Early Risers.

[Dave Hunt]

7 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

 

Good Heavens Bear, you must be standing on your locks.  I usually have a 0.5!  😁

 

Isn't that usually called a polish Bob?

 

Dave (No.3 customer)

[PupCam]

 

Afternoon All!

 

4 hours ago, grandadbob said:

Just heard that we're getting a visitor after lunch.  Abbie is WFH today but is coming here to work as their house is on the market again and they have a couple of viewings this afternoon. (buyers who were so keen and "really really" wanted it have now dropped out for "personal reasons" whatever that means).  

 

The house they really wanted came good and your emergency back-up one was just that - a backup.      Cynical Puppers?

 

In Other News

 

Turdycurses still +ve  ☹️

 

Had a very interesting and enjoyable 2 hour telecon with a friend and former work colleague this morning.   Most bases covered including flying machines, old bikes, R/F systems (various), astronomy oh yes and the "Fun House".   Unfortunately for him, he's still working ... 😁

 

Some good news about  something that's been bothering me recently but some less good news about some future engagements.   It seems that my good friends funeral is now set to be held half an hour before an important, long standing medical appointment.   Turdycurses 2.    Looks like I'll have to see if I can shift it but not so far into the future that I'll need my telescope to see it!

 

Tried out my new extended pole tree pruner this morning.  Works well!

 

TTFNQ

 

[grandadbob]

10 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Ben has gone to hide in his safe place, they're playing top gun up above...

Hope they’re not dumping fuel on your drone that is disguised as a sailing boat called Blue Moon! 

[Winslow Boy]

34 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Good afternoon, lawns aka weed patches ironed and clothes mowed. THe Who, 1 side, The Stones 2 sides and 1 side-on Beatles LP helped the process along.  Now coffee and cake time.  

 

Jamie

 

 

 

 

 

Can't help thinking that something's not quite right with that statement Jamie.

 

Don't know what it is but somehow it just doesn't hang together.

 

It might take me some time but I'll figure it out.

[Dave Hunt]

16 minutes ago, PupCam said:

The house they really wanted came good and your emergency back-up one was just that - a backup.      Cynical Puppers?

 

Not really; exactly that happened to me when I was recently selling my late Dad's house. 'Sterds.

 

Dave

[Hroth]

Its cold, its raining.

 

And an Ice Cream van is trundling around, blasting out an electronic jangle of "Oranges and Lemons".

 

I don't know who they're trying to convince...

 

[Gwiwer]

8 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

that king of bean dishes: the Cassoulet

I found that on a restaurant menu once and, as much because I very much liked the idea as because it aroused my curiosity being normally a dish requiring w very long slow cooking time, I ordered it.  And in around 20 minute it arrived.  Served in an earthenware dish somewhat akin to a tagine in which it had obviously been cooked.  There were telltale little splashes around the inside which said "I have not been re-heated from a large batch but specially prepared."  More or less. I suspect it had in fact been decanted from a larger pre-cooked stock because you cannot prepare a good cassoulet in 20 minutes from scratch.  It contained various forms of bean.  And, as advertised, it contained chunks of chorizo among other goodies.  If I had that recipe I'd be making it for myself - seriously tasty that was.  

 

Good afternoon from a warmish, humid Hill of Strawberries where the winter thermals were discarded for the first time this season so generous was Dr. Celsius with his Degrees.  Some uncertainty clouded the early hours as the bus, use of which was required due to the absence of trains, may have been on diversion due to overnight road closures.  There were notices at the stop and there was a "hood" in London style over the stop flag saying "Planned Closure" but the road was open.  I checked the live tracker.  Two other buses were shown as approaching but of mine there was no sign.  I could have taken either of those other two and changed along the way but what should be trundling silently* along behind them by my N22?  It didn't appear on the tracker at all; in fact that system showed it as having followed the diversion but it clearly hadn't.  So much for "live" then.  

 

It is a live system because the app is linked to the iBus system fitted to almost all vehicles and which feeds back real-time information, generates next-stop and other announcements on board and which supplies TfL with contractually-required operational information.  But it was clearly expecting the N22 to have taken the diversion.  

 

Where els but London can you stand at a bus stop at 04.15 and find not just one but three different bus routes operating at that hour.  Two of which run all day and night every day (and night - except Christmas)?  For £1.75 a trip too, and free (for me and other over 60's) after 09.30.  

 

* Silently because of all those three buses one was a hybrid and the other two battery-powered electrics.  London is moving at pace to eliminate diesel traction where it can.  For those who remember the electrics are as quiet as the trolleybuses of old.  For those who don't remember pop out to the road and listen to the electric cars.  You can barely hear them.  Buses are no louder.  

 

Dr. SWMBO will be home soon.  We have things to discuss.  I have asserted our right to dip into our savings and commit to the various holidays already planned for the year.  She is wary of over-spending.  My approach is that we have the money now and if I'm about to retire then we might not have as much another year.  Our holiday cottage in Cornwall is also unlikely to be available after this year so we should go for it while we can.  

 

 

[The Johnster]

We have electric buses in Cardiff, Datong (Chinese) single deckers, and we love 'em.  Silent apart from a low-level whine which I think comes from the air brake compressor; it is not continuous.  As you say, much like trolleybuses (which I am old enough to remember running in Cardiff), and I'd say quieter, as the trolleybus poles used to go click click over the wire joints, which would twing along the wires to let you know there was one on the way or you'd just missed one.  Newport has taken the plunge as well.

[45156]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

The house they really wanted came good and your emergency back-up one was just that - a backup.      Cynical Puppers?

