Early Risers.

[BSW01]

Apart from this morning’s shopping trip, I’ve done absolutely bu99er all today.

 

Goodnight all 

Edited December 13, 2022 by BSW01

[BlackRat]

Re Solihull…..Nothing is worse than dealing with the death of children.

 

I can remember each and every one with absolute clarity. 
 

It never goes away.

 

My thoughts to the families and to the emergency services who attended.

 

Still no news on Chris, I hope we will hear good news soon.

Edited December 13, 2022 by BlackRat

[AndyID]

8 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

The traction devices are not full crampons. There are a couple of different kinds - some a bit like golf spikes which I don't like, and the ones I like which are lateral coiled springs connected to some elastic rubber material to attach them. They're not very obvious, but you can't wear them indoors on a 'nice' surface.

 

I can highly recommend them. If I had been wearing mine a couple of years ago I would not have slid on a thin layer of snow on a slight slope and broken my wrist while walking the dog. And I'm a skier 😀

[iL Dottore]

10 hours ago, polybear said:

 

I did that back in 2009 when coming out of the Dry Cleaners - I've never known pain like it; a Neighbour took me to a local NHS walk-in service and I saw a Doc very quickly.  My Oxygen readings were nigh on 100% and after prodding me somewhat she concluded that I'd busted "some" ribs; she did say I could go for an X-Ray but all that would do is say the same thing -

My GP friend says there’s two types of severe pain: one is where you’re afraid to die, the other: when you hope to die!

 

In my friend’s opinion the worst pain possible is that of a dissecting aortic aneurysm, but I reckon bone metastases are right up there with it. Bone pain is pretty nasty (been there, done that, got the scars to prove it…)

 

One of the most potent analgesic treatments was the Brompton Cocktail (developed at the London Hospital of the same name). Although the recipe varied, a common formulation included "a variable amount of morphine, 10 mg of cocaine, 2.5 mL of 98% ethyl alcohol, 5 mL of syrup BP and a variable amount of chloroform water”. Even with that combo, some patients with bone mets still had excruciating pain.

 

Nowadays, the Brompton Cocktail is considered to be an obsolete treatment (though it’s still sometimes used). Currently the two most powerful opioids around are fentanyl (good stuff 😁 - I’ve had it perioperatively) and carfentanyl. Both are synthetics.

 

10 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

The Holy Grail is the 1971 Falcon GTHO Phase 3, the fastest sedan in the world in 1971. 0-100kmh in 6.4 seconds and top speed at 140kmh, with drum brakes at the rear, it was priced at $5000 at the time - something that a young tradie could afford if he was careful with his pay.  Theres one for sale right now, not sure what car 660000 pounds will get you in the UK but I assume it wouldn't have wind up windows and drum brakes at the back!

 

https://www.drive.com.au/news/one-of-one-ford-falcon-xy-gtho-phase-iii-for-sale/

 

I had a 1971 Ford Falcon as my first car - but the underpowered (barely powered?), automatic transmission American cousin. It wasn’t the fastest car in the world (NOTE: that’s English understatement) but it was easy to drive and got me from a to b readily enough. Funnily enough, last year I was contemplating finding a 1971 US auto transmission Ford Falcon for a fun trip down memory lane - but even these are rarer than hen’s teeth.

 

£660‘000 will get you into Rolls Royce and Bentley territory, but may still be at the “cheap” end of the vintage car market….

 

7 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

 

I spoke to the manager of the store with the cashier shouting behind me as if there is one thing that really rubs me the wrong way it is poor service.

That’s totally inexcusable behaviour, even given how awful many customers can be.

 

I guess that it’s a cultural thing: in many countries providing good service is something people take great pride in, equally in many countries being courteous to those providing such services is the natural thing to do.
 

Resentful and rude service and unpleasant and inconsiderate customers seem to be much more frequent in the UK than it used to be.

6 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Yes it was Hemsworth, IIRC 27th December  1994. I'll never forget it. When the diver got the little girl out she loomed just like my daughter who was the same age.  I then had to tell the girls Dad and the wife of one of the would be rescuers. 

Not being a parent, I never had that experience, but I’ve had more than my fare share of paediatric fatalities - mostly in the ER (which is very different than dealing with it “on the streets”).

 

One incident I do remember, however, was about 1976 or so: a young boy had drowned in the river and as we were recovering the body that evening a number of local TV “News” crews turned up - all jostling to get close up footage of the boy being extracted. Very quietly, our crew chief told us to point one or two of our powerful flood lights at the TV cameras to prevent them from getting their ghoulish pictures. This we did - to the protests of the TV crews (in fact one of the TV crews had the audacity to formally complain to one of the police on scene - who was suddenly afflicted by temporary deafness).
 

