Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. The foxes are back, well one of the vixens is. She is quite distinctive with black lower legs and the tip of her brush. She is also very thin though as much as I like seeing foxes I don't want to encourage them by feeding them. Now to put the kettle on, be back later. 

[Tony_S]

4 hours ago, PupCam said:

wonder if I could get it past the Planning & Finance Committee?

My proposal for some garden trains failed before that, at what would I suppose have been an environmental impact assessment.

[Gwiwer]

One less Stone rolling.  Another piece of my rebellious youth has passed.  We never exactly met but we did get as close as stage-to-balcony at Earls Court in 1976 when you could get in to see them for as little as £2   An under-stated and fame-shy musician if ever there was one.  

 

Dr. SWMBO has had what she describes as a "teary and anxious" day.  Until 4pm when she received an unexpected message from a distant friend who happens to be in London currently and wondered if she was free to meet.  I drove her to Kew where she met said friend (while I returned home), wandering around the Gardens and then for an ad hoc outdoor meal in Richmond before making her way home by train.  She arrived not a half-hour ago looking and sounding somewhat better for the experience though still describing the evening as "OK rahter than good".  Baby steps, eh.  

 

In other news Neighbours (Upstairs) must be preparing to move out as there has been a procession of viewings.  We won't know until they arrive who our new neighbours are but they don't appear to be students.  We think that as Covid forced the closure of the halls of residence last year and teaching was largely online that there are no students coming out of halls this year looking for shared flats.  Whether that's good or bad might depend on who we get.  A good neighbour who stays around for a few years may indeed be a bonus but we remember the lot we had up there when we arrived - single mother and two teen sons who played death-metal "music" (I use the term very loosely) at a disturbing volume.  They left soon afterwards and we still think they were asked to do so due to the nuisance they caused to all the surrounding flats.  

 

It's time to place a tired Gwiwer into a well-earned bed.  The House of Fun and the gardens of the Hill of Strawberries have both benefitted from several hours of my time today.  

 

Stay well.  Sleep soundly.  

[simontaylor484]

35 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Evening all from Estuary-Land. The foxes are back, well one of the vixens is. She is quite distinctive with black lower legs and the tip of her brush. She is also very thin though as much as I like seeing foxes I don't want to encourage them by feeding them. Now to put the kettle on, be back later. 

We haven't seen our fox for about 3 weeks.

The owls are active as are the bats

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, brianusa said:

How does one get a vegetarian carvery?

 

You never had to deal with my mother's sprouts.

[leopardml2341]

An enjoyable  evening had chatting to neighbours who are shortly off to pastures new.

 

Need to be on top form for another round of boredom at work tomorrow; goodnight folks. 

[Tony_S]

2 hours ago, brianusa said:

How does one get a vegetarian carvery?

    Brian

A few years before I realised that Twitter wasn’t a site to be silly on, someone asked “what is vegetarian ice cream made from?” I replied “vegetarians?” Not funny apparently. 

[monkeysarefun]

5 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Afternoon all 

Decking part repainted and it is grey 

2 buxus pyramids planted in tubs some extreme weeding done.

 

Lorry driver shortage there has been a shortage of drivers in some areas especially the South East for years. Even when i was on the Bison job around the turn of the millennium they were talking of bussing drivers in from South Wales.

 

There were also scare stories of driver shortage when the European working time directive came in running alongside existing European and domestic drivers hours regulations. 

Sole trader drivers ie the one man band drivers have been hit recently by tax changes from Hmrc which caused many to quit. We have also had nearly 2 years of no driving tests.

 

The company i worked for had its own driver training division and they did take plenty of drivers on as class 2 when they were more experienced and willing they could go for class 1 the firm would pay for it but if they left before 3 years they would have to pay it back.

 

 

Here competition between the booming east coast construction industry and the Western Australian mining sector along with the elimination of overseas working visas which allowed foreign workers to work in Australia has fuelled huge demand  for truck drivers and associated support staff (diesel mechs etc) and huge pay offersby the miners in an  attempt to lure them away from the east coast jobs.

 

As a result, wages working 'in the mines" out west have spiralled up to the point where diesel fitters  and mechanics earn more than a  senior geologist working at the same site  ( 93000 GBP compared to 89000 for the guy who did 4 years at university).

