Early Risers.

[Erichill16]

22 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Wouldn't make it taste a bit salty?

Yes that’s why I prefer the Teriyaki !

[jamie92208]

Good evening.   Female singers.   Most of my favourites have been mentioned including the lead singer of All About Eve, but Bonnie Tyler, Kate Bush, Stevie Nicks then of course Kiki Dee and many others.

 

I did mention a few days ago the demolition of a badly built shower plinth.  Here is the offending article after I'd removed the shower cubicle.

This is what was under the tiles. Who in theri right mind builds a shower plinth out of chipboard.

However on a brighter note I found this visitor in the woodshed this evening when collecting firewood.

Quite big and he/she scurried off into the dark corner behind the wood stacks. Not as cute as the puppies but still nice to see,

 

More of the jungle has been cleared.  An hour a day will see it gone in a week,

 

Jamie

 

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[Coombe Barton]

... and last of the building materials ordered ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2020/11/03/statistics-changed/

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Despite the sunshine first thing, we’ve had rain for most of the day, so any sort of outside activity was not going to happen. Anyway, the 2 shopping trips planned instead went as well as these things can and all that was on the lists were obtained. Thankfully there doesn’t seem to be the mad panic buying sprees of the previous lockdown. 

 

This afternoon I managed to make the batch of pumpkin soup I mentioned this morning, some of which was eaten this evening, the rest, 6 portions are now residing in the freezer. 

 

From our conversation with Vickie this evening, Max is now showing signs of Covid, but it’s really not surprising, as there are 6 under the same roof and all are staying indoors, unlike some MPs and spec advisors!

 

Goodnight all 

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[BR60103]

I was off this morning to have the new snow tires installed. A little disappointment from SWMBO as the new wheels are black rather than the silver on the other tires. The job was completed in about 45 minutes, including paying. We had overnight snow on the weekend but it's all gone now. The mulberry dropped all its leaves in a pile; the other tree had its all blown away.

 

[iL Dottore]

10 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Sorry to be the bear-er  of bad news, but this particular Bear strikes long before any Cake has a chance to reach said Pantry.  Pre-emptive strike wins every time....

There is an old saying “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”. I wonder if it could be repurposed as “the cake stealer of my cake stealer is my cake protector”? Perhaps a carefully timed and placed announcement of cake would have The Bear and HH on a collision course, leaving me free to transport cake to a place of safety in my Alpine Redoubt?

8 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Puppy photo. Weigh in. 

Adorable. More please!

8 hours ago, Tony_S said:

What was amusing was that ordinary litter bins in Jasper were supposed to be bear resistant but Aditi couldn’t open them either. Though I suspect if it was a cake container she would have found a way. 

I get the impression that it is easier to make something human proof than bear proof or raccoon proof. Partly, I suspect, that only the smarter bears (and raccoons) get to survive the mistakes of adolescence, unlike humans..

7 hours ago, brianusa said:

Female singers, did someone mention Linda Ronstadt?  .... Nelson Riddle though, perhaps the best conductor and arranger ever...

Linda Ronstadt, sigh.... I had a “thing” about her in my twenties.... The three albums that she made with Nelson Riddle (What's New, Lush Life and For Sentimental Reasons) are really superb interpretations of what many call The Great American Songbook (‘Round Midnight being a firm favourite).

Very sadly, age has not been kind to Ms Ronstadt and being afflicted with progressive supranuclear palsy has tragically brought her career to an end.

7 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

It will no doubt be eye-catching to certain bears and hippos to learn that during the last week I have made no fewer than four cakes - two lemon drizzle cakes, .... a devil's food chocolate cake ....and a coffee and walnut cake...

Thank you Mr Hunt. By preparing these cakes and “running interference” (as they say in American Football) and thus distracting The Bear and The Hippo, you have allowed me to safely transport a large shipment of cake (Christstollen, boiled fruit cake, French Apple Cake, Schwarzwalderkirschtorte, etc.) to a secure location in my Secret Alpine Redoubt (tm)

7 hours ago, polybear said:

16 Months?  FFS.  They'll be out in 8.

16 years would be more appropriate.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-54800090

Rant over.

Oh, hang on.....I've just noticed that they will then be "......considered for deportation at the end of their sentence....."

Do we all have "Mugs" tattoo'd across our foreheads?  Double FFS.

