Early Risers.

[Northroader]

4 hours ago, TheQ said:

Me normal ? Of course not, I'm not even "Normal for Norfolk"..

 

Mooring Awl, 6 hours solid sleep so far..

 

SWMBOs older brother has just had his jab, his wife had hers some time ago as she is in group 1 or 2.

Down to a million minimum in front of me in the queue, but I don't know whether the guesstimator has included the latest people to be shoved up the queue.

 

Last week I  put in a request for quote for insurance for Blue Moon , they got round to replying yesterday , with an apology for delay.. But requested photos and plans.. Duely sent.

 

The Motorscooter, has just been SORN'd, I'm not using it in the winter, and have no intention of the unnecessary visit to The MOT centre, who I observed late last year weren't very compliant with distancing regulations. So it will be MOT'd when the weather is better, and we've had at least had the first jab + 3 weeks.

 

A Short further doze is required,

Time to snore..

 

 

 

Thats all very well. What about Ben???

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup. It is currently raining.

 

Mrs Lurker did the Lurker boys sweet and savoury pancakes (presumably not in that order) for tea last night but I was served a salad along with the rejoinder "you didn't want pancakes, did you?" to which I decided the correct answer was "no".

 

I think I passed that test!

 

Sorry to read that Pete has had Covid but I hope he continues his recovery swiftly and fully.

 

I was surprised when we went to Majorca a few years back just how beautiful the island was; I was mainly influenced by tales of Shagaluf. We didn't go on the Soller tramway because Younger Lurker was still fairly young and potentially fractious. It was his first flight and we were pleased at how well he'd done on that. I seem to recall he chose spaghetti bolognaise for every main meal (and twice on one day) except for one mean where he went for meatballs in a tomato sauce with pasta. I think we did manage to persuade him to try some of our tapas one evening; he certainly likes it now.

 

The big announcement to which I was not invited was the appointment of a new Chairman of the company and the announcement that the CFO to which our team reports has resigned (he's got himself a new job). I suspect however that it will be a case of plus ca change.

 

Have a good day all

 

[leopardml2341]

Mornin' folks.

 

Feeling distinctly more human today , my thoughts on the culinary items being discussed of late:

 

Stew:

Good, but sprouts, nooooooo!

 

Cake:

Almost any (excepting those with coconut)

 

In other news, South Derbyshire seems to be a bit brighter today as well with only a slight possibility of rain this evening. Doggo's attention has just been aroused by a 'radio cat' - he can't work out where it is cos there's no input from his sixth sense.

 

Cuppa tea and (late) breakfast beckons.

 

Hope today is good for all, 'til later.

[BSW01]

Morning again.

 

I’m back from the surgery along with the hole in my belly from the injection. The walk To and from the surgery was quite pleasant, it being dry and warmer (8C) of late. I arrived a few minutes early and thankfully I didn’t have long to wait. After my injection I booked my next one before I left the treatment room. This is a new system that was started recently and I must say, it’s a far better way than having to get past checkpoint Charlene!

 

Ill have muggertea No2 shortly and then take Sheila for her Covid jab a little later. 

 

Ive been told several times by medical professionals that I’m normal, but when I mentioned this to my former work colleagues, they all questioned that!

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, BSW01 said:

...iD. Go for the Strat, you know you want to!

Thanks for the encouragement Brian, I assume that you mean Fender rather than Strat (I already have two strats: one I built from a kit and the Fender Custom Shop David Gilmour Black Strat [NOS model] - amazing guitar. And the closest I'll get to a real vintage Strat).

Hopefully, shops will re-open soon and I can test drive a few Squiers and Fender Telecasters

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

Morning world.  What is this normal people speak of? 

It starts off with having exactly 46 chromosomes, 10 fingers and 10 toes and sorta builds from there.....

36 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

...Sorry to read that Pete has had Covid but I hope he continues his recovery swiftly and fully.

I almost missed that. Went back and had a look and I'm pleased to read that he's recovering well.

 

Well tea-break over, so back to work...)

Edited February 17, 2021 by iL Dottore

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Wet and windy here but that's the weather, not me.   Glad to report that there were no ill effects from my over indulgence in pancakes last night.

