Early Risers.

[TheQ]

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Strangely 'Helen of Avoirdupois' doesn't have quite the same sort of ring to it.  Hardly likely to launch many ships I'd have thought..

Better than Helen of adipose..

[polybear]

Bear is on Guard at the SCR, ready to repel any marauding Hippo's and Captain Cynical's from raiding the secret cake stash....

 

[brianusa]

19 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

 

My car flat battery. again, so need to call Homestart (my own fault as I've not run it up lately and the temperature outdoors is well down of course.

Even after being here for ages now, I had to call the AA for a battery boost.  Inadvertently I referred  to it as flat battery; silence but no funny remarks.  Since then we bought a charger!

   Brian.

[brianusa]

14 hours ago, chrisf said:

Yesterday one of the nose pads on my spectacles suffered a failure

Same thing happened to me on a trip back home.  Passing by an opticians, we dropped in and asked if they would fix it which they did right away at no charge.  I was most impressed!

    Brian.

[Coombe Barton]

... and a fluffy plague doctor ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2021/01/06/sounds-of-the-season-39-the-feast-of-the-epiphany/

 

[The White Rabbit]

I'm sorry to hear about the multiple sightings of a dark canine but in all honesty I'm not surprised. I have to say I'm finding it difficult to be cheerful at the moment, partly as it's a dark and cold January and partly because of all the other **** going on ATM. 

 

Today I had a form to complete for the funeral director. Who was the deceased's GP? Umm, not sure, check through the papers I have. There was a practice merge/reshuffle recently, so I checked via the website if the original GP named in some older paperwork was on the list of [current] partners. Don't be absurd... OK, I'll ring the practice and ask. Got someone trying to be helpful but not very sure what to do. She said she'd ring me back after checking with her supervisor (and fair enough, she did) but - I'm sorry, because the patient's dead, I cannot access the record. The doctor I asked said you shouldn't be completing those forms anyway. (I explain the hospital's bereavement line isn't answering calls or returning answerphone messages (so what else am I supposed to do?) and I'm working from advice from the registrar (of deaths) to complete these forms to allow the funeral to proceed asap). I'm sorry but I can't help you, can you ring the hospital ward, here's their number. 

 

Ring the hospital ward, feeling uncomfortable as they have plenty of other things to deal with and it's the admin people who are useless ****s, not the medical people on the wards. I'm sorry, nurses can't access the record of a deceased person, can you ring their medical practice please? Resist temptation to express myself honestly, said I've just spoken to them, they told me to ring you. Umm, well doctors can access the records but they are all off the ward at the moment, can you ring back in an hour? Mutter, mutter, end call. 

 

Ten minutes later, phone rings and it's a doctor from the ward (and full credit to them for taking the time to do that) - answered a couple of other queries but said sorry, we don't know which GP it was, we don't get that information. (WTF did the nurses suggest you could tell me who it was then?) I'm sorry you haven't been able to speak to the bereavement line about [several things] but could you try going through the switchboard rather than the direct number? (Thanks but no use if they still don't answer the effing phone). 

 

Sadly, it's not the only instance of trouble I've had. My experience (over the last few years, not just today) suggests most individual NHS staff are helpful and try to help but the rules, management and IT they have to operate under greatly restrict what they can do. This has the effect of making patients and their relatives feel like inconvenient, contemptible pests. And then they have the nerve to lecture us on [keeping a positive mental attitude] when most of the reason we're upset is due to them! 

 

Rant over ... until tomorrow, when I may have a new one 

[laurenceb]

The last thing you need at a time like this

Night awl

[Ozexpatriate]

5 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

... the White House rant-meister continues to assail our senses, ...

Some hours later much, much worse than that. Since this is a politics-free zone, I won't say more other than it is a dark day. I expected a circus and theatre inside the building within the rules, but not an insurrection. With hindsight it was not a surprise, having seen like-minded people behave similarly at the Oregon State Capitol in recent weeks.

 

For fans of marine signal flags I did notice a protester carrying a hoist of alphabetic marine flags - tango, romeo, uniform, mike, papa - on a pole*. Cleverer than most.

 

* Not a 5½ yard pole. 

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by Ozexpatriate

[leopardml2341]

Hello and Goodnight in the same post

 

Today has been very much a day of 'if you want a job doing properly.....'

 

I know we often fall into the trap of judging others' performance against our own behaviours and expectations, and that's not nescessarily helpful yet it seems that what I see as 'normal day job' appears to be an unachievable pinnacle for others. Maybe I actually do have more knowledge and varied experience than I give myself credit for; my challenge is to use that knowledge and experience for the benefit of others and without detriment to myself.

 

Never have been very good at blowin' mi own trumpet; it was, shall we say, 'managed out' of me in my formative years. Anyway I'm in great danger of going into too much life detail........

 

So we'll change the tack, eh?

