Early Risers.

[jamie92208]

Good moaning grom a snow free but cool (5 degrees) Charente.  As farcas I know. Direct Debits arecthecones that can becaltered bt the recipient. Many firms offer discounts if you pay by DD. Theother type, which are fixed by the payee are Stabding Orders.

 

I spent some time yesterday afternoon  digging bush roots out of the rear weed patch. 3 down two large ones to go. I can feel it in my shoulders.

 

The market will be visted this morning then we are out to lunch to help a friend dispose of a quack bird that was filling part of her freezer.  One of my birthday bottles will be donated to assist this task.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl,

7 hours sleep with several wake up and turn overs.

Ben the damp Collie has already dragged me out, there is much dihydrogen monoxide falling from the welkin.

It's been fairly chilly overnight, the heating system has been going on and off during the night for the first time this fall.

 

I see Amazon are offering £7 if you switch to collecting from lockers rather than home delivery, so I eventually found the sites of these lockers through their convoluted system... It would take only 2 trips to a locker to have spent more on fuel than the £7...  So that won't be happening..

 

Of Amazon I got asked for an ID card last night by the Amazon man.. so i showed him my very worn out driving licence, and he peered at it in the darkness... It could have been anything..

 

Low tide at the SC is around 16:00, so it will be going out all day during racing, varying from notalot during the first race, to maximum during the last race.

The forecast is south Easterly to start gusting 20mph, to westerly later gusting 25mph.

The rain should stop before the first race.

 

I see they have agreed to pay poor countries for losses due to global warming, I hope the UK applies for the money, as our governments say they cannot afford costal protection...

 

Time I think to go get some breakfast, less than an hour before I depart to being on the water not under some of it.

[Barry O]

Ey Up! from the Land of the Prince Bishops. Gods own county!

 

Interesting day yesterday.. Travelled up to watch a Rugby match at my old club.. didn't stay long as the wind was freezing! It didn't rain while I was there but it had been very wet on the A1/A19 travelling up.

 

Then the "fun" for the day started. While I was driving some persons unknown had been sending out spurious messages to people from my Farcebook account - some of which were not very nice but knew enough about me to cause me and others a lot of stress. Chanegd my password when I go to Durham and could use my wifi at the hotel. I then deleted a number of "conversations" from both a long time ago as well as those sent out yesterday.. there are some very sad people but it now means I have 3 or 4 friends who are now blocking me pro-tem. Fair enough.

 

Ready for the busy Conference day today now.. could be great or I could end up in bits on the floor from multiple stabbings...

 

 

Stay safe!

 

Baz

[polybear]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

Of Amazon I got asked for an ID card last night by the Amazon man so i showed him my very worn out driving licence, and he peered at it in the darkness... It could have been anything.

 

 

A certain Bear is lucky if the b'sterds are still even on the doorstep by the time I answer the door - which has been very quickly at times recently as I'm doing the H/S/L refurb; they quite often do single knock on the door knocker (despite the "Please Ring" sign directly below it), dump it on the doorstep then scarper.  As Bear often goes right thru' a day without even opening the front door - and Couriers often delivering after dark it does mean that a parcel could sit there all day - and/or all night without being found, which gives some scrote plenty of chance to nick it.

 

This has made me wonder just who takes the loss in such circumstances - so I've just had a quick search:

 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/business-consumer/your-rights-parcels-delivered-safe-13650005

 

(Incidentally, Bear has had a small parcel left in a similar way to that shown in the second photo, only the porch at Bear Towers is open sided.  It contained a DMR Loco Kit, so not cheap; it wasn't large or obvious so could've been there for a week or more before being spotted).

 

"Many online retail companies will mention safe place delivery in their terms and conditions.

Some companies will leave your parcel with a neighbour or in a safe place by default when you are not in, unless you specify otherwise.

If you click 'accept' to a retailer's terms without reading then properly, you could be agreeing to safe place delivery without realising.

If your parcels are then stolen, the retailer may not accept responsibility".

 

One of today's missions will be to check Amazon's T's & C's...

Yes, that's a Rant.

 

Bear here.....

MIUABGA Day.

Bear gone.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

It was raining earlier but has stopped for now.  Very overcast at the moment but sunny spells and more showers forecast.  Currently 8°C, might reach 11°C.

Much rugby watched yesterday, 4 matches in total.  Enjoyed some of it but very frustrated with England.  Lots of shouting at the screen, especially in the first half.  No real change there then.  One more match on offer today at lunchtime,  France v Japan. 

I have a bit of financial juggling to do and then The Boss wants me to order some "stuff" online for her.  She doesn't "do" computers.

Before all that happens though the most important task of the day will involve me surrounding some eggs and bacon etc .

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

[BoD]

Remembering Don, a regular of ERs from the earliest days, and other ERs who are no longer with us.

 

[Gwiwer]

Good Morning from the Hill of Strawberries. 
 

A damp night with dripping outside woke me several times. Neighbour (Upstairs) having a 4am shower likewise.  It’s drying out now with a golden shiny thing threatening to puncture the clouds. 
 

