Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

Have you tried to Googling for such faults with your make and model of TV?  

 

If not, you might find out something of use.  

If you have, apologies for "Teaching grandmother to suck eggs"!   

 

Alan

I'm not sure as to whether it is the TV or the Virgin box. When I switched off this evening I checked both for heat. The TV was not even warm but the box was so I will be contacting Virgin in the morning to check to see if that is normal.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

There’s been no more rain since last night and the sun has made working outside quite enjoyable. The garden is looking a little tidier, but I’ve mainly been dead heading some of the roses etc as well as sweeping up some detritus that’s fallen from the big sycamore tea at the back. 

 

The afternoon was spent in the cellar, measuring up an old workbench top that I made from MDF, to see if I can use it for shelving in the workshop. I also cleaned off my jump leads, I’d wondered where these had got to, I found them in a box with a few other items that can now go in the boot of the car. 

 

I spoke with Vickie this afternoon and she apologised for not being able to drop by today as Ian had had to go into work early, leaving home just after dinner. Charlie was also at work so it would have meant walking round with the kids, so she’s going to call round tomorrow morning. So Sheila has decided to miss Zumba and stay in so she can see Vickie a, as we haven’t seen much of Vickie over the last 16 months. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[Ozexpatriate]

Family visitors for grilled burgers on the patio came and went in what felt like a whirlwind. It was nice to see them of course but all the anticipation, preparation and clean-up seemed to outweigh the visit itself.

 

Hot today (34°C) and perhaps hotter tomorrow (37°C) when we may set a record high for the day. Fires are burning on the other side of the mountains and the TV weather forecasts are starting to include air quality along with the usual statistics. The sky is slightly less blue than it was at this time yesterday, suggesting a little smoke haze.

 

Summer is upon us here. The middle of the week ahead should be nicer with hotter weather next weekend.

 

EDIT:

Taken right after sunset on the longest day, about half an hour after the moment of the solstice.

 

The setting sun disappeared right where the property owner had some Douglas Firs removed from his property. The colours were more intense than the photograph - I had to trick the phone to stop it from overexposure.

The day was cloudless, but the sunset colours are from the growing wildfire smoke haze. An hour later you could smell it too.

 

Still above 25°C 90 minutes or so after sunset. The air conditioning is on.

 

Edited June 21, 2021 by Ozexpatriate
Added photograph

[chrisf]

16 hours ago, PupCam said:

  I fully appreciate that those who do (or did!) have a more active social schedule will have found the restrictions far more difficult to cope with and in many cases such restrictions will have had a profound effect on their mental well-being.

Greetings one and all!

 

PupCam, I think it was the abrupt disappearance of everything in my social schedule that had the effect on my mental well-being.  From being out and about and here and there I found myself with nowhere to go except the supermarket.  The chief difference between this year and last is that in 2020 everything emptied out of my diary at once whereas this year it has mostly been one event at a time.

 

To clarify my position on overseas holidays, I imagine that if either of those which I wish to take is subjected to quarantine restrictions, it will either be cancelled by the travel company, with due regard to Foreign Office advice, or I will opt out of it.  Only Morocco involves flying.  If I had planned it myself instead of choosing a ready-made package I would have travelled to Marrakech by taking the train to a convenient Spanish sea port and a boat to Tangier.  The current state of Eurostar does not help when contemplating rail travel in Europe.  I must have had this in the back of my mind when choosing to get to Switzerland via Harwich and the Hook of Holland.  As I have already said, both trips have at least a 50% chance of not going ahead.     

 

Others have written about dogs and cats and I have told the tale of the family dog 1963-1971.  Long ago I decided that I would not have a pet because living with me would not be fair on the creature concerned.  Before you ask, I would not even have a koala.

