Early Risers.

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

This will then mean dealing with 9 year olds in a PC shop

Or you could buy a Dell? I suppose this will generate lots of “never buy a Dell” tales but I have been happy with my most recent purchase from their Alienware range. I did select the very cheapest keyboard as I wanted a proper UK one not an “International” one. They did have UK ones but not with all the keys I wanted. So I was prepared to get that separately. Aditi was going to get a Dell laptop to replace her ancient Sony Vaio but I managed to sort out the slow booting problem. It isn’t fast but is acceptable for her. She has a Mac too. It does look a bit like Mission Control when she is hosting  her French society Zoom meetings. Mac for Zoom and PC for the people sending emails. 
Tony

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Tony_S

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

Splendid lunch here with Nicki, Gemma, Abbie & James and much chat and laughter.  Abbie &  James are coming on a cruise with us in 4 months time and CD's advice about travel insurance is most pertinent.  I have travel insurance with my bank but take out a separate cruise specific insurance which includes cover for emergency evacuation and any medical expenses related to Covid 19 which is not catered for on some policies.  In my case it's not particularly cheap because of existing health issues declared but better safe than sorry.  The youngsters (and The Boss) are as fit as fiddles so their insurance is a lot cheaper but on our advice have taken out the same type of policy as us.   

 

Two rugby matches watched and enjoyed and my "second" team, Exeter, had a good win today.  TB's team, Tigers, seem to be suffering the same woes as Quins and came a cropper to Warren's lot.  I'm hoping that Quins can improve tomorrow.  This may well be wishful thinking as they're playing Sale who are above them in the league table.

 

Burger, fries and a side salad have been consumed and helped down with a Shiraz Petit Verdot which is quite drinkable.  Mind you I seem to be lucky with the red wine I buy and never get a duff one.   Now tightly crossing all digits and touching wood now I've said that.

 

The Boss is hogging the tellybox so it's time to don the headphones and listen to some music.

Edited January 7, 2023 by grandadbob

[grandadbob]

5 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Or you could buy a Dell? I suppose this will generate lots of “never buy a Dell” tales but I have been happy with my most recent purchase from their Alienware range. 

 

 

My first desktop was a Dell and it was great for several years but eventually got a bit too slow and it took up too much room so I changed to a  laptop.  Had an HP then a Toshiba (still got it but it's so slow it's almost stationary) and have currently got a Dell G3 17" which I've had for 3 years and I find excellent and does everything I need.

[Tony_S]

I think it is highly likely we will be going on the cruise later this that was originally booked for 2020. Same company, different ship and destination. We will have to pay the balance in April. Our travel insurance is with the bank but we pay supplements for my age and all of our pre existing conditions. It does cover for Covid including being quarantined and other transport. The cruise company do expect proof of appropriate insurance. At present they still expect pre departure negative Covid tests too. 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Tony_S

[Ozexpatriate]

The panel in the bottom right of the screen is now more consistently displaying advertising.

 

The weird thing is that unless you scroll to the bottom of the page it's not visible - even as I edit this, I can't see it, though when the "submit reply" button is visible, I can see the top half of advertising. Why bother reconfiguring  the page layout for advertising when it's not even visible >90% of the time?

[grandadbob]

 

@Tony_S

 

Tony, is that Cunard? 

P & O do not currently require tests but do recommend it.  Proof of vaccinations plus boosters (if eligible) also required but this is all due to be reviewed for cruises from 1st March.

They also require proof of appropriate insurance but when Steve went on a cruise in November he wasn't asked for it!

 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by grandadbob

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

Bear here........

 

YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.......

Episode Four - The Grand Finale.

 

Episodes 1 - 4 will be available shortly via Bearplayer.....

 

Bear gone..........

 

Well, 'Yahoo' certainly beats 'Argh'... sorry it took four episodes to win through though. 

 

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

... Went down to Tess Coes earlier. They had venison steaks, honey roast parsnips and peas/runner beans all at reduced price. All going in the slow cooker first thing in the morning and that's the next couple or three dinners sorted....

 

Nice combination. Our tea was venison, onion and mushrooms in a ciabatta with a side salad, good mix of flavours and ingredients. 

 

[polybear]

23 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

I have travel insurance with my bank but take out a separate cruise specific insurance which includes cover for emergency evacuation and any medical expenses related to Covid 19 which is not catered for on some policies.  In my case it's not particularly cheap because of existing health issues declared but better safe than sorry.  The youngsters (and The Boss) are as fit as fiddles so their insurance is a lot cheaper but on our advice have taken out the same type of policy as us.   

