Early Risers.

[Andrew P]

New Mobile phone due today.

 

BUT why is that such a big deal? 

 

Loads of people have New Mobile Phones all the time, well my current one is about 15, YES THAT IS F I F T E E N  Years old, and I have to work out how to re load all the bits like Sky and BBC News, F1, E-Bay, Weather, G-Mail, and of course R M Web etc and then do the NHS Tracing App which is the ONLY reason I need a new phone in the first place. I tried to download / upload? the App and it said my phone was not compatible, I was really miffed, it does everything else I need it to do, It makes phone calls and receives them, and that was the reason I bought it.  

Now I'll have to learn a whole new load of technology, something I dislike. 

I may be back later, or tomorrow to report that it has gone into the BIN along with all my Telephone contacts.

[New Haven Neil]

Morning.

 

Rain once more.  55mm Sunday, yesterday started fine but degraded into rain by late afternoon, 30mm overnight.  And it's hissing down still.

 

Some tidying up of the garage/railway due as I have a visitor after lunch.

 

I see some UK press have been bad-mouthing Fraggle Rock for locking up 5 'essential workers' (ha - welders!) who came here on special permit (our borders being closed, and the island covid-free in the community) who were found in Tesco buying alcohol.  These people have signed a legal document telling them what they can and cannot do (go straight to prepared hotel, where arrangements for food etc have been made), have been spoken to individually upon arrival by a customs officer reiterating same, and .......went straight to Tesco's to get booze.  The fact they were wearing masks (no need for us to do so) kind of gave them away.  So they got 2 weeks chokey, as per the warnings in the document.  Guess what - today it is revealed one of them HAS covid! Perhaps now they will understand why we have these rules.  /rant.

[45156]

1 hour ago, roundhouse said:

Not happy with CAMRA at the moment

 

I resigned my CAMRA membership many many years ago, having been a founder member as I was recruited while it was the Campaign for the revitaization of ale - having met Michael Hardman in a Youngs pub in central London - my membership number was 77.  However, I resigned some years later, when I was having a few beers in a Courage pub in North Cheam, where I met the chairman of the Sutton branch, who was drinking a very dubious, cloudy pint of Courage best, and I had already declined same, as it was undrinkable - and had instead chosen a bottle of Lowenbrau - which was at that time brewed exclusively in Germany, and was quite acceptable.  The chairman took one look at my drink, and said f**cking traitor - I resigned my membership the following morning, and never rejoined - I did find CAMRA was becoming too parochial even then - and that was some 45 years ago.

[Simon G]

Wet here this morning, not surprisingly given how close we are to Fraggle Rock.  Gluteal muscle still pretty stiff and sore, though better than Sunday and yesterday.  At least I managed to find a comfortable position to sleep.

 

After the announcement that we are to become grandparents, we have started to sort out all the baby stuff kept since ours were born.  The old cot has been assembled and found to be immaculate, and various clothes have been located.  The big question is whether the parents-to-be will actually want any of the stuff.  They are due to visit in about a couple of weeks, so we might get some idea then.  In the meantime more stuff will be unearthed and sorted out!

[grandadbob]

1 hour ago, 45156 said:

 However, I resigned some years later, when I was having a few beers in a Courage pub in North Cheam, where I met the chairman of the Sutton branch, who was drinking a very dubious, cloudy pint of Courage best, and I had already declined same, as it was undrinkable - and had instead chosen a bottle of Lowenbrau - which was at that time brewed exclusively in Germany, and was quite acceptable.  The chairman took one look at my drink, and said f**cking traitor - I resigned my membership the following morning, and never rejoined - I did find CAMRA was becoming too parochial even then - and that was some 45 years ago.

 

Was that The Queen Victoria?  Closed many years ago, was a dump (that's being polite) and AFAIK still there as an eyesore.  Not missed by anyone that I know.

Dentist visited and toothypegs cleaned and checked and all is OK.  Hygienist was wearing a spacesuit because of the ultrasonic cleaner spraying water everywhere and dentist & nurse in large respirators and glasses.  Any drilling etc  then they too get to wear spacesuits.  

Coffee now and then I need to find something to do.

