Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Thoughts are with WB and Ref44. The heavy overnight rain bought Arthur Itis out to play but a couple of Nurofen are putting him back in to his box. It didn't keep me awake last night but as I went to bed rather later than usual I can do with another hour or so in bed.

[iL Dottore]

I’m currently sitting in the (empty) doctor’s waiting room, post colonoscopy, waiting for my ride (I’m not allowed to drive or sign documents for 24 hours).

 

The colonoscopy was painless with no discomfort (thanks in part to a propofol infusion). The results were as expected - two tiny, non-malignant, polyps; otherwise no hyperplasia, no pre-malignant or malignant polyps, no changes in bowel wall structure, no erosions, no signs of malignancy - a perfectly healthy colon and bowel in other words! They will send the two polyps off to the lab for cytological and histological examination, but that is just a routine procedure and nothing is expected out of it.

 

The worst part was the bowel prep. I put myself on a low residue diet (from Sunday) and yesterday only had soup at lunch, then NPO except for a three part gut prep powder [PLENVU] dissolved in 2L water (from what I understand the dissolved powder prevents water absorption from the gut and increases peristalsis and gut motility - our tame punk pharmacist could probably explain better than me).

 

i’ll spare you the details (fascinating to me, but probably disgusting to others) of the bowel prep, suffice to say unpleasant as it is, it’s quite fascinating to experience (in safety) alterations and changes to gut function normally associated with often serious diseases.

Now off to have a much needed early brunch (which will include a pot of yoghurt to help build up the gut flora again) followed by a snooze. Work will not be rearing its ugly head today!

Edited October 20, 2021 by iL Dottore

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, Barry O said:

Ey up!

I don't mind paying for good food but the coffee was like warm and the ciabatta used was very chewy. The contents of the sandwiches were not hot.. and her indoors has spent some time in the loo overnight....

 

 

Baz

Blimey, Baz. Harrod’s were definitely “extracting the urine” this time around. At that price range I expect the food to be flawless (hot food that is hot, cold food that is cold and not the other way round).

 

The fact that “her indoors“ seems to have suffered some ill after effects of the meal, is certainly a good reason for writing (as the Bear puts it) a snottogram to Harrods. I don’t think they will be happy to learn that one of their customers had GI problems after eating in one of their restaurants.

 

Loadsamoney is by no means any indication of taste and discernment (look at David Beckham for example). Especially amongst the nouveau riche

ID

 

p.s. I hope SWMBO is better now…

[The Lurker]

8 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

It all ends up the same way? You could also say that about sporting events: a ball gets kicked/hit/thrown around, people run around and at the end one side wins, one side looses…

except for cricket of course, when you can have a draw or a tie. And in some leagues, winning draws and losing draws.

[simontaylor484]

6 hours ago, Barry O said:

Another busy day ahead of us. Trips to a museum and an art gallery.. should keep my footsteps per day count up as well as topping up my culture awareness.

 

Baz

Depends where your going and what sort of art you like. I dont like the Hepworth myself but i loved the impressionist gallery in part of the Scottish National Galleries in Edinburgh we visited when we were there last. The Three Graces Statue that was saved for the Nation was on display now that is a sculpture. But the beauty of art is that it is different things to different people.

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from LBG where the early rain has gone but the clouds are starting to build up again menacingly, slowly covering the blue up again.

 

Condolences to Winslow Boy. 

 

I see that there has been a lot of discussion re food. I have heard it said that people are of two types, those that eat to live and those that live to eat. I would put myself in the latter bracket.

 

I have never been to Heston's "Dinner" but I have been to the Fat Duck and thoroughly enjoyed the theatre of it all as well as the superb food. Yes it was expensive but it was not an every day occasion. I think you had to buy into the conceit of it all to enjoy some of the cleverness - the amuse bouche with two squares of jelly; the orange one was beetroot flavoured, the purple one orange flavoured - the invitation was to guess the flavour and learn how much your taste is influenced by what you see. The snail porridge was preceded by a small packet of cereal like parsnip crisps served with parsnip milk, and I think that was succeeded by  the egg and bacon ice cream, and so on; the early part of the meal played on a breakfast theme.

 

Work here is not very exciting but that is the joy of year end.

 

Have a good day all!

