Early Risers.

[polybear]

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Morning all,

 

Good deed for the day duly done and somebody's erudite question regarding a certain piece of rolling stock not only answered but I was able to give him a dimension from a 1927 document I have.  Not sure what use that will be as in 4mm scale it the numerals concerned would be just under 1mm tall but those Chinese folk can be very clever so maybe it will reproduce?.

 

 

I reckon it will; some clever people can do things like this (and I've seen much smaller - ISTR someone who does similar and the end result fits on top of a pin head and can only be seen under a microscope):

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2016/mar/10/noddy-holder-through-the-eye-of-a-needle-minature-sculptures-willard-wigan-in-pictures

 

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

Pimlico Plumbers, to my mind, are already coining it.  Their rates are significantly above those of some others for the trades in question - not by any means confined to plumbing these days - and any business which can afford large offices and under cover accommodation for the (always spotless and glossy) company vans is not short of a quid or two. Factor in that each and every PP van carries a Select Registration which will have cost the business a moderate sum, possibly a quite significant sum, and their customers are paying dearly for glitz and marketing whether or not the individual tradespeople are any better than "Joe's Tool and Pipe Works" working out of a small yard on the street corner. 

 

 

Not to mention Charlie Mullins having a "thing" for Bentleys, which of course have to be paid for by someone....

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Just had a caller who wasted an hour of my time. The wind has caused some slight damage to my roof. One corner has lifted at eaves level resulting in a couple of broken tiles, not a great problem as my tame builder will soon fix it. This guy knocked on the door and came out with the old spiel about working 'down the road'  and he saw the damage and would I like him to fix it for me. He also said he'd have a look so out came a ladder and up he went. When he came down he said he would have to look in the loft to see if there was any daylight shining through. He was so insistent that I let him go into the loft, there he 'discovered' that the battens were 'infested with woodworm' and showed me a small piece of wood that was a bit damp but no sign of woodworm. I then went up into the loft and he showed me the 'affected area', about a square foot where he had moved the felt. He then said that to treat it would cost £4,750! When I said I could not afford it it eventually came down to £2,000. The 'treatment' that he offered was to spray the inside of the roof with resin which is something that should never be done. I've heard about this treatment, all it does is seal in any rot and can only be removed by replacing the whole roof. He asked for my e-mail address but I asked for a business card. He said he didn't have one on him and he'd put one through the door, I'm not holding my breath. If he does I'll be passing it on to trading standards.  

[New Haven Neil]

Oh Bear, really - tinned custard?  No way Jose, it has to be 'Bird's' and made fresh.

 

Tony, walking on my own is a necessity with Mrs NHN currently working from home, so music is muchly needed.  I get shoo-ed out for some of the things she deals with, small bungalow so I can hear just about every word - she deals with some pretty sensitive stuff and some of it leads to disciplinary action (data breaches) of people I may potentially have known in my past so I have to make myself scarce. 

 

The new music app does work, the adverts are at least visual and not audible, so I will live.  Annoying though, to have to change.  The music isn't streamed, it is uploaded on to my phone from the PC, but it all still disappeared last night to a 'secure folder' which I can neither find nor have any knowledge of!  Little matter, got it loaded again now.

 

 

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

I'll be passing it on to trading standards.  

My builder neighbour’s advice is never ever let anyone “just working in the area” into or onto your house. Never let them offer you a quote. Don’t be aggressive. Just say no thank you. The reason for not having a quote is there are “people working in the area” who seem to treat a quote as an invitation to start work. Usually resurfacing your drive but it was cleaning roofs and guttering a couple of years ago locally. 
Tony

Edited January 21, 2021 by Tony_S

[Ian Abel]

A VERY good morning to all - and BIN day also!

 

Not wanting to upstage @Ozexpatriate but as of March I've been over here for 46 years, and blah, blah, blah inaugurations!

This is the FIRST one we've watched all the way through, and I swear we felt a national collective sigh of relief!

Observations;

1) Two words - AMANDA GORMAN - what an amazing young woman. "The Hill We Climb" is worth reading or listening to again, or for the first time if you didn't hear it.

   Of special NOTE, in my opinion, is the fact that Jill Biden had heard her at some poetry event in DC, and that's how she came to be chosen - can you even IMAGINE the previous occupant or spouse managing to BE AT a poetry event, let alone selecting a relatively unknown young female attend/present something for them in a public setting!
   She was also interview later in the evening and is what can only be described as exceptional, and hopefully an indication of what the young people have to offer us.

