Early Risers.

[iL Dottore]

39 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

Would that be the good looking one then...

Indeed. He got the beauty and I got the brains....

[Gwiwer]

3 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Hmm red wine...gout,  perhaps with your exalted friends it would be better to stick to whisky...

Red wine ... gout ... a week of enforced food-avoidance and Christmas in bed.  My choice.  Might be an interesting one.  Whisky may be too strong for the time being but there's plenty here.  

[Barry O]

Belated congratulations Uncle Andy!

 

Glad to hear that you are feeling a bit better Rick.

 

Spaghetti Carbonara al a  her indoors for tea... yummy!

 

Baz

[pH]

4 hours ago, 45156 said:

Still it's done, and I think I may get an LED one, as it may just last a bit longer.

A compact fluorescent bulb in a bathroom burned out last week - almost literally. The base scorched and produced a really strong smell which persisted for several days. Having been replacing bulbs with LEDs as they burned out for several years, I decided to finish the job. (I’ve not had to replace a single LED in that time.) I took all the remaining compact fluorescents out and replaced them with LEDs. The power saving on one bulb isn’t too significant, but in total they must make a difference.

[pH]

Our two and a half year old grandson is becoming a very good ‘speaker’. That’s different from a ‘talker’ - he is very correct in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. Talking to his mum yesterday, she told us he had actually corrected her grammar earlier in the day - and he had been right!

[TheQ]

55 minutes ago, pH said:

A compact fluorescent bulb in a bathroom burned out last week - almost literally. The base scorched and produced a really strong smell which persisted for several days. Having been replacing bulbs with LEDs as they burned out for several years, I decided to finish the job. (I’ve not had to replace a single LED in that time.) I took all the remaining compact fluorescents out and replaced them with LEDs. The power saving on one bulb isn’t too significant, but in total they must make a difference.

I can remember about 20 years ago UK compact fluorescents were  .£10 each  I found in Saudi they were in the 5 and 10 riyal stores  at six riyal to the pound that was a bargain, I changed all the incandescents (43 of them) to fluorescents. That cut the electricity bill, most are still in use, the odd one has failed as you have said..

It's only now are they are being replaced as they fail with L.E.D. also the first was in the bathroom, I guess the humidity was getting in...

Edited December 27, 2020 by TheQ

[grandadbob]

Evenin’ each,

Pie was deployed a little while ago and it was extremely tasty.  Along with that I had a large glass of a very nice Italian red from Puglia which was good enough to be followed by another one which is currently disappearing. Glad to say I’ve never suffered from gout but know several people who have.  From what they’ve told me I certainly don’t want to try it out.

Tonight has been designated a film night so we’ll shortly be watching one of our several Christmas presents.  Another present of the liquid variety may then be sampled.  As I’ve been on the wine I think I’ll go for cognac. 
We’ve had a yellow warning for snow and ice from midnight but as I’m not going anywhere then apart from bed I’m not too bothered. 

 

[leopardml2341]

15 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

We’ve had a yellow warning for snow........

 

Which, may or may not be better than a warning of yellow snow

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

I think we must be at the centre of the depression (the weathery [avoiding spelling that word] type, not sadness) although I don't think the calibration of this device would impress Q, we have never seen it so low.

 

 

Dindins was roast beef, Mrs NHN in charge as I have a day off from the kitchen.  No spuds or yorkies though - low carbing.

[BoD]

7 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I met BoD at Ally Pally quite a few years ago. 
 

I remember that day fondly.  It was one of the first organised RMweb meet ups.  There were a lot fewer members back then.
 

It was the first time I met GordonS.  We had a pint with Eldavo, Phil Harding, yourself and one or two others who no longer post here. There were, obviously, a few others there who didn’t frequent ERs.  It was the year that the parsnip made a guest appearance as freight on a layout much to the merriment of members, the puzzlement of onlookers and the consternation of Captain K.  
 

As I don’t frequent exhibitions much further south than York these days I am unlikely to meet many fellow ERs. Having said that, I was hoping to revisit Ally Pally at some point.

Edited December 27, 2020 by BoD

[BoD]

52 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

As I’ve been on the wine I think I’ll go for cognac. 

The old adage ‘never mix the grape and the grain’ is well founded.

[Erichill16]

32 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Evening.

 

I think we must be at the centre of the depression (the weathery [avoiding spelling that word] type, not sadness) although I don't think the calibration of this device would impress Q, we have never seen it so low.