 

Today i was mildly surprised that the supermarket I use hadn't been stripped bare of bog rolls, pasta, canned beans, eggs and, for some odd reason biscuits, as it was in March. Maybe people have realised that 'panic buying' isn't the answer?

 

Not much achieved outside the work domain today but then I hadn't consulted 'my list' - I've just surfed around RMweb and eBay a bit, had pizza for mi tea washed down with a small can o' beer and watched some trash TV. Now listening to R4 Extra, my normal evening/night time station, prior to engaging in some eyelid inspection.

 

Best wishes to all, especially anyone who's read this drivel, stay safe, stay well and avoid the CFCs (I can't be @rsed to write 'em out in full)

 

[Chris116]

20 minutes ago, The White Rabbit said:

I'm sorry to hear about the multiple sightings of a dark canine but in all honesty I'm not surprised. I have to say I'm finding it difficult to be cheerful at the moment, partly as it's a dark and cold January and partly because of all the other **** going on ATM. 

 

Today I had a form to complete for the funeral director. Who was the deceased's GP? Umm, not sure, check through the papers I have. There was a practice merge/reshuffle recently, so I checked via the website if the original GP named in some older paperwork was on the list of [current] partners. Don't be absurd... OK, I'll ring the practice and ask. Got someone trying to be helpful but not very sure what to do. She said she'd ring me back after checking with her supervisor (and fair enough, she did) but - I'm sorry, because the patient's dead, I cannot access the record. The doctor I asked said you shouldn't be completing those forms anyway. (I explain the hospital's bereavement line isn't answering calls or returning answerphone messages (so what else am I supposed to do?) and I'm working from advice from the registrar (of deaths) to complete these forms to allow the funeral to proceed asap). I'm sorry but I can't help you, can you ring the hospital ward, here's their number. 

 

Ring the hospital ward, feeling uncomfortable as they have plenty of other things to deal with and it's the admin people who are useless ****s, not the medical people on the wards. I'm sorry, nurses can't access the record of a deceased person, can you ring their medical practice please? Resist temptation to express myself honestly, said I've just spoken to them, they told me to ring you. Umm, well doctors can access the records but they are all off the ward at the moment, can you ring back in an hour? Mutter, mutter, end call. 

 

Ten minutes later, phone rings and it's a doctor from the ward (and full credit to them for taking the time to do that) - answered a couple of other queries but said sorry, we don't know which GP it was, we don't get that information. (WTF did the nurses suggest you could tell me who it was then?) I'm sorry you haven't been able to speak to the bereavement line about [several things] but could you try going through the switchboard rather than the direct number? (Thanks but no use if they still don't answer the effing phone). 

 

Sadly, it's not the only instance of trouble I've had. My experience (over the last few years, not just today) suggests most individual NHS staff are helpful and try to help but the rules, management and IT they have to operate under greatly restrict what they can do. This has the effect of making patients and their relatives feel like inconvenient, contemptible pests. And then they have the nerve to lecture us on [keeping a positive mental attitude] when most of the reason we're upset is due to them! 

 

Rant over ... until tomorrow, when I may have a new one 

I didn't have the problem you are facing when my father died but I did have fun phoning the credit card companies. The first three I had no problems with, they were all most helpful. Then I got to HSBC who I explained that my father had passed away and I wanted to sort out the credit card that he had with them. I was told that they could only speak to the account holder! I told them again that he had passed away only to be told that wherever he had gone away they still needed to speak to him. I told them to get a medium and slammed the phone down. Walked up the road to the local branch who upon being told what had happened were suitably horrified and sorted it out for me and even made me a cup of tea while I waited.

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I see the Hornby generic coaches thread is still merrily frothing away, already on fourteen pages when only about three will do.

And curious that it has >10x the number of posts of a thread on new tooling for a steam locomotive.

 

That's a throw-away observation - I don't know that it means anything. I don't have the patience to read through either of those threads.

[brianusa]

9 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

5 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

. the White House rant-meister continues to assail our senses, ...

Some hours later much, much worse than that.

Sadly a good example of you get what you vote for, or don't!

       Brian.

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

Sorry I’ve not had chance to read all the post but hope I find everyone at least ‘coping’.

Again not much of a day but a least a couple of domestic chores have been completed and this was followed by a walk with Sydney. Unfortunately he’s not coming for a sleepover at the moment  but I feel that may change soon. Bill’s works closed as Christmas for good  and he’s now working from home with sil (a teacher) and his two sons, two cats and Sydney. Somethings going to blow!

I need to get my finger out as the VAT return must be submitted by tomorrow. I was hoping to get it sorted this evening but after tea I couldn’t be bothered so tomorrow it is then. 
On a more positive note,  members of the pharmacy team have been booked in for their COVID-19 vaccine but that involves me working another half day this week. 
Think that’s about it for today so I’ll bid you all a goodnight,

Robert

ps. Bet Simon looks a Bobby dazzler in his new socks!

