Early Risers.

[Barry O]

Goodnight all!

Baz

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. 

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

The French language group Aditi is part of have been having Zoom meetings. The general IT competence of the membership has increased rapidly. Aditi is also a member of a much larger art group. They had a practice webinar last week. That looked very impressive, 

Tony

The Zoom meeting went rather well. Of the six of us one initially had problems opening up but an e-mail showing what to do soon sorted that out and another had a slight problem due to narrow band width. So we're all set for our committee meeting tomorrow. We did discuss those members who were not on the internet and it came to light that many members were unaware that they could use a tablet or mobile phone to connect with the internet. They have these devices so perhaps we can connect with most of the membership.

 

17 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Change of subject. ER nature ramblers please advise! This photo will need zooming but can anyone identify the green plant growing on the rock. Taken last week near Loch Ness.

I wondered if it is stonecrop but it doesn’t look like the stonecrop in our books. My nephew sent the photo as he said it was everywhere in Scotland and wondered what it was.  

Sempervivum?

[The Stationmaster]

44 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

I think I have seen the same film organised the old system at Wicker arches first then Tinsley but it didn't last for a long time 

Yes - the Dowty retarder (and accelerator) system at Tinsley didn't have a particularly long life - the yard opened in 1965 and according to a Wiki article the hump was closed in 1984 which sounds about right as I knew the chap who managed the frst major rundown of the yard which would have been about then.  Like most of the 1960s large mechanised yards it was opened about 10 years too late to do any good and thus never reached its full potential,  The Dowty system apparently worked quite well but was subject to leaking fluid and it became difficult to obtain spares which, so i was told, led to some of the hump sidings being closed earlier in order to 'rob' working units for the remaining sidings.

[laurenceb]

Happy anniversary to Mr & Mrs Bb and congratulations to Mr & Mrs Simon

Night awl

[BSW01]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

Change of subject. ER nature ramblers please advise! This photo will need zooming but can anyone identify the green plant growing on the rock. Taken last week near Loch Ness.

I wondered if it is stonecrop but it doesn’t look like the stonecrop in our books. My nephew sent the photo as he said it was everywhere in Scotland and wondered what it was.  

It looks like a plant called ‘Hair Moss’ (polytrichum commune) which can be found in heaths, bogs, moors and woods. 

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

I managed to get some gardening done today, but I had to stop just before dinner as it started to rain. It was only light rain at first, so I was able to clean and put away all my gardening tools, empty the wheelbarrow and lock the shed up before dinner. As it turned out, it was a good job I did as it soon became proper rain and if I’d left the wheelbarrow until after dinner there would have been quite a bit of water in it too. 

 

After dinner I stayed in the workshop and started cleaning the workbench that the drill press, grinding wheel and vice are stationed. There were also a few bits on there that were cluttering it up, so homes were found for those items.

 

After tea I completed the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix, there doesn’t seem to be any panic buying at the moment, the shelves looked quite full, but there were still a few not wearing masks properly, what is SO difficult?

 

 Goodnight all 

[Tony_S]

9 minutes ago, BSW01 said:

It looks like a plant called ‘Hair Moss’ (polytrichum commune) which can be found in heaths, bogs, moors and woods. 

That does look the closest. I’ll get Josh to send the original image rather than the smaller WhatsApp image I copied. Thank you. 

[PhilJ W]

15 minutes ago, BSW01 said:

It looks like a plant called ‘Hair Moss’ (polytrichum commune) which can be found in heaths, bogs, moors and woods. 

 

4 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

That does look the closest. I’ll get Josh to send the original image rather than the smaller WhatsApp image I copied. Thank you. 

Looks like thats the one:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytrichum_juniperinum

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[brianusa]

Rather a nice autumnal day here in GH.  Cool with a lot of afternoon sunshine which is a nice change from the smoke and fog recently.  No rain on the horizon which we could use!

       Brian.

[polybear]

5 hours ago, BSW01 said:

After tea I completed the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix, there doesn’t seem to be any panic buying at the moment, the shelves looked quite full, but there were still a few not wearing masks properly, what is SO difficult?

 

Their IQ obviously isn't sufficiently high to understand how to operate a face mask.....

 

In other news:

Bear up at half five, after a cr@p night.  Blood test a 8am, to establish more regarding the chances of my painful hands being down to arthritis.  Then a virus test at ten, purely in the interests of science and to get my voucher.

After that the world is my oyster, as they say.  Which today seems to be sanding down filler, applying more, sorting out plumbing bits* (for which a trip into beamland (the loft) will be necessary, and possibly draining down the CH system in preparation for ripping out some pipework tomorrow.

(* Have you seen the price of plumbing copper solder fittings lately?  Jeez, wish I'd stocked up a few years back.....).

