Early Risers.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Like yesterday, I’ve spent the most part of the day in the cellar, apart from going to the workshop this morning to get a couple of files. Using paint stripper on the fireplace yesterday was very slow, so today I got my blowtorch out to see if that would be any better. I also decided to dismantle the fireplace to make working on the top of the fireplace, the underside of the mantelpiece and the basket in front of the grate easier. However, getting the rusty screws that were tightened up well over 120 (possibly more) years ago wasn’t easy. But applying gentle heat to them with the blowtorch did the trick and I had the fireplace down to its component parts in a little under 15 minutes. I then started using the blowtorch to remove the paint, this speeded up things quite dramatically and I was able to get most of the paint off using that and a shave hook before dinner, leaving just the basket front and the mantelpiece to do after dinner. 

 

It is now at the 90% complete stage, all I need to do is apply some paint stripper and use a wire brush to get the little bits that remain. I’ve done some parts already and it does come off quite well, I just need to use a lot of elbow grease. Several photos have been taken to show Sheila how it’s coming along and she’s getting quite excited by the amount of detail that is being revealed. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[The Stationmaster]

4 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

And I thought growlers were a type of iceberg that sunk the Titanic!

No, a growler is fairly small - less than 2 metres across and only showing about 1 metre above the water,  The iceberg which did for the 'Titanic' was by every account much larger than that and that is supported by the fact that indicates it was sighted at a range of in excess of 400 yards (based on the extent to which the ship had been able to turn before the collision).

 

There were numerous reports of various sorts of ice from a number of ships in that part of the Atlantic earlier that afternoon and evening ranging from several reports of 'a large icebergs' down to field ice and pack ice but only one message mentioned in the UK report into the sinking referenced growlers.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all.

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

The Area Group show and tell via Zoom went well.  I must make sense of the proceedings today so that readers of the EMGS Newsletter can read all about it, possibly with envy.  I still have mixed feelings about “meeting” in my own home instead of flogging down and up the M1 to the pub where we would gather if such were an option, but thanks to technology we are in touch.

 

Baz urges me to think about the colonoscopy.  Right now I am thinking of little else.  There is an ominous silence from the bowel screening team about the alternative possibility of a CT scan.  I suspect that the answer will be No but if you don’t ask you don’t get.  Tomorrow I expect to speak to the “lucky” friend who is my first choice for life support.  Should I opt for the colonoscopy I must be escorted home afterwards.  I did ask whether I might be put in a taxi alone but apparently something bad happened once.  As for being put in a hospital bed afterwards, don’t even think about it.  The answer would be No even without the virus.  Three days of self-isolation afterwards is a nuisance but what’s three more days on top of all the others?  Thanks also to Dave Hunt for the thoughts.

 

Polybear raises the court case.  I should explain that it was not I who reported the crime to the police.  Left to my own devices I would probably have written it off to experience.  The police were called by the guy operating the town centre CCTV who had seen the whole thing.  I doubt that I shall enjoy being in the witness box but if the perpetrator is to receive his just deserts I have no choice.  I know now when the trial is scheduled and anything else that comes up will just have to be fitted round it.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Up early for her indoors to prepare to go to moreasons. Problem is ..she woke up at 4am.. then made herself a mugatea, then turned her light on and read..  "Did I wake you up dear?"... expletives were uttered but I did get back to sleep in the end.

 

Today is already feeling cold .. well 6°C.. not cold for @Ian Abel but cold enough for me.  I am allowed to do muddling today..so I shall!

Stay safe and warm!

 

Mugatea to drink then..watch out Thursday I am coming to get you!!

Baz

[Barry O]

Forgot to mention..her indoors has volunteered "us" to be part of another clinical trial on some covid testing system.. the "swabs" may arrive today.

 

In my haste i forgot to mention our Zoom meeting with Dr Eldest Herbert. He is busy marking 60 first year essays.. he reckons the only problem is they are all trying to answer a set of questions on class....

