Early Risers.

[iL Dottore]

30 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Definitely the grey ones, not fluffy white like mine! 
Back in the day when we went on cruises Matthew said he was shocked at the flagrant non compliance with the Norovirus precautions by what he described as “old people”. 

I think that it's a common myth that all "old" people are loveable, agreeable, generous and wonderful - just because they are old (the assumption, which I think flawed, is that age brings wisdom, maturity and insight [not always so!]). If someone was a selfish, pig-ignorant, obnoxious, rule-breaking, inconsiderate c*ckwomble at 40, why would getting their pension change them at all?

Edited December 14, 2020 by iL Dottore

[pH]

5 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Oops forgot. Mention of wines reminded me that there's vineyards even in Scotland.

https://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataid=171427

 

3 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

There were vineyards in Britain in Roman times, not quite as far north as Scotland, mind you. Probably got wiped out by Dark Age volcanic eruption effects

There was a famous vine in Scotland in recent times -  the Kippen Vine. It was all under glass, though. I remember seeing it from outside the greenhouse in the early 1960s, just before it was ripped out.

 

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

 

It was planted to provide eating grapes, but someone has made wine using grapes from a cutting of it:

 

https://theweevine.org/2017/07/30/making-wine-from-kippens-famous-big-vine/

 

[Barry O]

There used to be a grape vine in the building over the subway steps at Knebworth Station when I used in it the late 70s/early 80s.

 

and someone used to harvest them..

 

Baz

[BoD]

57 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

 

Definitely the grey ones, not fluffy white like mine! 
 

You are Santa.

I claim my £5.

[Two_sugars]

Welcome to the Tier 3 Club . . . . I was invited out for my birthday lunch ,yesterday . . . . ordered from a local pub . .eaten from the trays it was delivered on, so no washing up.

 

Brought home a piece of cake . . . . . . . .CANNY.

 

have a good evening all,

John

 

 

 

 

[Tony_S]

8 minutes ago, BoD said:

You are Santa.

I claim my £5.

Only if you haven’t been naughty. 

[Ian Abel]

Moaning...

 

The weekend was eventful even without venturing outside!

Managed between the Mrs and myself to produce 10 DOZEN Christmas cookies on Saturday, followed by an eventful Zoom evening in which we managed to identify another suspect who wasn't a possible candidate in our murder game, so another down four still to sort out!

Sunday we had an enjoyable cookie exchange on our patio with the kids, all masked, social distanced etc. SO we STILL have several dozen cookies here to consume, although I know we're packaging some up for neighbors.

 

Other than that, and the fact is SNOWED yesterday not much else happening. There's still a dusting of snow but that'll probably disappear soon.

 

Today, had to take the "mandatory" online Phishing awareness training, the ONLY thing I discovered is that there must be an INCREDIBLE amount of stupid people on the planet.

If the training is to be believed, any amount of people have - in business setting, no less;

1) Their password(s) plastered all over their PCs on Post-It notes

2) A preponderance of them will open ANY attachments or click links even if they have no clue who an email is from

3) On instructions from folks on the phone who aren't recognized as company members, will STILL provide secure details to almost anyone!

 

I feel I'm in a lucky position as I'm not acquainted with such COCKWOMBLES!!!

 

-11 and sunny first thing, may reach -5 for the high!

 

Tally ho...

[grandadbob]

Jamie, little Emily is absolutely gorgeous!

 

Been raining steadily here for most of the day.  Dentist visit went off OK with no drama so that's alright.   After that we made a flying visit to Sainsbury's for some bread and other stuff that was running short.  Sainsbury's don't block alcohol on early morning deliveries here so is that a Tesco or a Scottish thing TB?

Tier 3 coming here tomorrow and not before time although I expect the prats to continue being prats.

Must fly now, I'm due at a Zoom meeting with old schoolmates shortly.

[tigerburnie]

8 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

Jamie, little Emily is absolutely gorgeous!

 

Been raining steadily here for most of the day.  Dentist visit went off OK with no drama so that's alright.   After that we made a flying visit to Sainsbury's for some bread and other stuff that was running short.  Sainsbury's don't block alcohol on early morning deliveries here so is that a Tesco or a Scottish thing TB?

Tier 3 coming here tomorrow and not before time although I expect the prats to continue being prats.

Must fly now, I'm due at a Zoom meeting with old schoolmates shortly.

I think it's Scottish drinking laws, no alcohol sold before 11.00 am, I think it's to curb the excessive drinking, which it has failed to do spectacularly.

