Early Risers.

[NGT6 1315]

1 hour ago, Coombe Barton said:

Getting the bum off the sofa post coffee is proving a challenge

Aye, John. Same here. I deffo need a desk job for at least part of the time. That has become very evident during the past year.

[PhilJ W]

15 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Is it a concrete floor with buried pipes?

Its a concrete floor but the only buried pipe is the gas main and thats a few feet away. There was some water pipes but they are redundant since a new supply was put in several years ago, the new supply connects above floor level and is nowhere near the damp patch. I've had another look and found another damp patch a foot away. Both damp patches are square about four inches on each side so a leaking container is prime suspect.

[NGT6 1315]

In other news which I guess indicate that nature only tolerates so much, it’s being reported that Lakes Markkleeberg and Störmthal, both due south of Leipzig, had to be closed for all on-water and shoreside leisure activities as a result of rifts and other signs of instability having been detected in the dykes flanking the passage between the two lakes.
The lock which is situated on that waterway may also be compromised, all of which signifies a potential risk of uncontrolled flooding along the waterways passing through Leipzig.

Lake Störmthal is the larger of the two lakes at about 158 million cubic metres, and elevated roughly four metres above Lake Markkleeberg.

 

The lakes south of Leipzig are former surface mines reconstituted as natural habitats during the past twenty-some years. The mining company has announced their intention of fortifying the waterway during the next couple of weeks.

[Coombe Barton]

Need a squad of these

[polybear]

Bear's Tip Of The Day:

 

Don't forget that there's a (plastic handled) frying pan stored in the oven.  I did wonder what the strange smell was whilst the oven was warming up to pizza-cooking temperature.....

RIP Frying Pan, my old and trusty friend; many a fry-up has been enjoyed together....

 

edit: The house smells "interesting"; I'm about to find out what the pizza tastes like (fortunately the pizza wasn't in the oven at the time.

Edited March 27, 2021 by polybear

[Sir TophamHatt]

Excited for Monday and Tuesday...

 

Supposed to be 18° and 21°!

Makes a change from the 12° of today, but the wind will drop so understandable.

 

Thus, saving garden jobs until then.

Lots to plant and hopefully will warm the greenhouse and get these sunflowers on the go. I have a variety of giant and tall ones this year to try. 

 

 

Also trying to decide how long I should wait before contacting a company to see where my stuff is.

They received it on the 8th or 10th... it's now the 27th. Already sent one chase email but had no response. 

Edited March 27, 2021 by Sir TophamHatt

[Coombe Barton]

All wood has now been chucked. Lunch of bacon sarnie with grilled cherry tomatoes.

Sofa has received bum for this - see how successful the next separation of these two will be. And when.

 

[simontaylor484]

Windy and overcast here too. Watching a guy ib the allotments trying to lay cardboard over part of his plot. I think he is trying to do a"lasagne" of organic matter using various layers of material that eventually rots down to give a fertile top layer. Thats if his cardboard hasnt blown away.

[polybear]

The buyer collected his ebay purchase right on time - so fifteen quid towards a new flying pan .  Still, the new hob will be an induction jobbie so the pan would most likely have been redundant anyway as it isn't compatible with such hobs.  The first load of washing has just finished and now the washing machine is beeping at me to empty it.  After that it's the washing up - all fun, fun, fun today...

[Gwiwer]

3 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

Windy and overcast here too. Watching a guy ib the allotments trying to lay cardboard over part of his plot. I think he is trying to do a"lasagne" of organic matter using various layers of material that eventually rots down to give a fertile top layer. Thats if his cardboard hasnt blown away.

Sunny but cold here.  Intermittently breezy.  We are promised much better in the week ahead.  

 

That "lasagne" technique was shown on Gardener's World only a few days back.  Like anything else outside it seems to work when you get it right.  

 

No allotment here.  We are on the waiting list which we are told is "about 17 years" long.  OK.  See ya.  When a plot does come up they prioritise anyone waiting who doesn't have any garden of their own which is not altogether unreasonable.  We benefit from having good relations with the landlord and managing agent allowing us to make use of the ornamental beds around the block.  Those around the back have a few vegetables planted among the pretty stuff though most are in tubs rather than the landlord's earth.  

