°C with the heavy pall of wildfire smoke today.)

 

Very close to home (literally out my front door) it looked like this earlier today:

Air quality is expected to be bad through Monday when we might see a little rain for the second time since the beginning of July.

 

Two fire complexes southeast of the Portland metro (the Riverside and Beachie Creek fires in two different counties) are combining this evening. With the temperature inversion, visibility is so bad that fire fighting crews have been withdrawn for their own safety and in the absence of VFR flying, the air tankers are grounded.  Based on local TV reporting, and including fires in southern Oregon, almost 1,000,000 acres of land in Oregon has been burnt in the last three days.

 

I had two alerts on my mobile telephone this evening that the town I visited on Tuesday afternoon (about 8 miles southeast as the crow flies) was under a Level 2*, "be set" evacuation order.  I saw some reporting that more than 10% of the state population (~500,000 people out of 4.2M) is currently under evacuation orders.

 

My previous home, a few miles away, is under Level 1 "get ready" evacuation orders. I believe these are precautionary and mostly related to county boundaries. It is hard to imagine that the wildfires southeast of the metro will actually cross the Willamette River but until there is a meaningful change in the weather, it's not over.

 

Throughout the western US, across California, Oregon and Washington, wildfires are widespread. Meanwhile after >100°F temperatures in Colorado on Saturday, it snowed there yesterday.

 

I hope things are less distressing for you all. Bring on the La Niña weather pattern!

 

 

 

* Oregon wildfire evacuation orders are:

1. Be ready (to leave)
2. Be set (to leave at a moment's notice)
3. Go! Leave now

Good to know you're safe Oz.

Things down here have been extremely scary. The Almeda fire started in Ashland Tuesday afternoon just after Mrs Squatch left. It was blown along the Greenway between I5 and HWY99 and by 11pm had all but destroyed the cities  of Talent and Phoenix. Over 1000 people made homeless, 600 homes and many business reduced to ashes. A second fire broke out in Medford on Wednesday afternoon close to the fair grounds where all the evacuees were taking shelter. Full credit to the Fire crews who brought it under control within a couple of hours.

The small town of Shady cove has been evacuated due to the 23,000 acre fire down HWY 62 which is responsible for all today's very thick smoke.

 

We have a bad situation with 100s of people left with nothing. I just heard the president has approved emergency aid for the state of Oregon.

 

At least the wild life knows where to come for food.

Take care, stay safe Shaun

 

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

Supportive thoughts to those 'across' in the fire risk zones - not nice.

 

Less risky, but also not nice was shopping (shudders) this morning, in the big city as it was chucking it down so we were unable to do anything productive outside.  Ahhgh, Douglas on a Friday, nightmare.  Some work on the unmentionable thing in the garage was achieved later though.

 

The RNLI, an organisation dear to my heart as an ex-mariner.  The charity I support almost to the exclusion of all others.  The bravery of folk who put to sea when everyone else at sea is running for cover should never be underestimated.  

 

[BoD]

1 hour ago, grandadbob said:

John is obviously working very hard today. 

He knows his plaice.