2) My brain HURT at the end of the whole thing, including the impressive evening "Concert" which was truly a celebration of all America, not the 1%. 
    Why "My brain HURT", you ask - it was hard to actually get back into having to process COMPLETE SENTENCES and cogent oration!!! What a blqqdy relief!! 

 

Today - on call for any panics from the Long Island client, and...

we're off to get out COVID vaccinations. Turns out if you have a medical professional (Dr. Meagan...) as a daughter-in-law you're eligible as a family member over 70 to get one at her clinic! Won't change our self-isolation of course, but WILL help protect us.

 

-14 and sunny headed for ZERO for the high.

 

Today is a new day for the US, IMHO

Edited January 21, 2021 by Ian Abel

[BoD]

6 hours ago, Tony_S said:

My job this morning is to take Aditi to the opticians. She won’t be able to drive back so it seems easier for me to take her. I will return when she needs collecting.

Does your optician administer the drops that cause blurring or dilation.  I don’t think I’ve ever come across an optician that has done that. 

[TheQ]

I've had the drops at an opticians, but more often at my diabetic eye tests. The odd thing is they don't seem to affect my eyesight until an hour or two later..

 

The second major system is now on cross check, so I'm now working on a customer unit . They require special measurements of resistance and current. The strange thing is the level of measurement they request is is guaranteed for 3  months, but they send it in every 3 years, most odd..

 

One major cockwomble on the way home...stops on the A road to allow a car in from the right, pity there was a long line of cars coming the other way. It didn't move until the car could join the main road.

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

Usually resurfacing your drive but it was cleaning roofs and guttering a couple of years ago locally. 

And it was stripping lead flashing before then.  Back when dinosaurs roamed the streets and the Earth was still warm and porous on the surface I found a group of unexpected "workmen" setting up ladders around our shared student-lodging house.  I was aware that it had lead flashings and likewise covering a part of the flat-roof extension to the ground floor rear.  

 

A swift phone call to the agent elicited the fact that they were not authorised nor expected and another swift phone call brought forth the local Constabulary in sufficient numbers to intervene and prevent 95% of the lead being stolen.  What they had already removed was easily replaced.  

 

Upon the Hill of Strawberries we are alert to the very occasional chancer.  We had a door-knock one time offering to repaint the property; the "gentleman" concerned was reminded that this is a no-cold-call area, that this is a managed block with agent / landlord responsibility for such matters and that CCTV might identify him to the police.  We don't have CCTV but he was away quicker than a fast thing.  

 

We also found someone we didn't know mowing the lawns one time and knocking doors in the hope of obtaining money for services provided.  It helped that I act as the eyes and ears of the agent on the block and will always challenge what I don't know to be right.  It being unlawful to impersonate a police officer I introduced myself as the Managing Agent and asked to see a copy of the contract he would have signed to work on the common areas under "our" authority.  He muttered a few words my mother wouldn't have used and shuffled away to annoy someone else.  

[TheQ]

For some entertainment, James Corden and the London cast of Les Miserables.

https://decider.com/2021/01/20/james-corden-les-mis-one-day-more-trump/

[PhilJ W]

I doubt if I'll see the chap who came round this morning again but if I do I'm ready for him. The former colleague I mentioned yesterday, who retired the same time as me just so happened to have been the boroughs housing manager. I communicated with him earlier this afternoon and he gave me a few tips such as the relevant trading standards laws re. cold calling. He also tells them that he is a retired trading standards officer and that they cant run away quick enough. I also received a call from the GP surgery today offering a covid jab tomorrow. I did ask if it could be done early next week but they said sorry they won't be doing any next week it was either tomorrow or in a couple of weeks time. Apparently they've done the over 75's and had a few jabs left over so they were ringing around the over 70's to offer the jab. For various reasons I will not be able to attend tomorrow so someone else will get the jab but I should be able to get it as soon as more vaccinations arrive.

[tigerburnie]

5 hours ago, leopardml2341 said:

The River Trent near me is a touch high:

 

With more to come when yesterday's rain makes its way down from t'hills.

 

The right bank of the 'normal' channel is approximately a line between be lower left corner of the pic and the left most bush in the water. The flood plain to the right is a good 1/2 mile wide.