[Tony_S]

4 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

Tier 3 coming here tomorrow and not before time

Same here. However I can’t see any reduction locally until the schools are less crowded. There are no other places where people are mingling locally. Not blaming the children but 1600 students plus teachers and other staff in a fairly small area can’t be easy to make it Covid safe. Most of the children are local within walking distance but a number do get bussed in from areas with higher Covid rates. 
Aditi and I won’t really notice any  change, not going anywhere( apart from socially distant walks) , no visitors in or outside. 

[Barry O]

strange that there has been no update to the "interactive Covid Map" today...

 

interactive map

 

but in Tier 3 our numbers are coming down.. not sure how.. but they are.

 

Baz

[J. S. Bach]

20 hours ago, BokStein said:

Brussels Sprouts can be eaten RAW!!

Maybe so, but not as good as raw Broccoli or Cauliflower!

[J. S. Bach]

20 hours ago, BoD said:

I may be ostracised, banned or even sent to the naughty corner.....

... but I like Brussel Sprouts.

Same here, especially after being cooked in lemon-butter!

[J. S. Bach]

20 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I don’t think they have any after effects if they are not overcooked!

After effects??

[J. S. Bach]

19 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

A quick check-in, will recount the weekend tomorrow but couldn't resist sharing this as it started unexpectedly SNOWING here today;

 Sleep well those on the right (not CORRECT, RIGHT) side of the pond

Hey, I am on the right side of the pond; Pacific Pond, to be exact as you did not specify!

[BoD]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

Only if you haven’t been naughty. 

I will have to check my diary.

[Coombe Barton]

22 minutes ago, Barry O said:

strange that there has been no update to the "interactive Covid Map" today...

 

The daily figures are also a couple of hours late

[polybear]

3 hours ago, Barry O said:

London into Lockdown.. no  surprises but its a big area Hope it works better than the Tier 3 in Kent is doing.. figures still on the up there. Ours are falling .. which is good but we still see blips in some parts of Leeds. WOuld be really nice to know why these are happening.

 

Bear is in Herts - the rate in my area is 391/100,000;  there are 380 cases in the latest week, up by 173 from last week.  Nearby Enfield has 1125 cases in the latest week, which is up by 482....

I've booked a haircut for wednesday, as I can see a lockdown rapidly approaching.

 

Not a great deal this afternoon (never did scrape the last bit of wall) except for a quick co-op run; the rest of the time was spent in kitchen sink plumbing plan-mode, involving a toolstation order to collect on wednesday.

A bit of a woolly sort of day really.  must get my ar5e in gear.

Several super dooper yummy cakes on special in the co-op, but still not the lemon drizzle cake.  Turdycurses.

[roundhouse]

We are still tier 2 but the border with tier 3 is just up the road by about 3 - 4 miles. Our rate is hovering around 100 in 100,000 but had been down to about 80 in lockdown 2.0.

 

Our planned meet up with friends outside a pub in Croydon on Saturday is now off so now deciding what we do for my other halfs long weekend break. Certainly won't be doing any shopping but might include quite a few substantial meals

[Tony_S]

4 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

include quite a few substantial meals

The only meals I have had  outside this house and garden since February were courtesy of the NHS as an in patient. It will be quite nice to revisit a few places and perhaps have a meal, it was a bit of a treat to have a meal (often substantial) at the restaurant at the top of the hill at the Hyde Hall RHS gardens. Lockdown or tiers are irrelevant, I will be waiting until the vaccines are widely available. 

[PhilJ W]

Apparently the shops are being allowed to stay open but pubs and restaurants can only do takeaways. That was from the BBC London news this evening. 

[Tony_S]

Just now, PhilJ W said:

Apparently the shops are being allowed to stay open but pubs and restaurants can only do takeaways. That was from the BBC London news this evening. 

Same Tier 3 in most of Essex as other existing Tier 3 areas.   Colchester, Tendring and Uttlesford are Tier 2 still. 

[J. S. Bach]

4 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Afternoon all, ...snip... but I have never been warned off brussel sprouts in consequence (which would have been very handy although they are coked here in butter and without spending hours in a pan so they taste fairly sweet)

I know what happens to coal when it is coked, but Brussels Sprouts?? 

[PhilJ W]

7 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

I know what happens to coal when it is coked, but Brussels Sprouts?? 

A young lady I worked with admitted that her cooking was so bad she could burn water. If she could do that coking brussell sprouts should be easy.

[simontaylor484]

Personally I prefer the smell of a coking plant to the smell of sprouts cooking