Early Risers.

[TheQ]

Evening Awl,

As it wasn't windy. It was time to go to the MRC, lots of traffic tonight, all the Londonas up to their second homes as the weather's supposed to be good.

Took a hammer and chisel to the layout really wasn't happy with a section of it... More chiseling next week to tidy bits up. 

Very cold and frosty out there, the car already is doing an ice cube impression.

 

And with that good night Awl..

[Gwiwer]

1 minute ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I can at least contemplate a visit home with family, though I dread what airfares might be and how inconvenient the routing might be.

Dr. SWMBO has a conference in Melbourne during September and will be attending as part of her career role.  But also as part of a month-long period of leave because it's not viable to pop over from London for three days and come straight back.  

 

We were pleasantly surprised by the fares currently offered which are at the levels seen pre-pandemic of around £800 return.  That's with Emirates via Dubai and (according to flight) a quick stop to quench the aircraft's thirst in Singapore.  None of the routes should be affected by current conditions on the UKR/RUS borders.  We have flown with Emirates during fighting in Beirut which required us to deviate slightly from the normal plan and on another occasion for some reason we used Egyptian airspace rather than Iranian and Turkish.  But there's usually safe way and when there isn't they don't fly.  

[Natalie]

A heartfelt post Rick. Your pain and frustration is clear.

 

I would love to talk to you Rick and help you put the world to rights. If you would like my phone number then send me a message.

 

I don't think we have ever met in person but I have always enjoyed reading your posts. I'm just an opinionated, stroppy, argumentative, gobby cow.

[PupCam]

6 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Then a very good mate (from the school days so it's been a while) and I started having virtual "pub nights" using our Portals.

 

I forgot to mention, we don't always go to the same virtual pub.  The "Rusty Sprocket" is a particular favourite of mine for reasons you can probably guess and playing to our common aeronautical interests the "Turn and Slip" is another favourite. 

 

Isn't the imagination amazing.   Particularly after the 3rd glass of red!

 

Oh yes, another benefit is neither of us have ever been breathalysed on the way home afterwards ....

 

Alan

[Ozexpatriate]

6 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

None of the routes should be affected by current conditions on the UKR/RUS borders.

I suspect many airlines have avoided the airspace around eastern Ukraine for several years now.

[simontaylor484]

@Natalie I had to phone for an ambulance in October last year i was on hold 25 minutes before the call was actually answered. Luckily it wasn't anything serious as it turned out my Wife had a seizure a deep one. Luckily the crew were here in 7 minutes 

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

ERs might be aware that I have been working hard to manage the roller-coaster anxiety Dr. SWMBO suffers from.  It's not been an easy ride and I am still not allowed (by her) to go drinking or out with friends least I should return with more than a slight slur to my speech.  A fair point but one which is really starting to become a problem.  My continued polite declining of invites now means I am no longer included at all.  And yet she feels ready to go out for dinner in a restaurant which may be full and sit indoors with others for a couple of hours.  Vexing or what?  

 

Stop going out to a Restaurant; when SWMBO starts to ask why just calmly mention that there may be a risk of picking up the lurgy - just as going to a pub....

 

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

I floated the idea that I might like to visit Ally Pally for a forthcoming event.  "How many people?" was the question 

 

"Around the same as I encounter every day at work...."

 

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

So I find myself stuck indoors on another Friday night doing dishes and laundry when I could be out doing pints and socialising.  Would she come out with me?  Of course not.  But she has cheerfully invited friends of hers to join us for drinks in a couple of weeks' time ......... 

 

 

"Sorry SWMBO - but no visitors....."

 

I'll freely admit that since Bear isn't married (and never has been) it's all too easy to come up with such responses without fear of being on the receiving end of the flak that would no doubt ensue as a result; however it does seem that current arrangements are more than a little one-sided at present and there is a real risk of this becoming the norm unless attempts to achieve a fairer, more balanced (and hopefully happier for you) arrangement.

Whatever happens, you most definitely qualify for SBT's**

 

edit: I see from your later post that being trapped in a narrow Aluminium tube with hundreds of other strangers for 20+ hours is considered acceptable.  A very confused Bear.

Edited February 25, 2022 by polybear

[NGT6 1315]

9 minutes ago, Natalie said:

A heartfelt post Rick. Your pain and frustration is clear.

 

@Gwiwer, I can certainly relate to how you feel, too. It's very much like a situation beyond your control embedded in yet another, much greater situation likewise beyond your control, I suppose, and with no-one really to hold accountable for either the anxiety issue or the pandemic...

 

Perhaps the idea Alan outlined might indeed be worth considering for you to remain able to at least quasi-socialise.

[monkeysarefun]

Everyone here in the eastern states right now:

 

 

 

Rain rain rain rain rain... 

 

In Queensland, Brisbane received 206.2 mm of rainfall during the 21 hours to 6am on Saturday, which is the city’s highest daily rainfall total since 1974.

Meanwhile, Pomona, west of Noosa, received 538 mm of rain during the 21 hours to 6am on Saturday, including 243 mm in just 2 hours between 1am and 3am.

“This brings their running 4-day total, since 9am on Tuesday, to 1323 mm,” said Weatherzone forecaster Ben Domensino. “For perspective, Brisbane’s average annual rainfall is 1213 m.

 

The weather system causing the floods in Queensland is headed south to add to our already wet week. I've had 235mm since Monday but its all my fault cos on Sunday I washed the ute  for the first time in months.

