Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well I’ve spent most of the day in the garden, the roses are now pruned ready for the spring and all the hydrangeas have been dead headed. The plants are all showing signs of new life and it looks like we’ll get another good show this year. The aquilegia plants are starting to grow as are the foxgloves and there are a few daffodils starting to bloom too! The front looks a lot tidier now the leaves blown in off the street have been swept up, along with all the other detritus which ended up in the refuse bin, the green bin is almost full now, luckily it will be emptied on Friday. 

 

After tea I completed the Sainsbury’s Grand, as now in what seems the norm, I was fairly quiet and surprisingly everyone tonight was wearing a mask properly, which I think must be a first!

 

Now, family and friends, I don’t keep in touch with any of my old school friends. I had one friend who I kept in touch with one when I left school. I used to keep in regular contact with him, until work made this awkward, but on the odd occasion when we would get in touch, he’d always fail to turn up when invited to come round. There was never any fallout and whenever we bumped into each other in was always friendly, but the last time he ‘failed’ to turn up, when I asked why, he said he simply forgot, so I never bothered inviting him again, friendship is a two way street after all. I think one of the reasons I didn’t keep in touch with others was because as a family we used to move around a lot. Not due to work, but the family kept expanding, we moved 10 times before I was 16, so losing touch had become a bit of a habit, there was no internet or farcebook wayback then. I do occasionally speak to one former colleague, but that again is only about once a year or so. It’s the same with my siblings, I have 3 who live within 2 miles of my house, we don’t keep in contact and never speak unless we happen to bump into each other whilst out. Again, keeping in touch is a two way thing, a few years ago I organised a get together with everyone, it all seemed to go well, but when I passed the baton on to the others to organise the next, well, 19 years later I’m still waiting, which just about says it all! However, conversely, I regularly email and speak my youngest brother who lives in Canada, we take it in turns to ring each other every month, which we’ve done now for over 20 years. I also keep in regular contact with a cousin who now lives in Worcestershire and I also email my half-sister, whom I’ve only met the once, in Canada several times a year. Funny things families aren’t they?

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[Ozexpatriate]

Consider me vexed.

 

In truth this vexation is really the result of something incommodious rather than anything serious.

 

Today's weather was nice. There was hazy sunshine and temperatures over 15°C. This motivated me to take care of a chore - recycling bottles.

 

In 1971, Oregon was the first state to implement state-wide refunds on glass and plastic bottles and beverage cans. As an example, beer bottles have a refund value of 5 cents. In practice, based on the time involved, it's more of an incentive to recycle than being meaningfully remunerative.

 

Gathering a largish collection of bottles I headed for the local drop off point. When installed, this location had four machines that read label bar codes. Two of these were removed and replaced with a program where you bring your empties in a green bag. I don't use this approach. To get a refund, your green bags have an identifying bar code. It's my hang-up, but it's bad enough driving around with a mobile location tracker/telephone, but to identify my garbage so it can be tracked in a database is going too far.

 

With the pandemic, one of the two remaining machines was taken off-line - for social distancing, which of course caused the opposite to happen, since people had to queue twice as much for the one remaining machine.

 

What I hadn't realized is that the state had decided to not enforce the requirement to accept containers in counties designated extreme or high risk for CoViD-19 transmission and now both of the machines were off-line.

 

So I spent the afternoon taking empty beer bottles for a drive and had to rearrange the garage to store them again.

 

Apparently, now that the relevant county has been reduced to "moderate" CoViD risk, the drop off location in question will be required to accept containers on Wednesday. "Missed it by *that* much!"

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

An envelope from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs came yesterday.  As might have been expected two days before the Budget, it contained my annual notice of tax coding.  I suppose this is better than sending the thing out immediately after any changes that might be made. Any further comment runs the risk of infringing the rubric about politics!

 

I must do the fodder run this morning.  After a daring excursion to Morrisons on Friday it’s back to Tesco.  The trouble with going to a different place is that I do not know where anything is and it takes me at least twice as long to load the trolley.  For me, shopping is a necessary evil and I spend no longer on it than absolutely necessary.  I hope that the resurfacing of the car park has now been completed, for on my last visit there was nowhere to put the glass that I had brought for recycling.  There can be something satisfying about the sound of breaking glass.