What is wrong with the British legal and Judicial system? An alcohol and drug fuelled teenager who steals a pair of trainers in a riot gets a 12 month custodial sentence, yet these filth - who prey on desperate and miserable people - get just a few months more for criminal acts that lead to people’s deaths...

As for “considered for deportation..” shouldn’t it be that - for any significant criminal act - once the custodial sentence has been served the criminal gets deported back to the country of origin, no matter what? No ifs or buts. Surely the certain knowledge that any significant criminal act will get you sent back to country of origin (no matter how vile) would deter these people?

6 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

...but Bonnie Tyler, Kate Bush, Stevie Nicks then of course Kiki Dee and many others.....

However on a brighter note I found this visitor in the woodshed this evening when collecting firewood.

Quite big and he/she scurried off into the dark corner behind the wood stacks. Not as cute as the puppies but still nice to see,...

Stevie Nicks! Much desired (at least by me during my “Hippie Chick” phase in my twenties). Her work on Fleetwood Mac (the album) and Rumours remains fresh and vibrant - even so many decades on. Intriguing, isn’t it, how one of the classic rock albums (Rumours) was written and recorded whilst everyone in the band were going through marital/relationship meltdown (fuelled, so it is rumoured [no pun intended] by large quantities of recreational pharmaceuticals).

 

That looks like a well-fed Hedgehog, which suggests there is a lot of prey around. Given what hedgehogs usually eat, keeping him/her and his/her friends around will probably do wonders for your garden.

 

Happy Hump Day

iD

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

Oh dear.  I had hoped that the all-night radio coverage of the US Presidential election would send me off to sleep soundly.  Sadly it was not as soporific as I expected and I may need forty winks after lunch to see me right.  At least I now have everything I need, except the festive stamps, to unleash my seasonal greetings cards on the postal system at the end of the month.  It may seem strange to some that I have, in effect, set up a production line, but it works.

 

How good it is to discuss female singers.  I’m afraid I agree that Maddy Prior is past her best but when she was in her prime few came close.  One who is still in fine sultry form, or was when I saw her with Oysterband at the Union Chapel last year, is June Tabor.  For so many years she only sang unaccompanied but does now perform with musicians.  Less well known will be the singer-songwriters Maz O’Connor and Grace Petrie, both very much rising stars, and one who has also seen better days, Miriam Erasmus, formerly Miriam Backhouse.  When it became known that she was to get married and emigrate to South Africa she left a trail of broken hearts behind her, mine included.  In recent years she has toured in the UK.  Fondly recalled by many will be the late great Dusty Springfield, surely up there among the greats.

 

Pastry – oh heavens.  I used to be able to make it, and quite well too, said he modestly, but I’ve not tried for many years.  Both my parents were good at making it but towards the end of his life my dad was quite happy to use shop-bought.  I like pies but, at the moment, not quite enough to make them myself. 

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, inner Temple Hare, 760/475,

A terrible nights sleep lots of wake up and turn overs and no particular reason.. Like Chris I had hoped when I retired to the sofa that the American election would send me to sleep, just endless chatter on results that weren't in yet and may not be for some days.. No i didn't get any more sleep.

 

Ben the changeable Collie retired upstairs before I prepared to leave, just as  the door was opened there was thunder on the stairs and he arrived.. He when out for a splash and dash, then returned back in... Suspicions  are to lie on the floor by SWMBOs side of the bed..

 

Not many stars out tonight, even with clear skies... the Moon was just too bright.. very chilly , but the only frost was on a couple of cars in a village on the  way in.. probably just as well, as there is still a lot of water around on the roads..

 

More bad news from work, the lead project engineer has got the order of the boot.. He was standing in for the factory manager / lead engineer who's post was removed earlier in the year. So that leaves design engineering totally  headless here.. We were also informed that the final decisions of the others fate will be announced  at the end of the month.. So their contracts will end at or just after Christmas..

 

The visit to the orange shed went reasonably well if a bit odd... the re were practically no trollies outside and those that were inside were loaded up, but abandoned in various places. It took a while to find a suitable trolley . The car park was near full but the store was near empty, also odd as there is no there reason to use their car park.. I got the OSB needed, but they were out of the length of batten I wanted, 10ft , so I had to make do with 8ft lengths.. (sizes are approximate, they will be shorter than advertised).

 

With lock down, I've decided I'll see if  the work can get done that's needed on the landrover..  As SWMBO won't be needing the car for the duration of lock down, it's a convenient  time. So I'll drop by that garage on the way home..