[Simon G]

5 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I can remember having to do £sd calculations and ounce, pound and stone conversions at primary school. I wasn’t very good at arithmetic then, so was quite pleased that at secondary school the metric system was used except in engineering and woodwork lessons. 

I have always been pretty good with mental arithmetic, sometimes to good use.  Many times I have mentally added up the approximate cost of shopping at a supermarket checkout, and then queried the total presented to me.  The checkout operator almost always looks at me in amazement that I can do simple arithmetic in my head.

 

I have just been sent a chart which shows that Copeland (ie the southern part of West Cumbria) has had the highest percentage rate in Covid-19 cases over the past seven days.  It is up by 213% in those 7 days.  Until about 2 weeks ago, Copeland’s rate was very low.  It certainly isn’t now!  

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Well at least the foot has calmed down, it was getting a bit sore earlier but seems to be OK now. I've just discovered that Yahoo has shut down all groups. I only discovered that because I was looking for one of the groups I was in. So if you had a Yahoo group or was a member they have pulled the plug and what is more nothing has been archived.

[Barry O]

Long zoom meeting with club members tonight. A well needed glass of beer was then had.

 

Not good in the US of A at all. Hopefully no one has been seriously injured.

 

When Fil died  it should have gone swimmingly as lasting powers of attorney whould have made life easier.. it was apart fromBa r Clays  and a certain Spanish run building society made a hash of it.. followed by major incompetence by some solicitors. Luckily a fairly high ranking legal beagle I know set to and sorted it PDQ.. for free.. 

 

Baz

[Barry O]

Goodnight  all!

Baz

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Some hours later much, much worse than that. Since this is a politics-free zone, I won't say more other than it is a dark day. I expected a circus and theatre inside the building within the rules, but not an insurrection. With hindsight it was not a surprise, having seen like-minded people behave similarly at the Oregon State Capitol in recent weeks.

 

For fans of marine signal flags I did notice a protester carrying a hoist of alphabetic marine flags - tango, romeo, uniform, mike, papa - on a pole*. Cleverer than most.

 

* Not a 5½ yard pole. 

 

 

Looks like not even Norman Gunston could get that crowd under control...

 

(for those not aware of Australian political history, ie everyone - our democratically elected government of Gough Whitlam  was summarily given the arse  by the Queens representative Governor General John Kerr in 1975.

 

A largish crowd with novelty 70's sideburns and ties turned up at Parliament house to protest this afront to our democracy. Most surviving footage of it features comedian Gary Mcdonald as reporter Norman Gunston being front  and centre, proving Australians tend to take the p1ss at even the most serious events. )

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[Ozexpatriate]

40 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Not good in the US of A at all. Hopefully no one has been seriously injured.

One fatality (an adult female shot inside the Capitol) was reported.

[simontaylor484]

1 hour ago, Erichill16 said:

Evening All,

Sorry I’ve not had chance to read all the post but hope I find everyone at least ‘coping’.

Again not much of a day but a least a couple of domestic chores have been completed and this was followed by a walk with Sydney. Unfortunately he’s not coming for a sleepover at the moment  but I feel that may change soon. Bill’s works closed as Christmas for good  and he’s now working from home with sil (a teacher) and his two sons, two cats and Sydney. Somethings going to blow!

I need to get my finger out as the VAT return must be submitted by tomorrow. I was hoping to get it sorted this evening but after tea I couldn’t be bothered so tomorrow it is then. 
On a more positive note,  members of the pharmacy team have been booked in for their COVID-19 vaccine but that involves me working another half day this week. 
Think that’s about it for today so I’ll bid you all a goodnight,

Robert

ps. Bet Simon looks a Bobby dazzler in his new socks!

They do go rather nicely with the s stock slippers i got for xmas too

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Ozexpatriate]

13 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

... comedian Gary Mcdonald as reporter Norman Gunston ...

The "little aussie bleeder" is a blast from the past. Have you seen 'The Gilles Report' performance of "Il Dismissale"? An operatic(?) take on the events of the 1975 constitutional crisis and the dissolution of parliament, first broadcast in 1983.

 

Fans of the late John Clarke ("the front fell off") can look for him - he has a couple of parts.

 

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

The sun came out this morning and cleared away the frost, but it never got warm, the temperature peaking at 4C this afternoon. There was virtually no wind and as it was dry, Sheila asked me if I’d empty the vacuum cleaner and clean the filter out so that she could wash it. This was done after I’d finished today’s work in the cellar. 

 

I managed to alter the rear of the panel, I rearranged the order of the existing sockets and added an extra one for the separate supply to the turntable motor. I then altered the wiring so that each system is electrically isolated from the others.

 

By the time all that was done, I didn’t have time to alter the delay start boards, so they’ll get done on Friday, as this weeks end of week shopping trip will be done tomorrow instead of Friday. 

 

Terrible scenes in Washington tonight, repugnant as it is, I’m not really surprised given the rubbish being spoken by No 45. The good news is that he won’t be allowed into Scotland to play golf!

[BSW01]

Goodnight all