 

I see that The Orange One has been allowed out on parole.  D1ckhead.  Would hoping for a relapse be uncharitable?

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all, with belated anniversary greetings to Peter and Mrs BB

 

I managed to miss the fact that Bedford beer festival should have taken place over the weekend.  When it is held it is one of the few cultural events that Bedford can boast and plays host to so many annual reunions.  I was present for at least part of every one and there have been more than 40 of them.  In what could be a vain attempt to avoid forgetting any more events I bought a 2021 diary yesterday.  The purpose of my visit to WHSmith was to check out seasonal greetings cards but there were none to check out.  It was, after all, only 5th October.  Patience, Chris …

 

By chance, later in the day, I received news of something to enter in the diary.  It is the second postponement of the concert at The Stables by Grace Petrie that should have been given in May.  How I long to return to that semi-regular haunt.  I last attended a concert there on 14th March, just before the world fell into lockdown.  It seems so long ago.  Any sign of returning to normal, however small, must give cause for some rejoicing.

 

There was a call from a police investigator yesterday afternoon.  It seems that I was far from being the only victim of the ne’er-do-well who made me a victim of crime recently.  He has been apprehended, charged and released on bail.  One of the conditions is that he should not go anywhere near the town centre.  Would I call 101 if I see him again?  Oh yes.    

 

Today I will be visiting my scaredy-cat friend.  No doubt we shall put the world to rights over a cuppa.  Despite her protestations I will give her the modest bottle of something fragrant that I bought at the Body Shop.  The staff there do their best to put me at my ease but I do not feel at all comfortable buying cosmetics!

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Delivery here between 10:20 and 14:20 today. Once done I have a list of things to be "done".

 

Side effects from my new "guinea pig" tablets are ok. Weight loss has slowed but they seem to be having a positive effect on my health. Great!

Time for a mugatea so...

Stay safe, stay healthy and positive thoughts to all ERs .

 

Baz

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Still dark and dry but a cloudy day with showers or a bright day with sunny spells and showers are offered depending on which forecast you believe.  I'll believe the wet bit.

I'm due to go to the dentist at 9.00am so I'll take a brolly with me just in case.

A couple of parcels arrived after being delayed including an additional birthday present for The Boss which was much appreciated.  More parcels due today, in fact it is now almost a daily event.  

Nothing else to report and it's time to take some tea to Herself,

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited October 6, 2020 by grandadbob

[TheQ]

Don't click on new reply, when typing in words, granddadbob has just deleted the below missive..

 

Mooring awl, Inner Temple Hare, 789/493

A better nights sleep, 5 hours + 2 hours +15 minutes..

 

Ben the scared of the dark Collie came out for patrol this morning a very bright moon illuminating every where, He was also desperate, as it was chucking it down for his evening patrol so he didn't spend too much time out..

 

Driving in this morning the local roads were very slippery with fallen leaves turned to slush.

 

On of the main road, two cockwombles went past separately at high speed, I was gratified to find them stuck behind the Toolbank van on the windy bits of road, they were less than 100 yards ahead when we reached the NDR.

 

It seems the guy who was interviewed Friday will get the job as deputy head of Lab, he has another interview online with the top head of Lab in the USA to go.. this is normally a formality you'd have to drop a very big one to fail it..  He has  a lot to learn in a period of less than two years, If my boss leaves on his projected date.. Including a lot about ... EXCEL spreadsheets..

 

Most of our work is processed using excel, though the biggest one I use has about 30 columns and 3000 lines, one has the input data page for the unit under test, then up to a half a dozen pages processing the results the first of which is the calibration data for the test instrument which itself may be several thousand lines, then often a page of data for fixed Items like resistors and current shunts, then a calculations page, then several pages of comparisons between the uncertainty of measurement , the UUT specifications and then the instrument the UUT is used to calibrate itself..

 

And talking of That,

 

 Time to go get started on this weeks major system.. resistance mostly today.

 

 

[grandadbob]

1 minute ago, TheQ said:

Don't click on new reply, when typing in words, granddadbob has just deleted the below missive..

 

 

How did I manage to do that?

[grandadbob]

5 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Time to go get started on this weeks major system.. resistance mostly today.

 

I've heard that it's futile!  

[Robert]

Morning all,

 

On 29/09/2020 at 08:17, Barry O said:

@Robert and @NGT6 1315 are missing as is @Ozexpatriate and longer term missing ERs including  @trisonic

 

Hope they are all well!

 

Doing fine thanks!  Still working largely from home and trying to avoid the virus.  Our area currently has around 36 cases per 100k residents which puts it into the "orange" category.  It has also been climbing steadily which isn't exactly what you want to hear.

 

Apart from that, there isn't a lot else to report, so have a good day everyone...