I have a picture similar to that taken a bit further to the left by the bridge, I was always a little nervous when the river was up like that when we lived there.

[polybear]

3 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Oh Bear, really - tinned custard?  No way Jose, it has to be 'Bird's' and made fresh.

 

After raw seal blubber anything's nuvo cuisine.....

 

2 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

Observations;

1) Two words - AMANDA GORMAN - what an amazing young woman. "The Hill We Climb" is worth reading or listening to again, or for the first time if you didn't hear it.

 

 

Bear must admit to being somewhat bemused by that bit.  Mind you, as soon as I hear the words "Poet Laureat" my eyes (or should that be ears?) glaze over.  A poem rhymes in this Bear's book.

I wonder how long it'll be before break dancing and rapping appear in such an event?

 

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

Upon the Hill of Strawberries we are alert to the very occasional chancer.  We had a door-knock one time offering to repaint the property; the "gentleman" concerned was reminded that this is a no-cold-call area, that this is a managed block with agent / landlord responsibility for such matters and that CCTV might identify him to the police.  We don't have CCTV but he was away quicker than a fast thing. 

 

Bear's house was ex-council; in fact several houses in the street are still council-owned.  So the easy get-out clause is "it's council, mate....".  Amazing just how quick that gets shot of 'em.

 

[pH]

25 minutes ago, polybear said:

Bear must admit to being somewhat bemused by that bit.  Mind you, as soon as I hear the words "Poet Laureat" my eyes (or should that be ears?) glaze over.  A poem rhymes in this Bear's book.

There are rhymes in the poem, just not at the end of every adjacent line. I’m not normally interested in modern poetry, but I did find that worth  listening to.

[leopardml2341]

6 hours ago, leopardml2341 said:

The River Trent near me is a touch high:

 

With more to come when yesterday's rain makes its way down from t'hills.

 

The right bank of the 'normal' channel is approximately a line between be lower left corner of the pic and the left most bush in the water. The flood plain to the right is a good 1/2 mile wide.

 

57 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

I have a picture similar to that taken a bit further to the left by the bridge, I was always a little nervous when the river was up like that when we lived there.

I was standing just at the Repton end of the bridge when I took that. It's actually a series of pictures panorama stitched together on the device camera. Never used it before, quite pleased with result.

[New Haven Neil]

2 hours ago, BoD said:

Does your optician administer the drops that cause blurring or dilation.  I don’t think I’ve ever come across an optician that has done that. 

 

Every time - she does the diabetic checks every year, as the diabetic clinic here is.......'eventual'.  A very competent and conscientious young lady.  She also diagnosed Mrs NHN's serious eye problem at the end of last year that the GP had dismissed and arranged an emergency Consultant appointment by dint of calling on her 'network'.  Top gurl.

[Tony_S]

7 minutes ago, pH said:

There are rhymes in the poem, just not at the end of every adjacent line. I’m not normally interested in modern poetry, but I did find that worth  listening to.

I agree. Also the rhythm of the spoken lines was interesting. 

[BoD]

36 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Every time - she does the diabetic checks every year, as the diabetic clinic here is.......'eventual'.  A very competent and conscientious young lady.  She also diagnosed Mrs NHN's serious eye problem at the end of last year that the GP had dismissed and arranged an emergency Consultant appointment by dint of calling on her 'network'.  Top gurl.

 

I suppose I am lucky then, that I have regular diabetic clinics for eyes and feet and am under a very competent consultant at Sunderland Eye Infirmary.  The opticians take one look at my notes and the backs of my eyes and leave well alone.

 

I have a great deal to thank them for though, for spotting the ocular hypertension (ooh, there’s posh) in the first place and referring me.

[Tony_S]

7 minutes ago, BoD said:

 

I have a great deal to thank them for though, for spotting the ocular hypertension (ooh, there’s posh) in the first place and referring me.

Our optician had all the devices that could get through the door I think. He was an early adopter of the OCT device. I guarantee though that any day he puts drops in our eyes it will be sunny. Aditi was there for well over two hours today having eye test, OCT and a visual field test. She does need new glasses. She came back with photos of Mike who does frame selection and fitting modelling the glasses for her so I could see what they looked like, though he doesn’t look anything like her. She said he spent ages showing her cheaper alternatives but he has ordered in a couple of samples for her to confirm what shade of frame she likes. They are only a few bits of wire anyway but of course cost more than spectacles with rims round the lenses. 
 