 

Polybear, I hate to nit-pick – not in fact true, for I have made it an art-form – but the music to which the monkeys are dancing in your clip is not from Riverdance.  It is in fact “Lord of the Dance”, which as I’m sure you recall started life as a hymn entitled “Simple Gifts”.  Sydney Carter wrote the words of “Lord of the Dance” to fit that tune but it was Michael Flatley, who had choreographed “Riverdance” for RTE in 1994 and starred with Jean Butler in its first performance, who later appropriated the tune for his dance show of the same name. 

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Bit misty here this morning. Obviously the addition of fresh 10p bits into the RMWeb software payment meter has paid off as all seems well so far.

 

Nothing on my "wolf at the door list" for today so I may be able to finish some muddling tasks.

 

Stay safe...enjoy your day..hoping that all ERs are fit and well and also that the " missing" ones are ok.

 

Baz

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare, 642 /402

-. --- / -.-. .- -.- . / .... . .-. . / .. .----. ...- . / .--- ..- ... - / --. --- - / .-. .- -... -... .. - / ..-. --- --- -.. / ..-. --- .-. / .-.. ..- -. -.-. ....

 

5 hours sleep short break 2 hours sleep, I was really comfortable and didn't want to get up at that point.. Ben said it was time to get ready for work..

 

Ben the reluctant Collie didn't really want out this morning , So it was only a large splash and dash back in..

 

Very misty and foggy..  Though the red lights on the tower crane shone brightly,  at the  Macarthy and Stone, purveyors of housing to the misled, building site. . Why such a huge crane for two story buildings I don't know.. They have however finished the show home, surrounded by fake security cameras, by the entrance to the Tes and cos warehouse where road chaos often ensues..

 

Of visitors from far away, the total for Norfolk over the weekend was 160 fines issued for the distance traveller, Kettering, Peterborough, Bedford, Luton, London etc walking on Norfolk beaches.. With many more warnings issued for the not quite local..

 

The good news is they've signed off the deputy Head of Lab job again, this means they can advertise it again.. Then they can recruit the guy they selected several months ago.. He's expected at the end of April.

Chatting to my boss he's looking at going next year..  Not much time left to train the new man, I note also the new mans wife works for his old company and is staying with them.. So the new man will be commuting each week.. 5 hour journey each way!!

 

Time to go see what happened to yesterday's cal run on the major system.

[polybear]

7 hours ago, BSW01 said:

Well I’ve spent most of the day in the garden, the roses are now pruned ready for the spring and all the hydrangeas have been dead headed. The plants are all showing signs of new life and it looks like we’ll get another good show this year. The aquilegia plants are starting to grow as are the foxgloves and there are a few daffodils starting to bloom too! The front looks a lot tidier now the leaves blown in off the street have been swept up, along with all the other detritus which ended up in the refuse bin, the green bin is almost full now, luckily it will be emptied on Friday. 

 

It’s the same with my siblings, I have 3 who live within 2 miles of my house, we don’t keep in contact and never speak unless we happen to bump into each other whilst out. Again, keeping in touch is a two way thing, a few years ago I organised a get together with everyone, it all seemed to go well, but when I passed the baton on to the others to organise the next, well, 19 years later I’m still waiting, which just about says it all! However, conversely, I regularly email and speak my youngest brother who lives in Canada, we take it in turns to ring each other every month, which we’ve done now for over 20 years. I also keep in regular contact with a cousin who now lives in Worcestershire and I also email my half-sister, whom I’ve only met the once, in Canada several times a year. Funny things families aren’t they?

 

Bear has the G******g job for today - roses and hydrangeas.  Blood is expected.  Daffodils have appeared.

 

Bear has an elder brother, who I've not seen sight of since 2011 - contact is restricted to chrimbo and birthday cards, though I suspect know that this is due to SiL sending them rather than bruv.  Long story, ending with a funeral bust-up.  Bear tried to keep contact afterwards, though every time I phoned him I had the feeling he'd rather I hadn't.  The last phone call (Feb 2011) resulted in him saying "We'll have to come over and see you (he's an hour or so away), or you come here - I'll have a word with Her Ladyship (SWMBO) and work something out....".  Ok, thinks Bear - ball is in your court.  I'm still waiting.  At chrimbo, Bear never bothered to send a card, for the first time - I suspect they are never welcomed by him.  I did subsequently wonder if they would be concerned if all is ok (pandemic n' all that - and SiL is a nurse).  Nothing heard, so I figure that they are decidedly unconcerned.  Still, saved me wasting a stamp I 'spose.