[AndrewC]

Good moaning all from the boring borough. Little of note here. Another couple of days on a training course. Hoping this instructor is better than the last one. Coffee at the ready. 

 

For all those slagging MS Excel off. I once had to migrate 45m (yes million) records from a legacy system into a newly created archive. We had to use Excel to convert the csv output into something the new system could ingest. It took about 100 files but it worked and we lost zero records. Like any tool in the hands of incompetents, you can still get a complete fustercluck. My guess is they gave the work to some poor grad student who had about 12 minutes experience of MS Office products. 

 

Enjoy the day. 

Edited October 6, 2020 by AndrewC

[roundhouse]

1 hour ago, chrisf said:

 

 

I managed to miss the fact that Bedford beer festival should have taken place over the weekend.  When it is held it is one of the few cultural events that Bedford can boast and plays host to so many annual reunions.  I was present for at least part of every one and there have been more than 40 of them.  In what could be a vain attempt to avoid forgetting any more events I bought a 2021 diary yesterday.  The purpose of my visit to WHSmith was to check out seasonal greetings cards but there were none to check out.  It was, after all, only 5th October.  Patience, Chris …

 

 

We have been to every one of our local beer festivals although there have only been around 13 or so but this years is cancelled. Not happy with CAMRA at the moment as the beer guide isnt coming due to my direct debit failing yet the same details for the annual subscripiton have gone thruogh. Tried ringing them but its an answerphone so tried signing in online but that still doesnt recognise my membership details despite contacting them some months ago and the reply did not resolve it. So last week I emailed them again but no repsonse yet. I can see this membership being cancelled after 30 years. The beer guide is so out of date by the time it is published in normal years so this one will be even worse and the monthly mag is no longer sent out os its online only and I cant access it, not that I read all of it anyway.

 

Plannig for our upcoming trip is still on going but Scotland is now almost certainly off the list with further covid restriciton meansure highly likely and Wales is now just a slim chance for a visit. £80 ( for a compartment) for a trip on just part of the Welsh Highland is way too much for the two of us.

 

Food drop to Mums this morning, maybe some more gardening for her aswell.

 

Whilst we were at the Gatton Park on Sunday some volunteers asked if I would be interested in helping them. With me doing such in 4 separate gardens at present adding this huge place is off the agenda for the time being but you never konw. Maybe I could convince them to put a railway in!

[AndrewC]

2 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

We have been to every one of our local beer festivals although there have only been around 13 or so but this years is cancelled. Not happy with CAMRA at the moment as the beer guide isnt coming due to my direct debit failing yet the same details for the annual subscripiton have gone thruogh. Tried ringing them but its an answerphone so tried signing in online but that still doesnt recognise my membership details despite contacting them some months ago and the reply did not resolve it. So last week I emailed them again but no repsonse yet. I can see this membership being cancelled after 30 years. The beer guide is so out of date by the time it is published in normal years so this one will be even worse and the monthly mag is no longer sent out os its online only and I cant access it, not that I read all of it anyway.

 

So far this year we've managed one beer fest. (Love Beer London back in Feb) We've missed out on 7 others we usually attend. Interesting that the <cough> nice people at CAMRA have been pestering me to come back over the past few weeks. We let our joint membership lapse last year after 15 years. Yet, they are ignoring the attempts of an existing member to renew. Kwalitee. Any beer guide this year will be meaningless with so many pubs either still temporarily closed, partly opened with a massive reduction in selection, or permanently shut. Just found out that Craft Beer Co has axed their Islington location, and about half the Antic pubs will not reopen. 

[Robert]

There's nothing wrong with Excel, when used correctly.  However Spreadsheet ≠ Database.

 

Completely the wrong tool for the job.

[jamie92208]

56 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

 

How did I manage to do that?

Just be thankful that no blood was shed in the process, probably just sweat and tears.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good morning from the Charente. It isn't actually raining at the moment but soon may be for the rest of the morning.   

I got the required bits of the shed floor sealed yesterday and then spent an hour hanging various items of railwayana on the shed wall to beautify the place.   A 2 chain plan of Woodlesford,  a station sign from Giggleswick and some framed prints of Stanier pacifics in red. Shopping in the afternoon and then a relaxed evening.

 

The bread lady should be here soon with our order.  I need to pay her when she toots.   Then I will be heading for the shed to paint approx 40 sq. metres of floor.  Only another 90 to go in the main part of the shed and then the top part which is another 100.  I do have paint in stock for most of it but the other areas aren't cleared and sealed yet.   I need Beth's help for that task as she packed many of the boxes that need to be sorted.  Sorting the boxes that have not been emptied sine we moved here is one of our agreed winter projects.  Once the floor is painted then I may even do some muddling.

 

Regards to all and stay safe out there.   With our daughter working at Leeds Uni we are a little bit concerned for her safety.

 

Jamie