 

He has also come up with a way of getting even more student interaction while delivering online lectures. He has a different countries flag as a backdrop..he has asked them to identify both the flag and the politics of the country which uses it!

He has added a mini christmas tree and a set of lights to help brighten the students lives..

 

Baz

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Not light yet but it is dry and breezy.  Showers forecast with the chance of sunshine later.

First bin lorry is outside as I type with two more to come.

Sainsbury's due at 8.00ish but haven't heard yet what we're not getting. 

Also got a parcel due which is a present for The Boss but I don't think I'll be able to hide it so she will get it early.

Funds have been slightly enhanced by a £30 lottery win last night.  (although it doesn't repay what I've spent lately!)  *  

A few more decorations were done yesterday and we should finish off today.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

 

* Including a deposit on a wheeled thingy from the NRM!  I knew I'd succumb eventually.

Edited November 19, 2020 by grandadbob

[jamie92208]

Good moaning. It's quite cool here but the day promises to be sunny and up to the upper teens later.  

 

First of all, many many thanks for all the support and information about CPAP. Beth spent most of the day coming to terms with the diagnosis. By early afternoon we had had two phone calls about the machine, and the  technician is due this afternoon. By late evening Beth seemed to have come to terms with the situation. I will store the information you have all provided and drip feed it in due course. Yesterday was not the right time.

 

Anyway this mornings excitement is a trip to buy an appropriate extension lead and to drop the chainsaw chain off for sharpening.  

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

 

 

Edited November 19, 2020 by jamie92208

[polybear]

49 minutes ago, chrisf said:

I doubt that I shall enjoy being in the witness box but if the perpetrator is to receive his just deserts I have no choice.  I know now when the trial is scheduled and anything else that comes up will just have to be fitted round it.

 

I'm sure that if you explain to the Hospital that those dates are a no-no for any treatment then they'll respond accordingly....and send you an appointment for exactly the same day......

 

48 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Ey up!

Up early for her indoors to prepare to go to moreasons. Problem is ..she woke up at 4am.. then made herself a mugatea, then turned her light on and read..  "Did I wake you up dear?"... expletives were uttered but I did get back to sleep in the end.

 

Ah...the subtle approach.  Did Mrs. B make you a cup of Tea too?  Thought not 

 

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare,

A good nights sleep of 7 hours with just one small wake up and turn over.. I needed that..

 

Ben the Alarm clock Collie was 1/2 an hour early this morning and was desperate to get out... He ran out into the darkness did what he wanted and ran back in again.. Desperate, but not brave enough to stay out in  the dark...

 

Light drizzle, very cloudy, still breezy after the 50mph winds last night.

 

We have orange flood warnings around the Norfolk Coast, we are surrounded by them, but not on our high bit of ground, just up at Bacton they're on a RED warning.  It's   near spring tides, but luckily the wind is only briefly Northerly according to the forecast so I don't expect it to amount to much..

 

My Poets day as I have tomorrow off..

 

Yesterdays cross check of the major system passedOK.

 

I have another high accuracy thermometer, it came in late yesterday, it's one of our ex demo machines being sold off after a year in such use.. Another new one will have been put into the demo fleet. The problem is, as this happens year after year, I end up with lots all coming in for cal at the same time each year.. This one is off to Ireland to it's new owner.. That'll be Monday ....

 

I've typed this during it's 45minute self cal bit.. It's on it's last line

 

Time to start typing in results..

 

 

 

 

 

[Andrew P]

Another day, another Hospital visit.

This time at their request which is slightly worrying.

At last weeks visit for the HA scare, I was X Rayed, and they said they found what appeared to be some fluid behind my right rib cage. They prodded, probed, pushed, tweaked but I felt no pain, and have no symptoms to show any problems.

Anyway, Tuesday tea time, I had a phone call from the Hospital asking me to go in this morning to see a Specialist in the Respiratory Dept. 

I hope to know more later.

 

All the very best to ALL who are ailing or distressed in any way.

 

Have a good day one and all. 

