Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

24 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

the spelling of Woolloongabba

It's always 'gabba anyway.  Except in cricket when it's "The Gabba".

 

Only in Australia can one fully understand why Wagga Wagga is "Wogger" (singularly - never repeated), Wunghnu is "one ewe" (which is smaller than a "one horse town"), Kangaroo Flat is on a hill and Lake Mountain doesn't have a lake.  

[Coombe Barton]

... and a possible time travelling duck ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2021/03/20/holidays-

[Ozexpatriate]

51 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Kangaroo Flat is on a hill and Lake Mountain doesn't have a lake.

Then there is "Glendale" (literally valley valley).

 

There are at least five of them in the western US: AZ, CA, CO, OR, UT.  The one in Colorado is on the high plains in the Denver area.

 

Google maps found two in Australia, one in QLD and one in the Newcastle area in NSW.

[polybear]

 

2 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

An innovation that was entirely within the letter of the rules. "Lawful" in fact.   As were the Kiwis later with their catamaran.

 

 

Bear recalls a programme about a "good 'ol country boy" in Ohio or some such place that turned out to be an an ace NASCAR builder - in a barn of all places.  He was also very, very good at "interpreting" the rules....

One rule gave a maximum capacity for the fuel tank; no mention was made about the fuel line, however.  So he built a car with a fuel line the size of a large drainpipe...which held several gallons.....

The following year the rulebook would also cover the fuel line spec., so he'd find another loophole and therefore  an advantage.  All good fun,

 

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

If a radiator is corroding and “gassing” that can lead to lower pressures. Are the radiators new or old? Was the system flushed when the new boiler was fitted? How old is your inhibitor?

 

1 hour ago, Winslow Boy said:

Interesting so when you bled the 'system' where did the air go? Also did it help to return your balance? Only interested in case I have to do it as well.

 

57 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

The radiators upstairs are only seven years old but the downstairs ones must be getting on for thirty years old. There is no evidence of leakage around either of them. However there is sometimes a noise coming from the pipes that sounds like rust or limescale going through. The system was flushed when the new boiler was installed so I assume the inhibitor was added at the same time. I'll keep an eye on it, luckily the two oldest radiators are easily accessible and can be easily replaced if necessary.

 

Bleeding the rads lets the air out of the system, which is replaced by water.  In a sealed system this means the pressure drops - hence the need to re-pressurise.  If you find you have to keep bleeding or the pressure keeps dropping then this would indicate an issue I think.

Pressure flushing an old system can cause issues in itself - it's a good way of creating leaks apparently.  If the flushing was simply a case of draining then refilling the system - perhaps several times - then this shouldn't cause any issues.  I'd really, really hope that the installer added inhibitor on the last refill, as it protects the whole system from corrosion and is usually a requirement of any warranty on the boiler.

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

The radiators upstairs are only seven years old but the downstairs ones must be getting on for thirty years old. There is no evidence of leakage around either of them. However there is sometimes a noise coming from the pipes that sounds like rust or limescale going through. The system was flushed when the new boiler was installed so I assume the inhibitor was added at the same time. I'll keep an eye on it, luckily the two oldest radiators are easily accessible and can be easily replaced if necessary.

All of our radiators are 30 years old. When the new boiler was fitted we had a a water softener and a sludge filter fitted. The first time I cleaned the sludge filter it was quite full. Now it has very little. Our boiler is wall mounted in the utility room so is really easy to access. 
 

[PhilJ W]

The boiler fitter drained and refilled the system when he installed the boiler and as bear said its in the warranty that inhibiter is added. 

[Gwiwer]

2 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

The boiler fitter drained and refilled the system when he installed the boiler and as bear said its in the warranty that inhibiter is added. 

This is an indignity which we have to suffer shortly.  The combi has been declared life-expired.  Its supply of hot water has been intermittent since late last year and two attempts to repair it have been less than successful.  A new one is ready to be fitted but awaits ourselves and the fitters finding a mutually acceptable date.  We have to arrange it such that Dr. SWMBO remains in her room for covid security, the cat is locked in another room so as not to escape nor interrupt work meetings online, and I have to unearth the radiator which has a large quantity of CDs (my late father's collection) and small awl-attracting objects (my own collection) stored in front of it.  That particular radiator is not in regular use.  