 

It may not be the case in this instance, but another area where travellers can fall foul is by using different Insurance Companies from one another in order to achieve best prices (one may need cover for pre-existing health conditions and the other not, for example).  So if one cannot travel or the Holiday has to be cut short (for being ill, for example) then the other most likely won't get compensated if they don't go etc.

 

A friend of a friend gets cheap insurance by not disclosing any health conditions, despite being a walking A-Z of problems.  I've a suspicion that even the dumbest Insurance Company may be able to spot the words "Cerebral Palsy" in her Medical Records....

 

[New Haven Neil]

This is an HP Pavilion lappy, had it a few years....5-6?.... now with no issues - the previous Dell did expire in traditional DCC stylee as the motherborat exploded with a cartoon foomf.  The tower PC is also a Dell I think, it is OK but at 12 years old has difficulty with several newer programmes and especially the Canon printer software.  I really want an SSD drive too.  Its looking like a new tower, as Mrs NHN isn't showing much interest in a lappy despite oft complaining about her tablet not being good enough.  Can't win.

[Coombe Barton]

I was on Macs from 1984 to 1997, then needed to go PC as the commonality between PC and Mac wasn't. Work supplied one laptops until I really got fed up and back to Macs again, as the compatil=bility between systems was there, Not I only use an M2 large MacBook. I have no problems with PC compatibility, but there again I don't use any PC only apps. You won't get me changing back.

[Tony_S]

19 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

really want an SSD drive too. 

I think that won’t be difficult nowadays. Both of the drives on my PC are solid state. I am not sure if there was a “traditional” disc option. A lot of tower and laptop devices don’t come with an optical drive either. I bought an external drive for playing Blu-ray or DVDs. It just plugs into one of the many usb 3 ports. 

[grandadbob]

28 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

It may not be the case in this instance, but another area where travellers can fall foul is by using different Insurance Companies from one another in order to achieve best prices (one may need cover for pre-existing health conditions and the other not, for example).  So if one cannot travel or the Holiday has to be cut short (for being ill, for example) then the other most likely won't get compensated if they don't go etc.

 

 

The Boss hasn't got any "conditions" (well apart from being Her Bossness and all that that entails) but we are both on the same policy,  I'm the one who makes it expensive.

Edited January 7, 2023 by grandadbob

[Tony_S]

59 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

Tony, is that Cunard? 

Yes. It seems (just checked) to have changed to recommended for Cunard and from March being vaccinated will be recommended not compulsory too. Our cruise isn’t on the list yet as they only have the information for the next three months. We have booked the option where we get our own table for meals. This was done before Covid. That option now for current bookings is really expensive so we may not do that again. We got upgraded to that on our month long Atlantic voyage and really liked the flexibility for mealtimes. 
Tony

Edited January 7, 2023 by Tony_S

[grandadbob]

On P & O we opt for what they call Freedom Dining which does cost more but gives you this:

 

"Freedom dining

If you'd rather go with the flow and be flexible, dine together anytime from 6.00-9.30pm. At peak times, we'll give you a pager to let you know when your table is ready, so you can sit back and relax with a drink in the bar."

 

They ask if you wish to have a table by yourself or share with others.  We never share with others and most times we've got shown to our own table straight away and only had to wait 3 times IIRC (on a total of 6 cruises) in one of the  bars with a pager, longest wait was about 30 minutes.

Edited January 7, 2023 by grandadbob

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, The White Rabbit said:

Nice combination. Our tea was venison, onion and mushrooms in a ciabatta with a side salad, good mix of flavours and ingredients. 

I looked up the prices compared to beef, very much the same. Venison steak is about £11.50 a kilo and beef is about£12 per kilo. That of coarse depends on the cut and quality of either.

[polybear]

Bearplayer "Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh" - Episodes 1 - 4

 

Episode One - "Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........."

Good 'ol Plusnet decided Bear needed a new Router in order to get the new, higher Broadband Speeds promised a few days ago - so they sent me one  (in a box the size of a Desktop Keyboard) that Postie (RM) left in plain view learning up against the front door, with no card thru' the door.  I only discovered it'd been delivered cos' I looked at the tracking info.  T0sser.

 

Now Bear is wise(?) enough to know that Lennie the Laptop would much rather like to know the new Password in order to play with this new, faster Router.  That's easy, Bear can do that bit.  Tick.

