Early Risers.

[jonny777]

Dry, bright and windy here in North Somerset, but temperature only 2C. 
 

I had a decent sleep which is a rarity, but was woken by SWMBO sneezing, so it would seem that she has the cold I caught after Christmas. Nothing too difficult but a lot of aches in my legs for some reason. 
 

I have mixed up another batch of breakfast cereal, which is muesli from Mornflake, Bran Flakes from M&S, and Just Right from Kellogg’s. I sometimes add ‘fruit and fibre’ but I don’t seem to have any in the cupboards. Very nice, and as the mixture varies within the container, it tastes slightly different each day. 
 

 

I decided to add a few thousand more words to my “First 21 Years” autobiography yesterday, but found it quite hard work going over my memories of leaving home at 18 and starting work in a strange town knowing no one. I became quite homesick at the time, but personal pride meant I could never show that. 
 

Things improved slowly, but being away on a course when the Christmas volunteer roster (something I had no idea existed) was pinned on the noticeboard; and coming back to find the my lack of contribution had been interpreted as I wouldn’t mind working Christmas Day, was a blow that I didn’t recover from until I worked the actual shift; and found that the treats donated by the day workers, and cakes/mince pies baked by the wives of married shift workers, were far nicer than the tin of Roses and long box of dates that I would have had at home. 
 

 

 

......and all that was before someone ‘produced’ a very expensive bottle of Cognac late in the afternoon and offered it around the office.

 

 

.......and it was all double time in those far off days. 

Edited January 4, 2021 by jonny777

[Barry O]

@jonny777.. if the leg pains continue and you of swmbo lose a sense of taste.. geta test .  That is how it started with me....

 

Baz

[New Haven Neil]

Breakfast munched, bedding in the washer, world outside still white so no inspiration to do much else!

 

Inspired a little by Johnny777 I should really finish the article for the 'rusty old bike' magazine I was asked to write after a first successful one a year or more ago, it is almost there but I'm a little lacking in photos to go with the tracking through the ownership of the three relevant bikes - mostly it was years ago but one we still have so that bit is OK.  It will upset some folk of the relevant owners club who think their steeds are foolproof (ahem) and paragons of reliability. 'Well, they are mostly, except when......' is the theme of my article!  I should get my finger out as you get a year's free subscription as well as goodies.

[BoD]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Yes, that's the one.  Something to do with how the intake of Lemon Drizzle Cake protects against C-19, apparently.....

Good to see that you are taking the ‘five a day’ message seriously.

A blueberry muffin counts as one portion too.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

As predicted last night, we have another frosty start to the day. Breakfast is now but a distant memory and the muggertea is empty, so I’d best get started on the day’s activities. That should have been starting once again on the removal of paint from the cellar wall, but I’m required for door answering duties, so a quieter task is required! I’ve just checked with the Royal Mail track and trace service and the package in question is due today. So that means working on the turntable control panel, what a shame, I was expecting to put that to one side until the weekend at least, ho hum, every cloud and all that eh?

 

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

 

Brian

 

 

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It has been raining, is still raining and I think is forecast to continue. 
I don’t think I will be going for a walk today. 
I mentioned yesterday my nephew was driving back to Germany. He had no problems with borders, not a lot of traffic and just some snow in  Luxembourg. I heard on the news this morning that the Dutch authorities had sent back some British visitors who had arrived at Schipol without a valid reason for travel. Nephew Paul has to travel to Zurich soon for work reasons but that should be ok. We had a long chat with his brother who is a doctor in Sussex. He had been busy inoculating the elderly since Boxing Day. His fiancée has just started a Masters degree and is writing essays. Her first degree in Italy didn’t require formal essay writing so this is new to her.  She got 88% for her first piece of work which we all thought was rather good. Her course gives her as well as the masters a qualification as a diabetic care nurse. They are also in the process of buying a house. They are at the solicitors doing searches stage. Also looking at what is included and optional to purchase. Nephew Josh quite liked the giant trampoline option but was overruled as that would be the perfect place  for a vegetable patch. 
Tony

[polybear]

2 hours ago, leopardml2341 said:

 

 

First person I 'know' of.

