Early Risers.

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

The weather has been very mixed, mostly dull, but with a fair bit of rain. The sun did try to show itself this afternoon, but it never quite managed it. 

 

After inspecting the area of wall that I’d repointed yesterday, I found that it wasn’t quite dry, so I decided to leave it a few days and went to the big orange DIY shed instead, where I bought the wood that I intend to use for the support beams. I then spent the rest of the day cutting them to the required length and fixing a damp proof membrane to both ends of each beam. There are 10 beams in total, 4 - 6ft, 2 - 5ft, 2 - 3ft 8in an 2 - 3ft 4in. These are all ready to install, I just need to cut the intermediate cross beams, which I’ll do as and when they are required. The next step will be to apply the wall sealer, I’ve given the previous 2 sections of storage 2 coats, so this final section will get the same, although I will give the area directly below the bay window 3 coats, just as I did in phase 2. When that’s all dry, I’ll give it a coat of paint to make it a bit lighter. 

 

Personally, I think the Ukraine situation cannot be ignored and as far as I’m concerned, there hasn’t been any posts that I find offensive or too political. 

 

Happy birthday Ian.  

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[monkeysarefun]

Still raining!

 

Worked out that I've had about 620mm over the last few weeks  which is the equivalent of living in Manchester for 6 months.

Edited March 3, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[Ozexpatriate]

29 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Worked out that I've had about 620mm over the last few week

Here in Portland, our "rain year" begins on October 1. Since then (five full months now) we've had 646mm of rain (which is 45mm above 'normal') for this time of year.

 

We're actually below 'normal' for the calendar year-to-date. The 'rain year' construct is because our rainy season is Autumn-Spring. We've had rain this week, but should be drying out by the weekend.

[J. S. Bach]

Yes, happy birthday to Tiger and Ian. With that said, Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[Gwiwer]

6 hours ago, Tony_S said:

@Ian Abel Happy Birthday. 

Happy Birthday sir

[iL Dottore]

Morning All,

 

Firstly, Happy Birthday to Tiger and Ian. You may be feeling old and creaky, but it’s much, much better than the alternative! 

 

@BSW01 I looked into getting the mini saw from eBay.CH and decided against it – for the simple reason that the cheapest available one of that type was about £45 not including postage. Ironically, one example on sale was made in China but would’ve been shipped from the UK! I think I’ll save up my pennies for a Proxxon (or similar).

 

@polybear seems to be loosing his touch: yesterday I referred to him casually as “domesticated” and there was nary a peep out of the Ursine. I’m not sure if I should be impressed (by his self-discipline) or worried (has he lost it?).

 

I’m sorry to hear that @Natalie thinks there is too much “politics” on the thread. Certainly, defining “politics” is difficult, there are those who claim that every decision we take is political - even at the level of choosing between a ham or a cheese sandwich!  I think only the most self-absorbed would be oblivious to what’s going on in the Ukraine.
 

The situation in the Ukraine is both horrific and tragic and one of the tragedies is that the Russians - who sacrificed and suffered so much to defeat one of the most evil regimes mankind has ever known (and are rarely properly recognised for that) have now been led by Putin into resembling the very thing they fought against: an unprovoked aggressor.

 

On cheerier matters: there is LDC to dish out for z’nuni and although I won’t be partaking, I did try a piece yesterday and I agree with Mrs iD’s suggestion on uprating the CCGR score.

 

Time for a shower, then off to the doctor to sort out a dodgy hip. A prothesis may be in my future, alas.

 

Stay well, stay sane.

 

iD

[Grizz]

Morning All

 

time to feed the chooks and put the bins out. And that is not a euphemism for anything, it means that I’ve got to go out into the garden, probably get cold and have my feet pecked. 

 

Apparently I need to ring the Surgery today to make an appointment for a medication review, whatever that is. I’ve never had to make an appointment for that before and I’m not sure why it should require my presence in a building full of sick people.
 

Seems a bit odd because my meds haven’t changed in almost 4 years and during that 4 years my health has been generally good. Just the same 4 year period that I have only had 2 visits to the surgery. For the previous 10 years I’ve had loads of visits and been sick dozens of time……so that’s where I’ve been getting sick then…..That’s logic that is! 
 