 

Haa, it's just come up that this computer needs a reboot again.. more updates..

 

Time to... check the junk mail before this thing resets...

[polybear]

53 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

There is an old saying “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”. I wonder if it could be repurposed as “the cake stealer of my cake stealer is my cake protector”? Perhaps a carefully timed and placed announcement of cake would have The Bear and HH on a collision course, leaving me free to transport cake to a place of safety in my Alpine Redoubt?

 

Such dastardly tricks deserve retaliation, so I feel an alliance with a certain Hippo coming on.  How's about it Mr. H?  I have an opening for a Tail Gunner, and with your unmatched weapons skills we could form a pretty formidable partnership.  Spoils of war split 70-30 in favour of a certain Bear (I feel hibernation coming on, so need to bulk up a bit).

 

Thank you Mr Hunt. By preparing these cakes and “running interference” (as they say in American Football) and thus distracting The Bear and The Hippo, you have allowed me to safely transport a large shipment of cake (Christstollen, boiled fruit cake, French Apple Cake, Schwarzwalderkirschtorte, etc.) to a secure location in my Secret Alpine Redoubt (tm)

 

Secure location?  You might want to do a stock-take.....

Bear's MFR (multi-function radar - tracking, identification, attack) can track 100 fast-moving target simultaneously.  Not even a Hippo has that technology.

 

What is wrong with the British legal and Judicial system? An alcohol and drug fuelled teenager who steals a pair of trainers in a riot gets a 12 month custodial sentence, yet these filth - who prey on desperate and miserable people - get just a few months more for criminal acts that lead to people’s deaths...

Two years, suspended:

 

As for “considered for deportation..” shouldn’t it be that - for any significant criminal act - once the custodial sentence has been served the criminal gets deported back to the country of origin, no matter what? No ifs or buts. Surely the certain knowledge that any significant criminal act will get you sent back to country of origin (no matter how vile) would deter these people?

Remember the trouble the UK had in deporting Abu Hamza (the guy with the hook hand):

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/477268/Abu-Hamza-s-family-allowed-to-stay-in-1-25-million-London-home-and-claim-33-800-benefits

 

I really, really do hope that someone with common sense will put a stop to such nonsense now that Brexit is here.  I somehow doubt it though.

 

 

[roundhouse]

Good morning on our last day of freedom for a while.

 

A great day was had on the Isle of Wight riding the old tube stock with quite a few other enthusiasts doing the same. It was 99p a pint for two rather nice ales in Spoons in Ryde along with lunch was good along with putting the world to rights between the three of us.

 

So thats the last time that I will be seeing any friends for some weeks.

 

Today we are off to Guildford, collect some Peco stuff for use during lockdown 2.0 then last visits to various pubs.

 

Enjoy the last day being able to wander freely.

 

 

[polybear]

8 minutes ago, TheQ said:

More bad news from work, the lead project engineer has got the order of the boot.. He was standing in for the factory manager / lead engineer who's post was removed earlier in the year. So that leaves design engineering totally  headless here.. We were also informed that the final decisions of the others fate will be announced  at the end of the month.. So their contracts will end at or just after Christmas..

 

Any hope of a decent payoff for those affected?  Or are the U.S. pretty hard-nosed in that respect?

 

A certain race appears far too close to call at present; I suspect the legal boys are sharpening their pencils ready for a fight as we speak. 

 

In other news:

Bear's headache has bvggered off so it's yet more boxing in of pipework today - oh, deep joy.  This *could* be preceded by a leaf picking up session, though I've realised that tomorrow in "Black Bin Day" (aka general cr*p) and not green bin day (aka garden cr*p) so is not essential.  I'll take a look at how many left on the tree (I'm only doing this once....) and how wet the leaves that have already fallen are; predictions are for no rain for the next 3 days so there is a window of opportunity......

[TheQ]

18 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Any hope of a decent payoff for those affected?  Or are the U.S. pretty hard-nosed in that respect?

 

 

 

 

Well from I understand for those at that level it's not legal minimum.. and they are discussing it..

 

Down at my level you've got to check, they even give you legal minimum..

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Please stop talking about cakes! Some of us are not allowes to eat them as most are a sugarfest.. however her indoos does have recipes for sugar fee cakes..perhaps she can do some baking soon?

 

Not a lot to do today other than hoovering, polishing and swabbing the floors which need swabbing..