 

Note to JohnDMJ: I think you will find that the man in Jethro Tull is Ian ANDERSON.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris   

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.  It's cloudy and hascobviously rained overnight.  I was awake at 07.00, justvas well.  A neighbour across the road is having his house re roofed and 3 men are now up there throwing tiles into a lorry.  They have an assortment of plant to make the job easier, including a telehandler and a small mobile tower crane.  It's interesting  seeing how they manouvre a small skip with the crane without catching the telephone wires. Beth has been rudely awakened by the noisecand we are taking bets on when they are going to catch the wires. These include the fibre optic feed to the village.

 

We had a good lunch out yesterday. Our hostess is not known as champagne Deborah for nothing. 7 of us got through at least 4 bottles of bubbly wine and 2 or 3 of still wine. The meal started about 2pm and finished about 5.30.  A very good time was had.

 

As well as watching the antics of the roofers, grass cutting has been mentioned today.  This will depend on the weather.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

2 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

A neighbour across the road is having his house re roofed and 3 men are now up there throwing tiles into a lorry.  They have an assortment of plant to make the job easier, including a telehandler and a small mobile tower crane.  It's interesting  seeing how they manouvre a small skip with the crane without catching the telephone wires.

...

As well as watching the antics of the roofers, grass cutting has been mentioned today.

Contracting roofers has been a popular activity in my neighbourhood - not taking holidays, people seem to have some extra cash for renovations. While my home is newer, most of the houses are pushing 20 years - the lifetime for typical roofs here.

 

Some have opted for an anti-moss treatment.

 

Roofing here does not require a lot of equipment besides a truck or dumpster/skip to cart away the old roofing material. Most roofs are asphalt tiles over plywood (with a membrane barrier in between) and the process includes the near constant staccato of nail guns. 

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare,

4 hours sleep then some semi dozing. then... SWMBO got up at 03:30 so no chance of any dozing after that..

 

This is being typed from my non lab desk, so the weekend worker did his magic and connected netrickery.

 

The breed standards for dogs were not mostly set up by the Kennel club but by the breed associations .

 

Sadly some got them wrong  for instance the breed standard for the bulldog breeds said a short muzzle, this was correct at the time as the natural breed has a short muzzle compared to other dogs, unfortunately they did not for see the ever increasing competition for the shortest nose...

 

 

 Where as the Jack Russel Terrier today, is not the breed as bred by Parson Jack Russel, the original breed was Twice the height,  14 inches at the Shoulder and that has nothing to do with the Kennel Club that is others breeding them. The Kennel Club recognised breed is the "Parson Jack Russel Terrier" Here's a modern Parson Jack Russel Terrier  to which the modern standard complies.

 

Modern Breed standards have been gone through to reduce further incorrect breeding.

Collie Breeds were lucky in that Queen Victoria had Rough Collies, and therefore there were photographs of them early on. The breed standard therefore has been fairly accurate to what she had and the breed exists the same today except for a bit more hair..

 

The Kennel Club has been very vigorous in promoting safe breeding. For instance X rays for signs of Hip Displasia are taken when they are young, and breeding from dogs with serious signs of HD is highly discouraged. 

 

The hip displasia schemes were set up in the early to mid 1960s.

To give you an Idea of the efforts taken to reduce Dog health problems here's a page from the Smooth Collie Clubs web site.

https://smoothcollieclubgb.org/resources/health/health-conditions/hip-dysplasia/ 

A Smooth Collie is the same as a rough collie (Lassie) but with a very short coat.

 

As is usual what you read in the press is incorrect and is often way behind what is actually happening, The Kennel Club has been encouraging action against bad breeding for nearly 60 years and never actively encouraged bad breeding. Breeding just to the standards that were the best that knowledge knew of at the time.

 

For example of bad press, you'll still find the press (and some politicians jumping up and down about diesel particulates... But cars have had filters for over 10 years..

 

Time I went and did some work.

 

 

Edited June 21, 2021 by TheQ

[jamie92208]

11 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Contracting roofers has been a popular activity in my neighbourhood - not taking holidays, people seem to have some extra cash for renovations. While my home is newer, most of the houses are pushing 20 years - the lifetime for typical roofs here.

 

Some have opted for an anti-moss treatment.