Edited October 6, 2020 by grandadbob

[AndrewC]

1 hour ago, 45156 said:

I resigned my CAMRA membership many many years ago, having been a founder member as I was recruited while it was the Campaign for the revitaization of ale - having met Michael Hardman in a Youngs pub in central London - my membership number was 77.  However, I resigned some years later, when I was having a few beers in a Courage pub in North Cheam, where I met the chairman of the Sutton branch, who was drinking a very dubious, cloudy pint of Courage best, and I had already declined same, as it was undrinkable - and had instead chosen a bottle of Lowenbrau - which was at that time brewed exclusively in Germany, and was quite acceptable.  The chairman took one look at my drink, and said f**cking traitor - I resigned my membership the following morning, and never rejoined - I did find CAMRA was becoming too parochial even then - and that was some 45 years ago.

There are some good eggs in CAMRA but they seem to be overshadowed by beer-nazis. Before finally giving up, we moved out of the local branch and to the SE London one. That in itself was a major fustercluck from head office as every so often they'd reconcile their address list and move people back into their closest branch. The Boring Borough branch seemed to be more like a BNP meeting at times. Many moons ago they were having one of their rallies, err meetings in the local 'spoons. (long before I boycotted toxic timmy's plague shacks) Most of them knew the sum total of f*ck all about beer. I basically ignored them and ordered a tin of Sixpoint Resin. This is an American IPA at 9.1% and about as far from the twiggy blandness of the sock+sandal wearing CAMRA beer-tw@t that you can get. I drank it in full view from the tin. None of them ever talked to me again. Result! 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

I tried to post earlier on, but the site went down for some sort of up grade. Anyway, it's also raining here, although it wasn't went I was eating my breakfast. I've decided to stay inside this morning and do a bit of work in the cellar. I want to add a shelf to one of the racks in the shed. But than means removing it from a rack in the cellar. The difficulty is its wedged into a corner, so it might take a while. 

 

Neil, as far as I'm concerned those 'essential workers' (term used loosely) got what was coming to them. They knew the rules and decided to ignore them. If it was up to me, when they get out, I'd cancel their contract and send them all back home. 

 

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

 

Brian 

[45156]

10 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

 

Was that The Queen Victoria? 

 

Actually it was, but I couldn't after nearly 50 years remember the name of the pub.

 

Morning All

 

Second attempt to update after recent system outage.

 

Now awaiting despatch on doll's house, but it might be a few days apparently.

 

Andrew, I do like Sixpoint Resin, it is quite amazing stuff - shame that it is largely available via JDW - but opinions on that chain do vary.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I joined CAMRA many years ago (1970's?). But there were several pubs within walking distance that served real ale and I thought why bother so I let my membership lapse. Sun is shining at the moment but I'm not intending to go out anyway. Time to put the kettle on, be back later.

[New Haven Neil]

Brian W, they are due out today (half time for good behaviour) but I don't know what will happen in terms of one having covid and the others obviously having had contact.  Local opinion would have the pitch forks out for them, as life here is currently totally normal bar the borders, and we don't want to go back to the way you folk are having to live, thank you very much.  As to why some welding on the MER is 'essential', I think questions are still being asked about that.

[Barry O]

1 hour ago, AndrewC said:

There are some good eggs in CAMRA but they seem to be overshadowed by beer-nazis. Before finally giving up, we moved out of the local branch and to the SE London one. That in itself was a major fustercluck from head office as every so often they'd reconcile their address list and move people back into their closest branch. The Boring Borough branch seemed to be more like a BNP meeting at times. Many moons ago they were having one of their rallies, err meetings in the local 'spoons. (long before I boycotted toxic timmy's plague shacks) Most of them knew the sum total of f*ck all about beer. I basically ignored them and ordered a tin of Sixpoint Resin. This is an American IPA at 9.1% and about as far from the twiggy blandness of the sock+sandal wearing CAMRA beer-tw@t that you can get. I drank it in full view from the tin. None of them ever talked to me again. Result! 

Never bothered to join CAMRA.. indeed the reps near me are a bit "picky" about beer.. and "Craft Beer" turns some of them into a hissy fit.

 

Baz

[Winslow Boy]

4 hours ago, Andrew P said:

New Mobile phone due today.

 

BUT why is that such a big deal? 

 

Loads of people have New Mobile Phones all the time, well my current one is about 15, YES THAT IS F I F T E E N  Years old, and I have to work out how to re load all the bits like Sky and BBC News, F1, E-Bay, Weather, G-Mail, and of course R M Web etc and then do the NHS Tracing App which is the ONLY reason I need a new phone in the first place. I tried to download / upload? the App and it said my phone was not compatible, I was really miffed, it does everything else I need it to do, It makes phone calls and receives them, and that was the reason I bought it.  

