Early Risers.

[TheQ]

40 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Thats the stuff, whats the best way to cut it?

I use a craft knife with the break off blades,  as you get a long straight blade. Work, not surprisingly, use a proper foam cutter, plus a Stanley knife for trimming.

Although for production items it arrives in partly cut big sheets and you just push out the unneeded pieces. Hence I get pieces up to 480mm  by 400 mm for free... Most are however 240mm by 300mm..

It comes in 10, 20, 30, 40mm thick varieties at work.

 

[simontaylor484]

Happy Birthday to Dave Hunt

 

 

 

[polybear]

Some good news...and some cr@p news.....

 

Buddy next door asked Bear if he'd like some Banana Cake....

 

...and then mentioned that they've got an Estate Agent coming round tomorrow....

Seems that his missus still thinks that moving to the God's Waiting Room area is a Good Idea - and it looks like she's brainwashed buddy into thinking that it's a good idea too.  They've been Bear's neighbours and friends for 21 years now, and I've just about got them broken in - the last thing I need is the risk of nightmare neighbours moving in next door.  Double Turdycurses.

[iL Dottore]

4 hours ago, JohnDMJ said:

.... I fear you may have missed my point, a jibe about the division of terminology North and South of the Watford Gap! I refer specifically to the distinction between 'lunch' and 'dinner'! A northern colleague has been with us at base for over a year (having already become betrothed to another colleague), so has moved 'down sarf'!...

Ah! Now I see....

It’s not only a North-South divide sort of thing, but also a class thing (at least in the UK) According to social class surveys the As, Bs and C1s usually refer to the midday meal as lunch and the evening meal as dinner (or supper depending upon the time eaten),  The other classes (and many northerners) refer to the mid-day meal as “dinner“ and evening meal as “tea”.  In contrast, most European languages have only one term to describe the mid-day meal and one term to describe the evening meal, so no one says - no matter their social class - that they will be having their abendessen (dinner) at midday (which is when, of course, one partakes of the mittagsessen).

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

One of life's great crimes is the replacement of bottles of tommy sauce for those stupid - and very environmentally unfriendly - tiny plastic sachets that so many establishments take great pleasure in charging for

Rant over....

iD  is certainly old enough to remember those plastic, squeezy, tomatoes containing tomato ketchup in various eating establishments, especially in the Wimpy Bar (back when having a Wimpy was the height of gastronomic daring – so early 1960s.).

Apparently, these have been disappearing from the tables of extremely inexpensive eateries for reasons of “hygiene“. The fact that proprietors of said eating places could make a small fortune providing sachets of tomato sauce at a small cost as opposed providing it in a squeezy bottle for free, probably didn’t even cross their minds...

1 hour ago, chrisf said:

Too right, sport, except that I do not eat Weetabix.  It reminds me of building materials and I prefer food.

Chris

If that is your preference, then it rules out 90% of modern British breakfasts (apparently, only a very, very, small percentage of Britain’s population manage to have a full English breakfast, or some semblance of a full English breakfast nowadays), relying instead on toast, marmalade and packaged cereals. Most cereals nowadays are basically sugar, fructose corn syrup and something carbohydratey to carry the sugars.
 

As for muesli, the less said the better. It may have (supposedly) been invented in Switzerland but as far as I am concerned I can think of better things to eat than a high fibre, colonic cleansing, bowel lacerating, bowl of farmyard sweepings (legend has it that, many, many years ago, some Swiss city slickers were having a walking holiday somewhere in the remote wilds of rural Switzerland and asked their B&B host to provide something “more healthy“ than the proposed eggs, ham and croissants. The B&B owner, a crafty farmer, took a handful of the mixed oats and grains destined for his livestock, chucked in some nuts that were hanging around and stirred in some yoghurt and a few berries that were going soft and served it to the city slickers. Thus, muesli was created....)

 

Finally, a happy birthday to Dave Hunt.

[Tony_S]

34 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

that they will be having their abendessen (dinner) at midday (which is when, of course, one partakes of the mittagsessen).

To be honest the meal names are a bit of a giveaway for suggesting at what part of the day they are served!

[BSW01]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

 

And eating shredded wheat reminds Bear of a loofa....

I wouldn't know, I've never eaten a loofa! 

[The Stationmaster]

56 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

 

iD  is certainly old enough to remember those plastic, squeezy, tomatoes containing tomato ketchup in various eating establishments, especially in the Wimpy Bar (back when having a Wimpy was the height of gastronomic daring – so early 1960s.).

 

I used to love those because if you got hacked off with poor, or more likely lack of, service they were very handy for making a very satisfactory mess on the table before one walked out.

[polybear]

18 minutes ago, BSW01 said:

I wouldn't know, I've never eaten a loofa! 

 

Bear just knew that one was coming.....

[tigerburnie]

Woke at 5.45, decided that was a tad too early, went back to bed and the next thing I know its 11 o'clock...................I'm blaming the vaccine..........................................Happy Birthday Tiger Dave.

[leopardml2341]

Afternoon (or is it evening yet) all.

 

Been busy!

 

Think I've caught up and correctly rated, now time for a shower after much DIYing and some minor garden works.

