Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

Welcome to Hump Day.  I see no camels.  I don't see a lot of anything much because of the thick mizzle which has enveloped the universe all day so far.  

 

Please to report that the new mattress resulted in a most comfortable sleep last night.  Long may that continue to be the case.  His Furrship has yet to venture up and offer his respects but I'm sure that is only a matter of time.  He will sleep anywhere warm and soft and shares the love between bed, sofa and his favourite cold-day spot beneath the hallway radiator.  

[Barry O]

so last year we would be on our flight to Singapore.. where instead of being cold and damp like it is here irt was warm albeit a bit "steamy". When we got to the hotel via a limo driven very well by our "chauffeur" we went to the roof top bar/infinity pool and took a photo of the view

 

 

The ship on sticks.. which is a hotel with shops..

 

Baz

[grandadbob]

We did manage a (damp) half hour walk earlier. It was only light drizzle at the time but we still managed to get fairly wet.  As usual it was The Hip that decided the length of the walk.  Saw a couple of friends en route walking the opposite way round.  They're the couple who are having to sell up and move to somewhere smaller and cheaper.  Both are black cab drivers, he did nights while she did days but they've not had much income in the past 10 months.  They're still managing to keep cheerful though.  

Another old friend is having counselling because he's so depressed at the moment.  Not helped by the fact that his wife is extremely vulnerable although not sick at present and his granddaughter who is a nurse has just gone down with Covid.

 

[simontaylor484]

Afternoon all 

 

Been trying to build a bit more Trafalgar Square. And sort out various problems such as the handle on the bedroom window collapsing. 

As PeterBb mentioned Sodium Valporate i take that for epilepsy all over the package is printed pregnant women must not take it.

 

[Dunsignalling]

3 hours ago, jonny777 said:

 

 

I found the TV schedules so rubbish yesterday evening that I turned it off and read David Copperfield. 

 

 

Thought it was just me getting jaded. I fired up the hi-fi and had an eclectic musical evening instead.

 

A bit of Kraftwerk, Schuberts Trout quintet (Brendel), Tracy Chapman's first album from way back, some J.J. Cale, and then switched to vinyl for some of my fave singles from the Everlies and Roy Orbison.

 

Might well do it again tonight unless the TV schedulers have got their act together.

 

John

Edited January 13, 2021 by Dunsignalling

[simontaylor484]

There is quite an interesting quizon the BBC website regarding Lockdown rules some of the answers are not quite what you would expect.

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Sorry for absence, but mojo for computer/RMWeb/anything else is on the wane.  So I've not had a great deal of inclination to visit of late - but hopefully, it may return sometime.

 

Now then, I don't like Amazon, but we do business with them like we do with the law of gravity - and I have actually had a few experiences where I have chosen free delivery on an item sold by them directly, where the estimated delivery date is bettered, as once it leaves their warehouse, and into the hands of their own delivery service, they just deliver as soon as it's at the local depot.

 

I have a problem with the car, as I thought that the washer reservoir had frozen, as has happened a few times when I didn't use a strong enough solution, but when everything thawed out, still zilch on the washer front, so it's a visit to the garage tomorrow - and I expect that it will be a new motor, as I can't envisage anything else which might be causing this to not work.  Appointment is for 10 45 tomorrow, and I was lucky to get that - garage is a few miles away, so I just hope I don't get stopped by the police for un-necessary travel, and I would be on a hiding to nothing, as it's an essential item on a car these days, but I need to get to the garage to get it diagnosed and sorted,

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Tony_S]

14 minutes ago, 45156 said:

so I just hope I don't get stopped by the police for un-necessary travel,

Did you see the news item about the people who had driven a considerable distance from Leicester(I think) to McDonalds “for exercise”. In addition to Covid rule breaking they also had the car impounded as it didn’t have a windscreen or wipers.

edit

found it

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/fines-given-derbyshire-mcdonalds-after-4879399

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Tony_S

[simontaylor484]

9 minutes ago, 45156 said:

Afternoon All

 

Sorry for absence, but mojo for computer/RMWeb/anything else is on the wane.  So I've not had a great deal of inclination to visit of late - but hopefully, it may return sometime.