 

New Neighbour (Next Door) seems to be settling in OK.  It is a new experience for us to have tiny people (two under 3's) occasionally squealing and crying plus baby-laundry hung outside all the time, instead of students who have been - mostly - remarkably quiet and respectful of others in that particular flat.  Mother is, we think, Albanian, and seems to be the only resident parent.  

 

Consultations have been had with gov.uk to establish what changes on Monday.  Why do we need to know?  I am keen to see my sister, numerous friends living nearby and there is the need to prepare for many more people through the House of Fun and our response both collectively and individually to that.  Traffic has been growing steadily for several weeks now but may take a step up as Easter approaches and friends are allowed to meet. 

 

Within England (the other nations vary) we are - as of Monday - allowed to meet as groups of up to six from any number of households outdoors or in private gardens (and to visit indoors for essential reasons such as using the toilet) or a maximum of two households comprising any number of people.  That much is not exactly clear from the Boris-casts and news headlines.  We had read it as "maximum of six people and maximum of two households" which is not the case.  We may travel (any distance within England) but are advised to keep it to local and necessary trips for now however the formal advice to only travel for "permitted reasons" ends.  Staying away from home for holidays is not yet permitted.

 

In reality there has been a noticeable number of folk travelling with multiple suitcases.  Their business is their own.  There has been a much greater number of mothers-with-buggies who should strictly still be staying at home but who have ventured out increasingly since the year began.  

 

We shall see what happens come Monday.  

[chrisf]

5 hours ago, polybear said:

 

 

Whilst there Bear came across the following article on sale for the princely sum of thirty bob, with "some" proceeds going to WWF presumably.  It is possible that at least one ER'er may be en-route to the nearest store in the near future; various designs were available, with all appearing to feature drop bears:

 

 

 

 

Thank you, Mr Bear.  My local Tesco is not noted for class merchandise.  It doesn't even sell bread pudding.  Nevertheless I shall have a shufti on my next visit, early next week.

 

Chris

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

Planned shelf work done.

Trailer,

Axle bolted up tight, but my back decided to remind me not to bend over a lot.

Trailer turned over,  Derusted, but for one section which required more bending than my back would allow.

Suspension unit fitted on side,

Suspension unit only held on by two of eight bolts the other side, I ran out of washers, the other six bolts are in place but not done  up.

Trailer and suspension units, zinc coated.

 

Ben the I want my walk Collie , got his way, sun warm, wind cold..

Enormous tractor ploughing attachment on front seeding attachment on back, towing a harrow behind, going up and down field.. every time it approached , Ben sat down.. I think he knows to sit to one side of lane  when a car comes near.

 

Section of flat top placed on top of chassis, marked up for attachment.

 

More shelving painted.

 

Bottle of red opened.

 

Eyelid inspection shortly.

[simontaylor484]

I saw the lasagne method in a magazine article a while ago by a guy called Charles Dowding he seemed to be a big believer in the no dig style of gardening. 

[pH]

4 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Getting the bum off the sofa post coffee is proving a challenge

Well you only have yourself to blame - you should never have invited him in for coffee in the first place.

[NGT6 1315]

Since @Gwiwer mentioned COVID protection measures, it’s making me fume again and again and again how many of our own staff are taking a fairly lax approach to these by now. Mingling together for a smoke, often within the areas I’d usually interpret as being part of tram or bus stops, and of course not wearing masks, ah, what the hell… It’s really making me sick and tired.

 

I can’t speak for other sectors of this company, of course, but drivers here seem to be innately rebellious for any reasons, which in this context makes for a toxic melange…

[Tony_S]

Our compost bins always have alternate layers of foliage and cardboard. Aditi uses Amazon boxes.  She had always done this as it was what her Dad did. However his composting was on a somewhat larger scale than ours. Also he didn’t have Amazon boxes then!  We have never purchased red wiggly worms but the compost bin has a thriving population. Perhaps they were in a plant we composted. Is there a no dig method for Essex clay?