 

 

Dindins was roast beef, Mrs NHN in charge as I have a day off from the kitchen.  No spuds or yorkies though - low carbing.

Mil also remarked that she’s never seen hers so low and off the scale.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon/Evening all from Estuary-Land. My brother is 16 months older than me but by the time we were 9 or 10 I was the same height as him and we were often taken for twins. Even later when we were in our teens I was taller than him and quite often people assumed I was the elder. The foot has been behaving itself today, it appears that Nurofen works best on it so a couple before bed will hopefully lead to a good night.

[leopardml2341]

Nowt more for today.

 

Too many nights with intermittent sleep means I'm grabbing some now; zzzzzzzzzzzzz!

 

G'night.

Edited December 27, 2020 by leopardml2341

[polybear]

3 hours ago, Chris116 said:

That light at the end of the tunnel is a train coming towards you. Please ensure you are in a place of safety before it arrives! You may eat cake once it is past you.

 

In that case Bear will be sure to scoff all cake as a matter of urgency; in the event that I should get clobbered by an approaching Train I'd be more than a little miffed to snuff it whilst leaving unscoffed LDC at the mercy of marauding Hippo's.

[Andrew P]

1 hour ago, grandadbob said:

Evenin’ each,

Pie was deployed a little while ago and it was extremely tasty.  Along with that I had a large glass of a very nice Italian red from Puglia which was good enough to be followed by another one which is currently disappearing. Glad to say I’ve never suffered from gout but know several people who have.  From what they’ve told me I certainly don’t want to try it out.

Tonight has been designated a film night so we’ll shortly be watching one of our several Christmas presents.  Another present of the liquid variety may then be sampled.  As I’ve been on the wine I think I’ll go for cognac. 
We’ve had a yellow warning for snow and ice from midnight but as I’m not going anywhere then apart from bed I’m not too bothered. 

 

We down near the coast would be very grateful if you would kindly keep any Snow you may receive to yourselves up in Surrey.

I thank you very much in anticipation.

 

When we lived in Swad it it seamed to Snow for no reason at all some times.

[Chris116]

10 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

In that case Bear will be sure to scoff all cake as a matter of urgency; in the event that I should get clobbered by an approaching Train I'd be more than a little miffed to snuff it whilst leaving unscoffed LDC at the mercy of marauding Hippo's.

To ensure you did not get clobbered I said you should go to a place of safety. Until the train has passed you should pay attention to the train and THEN eat the cake. Eating it while the train is approaching means you are liable to be hit which will reduce your intake of cake in the future considerably!

[Barry O]

Goodnight all!

Baz

[PhilJ W]

It seems that Essex is the national C-19 hot spot. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nine-out-10-english-towns-23227522#source=push Although Basildon has slipped down the league tables it is still near the top. In top of the list Brentwood the rate has nearly doubled.

Edited December 27, 2020 by PhilJ W

[The White Rabbit]

Well, it feels like we're in for a few days of shivering timbers. The tops of the hills had a light dusting earlier. We merely had a day of liquid sunshine, the seasonal duck-pond's back. Except it's more of a blackbird/robin pond. Olympic sized... 

 

Despite the temperature, nature's showing signs of life, with the whitebells and snowdrops showing their greenery and with one snowdrop now blooming. Some of the iberis still have flowers on, though somewhat faded, and the (yellow) osteospermum is still flowering with middling enthusiasm. 

 

We're now out of house arrest/quarantine, one snag being half the world has shut down for C****mas & New Year. A shop earlier showed the ravages of cockwombles, there had definitely been a run on certain items, including toilet-rolls and long-life milk. Very little left on the shelves. 

 

Defences have been alerted for Bears & Hippos using the dirty weather to sneak in under the radar screen. As alcohol is currently off-limits, I consoled the aged parent with a chocolate cake this pm. And currant scones for tomorrow. You have to have something to look forward to... 

 

We'll be off the circuit for a while, even if the public health situation improves and shows can go ahead. There's too many problems to resolve and ill-health to overcome to be able to think about shows for about twelve months. The way things look, we're out of business at least in the short term if not permanently, so we're selling off what we have, clear some space and get our money back on the stock. If things improve, we can look at rejoining. But I can't blame the pestilence exclusively, there have been other issues. 

