Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

Great to hear positive news of Gordon, and best wishes to Dave's dad and Polly's thumb.

Absolutely.

 

Bright sunny day Upon the Hill of Strawberries which has been anything but tranquil.  Screaming kids tearing around the place on their scooters and bikes, crashing through hedges and then sitting in same.  Ages around 2 - 4.  All unsupervised as parents were nowhere to be seen.  One parent later arrived home from somewhere having apparently left her offspring to play outside for hours ..... 

 

G-stuff was performed including edging, weeding and potting-on at home plus a tidy-up and water of the planter in the village for which we have recently taken on responsibility.  It's not a terribly arduous task but does require the carrying of watering cans from home the 150 metres or so.  That doesn't take long unless we get delayed by the level-crossing barriers!  The brass commemoration plaque was also given a good going-over with Brasso today - possibly for the first time in years.  

 

Dr. SWMBO hasn't been feeling her best today and had a very quiet morning in front of the idiot-tube but found a little get-up-and-go during the afternoon.  No obvious reason - it was just an off-day.  

 

For the fourth week in a row there have been no reported positive tests in this immediate area.  For the first time since last summer there have also been no deaths though the number had recently been only 1 or 2 a week of late.  We continue to count down the days until Jab The Second.  Then add three weeks and we should finally be out and about again.  That will be a Good Thing.  

 

Time flies.  That was the weekend.  Three days of it in my case having spent Friday at home to receive the new boiler.  We have declared a truce there; the temperature and timer are set to a level we think will be comfortable but we have to monitor gas consumption. 

 

Stay well.  See you on Moan-Day.

 

 

[PupCam]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

I think Bear's record is about 30 minutes continuously, about as fast as I can....

I employed a new tactic that helped increase my chances;  I used both my landline and mobile on redial.     If I recall it took something like 31 landline and 10 mobile re-dials to get through from "Sorry the surgery is closed" until "I'll just pop you on hold for a moment" (make that 5 minutes).   Still it worked and I did get a telephone appointment.

 

Which reminds me, has the definition of an appointment changed recently?    I was always led to believe an appointment specified a time and a place for a meeting etc but these days  "Tuesday between 9:00am and 6:00pm" seems to be tight enough for a Doctor's appointment.    Is it me?

Edited April 18, 2021 by PupCam

[brianusa]

21 hours ago, polybear said:

I also saw much of HRH's funeral, which I thought was rather well done.  One thought did strike me - on a day which must've been one of (if not the) hardest of the Royal Family's lives, not only did they have the loss and the ceremony to contend with, they also had to suffer probably 100+ Million people watching their every move live on telly. 

After all these years they can handle it!

     Brian

[PeterBB]

Switched on just in time for the funeral Land Rover to begin its trip to pickup the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.  Very moving and impressive including the pre-funeral band playing, the singing, the trumpeters, the whistle and the bagpipes.

 

Who will take over his role at Windsor and the innervations that he instigated?

 

Lifelong supporter and elder son called Philip.

 

Congratulations to Simon and his good lady on the arrival of Granddaughter Eloise, some good news on Gordon and hopefully for Dave's Dad.

 

Southern - get rid of the cotton wool - it will help to stop the bleeding but once the blood had congealed cannot be early removed.  No longer routinely used in first aid.  Having said that hope you exhibit wins.

Edited April 18, 2021 by PeterBB
typo

[polybear]

39 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

February 2020 SWMBO and myself had a medium pizza and soft drink each with a view of the Eiger. No change from £50.

Restaurant was in a nice location, but not on the main tourist drag, mainly locals using it. Ambiance was ok similar to a diner but did few slightly stained as we were the only non locals.

 

 

HOW MUCH????  Hang on - that should actually read:

HOW MUCH????

 

16 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Which reminds me, has the definition of an appointment changed recently?    I was always led to believe an appointment specified a time and a place for a meeting etc but these days  "Tuesday between 9:00am and 6:00pm" seems to be tight enough for a Doctor's appointment.    Is it me?

