Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

Good morning all. 
 

That was the weekend. Welcome to Moanday.   I’ll be right back after attending the House of Fun. 

[iL Dottore]

Good Morning,

Students of history may be interested to know that Lingchi (Chinese: 凌遲), known as death by a thousand cuts, was a form of torture and execution used in China from roughly 900 AD until it was banned in 1905. And death by a thousand paper cuts was nearly my fate yesterday. TBH I’d rather take my chances with an unguarded bandsaw than file all that tax paperwork again, still it’s done for another year.

 

The Wolfpack was whittled down to one, yesterday, as Mrs iD decamped to the Aargau with Lucy - leaving Schotty and I alone for the day. Mrs iD was taking her mock finals for her SKG Dog Trainer qualifications which involved a lot of waiting in the car for each trainee trainer’s dog - something that Schotty doesn’t handle well (Lucy just “chills out” when she is confined to the car). Reports from Mrs iD not only reported that Lucy coped very well with the periods of enforced idleness, but she (Lucy) also managed to enchant all the other Trainer-Trainees. She really is an endearing little dog. As for the lads back at Schloss iD - Schotty helped with the consumption of steak and cake (“Steak and Cake” - what a great restaurant concept!) with a few excursions out to make sure the local moggies were reminded of who is “top dog” in the neighbourhood.

 

Well, another busy day awaits, but as they say “another day, another [$1,000,000] dollar”

 

Have a great week

 

iD

Edited November 16, 2020 by iL Dottore

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

Technology is getting in the way this morning.   I was composing straight on to the forum in the reply box when I accepted the invitation to view a new post.  Silly me.  It duly appeared, but made my embryonic post disappear.  Then I called up the Word file on which I make jottings and could not help noticing that the Save icon was missing.  A few clicks and head scratches later it reappeared but by then I had forgotten what I had already typed.  It was probably something to do with enjoying a ribeye steak with some pink wine and watching two hours of Frankie Howerd on Channel 5.

 

All this has done nothing to stop me being anxious about the two phone calls that I expect today.  Just after 4 pm Professor Oncologist is due to call with the findings of my most recent blood test translated into the PSA reading which will guide him in the treatment of my prostate cancer.  It does not help my state of mind that two well-known men of my age have succumbed to it in the past few days.  The Prof’s capacity to reassure the anxious patient will be put to the test, that’s for sure.  Autocorrect has just generated “ordure” at the end of the last sentence.  How kind of it.

 

The other call is due at noon.  It will be the conversation with someone from the hospital about a possible colonoscopy.  I really don’t want to have one but I don’t want bowel cancer either.  The solution is not obvious but may emerge during the telephone call.

 

I forgot to mention that on BBC Breakfast the day before yesterday was a clip of a black rhino calf born recently at Chester Zoo. She was running about in such a cute way.  Opinion was divided between the presenters as to whether the calf was scampering or gambolling.  I do not often side with Naga Munchetty but I vote for gambolling.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from ere.  It's still dark and a bit chilly outside but the woodburner is going well having been rejuvenated.  Yesterday was wet and windy but I did get the trailer back into it's newly painted parking spot. Cheese was bought at the market and cakes were also bought but didn't last as they had to be tested for quality.

A good video chat was had with Martin and Katie. Katie lost the last of her pair of Jack Russells last week but they still have Reggie the Cocker Spaniel.  They had spent time cleaning up my late father's collection of tea spoons and an amusing interlude then ensued trying to ID the cathedral that was modelled on one of the spoon handles.  A bit of cross channel googling then ensued and it was identified as Lincoln. Reggie's afternoon walk took place round the cathedral to confirm the ID.  Katie has learned what a transept is as the main spotting feature was two sets of transepts.  What's the collective noun for a cathedral spotter.

 

Anyway today is planned to be chain saw day as I attack the Cottoneaster  at the heart of what remains of the jungle. A buddleia is also on the hit list as it's growing too close to a wall and damaging it.  

 

Regards to all and try and stay safe.

 

Jamie

Edited November 16, 2020 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Chrisf, I hope that both calls go well.  Your friends on ER are with you in spirit.

 

Jamie

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Wet and windy outside..pah! I have to deploy the pump to aid our neighbours house sale.. i will be doing this after 7 am as it is supposed to stop raining then..