[TheSignalEngineer]

9 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

MTB = Motor Torpedo Boat??

The nearest you will get to that up here is one belonging to the a member of a model boat club who sails it on the Peak Forest Canal. He doesn't seem to bring it out when the member with the operational model U-Boat is around. 

[polybear]

53 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

Depends where your going and what sort of art you like. I dont like the Hepworth myself but i loved the impressionist gallery in part of the Scottish National Galleries in Edinburgh we visited when we were there last. The Three Graces Statue that was saved for the Nation was on display now that is a sculpture. But the beauty of art is that it is different things to different people.

 

A personal favourite of this Bear, courtesy of Banksy; it sold a couple of years ago for 9.9 million smackers:

 

 

In other news:

 

The BHF collected the wall unit around 9-30am, which was rather useful as it got the task done nice n' early.  I then managed to successfully re-hang the door on the HiFi cabinet in the Conservatory so that the hinges are now on the left instead of right - luckily the Forstner bit arrive from S. America very quickly so I wasn't delayed at all 

Now all I have to do is transfer all the telly stuff from the lounge to the Conservatory - and make it all work again.  I may be some time.....

[Gwiwer]

5 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Thoughts are with WB and Ref44

Absolutely so.  A previous post conveying the same sentiments appears to be lost in cyberspace.  

 

The site has been served erratically at this end of late.  Often a full-screen advert instead of the expected page and one which refuses to go away until interacted with as there seems to be no "Magic x" to remove it.  And at times an inability to quote, copy or even post.  Are we finally too big for our boots???  

 

Today has been by turns wet, windy, very wet indeed, just plain wet, sunny and rather warm and is now very wet indeed again.  The job has been affected by severe weather which has included a short closure of Crewkerne Tunnel following reports of excessive water ingress.  Walking through a tunnel with water pouring in from portals and, apparently, "cascading" through the brickwork from above is not my idea of a fun day out but someone had to do it.  All was reported to be safe enough to resume service though at reduced speed for now.  

 

It being hump day we are now on the downhill slide to next weekend.  Not wanting to dismiss life in such an offhand way but I shall be glad to see Friday this week.  And so long as nothing else intervenes and the tests remain negative we are off to places farther west in a week from now so fingers and things crossed that we can actually go.  

[tetsudofan]

At 12 noon today received an invitation to receive my Covid-19 booster vaccination. Followed the link provided and within a few minutes I had a booking at the local vaccination clinic (a twenty minute walk from home) for the booster dose at 8:30am next Tuesday. Was amazed at how quickly everything was arranged.

 

Could have got a booking for the booster jab this coming Saturday but decided not to as have already booked a flu jab at my local GP surgery (less than 10 minute walk from home) that morning followed by an appointment at the Opticians for a bi-annual eye check on Monday.

 

Certainly keeping the NHS busy this coming weekend/start of next week!

 

Keith

[Tony_S]

19 minutes ago, tetsudofan said:

At 12 noon today received an invitation to receive my Covid-19 booster vaccination. Followed the link provided a

I received a link via text from our GP surgery a few days ago. The vaccination site is about 5 minutes away but I can’t go. I have a hospital procedure soon and need to have a 2 week gap after a Covid vaccine. I asked at the surgery what happens, will I still get invitations if I ignore the time limited reminders. The receptionist told me not to worry, just ring 119 and ask for an appointment at the local clinic when I am able to go.

I had my flu vaccine at the weekend and although I don’t recall ever having any reaction from previous years but I feel a bit “meh” but nothing at all like flu which I haven’t had since having flu vaccines!
Tony

[simontaylor484]

The subway under the level crossing on Albion street was interesting when it was raining. Water used to gush in in spouts from the walls on both sides 

[Ian Abel]

HUMP day so downhill supposedly from here to the weekend!

 

Yesterday, quiet, uneventful, working away...

 

Today, in fact very soon (30 minutes according to the call the Mrs just received) her/our new fire table for the patio will be delivered and setup  

Later this afternoon we are attending the official memorial gathering for the young lady, Michelle, that the Mrs tutored/cared for, who we lost a few weeks back.

Should be a celebration, but will also bring a lot of tears I'm sure.

 

10 and sunny first thing, signs of a light early morning shower. 14 the expected high with 95% chance of rain later in the day.