 

SWMBO is 'out in the road' delivering/collecting those most days. I'm led to believe that the quality of service can be, shall we say 'variable' based on the things she sees in a supervisory role.

 

All deliverers have been fine for me; let's face it, it's a cr@p job.  Must be boring as hell after  the first day - endless repetitive questions to ask, freezing cold standing on people's doorsteps and must be lousy when it's raining too.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Well at least it is dry out there and no hard frost today.  Visibility us good and the Oligarch's palace (which once served in a film as a certain school for less than refined young ladies) is clearly visible so if nothing else that indicates the temperature won't be rising.  river level has fallen and the flood warnings have gone away for out stretch of the river for now.

 

Beyond the natural world little else seem to be happening - his ladship is back at work in his room immediately above the study and it sounds as if he is again conducting telephone interviews.  I doubt he'll be visiting company HQ in Switzerland any time soon as his employers still have their international travel ban in place.  The GD is off today and back to the Covid frontline tomorrow. 

 

Far more importantly herself has just enquired if I would like a boiled egg for breakfast so toast 'soldiers' and muggatea No.3 here I come.  

Have a good day everybody and stay safe.

[Coombe Barton]

4 hours ago, chrisf said:

There are several on the internet but the one I sought was Welsh in origin.  I have one Welsh cookbook but it's not in there.  One day the solution to the mystery will emerge and take me by surprise.

There's a whole series of welsh cookbooks in the boxes behind me, so looked online for one of those. And found it on an Australian blog
http://www.tiffinbitesized.com.au/2014/01/17/welsh-potato-cakes/

[simontaylor484]

Good morning all 

 

We actually had a gritter down here last night which was a pleasant surprise as the street had turned to a skating rink. We are just a little side street but it is quite steep. In the past o have struggled to get the car out due to the design of yhe street.

 If you imagine the street as b shaped we live on the right hand side to get up to the main road you have to get up the hill to where the curve comes to the stick but part id block paved and a complete nightmare. Anyway you get the idea hopefully. 

 

The council wont fund a grit bin they usually end up on some beggars drive and not for the purpose intended. I still have a couple of bags in the garage but they are buried underneath stuff i have accumulated for a skip 

[chrisf]

31 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

There's a whole series of welsh cookbooks in the boxes behind me, so looked online for one of those. And found it on an Australian blog
http://www.tiffinbitesized.com.au/2014/01/17/welsh-potato-cakes/

Diolchyn fawr!

 

Chris

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I spoke too soon about the sore foot, last night it came back with a vengeance. Add to that the rest of the eczema was itching like mad. It might be due to the rain as mentioned by Tony, I'll see what its like later in the week when its predicted to be dry. The lesser spotted glass and bottle wagon was first out this morning as usual, first foray since Christmas and it was very busy. Thats it for now, be back later.

[tigerburnie]

Afternoon all, I've been up for ages, been watching the rugby from yesterday, I changed our bills last year to cut the outgoings, so no longer haver BT sport, miss the game live, but it is available on the premiership website later on and yes GDB I did enjoy the result. SWMBO is taking the tree down, so I shall be required for labouring duties, take care all.

[polybear]

Bear has rapidly come to the conclusion that trying to undo the supply pipes which connect to kitchen sink taps is a right 'kin pain.  Hands up all those in agreement....

For info, Bear is currently lying on his back on the kitchen floor with all four paws raised in the air.....

 

In other news:

Nurse Covid has visited and Bear is tested.  After the number of tests completed I should be getting used to it by now; however shovin' a cotton bud down me gob then up me snoogle (twice) still rates as not being fun.

[Coombe Barton]

Working (Oh yes I am!)

On the sofa

Everyone's gone back onto works systems so that have slowed down. Taking me twice as long to do things

[simontaylor484]

2 hours ago, chrisf said:

Diolchyn fawr!