Her indoors is struggling to sleep...which translates into "so am I" Pah!

 

All being well I should complete my crust earning activities today.. I may then move on to similar activities for me..4 chips of sound await fitting...

 

@chrisf i do hope the calls go well. Our Marie Celeste haw pulled up the gang plank and sailed off.. typical!

 

our infection rate is going up still.. but no news of a serious clampdown by our non existant local police. Even the CSOs have vanished.

 

i am looking forward to sorting Monday out.. it needs to give more back.. nothing that a slap with a wet fish can't  achieve.

 

@newbryford  interesting discussion about the equipment manufacturers v the bastions of the rules of golf. Could be a lot more dog legs appear on courses to stopthe mega hitting..at least the rule makers are trying to do something about it compared to cricket were six hits are seen as "vital" to the game.

time to drink my mugatea!

Stay safe! Enjoy your day however you can.

 

baz

[polybear]

11 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

This lot could help, Poly.....no guarantees about work ethic though.  Known troublemakers in fact.

 

 

We all know and love Donk, but I don't believe that Donk's partners in crime have been introduced?

 

7 hours ago, newbryford said:

 

"I didn't know how they got there Guv'" will be the standard response and no further action taken.

 

"Not my garage, dunno nuffink about it,,,,,,"  (despite his dabs being all over the show)

Or:

"I said me mate could store some bits in there for a few weeks"  (the mate is known only be his first name, he doesn't know where he lives, works and has no phone number for him....)

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl Inner Temple Hare , again..

The first attempt being disrupted by updates from MS via the company..

 

Dry cloudless sky with a distinct lack of moon, Ben the happy Collie went for a charge around the garden following trails....

 

I decided to risk driving toward the road closed signs, and was rewarded with an Artic coming towards me on the single track roads.. Definitely not fully closed then, once I'd extracted the car out of the field entrance, I found the hole in the road is off to one side of the 1.5 car width at that point in the road.  It will be interesting later, whether the hole diggers will close the road totally, because that Artic will be one of many going down to a huge pile of sugar beet and there is no other way out of our roads for an Artic.

 

Ah Donk proudly carrying the bagpipes in Royal Stewart Tartan.. I assume he's a Gentleman and chooses not to play them...

 

The company had MS updates loading up as soon as I logged in, on this and the computer on my desk.. 

 

Noticed that grovelling around on the floor of the garage to brush up sawdust etcetera, is painful on the knees and back with added danger to head from work benches when trying to reach a vertical position .. Will do an online search for suitable non grovelling equipment.. As I wait for this weeks major equipment..

 

A email from the company says Friday is company assessment day for you to type in your own self assessment... I'll not bother telling anyone I'm off Friday.. The last time with this system, before project Olympus takes over..

 

This week there is increasing Panic, as the Annual Assessment by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service is due next week. They decide whether or not you are fit to calibrate to top level standards.. Most important for this place.. It means I won't see much of the boss this week.. He won't be doing his own assessments , let alone checking I've done mine..

 

Time for... that wander round the net..

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, rather windy out but dry, similar indoors.

 

Poly, the lad on the left is Camping Bear, he only goes on campervan holidays with us and spends the rest of his time asleep in a cupboard tucked up with the sleeping bags, snoring.  He says he is hibernating, we think he's just lazy.  He was a tombola win years ago at a country fair stall for the deaf, he was chosen by a rather sweet deaf girl for us from all various the prizes available.  Not sure how she decided we were suitable to be a bear parent, but she was correct.  Mrs NHN signs, so communication for a while made her day. 

 

The big feller on the right is Noel, he came from the RNLI at a fundraiser, he's trouble.  The blue hoodie is an RNLI top.

 

Q, I'm afraid Donk does play the pipes, although they are electronic - he's a modern donkey.  He wants to play them in Fingall's Cave, but the twice we have tried to get there the weather has beaten us.  One day....

 

And don't forget, DCC is just two wires.

 

[NGT6 1315]

Moaning awl. First of all, best wishes to Chris and everyone else under the weather for one reason or another.

 

As the cold symptoms didn’t disappear over the remainder of the weekend, I contacted my GP who recommended I come in for a COVID test, just to be on the safe side considering my FiL as well as Elise and Annika’s sister.