On one of our trips to Majorca many years ago I had a great day out on the train to Soller and then boat trip to I think Puerto Pollensa and coach back to Palma.  I went with my two mates and our wives decided to stay around the pool.  The boat trip was good fun but a bit "bouncy" and wet.  We were sitting in the stern and mate Vic was OK until Colin and I pointed out the peas and carrots floating down the deck towards us where somebody else had been rather "unwell."  We thought it very funny, Vic maybe not so much. 

Awaiting a parcel delivery and a parcel collection today, both via Hermes.  I suppose it would be too much to ask for them to be done by the same van.

Now being summoned to finalise tomorrow's Sainsbury order.  I may drop a few "extras" into the virtual trolley,

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited February 17, 2021 by grandadbob

[TheQ]

Ah.. Ben the Border Collie.. What is normal for a Border Collie?

He is devoted to playing ball that's normal..

He is terrified of Noises that's not normal.

He is very clever That's definitely Normal for a Border Collie.

He hate's one man and his Dog on TV, and the whistles they use.. That's not Normal..

He loves everybody  that's normal..

He hates bagpipes.. he's an Irish Border Collie that's not Normal..

He's very protective of his flock, that's Normal..

 

Is Ben Normal?

Ben is a Border Collie he'll tell us sometime..

 

[Sir TophamHatt]

So today's research topic is aerials.

Specifically TV ones.

 

Our house has FreeSat but want to change to Freeview as the Guide for the new TV I plan to buy only supports Freeview.

I am not paying to have someone put a new aerial on the roof, but I have a flatter section of roof I could safely access to put an aerial on the side of the house (near the roof), so exploring this and the options it will give me.  Already have aerial points in every room in the house, which all converge in the loft, so could be relatively easy and low cost to get some TV round the house.

 

Just now a question of how.

[BSW01]

27 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Thanks for the encouragement Brian, I assume that you mean Fender rather than Strat (I already have two strats: one I built from a kit and the Fender Custom Shop David Gilmour Black Strat [NOS model] - amazing guitar. And the closest I'll get to a real vintage Strat).

Hopefully, shops will re-open soon and I can test drive a few Squiers and Fender Telecasters

Oop! Sorry iD, yes I did indeed mean the Fender!

[tigerburnie]

An old band mate had a Fender Jazz Bass, I noticed a while back on a photo, he still has it, must be 50 years old or more. Rickenbacker were also a popular Bass back then, plugged into an Acoustic or Ampeg amp, they were very good. Back then we mic'd up the drum kit and the guitars but not the Bass, so they needed to have some poke to compete with a 1000 watt PA system from Charlie Watkins.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It wasn’t raining when I put the bin bag out just before 7am. It is now. 
I believe I have a parcel arriving, not via Hermes, Royal Mail. With all the packages arriving I wonder if I am causing a demand for parcel tape and bubble wrap. Incidentally I had a package arrive from Derbyshire on Monday that not only arrived quickly but was very neatly wrapped. It almost seemed a shame to open it! 
Aditi is booked in for either a filling or extraction at the dentist next week but another filling fell out last Friday so our dentist looked at it today. He will fill that one next week and make another appointment for the extraction or filling. 
Tony

[grandadbob]

Just been rummaging through various albums looking for photos of trip to Soller and couldn't find any.  The Boss has just reminded me that that day I forgot to take my camera!  Idiot!  

[Tony_S]

17 minutes ago, Sir TophamHatt said:

which all converge in the loft,

Why not try the aerial in the loft? Our aerial is in the loft and we live in a “fringe” reception area for the Crystal Palace and reception is fine. Are you in a very poor signal area?
 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Great to see Pete back but sorry to hear that he had covid, hope you make a full recovery Pete. I have had no reactions to my jab on Monday until this morning, when I woke up the area around the jab was very sore. It may be due to my laying on my left side and on my upper arm where I had the jab. The soreness has mostly gone now but its still sensitive. Also this morning almost every joint was stiff although there was very little if any pain even when I moved. ChrisF's mention of the Soller railway reminded me that that is on my bucket list despite the modern stock, I would much prefer the old matchboard stock. The matchboard stock also reminded me of when I visited Athens in October 1977. The local rail services were still in the hands of wooden bodied matchboard stock dating back to the 1920's on a line that ran alongside one of the ancient sites. It was an interesting place back then for the transport enthusiast. The colonels had just been kicked out and democracy was returning but public transport was still a 'living museum'. The trolleybuses were very noisy ancient Italian vehicles obtained second hand interspersed with brand new Russian built trolleybuses. I wish now I had paid more attention to them but it was a Musical Beds Club 18-30 holiday and I had other things on my mind. 