Now I'll have to learn a whole new load of technology, something I dislike. 

I may be back later, or tomorrow to report that it has gone into the BIN along with all my Telephone contacts.

Having had to maintain the department's stock of phones I can sympathize. The best way I found was to transfers or save all the details such as contacts etc to your phone's memory. You then insert the new SIM card and then save them to that. Alternatively if you're retaining your current SIM card you save the details to that and insert that into the new phone. Be aware though if you do that you'll need to get your network provider to 'port' it across.

[AndrewC]

26 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

Having had to maintain the department's stock of phones I can sympathize. The best way I found was to transfers or save all the details such as contacts etc to your phone's memory. You then insert the new SIM card and then save them to that. Alternatively if you're retaining your current SIM card you save the details to that and insert that into the new phone. Be aware though if you do that you'll need to get your network provider to 'port' it across.

I can see an issue with the second option. A 15 year old phone won't have a nano-sim which is the default for just about every phone currently on the market. It ain't gonna fit. The first option may work providing the provider still uses punch out sims. 

[Tony_S]

I just placed my new phone next to the old phone and followed the instructions. Transferring the number from the old sim to the new sim took seconds online. I had been concerned about what would happen but it was easy. However both phones were the same make which I suspect was a big help. I couldn’t transfer the old sim even though it was a nano sim, the phone needed a nano sim created after some time in 2019. 
Tony

[AndyB]

5 hours ago, Andrew P said:

New Mobile phone due today.

 

BUT why is that such a big deal? 

 

Loads of people have New Mobile Phones all the time, well my current one is about 15, YES THAT IS F I F T E E N  Years old, and I have to work out how to re load all the bits like Sky and BBC News, F1, E-Bay, Weather, G-Mail, and of course R M Web etc and then do the NHS Tracing App which is the ONLY reason I need a new phone in the first place. I tried to download / upload? the App and it said my phone was not compatible, I was really miffed, it does everything else I need it to do, It makes phone calls and receives them, and that was the reason I bought it.  

Now I'll have to learn a whole new load of technology, something I dislike. 

I may be back later, or tomorrow to report that it has gone into the BIN along with all my Telephone contacts.

 

For what it's worth the covid app works on relatively recent versions of Android. My 4 year old phone was too old. 

I have to say I'm not impressed by that as it shows a remarkable lack of knowledge or interest by the development team in how often people update their phones.  We're not all after the latest phone. 

 

Andy you won't need to worry about loading up your phone - by the time the vendor has segwayed all their own apps and gadgets onto your phone there won't be any room left. Lol

[Tony_S]

19 minutes ago, AndyB said:

  We're not all after the latest phone.

I think it is something to do with the last big upgrade of Bluetooth hardware technology. The track and trace would I believe rapidly run the battery down in older phones. 
Tony

[Winslow Boy]

36 minutes ago, AndrewC said:

I can see an issue with the second option. A 15 year old phone won't have a nano-sim which is the default for just about every phone currently on the market. It ain't gonna fit. The first option may work providing the provider still uses punch out sims. 

The other thing I forgot to mention was about making sure all of the information is removed from the old phone prior to its disposal. I once remember listening to a radio program where the reporter had a phone that was to be disposed of checked over and the amount of confidential info left on it was quite worrying.

[Barry O]

I remember with the MoD you had to have "backwards compatibility".. the big comms giants have seen that off .. Windows.. sort of works but only up to a point.. sim cards.. no way hose.. my card is 3 years old but too large to fit my new phone.. I will try and download things to the new punch out Sim for transfer,,, 

 

I could be cynical saying that the phone manufacturers really want you to change your phone at least every other year..or I could say they are a money grabbing bag of scumbags... I think the latter applies...as for the BT  website.. written by a bunch of demented eeediots.. no logic.. no help service that makes any sense...gets into loops on its own.. sheesh and these are the "best" comms company in the UK?? 

 

Sorry for the rant but the mobile updates here have not gone well at all.. in fact.. they haven't really happened!

 

Baz

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon all,

 

On CAMRA -I drink cider (very) occasionally and beers of any sort hardly at all so I'll pass on that one.  On 'phones (mobile) - I have one and it makes and receives 'phone calls and txt.; it is pay as you go (I think?) and i top it up with another 10 quid's worth about one every 12 -15 months.   So that's two lots of expense avoided and if HMG wants me to have an app they can send me a machine to app on otherwise it's a waste of time as far as I'm concerned.  On beer festivals - his ladship went to some sort of occasion of that ilk in Windsor last weekend, or maybe it was just his name for another pub crawl.