I suspect the issue has resulted from the combining of Surgeries in the local town. Before that happened things were going well. Since then I have received a written apology from my doctor, apologising for the actions of ‘an over zealous pharmacist’ at another former surgery, who decided to simply remove some of my meds from my regular prescription, without consulting my doctor or telling me. Strangely enough I was under the impression that I was the doctor’s patient and that it was my doctor that prescribed my medication and with the appropriate checks, instructed the Pharmacist to dispense it. Annoyingly this same pharmacist has done this 3 time to me. 

Not looking forward to this meds review much as I suspect that behind it there is an economy drive to see if I really need all this stuff I am taking. Ahoy I see a period of poor and unstable health on the horizon . As I see it things are going along fine, leave it alone, don’t call me I’ll call you….

 

Have a good one all.

 

ATB Grizz

 

 

 

 

 

[chrisf]

What, another blood test?  Yep, at 11.15 this morning.  It is what comes of having more than one life threatening ailment.  Today's is at the behest of the oncology department.  Thanks to the vagaries of the bus service it will take me the best part of an hour to make the cross-town journey to the larger hospital where the test will be carried out.  It will inform my next audience with Professor Oncologist which my diary tells me is a week today.

 

A book arrived in the post yesterday.  It is a new album of pictures of London trolleybuses, drawn to my attention by an old school chum.  One of the photographs was taken at the bus stop in Horn Lane, Acton, where I used to board the 660 or 666 trolleybus that took me to school in Hammersmith.  My bedtime reading is now sorted for several days.

 

Something on the radio just now has prompted me to wonder whether 357 euros will be enough to see me through a few days in Mallorca next month.  I need to reflect on that, but quickly.

 

Chris 

Edited March 3, 2022 by chrisf
typo

[jamie92208]

Good moani g from The Charente.   We are home and at keadt 105 miles from Ikea.  A long journey, but we are glad to be home.  The channel crossing was a lot calmer than going the other way.  Some potholes must have been filled.  I was nice to get back to less crowded roads.

 

I mentioned a recugee problem a coupke of days ago.  The good news is that thevlady and her daghtercare en route to her sisters home in Vhicago.  The privately owned multinational that my friend works for is apparently  being very supportive to staff and families.

 

We were welcomed back by our hens, the first egg of the post winter pause was there.  That's a nice present.  We were also welcomed back by our neighbours across the road who made dinner for us last night.

 

Various things to do now as the hens need to be let out. Beth has a hair appointment and then to the doctors this afternoon as her diabetes is causing problems. 

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

I’m sorry to hear that @Natalie thinks there is too much “politics” on the thread. Certainly, defining “politics” is difficult, there are those who claim that every decision we take is political - even at the level of choosing between a ham or a cheese sandwich!  I think only the most self-absorbed would be oblivious to what’s going on in the Ukraine.

I took Natalies post to mean she was arcing up over the way that there have been posts on here that seem to   lump all Russians together as at fault when in fact  they cant help being run by an election rigging authoritarian dictator who clamps down medievally on any dissent, rather than posts taking some particular  political stand.

 

Certainly I've had this sense occasionally, there has been a triumphal kind of tone  when various bans on ordinary Russians have been announced.  Banning Russians from the European Song Contest, accessing their savings  and competing in various sporting events does send a powerful message but to what practical end, and what about the hardships caused? Those actually banned or who are facing crippling levels of financial hardship have little ability to influence Russian foreign policy under Vladimir Putin and are basically collateral damage who are being made to suffer in their own ways through no fault of their own other than where they happen to have been born, yet many cheer these hardships in a kind of "That'll show 'em!" kind of way.

 

Dunno,  maybe I'm wrong but there is an Australian truism of giving everyone a fair go which seems to be not something that is an international trait.

 

I dont class many of the oligarchs among the innocent sufferers by the way. I've never met an oligarch but I dont think I'd want to have a beer with one  if I did.

 

Hey, the sun just came out!