 

Now then, I don't like Amazon, but we do business with them like we do with the law of gravity - and I have actually had a few experiences where I have chosen free delivery on an item sold by them directly, where the estimated delivery date is bettered, as once it leaves their warehouse, and into the hands of their own delivery service, they just deliver as soon as it's at the local depot.

 

I have a problem with the car, as I thought that the washer reservoir had frozen, as has happened a few times when I didn't use a strong enough solution, but when everything thawed out, still zilch on the washer front, so it's a visit to the garage tomorrow - and I expect that it will be a new motor, as I can't envisage anything else which might be causing this to not work.  Appointment is for 10 45 tomorrow, and I was lucky to get that - garage is a few miles away, so I just hope I don't get stopped by the police for un-necessary travel, and I would be on a hiding to nothing, as it's an essential item on a car these days, but I need to get to the garage to get it diagnosed and sorted,

 

Regards to All

Stewart

Try the fuse first i have had that happen

[TheQ]

I've had sludge block and jam the motor, that was in a car we've had from new and nothing but genuine windscreen washer chemicals and water in it.

I took it off,  (lots of screw it's in front of, the front right hand wheel arch cover), blew it back, emptied the tank and refilled.. not had a problem since..

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup where it has been drizzling all day and is very grey and damp.

 

No news from our friend in St Thomas'.

 

We don't get nearly as many planes here anymore - even the regular Biggin Hill flights seem to have dried up at the moment - though i did spot one that looked like it was going to City yesterday; if it was, that is the first one i have seen since the first lockdown put paid to the flights from City to the continent; we used to get them at regular intervals being about 10 miles South and East of City. We also used to get regular overlflights from Heathrow and Gatwick and some much much higher and presumably from further afield. Now a plane is something to remark on!

 

I see Polly is nearly done with her Christmas cake. I have not had any this year; only I really like although Mrs Lurker will force some down on occasion. We had been promised some by MiL but told her not to send it by post once we knew lockdown would put paid to any family visitations. Well it seems she has decided to ignore that as a Christmas cake arrived in today's post! So I will be playing catch up later!

 

 

[BoD]

1 hour ago, simontaylor484 said:

There is quite an interesting quizon the BBC website regarding Lockdown rules some of the answers are not quite what you would expect.

I found it very telling that the correct answer to a few questions was ‘perhaps’.

[BoD]

Afternoon all.

 

We have returned from our weekly supermarket sweep (now shopping for three households) and was pleasantly surprised by how quiet it was - and how much more people were regarding distancing.  I also noticed that the supermarket has, within the last week, repainted the 2m marks on the pavement outside.  Perhaps they know something we don’t.

 

Thanks for the concern  @Barry O et al.  Son in law is very much the same which, perversely I suppose, is quite good news.  He is still breathless and sleeps a lot.  Isolation is starting to get daughter down a bit, she just wants to get back to work.  Hopefully things will start to improve for them soon. 

[railsquid]

On 25/12/2020 at 15:33, Barry O said:

I hope some of our longer term "missing" ERs are ok. This could include (but not be limited to) 

@trisonic, @Debs., @Kingzance, @Natalie, @railsquid, @travelintrev

 

May they all be ok.. of course time for my mugatea.. is it pressie time yet?

Baz

 

Belated greetings, thanks for the mention, yes very much OK all things considered, what strange times we live in.

[railsquid]

Talking of which, here is the Squidlet (centre of the photo in brown, staring at the camera) at the end of his kindergarten's nativity play, demonstrating it is possible for a group of 4 and 5 year olds to not only put face masks on but keep them on.

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Further to my feeling sorry for myself rant earlier, the blood/wee results are in and almost all good news!

 

For the diabetics amongst us, HbA1c is unchanged from last time at 5.5% or 37 in old money.  HDL/LDL cholesterol has gone a bit awry, probably due to the diet that keeps the HbA1c in check - only just out of range spec so I'm not losing any sleep over it, the GP might but I have long ceased to worry about things that are only just outside of specified parameters, especially at almost 62.  It's been worse in the past, pre-diabetes!  I am a statin refuser though, after a friend got muscle damage in his legs after taking them post MI, taken him a long time to get back on his feet.