 

Tis' common for Bear's Vet (actually one of the guards) to quote am or pm fone call......though in Bear's experience an am appointment can become a pm one, though I don't mention this for fear of being struck off....

Actually I quite like the fone call set-up - it beats traipsing down the road for a physical appointment unless you really have to.  It means I can crack on with much more useful things; of course there is always the risk that the Vet will say at the end of the call "I need to see you in 15 minutes" which is kinda tricky when you're in the middle of wallpapering or have a load of expensive tools out in the back garden........

[PupCam]

2 minutes ago, polybear said:

the Vet will say at the end of the call "I need to see you in 15 minutes"

Now that is a completely fictitious concept with my Vet these days.   

 

Indeed I'd need convincing that there are any real Humans there now and not just a bunch of AI computers ....

 

[New Haven Neil]

Having holidayed in Paris and Swizzerland in quick succession, as in four weeks, 12 years ago (50th birthday & silver welding anniversary) we found Switzerland (RhB areas) cheaper than Paree.  Which doesn't say much for Paris! Jeepers it was expensive.  Couldn't even afford a big mac there now. Should I want to. =no.

 

I think I missed congratulating Simon on his entry to the wallet-emptying phase of his life!

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. No Arthur Itis recently but Si Attica has been around but I have discovered how to deal with him. Its my right hip thats the problem. When the sciatica starts I lay out flat on the bed with my legs straight. I then move my right leg sideways as far as I can (still keeping it straight). I then draw up my knee to my chest and then straighten my leg. More often than not this clears the sciatica, if not I just repeat the exercise which is all it needs.

3 hours ago, Dave47549 said:

 

I'd* uninstall the sound driver via Device manager, then restart. Rebooting would then restore the correct driver configuration.

 

* Other fixes are available - & probably more reliable! 

It seems to have fixed itself, when I switched on about ten minutes ago everything seemed OK.

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

I have an HP printer/scanner which has gradually found itself incapable of printing any sort of text document and, very recently, is not recognising a new cartridge when it is inserted.  It can scan but getting it to do so is something of a trial.  definitely w the worst printer I have ever had and that's after several very good HP printers but alas Mac seem to like failing to provide drivers for older printers (like 3 years old) so meaning you have to buy a new one if you update your Mac software version.

 

If anyone can recommend a. Mac compatible printer which is very good for photo printing but will also print text and illustrations to a decent standard I would like to hear about - please.

I have had ten years good service from my Lexmark. A bit pricey I know but in the long run its saved money. Some will tell you that ink cartridges for Lexmark cost twice as much as HP but they hold three times as much ink and you can refill them yourself.

5 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Now that is a completely fictitious concept with my Vet these days.   

 

Indeed I'd need convincing that there are any real Humans there now and not just a bunch of AI computers ....

 

I'm fortunate that the surgery is only a few yards beyond the end of the street. The only bugbear is that they don't take blood samples you have to go to the local Hospital for that.

[The White Rabbit]

15 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

HOW MUCH????  Hang on - that should actually read:

HOW MUCH????

 

That's what I said a few minutes ago...

 

I'm going to plagiarise a post from another forum, someone I know via the autocar, who had a similar shock trying to find somewhere reasonable for lunch in London. In his words:

 

[Coombe Barton]

... crafted by those who didn’t pass the IKEA entrance exam ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2021/04/18/is-the-holiday-worth-it/

[Tony_S]

When we were in Switzerland we went to the Piz Gloria restaurant on top of the Schilthorn. This had featured in the James Bond film starring George Lazenby. Aditi was determined to eat there, everything seemed to carry the usual premium that you might expect but we went for the all you can eat (drink was Prosecco) buffet for 30 CHF each. I think we did quite well. 
Tony

 

[Andrew P]

Best wishes to Polly's @southern42's thumb, I hope it recovers quickly.