Edited March 3, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Dry start with some blue sky and pink tinged clouds.  Cloud forecast to increase throughout the day and there may be the odd spot of rain.  Currently 6°C.

Thursday morning's order of service (ish)

Due anytime from now: One Bin lorry

8.00-9.00 AM Sainsbury's delivery which (we are informed) will have everything we ordered.

9.00 AM Breakfast.

11.00 AM Dentist for (another) smallish repair.

Depending on the latter a decision will then be made about lunch, after that who knows?

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

[Grizz]

Great the Vikings are back….well probably, …because by the looks of it they have brought ‘The Age of Ragnarök‘ with them. 
 

…And the second sign will be three uninterrupted long cold winters that will last for three years with no summer in between.

Bloody looks like it to me…..

 

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Happy Birthday to any ERs I may have missed over the last (and next) few days!  Life is very hectic at the moment. 

 

I have a meds review once a year..  it means that my prescription gets an updated timenof expiry (not that the pharmacy takes any notice of this)  My telephone one with a Pharmacist ( another job palmed off by the GPs) has had a negative impact on me as nil response has been received.

 

I have an appointment on Sunday for another laser treatment of my eye. Could be fun... not!

 

Herself is off to moreasons then its volunteering at the Sue Ryder shop in Meanwood. As for me... well I have a couple of emails to send then some modelling work.. yes .. paid to do it..to start.

 

Stay safe!

 

Baz

 

Ps the list of "missing ERs gets longer....hope they are all well.

 

[NGT6 1315]

Moaning awl. Chilly but sunny once again!

 

Re lighting, I also fitted all lamps with LED bulbs - including LED tubes in lieu of fluorescent tubes where fitted. I do find it remarkable how quickly not only incandescent bulbs but also fluorescent bulbs marketed as energy-saving until just about a decade ago have been effectively made obsolete by LEDs!

 

There are two radiators with evidently failed valves in this house and FiL says one on the second floor doesn't properly heat up either. We'll have a plumber look over the entire system tomorrow.  FiL did concede that it might be worth considering replacing at least some of the (fairly old) radiators if valve replacement might turn out to be a significant effort. Which in my opinion does mean something, given that he tends to be a procrastinator concerning renovations of any kind!

 

Personally, I'd favour bringing all radiators, regardless of age, to a common type of valves - Danfoss, perhaps, as some of the older ones have been fitted with such valves at some point and newer ones had been pre-fitted with them.

 

Later.

[monkeysarefun]

25 minutes ago, Grizz said:

Great the Vikings are back….well probably, …because by the looks of it they have brought ‘The Age of Ragnarök‘ with them. 
 

…And the second sign will be three uninterrupted long cold winters that will last for three years with no summer in between.

Bloody looks like it to me…..

 

Looks like my view right now but without the rising  floody waters.

 

 

 

[polybear]

Latest news...

It seems that Russian and Belarus Athletes have now been banned from the Paralympics Winter Games entirely; apparently many other athletes were threatening to refuse to compete against them, thus bringing the games into disrepute.

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup which is sunny with some high cloud.

 

belated happy birthday to Ian. Hoping for positive news from Kelly.

 

just a quick check in before the school run

 

have a good day all

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl Inner Temple hare,

5 hours sleep then not much after very intermittent dozing..

 

Ben the Alarm clock Collie was on time this morning, But didn't turn into Ben the I want out Collie.. He stood well back down the hallway and refused the offer of going on patrol..

 

Unless something formerly painted with a red Star went bang over the North sea, it was a very red Dawn this morning, the roads were very wet so precipitation was had overnight.

 

SWMBO has received the offer of a floor standing loom, currently dismantled, it's collect it or it's being burnt..  Quite where this will be installed I have no idea, and even when it arrives I'm betting there are no destructions...

 

We get 6 monthly reviews from the GP, they were go in and see them pre Covid, then they became online answer some questions, then they became phone them and answer the same questions. What will happen next time I have no idea..

 

Our heating is set to 17 C with all the radiators on, 13 of them, there is a multifuel stove in the living room, which warms that room up to 22 at best. We gave up using the timer to change the heating to a lower setting, with single brick walls by the time the temperature was back up afterwards, it was time to turn it down again..