 

Specialist machine operators and mechanical trades ( excavators, graders etc ) would be on a similar amount, even an entry level dump truck driver would make at least 83k GBP and anyone in a workshop supervisory role would be on over 105k GBP.

 

Downside is its fly in fly out shift work, 14 days on 7 days off to earn the greatest amount, and its a bit hot and there's flies.  Lots of flies.

Edited August 24, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[simontaylor484]

19 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

Here competition between the booming east coast construction industry and the Western Australian mining sector along with the elimination of overseas working visas which allowed foreign workers to work in Australia has fuelled huge demand  for truck drivers and associated support staff (diesel mechs etc) and huge pay offersby the miners in an  attempt to lure them away from the east coast jobs.

 

As a result, wages working 'in the mines" out west have spiralled up to the point where diesel fitters  and mechanics earn more than a  senior geologist working at the same site  ( 93000 GBP compared to 89000 for the guy who did 4 years at university).

 

Specialist machine operators and mechanical trades ( excavators, graders etc ) would be on a similar amount, even an entry level dump truck driver would make at least 83k GBP and anyone in a workshop supervisory role would be on over 105k GBP.

 

Downside is its fly in fly out shift work, 14 days on 7 days off to earn the greatest amount, and its a bit hot and there's flies.  Lots of flies.

Not to mention the rest of the lethal wildlife

[monkeysarefun]

12 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

Not to mention the rest of the lethal wildlife

 

 

Actually, most Aussies don't give much  thought to the lethal stuff other than dont walk in the long grass or swim after sunset     but.. those bloody flies!

 

Oh and magpies in spring.  They are complete d!ckheads.

 

(rude  word alert  cos its by an   Australian) )

 

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[pH]

33 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Downside is its fly in fly out shift work, 14 days on 7 days off to earn the greatest amount, and its a bit hot and there's flies.  Lots of flies.

 

There's a downside to most jobs! One of our sons is a consulting mining engineer. Earlier this month, he flew from here (Vancouver) to Chibougamau, which is in the middle of nowhere in the province of Quebec then, the next day, took a six hour drive to a mining camp on the end of nowhere. With delays in the flight, a power cut in Chibougamau resulting in no restaurants being open plus various other irritants, he wasn't too happy. But, as he says he's reminded when he complains at home - he gets paid the big bucks to cope with things like that! 

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Today has been quite good day. I’m feeling a lot better than I have for the last week or so, I’m still not back to full match fitness, but I’m feeling a lot better than I have done for quite some time. I shan’t go into the full details, but today things have started to improve and I actually felt like doing something, whereas yesterday I did absolutely bu99er all. So today I decided to do some work on the cupboard, which now, apart from having a coat of sealer applied, which will make the stencil paint weatherproof, it is now finished. 

 

Here’s a photo taken this afternoon, with the doors fitted temporarily, considering it was destined to get taken to the tip, it doesn’t look too bad now and Sheila is absolutely delighted with it. 

 

After tea I completed the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix, a task I postponed from yesterday, as I didn’t feel up to it. 60% wearing masks, mainly the young who weren’t, but then again they think they’re indestructible don’t they?

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[Erichill16]

7 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Let me explain the difference, Poly:

 

Sid:

 

Siddy:

 

 

And Sydney or Syddy with a ‘Y’.

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

A few years before I realised that Twitter wasn’t a site to be silly on, someone asked “what is vegetarian ice cream made from?” I replied “vegetarians?” Not funny apparently. 

Before I retired we were discussing vegan food. Someone asked what vegan food tastes like so I said I don't know. I've never tasted a vegan. 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

Downside is its fly in fly out shift work, 14 days on 7 days off to earn the greatest amount, and its a bit hot and there's flies.  Lots of flies.

41 minutes ago, pH said:

One of our sons is a consulting mining engineer. Earlier this month, he flew from here (Vancouver) to Chibougamau, which is in the middle of nowhere in the province of Quebec then, the next day, took a six hour drive to a mining camp on the end of nowhere. With delays in the flight, a power cut in Chibougamau resulting in no restaurants being open plus various other irritants, he wasn't too happy.