 

Roofing here does not require a lot of equipment besides a truck or dumpster/skip to cart away the old roofing material. Most roofs are asphalt tiles over plywood (with a membrane barrier in between) and the process includes the near constant staccato of nail guns. 

That's interesting.  Here the roofs are all proper tiles.  Either semi round ones placed alternately facing up or down, flatish under tiles with semi round ones on top or the modern combined ones that have a flat section joined to a semi round section.   I'll try and post some pictures.  The old tiles all go to landfill mainly. Under the tiles there are rough boards about 8" wide laid over the rafters.  Us Brits, being awkward insist on having a breathable waterproof membrane or bache, laid over the boards.  There is a lot of weight up there.   

 

Jamie

[TheQ]

A lot of older style tiles in the UK go to reclaim yards, for reuse on buildings that require them.. I must go get few more for my back up stock for the house.

Our house was reroofed around 1980 when it was 76 years old, same tiles just taken off, battens replaced (woodworm) (no boards) a modern waterproof membrane then tiles put on again..

Edited June 21, 2021 by TheQ

[polybear]

7 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I'm not sure as to whether it is the TV or the Virgin box. When I switched off this evening I checked both for heat. The TV was not even warm but the box was so I will be contacting Virgin in the morning to check to see if that is normal.

 

Bear would be aiming at a call saying "I think my Virgin Box is playing up" rather than asking about heat etc.  An engineer visit from them is (I assume) free, but a new TV will cost you tokens...

 

40 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

......and the process includes the near constant staccato of nail guns. 

 

One of the roofers that worked on Bear's Conservatory eight years ago (and who may well reappear tomorrow) managed to put a nail thru' his finger with a gun at one of the other jobs he worked on.  The lads said he carried on working for several hours before disappearing off to hospital - he was admitted and it was a day or so before they removed the nail as they needed to be sure of the best way to do it.

 

In other news:

Lovers of fine cuisine (cake, pizza....) look away now....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57544235

 

Bear plans to start by getting the L-shaped section of cornice fitted, then convert it to the finished U-shaped section by adding the 3rd piece.  Special words are on standby, just in case.....

Then it'll be pondering how to create more of a "built in" look to the free-standing fridge freezer; on the right is a wall, and on the left is a tall decorative panel (viewed edge-on).  What I'm planning will effectively be a "door frame" appearance around the F/F so it hopefully looks better.  Cutting of wood on the saw table will be required, but judging by the weather forecast (= p.down all day) that looks decidedly unlikely.....

Edited June 21, 2021 by polybear

[Andrew P]

Well we are still being we'd upon, but its not cold, so no need for the heating.

 

Walk will obviously be cancelled as I'm a fair weather walker and so an early shave, shower and breakfast is the order of the day.

 

Shopping is due at 09-30, so;

 

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

[polybear]

8 minutes ago, TheQ said:

A lot of older style tiles in the UK go to reclaim yards, for reuse on buildings that require them.. I must go get few more for my back up stock for the house.

Our house was reroofed around 1980 when it was 76 years old, same tiles just taken off, battens replaced (woodworm) (no boards) a modern waterproof membrane then tiles put on again..

 

That's basically what Bear is to have done - hopefully this week, weather permitting.  Luckily Bear rescued a stack of tiles from buddy next door when he had some velux windows installed - which has pleased Tom the roofer cos' whilst replacement new tiles are available it seems some bozo decided they would now be metric rather than imperial, so have to be juggled a bit when mixing and matching.  Also they have already been weathered so will match the existing roof rather than stick out like a sore thumb as a new tile would.  Of course hopefully there won't be any breakages.....

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Arthur Itis was doing his thing this morning but has now gone quiet without the need for Nurofen. TV is behaving itself this morning and if the box heats up again I will contact Virgin, even if it doesn't I'll ask them to check it out. They re-roofed the houses on the estate that still belonged to the housing association or the council about ten years ago. They replaced all of the tiles as the style fitted was no longer made. I took advantage and managed to recover about forty undamaged ones (they were thrown from roof height into a skip and many were damaged). Waiting for the rain to arrive, will have to venture out for bread and milk but otherwise its a good day to stay indoors.