 

We changed to tiny fluorescents when I was in Saudi, they were 10 Riyals each there, against £10 each at the time in the UK..  (6R to the £). I brought a suitcase full back .... We are slowly moving over to LED as they fail, but I notice many LED fittings actually use more power than a Baby Fluorescent.

Since we moved in, the house has been double glazed, had a foot of insulation added in the lofts, and an much better boiler fitted. Plans on external insulation are being worked on.. It's high up the list of retirement jobs..

 

The first major system of this week is not happy, so it's been back in the lab and is finishing 10 overnights runs of the bits it's not happy on, the Boss will analyse later. I'm on Number 2 system at the moment not long to go on that, but it couldn't do it's overnight run as the test equipment is on the first system.

 

I had to attend a meeting yesterday on planning for this year.. There will be more of these major systems, as they currently have assured orders, well in excess of what our test set up can cope with. Problem.. The amount of work planned for me, exceeds the number of hours I have in a year, and that's with various bits and pieces dumped off onto other departments.. 

 

I have 134 working days left,  they need to get someone in to train how to do this, who will not be as quick as I am, till they've had a lot of practice. At my lowly level they won't even start looking for someone till I've left... This could be a major problem for whoever's in charge then..

 

Time to... carry on with Number 2 system..

[Grizz]

2 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Looks like my view right now but without the rising  floody waters.

 

 

 

Dude not good. It looks like the house in the photo sits up a bit higher than the flood plain? The tide is coming in on those cows by the looks of it.

Hope you are all safe and well down there. 

[PhilJ W]

Something for the anti-vaxxers to think about.

https://sfist.com/2022/03/02/new-study-covid-can-infect-mens-genitals-cause-infertility-and-erectile-dysfunction/

[Grizz]

13 hours ago, NGT6 1315 said:

My dad messaged me saying he had watched German warships getting prepared to sortie to the Baltic. All I could reply to this was that this feels so like the 1980s!

 

I'm also reading Leipzig has been assigned the coordinating role for managing refugees arriving in Saxony - doubtlessly in no small part due to its partnership with Kiev.

Apparently this is no state secret and you can even track it on a website somewhere. But I just found out that my mates eldest son is on HMS Diamond, which is on its way to the Black Sea. Pack a bag you’ll be gone for 6 months or more, that was his instruction. Kicks hard and makes it real in our tiny rural part of the world, as I have watched this boy grow up and now he is off to do what he has been trained to do, to help others in their hour of so much need. Can’t imagine how my mate and his Mrs are feeling. Arranged to see the local footie and a few beers on Saturday so hopefully we can have a talk if he wants. Hugged my son even harder than normal when he left for his job on the railway today, they are around the same age. 

[monkeysarefun]

54 minutes ago, Grizz said:

Dude not good. It looks like the house in the photo sits up a bit higher than the flood plain? The tide is coming in on those cows by the looks of it.

Hope you are all safe and well down there. 

I'm a heap luckier than many people, apart from having to work from home due to one route blocked by floods and the other route unusable due to diverted  traffic,  plus  the expected  couple of mm across the floor in the 3D print room downstairs I'm unscathed.

 

The paddocks in the picture are just super saturated so rainfall has overflowed the farm dam there and is just puddling on top of it, it'll need a lot more rainfall for the puddles to raise to the level of the house in the pic, let alone mine. They'll  drain pretty  much overnight when the rain gives them a chance.  The cows have an escape route to higher ground to the right of the picture but they seem to like squelching around in the mud. 

Edited March 3, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[grandadbob]

Ah well, my "order of service"  is out of order. 

Sainsbury's arrived early at 7.39  so that meant breakfast was taken at 8.00.  No bin men yet so here I am drivelling because I really can't find anything else (I want) to do apart from drink some coffee.  How sad is that?

 

Further to energy saving posts I did look into the cost of a new A+++ tumble dryer but I think that as suggested by PB the cost will  outweigh any short term benefits.

Edited March 3, 2022 by grandadbob