 

Her indoors is off volunteering to help get the Charity Shop ready for lockdown. So my time is available to do other things.

 

Yesterday was spent preparing our Club Newsletter.  These now appear every two weeks. I did have a trip down to the Club room. The Gym opposite was in operation...when they left they all stood about chatting..no masks..no social disrancing.. so the sooner that is locked down the better. Strangely the gyme is in a Covid hot spot in Leeds. I can guess why.

 

Time to drink my tea. 

 

Have as good a day as you can!

Baz

 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning, it's sunny and chilly here in the Charente.   

 

First of all, Flavio, the hedgehog did look to be in excellent shape.  We have seen quite a few this year and always watch out for them when strimming.  When we have a bonfire I always move the debris pile to a new site before lighting in case there are residents underneath the pile.  The other predators that keep the garden tidy are the whip snakes and the owls. 

 

Beth did some baking yesterday whilst I was shopping and some rather nice ginger biscuits, hard crust and soft inners, have appeared and also started to disappear, I wonder how.   

 

The day is going to start with the ironing then possibly more jungle clearance, though I will have a trip out to get the battery replaced in Beth's blood glucose meter.  

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

A touch of frost earlier and it's still quite fresh but there is blue sky and sunshine.

"We" have decided that a walk is overdue so that's what we'll be doing after breakfast.  It'll last as long as The Hip lets me. 

Following on from that there is a Sainsbury's order to finalise.   Hopefully the shelves will have been replenished by the time the order is picked.  They pick between 3.00am and 7.00am at our local store so it's done before they open in the morning.  The Boss thinks we'll have a lot of missing items but (unusually for me) I'm a bit more optimistic.   It wouldn't be the end of the world if we don't get everything but annoying in that would then mean "somebody" might have to go foraging.  You can probably guess who'll get that job.  

Later today I will be making "Sutton" pasties for tonight's dinner.  I will be using ready made pastry as we have some but can make it myself if called for although I certainly haven't got the "pastry hands" my Mum had.  Her pasties, pies and tarts etc were to die for and are sorely missed.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

 

Edited November 4, 2020 by grandadbob

[Andrew P]

More than a Touch of Frost down here this morning so the walk was cancelled. Not only do I not want to walk in the rain, but now it appears I don't want to slip up on a Frosty Footpath, so I may go later once the big bright thing that is shining down has taken away the cold and whiteness out there.

 

I hope that this Lockdown will be the last but unfortunately that really depends on the small majority of idiots who believe it is their right not to have to wear a mask or be subjected to rules. 

TO THEM I SAY; GROW UP.

 

 

Also copied this from a Facebook Post.

Terry Waite, 1763 days as a hostage in appalling conditions.

He just told us all to stop complaining!

Change your mindset he said, you're not STUCK at home,you're SAFE at home #TerryWaite

His advice:

*Keep your own dignity - get out of your PJs!

*Form a structure for the day

*Be grateful for what you have - shelter, home, possessions

*Read and be creative

 

Morning Rant over, and that feels better already.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Theres been no overnight frost here, just more rain and it’s still raining now, so once again there will be no outdoor activities done today. However, as were about to enter lock down AGAIN Friday’s scheduled trip to the Trafford Centre will be done today. I have a list of shops that I am required to visit and a list of items to get from them which will be for up-coming birthdays etc so I may be some time. 

 

There are no plans for the afternoon, but that could well change. 

 

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

 

Brain

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I forgot about the presidential election and switched on expecting the normal news and weather. I see however that the ignorant orange clown is already calling foul now that its becoming more obvious that he's losing.  On to better things, missing the weather forecast is not a problem as there's not a cloud in the sky neither is there much wind but its only 3C. We still haven't heard recently from HH, I hope all is well, even use of the magic word cake hasn't brought him out.

[simontaylor484]

Morning all

 

Oh well still no result from the states and already the teddy out of the cot. Not very sporting old boy is it,simply not cricket.

 

Just had a phone call from the hospital bringing my xray forward. Now offering evening appointments and weekends.

 

 

All this talk of cake isnt nice for us type 2s but i wonder how secret the secret alpine redoubt is from a cake sniffing bear.?

 

[tigerburnie]

Morning, after a sublime sunrise(if you can have one of those) it's gone grey and looks like snow in the air...............fires lit and porridge eaten, let's see what the world has for us today.