 

Chris

Would you need a Sosban Fach for that? Or a pontyping

[laurenceb]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

Bear has rapidly come to the conclusion that trying to undo the supply pipes which connect to kitchen sink taps is a right 'kin pain.  Hands up all those in agreement....

For info, Bear is currently lying on his back on the kitchen floor with all four paws raised in the air.....

 

In other news:

Nurse Covid has visited and Bear is tested.  After the number of tests completed I should be getting used to it by now; however shovin' a cotton bud down me gob then up me snoogle (twice) still rates as not being fun.

Very brave person, all those teeth. Or do they distract ou with cake? (lemon drizzle varity?)

[Tony_S]

2 minutes ago, laurenceb said:

Very brave person, all those teeth. Or do they distract ou with cake? (lemon drizzle varity?)

Probably the same technique*the vet used when sticking syringes up my dog’s nose. No cake though, though there was a treat afterwards for being a very good dog. 
Tony
 

*muzzle and conceal syringe in hand.

[Simon G]

Afternoon all,

Just back in from a short afternoon walk.  Neither Mrs G or I felt like a longer one today.  As we had a planned 6 hour power cut today, we would have gone out this morning, but the roads and pavements were white with frost and looked lethal!  We would have been very cold with the power cut had we not had the wood burning stove, which kept us nice and warm, but had gone out by the time we returned from the walk!

[simontaylor484]

Well i would like to share one of the most idiotic things i have seen about covid.

According to BBC news covid deniers have been thrown out of Colchester Hospital no dont get your hopes up that someone has seen sense.

  Turns out they have been wondering round the outpatients dept over the Weekend taking photos of the empty corridors to claim fakery of the pandemic and that hospitals arent up to capacity.

  Didnt the fools work out that in most cases outpatients dept dont work weekends and often shut between xmas and new year. The sad thing is that some tin foil hat wearers will believe this.

 

I would have shared the link but for some reason it wouldnt work

[Barry O]

Instead of kicking them out why not give them a mop and bucket and ask them to clean the wards floors out.. without any PPE.. and no future nHS support to them as it can't make you ill..

 

Baz

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from a Sidcup which has been largely cold and wet today.  It was bin day here in the Boring Borough. Mrs Lurker had gone off to school, and Younger Lurker had surfaced for his breakfast. I was just planning to wake his older brother after a little bit more work when then the doorbell rang. It was the (Slightly unreliable) tree men coming as promised - only I'd forgotten. So I put even more bins out so that they could traipse back and forth through the garage and brought my work downstairs. The noise of the chainsaw and chipper certainly made sure Elder Lurker got up a darn sight quicker than the lure of a slice of toast and a mug of coffee would have done!

 

And now  call to Tea, take care all

[PeterBB]

1 hour ago, simontaylor484 said:

Well i would like to share one of the most idiotic things i have seen about covid.

According to BBC news covid deniers have been thrown out of Colchester Hospital no dont get your hopes up that someone has seen sense.

  Turns out they have been wondering round the outpatients dept over the Weekend taking photos of the empty corridors to claim fakery of the pandemic and that hospitals arent up to capacity.

  Didnt the fools work out that in most cases outpatients dept dont work weekends and often shut between xmas and new year. The sad thing is that some tin foil hat wearers will believe this.

 

I would have shared the link but for some reason it wouldnt work

Also the case in Birmingham, Worcester and Nottingham.  I believe two of the Birmingham 'wanderers' have been located ... but were obviously not sorry about spreading 'denier' false information.   Sounds like a conspiracy of selfish denier individuals

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Here you are Simon.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-55531589

I would suggest taking them to the Covid ward and showing them around. Then quarantine them for fourteen days, under lock and key.

[TheQ]

Round here outpatients do work weekends... However most outpatients clinics have been closed down, to provide more staff for covid and A&E. They, from today, have closed down Cromers minor injuries clinic for the same reason.