We later learnt that our floods had burned out the electronics of one or two of the (at the time) very expensive TV cameras. But nothing came of it (presumably because someone sane at the local TV station realised how bad they’d look if what they tried to do became common knowledge).

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

I find driving in Oz interesting. Driving in New Zealand is barmy  as for driving inthe USA .. well as each state seems to decide on local traffic regs it gets a bit weird. Here in the UK it differs a lot.. as @Erichill16will know drivers in Barnsley have a fear of roundabouts..

 

A trip to the Dentist beckons. PAH! Ialso have a Teams meeting about... cricket.. then, tonight, its the Finals of the indoor cricket league (which could get a bit fractious).

 

Our first car was an mini with a A series engine.no fear about slowing down.. took an age to get it up to any sort of speed.

 

Time for my tea.

 

Stay safe!

 

Baz

[TheQ]

The TV reported this morning the Flats in Jersey were not fitted with gas themselves.. which suggests a cellar full like...

 

In 2003 The London Tavern in Coltishall reported a smell of gas, the gas company were attending and digging a hole outside, when the pub blew up... The cellar had filled with gas, something, probably on a timer set it off, there was not a lot left of the pub and the only injured , not seriously, were the three gas men just outside the front of the pub.

The pub was replaced by several houses and flats..

 

Mooring awl,

3 hours, 1 hour, 1.5 hours sleep not enough.

 

When I got home last night the grass was already crunchy..

 

Ben the I had a good nights sleep Collie, was bright eyed this morning, following me around something he hasn't done for ages.. He had a full patrol and then turned for the house.. so I did ... Then I realised he wasn't with me, so I went back... He was hiding behind a bush... playing hide and seek. Definitely a happy Collie today..

 

Drove slowly out of the drive and immediately got wheel slip, it was a very careful drive down our road to the nearest B road, where I was happy to find that unusually the council had gritted it.. That was fine until I had to go off the bus route, which continues down the coast and I had to turn inland on C class roads that were ungritted..

 More extreme care until I reached Stalham, and then the A roads.

Just before the NDR is a slip road to a Village and Big industrial estate (former WW2 Airfield), in the middle of the slip road was parked a BMW hazards on , no driver in.. Shortly after a police car with blues flashing went that way..

Even with a cop car in attendance, that will cause chaos as a lot of Artics turn in on that junction..

 

Several Hebridean islands used to have very limited driving tests, there were no roundabouts, or roads that weren't single track, no traffic lights or pedestrian crossings. Quite what they make of having to do the highway code tests with double yellow lines, motorways, dual carriageways, tram lines , and all sorts of things they don't have must be of some amazement to them.

 

Right, the overnight characterisation run has finished, 

 

Time to measure 10 ohms , 1 ohm and 0 Ohms...

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, from a chilly rock at 0c, and....the heating's on for extra time. I can feel our current account draining as I type.

 

Roundabouts here are also the subject of terror, there is one in the village, that when first made, the local bobby ended up taking old folk around in their cars to show them how to use it. 

 

More recently, the just completed after three years Douglas prom refurbishment has two 'roundels', which are marked by concentric not-quite-circles on the road and no give way markings - or any other markings of any kind.  They are supposed to be treated as an unmarked junction, i.e. no-one has right of way.  Chaos. Absolutely ridiculous, they are a nightmare.  Nobody gives way to anyone else, all go too fast on the 'main' road (the prom), and they were supposed to be traffic calming!  The Manx Etoile, for anyone familiar with Paris!

[AndyID]

29 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Several Hebridean islands used to have very limited driving tests, there were no roundabouts, or roads that weren't single track, no traffic lights or pedestrian crossings. Quite what they make of having to do the highway code tests with double yellow lines, motorways, dual carriageways, tram lines , and all sorts of things they don't have must be of some amazement to them...

 

I had cousins in Campbeltown who were always interested in things motorcyclic. It has probably changed but at one time the moped test required an emergency stop. The testee was instructed to go around the block after being warned that the tester would jump out in front of them to test their ability to stop. On one occasion in Campbeltown the tester jumped out in front of someone on a moped who was not the actual testee 😀

[iL Dottore]

41 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Ben the I had a good nights sleep Collie, was bright eyed this morning, following me around something he hasn't done for ages.. He had a full patrol and then turned for the house.. so I did ... Then I realised he wasn't with me, so I went back... He was hiding behind a bush... playing hide and seek. Definitely a happy Collie today..

Your little vignettes about Ben - the interesting - Collie are always heartwarming. I feel that I know him quite well, even though I haven’t met him (and, sadly, probably never will). It’s clear he’s a much loved (and lucky) doggie.

 

I wonder how Ben, Lucy and Schotty would get on (although Schotty is often very mouthy when he meets new dogs - until he’s had his say and he then goes on to socialise) 

[polybear]

9 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Yes it was Hemsworth, IIRC 27th December  1994.

 

1995

 

32 minutes ago, TheQ said:

 

 

You forgot to mention the most important piece of information......

 

Countdown to blast off.......🚀

 

10 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Morning, from a chilly rock at 0c, and....the heating's on for extra time. I can feel our current account draining as I type.

 

Bear received an email from EDF yesterday; they kindly pointed out that my G & E spend for next year is predicted to be £1720, based on this year's usage.  Bullocks.

 

10 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Roundabouts here are also the subject of terror, there is one in the village, that when first made, the local bobby ended up taking old folk around in their cars to show them how to use it. 

 

How do Fraggles manage when taking a car over to the mainland one wonders?  That must be a tram smash waiting to happen.

 

10 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

More recently, the just completed after three years Douglas prom refurbishment has two 'roundels', which are marked by concentric not-quite-circles on the road and no give way markings - or any other markings of any kind.  They are supposed to be treated as an unmarked junction, i.e. no-one has right of way.  Chaos. Absolutely ridiculous, they are a nightmare.  Nobody gives way to anyone else, all go too fast on the 'main' road (the prom), and they were supposed to be traffic calming!  

 

And I wonder how Insurance companies/Solicitors will sort out who's to blame in such an incident?  I'm guessing the former will just play it 50-50 and screw both parties.

 

Bear here......

Very, very pleased I'm not driving anywhere today - it must be an absolute skating rink out there; things are looking less than rosy for attending the M.E. Group later this week though (the last this year) if things don't rapidly improve - I have nothing that I need/want to get finished so I'm kinda thinking it's just not worth it, especially as a significant number of other drivers encountered on a normal drive there fall into the "Total and Utter F'Wits" Category.

NNND has noticed that I cleared her side of the drive yesterday - LDC Points awarded 😀

 

Right, today WILL see a certain Bear finally attacking that bluddy sanding job that I've been putting off for far too long - I'm fed up with it hanging over me.  After that it'll be MIUABGA - and may well include splodgin' some paint stripper on the landing banister rail at long last.

Bear gone.

[iL Dottore]

AN IMPORTANT SURVEY FOR ALL SANDWICH LOVERS

In order to improve the quality of our sandwich output, iD Catering LLC would like to know your opinion on the following:

 

The role of the bread in a sandwich is:

• A: to be the star of the show, the filling is secondary.
• B: to stop your fingers from getting greasy from the generous and abundant filling.

Thank you for your feedback.

Edited December 13, 2022 by iL Dottore
Typo

[polybear]

6 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

AN IMPORTANT SURVEY FOR ALL SANDWICH LOVERS

In order to improve the quality of our sandwich output, iD Catering LLC would like to know your opinion on the following:

 

The role of the bread in a sandwich is:

• A: to be the star of the show, the filling is secondary.
• B: to stop your fingers from getting greasy from the generous and abundant filling.

Thank you for your feedback.

 

Equal.  Ish.

 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Dull, dry and icy here.  Currently -2°C and it probably won't get much warmer.

Just had a text from son Steve. He's a bit shaken up as he was in London last night with his partner walking alongside the Thames when they heard a splash as a man went into the river.  Steve called 999, other passersby threw lifebuoys but he went under.  Land and river police and RNLI all arrived within about 5 minutes but it was too late and they couldn't find him.  News this morning says that a body has now been found.  Yet another sad story and another grieving family.

 

No plans for today.  The Boss was due to walk to the Hair Mechanic but has decided not to risk it as it's very icy underfoot around here.  I can't take her as we're expecting some parcels.

I'm still awaiting to hear from my energy company's complaints department "advanced resolutions specialist" about my ongoing dispute but note that my credit balance reduced yesterday from £1300+ to £340 so it's possible that they've sorted it.  I won't be happy until I get official confirmation and of course there was mention of compensation.  I won't let that go away!

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited December 13, 2022 by grandadbob

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

 

£660‘000 will get you into Rolls Royce and Bentley territory, but may still be at the “cheap” end of the vintage car market….

The difference is though that Rolls and Bentleys were never able to be bought new by 18 year old apprentices, unlike Ford GTs.

[jjb1970]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

I guess that it’s a cultural thing: in many countries providing good service is something people take great pride in, equally in many countries being courteous to those providing such services is the natural thing to do.
 

Resentful and rude service and unpleasant and inconsiderate customers seem to be much more frequent in the UK than it used to be.

 

 

I've often wondered how much of it is down to the media. The media in the UK promotes a sort of gleeful miserablism and a political establishment which feeds a sense of entitlement and which pretty much relies on feeding peoples resentments and stirring up negative emotions to garner support. I'm not advocating that the media should be printed and aural prozac, but there's a difference between reporting negative events and news and positively revelling in it and wallowing in negativity in the way of so much of our media. 

I also think it says something about employers and leadership. I know it's easy for well paid people like me to say employment is a two way street and that good employers receive a high level of commitment from those they employ but I was once a youngster working for very little and know enough small business owners and people who work in lower paid retail and service roles that many employers do treat their people well and receive great effort as a result. And of course, it indicates something about the individual. The girl in question at Tesco was young, late teens or early twenties, working on a supermarket till may be seen by her as a dead end but only if she wants it to be a dead end. At her age she could be looking to see what opportunities life has to offer rather than annoying customers with temper fits. I've managed an awful lot of people in modest positions over the years and in every case there were opportunities, in electricity generation I worked for directors who worked their way up from trades positions and I've known a couple of people who work in senior positions in retail who started out as casual contract staff stacking shelves.

 

[DaveF]

It's a cool morning here, about -5.5C and a cloudless sky.  Everywhere is still covered in a layer of ice which looks very slippery so I do not plan on going out.

 

Yesterday started with the usual housework, then I had a series of e mails and phone calls with the solicitor to tie up some loose ends resulting from the sale of Mum's flat. I now have a set of accounts for transactions made on Mum's behalf since her death which agrees with my figures.  The final bills from the estate agent and the solicitor actually came in at slightly below the initial quote so that is very pleasing.  I have also sorted out with the solicitor about transfering the remaining funds to me, I have checked they have the correct bank account details as for various reasons I have accounts with two banks.

 

I've had a reply from one of the management companies who notionally do repairs to the flat but they don't in practice, all they can legally do is carry out a survey of common parts but there are none.  Such is the world of leasehold property.  They have now removed Mum's name from the property details so there will be no more letters from them.  I await a reply from the company which collects ground rent, but I know they take ages to respond to anything which is not going to give them money.

 

There should now only be the gas and elec left to pay, there might even be a small refund depending on how one calculation is done.  I am also waiting from some money from the insurance company.  Then I hope to be able to do a final set of accounts and I will know how much money I have.

 

If anyone is thinking of asking me for money bad luck, Mum left a small flat on  shortish lease and a bit in her bank account, a lot went on settling the care fees.

 

In the afternoon a parcel came from Amazon,  a gift from a cousin.  As the driver walked back to his van another white van arrived with a parcel from a friend via DPD.  I wasn't expecting either of them until today so that was good. Both drivers were very efficient.

 

I've had a sore toe for a few days, it continues to be a bit sore but there is nothing obviously wrong with it except for a small red patch on the underside.  Yesterday it looked more like a bruise.  If it continues I'll' visit the pharmacist once it stops freezing.  Oddly though if I leave it uncovered it doesn't hurt, if I put a simple dressing on it then it is a bit sore if I stand on it.

 

David

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

For The first time since Thursday, there is no frost on the workshop roof, therefore it must be warmer, the sky is a very dull grey colour. The app on my phone tells me it’s -1C outside and it definitely DOESN’T feel warmer!

 

Today is going to be another day when I don’t do much at all, mainly because my thumb still hurts, but thankfully it’s not as bad as it was a couple of days ago. Sheila is off to the hygienist shortly and I will head off downstairs and, to quote @chrisf, who I do hope is ok, will do some unspecified pottering. 

 

Back later. 

 

Brian

Edited December 13, 2022 by BSW01

[Erichill16]

1 hour ago, Barry O said:.. as @Erichill16will know drivers in Barnsley have a fear of roundabouts..

 

I know several people who plan their route to avoid roundabouts, awkward junction and even turning right.