[Barry O]

Jab has been jabbed. Little pain felt but....

 

Sitting for my 15 minutes after the Pfizer jab.. a guy rushes into the surgery and tried to  walk  straight passed the obergruppenleutnant in charge.. he was asked his name which he gave ..he was due this afternoon but she decided that was ok. She asked "have you been tested  in the last x days?" Yes I had one on Monday. ...but no result and I feel fine..

 

"Go home, rebook the jab"

He ran out.then the phone went.  He had complained to his GP!! Then admitted he had tested positive... what a grade A self centred pillock!

 

Luckily he didn't touch anything so they sanitised every where  including me...

 

Baz

[Tony_S]

8 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

The colonels had just been kicked out

When I was living at university in the 1970s we had a Greek postgrad living in a room at the end of our corridor. He was a Civil Servant on some sort of management course. Anyway he said if someone he describes as short and bearded came round asking for him, would we just be vague and say we only spoke about cooking. The other person was allegedly an “informer”. One day we saw the two of them, quite drunk and happy.  The other one had been told our postgrad was the informer! 
 

[PhilJ W]

What a pillock indeed. Once you've got it immunisation is useless.

[Winslow Boy]

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I believe that the radiologist who did the report has madecan appointment  at Specsavers, atbleastvaccording to certain so called friends.

 

Chrisf, Majorca does indeed have Railways. The Soller line and Tramway are a must. The rest of the network, looks interesting and the termini are near to each other.

 

Good moaning to all. It's grey and misty outside. Yesterday it was sunny enough for me to stand outside watching trains.  Not a bad day.

 

Off to a local townhall with a friend this morning to try and help out a planning problem. The chimney sweep is due this afternoon, so no fire.

 

Pete, good to see you visit, hope the recovery Tcontinues. I also have happy memories of Broad Street and the barred window stock from 1971 in my case.

 

Ttfn

 

Jamie

 

Someone far more learned than me in terms of medical bits and pieces, no names no pack drill, has suggested that it might be a software problem rather than hardware. If that is the case then perhaps all that is needed is to switch you off and then back on again. Or do you have a reset button?

[Andrew P]

With the shopping duly cupboardised it is now time for morning coffee / 11's and so a Tea Cake was duly toasted and was really nice. Time to retreat back to my nice warm POD.

 

BTW it's weeing again.

Edited February 17, 2021 by Andrew P

[Andrew P]

24 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Jab has been jabbed. Little pain felt but....

 

Sitting for my 15 minutes after the Pfizer jab.. a guy rushes into the surgery and tried to  walk  straight passed the obergruppenleutnant in charge.. he was asked his name which he gave ..he was due this afternoon but she decided that was ok. She asked "have you been tested  in the last x days?" Yes I had one on Monday. ...but no result and I feel fine..

 

"Go home, rebook the jab"

He ran out.then the phone went.  He had complained to his GP!! Then admitted he had tested positive... what a grade A self centred pillock!

 

Luckily he didn't touch anything so they sanitised every where  including me...

 

Baz

Un Bloody believable, what a plonker, or worse.

Edited February 17, 2021 by Andrew P

[Simon G]

14 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Evening all,

 

SWMBO absolutely distraught at the news report of additional people being asked to shield; she is now convinced she will be one of them which has thrown her fragile sense of security right out of the window and down the street.  We don't even know yet but nothing right now is calming her down.  

 

Rick,

 

I don’t suppose that it will be much help to her, but I have been on the shielding list from Day 1.  It wasn’t good last spring, when I didn’t leave the house or garden for 3 months, but the current lockdown isn’t as restrictive as the first one.  This time, I am still allowed out for my daily exercise, so I am getting fresh air, and meeting friends and neighbours while out (the meetings aren’t planned, they just occasionally happen), so I get to have some social interaction while out.  The rest of the shielding issue means that I do what everybody else should really be doing.  All in all, IMHO, being on the shielding list certainly isn’t worth getting stressed about.  At least she will be bumped up the priority list for a jab!

