Early Risers.

[TheSignalEngineer]

1 hour ago, Sir TophamHatt said:

1: Apply for a promotion (even though I've only been in this role for a year).  Last time I applied (just a couple of months back), I was knocked back as I am too good at this job.  Cop out for whatever it was.

The fastest I got promotion except during a reorganisation was 13 months when I was effectively sitting tenant after my then boss got promoted.

Later in my career I applied for voluntary redundancy on three occasions when I had done enough time to keep my travel facilities and had enough in the fund to take an early pension or freeze it for later. On the final occasion my boss called me into the office and told me I wasn't on the HQ Hit List so unlikely to get approval.  He had somehow got wind of me already having been approached by a rival company and they had made an opening offer to me. He gave me my form back, telling me to lose it, and offered me a rise to beat what the others wanted to pay. 

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl, and that was as far as I got, for an hour, due to a eyelid inspection.

There are three shelves, installed, but they've got to be taken down again, I forgot some supporting bits.

Luckily it's just a few screws, I had to make the supporting bits  so they're now done, but by the time each side was painted twice , they were too late for installation. 

 

A long discussion was had on the next round of shelves, as it was decided three large Collie ornaments have to be displayed. This meant more  supports had to be made for different spacing, half have been painted.

 

The other hub and wheel was installed on the trailer. Then much bolting of trailer pieces together, just a few more bolts to go. Holes needing drilling for each one which is what takes the time.

 

Then it will be on to fitting boat supports, for that my drawing case luckily turned up, having been excavated from the old book room. So prior to ocular checks I was drawing to scale, the trailer with the boat superimposed over the plan. It's a bit difficult, as the boat is loaded stern first, so the rudder will be in the way, so the supports have to be spaced apart, but support the narrow stern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Popped down to Tess Coes earlier, Found some sea bass fillets and some green veg for tomorrows dinner, no carbs with that just a double portion of green veg. Shortly I will be preparing tonights dinner, I just fancy liver and bacon, with onions of course. A package arrived this morning containing an item that runs on two parallel strips of metal. It needs a little work but seeing as the bank holiday is going to be cold its something to do.

[iL Dottore]

21 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

This is the best i found on another part of the forum. 

 

They are the same colour as our Dachshund Rolo

 

Dachshunds are the most endearing little dogs. Smart, eager to work (went properly trained) and they have the most appealing faces. What’s more they look like dogs, not like something that’s run into the back of a stationary bus or something that looks like it could be used as a ladies hand warmer.  
Sadly, thanks to the irresponsibility and stupidity in the face of science of breeders and breed standards, these poor beasts often suffer from hereditary diseases that can make their life unpleasant.

Looking at prints from the early days of the breeds’ existence, it is clear how this once healthy small dog has been abused by the breeders. 

21 hours ago, brianusa said:

I do miss good hot cross buns. The concept is not unknown here, but come packaged and baked who knows how long ago. Some of them are even iced!  They do not compare with my memories of hot cross buns fresh from the bakery.

 

Mike, we've just ordered half a dozen from a local bakery.  Not a bad attempt at the real mcoy.

    Brian.

 

You could always try making your own Hot Cross Buns. They are very easy to do, albeit a bit time-consuming (I used Felicity Cloake’s recipe which can be found online in the Guardian). They turned out beautifully, despite me having dropped the whole tray of buns on the floor after the second proving. Once retrieved from the kitchen floor, re-kneaded and allowed to prove again, They went into the oven and turned out very nice indeed go, although not quite as light as if I hadn’t had to re-knead and re-prove them.

They were so tasty, that I will once again make a batch (but without adding the cross on top) for Mrs ID for when she returns from the holiday hovel with the Wolfpack next Thursday.  This time, however, I will make damn sure I don’t drop them on the floor....

7 hours ago, PupCam said:

Or could it be that there is a sizeable portion of the general population that are just as thick as s....? 

Even if one is charitable and assumes that intelligence in the UK follows a bell shaped curve (although this may not be the reality), it still means that 50% will be below the median value (and if you assess intelligence by IQ, it means that 50% of the population have an IQ of 100 or less).

However, (and most unusually for me) being slightly charitable, one could also say that people are conditioned to be stupid. The educational system, commerce, advertising and the media all together promote antiintellectualism (“too clever by half“ is not an expression you’ll hear in any of the other European languages, other than English). A population who is trained to and allowed to use what ever intellect they are born with to its full extent are a most unwelcome thing to the powers that be. People who can think for themselves and draw their own conclusions, are people who can successfully challenge the status quo and will not rush out to buy the latest “X” just because of a clever advertising campaign or, even worse nowadays, because it is recommended by some of vacuous “influencer“. Such people are most unwelcome to those whose fortunes are made on a compliant and acquiescent population.

Well, I’m off to have a solitary dinner (as mentioned above, Mrs ID and the Wolfpack are off in the Holiday Hover for an Easter break). I have roasted a rack of pork chops wrapped in bacon which I will enjoy with some buttered green beans and a nice dark beer.

enjoy your evening!

[Gwiwer]

Evening all. 
 