Anyway must dash, off to the pie shop for 28 assorted pies for tonight’s MRC Christmas pie feast. Mushy peas will be available.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Absolutely freezing this morning but I will not be venturing out until much later and only then if its absolutely necessary. That actually depends on the road conditions outside the house. The house faces almost due north and at this time of year little if any sunlight reaches the street. This means that yesterdays snow was reduced to slush by the traffic. Also about five metres up the street is a row of trees. They do get the sunlight which melted the snow with the water dripping  onto the freezing slush resulting in a skating rink. On the subject of mini roundabouts. They should be marked by a broken white line at each entrance, if they all have a single broken line no road has priority. But if its a double broken line that road has priority.

[New Haven Neil]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

1 hour ago, polybear said:

How do Fraggles manage when taking a car over to the mainland one wonders?  That must be a tram smash waiting to happen.

How do Fraggles manage when taking a car over to the mainland one wonders?  That must be a tram smash waiting to happen.

 

 

Oh, that's not how multi quote works then!

1 - yes, it is terrifying to see Manx cars on the M6, which is but a few miles from the ferry terminal in Heysham.  Driving in lane 1 at 45mph (the speed they drive everywhere at here, including 30 limits) gripping the steering wheels in abject terror.

[New Haven Neil]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

nd I wonder how Insurance companies/Solicitors will sort out who's to blame in such an incident?  I'm guessing the former will just play it 50-50 and screw both parties.

 

I am quite sure that is what they will do!  One big issue was at first the police described their use to be the same as a roundabout, then hurriedly corrected themselves to say unmarked junction.  Folk remember the bit that suits them at the time. 

 

I avoid if possible, Mrs H has to cross them regularly in her course of work - as this is in a Government branded car, every banger tries to provoke an accident so they can claim for repairs on the Govt. to their previously already knackered sh!theap of a car.  Mrs H is not caught out easily, advanced driver and motorcyclist, used to defensive survival driving/riding.  As above, it wouldn't get them anywhere as it is, but the average Fraggle doesn't realise this.

[jamie92208]

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

AN IMPORTANT SURVEY FOR ALL SANDWICH LOVERS

In order to improve the quality of our sandwich output, iD Catering LLC would like to know your opinion on the following:

 

The role of the bread in a sandwich is:

• A: to be the star of the show, the filling is secondary.
• B: to stop your fingers from getting greasy from the generous and abundant filling.

Thank you for your feedback.

Definitely 60% B at least

3 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

I know several people who plan their route to avoid roundabouts, awkward junction and even turning right.

Anyway must dash, off to the pie shop for 28 assorted pies for tonight’s MRC Christmas pie feast. Mushy peas will be available.

I hope there will be mint sauce available as well.

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

 

Oh, that's not how multi quote works then!

1 - yes, it is terrifying to see Manx cars on the M6, which is but a few miles from the ferry terminal in Heysham.  Driving in lane 1 at 45mph (the speed they drive everywhere at here, including 30 limits) gripping the steering wheels in abject terror.

That sounds like the A65 past Setle on a Sunday though the drivers are usually male, wearing a hat and glasses.

 

Jamie

Edited December 13, 2022 by jamie92208

[BoD]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

The role of the bread in a sandwich is:

• A: to be the star of the show, the filling is secondary.
• B: to stop your fingers from getting greasy from the generous and abundant filling.

Surely that would depend on whether or not one is playing cards at the time.

[PupCam]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

AN IMPORTANT SURVEY FOR ALL SANDWICH LOVERS

In order to improve the quality of our sandwich output, iD Catering LLC would like to know your opinion on the following:

 

The role of the bread in a sandwich is:

• A: to be the star of the show, the filling is secondary.
• B: to stop your fingers from getting greasy from the generous and abundant filling.

Thank you for your feedback.

 

70% B   - The bread has to be very good indeed BUT without the filling it isn't a sandwich is it!

 

In Other News

 

I thought I really must get on with telescope and/or Beeza this morning.   Went into the (integral) garage and it was 7 degrees C.     Well, that's put paid to that then!

 

I have to venture out in the little red driving box this afternoon.   Routine appointment at the hospital, lucky I chased up the report from the big hospital up-the-smoke again yesterday; it dropped into my Email Inbox shortly afterwards.   Anyway,   I'll be going the "big roads" way this afternoon!

 

Getting close now @TheQ!  😀

 

TTFNQ

 

Alan

 

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by PupCam

[New Haven Neil]

Well, it made 2c here, but has begun to drop back a little.  Bright and sunny and almost dead still, most sensible Fraggles are tucked up warm, this one just made the expedition to the village shop and wished he had been more sensible. Fire's lit, logs in, feet up.

 

The garage was 3c, so that's not an option either. Pah.