[AndyB]

From experience with the colonscopy thing the hospital tends to write to you telling you the appointment but giving the opportunity to reschedule. All they'd do is slot the next person on their backlog in. 

I did ask if 'lock down 1" would mean my appointments would be cancelled but the answer was "no". A couple of weeks later they changed their tune and I've not been offered a re-match.

 

I don't know about Zoom but "Teams" has a facility to put a background image in place of your own home. 

 

It also has a means of putting all the attendees in rows line abreast as if they are in a lecture theatre. With practice you can do quite comedic things to the person sitting next to you. I'm sure none of you are that immature though. 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Had a better night last night but the ankle is still sore. The lesser spotted glass and bottle wagon has started off the bin wagons dawn chorus so no one's asleep now. Time to run a bath, be back later.

[AndrewC]

Greetings all from the boring borough. 

Things about the same. Work sucks like a sucky thing at a suck convention in Suckville. Apart from looking around, if I'm still there at the end of the year I'll be stepping down from the Team Lead/performance review manager position. I'm just not cut out to be a babysitter. These are all supposed adults with Uni degrees, and yet sometimes it feels like a f*cking creche. There'll be a few surprised people next week when they find out they failed to reach certain required goals because they couldn't be arsed to complete a couple of online forms that I'd been pestering them to get done. (arrrrggggggghhhhhh) Today will be mostly trying to avoid meetings with time wasting morons. (©Dilbert)

 

A tiny bit of good news. One of the missing Hermes parcels magically appeared the other day. Seems that the complaint has done some good. Allegedly, the second missing parcel has been found as well and is scheduled for delivery today. The logical assumptions are either the depot is incompetent or there is some dodgy goings on. I think the latter. 

 

 

enjoy the day. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PeterBB]

NCT61315 - your video was very interesting.  Not many cars and the odd motorcycle. What did come across was the number of bicycles and the huge number of people walking and in particular just crossing anywhere and many without any sign of looking before they ventured out or just going anyway.  Also the odd car taking off and doing what we now call cutting up the already moving traffic i.e. the tram.  The overall impression however ws of serene peace in Leipzig.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Yet another dull and wet, but currently not raining day, in the northwest of England. Although judging by the number of muddy puddles in the back garden, there must been quite a lot of rain throughout the night. Breakfast has now been consumed and I will shortly head back downstairs and finish of yesterday’s work on the fireplace. The next stage will be to spray paint it all white, but that will have to wait for a wind free sunny day, but that may be quite sometime away. 

 

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

 

Brian

Edited November 19, 2020 by BSW01

[New Haven Neil]

Morning.  Chilly 5c, with a breeze just strong enough to make your eyes water.  Well, mine anyway.

 

Mrs NHN dropped off, then a good walk of 3 miles, hips now complaining loudly.

 

The entrance to Ramsey harbour at low tide this morning, they are the Lake District hills on the horizon, looks like it may rain over by Simon.

 

 

A bright sunrise, pictured over Ramsey Bay again this morning.  A businessman and his colleagues want to make a marina and 500 houses here by reclaiming the beach (with concrete) and dredging.  This is public land, in constant use, and a marine biological conservation zone.  Why, oh why are our Government not just saying no, before these greedy b7653rd$ even have the thoughts to ruin our bay?  Jeeze.  We are a biosphere, and they want to concrete it over....words fail me.  I am part of a protest/pressure group to get it stopped.

 

 

 

[tigerburnie]

Morning, frost this morning, now clear blue skies and a gentle but bone numbing breeze from the north, been and dug some carrots and parsnips to go with the roast pork that will be dinner later. Still fiddling with point rodding, not quite reached the point where I wish I hadn't started, but this is most likely the last Wills kit I buy. Enjoy your day and stay safe and sane.