 

All have to be drained blah blah blah.  It is, apparently, something I can do once shown the method which means I can attend to those in rooms we don't want the gas fitters in.  And we need to prepare with enough water handy for sanitation and muggsatee for short-term outages on the supply.  A bit of a logistical nightmare but it has to be done.  

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

Just woke up after post evening meal eyelid inspection.

Nothing much to report.

My team lost for the first time in 12 matches but to make matters worse it was to the Dee daas of Sheffield 6. (Hence my early retirement to bed).

Face still hurting and balance still bad.

Did a bit of form filling for work and SWMBO booked us a holiday so not all bad.

Hope everyone’s keeping well but for now Goodnight,

Robert

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Sitting on top of one of the piles of magazines were the remotes for the TV and the Virgin box that both went flying when the pile of magazines went over. I thought I'd better test them just in case. The TV one worked perfectly but when I checked the Virgin one there was nothing. I thought that I'll just have to wait until Monday to ask Virgin for a replacement but then I remembered that when the set top box was replaced with a Wi-Fi one the engineer had left the old remote behind so I put it in a drawer. I dug it out and compared it with the new one and the only difference that I could see was it didn't have a mute button. A quick try out and it works perfectly.

6 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

This is an indignity which we have to suffer shortly.  The combi has been declared life-expired.  Its supply of hot water has been intermittent since late last year and two attempts to repair it have been less than successful.  A new one is ready to be fitted but awaits ourselves and the fitters finding a mutually acceptable date.  We have to arrange it such that Dr. SWMBO remains in her room for covid security, the cat is locked in another room so as not to escape nor interrupt work meetings online, and I have to unearth the radiator which has a large quantity of CDs (my late father's collection) and small awl-attracting objects (my own collection) stored in front of it.  That particular radiator is not in regular use.  

 

All have to be drained blah blah blah.  It is, apparently, something I can do once shown the method which means I can attend to those in rooms we don't want the gas fitters in.  And we need to prepare with enough water handy for sanitation and muggsatee for short-term outages on the supply.  A bit of a logistical nightmare but it has to be done.  

The fitter didn't have to turn off the water supply to fit my new boiler, there is a stopcock fitted in what used to be the tank cupboard. Only thing is it also turns off the water supply to the loo (originally the cistern was concealed in the tank cupboard).

[andyram]

I think number three may have happened. Uber Eats managed to mess up our takeaway order. First world problems and all that.

[monkeysarefun]

So far lately the state has  had drought then fire then pestilence then a mouse plague and now the place is flooding.

 

New South Wales, its like living in the old testament.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

It didn’t take long to mop the cellar floor, but the water I poured down the drain afterwards was practically mud. So I gave the bucket and mop (used solely for the cellar) a good clean after, so the mop is now nice and clean for the next time. 

 

I then went to the workshop and eventually found my servo tester, it was in a box with some servo mount kits that I have. I’d already looked in there once, but didn’t look underneath the kits, doh!

 

After that I continued working on the small hut that will eventually reside close to the turntable, the window was installed and the bars were thinned and the door was modified and dummy hinges were added, this will be fitted tomorrow. 

 

I knocked off mid afternoon, as I had a fruit loaf to bake and also a vegetable lasagna to make as well. As is the norm, I made a large batch, half was eaten tonight, the rest is now in the freezer ready for when we next fancy lasagna. 

 

The evening was rounded off with a nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon as we sat and watched a Meryl Streep film, August: Osage Country, it was very good. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

Yesterday I discovered that my postponed trip to Dublin will not take place this year.  This is not a total surprise.  As was the case in 2020, Dublin Pride in late June is to be a virtual event.  No doubt I will watch the key bits on YouTube on the day but being there in the thick of it will have to wait till 2022.  To coin a phrase: “Curses!  Foiled again!”  I suspect that the same will apply to discovering the Cote d‘Azur too, since conditions in France look set to worsen before they improve.  I am now waiting to find out whether the trip to Marrakech organised by my favourite travel company is still contemplated for November this year.  Having decided in principle to go with the professionals instead of putting it together myself, I have asked the question but the answer I expect is “too early to tell” or words to that effect.