 

And now to more serious things.  Most importantly of all one of teh drying out machines was taken away yesterday having, more or less, completed its task so teh hall now looks a lot more like it should, some missing skirting board apart.  With luck the other machine might have finished its job by next Monday but whatever the meter discloses on a couple of bits of wall will decide that.  Fingers are crossed and it would be nice to be rid of it and have the kitchen change back to normal from its current sauna like temperatures.

 

The not so good news today has been a letter from Trinity House spelling the end of our of trips to sea with them.  I thought it was probably unlikely that they would be taking passengers next year with the Covid situation still pretty unclear and I have long suspected that either next year or possibly 2022 would be the final season however it has now turned out that 2019 was the final season, alas..  All I suppose now depends on what the virus does or doesn't do but one possibility is Hurtigruten sailing from Dover although Mrs Stationmaster might not fancy 15 days at sea and I bet some of our past fellow passengers are already busy on that website.  Otherwise I suppose we could always do a hire cruiser up the river from here although there's still that Puffer sailing out of various small Scottish ports.  Time will no doubt tell but I think it will definitely have to be something afloat as far as I'm concerned.

 

No other major developments and I'd better getting the bins round for tomorrow now the rain has eased off.

 

Have a godo day folks.

[Andrew P]

2 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

Having had to maintain the department's stock of phones I can sympathize. The best way I found was to transfers or save all the details such as contacts etc to your phone's memory. You then insert the new SIM card and then save them to that. Alternatively if you're retaining your current SIM card you save the details to that and insert that into the new phone. Be aware though if you do that you'll need to get your network provider to 'port' it across.

 

2 hours ago, AndyB said:

 

For what it's worth the covid app works on relatively recent versions of Android. My 4 year old phone was too old. 

I have to say I'm not impressed by that as it shows a remarkable lack of knowledge or interest by the development team in how often people update their phones.  We're not all after the latest phone. 

 

Andy you won't need to worry about loading up your phone - by the time the vendor has segwayed all their own apps and gadgets onto your phone there won't be any room left. Lol

Cheers Guys, It went a bit easier than I thought, the hardest job has been transferring the Camera from my Wife's phone, luckily there is a phone No and an English / just speaking voice on the other end that helped me do that. I just need to find the bit that stops the phone telling me that the camera is recording as I'm getting a bleep every few minutes.

[45156]

Back for a quick revisit - the dealer's chosen delivery person, who will collect, transport, and deliver the dolls house is unable to do so for a couple of weeks, so we will just have to wait - but it's probably better than entrusting such an expensive item to the likes of Yodel, DPD, or DHL - all of whom would be relaying the item from van to van, and with probably no real degree of care - so we'll wait until the delivery person can do the job.

[Andrew P]

2 hours ago, AndrewC said:

I can see an issue with the second option. A 15 year old phone won't have a nano-sim which is the default for just about every phone currently on the market. It ain't gonna fit. The first option may work providing the provider still uses punch out sims. 

Luckily when we changed changed mobile phone service a couple of years ago, the Sim that was provided was in 3 parts, the smallest being the Nano, so all was good. although they have provided a spare Nano Sim incase it didn't work.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Farcebook have been up to their usual tricks. I have about 150 groups on there and they list them in their normal sh!t order. Despite that once you get used to it you can locate a group quite easily. But Farcebook as is their wont try to make things difficult have shuffled the pack and put them in a different sh!t order, rant over. Now watching the repair shop.

[Ian Abel]

Chewsday, 'ello, 'ello

 

Quiet yesterday, Jemma over for dinner, some "Schitt's Creek" watching and a sleep-over.

 

7 and sunny first thing, heading for 256 and a pleasant day according to all reports

 

Tally ho.

[Northroader]

The Mersey Ferry is still running, Mike.

 

no, I must be constructive. One thing we did was string out boat trips on the Thames. A few years back it was possible to go in stages from Oxford downstream, getting back to the start point each time with public transport. It was something like Abingdon, Goring, Reading, Marlow, Windsor, Staines, Richmond. Couldn’t say if it’s still on.

Edited October 6, 2020 by Northroader