[PhilJ W]

9 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

That's basically what Bear is to have done - hopefully this week, weather permitting.  Luckily Bear rescued a stack of tiles from buddy next door when he had some velux windows installed - which has pleased Tom the roofer cos' whilst replacement new tiles are available it seems some bozo decided they would now be metric rather than imperial, so have to be juggled a bit when mixing and matching.  Also they have already been weathered so will match the existing roof rather than stick out like a sore thumb as a new tile would.  Of course hopefully there won't be any breakages.....

I was posting above when you posted that. The estate is just over sixty years old and the tiles used are no longer available so any spares are useful.

[AndrewC]

 

Greetings all from the boring borough. A total waste of a weekend. My get up and go, got up and left. My sum total accomplishment was to move a bit of stuff around in the shed. 

Camping weekend booked for early July. Looking forward with some trepidation. Thanks to my knee and shoulder previously, it's been 10 years since we last pitched the tent. Prior to that we would go several times a year. We shall see. This week will be taking all the gear down from the loft, cleaning, and prepping. 

 

Not a lot else to say. Coffee is calling. Enjoy the day. 

[jonny777]

10 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I was watching Antiques Roadshow when I decided to switch the light off. I switched the TV off instead  needless to say it went into scan mode when I switched it back on. Had to leave it for ten to fifteen minutes before it went back to normal and I'll have to check that nothing is overheating next time I switch on.

 

I have a similar problem when SWMBO switches on her reading lamp - the tv goes blank. However, after about 10 seconds the picture comes back and the box doesn't re-set. I have put this down to some form of sensitivity to power surges. I'm afraid I gave up with phoning the company many years ago because I can't understand what the call centre staff are saying. Their fast talking sub-continent accent is far too complex for my ears. If I ask them to repeat their last sentence, they treat me as if I am some awkward 7-year old. 

[Barry O]

Woken by my phone letting me know I had a message and an email from Hive. "Thermostat 3 battery low".. now where is Thermostat 3?? A search and replace task has now been added to my list. Nicecto catch up with Roundhouse and his good lady last night. Northern Monk beer was nice!

 

I tried to catch a bus home. The council have rearranged to roads in the city centre.. bus stops have been removed.. "please use public transport" ..well I did try. Herself came and collected me so a late night was has . Bit of a sleep in this morning to counter my late night.

 

Mugatea time then.. the search for thermostat 3 will commence.

 

Stay safe!

Baz

[jonny777]

Cloudy, cold and breezy here in North Somerset; but dry. 

 

I am wondering how close we might get to a "1972" today. That was the year when over parts of the UK the daytime maximum on June 21st was lower than the maximum on the previous December 21st. A very rare occurrence here, but then 1972 was one of the worst summers of the 20th century. 

 

It is too cold to be outside, so more slide scanning is likely. 

[Erichill16]

Morning All,

Just having coffee and then the work starts, what will it be today?

Good luck to everyone with their endeavours.

Back later,

Robert

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, I have sole control of my life today.

 

A miserable 15c and overcast, really not an inspiring day.  At least it is dry.

 

Not sure yet what to do, but that bike engine is looking at me with a glint in its evil eye.  I'll beat it yet....

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It is overcast and I suspect about to rain. 
Aditi is hoping to plant a rose by the front door before the forecast heavier rain starts. I tidied the area where the rose will go yesterday and did offer to dig the hole but apparently Aditi is keen to do it. 
Tony

[Andrew P]

12 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Morning all.

It is overcast and I suspect about to rain. 
Aditi is hoping to plant a rose by the front door before the forecast heavier rain starts. I tidied the area where the rose will go yesterday and did offer to dig the hole but apparently Aditi is keen to do it. 
Tony

If your anything like me Tony, You would probably dig it WRONG.