A cold and sometimes grey day with the fresh nor’easter aptly in town for - errr - Easter. 
 

Last night proved to have its moments. Neighbours (Upstairs) were playing loud music, laughing and talking above the music until around midnight. And at some point a person or persons unknown dumped an untaxed, un-MoT’d but also un-stolen car in our private car park. It arrived complete with a trailer-load of domestic waste.  
 

The matter has been reported to the police who have no interest. It has been reported to the local council who have the powers to remove it from private land. And it has been reported to our agent who, being Easter weekend, is not taking calls nor answering emails. Ho hum. 
 

Neighbours (Upstairs) were on their way out this afternoon as I was filling the bird feeder. They looked at the car and trailer as if to ask “who?” or “what the actual .... ?”  Which gave me an easy ice-breaker to raise the matter of their late-night exuberance. I got an apology of sorts. 
 

In other news three of 36 switches on the panel are wired and working after a long session of fix-one-issue-cause-another. C’est la vie. I wouldn’t want to attract any stray awls. 
 

 

[JohnDMJ]

Good Evening and Happy Easter weekend!

 

An interesting technique, Flavio:

 

8 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

You could always try making your own Hot Cross Buns. They are very easy to do, albeit a bit time-consuming (I used Felicity Cloake’s recipe which can be found online in the Guardian). They turned out beautifully, despite me having dropped the whole tray of buns on the floor after the second proving. Once retrieved from the kitchen floor, re-kneaded and allowed to prove again, They went into the oven and turned out very nice indeed go, although not quite as light as if I hadn’t had to re-knead and re-prove them.

They were so tasty,  ...

 

Presumably, the floor added some extra flavour?

[tigerburnie]

Glorious sunshine all day, 5 degrees when we went out and 15 degrees when we came home, spent time with the family as we now can, excellent day all round, bushed now after walking miles in the woods, where do kids get their energy from?

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

The fastest I got promotion except during a reorganisation was 13 months

On the railway one used to get promoted in one's turn (almost) whether good enough or not.  When you had been in your position / grade / location longer than anyone else you were offered the next vacancy up the ladder.  

 

I began at Liverpool Street and, in due course, was in line for shift leader / supervisor.  My immediate line manager was a recently-divorced woman who had more or less let it be known (though not in as many words as might attract a Form 1) that you were only promoted if you obliged her first.  

 

Let's just say that I was a very good bit younger than she and had some moral scruples.  I was therefore passed over for the role not once but twice before she was "redeployed" by means of a sideways move and I duly got the supervisory role immediately.  With a small amount of back-pay by some means too as recognition for the inappropriate means of refusing my promotion.  

 

It's all a lot different now.  Isn't it?  

[PhilJ W]

I recently mentioned the film 'Carry on Screaming' and remarked that the film was 55 years old (1966). The thought occurred to me that if you go back another 55 years brings you to 1911 and the Edwardian period where the film was set in.

Edited April 3, 2021 by PhilJ W

[Mike Bellamy]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

 This has recently happened to our youngest herbert where he has been told about a job he should "apply" for.

 

Over 20 years ago, when I first went to work in the offices of the University, I was on a short term temporary contract that kept getting extended until I did at least get a one year contract instead of one month at a time. I had to take a few weeks off for a surgical procedure (remodelling the position of my jaw as misplaced teeth were causing dislocation!) and the office manager phoned to see how I was - I had spent two weeks living on soup sucked through a straw as my mouth was wired shut - not exactly a pleasant experience.

 

However when she rang I was well on the way to recovery and she reminded me that Xxxx was leaving and that her job had been advertised. This was two or possibly three grades above the 'clerical' work I had been doing and so like in most places there would always be someone who had longer service and/or more experience so I didn't think I had a chance. Her exact words were 'I would be really disappointed if you don't apply'. So never being one to disappoint anyone, I thought I had better apply, came in from sick leave for an interview and when I went back to work, it was straight into the new position. This was dealing with overseas partnerships and in my time there I had seven visits to Israel, two to Athens, two to Malaysia and two to Bostwana - I also went to exotic UK locations such as Crewe, Preston, Mansfield and Barnsley . . . ! !

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

Managed a few hours in the garden and managed to trim the lawn edges, tidy up a bit in the borders and then the obligatory spot of digging. After tea, whilst swmbo was watching some rubbish on the tv about the royal family I managed a bit of shed time. Hopefully I progress the project it  bit more tomorrow. 
Good night,

Robert

[Gwiwer]

10 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

Managed a few hours in the garden

Hopefully with the black dog firmly consigned to his kennel  

[simontaylor484]

Am sat here being tortured by the smell of tomorrow's beef cooking in the all cooker. 

 

Scrap prices must have taken a hit again then if cars are being abandoned 

[Coombe Barton]

... and the Dundridge Digit ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2021/04/03/the-entropy-merchants/

[Erichill16]

6 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Hopefully with the black dog firmly consigned to his kennel  

Thanks yes but he’s a clever so and so, he’s always sneaking out and sometimes he’s a devil to get back in. 