 

I feel for Rick in the context of setting up a Zoom meeting.  Up to now I have always been on the receiving end, having “attended” a good few electronic society meetings.  Being one of over 60 souls at such a gathering is welcome in that it saves me having to drive to strange places like Stevenage and Radyr and sit among real people.  The downside is that it is difficult to converse with more than a handful of those in attendance.  Against this those who insist on burbling during the speaker’s presentation are effectively muted.  Now the time has come for me to do the arranging.  With Barry’s invaluable tuition and help I think that I have managed to set up a chat using that technology with an old sparring partner from my university days.  Our paths crossed a couple of weeks ago when he was giving a presentation on Zoom.  It was our first encounter since 1968 and tomorrow evening we are to attempt to start catching up.  Something tells me that it will take more than a one hour session.

 

Today I plan to think of things other than communication technology.  Some time will be spent in the kitchen, for lunch is to be roast pork with roast potatoes and, I hope, a roast parsnip.  I expect to spend the afternoon quietly.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[polybear]

6 hours ago, BSW01 said:

I then went to the workshop and eventually found my servo tester, it was in a box with some servo mount kits that I have. I’d already looked in there once, but didn’t look underneath the kits, doh!

 

 

 

Bear has been there, done that....though not with servo testers (I don't have one as yet);  it's what Momma Bear would refer to as "looking with your elbows again".  If Bear had a quid for every time I'd been guilty of that one.

 

Din dins today is likely to be somewhat unexciting as no cooker exists at present (it's in the lounge, and flexible gas pipe extensions 15ft long with quick release connections on each end seem to be few and far between, surprisingly),  So cold sossie rolls, a jacket spud and beans appear likely - though buddy next door did mention that a freebie din dins passed over the back fence may be a possibility, but no promises...

 

Today will see a small bit of wallpapering, followed by the fitting of new door bars between carpet and the new tile floor (which doesn't exist yet).  Bear put his carpet kicker back in the loft yesterday afternoon...

 

52 minutes ago, chrisf said:

.......in that it saves me having to drive to strange places like Stevenage .....

 

Now that is a real bonus....

 

In other news:

B'stards:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-56468719

 

...and another step closer:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56460329

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56392570

 

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare,

 

An odd nights sleep, lots of waking and turning over at the start, then solid sleep after.. Still probably a bit short on hours though, I've been awake since 03:15 ish.

 

Once I gave up trying to sleep again I wandered the net, the thought had come into my head..

Rudder bearings...

Plain bearings will do for my purposes, I don't need fancy expensive roller bearings..

I waded through reams of details on ptfe, nylon , tufnol,  uhwmpe and delrin information. It was only when I realised that Americans use of the word Delrin for acetal plastic, it solved the problem. Delrin being a recommended rudder bearing substance in the US, not coming up on UK web sites..

Acetal plastic did turn up on UK web sites, and is vastly cheaper than any other solution.

 

I'll order a tube shortly,  of 40mm OD and 30mm ID, that can be placed inside the old rudder tube and resin poured between to set it in position.

 

Yesterday I filled in the census, I found the question on "have you been in the Armed services," a bit odd.

All service personnel who've done 22 years or more, plus all those employed since 1975 , have a pension. So they just have to ask the military pensions office for their numbers.

Plus of course every service person who has ever served has a easily accessed millitary record, the only exception being records destroyed in Belfast by a ww2 bomb and there can't be enough survivors pre WW2 originally from NI or Ireland to make to worth while worrying about.

 

Also I did a bit more research on kutcheman carrots, I can find no record of anyone even trying them on keels or rudders.. Which is a bit odd, somewhere you'd have expected some one to try it. There are all sorts to other things they've tried, whether successful of not..

 

Plans for today,

 Shelving, a few bits need making and painting to complete basic construction of those sections installed so far. Then a load of blank shelves will be made for the next two sections. What I haven't got is enough of the MDF used for the verticals, so that I'll try to get this week.

 

Trailer, a bit of zinc coating on the trailer, grease up the coupling, and if the spanner arrives do up the bolts on the axle.

 

Time I think for breakfast..

 

 

 

 

Edited March 21, 2021 by TheQ

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

@polybear yes looks like some of the bad lads in Wingate have gone too far.. if he is still has mates from the forces could be that the locals get a visitation.. xpeaks volumes for the lack of active  police support.

 

Today shall be a rest day. My back has developed a different ache as I twisted it again yesterday. Pah!

 

Zoom can be an interesting piece of software to deal with. The eeediots guide is very large but finding certain items in it can cause a bit of angst.