 

Depending on whether the white stuff starts settling, I hope to start catching up on other jobs tomorrow, getting the newsletters out, crating some bottles (1:76 and without beer inside, sorry) and various bits in the garden. Hopefully whatever the weather, I'll be able to make progress on something. And in the very near future, I hope that's snoring - night awl. 

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, Erichill16 said:

Mil also remarked that she’s never seen hers so low and off the scale.

We don't have such a beast but I seem to recall much the same reading being shown on Fish Night.  

 

Fish Night? 

 

The one where Michael Fish assured us all that there wasn't a hurricane coming ......... 

 

 

 

In other news no falling-down waters tonight but access to the kitchen has been restored as has permission to handle items (including edible ones) therein.   Entirely unrelated to all previous comments a new mattress has been ordered.  I have been waiting for some months - not in urgent need - to see what sort of deals might be offered today.  Sure enough a very highly-rated titanium-sprung one has turned up at near half-price and will be delivered free in ten days' time.  200-night money-back guarantee and 10-year product guarantee.   It should beat the steadily-powdering IKEA foam offering which arrived vac-packed in a tube almost four years ago and is now contributing an unnecessary amount of dust to the room these days.   

 

G'night all.  

[Happy Hippo]

58 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

In that case Bear will be sure to scoff all cake as a matter of urgency; in the event that I should get clobbered by an approaching Train I'd be more than a little miffed to snuff it whilst leaving unscoffed LDC at the mercy of marauding Hippo's.

I'm not a merciless creature, I'd bury you with your cake.

 

In fact you have so much it would be easier for me to bury you in your cake. (But expect a rather shallow grave).

[brianusa]

12 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Good Morning,

Quite a pleasant start to the morning (the view is from the Holiday Hovel)

 

An interesting remark about “hating the virus”.

 

 

 

So what are my predictions for 2021?

> cheap airline travel will be a thing of the past. Partly due to having fewer passengers onboard (fewer people travelling = less income for airline, but same outgoes per flight) but also due to travel restrictions: No vaccination certificate and/or no recent (<72 hr) negative CoVID test = no fly. Additionally, many countries will adopt a “No vaccination certificate and/or no recent (<72 hr) negative CoVID test = no entry” (or mandatory supervised quarantine) border policy.

> The high street will continue to deteriorate as people will be less willing to shop in person and prefer the larger choice and competitive pricing of online shopping.

> Working from home, for those who can, will be the “new normal”. Few companies will want to continue to have the expense of extensive offices in high cost/high rent areas when work can be done as well, if not sometimes better, by employees working at home.

> The hospitality industry will continue to falter. Those hotels that can, will adopt a high tech model whereby human interaction is minimised through technology (if not embrace the Japanese model of the all robot hotel).

> The pub sector will be but a shadow of its former self: the pandemic merely accelerated the decline caused by cheap supermarket and offl-licence booze.

> “Amateur” meetings, exhibitions and displays (such as in village halls, leisure centres and the like) will disappear as few will have the means (financial and manpower) to adhere to the current “anticovid” requirements, which I don’t see being lifted anytime soon (not to mention covering the post pandemic legal liabilities)

Finally,

> Live music, parades, street celebrations and the like will continue to be restricted, if not banned until the authorities are satisfied that a sufficient percentage of the population has been vaccinated (probably about mid- to end-2022)

 

How accurate will be my predictions? We’ll see, we’ll see!

 

iD

I don't actually hate the virus so my wife and I try and live with it.  So we don't go to the pictures or the theatre any more, travel or go to the pub.  There's  TV which covers most activities in the comfort of your family room; no more out in the freezing cold at a football match and theres beer in the fridge anyway.  Having visited my bucket list of places to go, the urge to travel has diminished and I find our home a place of refuge from the  woes of the world.  Possibly age has something to do with it but living with the virus has not been so bad for us, we are warm and comfortable, eat well; don't miss restaurants and are happy together in this new lifestyle.  Our local store even has a goodly supply of toilet paper!

    Brian.

[PeterBB]

5 hours ago, leopardml2341 said:

ERs I have knowingly met:

 

AndyRam

AndrewP

BarrieO

Newbryford

Mike Bellamy

Rugd1022

Roundhouse

Natalie

 

There are probably others, Inc Andy Y, so if I've forgotten you - drop me a pm, remind me and say hello?

As S Derbyshire resident please come and visit once we are up and running - would be great to see you.  Peter

[tigerburnie]

G'night all