Dr. SWMBO is out for her morning swim - a newly discovered joy made much easier by being able to drive to and from the pool. I am assured the seat will not be wet when she returns. 
 

We join my sister and BiL for lunch later having selected Chiddingfold as a suitable venue roughly half-way between our respective homes. 
 

A top-up shopping trip was made yesterday. The delivery is usually all we need but not this time. With the egg-chasing mob in town effectively closing access to the centre and to Tess&Coe next to the stadium I tried Plan B. I also wanted to get the car cleaned and refuelled ahead of tomorrow’s MoT so it was off to the place in Hounslow which always does a good job inside and out for £18. Then a short hop to the Osterley branch of Tess&Coe where we and the Little Red Driving Box were both supplied with future fuelling needs. 
 

And then ….. home.  Nothing appeared to be amiss but it took the greater part of an hour to drive those few miles. Most of it stationary gazing at the car ahead. It may have been quicker to go local after all. Ah well. 
 

Have a good Sunday. 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

As usual for a Sunday, we had a lie in and breakfast in bed. Now I'm up ready for action! However, we've had quite a bit of rain during the night, so the garden is very wet and, as I'm in the position where there are no urgent tasks outside that need doing, I'm staying inside today instead. What I'm going to do is as yet undecided, but I'm sure I'll find something to do! 

 

Back later 

 

Brian 

[Tony_S]

It is a sunny morning here. We are off to see MiL. We normally take lunch but she insisted on preparing something for us. Traditional Punjabi lunch of  fish, chips and peas I have been informed. Mil said she would  do something I like. I actually like the Indian vegetarian food she normally has but Aditi has given up telling her!

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Usual noises from Arthur Itis this morning but a long lie in followed by a long soak in the bath soon got rid of him. Bright and sunny this morning so I'll have to find something to do to make the best of it. Time to put the kettle on, be back later.

[polybear]

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

We join my sister and BiL for lunch later having selected Chiddingfold as a suitable venue roughly half-way between our respective homes. 

 

Chiddingfold brought back memories for Bear, only I couldn't recall why.  Then I did - I think we stayed there for a week whilst working at Dunsfold on Harrier back in the 80's; we stayed in a very old Hotel (in the centre?) and Bear had a 4-Poster IIRC - I recall lying in Bed looking out of the window and thinking the view probably hasn't changed for well over 100 years.

[DaveF]

It's cool here today, 4C when I got up at 07.00.  I don't know why I bothered going to bed last night, I woke in the early hours having had a dream about a flooded house and the water would not turn off.  I didn't really go back to sleep again after that.

 

The dream was probably because, as I wrote yesterday, I had turned the water on at the flat and put the heating on a bit.

 

I suspect the flat's gutter at the neighbour's end still has a slight leak but have been told quite firmly that now the sale is getting close to completion I should be wary of committing to having anything done in case it is not finished before the sale is completed.  Also that the new owner might not be happy.  As a result I shall be having a chat with Mum's neighbour's son about things and will tell him if he wants to do anything about his mother's gutter he can but I won't be touching my part. 

 

I had a good walk on the beach, the sea was not as rough but the wind was very cold from the south east and was raw.  Fortunately I had rememberered to wear a hat.  I must get some gloves out.

 

Later in the day I decided to treat myself and took out an annual subscription to Ordnance Survey maps which will be useful when sorting out photos as they show closed railway lines.

 

David

[chrisf]

Apologies if this post turns into a rant, but I have had a most frustrating morning.  Gentle readers will recall that a couple of weeks ago I bought a new printer.  To say that I am disappointed with it is an understatement.  I am the first to admit to a degree of technical ineptitude but the failure of the machine to do as it is told is causing me much frustration.  I cannot make the wretched thing print!  When I click 'print' a blank sheet of paper emerges from the machine.  There is probably a perfectly simple explanation.  The only way I might find out is to take it back to the shop, so guess what I will be doing first thing in the morning.  Wish me luck ...

 

Chris

 

  

[88C]

Sorry about the printer Chris but I have a suggestion. Near us we have a chap who calls himself the PC Doctor and we have used him several times, including getting our printer to talk to the computer. He is not expensive and works where the problem is rather than remotely. It might be worth investigating if you have anyone similar in Bedford.

 

Brian

[Coombe Barton]

... Or is it a factor of the sampling process? ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/11/20/new-hotpots/

[Erichill16]

We have a new member of the household. She seems happy enough.

[jjb1970]

Splendid curry for lunch today, there's a chain of Japanese demi-glace curry restaurants here called Monster Curry. Food is excellent, prices reasonable and I never leave hungry. I love Japanese curry, there's something about the sweet - savoury taste (it tends to be mild by default and quite sweet). With some excellent arabiki Japanese smoked pork sausage and chicken karaage (fried chicken thigh in batter), splendid. Something about Asia in general is people want chicken thigh and consider breast meat a bit bland. I have to say I think they're right, chicken thighs have a more developed flavour than breast meat. Another trait of much Asian cooking is to cook chicken (and other meat) on the bone so it doesn't dry out, OK it removes the easy to eat convenience of not having any bones, but meat stays moist and juicy and has more flavour.

