Early Risers.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, it's still not stupid o'clock .

About 1.5 hours spent climbing the ladder, take boxes into the loft and arranging them. Biggest problem, getting the ladder in place. Thoughts are now on getting something safe, it's not getting any easier getting up there, easy to use and not too expensive.

 

Two hours spent mowing, about half of that on the main grass and about half of into the jungle the Alexander was already up to two feet deep.

During this there were shouts of come by  and Away, as the shepherd manoeuvred the sheep into pens with two of Ben's relatives..  

 

On Ben's long walk he was able to watch them at work...and after they passed us riding on the back of s quad bike.

The sheep have been dosed with something from a backpack..

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

55 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

back to Westminster then walk up Whitehall to see if Boris is having a party.

[Gwiwer]

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

As long as it isn't next to the gas tap.

 

Jamie

Not unless the gas tap has migrated to the bathroom ceiling

 

Meanwhile here’s a few views from this afternoon’s walk from Richmond back to base along the Thames in beautiful weather. I even got a fly-past from the local goose squadron! 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2022 by Gwiwer

[AndrewC]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Decline their kind request and keep the gronkits in your own account, with the proviso that you may have to clear a backlog at some point in the future.  In my experience they're very keen on you being in credit by as much as possible.  Er, no thanks - I'd much rather have the money in my account for as long as possible....

 

Depends on the supplier. My credit is earning 10 times the interest with OVO than it would sitting in the bank. 

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

The closure of part of the Northern line came to my attention last night via a you tube video by Geoff Marshall. We had intended to use the Northern line from King's Cross to Bank to get on the DLR.

I am assuming the rest of Bank is open as usual then we can use the Piccadilly line to Holborn then Central line to Bank. Otherwise we use the Central line to Stratford then on to the DLR then the Jubilee line from Canary Wharf back to Westminster then walk up Whitehall to see if Boris is having a party.

The rest of the station functions normally but please check operating hours if you plan on using the Waterloo & City Line aka The Drain.  It's been erratic since it re-started after a year's suspension and is usually Monday - Friday peaks only for now.  The Northern Line is closing to allow a new southbound tunnel to be brought into use with a new wider platform; the old southbound platform will be incorporated into the northbound one also making that much wider.  

 

3 hours ago, chrisf said:

Mince pie flavour chocolate digestives?!  Gosh.

I'm a fan of the Sticky Toffee Pudding Hobnobs.  The LDC ones aren't bad but they lack drizzle and cake.  

 

[Ian Abel]

POETS - will try for that

 

Good Zoom yesterday for a large portion of "my" morning - nice to catch up and learn new trivia

Jemma dropped Whitney off as she's out on a 5-day trip early Friday morning.

 

Today, not much other than work and a requirement to taxi the Mrs to her coif appointment since it's snowing some.

 

Weekend has nothing planned other than dinner with Trevor and Meagan. Also, some pre-packing and also planning activities for our two-week vacation in Phoenix starting next Wednesday - Yay!

 

-10 and snowing first thing, supposed to hit a high of -3 with snow most of the day, but only about 4-6 inches expected.

 

Enjoy the start of the weekend - carry on

[New Haven Neil]

Lurked earlier but forgot to actually post.  Age.

 

A dry 7c day got the old farts bike club out on bikes, and we ended up doing 55 miles between coffee stops.  A chance meeting at one with the local vintage MC club leading light produced a private walk around his 'museum' aka his garages.  These do get opened to the public in times of TT etc, but obviously have been closed for some time.  Here goes, listen to the howls of jealousy from Puppers and our Bear.  Anyone fancy a Triumph?  He's got a few.

 

[New Haven Neil]

Or Beezers....

 

[iL Dottore]

4 hours ago, polybear said:

 

 

....McVities Mince Pie Flavour Choccy Digestives (Normally a quid, 50p on the shelf, charged at 25p  

34 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

....I'm a fan of the Sticky Toffee Pudding Hobnobs.  The LDC ones aren't bad but they lack drizzle and cake.  

 

And say hello to that nice Mr Diabetes...

 

Actually, the selection from McVities is rather lacking in ambition - if you really want to get into rather unusual sweetmeats, you can do no better than to go for a Japanese Kit Kat (https://omgjapan.com/collections/kitkat) although I suspect that sake, red bean, volcanic and wasabi flavoured Kit Kats may be an acquired taste....

Edited January 14, 2022 by iL Dottore

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

The closure of part of the Northern line came to my attention last night via a you tube video by Geoff Marshall. We had intended to use the Northern line from King's Cross to Bank to get on the DLR.

I am assuming the rest of Bank is open as usual then we can use the Piccadilly line to Holborn then Central line to Bank. Otherwise we use the Central line to Stratford then on to the DLR then the Jubilee line from Canary Wharf back to Westminster then walk up Whitehall to see if Boris is having a party.

Of course, that's assuming someone from XR hasn't superglued themselves to the top of your Northern, Central or Piccadilly Line tube train - which apparently now is completely legal to do (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/14/extinction-rebellion-activists-cleared-london-rush-hour-2019)

[AndrewC]

4 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Of course, that's assuming someone from XR hasn't superglued themselves to the top of your Northern, Central or Piccadilly Line tube train - which apparently now is completely legal to do (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/14/extinction-rebellion-activists-cleared-london-rush-hour-2019)

It is down to what they were charged with. Obstructing the railway can carry an unlimited sentence and requires a lot more proof. The CPS were hoping for a precedent and ended up with nothing. 

