Early Risers.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl ,

5.5 hours sleep, 3 hours sleep, a very very good total.

 

Ben has just run and hidden in his cage, I can already hear the wind increasing, another squall is likely  imminent.

We'd already been on patrol, everything damp and breezy. The jungle is growing rapidly, if the seaweed inspectors are correct, it should be dry and sunny next week, therefore the mower will be redeployed. Also the loppers,  as, holly,  roses and brambles are hanging around preventing safe mowing.

 

I've passed Scampton twice this week, and have done so a couple of times a year for some years. Even when I did some work there in the late 1980s through to 96, it was getting very run down. It  has deteriorated badly in recent years. If it does get used for the economic migrants ( they aren't refugees under the definition of refugees) then HMG will have to spend a huge amount of money as the single mens accomodation hasn't been used for many years and is in a particularly poor state.

 

The local council had big plans for redeveloping the site, which would have respected its history.

 

Plans for today 

There is a little work left on the under stairs for me,  to be followed by a redesign , where I'd planned a console table / cupboard, SWMBO now wants a small bureau that is in the mobile home at the moment,  this affects the treatment of that wall, which extends up the stairs side . The bureau itself won't move till after redecoration is complete.

 

Time for a muggacoffee.

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Enjoyed our visit to Whitby yesterday. The skate at the Magpie was very well cooked.

 

Today we must away to Scarbados as Dr Eldest Herbert is (hopefully) catching a train back to Manchester.  Trans Pennine Express seems to cancel more trains than they run and I detect those nice shiny carriages with a loco attached are not as reliable as the old dmus (now moved elsewhere by DafT.).

 

While there her indoors has suggested a perambulation through town. Seems like she has some spending of muddling tokens in mind.

 

Time for my mugatea then breakfast followed by.. Scarbados..

 

Stay safe!

Baz

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Blue sky and sunshine here at the moment but some showers possible later today.  6°C rising to 14°C,

It was quite windy last night but nothing appears to have blown over or away and the bins are where I left them.  Only one lorry due today along with our usual Sainsbury's delivery.  This apparently will have almost everything we asked for with just one minor substitution of one box of chocolates for another.  We can live with that.

It's Steve's birthday at the weekend so we're having a bit of a family do for him here on Sunday.  Preparations are already underway and there is much muttering of "we'vegotlotstodo" etc.   I suppose that means "we" will be doing lots of Shark wielding again in the next couple of days. 

Time to gettamoveon if I want breakfast before our delivery arrives.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

[polybear]

59 minutes ago, SOUTHERNUT said:

Morning All

 

Mocca successfully delivered at 05:08…tick. Mrs Grizz mumbled thank you and promptly went back to sleep. Mine was gone by 05:33, just in time to peek out of the window to see the Newhaven freight drop down the bank. Not yet light enough at 05:35 to see the train clearly, but at least the storm has cleared off. 

 

Er, why is someone called "SOUTHERNUT" delivering Mocca to Mrs. Grizz at 5am??  Bear predicts that our Grizz will be less than happy at such goings-on....

Or has this SOUTHERNUT gone n' done scurrilous wicked things to Grizz?

We need to know......

 

8 minutes ago, TheQ said:

I've passed Scampton twice this week, and have done so a couple of times a year for some years. Even when I did some work there in the late 1980s through to 96, it was getting very run down. It  has deteriorated badly in recent years. If it does get used for the economic migrants ( they aren't refugees under the definition of refugees) then HMG will have to spend a huge amount of money as the single mens accomodation hasn't been used for many years and is in a particularly poor state.

 

In this Bear's Book they are Illegal Immigrants, pure and simple - the vast majority (if not all) are coming from safe countries such as France so are under no threat.  If they want to live in the UK then they should apply in the correct and normal manner and be granted permission BEFORE they arrive here.

I'm most definitely not anti-asylum seekers for those who deserve it (e.g. Ukrainians and those who'd helped British Forces in Afgan) but the vast majority are simply taking the p1ss now.  One thought - many crossing the Channel in boats are supposedly "unaccompanied minors"; so if that really is the case then just how did they manage to have a few £K in their pockets to pay the Smugglers?

And that, for the avoidance of any doubt, most definitely is a Rant.

[polybear]

Bear here....

Today sees Bear giving the H & L Coving another coat of paint - it doesn't look as white as it once did, most likely due to it being wiped a bit too thoroughly in order to remove traces of wallpaper paste.  Turdycurses.  After that it'll be time to start planning and marking the walls (at the C/L of the Dado Rail height) ready for painting - this was due to happen yesterday but the Caulking and Wielding took longer than expected. 