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[polybear]

11 hours ago, PupCam said:

 Anyway, with the aid of Paintshop Pro Puppers was able to bring news of the continued development of the theme with a 3 rear axle variant especially to cope with the increase in obesity of the "customers" (last time I went on a bus I was a passenger!) and the generally deteriorating road surfaces.  I was able to reassure the audience that rumours of a tracked version of the Routemaster were unfounded.   Later that same day with the aid of yet more PaintshopPro activity I was able to correct that last statement

 

Can Puppers make it look like Bear has a P*nd*n-esq quality la*out - but LN*R naturally - to suit a certain room in Bear's house?  Oh yes, and it needs to fit in 12 x 9 whilst still being in 4mm.....

 

3 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

And at some point a person or persons unknown dumped an untaxed, un-MoT’d but also un-stolen car in our private car park. It arrived complete with a trailer-load of domestic waste.  

 

The matter has been reported to the police who have no interest.

 

 

So the police are uninterested about a car obviously having been driven on the public highway whilst untaxed and un-MoT'd? I wonder if the driver has insurance - I doubt it.  I do hope the owner wants it, and it costs a packet to get it back from wherever.  Even better, I hope it gets crushed.

 

Bear spent the day danglin' on a paintbrush - deep joy.  Still, first (mist) coat done.  Bear came very close (as in 9.99 out of 10) to doing a GDB and falling off the step ladder - which would've been over the top of the step ladder handle and down onto the pipework behind the washing machine (which is pulled away from the wall) and onto the new tiled floor - which looks rather hard....  it most definitely wouldn't have been funny (Bear was holding a tub of paint at the time - which would've gone everywhere....) and Bear is less than sure that:

1.  LDC is available on the NHS

2.  LDC can be pumped thru' a tube.

 

Lesson learnt.  Until the next time, that is....

 

Anyone just seen "Clarkson on TV"?  Wasn't the last twenty seconds just delightful?  FFS.

For those that didn't see it, Bear recommends you don't go looking - you'll regret it.  You've been warned....

 

As for tomorrow, the delights of washing, bed-changing and Co-op shopping are on the agenda.  Bear is dangerously low on milk and bread, whilst cake is in the red zone.  Fruit?  Zilch.  Easter Eggs?  Even less than zilch.....

 

 

 

[Gwiwer]

3 minutes ago, polybear said:

So the police are uninterested about a car obviously having been driven on the public highway whilst untaxed and un-MoT'd? I wonder if the driver has insurance - I doubt it.  I do hope the owner wants it, and it costs a packet to get it back from wherever.  Even better, I hope it gets crushed.

In fairness to the often-overstretched police force they have no way of proving who was driving it.  It isn't reported lost or stolen.  Whilst public domain information includes whether it is taxed or MOT'd it does not include the registered keeper nor the owner (who can be a different person to the keeper).  That information has to be applied for with good cause shown for needing it.  

 

Steps are being taken.  The local council is aware but, being Easter, may not be able to respond for a couple of days to a non-emergency case.  The landlord's agent is also aware and emailed everyone in the block - surprisingly - at 10.45pm tonight asking if anyone knows about the offending vehicle.  In the absence of response which I anticipate they get it is then between them (as land owner's agent) and the council to remove and dispose of the nuisance.  

 

On the other hand if it vanishes into the night as mysteriously as it arrived then who know?  A cursory inspection did not suggest anything other than that it has been dumped along with a cart-load of household refuse.  

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[Adam88]

18 minutes ago, polybear said:

to suit a certain room in Bear's house

 

You don't often get m*d*l r*l*ys in brand new kitchens.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I wish PB luck on his shopping trip tomorrow as few supermarkets will be open as its Easter Sunday. Unless of course its a small 'local' Co-op. Arthur Itis is making a noise again so before I go to bed a couple of co-codamols will be taken to keep him quiet.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well I don’t know what happened to morning’s post, or last nights post for that matter, but they seem to have disappeared somewhere into the ether!

 

Anyway a quick recap, yesterday I took advantage of the glorious weather and finished setting the new step in front of the workshop decking. However, before I could do that, I had to remove some of the old path, as I didn’t want to run the risk of undermining the foundations of the new step. The old path is around 23ft long and will be completely removed and replaced, in a slightly different location by a camomile path, into which I’ll be laying a narrow path in a herring bone pattern down the centre, just wide enough for a wheelbarrow. I managed to dig up about 2 ft of it yesterday, I’ve done another 2 ft today, removed all the rubble and hardcore that formed the foundations and started back filling with soil. I’m amassing quite a bit of rubble that will disposed of, although the brick edging will be reused for the garden fireplace, so are being cleaned up as I dig them up. That to is be coming quite a large pile, so I’ve decided to start building the fireplace, once the pile gets to big for the storage area. I want to have all the old path dug up and the ground prepared by the end of May, ready for when I can get the camomile plants delivered. 

[BSW01]

15 minutes ago, Adam88 said:

 

You don't often get m*d*l r*l*ys in brand new kitchens.

Wallace and Grommit - The Wrong Trousers springs to mind!

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.