[jamie92208]

11 minutes ago, AndrewC said:

It is down to what they were charged with. Obstructing the railway can carry an unlimited sentence and requires a lot more proof. The CPS were hoping for a precedent and ended up with nothing. 

Common law nuisance might have been a better charge.  

 

Jamie

[polybear]

5 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Prince Andrew.................As others have commented I think a gold digger is at work here even though she had a legal agreement precluding action against any possible defendants 

 

 

Agreed - I suspect she's blown her $500K and is trying for more.  As to the Judge who doesn't understand that "any" means just that;  throwing out the objection cos' HRH, sorry ex-HRH isn't named in person is just plain dumb.

 

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

Here goes, listen to the howls of jealousy from Puppers and our Bear.  Anyone fancy a Triumph?  He's got a few.

 

 

Now that's just plain greedy.....

 

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

And say hello to that nice Mr Diabetes...

 

Bear was expecting that......

In Bear's defence such goodies are strictly limited (never more than one a day); it seems to be a fact of life that everything you eat** is bad for you in one way or another - at least according to many of the "studies" carried out.  I recall for many years it was said that brown bread is better for you than white bread - and then they announce on the news that the latter has more chemicals and pesticides in it that white bread (this was many years ago now, so may no longer be correct)

 

**Unless it's an organic lettuce leaf - in which case you'll die of boredom instead.

 

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

Of course, that's assuming someone from XR hasn't superglued themselves to the top of your Northern, Central or Piccadilly Line tube train - which apparently now is completely legal to do (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/14/extinction-rebellion-activists-cleared-london-rush-hour-2019)

 

Now that is just plain f.ludicrous   It's about time that such cases were no longer heard by a Jury - perhaps three judges instead.

I really do hope that those on the Jury get one - or preferably more - of their days totally shafted by such actions.  Perhaps when they're off to Heathrow for that long awaited for Holiday to somewhere really special.  And they miss the flight.....

Or those on the jury in Bristol get their house or decent car vandalised.......

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I just sneezed earlier but it was enough to wake up Si Attica. A couple of co-codamol have been deployed and waiting for it to kick in. Muggatee is ready, be back later.

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, AndrewC said:

CPS were hoping for a precedent and ended up with nothing. 

Also known as the Criminal Protection Service

[polybear]

6 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

I see old Novax could be getting the boot from Oz again served him right.

 

 

And the best bit is that if it does stick this time then he can't come back for three years....

[simontaylor484]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Of course, that's assuming someone from XR hasn't superglued themselves to the top of your Northern, Central or Piccadilly Line tube train - which apparently now is completely legal to do (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/14/extinction-rebellion-activists-cleared-london-rush-hour-2019)

We need a shakes head in incredulity button.

 

I seem to think someone somewhere is trying to provoke a rebellion in this country we seem to be going to hell in a handcart.

 

Put it this way if any XR would like to try to spoil mine and little lads day out they will be eating shoe leather

[PhilJ W]

Hello again from Estuary-Land.

7 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

I see old Novax could be getting the boot from Oz again served him right.

 

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

And the best bit is that if it does stick this time then he can't come back for three years....

I wonder if he will be allowed into this country for Wimbledon. He might have to re-think his position if his attitude puts the skids under his career.

[Ozexpatriate]

11 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

... what he is accused of took place in the UK 12 years ago

I thought it was the US Virgin Islands and New York, along with London. I suspect the London location may be moot.

[Ozexpatriate]

10 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

His Holiness has been Pius far more often than anything else. 

John if I'm not mistaken. A quick search suggests 21 Johns (not counting the anti-popes) and 12 named Pius. (For what it's worth, which isn't much. )

 

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, TheQ said:

Thoughts are now on getting something safe, it's not getting any easier getting up there, easy to use and not too expensive.

An important consideration. Ladder falls are a common accident - whether for the loft or, often worse, outdoors.

 

Many years ago a former colleague fell from ladder outside (cleaning gutters or doing something with Christmas lights). He was very badly injured.

 

I liked the permanently installed folding ladder in my house in the Chicago suburbs. If you've seen the movie "Christmas Vacation" it was just like that. (Probably even the same model.) Not too steep, not too heavy (and spring loaded to counterbalance the weight) and with nice flat broad treads.

 

Edited January 14, 2022 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

... here’s a few views from this afternoon’s walk from Richmond back to base along the Thames in beautiful weather

Lovely light Rick. Thanks for sharing.

[pH]

14 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

John if I'm not mistaken. A quick search suggests 21 Johns …

 

23 Johns:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_XXIII

[New Haven Neil]

We have a pull-down telescopic loft ladder, only one that would fit due to an 'L' shaped hallway and roof trusses in the way.  Works very well, easy to use and has treads, not rungs so I can use it - my knackered foot doesn't allow me to step on rungs.

[Ozexpatriate]

1 minute ago, pH said:

23 Johns:

Offset by antipopes. See Popes named John numbering.