A University mate works (certainly worked) at a very large mine in Indonesia (in the Papua province). Very difficult to get to the base camp at half-way up the mountain, after flying in to the airport in the lowlands - either by land convoy (the local insurgents shoot at you) or by helicopter (the local insurgents shoot at you). 

 

The top of the mine is at 4,270m.

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by Ozexpatriate

[southern42]

Toot on the flute is going crazy! This afternoon, I took the plunge and spent a few $$$$/£££ on the music for Pi's Lullaby. For my purposes, it merely gives the bare bones - some notes and rhythms are different to the recording and there is a lack of printed ornamentation.

Anyway, to get back to the point, I mentioned crazy. I not only need to align the tune to the recording but I am also transposing it to better suit the fife (my playing of it, at least), in this case, from A flat to nice 'n' easy C major.   The end of the lullaby is in my memory bank already but I need to get the rest of it in there as well. A mixture of 4/4 and 3/4 timing before moving into 7/4 needs to be addressed too which is where the sheet music is also helping.

I have never been any good at distinguishing notes/learning/playing by ear, so parts of this is quite challenging but I shall not be defeated. I am currently listening at 0.75 playback speed getting it into my system. I managed, on the whole, with the moon tune. with no sheet music being available, which is encouraging although Pi's Lullaby is a step further into another musical culture.

The words are in Tamil and since I play with the words in my head, I am also learning these as well. Nothing unusual since I have sung songs in original languages at and since school, including Old English, French, German, Latin and Welsh.  I can now add Zulu to the list with my current, almost off by heart, attempt at the lullaby Thula Baba. I find being able to sing it in my head speeds up progress on the fife and also helps to bring out the expression and emotion embedded in the words and music.

Tomorrow will tell...but...for now it is...

 

' night all and nos da.

 

 

 

 

[Erichill16]

Evening  All,

Hope All is well in ER land as I’ve been out for most of the day.

mil decided she wanted to go to Skipton so North Yorkshire it was and that could mean only one thing, fish and chips at Buzzy Lizzie’s. Not complaining as I was allowed a visit to a certain emporium to purchase some small lengths of brass and a can of spray paint. Not very exciting purchases but importantly  it may mean the return of mojo and hopefully I may get to use my new purchases tomorrow.

Mojo is a very fickle creature and comes and goes to his hearts content . I encourage him be teasing him with a quick and simple project, not something that’s been stuck in a bottom drawer for years. Mojos sister, Patience, is also a creature that needs looking after and doesn’t like being taxed too much too soon.

With all that bxllxcks, I wish you a Goodnight.

Grasshopper.

 

[Barry O]

8 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

... how likely is face to face teaching ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2021/08/24/more-sustained-increase/

For Doctor Eldest Herbert.. very likely as the students are taking the University to court.

 

Baz

 

Ps and remember he has a short term contract not a full time job..unlike some...

Edited August 25, 2021 by Barry O

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[pH]

2 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

The top of the mine is at 4,270m.

Our son has been down to 3600 metres below ground level. 

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

My hormone injection yesterday, the cornerstone of my cancer treatment, was administered at a different surgery because no appointments were available at the one where I am registered.  “My” practice is one of several in a collective called the De Parys Group.  It was a pleasant surprise to be offered my next appointment 12 weeks hence.  There must have been a change in procedure, for it used to be the case that appointments could be booked no more than two weeks in advance.  This is a very welcome change, for when you have a forgettery like mine it is all too easy to overlook the need to book an appointment.  You do not need to ask how I know!

 

We live and learn.  Many thanks to Monkeysarefun for posting the interesting article from the Grauniad.  I had absolutely no idea that Australian TV had got there first in terms of so many events described as landmarks.  For the avoidance of doubt, I do not regard “Neighbours” or “Home and Away” as landmarks!

 

Tonight the Bletchley chapter of the Hysterical Model Railway Society has a Zoom meeting, with the distinct possibility that future conclaves will be in a church hall and face to face with other people!  It is so long since we had one of those that it will seem most unfamiliar but very welcome.  A drink of tea at the interval is almost forgotten and clearly quite impossible with Zoom unless one is self-catering.  Permit me to let you into a little secret.  Bletchley HMRS meetings are now the only time that I eat biscuits.  I gave them up when I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris