Early Risers.

[southern42]

Wet and wild. Wind so strong it sometimes sounds like thunder or RAF plane going past. I can hear it rumbling away now and that is through triple glazing. Maybe it will ease off before bedtime! Only double glazing upstairs so could be louder and there are rattly slates on the roof to add to the orchestration.

 

Not even five o'clock and it is Dark. It has been dark all day but I am looking out at a black sky. You can tell the last month of the year is not far off.  Talking of which, I have at least a dozen and a half cards left over from last year which should keep cost down on the few extras I will need. I had better get this year's mailing list written down! I also have a number of 2nd class stamps to use up which will come in handy.

 

Well, it is time for another round of mugadecafs before contemplating dinner.

Polly

 

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

Planned work didn't go as planned.

Yesterday's PVA glue repairs to the rudder didn't set, the work shop, was I think, too cold, so after wiping off what I could I used polyurethane glue. Polyurethane glue sets with moisture so any PVA left would just activate it.

The board had also banana'd so with added weight to hold it flat polyurethane glue was spread as a filler, since it expands into a foam it's a good match. It had worked when I left it. But I've left it under weight for now.

Then much more time than expected was spent on the jubilee track jig, that's most of the way towards finished.

 

Also a bit more work, was carried out on the cupboard from box conversion.

 

Analysing graphs is a large part of my job, once each set of results are added, the correction files are based on predictions till it's next cal occurs, so you aim to have its value in the direction of travel if it's a very unstable value. Some are of course stable for years. Especially those items chosen as standards, one resistor I use, has changed from from 9.999866 Ohms, to 9.999869 in 15 years. Where as one ancient calibrator only kept for one specific job has a 10 Ohm resistor that changes that in a month.

 

I've been updating SWMBO'S laptop it's been updating and resetting for several hours.

 

Nice pictures of Northumberland,, Rothbury to Alnwick and the coast was 5 years of my life.

No real wind or rain so far, though it has clouded over.

 Bye for now.

 

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by TheQ

[PupCam]

Evening All!

 

Following yesterday's disappointment regarding the plan for a secondary use for my new monitor a little investigation revealed the identity of my PC's graphics card.   Further research revealed it's spec and further, further research within that spec revealed that it does actually have, secreted about its being, a mini HDMI port.   Grovelling around on the floor under the computer desk and after removal of some cabling enabled the PC to be  prised out of its dark corner.   With the aid of a torch and a mirror, low and behold the location of that mini HDMI connector was revealed.   

 

What's more, it even works 😀   Happy days!   

 

I was almost tempted yesterday to accept the World of Model Railways great 'Black Friday' offer.   As I went through the application process it became apparent that an RMWeb account didn't cut the mustard and I would need to setup a new WOMR account.   As there didn't appear to be any direct association between the two I rapidly lost interest and gave up.    Maybe next year?

 

Multi-quote  is still not working for me (Windows 10 & Firefox) so unable to respond to others comments (other than rating them) currently.

 

TTFNQ

 

Alan

 

 

[J. S. Bach]

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Ah, Marmite!

In a local Publix (Rock Hill, SC) grocery store, look carefully:

 

You will see:

 

😺

 

 

 

[J. S. Bach]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

 ...snip...

 

1 hour ago, southern42 said:

 ...snip...

 

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

 ...snip... Multi-quote  is still not working for me (Windows 10 & Firefox) so unable to respond to others comments (other than rating them) currently.

Alan

Multi-quote seems to be working for me; Win 8.1/FF 107.0

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

8 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Budden's captured snake was sent alive to the Commonwealth Research Laboratories in Melbourne, where its venom was successfully milked by zoologist David Fleay, who was at that time the director of Healesville Sanctuary.

The terrors of the taipan are well known to banana benders*.  So is the name of David Fleay who created an eponymous nature reserve on the Gold Coast.

 

* Queenslanders to the uninitiated. 

[Erichill16]

Hovis and me watching the (model) trains go by while listening to the football on the radio.  What more could one want?

[polybear]

44 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

 

 

😺

 

 

 

 

Nine quid** for a 250g Jar of the Golden Nectar? 😲 Big Ouch.

(**£2.85 in Tess n' Co)

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

One thing I learned when I was studying herpetology was that often, when Australian snakes strike a human, they don’t always inject venom. Creating venom uses precious calories and killing something the predator can’t eat isn’t conducive to the predator’s survival.

At any given point in time, the quantity of venom is finite and most snakes can control the amount of venom during a strike. Consecutive strikes can empty the glands. It does take a lot of energy to recharge the venom and can take as long as three weeks for some species.

[BoD]

9 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

Hovis and me watching the (model) trains go by while listening to the football on the radio.  What more could one want?

I know we are nor supposed to discuss muddling in Wheeltappers, but that looks an exquisite  little layout.  

[iL Dottore]

40 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

Hovis and me watching the (model) trains go by while listening to the football on the radio.  What more could one want?

That’s a lovely photo. Life is Good.😀 
 

I’m quite envious, Lucy isn’t a “cuddly dog” (although she’s smart enough to have figured out that a decent cuddle will be rewarded by a generous treat).  
 

Lucy also keeps me company when I model, although our tastes are more Pink Floyd and Mozart.
 

I reckon I can guess who’s “the boss” in that picture!

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

Cheese is an odd one in this part of the world. Cheese isn't the pillar of culinary traditions in SE and East Asia that it is in many other places. Many Chinese people especially (be they actual Chinese, or people in other parts of Asia descended from Chinese settlers) consider cheese with some revulsion as spoiled milk. 

I think the (eastern) Asian attitude to cheese is essentially the same as Western attitude to tofu. "Foreign" and therefore questionable and in some ways an acquired taste.  They (sort of) occupy a similar culinary spot nutritionally - though of course cheese has more flavour and tofu adapts to whatever sauce it is in.

 

It's understandable that dairy cultures (cheese, yoghurt etc) were not part of historical food traditions in a tropical climate, though northern China is hardly tropical.

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by Ozexpatriate

[monkeysarefun]

4 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

Durian is a funny thing, many people in SE and East Asia adore it and it is called the king of fruits. It has a sort of cult status. On the other hand you're not allowed to take it on public transport, it's banned from hotels and many other public buildings and offices and even supermarkets tend to have their durian tables outside.

It is banned from being eaten inside any buildings in the RAAF base in Darwin - I've seen the sign!

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

In a local Publix (Rock Hill, SC) grocery store, look carefully:

 

You will see:

 

😺

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out the lame Trojan Horse style attempt the Brits have done  to try to sneak Marmite in under our noses here;

 

 

 

 

Doesnt work, sneaky brits!

 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[Erichill16]

1 hour ago, BoD said:

I know we are nor supposed to discuss muddling in Wheeltappers, but that looks an exquisite  little layout.  

Thanks. As you’ve guessed is quite small and fits in a coffee table type display cabinet that my dad made for me. Originally it was intended for a Z gauge layout but I didnt get it started before my dad passed away. I spent many years doing nothing as I thought Z scale is too crude for a ‘cabinetmakers’ display case and the layout would look very flat. To me 009 was the answer but dad was never a great fan of 009, he’d seen too many contrived 009 ‘rabbit warren’ layouts in the 70’s and 80’s. I took the plunge with 009 and vowed to make something plausible with stock weathered appropriately. If you recall its the layout I took to our exhibition at 24 hour notice two weeks ago. Theres still bits to do.

Better stop there, dont want the awl coming after me, but hope Dad approves .

Ps in anyone is interested I can post sone more pics on TNM.   

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Done a big shop this afternoon having enough in stock now for most of next week with the exception of bread and milk. Tess Coes were unusually quiet, something to do with kick ball going on.