[Chris116]

3 hours ago, chrisf said:

 

Baz urges me to think about the colonoscopy.  Right now I am thinking of little else.  There is an ominous silence from the bowel screening team about the alternative possibility of a CT scan.  I suspect that the answer will be No but if you don’t ask you don’t get.  Tomorrow I expect to speak to the “lucky” friend who is my first choice for life support.  Should I opt for the colonoscopy I must be escorted home afterwards.  I did ask whether I might be put in a taxi alone but apparently something bad happened once.  As for being put in a hospital bed afterwards, don’t even think about it.  The answer would be No even without the virus.  Three days of self-isolation afterwards is a nuisance but what’s three more days on top of all the others?  Thanks also to Dave Hunt for the thoughts.

I went through a colonoscopy in September and was told that if I had any level of pain relief I would have to stay in the ward for three hours and be escorted home by a responsible adult. However if it was done with no pain relief then I could go home on the bus twenty minutes after they had finished. As my wife is disabled she could not escort me, so it was no pain relief and the big red taxi called the 493 bus route for me. The procedure was uncomfortable but visiting the dentist is worse. 

[Chris116]

My wife and I have different weather forecasting apps on our phones. For today mine says that from 1pm until midnight there is a 0% chance of rain while hers says 1pm has 95% chance of rain, 2pm is 75%, 3pm is 15% and then between 5% and 10% for the rest of the day. I have once again decided that the best way to know what the weather is doing is to look out of the window! As we wanted to visit the park so SWMBO could have some exercise and we could feed the swans, geese and ducks on the lake I fear the rain will be putting a stop to our plans. 

 

In other news there won't be a hurricane, now where have I heard that before? 

[Andrew P]

3 hours ago, Andrew P said:

Another day, another Hospital visit.

This time at their request which is slightly worrying.

At last weeks visit for the HA scare, I was X Rayed, and they said they found what appeared to be some fluid behind my right rib cage. They prodded, probed, pushed, tweaked but I felt no pain, and have no symptoms to show any problems.

Anyway, Tuesday tea time, I had a phone call from the Hospital asking me to go in this morning to see a Specialist in the Respiratory Dept. 

I hope to know more later.

 

All the very best to ALL who are ailing or distressed in any way.

 

Have a good day one and all. 

Thanks all.

 

Saw the Specialist and he had trouble finding it this morning with his Gell and the scanner thing, eventually he said he can see nothing to be concerned over, but would have me back again in about 6 weeks for another X Ray and then possibly another scan just to make sure it's nothing.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Once again, again, again the flaming editor had to be cleared - but it's only one click so not the end of the world.  It's been drizzling a bit but the plague carrier Good Doctor has taken the management shopping so my job has centred around filling the kettle etc ready for the management's return.

 

'Plague carrier' you might ask?  well not exactly but yesterday the GD, along with colleagues no doubt, was given two Covid antibody tests.  the purpose of the two tests is to allow the efficacy of each to be measured against the other as part of some sort of trial being conducted by some organisation in Oxford.  Now comes the fascinating bit because the GD tested positive for antibodies indicating with a very high level of probability that she has in the past had Covid - she thinks around the time back earlier this year when many of her colleagues had it and she was feeling like carp not very well warmed up.

 

More interestingly around that time the management was distinctly below par which she thinks might mean that she also got it (from the GD?).  So she promptly went into overdrive trying to get an antibody test but it turns out that you can only have one of those if you are working or are in an OFs' home - which left her as less than happy and no doubt about to bombard the 'papers with 'disgusted of Thames Valley' correspondence.   In reality of course she - and possibly others of us - may or may not have had it and may or may not have antibodies.   However I can't really see what knowing that one way or the other would demonstrate because unless we have active antibodies we could still get it and even if we do have active antibodies it makes no difference whatsoever to any precautions we should be taking in accordance with lockdown and personal hygiene advice such as handwashing and social distancing.  

 

So there we go - the GD has become a statistic.  However if she did have it relatively mildly and we did or didn't have it even more mildly it does if nothing else tend to indicate that there is something in the various personal precautions advice and i might no longer be considered rather odd for washing my hands as frequently as I do.

 

 

Have a good day folks and stay safe.