 

Tonight we will be having a sausage supper for tea. I may have to help herself to get potatoes, onions and mushrooms ready to go in the slow cooker along with the baked beans, tomato puree and, of course, the sausages.

 

Have as good a day as you can.

 

Stay safe!

 

Baz

[jamie92208]

8 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

So far lately the state has  had drought then fire then pestilence then a mouse plague and now the place is flooding.

 

New South Wales, its like living in the old testament.

I've just seen a segment about the floods on the Beeb news, hope you stay safe. The most striking picture was of a house floating serenely down a river.

 

Good moaning from the Charente. Jack Frost bisited again last night but it is bright and sunny now.  

 

I got the first frame built for the chicken run yesterday and got a weeks worth of wood cut and then stacked on the verandah.  Some telly was watched in the evening  including the last 15 minutes of a certain rugby game. I was going to shout Allez les Blues but restrained myself.

 

Beth's back is very slowly improvi g a d assistant nurse Ratchet is still on duty. I even managed to warm up a fish and chicken tikka masala last night. Bought from a local traiteur (caterer) it tasted good and looked the right colour but had no kick in it at all.

 

Today some friends are due to call and have promised to bring a nice surprise. As Jill is a good baker I am looking forward to the visit.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

 

 

[iL Dottore]

48 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Ey up!

 

@polybear yes looks like some of the bad lads in Wingate have gone too far.. if he is still has mates from the forces could be that the locals get a visitation.. xpeaks volumes for the lack of active  police support.

 

The lack of appropriate police response I think is now a major issue for the UK. When you can be visited by a policeman because you posted “the wrong sort of thoughts” on Twitter,  yet burglaries go uninvestigated; when you have heavy-handed riot policing of a women-only demonstration, yet thugs at “politically correct“ demonstrations go undisturbed and..... well, there’s too many examples to cite, but this disparity between the sort of policing people need and want and what they get can only end in tears.

Terry Pratchett, who was a very astute and insightful observer of human nature and society, observed - through his character of Commander Sam Vimes - that policing relies on a considerable amount of “slight of hand“ to maintain an aura of police invincibility.  Should  the populace at large realise how thinly spread and overwhelmed the police actually are, in the worst case scenario the police could end up as a thin blue smear on the pavement.

 

“Inappropriate policing“ brings with it the very real risk of the rise of vigilanteeism from the general public, something which could be described at best as “robust policing without legal niceties or safeguards“ or at the worst “unbridled revenge“.

 

There is a saying that “the fish rots from the head down“ and I think the vast majority of coppers who are trying to do a good job have been severely let down and are continued to be let down by their senior officer leadership and the College of Policing. (It’d be interesting to see what members of the ER Constabulary make of this....)

Quote

Tonight we will be having a sausage supper for tea. I may have to help herself to get potatoes, onions and mushrooms ready to go in the slow cooker along with the baked beans, tomato puree and, of course, the sausages.

You had me there until the baked beans.

My opposition to the use of the tinned baked bean has been well documented, they are but a pale imitation of “real” baked beans-which are made with fatback bacon, white beans,  molasses, onions and a host of other ingredients and cooked very, very slowly. Once you have tasted the real thing, you will never want to return to  tins. 

British food has a (semi-) justified poor reputation: on the one hand (and definitely in the “bad“ camp) are the packet foods and sauces, the tins of mystery substances with overoptimistic labelling and highly processed factory foods; on the other hand you have superb - fresh - ingredients; local specialties which - when done well with quality ingredients - are up there with the fine cuisines of the world and a baking tradition (cakes and biscuits) which is the equal of any French patisserie.

 

So, to start the debate, here is my take on a few “good“ and “bad“ British foods:

 

Good: Welsh lamb, Scottish beef, steamed sweet and savoury puddings, the Melton Mowbray pork pie from a good butcher, the Victoria Sponge...

Bad: tinned beans, tinned spaghetti, chicken “nuggets“, most any pizza-chain pizza....

And on that nutritional note I bid you all a great Sunday!

iD

Edited March 21, 2021 by iL Dottore
Typo

[Andrew P]

It started Sunny, but then clouded over as I went out the door for the paper, now, just dull looking. Still it could be an awful lot worse and today will see some more M in the POD, and probably a knap after Luncheon, Roast Beef today I'm told.

 

Have a good day one and all, stay safe and stay well.