 

Happy birthday Dave.

 

Until later......

[TheSignalEngineer]

4 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

Thirty overs gone and I have resorted to the blanket. 

 

Well, despite feeling like I was sitting on frozen vegetables the cricket was a worthwhile exercise. Playing what is said to be the strongest team in the league both lads did well with the bat. Especially good for Thomas as he is only just turned 9 and was playing for the 11s. He didn't get out in his allotted overs and did a dive for the crease on a quick single that was worthy of the IPL. When he bowled the opposition were in a good position but he only gave away 5 runs from 2 overs. Sammy came back on with three overs to go and the match slipping away but then took 3 wickets in one over including a spectacular one-handed c&b. In the end they sneaked a famous victory.

Getting back was a different matter.

 Cricket club to daughter's house normally takes six minutes but today it was nearly half an hour. It appears that someone magnet fishing in the canal at the end of the road hooked a hand grenade and the police had sealed off the area.

Garden centre was visited and muddling supplies collected. There were plenty of customers around while I was there. One of the local clubs is hoping to put on a small show later in the year venue permitting.

Now for a slice of toasted fruit loaf with spiced blackberry jam and a coffee before the next task.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Returning to the subject of pies, I noticed in some results at a previous British Pie Awards our local butcher on whom Hilary Briss in The League of Gentlemen was based was Highly Commended in the Speciality Meat and Game Pie class.

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

The keel plank is temporarily on.. it took several lifts of the boat to do it..

Hole drilled through hull, after much measuring and remeasuring that was, the drill hit the remains of a brass screw that held on the original keel band,  so it was a couple of mm out coming out below. But it was just the pilot hole, the final size hole corrected it. A temporary keel bolt was dropped through to locate the plank.

 

When I offered up the plank the first time, I found the  boat supports were too far back. I couldn't get the plank in place. So...

Lift the boat up and support frame.

Move the blocks 1ft forward, not easy when some weigh 17.5kg and your on your knees or sitting.

Put small planks on blocks to support boat front and back.

Lower boat and support frame.

Remove strops from round boat and support frame.

Insert strops between boat and frame easier said than done, much levering involved.

Lift boat,

 Slide support frame forward 1ft.

Remove small planks,

 Lower boat.

Remove strops, more levering.

Lift boat front on shoulders to edge it precisely into position.

Lift back of boat, on shoulders, to edge it precisely into position..

 

Let Ben take me for long walk

 

Lie on floor.. no not to straighten back, but to attach the plank temporarily in place.

 

It's now been drawn around, next week I'll drill up through the pre drilled holes in the plank.

Then remove it, and remove the paint inside the drawn oblong..

 

A long bath has been had, I needed that to recover from cold soaking in, dinner will arrive shortly..

 

 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2021 by TheQ

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Started on the stock trays, first a dry run to check everything fits. I then worked out a construction sequence (dividers to base, then add ends and then sides). Then I got the glue out only to find it was a solid lump as air had got in. There wasn't much there anyway so I would have had to buy some more anyway. The cardboard box they came in is to be converted to another stock box as its just the right height and is held closed by two 'ear-flaps'. Now time for a muggatee.

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

It’s not only a North-South divide sort of thing, but also a class thing (at least in the UK) According to social class surveys the As, Bs and C1s usually refer to the midday meal as lunch and the evening meal as dinner (or supper depending upon the time eaten),  The other classes (and many northerners) refer to the mid-day meal as “dinner“ and evening meal as “tea”.  

 

And for those of us who refer to the midday(ish) meal as 'lunch' and the evening meal as 'tea'? I live in the North and fit in the ABC1 definition. Though I suppose that automatically puts me in the awkward * pile. 

 

Afternoon awl,

 

Nothing terribly interesting going on 'oop 'ere. The talk of pies reminds me of a certain well-known establishment in Skipton which had (has?) a good reputation for pork pies. I tried them soon after starting work in the town but the meat was very poor and the gelatine was scalding (sounded very like the Aussie pies earlier) so I was rather unimpressed. Second chance given, well, I confess to poisoning the fishes in the canal.

 

Assorted G-word activity earlier. It's very dry here, so the rear paws did not have to move very vigorously to kick up large clouds of dust. Rain predicted for later, though the TV people didn't sound very confident. More blooms out, including the first of our strawberry plants. 

 

I see I share a lack of musical ability with some ERs. Art, music and sport were my three worst subjects at secondary school (aka the Fun Factory, for obvious reasons). My cats looked like donkeys and my donkeys like giraffes. Though I could tell a 37's horn from a 47's horn, telling D from C was beyond me.  With any of the conventional games, 'utterly hopeless' would have been putting it kindly. Though strangely, when I tried hockey, I was rather good. Surprised everyone, including myself. I still have no idea why. 

 

And now time for tea...