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, chrisf said:

Apologies if this post turns into a rant, but I have had a most frustrating morning.  Gentle readers will recall that a couple of weeks ago I bought a new printer.  To say that I am disappointed with it is an understatement.  I am the first to admit to a degree of technical ineptitude but the failure of the machine to do as it is told is causing me much frustration.  I cannot make the wretched thing print!  When I click 'print' a blank sheet of paper emerges from the machine.  There is probably a perfectly simple explanation.  The only way I might find out is to take it back to the shop, so guess what I will be doing first thing in the morning.  Wish me luck ...

 

Chris

 

  

Is your new printer set up to your computer?

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. As the weather was clement I removed a few items to the garage to make a bit  lot more room in the garden shed. One was a brand new wheelbarrow that was impossible to put together as the bolt holes didn't match up. When I contacted the vendor they sent a replacement straight away and when I asked about sending the faulty one back they said keep it. I kept the wheel and the nuts and bolts and the 'pan' as spares and scrapped the rest. Now time for a bit of (late) lunch, be back later.

[polybear]

2 hours ago, DaveF said:

I suspect the flat's gutter at the neighbour's end still has a slight leak but have been told quite firmly that now the sale is getting close to completion I should be wary of committing to having anything done in case it is not finished before the sale is completed.  Also that the new owner might not be happy.  As a result I shall be having a chat with Mum's neighbour's son about things and will tell him if he wants to do anything about his mother's gutter he can but I won't be touching my part. 

 

 

How many times have the roofing firm "fixed" it - twice, or is it three times now?  It sounds to this Bear like they should be crossed off the list of Approved Contractors....

 

Bear here.....

A "bits n' pieces" day - everything from fixing the shaver cleaning pod (the power socket had disappeared up inside the unit, making it impossible to connect the mains lead), insulating the outside tap in the back garden and updating various backup files to an external HDD.

[chrisf]

55 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Is your new printer set up to your computer?

I have no idea.  Nothing was said about that when I bought it.

 

Chris

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

Forecast gusting 25mph wind speed, we got 2.5 mph with the rare puff.

Race 1 a disaster, got weed round the rudder and drifted down stream unable to steer..

Race 2 started second finished second. Just couldn't catch the leader.

Race three, didn't happen boats got frustrated with the lack of wind and our competitors went home.

 

The club  got raided by the police today...

 

 

And the life boat crew, they were on exercise, The club is an alternative launch point for the inshore lifeboat...

We sold a lot of tea, coffee and bacon rolls  to them😀...

 

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by TheQ

[PhilJ W]

13 minutes ago, chrisf said:

I have no idea.  Nothing was said about that when I bought it.

 

Chris

If your printer is connected to your hub you should get a notice saying something like 'printer XYZ' the first time you print. Click on that and you should be able to print. If you don't get the message you should either connect the printer to the hub with either a cable or wi-fi.

[southern42]

' afternoon all from red dragon land.

Mostly sunshine.but only 6.4°C outside.

Inside dropped to 18°C inspite of having had the oven on for 4 1/2 hours, yesterday evening.

 

Ah! The oven. Yes, I forgot to update on the Seasonal cake, last night. Apologies if you were waiting.

<<Are you kidding?>>

The Cake took longer to cook than usual probably because I had soaked the fruit overnight rather than just an hour or so, increasing the size of the fruit and thus the cake mix. I had also added extra mixed peel in emptying the cartoon. I also had extra cherries. Different story - one batch of Morello cherries got substituted with plain glacé halved cherries on a Click n Collect some months back which I had forgotten about, I did not realise I had come upon this carton until I had put the whole lot into the mix! So, out comes carton no.2 with Morello cherries and in they went - both cartons over their allotted weight. No worries. The drained fruit filled a large and a small saucepan. I put the Morello cherries in the small saucepan and this was emptied into the cake mix first. Then, in went most of the fruit from the large saucepan. I kept some fruit back and put it in the freezer until I make my mince pies when some Morello cherries will also be added.

 

Not done much today, the "excitement" of yesterday leaving me a little drained, myself, today.

A short toot on the flute to reinforce a new twiddly section although, the idea of doing some muddling went out the window... but I did put the hoover round. 👏

 

A couple of jobs to do but a mugadecaf, first, methinks.

 

Keep safe. Be good. Be on the lookout for the unexpected...

 

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by southern42

[DaveF]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 

How many times have the roofing firm "fixed" it - twice, or is it three times now?  It sounds to this Bear like they should be crossed off the list of Approved Contractors....

 

 

 

Usually they are very good.  To be honest it would be better with new gutters but I would rather the new owner made that decision!  If I was moving it it is what I would do, the old ones look very brittle.

 

David

Edited November 20, 2022 by DaveF