 

However, Lounge Alexa had decided to sulk at the arrival of Reggie the Router; LA was rather fond of Robbie the Router and so decided to sulk in protest.  Only after some coaxing and a careful introduction did LA decide that RtR wasn't so bad after all.  Tick - eventually.

 

But of course Kitchen Alexa decided to play up as well......

And so did Conservatory Alexa......

And Bedroom Alexa.......

And Mobile Alexa (who's actually Echo)....

And Spare Alexa......

And Muddlin' Room Alexa.....who needed two total resets before realising that yes, there is a Radio 2 after all......

 

And then of course there was the TV.....

And the Mobile phone......

And the Amazon Fire Tablet.....

 

Time wasted:  A long half-day.  Turdycurses.

 

Episode Two - "Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........."

Literally......

 

It's 01.00 Hours (Bear knows that cos' that's what the Projection Clock was squirtin' onto the Bedroom Ceiling).

- and a certain Bear is suddenly awoken by the joys of Cramp.  Not yer bog-standard calf muscle cramp though - oh no.  

This was the full blown Cramp on the inside Thigh.  Both Thighs.  Simultaneously......

Pain Factor Score?  Hovering around the "Please, let me die" I'd say.

I did briefly try walking to see if that'd help, but suddenly feeling rather iffy and dizzy made me feel that wasn't a great idea after all - so back in the Pit PDQ.

The fact that it lasted for a full twenty minutes didn't help either - I learnt words that would make even Roy Chubby Brown blush.  Don't do it, it's not fun.

 

Episode Three - "Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........."

 

It's today - and Bear still has two Wi-fi switches to re-programme - one controls the lights below the Kitchen Wall Cupboards via Alexa, and the second does the same in a Display Cabinet in the Conservatory.  

First problem - the programming of these has to be accessed via one of those "Appy" thingies; why can't they just have a website like you can do for Alexa?  That's a Rant.

 

Of course the first problem is the Appy Thingy (AT) can't be put on a Laptop.  Turdycurses.

So I thought that I'd put it on the Fire Tablet.  Oh no you can't....

It seems that the FT only likes such things from the Amazon App Store(?) - and that hasn't got the App listed.  Much fighting with the Google Play Store proved fruitless - it just won't.  I only discovered this after many hours, naturally.  Fuggin' Turdycurses.

 

Bear is now losing the Will to Live.....

 

However.....

 

I thought to myself that I must've been able to access the App when I first installed the Wi-Fi Switches - so how the F. did I do it?  Ponder mode engaged.....

 

Aha......maybe I used the Samsung Tablet (that normally lives in the cupboard unused - I bought that to take away with me when on Business Jollies or Hols, only for Amazon to advertise Fire Tablets for twenty eight notes not long afterwards - so I got one of them instead as well cos' if that got busted or nicked I'd be a lot less upset than if it was the Samsung).

 

Success - Sammy the Samsung already had the App installed - there's a clue there.  Big Tick.

 

But......

 

To get the Wi-Fi switches into "pairing mode" you have to access them so you can see when the little blue LED is flashing....and the switches are on the top of a Kitchen Wall Cabinet/Conservatory Display Cabinet.  Piggin' Turdycurses.  Off to the shed for the ladder......

 

And would they "Pair" with the App/New Router?  Would they F.......despite trying Auto and Manual Modes.  Poo.

 

At this point I'm pondering dumping them completely.......

 

Last chance saloon was to disconnect the wires from one of the Switches and mess with it on the bench;  after much faffing around I eventually discover the way to make it play nicely with the App - it's just a shame that it won't play with Alexa.  Rats.

 

Episode Four - "Yahoooooooooooooo..........."

 

Yet more messing around - this time with the Alexa settings - and success was finally achieved; for some strange reason if it hadn't got a little tick in the appropriate box then......

Bluddy stupid if you ask this Bear.

And now - finally - all are working as they should.  I think.........

 

And at the moment (early days) the new Router is no faster than the old one when Speed Tests are conducted........

 

And finally.......

With the way the aft limbs are currently feeling I've a sneaky feeling that Series Two may commence tonight, with yet another dose of The Dreaded Cramp.  FPT's

 

I've had the good sense to make some notes as to how to fix the Switches in the future, as sooner or later there'll be another Router change - and I don't want to go thru' all this again.

 

Total time a Bear has lost out of his life with this Cr*p:  1.5 days.

 

And finally finally......

Many thanks to a certain Puppers @PupCam plus a certain other fellow ER'er 😉 for checking up on me to ensure all is well 😃

 

In other news.......