 

1 hour ago, chrisf said:

Polybear, I hate to nit-pick – not in fact true, for I have made it an art-form – but the music to which the monkeys are dancing in your clip is not from Riverdance.  It is in fact “Lord of the Dance”, which as I’m sure you recall started life as a hymn entitled “Simple Gifts”. 

 

Bear did wonder if @chrisf would spot that deliberate anomaly .  However, Bear would like to point out that referring to a chimp as a monkey is never, ever a good idea....and being on the rough end of a p1ssed off chimp is bad, and some.  Not for those of a nervous disposition:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/horrifying-injuries-woman-who-face-22045752

Edited March 2, 2021 by polybear

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup where there is once again a grey and cloudy sky. Yesterday was distinctly chilly and Mrs Lurker reported that the school's heating had failed where the classroom she works in is located. Apparently all is fine where the SLT sit; and the head's husband is the caretaker/site manager.

 

Another day on the work treadmill beckons. I will be glad when some of the restrictions ease; I've seen nowhere other than Sidcup for months and it is beginning to pall. Even Younger Lurker going back to school will mean a trip to the Danson Park area...woohoo!

 

Families;  there is a contrast between my family and Mrs Lurker's. Contact in my family is sporadic, although during lockdown I have made an effort to speak to my parents every week. I've not spoken to my sister since Christmas, and before that it was probably the Christmas before. We get on OK when we see each other but do not make any particular effort to do so.

 

Mrs Lurker is very close to her Mum and Sister, and not seeing them has been the hardest part of lockdown, but has not seen her Dad since 1998. She is also  close to her brother although he is in Seattle these days (and that was the "excuse" for starting our West Coast roadtrip there what seems a lifetime ago but is in fact less than 2 years ago).

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, dull and grey internally and externally.  3c and misty, not a great start.

 

Off to the Big City at lunchtime to be Pfizered, Star Trek has nothing on me.  Hoping for little reaction but it doesn't really matter given the leisurely life I now lead.  If I do react badly I hope its not too quickly as I have a 40 minute drive back to the northern sticks.

[jonny777]

Another dull and grey morning in North Somerset. Yesterday's low cloud cleared from the south, which is a rather unusual phenomenon for this neck of the woods. Having viewed the latest satellite image, today's overcastness looks unlikely to clear from any direction. 

 

Thankyou for all the comments regarding gum ache; although I believe the fact that it appears randomly on either side of my mouth and can be bottom or top teeth (or both) on either side, tends to rule out direct infections from food. My theory is that I have gained an unwelcome habit of tightening my lips whilst concentrating on reading or typing, and this is putting pressure on my back teeth via face muscles. I am trying to make a conscious effort to keep my mouth relaxed, even resorting to a bit of cotton wool between my lips when SWMBO is not in the room (she is fond of mockery). This approach appears to be working, although my brain reels in horror at the thought of eating a chewy portion of meat, or a bag of nuts. 

[BoD]

1 hour ago, The Lurker said:

Yesterday was distinctly chilly and Mrs Lurker reported that the school's heating had failed where the classroom she works in is located. Apparently all is fine where the SLT sit; and the head's husband is the caretaker/site manager.

They have to find the money for all those tests somehow.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. One thing that niggles me is that people mis-spell my forename. My name is the 'royal' version spelt with two L's. This causes problems with e-mail addresses in particular and I have taken pains to point out the correct spelling. I was surprised this morning when most of the media reports of Prince Phillip's current illness spelt his name with only one L, including the BBC! A good indication of the sloppy reporting in the media today.

[BoD]

2 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

One thing that niggles me is that people mis-spell my forename. My name is the 'royal' version spelt with two L's.

You mean like in your username?  

[Andrew P]

Morning all, is it Christmas yet?

[Andrew P]

Well and truly over slept this morning, almost 8am when one of my eye lids flickered open and saw it was daylight.

The second one opened soon after, (I only have the two).