Probably prudent, all things considered, but I guess I’d still think it would be a bummer if The Virus had got me now while I’m signed off, after all those lengths I had gone to try and protect myself at work in particular in the past few months. 

 

Well. Be safe, chaps!

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Not much sleep last night due to the eczema. The sore patch is very sensitive and every time I moved it touched something. I might be going back for a touch more of eyelid inspection shortly.

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

 

"Not my garage, dunno nuffink about it,,,,,,"  (despite his dabs being all over the show)

Or:

"I said me mate could store some bits in there for a few weeks"  (the mate is known only be his first name, he doesn't know where he lives, works and has no phone number for him....)

 He can't deny very much as the scooter he was caught riding had bits from at least two stolen bikes. The same applied to the first one who had the accident. This is just word on the street of course, the plod are keeping tight lipped about it.

[Andrew P]

3 hours ago, chrisf said:

Greetings one and all

 

Technology is getting in the way this morning.   I was composing straight on to the forum in the reply box when I accepted the invitation to view a new post.  Silly me.  It duly appeared, but made my embryonic post disappear.  Then I called up the Word file on which I make jottings and could not help noticing that the Save icon was missing.  A few clicks and head scratches later it reappeared but by then I had forgotten what I had already typed.  It was probably something to do with enjoying a ribeye steak with some pink wine and watching two hours of Frankie Howerd on Channel 5.

 

All this has done nothing to stop me being anxious about the two phone calls that I expect today.  Just after 4 pm Professor Oncologist is due to call with the findings of my most recent blood test translated into the PSA reading which will guide him in the treatment of my prostate cancer.  It does not help my state of mind that two well-known men of my age have succumbed to it in the past few days.  The Prof’s capacity to reassure the anxious patient will be put to the test, that’s for sure.  Autocorrect has just generated “ordure” at the end of the last sentence.  How kind of it.

 

The other call is due at noon.  It will be the conversation with someone from the hospital about a possible colonoscopy.  I really don’t want to have one but I don’t want bowel cancer either.  The solution is not obvious but may emerge during the telephone call.

 

I forgot to mention that on BBC Breakfast the day before yesterday was a clip of a black rhino calf born recently at Chester Zoo. She was running about in such a cute way.  Opinion was divided between the presenters as to whether the calf was scampering or gambolling.  I do not often side with Naga Munchetty but I vote for gambolling.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

All the best ChrisF.

[Dave Hunt]

The first and most important thing to write today is very best wishes and hopes for Chris.

 

Not a lot happening chez Hunt at the moment but from mutterings vaguely overheard whilst clinging on to the last shreds of sleep earlier I believe that leaf gathering is on today's agenda. I'm currently making muggocoffee 2 last as long as possible as a result but I think that my time is nearly up....

 

Looking at our (largely blank) wallchart I see that the only item of note for this week is taking my car for its annual service and MOT on Thursday. It hardly seems worth it as in the last twelve months it's spent most of its time in the garage but I suppose these things have to be done. What an exciting life I lead at present. 

 

Stay safe everyone.

 

Dave

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Dull wet and grey outside at the moment, but it looks like it could rain at any minute, so I think I’ll find some inside jobs to do today. A little bit of sorting out in the cellar and the workshop after dinner looks like the order of things today. 

 

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

 

Brian 

Edited November 16, 2020 by BSW01

[Coombe Barton]

[simontaylor484]

Best wishes to Chrisf and general salutations to all.

Waiting for garage to come and collect car for service/mot 75 miles since last Mot.

Woke up several times in night due to various aches and pains. I am allowed to inspect the eyelids when the motor has been picked up

[newbryford]

3 hours ago, Barry O said:

 

 

@newbryford  interesting discussion about the equipment manufacturers v the bastions of the rules of golf. Could be a lot more dog legs appear on courses to stopthe mega hitting..at least the rule makers are trying to do something about it compared to cricket were six hits are seen as "vital" to the game.

 

 

baz

 

The gulf between these top pros and the average club golfer is extremely vast.

If they "shorten" the game by restricting equipment, then it makes it even more difficult for the amateur game.

 

The handicap system is there to mostly level the field for amateur golfers, but it doesn't work for the pros.