[New Haven Neil]

21 minutes ago, BoD said:

 

I suppose I am lucky then, that I have regular diabetic clinics for eyes and feet and am under a very competent consultant at Sunderland Eye Infirmary.  The opticians take one look at my notes and the backs of my eyes and leave well alone.

 

I have a great deal to thank them for though, for spotting the ocular hypertension (ooh, there’s posh) in the first place and referring me.

 

it is one aspect of my diabetic care I am unsatisfied with - I suspect as I have it under control myself I have been pushed to the back of the queue.  I got a podiatric test fairly quickly on diagnosis (I used to be the admin manager of such a department.....) and saw the 'diabetic nurse' as they say, but have never heard from them since.  The nurse didn't impress me, it appeared to be 'go away and lose weight, its your fault, don't bother me'.  The only thing I have been to the diabetic clinic for was the 'Desmond' course that was so full of inaccuracies it was laughable.  I was about to take all this up with the practice when Covid arrived on the scene, and as I am well controlled it is not a good time to rock the boat.  The new temporary GP spotted the lack of follow up care straight away a fortnight ago and immediately did an HbA1c which was fine, we did discuss it but agreed anything further needed to be put aside for the moment.  My 'proper' GP and I will be having a 'discussion' about this when covid dies down.

[simontaylor484]

I haven't had a diabetic blood test for months intact my psychiatrist has written to the GP to request one as my medication can affect blood sugars 

 

[Tony_S]

10 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

it is one aspect of my diabetic care I am unsatisfied with

Aditi gets a diabetic retinopathy scan every year at a local clinic (currently transformed into local vaccination hub) and she has timed her annual optician eye test to be six months later where she can have it checked. The opticians equipment lets her see immediately the change if any in the state of the retina. At the clinic the image has to go away to be reported on.  The opticians image processor can give you a timeline so you can see the changes in your retina. I think he has about 7 years worth of images of my eyes.

[newbryford]

6 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Custard?  Excellent - a perfect neutralising agent.  The local Co-op sells (warning to iD:  look away now) various microwave puddings (chocolate, treacle, spotted dick) that come as a pair.  Half a (another warning to iD.....) tin of custard and you're well away.  Of course that leaves half a tin of custard that has to be eaten within a couple of days, along with a second pud feeling all sad and lonely by itself....

 

 

ASDA used to do a microwavable syrup sponge - complete with custard - all in one pot, no need for separate components.

 

It felt the longest 30 seconds ever waiting for the "ping".

 

And they were in two packs. 

The second 30 seconds felt even longer!

Edited January 21, 2021 by newbryford

[tetsudofan]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Apparently they've done the over 75's and had a few jabs left over so they were ringing around the over 70's to offer the jab. For various reasons I will not be able to attend tomorrow so someone else will get the jab but I should be able to get it as soon as more vaccinations arrive.

 

You're lucky where you are. I'm just 75 and a bit and have not received any communication about a jab.

 

Spoke to one of my neighbours last week, he's 95 and his wife is 87 and neither of them has received a communication let alone the offer of a jab.

 

Was looking at the death rate statistics for the local area a couple of days ago, at one stage we had the highest death rate per 100,000 in the country beating Barnsley  according to what they said. Our MP puts it down to number of care homes and OAPs.

 

Keith

[New Haven Neil]

15 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

I haven't had a diabetic blood test for months intact my psychiatrist has written to the GP to request one as my medication can affect blood sugars 

 

 

I do have a meter and self test regularly - I learned very quickly what causes issues, but the NHS don't think it important (ie too expensive) for T2's to have one - I'm sure it would save a lot more money further down the line.

[brianusa]

12 hours ago, jonny777 said:

It was Cliff Richard & The Shadows in Bournemouth. My mum liked their music, and so my dad bought us all tickets while on holiday. I'm not sure where he got them from; but he wished he hadn't when he realised the level of amplification he was going to have to endure. He never bought any more tickets for gigs.

 

Many years ago at an Ice Show, we had to leave because of the loud amplification.  Not quite sure why it has to be so loud these days, even cinemas suffer the same problem which is why perhaps  we haven't seen a film in a theatre for many years.

At least you can turn the volume down at home!

     Brian.