 

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Arthur Itis is still about so I've popped a few more pills to keep him quiet and a couple more will be taken tonight before I go to bed. Had a bit of a problem with one of my Facebook groups, one of my fellow admins was hacked and the hacker proceeded to remove me from not only admin but from the group altogether together with another admin. Luckily I had recruited another admin recently and he was missed by the hacker so he was able to re-instate me. The only problem is  I can't get in touch with the admin that was hacked, I suspect the hacker has blocked me. He also removed the admin from the group which was his mistake as he now can't access the management of the group. I have a pretty good idea know who the hacker is, someone who runs groups with a similar theme to my group and sees any such group as a rival. As a safeguard I have added a couple of trusted friends as admins just in case he tries to pull the same trick.

[polybear]

40 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

... bits dumped on the kitchen worksurface have encroached and become so numerous that the final two square inches disappeared this morning ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/02/25/contrast-of-approach/

 

Nice to see a new building that does at least show serious signs of attempts at a pleasing design outcome, rather than a modern monstrosity.

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

Special thought to all those that  are feeling not at their best. I know there are a great  number out there so don’t want to name everyone for fear of missing someone.

Goodnight and hope tomorrow brings some relief to all,

Robert

[Tony_S]

7 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Nice to see a new building that does at least show serious signs of attempts at a pleasing design outcome, rather than a modern monstrosity.

It has a similar look to other buildings from the end of the 19th century in Birmingham. I wonder if it is actually from about then and John was being ironic in his use of new build. 

[polybear]

3 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I have a pretty good idea know who the hacker is, someone who runs groups with a similar theme to my group and sees any such group as a rival. 

 

What a sad little T0sser....

(Is that bordering on not being strictly p.c. by any chance?)

 

In other news.....

Bear (whilst sanding the coving was being carried out a couple of days ago) finally managed to listen to the first "Harry Potter" book via Alexa - and rather good it was too.  So I decided to ask Alexa what else was available for free, and without having to sign up for a subscription to "Audible" at eight quid a month 

Well there were only three options - and only one of these interests Bear, namely "The Wind in the Willows".  And that resulted in Bear remembering a TV show from many moons ago, entitled "Tales of the Riverbank".  Anyone else remember it too?

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[BoD]

Thoughts are with you and ‘The Boss’, Bob.

[BoD]

All this talk of CBD oil and ACB medicine has really upset my OCD.

 

… and surely that should be CDO…  put things in the correct order will you!

 

… I’m not even going to mention GDB !!!

Edited February 25, 2022 by BoD

[J. S. Bach]

48 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

E ...snip...“For perspective, Brisbane’s average annual rainfall is 1213 m. ...snip...

1.2 kilometers of rain???????

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

The weather has been very nice today, wall to wall sunshine for the most part, but cool 4C first thing. With very little wind it actually felt warmer than it was particularly if I was in the sunshine and not the shade. 

 

I’ve done absolutely bu99er all since this morning’s 2 short shopping trips. Actually that isn’t strictly true, as after dinner I read a magazine and this was followed by a spot of eyelid inspection, but as the later isn’t really a proper activity, I suppose it doesn’t count, but nonetheless, I’ve had quite a nice relaxing this afternoon. 

[Natalie]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Well there were only three options - and only one of these interests Bear, namely "The Wind in the Willows".  And that resulted in Bear remembering a TV show from many moons ago, entitled "Tales of the Riverbank".  Anyone else remember it too?

 

I do indeed. It featured guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters and frogs playing the main roles. They seemed to spend their time either in a boat floating randomly on some water (on Wootton Creek on the Isle of Wight I read) or charging about in what looked like an Action Man or Barbie/Ken Jeep type vehicle at high speed over some very lumpy earth with the car not spending much time on four wheels. Their wiki page also that they also used an air plane and a diving bell!!. I don't remember any kind of Beary type creature featuring though.

 

Either way they were an improvement on the 'actors' that feature in the soaps. Maybe the cast of 'Tales of the Riverbank' felt that soaps were beneath them which of course they were. When you have been Hammy the Hamster or Wise Old Frog then you have reached the top of your profession.

Edited February 26, 2022 by Natalie

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[The Lurker]

Seems like the world’s woes and our own are getting to us tonight. I hope that Rick’s Bruichladdich goes down well. I have not had it for the best part of 25 years but it was my ex’s father who bought it for me. Not much else good came from there. Tonight’s tipple was a chianti which is being washed down with an Ardbeg.

a track called “pulling bracken” by cinder well has come up on my Spotify - worth a listen for those who like a Celtic folk type thing.

 

sleep well all

Edited February 26, 2022 by The Lurker

[TheSignalEngineer]

So a couple of days ago I put my head above the parapet and some eejit tries to start WW3. Think I'll get some new toys before panic buying sets in. Local Tesco has already run out of diesel, I made a pre-emptive strike yesterday as soon as I heard about Putin's move. I suppose next Aldi will run out of toilet paper, although some people are probably still using their start of pandemic stash.

 

Seem to be getting the dining room dried out after last weekend's deluge, hopefully a builder will turn up tomorrow to see what needs doing to repair the leaking roof.

 

41 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

It has a similar look to other buildings from the end of the 19th century in Birmingham. I wonder if it is actually from about then and John was being ironic in his use of new build. 

 

Built in 1899. Various uses included the headquarters of the Eccles Rubber and Cycle Company, a piano factory, bedstead factory and Co-op warehouse.

Severely damaged by a fire in 2007, the roof and south-eastern end of the façade subsequently collapsed, leaving the building in a state of dereliction. Internally, little of the original remained.

 

This is what it looked like about 7 years ago. I think John was right in describing it as a new build.

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.