[Simon G]

1 hour ago, Sir TophamHatt said:

So today's research topic is aerials.

Specifically TV ones.

 

Our house has FreeSat but want to change to Freeview as the Guide for the new TV I plan to buy only supports Freeview.

I am not paying to have someone put a new aerial on the roof, but I have a flatter section of roof I could safely access to put an aerial on the side of the house (near the roof), so exploring this and the options it will give me.  Already have aerial points in every room in the house, which all converge in the loft, so could be relatively easy and low cost to get some TV round the house.

 

Just now a question of how.

 

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

Why not try the aerial in the loft? Our aerial is in the loft and we live in a “fringe” reception area for the Crystal Palace and reception is fine. Are you in a very poor signal area?
 

Like Tony, our aerial is in the loft, and gives a perfectly good signal for digital TV.  As we also have multiple aerial sockets around the house, I installed an aerial amplifier, which means that all the rooms can get a decent signal simultaneously.  It was a lot easier than climbing up on the roof to install an aerial!

[Winslow Boy]

52 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

Un Bloody believable, what a plonker, or worse.

Like the old biddy - other youthermisims are available, who when stopped by Pc Plod for driving in the middle lane was asked how long she had been driving for answered 60 years and that she hadn't had accident in all that time but had seen hundreds. Its all me, me ME.

[The Stationmaster]

G'day (some hope) all.

 

Weather miserable, wife miserable, GD cheery, me busy dealing with herself's instructions(various).  But first the good news and it's great to see Pete back among us and I hope his recovery is going well.  

 

When our tv aerial was installed, atop the chimney stack,  the chap aimed it at the nearest transmitter and found that he was getting a stronger signal from Ally Pally off the back of the aerial so he turned it round and aimed it at Ally Pally (or possibly at the booster up on the hill on the opposite side of the valley?).    We have an internal booster anyway which feeds to aerial sockets in most rooms and we get a good Freeview signal although they seem to change some channel numbers with monotonous regularity.

 

Now to today's problem.  The cooker repair man who had diagnosed the problem duly turned up, on time,  to repair it - except while he had the new igniters for the gas ring he hadn't got the replacement wiring for the wiring he had previously diagnosed as being damaged by the mouse.  So quite why he bothered to come and why on earth he couldn't get the replacement wiring are two unanswered but blindingly obvious questions; if nothing else why not make up new wiring to the original spec - probably all too difficult for today's world.  So basically the cooker cannot be repaired and will have to be replaced - Charlie the cat is far from popular but the mouse he brought in is now courting a nasty fate and a pest control operative is coming this afternoon - hopefully he will use some bait which is not only irresistible but fatal for teh soddin' thing.

 

The insurance company were somewhat stumped when I explained that we wanted to make a claim because a mouse has eaten (parts of) the cooker - but no go as the policy doesn't cover damage by pests (not that I could find that listed in the exclusions. So big money spending time is arriving and g herself is a far from happy bunny (not so much about the money but the 'everything' which has gone on from the plumbing leak onwards.  and of course I can't take her out for a ni ce meal etc although it will be a takeaway this evening I'm sure.

 

That apart 9you want more?) all seems to be well.  it was, incidentally, announced yesterday that there was to be a greatly expanded shielding list - no doubt a sensible precaution now that the majority of the oldder vulnerable segments of the population have had half a dose of vaccine.   Talking of scans of the brain I've had two and on both occasions all the physical contents were noted to be present and correct.  But as Flavio has said just because they are there is not the whole story ...  

 

Have a good day one and all and stay safe

[Natalie]

Hi Flavio (initially but anyone else who is interested)

 

As a gent who I believe enjoys a challenge isn't a Telecaster whether Squire or Fender a bit well, mainstream?

 

How about a nice 1950s Antoria /Guyatone LG50?  Got a great ringin' n rockin' sound- listen to Cliff's first LP "Cliff" from February 1959 or Mean Streak, Never Mind or the Drifters' studio recordings of Jet Black and Driftin'.

 

Only drawbacks are apparently, according to Hank, are a tendency to go out of tune quickly, are awkward to reach the higher end of the fret board and no tremelo arm. Another problem with this guitar, however, was that the neck bowed away from the strings from the sixth or seventh fret to the twelfth.