There isn't a hope in hell, that I would ever get near their scores with my handicap on the courses they play.

 

 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Breezy and cloudy but dry out with the chance of some hazy sunshine followed by some rain.

F1 watched and enjoyed and also new book read. Couldn't put in down apart from a couple of breaks to rest my eyes.

I had a brief walk earlier to the baker but went no further as The Hip is protesting today.

The Boss is in washing curtains mode yet again.  I'm being told to keep out of the way for now but am required later to scale the loft ladder and bring down the tree and decorations as we're going early with them this year.

Also on the agenda is a haircut.  That won't take long.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by grandadbob

[PhilJ W]

36 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

Good morning all,

  I'm being told to keep out of the way for now but am required later to scale the loft ladder and bring down the tree and decorations as we're going early with them this year.

 

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

Do please take care GDB.

[jamie92208]

It's sunny now, the chain saw has been safely wielded and the Cotoneaster is now a rather convoluted stump. A rogue bay tree has been lopped and Beth is now busy setting leaves out to dry.   We are never going to need to buy Bay leaves again.

 

Jamie

[BoD]

Morning all.

Just.

 

Everything crossed for good outcomes for Chris.

[Gwiwer]

Thoughts with Chrisf and with hopes for a positive outcome.  Frankly if someone was prepared to put a poo-scope where it goes I would sooner that than bowel cancer even if the choice is not enviable.  

 

Technology is frustrating.  The printer, which has always had a bit of an on-off relationship with the computer via the wifi has totally spat its dummy.  It works independently.  The computer is working too but did have a major update (not necessarily an upgrade) to the new Mac OS "Big Sur" over the weekend.  That has managed to ditch all my passwords and similar stored bits and pieces which I am having to re-enter each time I next use what ever page or site.  Following the instructions  provided by both Canon and the nerdwork sites I cannot for the life of me persuade the printer to identify itself to the computer and it will therefore not print as required.  It appears to be no longer emitting a bluetooth signal but this is not catered for in any instructions.  Turn-off-turn-on does not fix the issue.  Resetting the wifi box does not fix the issue.  

 

Stumped.  Bothered.  Steam.  Emerging.  From.  Ears.  

[polybear]

4 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Poly, the lad on the left is Camping Bear, he only goes on campervan holidays with us and spends the rest of his time asleep in a cupboard tucked up with the sleeping bags, snoring.  He says he is hibernating, we think he's just lazy. 

 

 

He's asleep cos' the poor lad is bored sh1tless.  Shame on you for sticking him in the cupboard, that's only one step away from the dreaded beamland (aka the loft).  C'mon, do the right thing.....

 

3 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Waiting for garage to come and collect car for service/mot 75 miles since last Mot.

 

 

Unless the car is still in warranty or you like to get the book fully stamped for later sale then it sounds very much like just a few relevant items off the service list (eg brake fluid change) would be needed, assuming the last service was a year ago too.  Many of the checks on an MOT are the same as those on a service - so basically they're charging you twice for the same task.  It does make sense to check/renew items (that aren't covered by the MOT) that may be affected by ageing or corrosion, for example.  Paying for an oil and filter change (assuming they were done a year ago, so perhaps 75 miles?) could quite reasonably be omitted this time, assuming there is no sign of the dreaded white gunge...

[Gwiwer]

7 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

the Cottoneaster

Cottoneaster or Cotoneaster?  In Australia we heard this referred to as "Cotton Easter" and there was a local road "Cotoneaster Way" which was also pronounced "Cotton Easter".  But I know the plant as "Co-tony-aster".  No double-T.  

 

32 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Stumped.  Bothered.  Steam.  Emerging.  From.  Ears.  

Problem identified.  

 

The wifi box will only accept a maximum of five devices.  Since SWMBO has been working from home she has routinely had three running through it.  My phone and computer are the other two.  The printer cannot be added without removing one of the others.  I could remove my phone but it would not then work indoors and only outdoors on the 4G signal.  

 

I have invested in a cable to connect printer and computer which - as it has cost me the princely sum of £3 - had better work.  

[Coombe Barton]

38 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Stumped.  Bothered.  Steam.  Emerging.  From.  Ears.  

Googling says that quite a few issues with Big Sur upgrade. non-availability of OEM printer drivers being one.