[Andrew P]

Good to hear Gordon is on the mend so thanks @BoD for the up date.

[Gwiwer]

33 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

I think I missed congratulating Simon on his entry to the wallet-emptying phase of his life!

Me too.  Better late than never.  

 

41 minutes ago, PupCam said:

a completely fictitious concept with my Vet these days.

Vet continues to send (apparently automated) emails reminding me that His Pawship was due for his annual vaccination in March and that he should be booked in now as a matter of urgency.  When I call they acknowledge the emails but continue to tell me that they are unable to see pets in person other than for emergencies until further notice and to call back in May.  So if I call back in May and they then tell me "it's out of date" or that they still can't see him what am I expected to do?  Finding another vet isn't that easy because transport would have to be  by train or (at a pinch) by bus.  Currently he goes in his carrier on SWMBO's trike which I can wheel up the road locally - the only cat we know who goes for tricycle rides!!!  

 

37 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Paris! Jeepers it was expensive.  Couldn't even afford a big mac there now

Over-rated, over-priced and, fortunately, over there.  We decided the €65 for the tour bus was ree-d1ck-you-less.  London isn't cheap but charges less than half of that to see probably rather more.  The hotel was rather poor and in a dodgy area but was the only one we could find within our price range that wasn't an hour from the centre.  We are fairly wised-up travellers and didn't expect much but we didn't even get the little we might have expected.   The fromagerie prices were also frightening.  

[Andrew P]

Dave, @Dave Hunt, I hope your Dad can get out of Hospital and into a Convalescent  Home of some sort.

[pH]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

Ahh yes - Bear's an old hand (lag?) at that one.  Goes something like:

Dial

Engaged

Hang up

Redial

Engaged

Hang up

Redial

Engaged

Etc......

I think Bear's record is about 30 minutes continuously, about as fast as I can....

I’ve tried to find the original cartoon, but can’t, so here’s the summary in words.

 

A guy doing much the same as Bear above, trying to get concert tickets by phone:

 

Dial

Engaged

Hang up

Redial

Engaged

Hang up

Redial

Engaged

Hang up

...

etc

...

Redial

Engaged

Hang up

Redial

Ringing

Hang up

***!!!####!!!

 

[Erichill16]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

HOW MUCH????  Hang on - that should actually read:

HOW MUCH????

 

There is a McD. in Interlaken and at that time they we’re doing a burger for 1CHF, but there’s no view of the Eiger.

Ive eaten there as they do a GF burger which is convenient.

 

Edited April 18, 2021 by Erichill16
Add sentence.

[New Haven Neil]

We got a hotel deal in Paris near the centre which was OK, and loved the city (despite me thinking I would hate it) but I don't think we would enjoy it so much now with not being able to walk as far.  The Metro was cheap and good but the food prices were simply ridiculous.  We have a great memory of the week, it was Mrs NHN's choice for the silver welding anniversary and we did have a super time.  Only saw a few trains though, as we flew and I wasn't allowed much train time as we were going to Switzerland the next month by train, for my 50th birthday train holiday!  That was even better....

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[Barry O]

Goodnight everyone!

Baz

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

Congratulations to Simon and glad to hear Gordon is making progress.

Spent most of the day outside doing various jobs but came in to watch my team lose. They didn’t play well and looked terrible , in fact they don’t look that good when we’re winning.

Looked at the calendar this morning and realized in an alternative world I would have been In Dortmund at Intermodbau this weekend.

Anyway,

Goodnight,

Robert

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[The Stationmaster]

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Having holidayed in Paris and Swizzerland in quick succession, as in four weeks, 12 years ago (50th birthday & silver welding anniversary) we found Switzerland (RhB areas) cheaper than Paree.  Which doesn't say much for Paris! Jeepers it was expensive.  Couldn't even afford a big mac there now. Should I want to. =no.