 

For a good ringin' sound there was Roland Janes who played on a lot of Jerry Lee's SUN stuff or also at SUN was Don Gililland who played on Dick Penner stuff such as "Cindy Lou"

 

Or "Fine Little Baby"

 

"Your Honey Love"

 

Instead of a guitar change how about an amp (I'm biased in liking a good VOX AC15 or 30...) or echo box addition or something like that?

 

I have mainly been away from here because of being unwell for the past 12 or so days with a pyrexia of 39.9c (103.8F iirc) accompanied by rigors and tight breathing and generally made me feel totally unwell. At the time was no cause of infection but my right leg felt like it was bruised badly all over which was not visible. By the next day I was unable to even lower my leg let alone weight bear. On looking the whole of my lower leg was now engulfed in an angry, purple, hot, painful, orange peel like rash which I suspected as cellulitis. Photos despatched to GP who confirmed my provisional diagnose and has prescribed 2/52 Fluclox 500g qds PO. After about 6 day's use they have started to take effect and the rash is now reducing and I feel a lot better in my self. I am now starting to eat again after nearly a fortnight but still feel easily wallopsed.  I have looked after people with cellulitis before plenty of times and really had no appreciation of how I'll it can make you feel nor its painfulness. . But it is at least improving now and I will of course COMPLETE MY COURSE OF ABx. ..

 

Lastly I am aware I had words a few days ago about the forum, that is related to it being used to post details and discussions about that blasted virus. What didn't impress me was the comments that were being made as to what should happen to transgressors (I don't like the lockdowns, they have trashed my mental health to the extent that I don't care if I live or die anymore, but crucially I have followed the rules). Comments such as being left to die, having all possessions taken from them (I had this happen to me-including house- when I had my breakdown and without my mum would now be homeless or dead), facing firing squads, having heads put on spikes etc all seemed out of proportion particularly when no-one knows all the facts concerned. I believe that this thread should have been kept free of that blasted virus (and US politics too) as it was always going to be a highly emotive and divisive subject. There is a dedicated thread to talk about that sort of thing elsewhere if that is your want. You don't find debates, discussion on that blasted virus (which I am not a denier of, I know it is very real) in such august journals as Snooze or MRJ.

 

Additionally it was not me (although it has not been suggested it was I know) who reported Bill Bishop for anything, I tend to be an avoider if something upsets or annoys me and disappear and only return when I am strong enough to deal with it rationally.

 

As for LDC, isn't that Local Departmental Council (well what do you expect I am a raging leftie....). Trying to to get any attention from others (ie furry ones with paws and claws) my favourite c*&e has to be a Vic!%ria Sp@&e. I'm even told by Kelly that mine are very nice apparently.

 

Am glad that everyone else seems to be getting on. SimonT having also lost items through mental health issues then you have my thoughts. It may not be much consolation but there will be someone who can get you through what seems pretty dire circumstances at the time.  Mine and still is my mum.

 

Glad that Chris F's aunties seem to be hanging in too. Best wishes to them and him.

 

Lastly a word on the news about Mr Essery. I was really upset to read of his latest illness. He lives fairly near to me in a retirement village but one which had an attached nursing home on site. I hope that he has been able to get a place there and can at least be near to his wife. I did a shift there once and because I was qualified i was given a huge bunch of keys, not allowed to answer any buzzers and told that I was in charge.... 

 

Bob is one of my heroes and I share a lot of his views on model railway operation. I have met him (and his wife) on several occasions at the NEC when I have been doing the SRS stand and he was on the LMS Society stand (with Graham Warburton who would always kiss me on the hand!). Bob could never remember my name but seemed fascinated with the fact that I had been a signalman and always referred to me as 'the lady signalman. ' This isn't meant to be horrible but I really hope that he doesn't suffer too much (not that anyone should). He deserves more than that. 

 

Someone else I miss from shows apart from Graham Warburton is Bob Blood. A complete legend who seems determined to break the land speed record each time there is a show on. I really want to get back to shows!

 

Am looking at joining in on Sat if able to technically and emotionally- until then keep well and apologies for the length.

 

Edited February 17, 2021 by Natalie