 

In other news.....

How windy was it on the M62?  This windy:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-manchester-65252194

 

It's good to see some going to good use, rather than ending up in a scrapyard or stripped and sold on the 'bay:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65242823

 

Bear gone.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

The overnight rain and wind, thankfully seem to have stopped, although to be fair, neither had kept me awake! However, the weather is still dull and wet, so not much will be done outside today me thinks. Once Sheila has finished her breakfast, she will busy herself getting ready for her Zumba class, once I’ve dropped her off at the church hall I shall return home and give the office area a thorough clean before the new monitor arrives tomorrow, as there’s more room on the desk whilst it’s missing. 
 

Back later. 
 

Brian

[TheQ]

Just noticed Google has re- overflown our place, I know that because some land drains in a field nearby, put in place last year are showing.

I was just looking at the route to Saturday's Norwich show, it was also noticeable the school grounds are distinctly sun burnt.

 

Due to a national shortage of bacon in this house, sausages had to be substituted, we've also run out of milk but that was deliberate, there are two pints of UHT, in the cupboard coming to the end of life. They are part of the winter emergency snowed in stock.

[tigerburnie]

I see Biden is showing us how well American Presidents can walk with their foot in their mouth, what is it with the colonials liking geriatrics for leaders?

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, much less coughing now, but hips have decided to seem to be full of grit to make up for it.  Pah.

 

Reet windy here still, showers and 10c, feels like a lot less.  Off to the Western Wilds of Kirk Michael this morning, as the pharmacy there is actually reliable unlike the three, three no less, in the Bright Lights of Royal Ramsey. A single independent versus 3 Lloyds, independent wins hands down.  Then will call in on friend Charles to see what is occurring.

[Grizz]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Er, why is someone called "SOUTHERNUT" delivering Mocca to Mrs. Grizz at 5am??  Bear predicts that our Grizz will be less than happy at such goings-on....

Or has this SOUTHERNUT gone n' done scurrilous wicked things to Grizz?

We need to know......

 

WTF…Good F ing question right there…..Oh ok…yep worked that out fairly quickly. Panic over. Thanks for the alert Bear, good to know that you’ve got my back buddy. 

Results of the investigation are as follows….my mate borrowed my iPad at Grizz Castle recently to log into RMWEB and didn’t log out. So when I sent my message this morning it was still logged into his account. He is not off my Christmas card list for a first time offender. Questions weren’t raised in the house / castle this time. 
 

Think I might need a cuppa before heading out for a cab ride and a track inspection. Beautiful sunshine here but showers forecast later. 
 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Ever so slightly late this morning as I was still up at past 2 am this morning. It did mean that I went out like a light as soon as my head touched the pillow though. Breakfast has been consumed so i I'm going back to bed for more eyelid inspection.

[monkeysarefun]

Tropical cyclone Ilsa is heading for the NW Australian coast, a cat 5 storm with winds predicted to hit 315kmh (195mph), potentially the biggest storm to ever hit here.

 

 It's a pretty remote part of the country, though towns like Port Hedland are in it's path. It's due overland tonight or early tomorrow morning.

 

 

 

Edited April 13, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[Dave Hunt]

On 12/04/2023 at 02:59, Ozexpatriate said:

I saw a coyote crossing the street in a neighbourhood near the high school the other day - I had never seen one locally before. Deer yes, but not coyotes. It was relatively close to me and we ignored each other.

 

Driving into Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley a coyote crossed the road in front of us then, as we stopped in the parking lot, a road runner went past. No sign of an Acme company delivery truck or a Looney Tunes camera crew though.

 

Dave 

[Dave Hunt]

19 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

It would seem that it'd be a good career for a risk-averse criminal who doesn't want the inconvenience of getting nicked by the plod (see the independent article).

 

One day at work the police arrived at the Squadron I was on in Lincolnshire to arrest one of our pilots for taking part in an armed robbery in London the previous day as the getaway car was registered to him. Fortunately we could prove from the flight authorisation sheets that he had been airborne at the time so the car must have had false plates. Even so, it took some time to convince the CID man in charge that the pilot's signature in the auth sheet could not have been forged, even though the other aircrew in the formation vouched for the fact that the accused had, in fact, been part of the sortie, and since I had been the duty authorising officer they ended up taking copies of our signatures for comparison. Then they had to be satisfied that several people could vouch for the fact that the pilot's car had been in the Squadron car park all day. All in all it took a couple of hours to satisfy the police that none of us had been involved.