 

I think I missed congratulating Simon on his entry to the wallet-emptying phase of his life!

Paris is very much a matter of where you go price wise - like many other cities of course.  Part of the problem nowadays is having a next to worthless £ which automatically means everything costs more because we tend, naturally, to convert the price to the money we use regularly.

 

I had to regularly visit Paris as part of my final big railway job - usually just one overnight stay per trip but sometimes two and I also had to go regularly to Brussels and Lille.  Good restaurants in Paris are expensive - back in the '90s I doubt you would have got away with much less than £100 a head (including drink). and those are not the really top of the tree places although i doubt the food is much different.  SNCF senior managers, especially  at Director level, tended to be rather choosy about where they spent their employer's expenses so I saw the inside of a couple of such places when they were paying - you were more likely to find me in the heavily 'steak & chips' place next to the Gare du Nord where you could get a good meal of decent steak for less than a tenner.  Cross the road opposite the Gare du Nord and eat in the 'wrong' place and you'd find yourself paying £12-15 for an omelette in the early 2000s, walk up the hill to the right places in Montmartre and you could get an equivalent (large) omelette for a third of the price where the tourists were easily trapped.

 

I usually stayed in a hotel on the fringe of Montmartre near Pigalle - which had been used by BR folk for decades, probably because it wasn't too expensive.  Within 10 -15 minutes walk at most I had the choice of numerous really good , very reasonably priced, restaurants and my receipt for the evening meal rarely exceeded the equivalent of £15-18 (and that included a drink).  We didn't pay much more than that at another (family run) restaurant Mrs Stationmaster and I regularly used when we stayed in Paris as we invariably stayed in that area as there used to be some good, nice and clean, hotels available at reasonable prices.  Of course those prices will have increased - the change to the Euro had a similar sort of effect on prices to that of decimalisation in Britain and the £ has sunk.

 

As for London - rip-off land big time in the tourist areas but as elsewhere you can find good value for money if you know where to look and avoid the tourist traps.  I know nothing about London hotels but have heard less than complimentary stories about some.  The only one I have ever stayed at was the Great Western Royal at Paddington for several nights and that was not by choice but was a requirement of a project I was involved with, it was ok but nothing special but that was back in the 1980s; you got a far better breakfast in the Great Western in Exeter and it was no doubt considerably cheaper than its London namesake.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

The weather has been glorious and I’ve also had a good day in the garden. The trench has now been half filled with old garden rubble, it’s been trodden it down to give it some sort of level and to see where, if any, there needed to be more added, but it still needs tampering down properly. Like yesterday, I worked later than I normally do to get the job finished and ended up with a slightly later dinner. However, after dinner a partook in a spot of eyelid inspection, but only after having first watched last Friday evening’s ‘Gardeners World’. 

 

Isn’t it funny how one small thing can invoke a long and distant memory. After tea tonight I had a small 2 finger Kit Kat, eating it immediately took me back to being 10 years old. In 1966, my parents had decided to emigrate to Canada, following my mum’s 3 brothers. In preparation, we moved in with our grandparents (mum’s parents) just before Christmas. This move could potentially interrupt the preparations for my 11+ exam the following spring, so I stayed at the school I was at at the time, whilst all my other siblings moved to a school close to our new home at our grandparents, meaning that I had to get the bus to and from school, not something I’d ever done before. My school just happened to be on the route of the bus that my father used to take to work, so I ended up getting the bus with him. I don’t remember much else about the journey, other than the fact that, as I was getting off the bus, he would always produce from his coat pocket a 2 finger Kit Kat, which he gave to me to eat at school, needless to say, it been eaten well before I even got to the school gates. 

 

This evening I spent just over an hour with my brother in Canada, as usual we chatted about current topics, mainly Covid and the fact that they are once again in lockdown, but at least he and his wife both have dates for their first injection next month and for their second injection in August.