I actually did that, as this house was under offer to another buyer, after we had seen it, and tried to make an offer - so we had to find an alternative, which we did, but not in the area that we really wanted (ie Ludlow or surrounds).  Then the buyer pulled out due to his lender not coming up with the goodies for sone reason not related to the house - so we were asked if our offer stood, and it did, so we proceeded to withdraw our offer on the fallback - and we really felt bad about it, but we knew deep down that we had to go with the house that we really wanted - price, location, and quality of house were all in its favour - even though this one is a semi, and the other was a larger detached.

 

Afternoon All,

 

Been AWOL due to much pricing and packing of stuff to sell in the cabinet - we get the keys tomorrow, so will be filling boxes tonight, having priced and listed all the items for the first wave - we probably have enough stuff to change the stock completely four times - we plan to visit twice a week to service the cabinet - and we may well try to get a second cabinet in another centre.

 

Ludlow writers tonight - will be leaving in about an hour.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Coombe Barton]

... We’re seeing consistency in the reports, but that they’re all going up is worrying. Couple that with government inaction it’s even more worrying ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/03/16/everything-up-cases-infections-deaths-and-people-in-hospital/

[BR traction instructor]

Close of play today…most of the framing erected…squarely 😀

 

A 1964 Massey Fergie tractor will live in one bay and some form of grass cutter attachment in the other bay…

 

BeRTIe

Edited March 16, 2023 by BR traction instructor

[PhilH]

Deep irony today…..got to the dentist to find my appointment had been postponed. They rang me to let me know, unfortunately I didn’t hear the phone as I had put it on silent in readiness for my trip to the dentist……

[Ozexpatriate]

1 minute ago, PhilH said:

They rang me to let me know

My dentist has taken to multiple methods - both emails ahead of time (with a click to add to calendar) and multiple SMS text messages as the time arrives.

[Ozexpatriate]

I haven't quite got the hang of being on daylight saving time. I'm sleeping and awakening at more or less the 'right' time, but I'm not yet used to the new position of the sun*. It now shines into my living room when I eat in the morning (after my walk) and sunset is suddenly well after my evening meal. I find myself running out of time in the afternoons because the dinner hour arrives so early (relative to the position of the sun).

 

* It's actually been visible the last couple of days.

 

The next couple of days might see the warmest temperature of the year (if we manage to break 15°C / 60°F), and the warmest day since early November. Today started frosty but is quickly warming up. It is starting to feel like Spring so hopefully the flora will soon get on with it.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I was due to go to my late brothers place t help sort out but my niece, who lives in Brighton couldn't get there due to the rail strike. Not sure that I could be much help anyway as the arthritis and sciatica are playing up.

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

The Back is still complaining profusely, as am I because of it.  More pills deployed earlier and these have been supplemented with a bottle of Greene King IPA and a glass of Black Stump Premium Durif which accompanied my Scotch egg salad and jacket potato.  I might just have another glass shortly.  Doesn't seem to be anything on TV to interest me tonight (not unusual) so I will shortly don the headphones and try to find something to watch online, failing that there's plenty of music on my laptop to enjoy.

Cheers 🍺🍷🍷

[grandadbob]

Those of you that know me on here or have even met me know that it takes quite a lot to make me smile.  I managed to do that a few minutes ago when I found this on YouTube.  My two favourite singing sisters together with their Mum:

 

 

[Barry O]

@polybear  shows what Missenden is missing then... step forward Michael Edge. Railway modeller of good standing, long time professional railway modeller and excellent watched brass kit designer (for Judith  the boss).

 

He has always had a pair of these pliers in his back pocket.. he generally mends our locos etc with them at shows.. and has been doing for all of the47 years I have known him..

 

Baz

[polybear]

Bear here.....

 

An afternoon involving cleaning up numerous rather diddy castings made of white metal; Bear predicts very naughty words when trying to solder that lot on....

 

In other news....

A friend's daughter had treatment for The Big C following a Mammogram last year; fortunately it was caught very early.  She had a yearly follow-up Mammogram a couple of days ago - and a phone call today to say they want to do another tomorrow, plus an Ultrasound.  That's no coincidence....

That'll be TC's No.1.

 

Then I phoned Buddy over the road.....

A Buddy of his went into Hospital maybe a couple of weeks ago after a suspected stroke/query brain tumour/query dunno what - they were still running tests.  He was " in a bit of a state" (technical medical term) and not able to speak, move etc. but improved enough to be on a ward.  Then on Tues he went downhill and ended up in HDU - and died shortly afterwards.  He was in his mid-30's.  That's TC's No. 2.

 

Kinda makes  Bear's Poorly Paw Problems pretty insignificant......

 

Bear gone.

[PupCam]

Nicked off of Faceache.     Going to have to visit one day. 

I wonder if there is anyone around here that knows anything about the place? 😉

 

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

After two days of sorting things out at Mum’s, tomorrow see us entertaining mil and Sydney.

Dont know where we’ll be going but looks like we’re going to get wet.
Not much else to report such is life at the moment so

Goodnight.

 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. The arthritis/sciatica is still hanging around.  Its quiet at the moment and I hope it stays that way. Not done much this evening except a couple of crosswords and sudoku's.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well the weather prevented any sort of work outside, so the morning was spent in the workshop. Some more work was done on the RC Sherman tank, the 2 sets of tracks were cleaned and an extra link was added, they were then fitted back on the tank along with the 2 read idler wheels, by the time I knocked off for dinner, it was all back together. 
 

Charlie didn’t come round today, as he was out with friends yesterday and he felt a little delicate. However, then the rain had stopped, so I put up 2 strings of solar lights along both fences.

 

PB, here is a photo of the Sherman tank, the 12” steel rule in front is to give an idea of the size of the model. 

 

 

I just need to get the new electronics for the main drive motors and then design and make a gearbox to operate the turret and finally see if I can make the gun elevate too. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all