 

Dave

[DaveF]

 

This morning is once again mainly dull but at least it started dry.

 

I woke early again yesterday so had a nice cup of tea in bed - the only trouble is having to go downstairs to make it.  After breakfast I had a quick walk as it would have been difficult to get the car out there being a large lorry outside waiting to collect surplus soil from the cabling works - at least they were just turning the corner into the dead end road off my dead end road.  When I got back home the road was back to normal except the trench right across it two houses further along, partly covered by metal plates.

 

Later in the morning I did a bit more in the greenhouse - the passion flower looks very sad so I think it will be cut back hard and repotted shortly.  The tomato plants in the greenhouse seem to have recovered from leaving the kitchen and look a lot better.  

 

After lunch I went into town to visit the elderly lady (98) who lives in the flat next to the one Mum had.  I try to call about once a month, like most older people she only sees her carers and son and family most of the time.  No one has moved into Mum's flat yet but she has met the person who bought it and says he seems nice.  He is still working on the flat, it sounds as though he is going to have new wardrobes fitted.  She also mentioned the flat downstairs from Mum's which seems to be rented out and now has a sheet at the bedroom window instead of curtains.  I am glad I sold the flat.   Most of the other elderly people living in the group of houses and flats seem to be having health problems.

 

In the evening I had an e mail from a friend whose wife is extremely frail and is now back at home for what are probably her last days, very sad.  The last time I saw her was just before Covid when she was still very active.

 

David

 

 

[iL Dottore]

8 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

…Fortunately we could prove from the flight authorisation sheets that he had been airborne at the time so the car must have had false plates. Even so, it took some time to convince the CID man in charge that the pilot's signature in the auth sheet could not have been forged, even though the other aircrew in the formation vouched for the fact that the accused had, in fact, been part of the sortie…

That sounds like a particularly obtuse copper - even by CID standards (one or two of my ex Police Officer acquaintances have made rather scathing comments about the CID).

 

I’m surprised that Civilian Police actually have jurisdiction over the military (it probably varies between countries vis-a-vis who has jurisdiction over the armed forces). Surely you could have said “thanks for letting us know - the RAF Police will take it from here….” (and, depending upon how p1ssed off you were at them, have them escorted off the base by armed RAF personnel???)

 

20 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

…Then they had to be satisfied that several people could vouch for the fact that the pilot's car had been in the Squadron car park all day. All in all it took a couple of hours to satisfy the police that none of us had been involved.

Yep, really obtuse coppers. Your basic RAF pilot is a lot, lot smarter than your average scrote and would have hardly used his own car in an armed robbery, now would he?

And as for not believing the amassed testimony (and documentary evidence) that the individual in question was airborne at the time of the armed robbery - were they assuming a mammoth RAF conspiracy to hide a RAF armed gang?
 

You should have done a recce the next over the CID man in charge’s house - at low level, at 03:00, with full afterburners….

 

Sheez, aren’t the Police allowed to think and use their own judgement any more?

[polybear]

4 hours ago, tigerburnie said:

I see Biden is showing us how well American Presidents can walk with their foot in their mouth, what is it with the colonials liking geriatrics for leaders?

 

I've just seen President B. meeting the Irish President - I'm struggling to decide who looks the oldest & dodderiest (dodderyest?).

 

28 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

One day at work the police arrived at the Squadron I was on in Lincolnshire to arrest one of our pilots for taking part in an armed robbery in London the previous day as the getaway car was registered to him. Fortunately we could prove from the flight authorisation sheets that he had been airborne at the time so the car must have had false plates. Even so, it took some time to convince the CID man in charge that the pilot's signature in the auth sheet could not have been forged, even though the other aircrew in the formation vouched for the fact that the accused had, in fact, been part of the sortie, and since I had been the duty authorising officer they ended up taking copies of our signatures for comparison. Then they had to be satisfied that several people could vouch for the fact that the pilot's car had been in the Squadron car park all day. All in all it took a couple of hours to satisfy the police that none of us had been involved.

 

Dave

 

And poor 'ol CID Plod thought he'd got himself a nice easy collar and well on the way to solving a serious crime......

 

Bear here.....

Coving all painted....again.  Tick

Right, time to plan that paint scheme layout.

 

In other news.....

I see that The Golly Pub "should not be considered for future awards or inclusion in our Good Beer Guide", the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) said.  Oops.

Bear gone.