4 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Our village postie - normally the most affable, friendly and chatty of chaps - called with a parcel earlier. His words to me, in a tone somewhere between anger and frustration, were not the usual “Cop this, young Rick” but “This is my last week. After 40 years. We’ve been shoved out the back door with a year’s money in lieu of notice. It’s all agency staff on zero-hours and minimum wages from now on”. 

25,000 mostly long-serving posties who are usually well-liked and well-received in their communities are, he says, put out of work with next to no warning before Christmas. 

I’ll make sure to double his Christmas Box and have it handy at the door in case he’s back on Monday for one more round. 

 

2 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

In a local Publix (Rock Hill, SC) grocery store, look carefully:

 

You will see:

 

😺

 

 

 

I noticed the Birds custard on the same shelf.

29 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

That’s a lovely photo. Life is Good.😀 
I reckon I can guess who’s “the boss” in that picture!

Easy, the female.

[polybear]

4 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

I wonder where I collect her Democracy Sausage from. 

 

 

That all seems rather civilised to this Bear - I can't see it working too well in the UK though.  Imagine all the variations you'd need in order to keep everyone happy - straight, vegan, vegetarian, Muslim, Sikh etc.  Oh yes, plus numerous cooking appliances in order that people won't complain their food has been "contaminated" by other types of snagger.  A total minefield.

[PhilJ W]

2 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

Thanks. As you’ve guessed is quite small and fits in a coffee table type display cabinet that my dad made for me. Originally it was intended for a Z gauge layout but I didnt get it started before my dad passed away. I spent many years doing nothing as I thought Z scale is too crude for a ‘cabinetmakers’ display case and the layout would look very flat. To me 009 was the answer but dad was never a great fan of 009, he’d seen too many contrived 009 ‘rabbit warren’ layouts in the 70’s and 80’s. I took the plunge with 009 and vowed to make something plausible with stock weathered appropriately. If you recall its the layout I took to our exhibition at 24 hour notice two weeks ago. Theres still bits to do.

Better stop there, dont want the awl coming after me, but hope Dad approves .

Ps in anyone is interested I can post some more pics on TNM.   

Please do post some pics on TNM.

[Erichill16]

31 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

That’s a lovely photo. 

If Hovis was a cat, the layout would be a wreck by now.😬

[BoD]

6 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

As you’ve guessed is quite small and fits in a coffee table type display cabinet that my dad made for me. Originally it was intended for a Z gauge layout but I didnt get it started before my dad passed away. 

My dad made the baseboards for my first layout and I was glad he saw the (nearly) finished thing before he passed away.

[monkeysarefun]

8 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

If Hovis was a cat, the layout would be a wreck by now.😬

Cat deterrents are available here. to prevent that,

 

 

[Erichill16]

10 hours ago, grandadbob said:

 

Have you been taking something that you shouldn't? 😂

No but it does remind me of an incident whilst university. For a practical I had to take a loop diuretic (strong water tablet) and collect the urine at half hour intervals. By the time the first half hours collection time came round I was absolutely bursting and went to the gents with a large measuring  cylinder. The pleasure didnt last long as I soon realised that the cylinder wasnt going to be big enough. I’ll leave the story there.     

[J. S. Bach]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Nine quid** for a 250g Jar of the Golden Nectar? 😲 Big Ouch.

(**£2.85 in Tess n' Co)

As low as $7.00 (£5.78) on Amazon. I did buy one to try it but, as of now, have not done so.

[Erichill16]

14 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Cat deterrents are available here. to prevent that,

 

 

Gentleman’s ‘toy trainset’ !!!!!!!

 

 

[polybear]

27 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

To me 009 was the answer but dad was never a great fan of 009, he’d seen too many contrived 009 ‘rabbit warren’ layouts in the 70’s and 80’s.

 

One of Bear's personal favourites - Kingston Regis, by John & Jane Jacobs (Mrs. J being responsible for the superb scenery - Buildings are all from Linka):

 

 

It used to be a regular on the exhibition circuit many moons ago, though I've not seen it for quite some years now (I hope they're both ok).

Off to the Bunker PDQ - Awl incoming....