@New Haven Neil Take it from this Bear - forget bluddy computers .....save yourself a heap of pain (and a load of Deltics) and buy yourself a Typewriter and an Abacus instead.  Ask Bear how he knows.......

 

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by polybear

[Barry O]

Ey up!  Been busy clicking up the walkabout miles.

 

Seen lots of interesting things eaten various interesting food stuffs, drunk some interesting drink stuff.

Yorkshire tea bought and deployed.. luxury!

 

Time to get back to walking about! Stay safe!

 

Baz

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, Claude_Dreyfus said:

The 30-day clause (31 in this case) is pretty standard. It separates standard multi-trip insurance from more specialist policies. It is designed so that you do not use your travel insurance to live abroad, or work on secondment etc. Horses for courses

Many of the travel insurance policies I considered offered that exclusion in order to maintain a more competitive price.  But if the inclusive dates of travel were entered at the initial request then the price and policy took into account the duration.  This excluded some insurers who simply don't offer cover extending beyond 30 days.  

 

It is, of course, essential to factor in travel days at each end of the trip and maintain cover to the very last.  In many cases travel is accomplished within one calendar day but - and specifically in our case - long-haul travel requires two and sometimes three calendar days.

 

Allowance should also be made for delay in transit.  I allowed one extra day on the return leg every time just in case.  It would be a significant inconvenience to have ones' connecting flight cancelled and be left overnight somewhere like LAX or DXB only to find that the policy expired at midnight and your additional costs were not covered.  

[Gwiwer]

4 minutes ago, polybear said:

forget bluddy computers .....save yourself a heap of pain (and a load of Deltics) and buy yourself a Typewriter and an Abacus instead

And a tray of LDC.

[Tony_S]

32 minutes ago, polybear said:

at the moment (early days) the new Router is no faster than the old one when Speed Tests are conducted........

The BT version does state it can take a while to find the highest stable speed. I know BT own Plusnet but the routers may be different.  

[PupCam]

46 minutes ago, polybear said:

Episode Two - "Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........."

Literally......

 

It's 01.00 Hours (Bear knows that cos' that's what the Projection Clock was squirtin' onto the Bedroom Ceiling).

- and a certain Bear is suddenly awoken by the joys of Cramp.  Not yer bog-standard calf muscle cramp though - oh no.  

This was the full blown Cramp on the inside Thigh.  Both Thighs.  Simultaneously......

Pain Factor Score?  Hovering around the "Please, let me die" I'd say.

I did briefly try walking to see if that'd help, but suddenly feeling rather iffy and dizzy made me feel that wasn't a great idea after all - so back in the Pit PDQ.

The fact that it lasted for a full twenty minutes didn't help either - I learnt words that would make even Roy Chubby Brown blush.  Don't do it, it's not fun.

 

Bananas I believe are a good anti-cramp food.   Something to do with high levels of potassium.

 

So, now you can practice being a large hairy primate, scoffing bunches of the things.   Don't go climbing up trees though! 

[monkeysarefun]

6 hours ago, polybear said:

Bearplayer "

 

 

I've had the good sense to make some notes as to how to fix the Switches in the future, as sooner or later there'll be another Router change - and I don't want to go thru' all this again.

 

Total time a Bear has lost out of his life with this Cr*p:  1.5 days.

 

 

 

 

Mate, it's probably a bit  too late now  but why not  just bridge the old router to the new through an ethernet port?

That way all your internal WiFi stuff stays connected unmolested to the old router and  your external internet comes through the new.

Disable the wifi on the new router or use it for a backup/load sharing or  for say  just the telly, laptop and phone.

That's how I do it,  10 minutes work - saves a heap of time and messing around whenever the provider upgrades the router. 

 

But on the other hand think of all the cool  stuff you've learned ( or is it learnt?)

Edited January 8, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I quite often get cramp though I can often get rid of it by massaging the muscle affected. If I feel a cramp coming on I stop and then reverse the movement and this often stops the cramp.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well it’s been very quiet here today, Ava wasn’t her normal chatty self. She seemed ok first thing and assisted me making tonight’s tea, which was Beef and Ale stew. She also helped me finish making the fruit tea loaf, but then sat on the sofa reading and at one time she looked as if she was even asleep. But during dinner, she said she wasn’t feeling well and asked if she could be taken home. So, once I’d finished my muggertea I took her home. Hopefully, she’ll feel better soon and be well enough to join us again next weekend. 

 

After tea, we decamped to the living room, opened a bottle of merlot and watched some recorded TV.