 

[jjb1970]

A few years ago when I was at Sellafield one of the control engineers kicked the hijack button under the desk by mistake (he was sleeping on a night shift and turned over or something). A few days later I took a call in the control room from the UKAE Police (the nuclear constabulary) asking if everything was alright, yes I answered, why? Well, we notice your hijack alarms been active and wondered if there was anything wrong. You couldn't make it up.

[jjb1970]

I've just been watching a clip of a rather controversial billionaire being interviewed by our revered BBC about hate speech and disinformation, if that's the standard of BBC interviewing these days I'm glad I'm not paying the license fee. Regardless of what you think about Elon Musk the BBC guy was woeful, I'm not sure whether he was too lazy to prepare or incompetent to interview someone with a bit of intelligence but he came over as a complete amateur way way out of his depth.

[polybear]

12 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

A few years ago when I was at Sellafield one of the control engineers kicked the hijack button under the desk by mistake (he was sleeping on a night shift and turned over or something). A few days later I took a call in the control room from the UKAE Police (the nuclear constabulary) asking if everything was alright, yes I answered, why? Well, we notice your hijack alarms been active and wondered if there was anything wrong. You couldn't make it up.

 

I spotted an unaccompanied bag at work some years ago - at a time when IIRC there were still "issues" with N.I., as well as being not that long after 9/11; I watched (from a distance) two security plod turn up, peer at it then one of them gave it a bluddy good kick and then announced "well it didn't go bang" so picked it up and they walked off with it.

 

[jamie92208]

Mate and had a saying, "Even a detective could detect that" . Sadly all to many could only detect their next drink. There were some honourable exceptions that it was a privilege to work with. 

 

As to authority over service personnel. It's a bit of a minefield that can work either way. 

 

Jamie

[Dave Hunt]

36 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

I’m surprised that Civilian Police actually have jurisdiction over the military (it probably varies between countries vis-a-vis who has jurisdiction over the armed forces). Surely you could have said “thanks for letting us know - the RAF Police will take it from here….” (and, depending upon how p1ssed off you were at them, have them escorted off the base by armed RAF personnel???)

 

 

As I understand it, where a civil matter is concerned in the UK the civilian police have jurusdiction over military personnel and the civilian police concerned were escorted by the officer i/c RAF police on the base.

 

Dave

Edited April 13, 2023 by Dave Hunt

[jjb1970]

Talking of Police and nefarious goings on, this is quite interesting, Singapore Airlines only hijacking, SQ117:

 

[Dave Hunt]

15 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

I spotted an unaccompanied bag at work some years ago - at a time when IIRC there were still "issues" with N.I., as well as being not that long after 9/11; I watched (from a distance) two security plod turn up, peer at it then one of them gave it a bluddy good kick and then announced "well it didn't go bang" so picked it up and they walked off with it.

 

 

I don't know whether it's an apocryphal story or not, but I was told by a bloke that worked on the Irish ferry out of Holyhead that someone found an unaccompanied bag in the lounge of one of the ferries and reported it to a crew member who simply picked it up, walked out onto the deck and threw it over the side.

 

Dave

[PupCam]

Afternoon All!

 

Whoops, lunch is late!     But then  I am "on hold" on the HMRC telephone line .....      Nothing more to be said that hasn't be said a million times already (Yep, rant).

 

In Other News

 

This morning I set off on a mission to do my very first "Sainsburys Smart shop"  Of course, the only smart thing about it is Sainsburys get to have a load of free till staff (aka their customers) although it does save having to do all that tedious unloading the trolley then loading the trolley malarkey.       Unfortunately when I got to the Smart Shop checkouts there was a queue, all the tills were displaying big red error exclamation marks and the one poor women on duty was actually in tears as she tried to rectify all of the (system) faults.     Puppers (never known for his patience in such circumstances) set off to grab another Sainsbury's employee to get them to help the poor women out and release the not-so-smart shoppers from their plight.   (Yep, another rant!)

 

Hopefully later this afternoon I will get the chance to hack some aluminium plate up to make a temporary timing gear bearing plate.  The outer journals of the two cam wheels are supported by bearings in the timing chest cover.  Unfortunately you have to remove that cover to do the timing so the two cam wheels flop around as you turn the engine over.  Hardly conducive to setting the timing accurately!   The original engine was of a modified design - it had a plate with bearings in that support the outer journals that is bolted in.  The timing case cover is just that - a cover.   A much better design!    I'll also start thinking about sorting out that lip seal I mentioned yesterday.

 

Well, that's 45 minutes on hold so far.    I'm off to make lunch and if they answer while I'm scoffing they'll just have to wait until I've finished my mouthful

"My call is important to ME ......"

 

TTFNQ