The house my nephew has just bought in Sussex has raised planters. The previous owners had rabbits which I suppose ate anything at ground level. 
Tony

[New Haven Neil]

NHN is interested to know what old motorbikes Puppers has....  ;-)  Having spent the afternoon skinning knuckles on a 40 year old Hodna's engine mounting bolts, as they're known in some circles.  Its current name isn't repeatable in here. 

[simontaylor484]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://charlesdowding.co.uk/start-here/&ved=2ahUKEwikodDU_dDvAhXUh1wKHZDCAk8QFjAAegQICRAC&usg=AOvVaw2YmjaxliRyuJBdlv1L02LX

 

A link for Charles Dowdings website there may be some info for heavy clay soils

[polybear]

36 minutes ago, NGT6 1315 said:

I can’t speak for other sectors of this company, of course, but drivers here seem to be innately rebellious for any reasons, which in this context makes for a toxic melange…

 

Perhaps they should take note of the fact that LT Bus Driver deaths are 3.5 times higher than men of the same age in other occupations (March to May 2020)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-56404444

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Windy and overcast here too. Watching a guy ib the allotments trying to lay cardboard over part of his plot. I think he is trying to do a"lasagne" of organic matter using various layers of material that eventually rots down to give a fertile top layer. Thats if his cardboard hasnt blown away.

Hmm the no dig method I believe. Very popular at the moment as shown on GW I believe.

[Barry O]

Had a busy day so far. While it has been sunny for most of the day the wind was a very thing, very cold one. A trip to the Butchers was undertaken.. Smoked bacon and a home made pork pie was purchased. Hers elf and I tried the pie for lunch .. very nice.

 

Tonight we are having a "spatchcock" chicken (spatchcock chicken) 

 

Been reading a bit , doing odd bits of muddling and listening to a very poor game of kickball won by the mighty Black Cats.

 

Time for a mugadecaff methinks and open a bottle of red wine...

 

Baz

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, NGT6 1315 said:

drivers here seem to be innately rebellious for any reasons, which in this context makes for a toxic melange…

 

43 minutes ago, polybear said:

LT Bus Driver deaths are 3.5 times higher than men of the same age in other occupations

 

The striking bus drivers at Fulwell garage did themselves few favours.  Rather than entering the workplace to peacefully protest within a large open-air yard they crowded onto the public footpath and spilled into the road.  Social distancing was absent; they were in groups of several to many some arm in arm.  Many were smoking which is not unlawful on the street but is not permitted by drivers in uniform when at work (though it is very common despite the rules).  London bus drivers seem to be a law to themselves in some respects with ages-old attitudes passed down through the generations.  It required a visit by the police to remind them that, whilst they are allowed to protest at their workplace, they must abode by social distancing and must not block the public road and footpaths.  

 

 

[tigerburnie]

Evening all........................as we are allowed we went for a drive, there's a lot of fresh snow on the bigger hills, next week(I think) we can travel further, so I might go for a climb up a Monroe if it's not too wild up there.

[The White Rabbit]

16 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Who leaves wallets lying around?  (The laptop I understand.)

 

At the (considerable?) risk of being misquoted, I have a stated policy of always keeping anything valuable in my trousers... (This dates from when a certain someone left their house keys in their jacket pocket and their jacket at work. As I pointed out, you may go out without your jacket, but how often do you go out without trousers...?) 

 

As far as moments of terror are concerned, a) I'm trying to forget them and b) I claim the fifth, as our American friends would say. 

 

Evening all. Late on parade (again) due to heavy duty G word. More scheduled for tomorrow. If I'm not too stiff. 

 

Corkscrew used, liquid anesthetic applied internally. 

 

Now it's time to see what the F1 boys have been up to and how well their engineering winter work has turned out. 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Been zapping some weeds this afternoon, those that have popped up in what I laughably call a lawn. The weed killer should have done its job by Tuesday when I plan to give the lawn a shave. Nipped down to Tess Coes and found a pack of apple and cinnamon hot X buns in the reduced to clear. I've had a couple with a muggatee and the other two will be for later.