 

Onward -> 

Edited October 20, 2021 by Ian Abel

[Andrew P]

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

I’m currently sitting in the (empty) doctor’s waiting room, post colonoscopy, waiting for my ride (I’m not allowed to drive or sign documents for 24 hours).

 

The colonoscopy was painless with no discomfort (thanks in part to a propofol infusion). The results were as expected - two tiny, non-malignant, polyps; otherwise no hyperplasia, no pre-malignant or malignant polyps, no changes in bowel wall structure, no erosions, no signs of malignancy - a perfectly healthy colon and bowel in other words! They will send the two polyps off to the lab for cytological and histological examination, but that is just a routine procedure and nothing is expected out of it.

 

The worst part was the bowel prep. I put myself on a low residue diet (from Sunday) and yesterday only had soup at lunch, then NPO except for a three part gut prep powder [PLENVU] dissolved in 2L water (from what I understand the dissolved powder prevents water absorption from the gut and increases peristalsis and gut motility - our tame punk pharmacist could probably explain better than me).

 

i’ll spare you the details (fascinating to me, but probably disgusting to others) of the bowel prep, suffice to say unpleasant as it is, it’s quite fascinating to experience (in safety) alterations and changes to gut function normally associated with often serious diseases.

Now off to have a much needed early brunch (which will include a pot of yoghurt to help build up the gut flora again) followed by a snooze. Work will not be rearing its ugly head today!

Sorry to read about that, all the best, and rest.

[pH]

Here we are, in Canada’s only genuine desert - and it’s raining!

[tigerburnie]

Evening(well it's almost dark up here), yesterday was eye test, just shy of £300 for two pairs of glasses, I didn't know Dick Turpin was now selling glasses. Been for a drive over the hills into Aberdeenshire for a picnic as the sun was out and we have frost and snow predicted for the end of the week, so it might just be the end of the picnic season(well sat outside the car anyway).

[pH]

29 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

Evening(well it's almost dark up here), yesterday was eye test … Been for a drive over the hills into Aberdeenshire …

Not Barnard Castle?

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Thats a lot for two pairs of glasses @tigerburnie, I only pay £99 tops a pair for mine and I assume like me you are old enough to qualify for free lens. I have never had any problems with the cheaper frames. My distance glasses (two pairs) are labelled Dunlop, the oldest are about eight years old as my distance vision has remained the same for all that time. My reading glasses both pairs are only just over a year old but have no problems. 

[Barry O]

Verification are never cheap!

 

Various paintings admired, various ancient artifacts views.. and 5 miles later I need a sit down fora while..

 

Baz

[J. S. Bach]

14 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

It all ends up the same way? You could also say that about sporting events: a ball gets kicked/hit/thrown around, people run around and at the end one side wins, one side looses…

Sporting events can turn into various endings but food always turns into

[jamie92208]

58 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Thats a lot for two pairs of glasses @tigerburnie, I only pay £99 tops a pair for mine and I assume like me you are old enough to qualify for free lens. I have never had any problems with the cheaper frames. My distance glasses (two pairs) are labelled Dunlop, the oldest are about eight years old as my distance vision has remained the same for all that time. My reading glasses both pairs are only just over a year old but have no problems. 

They are a lot more expensive here.

 

Jamie

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, pH said:

Canada’s only genuine desert

Osoyoos?

 

Glad to hear you were able to get away - even with the guitar.

 

EDIT:

Reminds me of the day I drove through Death Valley in California. It rained (heavily for a little while). And it was chilly.

 

Edited October 20, 2021 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

My anticipated outing with my son to see an exhibit at a local museum is cancelled. They sent an email that apparently a water main burst resulting in the water being turned off and the museum closed - due to an inability to provide 'essential services'.

 

A bit disappointing. I now have the luxury/opportunity/chore of choosing what to do with my day. There are errands to run that I would have done tomorrow, but I need to shake off the disappointment first.

[Ozexpatriate]

Apparently researchers at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland have definitively decided that Vikings were present there very close to 1021 - exactly 1,000 years ago.

 

Vikings were in the Americas exactly a thousand years ago

 

More of pinning the time down than anything new.

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

They are a lot more expensive here.

 

Jamie

They can be here too if you want very light frames and lenses.