 

[Pacific231G]

Afternoon all

I had the second dose  jab of Oxford AZ today so feeling relieved  Slots had been a bit hard to get (which is a good sign of uptake) so I was expecting massive queues but the local centre was as efficient and friendly as it had been in February so, even though I arrived a bit early I was out in less than ten minutes   I excused myself from my normal  daily walk but, as I 'd parked a fair way from the local town hall knowing I'd have to not drive for 15-20mins, didn't do too badly on the healthy exercise front. Apart from a slightly sore arm I had no side effects last time apart from vague symptoms of very slight man flu. We shall see but today's slightly  sore arm has already worn off.  I'll still be strict of course but now, or rather twelve days from now, I'll be doing it for others rather than me. 

On the way home I was musing about the idiot antivaxxers and remembering horrible images from my childhood of people living out their lives in iron lungs and kids with leg braces because of polio. Though we have better ventilators than that now, smallpox and many other diseases would still be a scourge in this country if it wasn't for vaccines. I think the antivaxers are the sort of people who believe evolution is  a myth even though we can watch it happening right now in real time and that wearing masks to limit the spread of  a deadly virus is for cissies. 

 

Have a good evening. 

Edited April 25, 2021 by Pacific231G

[chrisf]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

 

If that is your preference, then it rules out 90% of modern British breakfasts (apparently, only a very, very, small percentage of Britain’s population manage to have a full English breakfast, or some semblance of a full English breakfast nowadays), relying instead on toast, marmalade and packaged cereals. Most cereals nowadays are basically sugar, fructose corn syrup and something carbohydratey to carry the sugars.
 

As for muesli, the less said the better.

 

The trouble with sweeping comments is that they cannot embrace all possibilities.  For some reason porridge has not yet figured in your tirade against what everyone except you has for breakfast.  At present the foundation of my breakfast is based on oats - one cup each of oats, milk and water, cooked together, served in a bowl and garnished with wheat germ and runny honey.  Most mornings it is supplemented with fruit: this morning it was a banana.  Sometimes it is augmented with the toast and marmalade that you take such pleasure in deriding.  On other occasions I delight in poached or scrambled eggs.  If I foresee abnormal exertion or a long time before the next meal the frying pan is pressed onto service, loaded with middle bacon, an egg, some mushrooms and a slice of bread.  There are even times when I add baked beans, just to annoy you. 

 

When I first saw muesli I mistook it for Swoop.

 

Chris

[PupCam]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

apparently, only a very, very, small percentage of Britain’s population manage to have a full English breakfast

There have been so many things (and lives) this wretched virus has wrecked over the last year and a bit.  

 

One of the more minor irritations  has been the interruption of Sunday morning bimbles along the country lanes on my old AJS.   An essential element of said bimbles was the customary stopping off somewhere with friends for a "Bikers Breakfast" (a thinly disguised Full English)  and an hour or so of talking complete and utter nonsense putting the world to rights.

 

Please make it stop soon, I need more bacon and bimbles! 

 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2021 by PupCam

[PhilJ W]

That reminds me of the bridge at Battlesbridge. Though that isn't quite as long its even narrower. There is an old mill alongside that houses mainly small antique businesses but also a model railway purveyor.

Edited April 25, 2021 by PhilJ W

[Gwiwer]

5 hours ago, polybear said:

Double Turdycurses

Multiple Turdycurses.

 

Emails received more or less simultaneously tonight from Microsoft and Spotify alerting me to someone logging into my account in Colombia.  It wasn't me on the coffee run, honest.  

 

Cue re-set of passwords across everything and all devices.  More stuff to remember.  Another loser hopefully denied access to me.  

[Joseph_Pestell]

1 minute ago, Gwiwer said:

Multiple Turdycurses.

 

Emails received more or less simultaneously tonight from Microsoft and Spotify alerting me to someone logging into my account in Colombia.  It wasn't me on the coffee run, honest.  

 

Cue re-set of passwords across everything and all devices.  More stuff to remember.  Another loser hopefully denied access to me.  

 

Sounds like a scam to me.

[Gwiwer]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

iD  is certainly old enough to remember those plastic, squeezy, tomatoes containing tomato ketchup in various eating establishments

Dreadful things.  And those equally dreadful pale yellow bottles out of which might (on a good day) emerge Salad Cream - never mayonnaise - and which had a moulded design alleged to resemble celery.  The brown sauce ones were just a brown bottle if I remember correctly with a slightly uneven patch near the top intended to prevent ones hand slipping.

 

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

especially in the Wimpy Bar (back when having a Wimpy was the height of gastronomic daring – so early 1960s.).

Very daring.  A sausage with cuts halfway through allowing it to be circled around a burger or an egg was known as a Bender.  The favoured meal when we were treated (treated???) was the Bender Brunch.  

[Gwiwer]

5 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

Sounds like a scam to me.

Emails checked out to be from credible sources although no links were clicked just in case.  In any case there is no harm in occasional changing of all passwords.  

[Joseph_Pestell]

1 minute ago, Gwiwer said:

 In any case there is no harm in occasional changing of all passwords.  

Indeed, recommended. But I can't keep all the new passwords in my memory. So I would have to write them down which rather defeats the purpose.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I've ordered a new remote for the TV set. Luckily brand new replacements are still available. The on/off switch didn't work unless you pressed it on the side and some of the other buttons are a bit 'soggy'. The set is now seven years old so I was quite pleased to find that replacement hand sets are still available.