Bit misty, and I was hungry so have forsaken the walk for Ready Break today.

I always have a choice of Ready Break, Weetabix or Cornflakes so dependant on the mood. although Ready Break comes off the Menu from the end of this box until about October, as I then switch to cold milk for the summer cereal.

 

Have a safe day one and all.

[Andrew P]

Still no signs of Bob, @grandadbob, I do hope he is O.K. 

[BoD]

19 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

Still no signs of Bob, @grandadbob, I do hope he is O.K. 

His last post did suggest that he was feeling a bit low but he did visit RMweb about 10 minutes ago.

 

Take care, Bob, we are thinking of you.

[PhilJ W]

44 minutes ago, BoD said:

You mean like in your username?  

When my name is abbreviated it is usually with one L.

[TheQ]

Brothers.. Well I have one, but I hardly know him, He was just three when we moved to the Hebridies and  I shortly after went away to school in Inverness. I came home from School for the holidays to find this "thing" had invaded my room and he regarded it as his..  5 years later I left home permanently. So from his age of 4 I've only lived in the same house as him, for 60 weeks.

Also my sisters Are 3.5 and 2.5 years younger than me, and of course when I lived at home, they were GIRLS you didn't want to know them (or their friends). I'm not that familiar with them either.

Contact is cards  and I got forced onto Facefart  as they use that in a family private group

 

[Barry O]

42 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

Still no signs of Bob, @grandadbob, I do hope he is O.K. 

He is having a rest from ERs at the moment.

 

Baz

[tigerburnie]

Morning, looks like I've got my work cut out with this lot, tough job but I'm the one to do it............................

[Gwiwer]

4 hours ago, chrisf said:

An envelope from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs came yesterday.  As might have been expected two days before the Budget, it contained

..... not a cheque, then?   

 

Morning all.  Day Two of my Annual Leave.  Jab Day.  And a poor night's sleep for reasons unknown but I awoke at one point with a pillow on top of my hip   Don't ask - I have no idea either.  

 

SWMBO was out for an early walk before I was even aware of the day.  She reports no woodpeckers nor owls being heard today, though they have been around recently, but she did spot a wren in our camellia bush.  I spotted a pair of Northern Brown Weetabix in the kitchen and decided they would be a suitably non-crunchy breakfast for a Gwiwer-with-broken-tooth.  

 

Muggercoffy The First is now due following which I am required to "tidy my room".  I shall have to Google the meaning of that instruction   

 

Best wishes for a safe Cheeseday to one and all.  

[jamie92208]

9 hours ago, PeterBB said:

Apart from your infection risk(stated) you are lucky but have provided a non too pleasant memory.  My teeth have always been awkward and especially my wisdom teeth.  'They' decided that a general anaesthetic was required after seeing the X-ray.  Being a dentist phobe person that seemed a reasonable idea.  Once back in 'proper' consciousness I was informed that 'it had been a bit difficult to remove your wisdom teeth so you now have 22 stitches in your gums for a week or two'.  A day or two later a mirror was presented - Frankenstein had nothing on this one.

 

Seems funny now but long time friend also now in late 70s still has her wisdom teeth in place and has never had a problem with them.

According to our dentist, when I was 11, my mouth isn't big enough.  Peoplecwho know me do not alwayscagree with that comment.  However it meant a trip on the bus to Kendal, 30 miles or so, and an overnight stay with said dentist. 4 molars, my no 6's were removed and I ended up feeling rather sorry for myself. I was consoled the next morning as I walked up the garden, by seeing a maroon Duchess pounding it' way up,Grayrigg bank.  My 7's moved forward and made way for my wisdom teeth. This has confused many dentists ever since until they take an Xray. I still have all my wisdom teet

 

8 hours ago, sixoh8sixoh said:

I’m not sure that ever (dis)graced the West Highland Line!

the Pennsy K4's were good engines and influenced several British designers.

 

Anyway Bonjour to you all.  The main part of the grass got cut yesterday. The tractor mower started first time. I

also hung a bird box and started on the next gate.

 

Today we have been shopping together and also comp,eted a piece of officialdom by depositing our French Wills with the Notaire, now it's time to eat fresh cheese scones with butter.  Not a bad day all in all.

 

Jamie