[Happy Hippo]

33 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

I am a statin refuser though, after a friend got muscle damage in his legs after taking them post MI, taken him a long time to get back on his feet.

Having seen what statins did to my father, I declined them as well.

[laurenceb]

Interesting article about eating fat & carbs, echo's comments from Neil & Flavio

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jan/03/the-case-for-keto-review-why-a-full-fat-diet-should-be-on-the-menu?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB

[Ian Abel]

HUMP day...

 

Nothing to report in general <yawn>, however, we did watch "The Importance of being Ernest" last evening.

The Mrs' book club has an occasional change of direction, where they decide to "watch" a book rather than "read" one. That's the case with the current item on the agenda.

 

I confess to the following;

1) Never been that interested in reading Oscar Wilde in general - I know, I'm a peasant as it's classic literature!

2) I found the "book" extremely enjoyable, and didn't realize it was quite the farce it actually is. I may be tempted to actually READ it and investigate other Wilde titles.

3) It (the film) is to be recommended, the cast, especially Colin Firth, Judy Dench and Reece Witherspoon are particularly good - IMHO.

4) While I may offend some true literary aficionados, it strongly reminded me of Brian Rix farces, and I'd suggest Rix may have drawn from this as well as other offerings.

 

There, discuss.

 

-4 here first thing, rather overcast and +3 the high. Chance of snow becoming "more than a chance" tomorrow.

 

Enjoy the day, stay safe.

 

 

[AndyB]

Afternoon all.

Very depressing email from the nursing home. 

Half of the residents and the majority of staff now have the virus. 

Vaccinations were due tomorrow but these have now been cancelled as there are insufficient tests available. 

Meanwhile the local schools have plenty of tests but with lockdown no need for them. 

 

[tigerburnie]

Afternoon all, not got above freezing all day, but a nice crisp walk was taken round the fields and never saw a soul, sky is now cloudy, some possibility of snow, but we rarely get much on the coast. Take care all

[Chris116]

SWMBO ordered some yarn from Hobbycraft so I was sent to collect it! The double deck buses in both directions had under 10 passengers which meant we were well away from each other and the trams were also very empty which pleased me.

 

Morrisons in Wimbledon have introduced a very sensible one way system with the front door being entry only and the car park door exit only. While security at the front door were doing a good job directing people sadly security on the car park door was too busy with her phone (appeared to be playing a game) to bother to stop people entering which meant that I met 8 people going the wrong way! Good idea spoilt by one member of staff not doing their job.

[BokStein]

Ar'ernoon from a damp West Sussex village.

 

HUMP day - it certainly was after our manager called a meeting this morning! Everybody got the hump!

 

6 hours ago, grandadbob said:

 Annual cost of Amazon Prime is £79 or £7.99 monthly.

 

£7.99 monthly, i.e. £95.88 (22% interest)! They can pay a visit to their local taxidermist on their own behalf (as a well known TV programme used to say) on the whole concept of Prime! I'm happy with their lockers at our local stations!

 

Good thing about the early starts: 2 to 3 hours of c0ckwômble-free time to actually do some proper work.!

[New Haven Neil]

14 minutes ago, laurenceb said:

Interesting article about eating fat & carbs, echo's comments from Neil & Flavio

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jan/03/the-case-for-keto-review-why-a-full-fat-diet-should-be-on-the-menu?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB

 

Yes, there have been a couple of TV programmes recently too, although one was a bit 'short term' to prove the science - ever was TV.  I read up about this 2 years ago when diagnosed, and found then that the NHS course they send new Type 2's on was completely and utterly rubbish, the 'healthy plate' being anything but for us insulin resistant types.  Pointed a few folk on it to diabetes.co.uk which is really good, lots of great advice on there about what to really eat!  I lost 3 stone and control my diabetes well by 'low carbing', I don't go as far as full keto as I am not that ill, but reducing carb intake to a handful a day (<100g) made a hell of a difference.

 

I'll get off my pedestal now.....

[Andrew P]

The Good Lady had her first Covid Jab this morning, and I can report that so far NO extra arms have grown, she has NOT gone boss eyed, and can still tell me off when required.