Early Risers.

[PeterBB]

21 hours ago, skipepsi said:

Nurses have to pay for their training and as I understand it provide free labour during training.  It is not set up as an apprentice scheme.

Doctors as I understand it also pay for their education and training.  The politics behind this I will leave well alone..

With the 'loan' system currently in place the above statement is probably true but there again a few years ago  it was deemed that 50% of children would go to uni that in turn made it uneconomic for county councils to fund scholarships ... hence the current system where public school trainees pay less than school fees and everybody else has to spend a lifetime paying back the 'loan'.  Not sure if this is a rant and hope not political.

[BoD]

2 hours ago, grandadbob said:

Rugby watched and enjoyed last night, another match today.

There is another ‘interesting’ match today that isn’t televised.  
I’ll say no more.  🦅🦅🦅

[grandadbob]

Yes Warren, it's a must win situation for Quins if they are to keep any of the faint chance they have  of making the play-offs.   As they seem to keep shooting themselves in the foot I'm not holding my breath but of course live in hope.

Edited April 15, 2023 by grandadbob

[Erichill16]

@polybear , i have, in the back of my garage a controlled drugs cabinet that i could make available to a good cause. 

[DaveF]

 

Today started dull and cold, it is now sunny and merely cool as the wind is in the east.

 

Yesterday morning involved enjoyable shopping with a trip to the Silverlink shopping centre (it is named after the loco).  It started with Hobbycraft to buy balsa wood and mounting board, then I had a walk around a couple of other shops to make sure the furniture I have is more suited to me than things in the shops.  After that I went to Currys to buy another external hard drive for family photos, I managed to come out with a tablet as well.  It's the first one I've had, a fairly basic Samsung with a 10.5" screen so I can easily read digital magazines.  So far it works well, later today it will gain a micro SD card to increase the storage.

 

I was home in time for coffee having found that whichever way I go to and from the place it takes almost the same amount of time.

 

The issue of my photos on another website has now been sorted out, I had a very apologetic e mail from the person concerned, he can keep the photos on his site, they will be properly credited.  It turns out he lived not far from me at one time though we never met.  Then in the afternoon as I mentioned yesterday I bought a second hand 18-55mm lens for one of my Nikons, just so it is light and easy to carry when I want something a bit better than a Canon Ixus or my phone when I am out locally.  It also means I can have the 18-135mm zoom on my "best" camera, it is a slightly sharper lens than my 18-200mm which to be honest is a bit heavy to cary and makes the camera feel unbalanced when walking.  I shall use the 18-200mm one for specific things in future - like ships on the sea.

 

For tea I tried a Greggs meat and vegetable pasty from their new shop at the beach.  It was better than I expected so I may call in there now and then.  In the evening there wasn't really anything I wanted to watch on TV so I found an old German folk music programmme on Austrian TV.

 

When I went to bed I started reading a book and after a few minutes thought it seemed familiar - it was, I read it about three months ago, I'd picked up the book next to the one I really wanted from the bookshelf by mistake.  It was an easy mistake to make, Clive Cussler's books are enjoyable but often a bit formulaic.

 

David

Edited April 15, 2023 by DaveF
Yet another typo.

[jjb1970]

1 hour ago, PeterBB said:

With the 'loan' system currently in place the above statement is probably true but there again a few years ago  it was deemed that 50% of children would go to uni that in turn made it uneconomic for county councils to fund scholarships ... hence the current system where public school trainees pay less than school fees and everybody else has to spend a lifetime paying back the 'loan'.  Not sure if this is a rant and hope not political.

 

Not only that, we've somehow ended up as a country where everyone has a degree but completely reliant on people from overseas for skilled workers. Which wouldn't have surprised anyone who considered that a high level of education is not necessarily the same as having useful skills or knowledge of use to employers.

[jjb1970]

On American cars, I did enjoy the driving experience of a big lump with immense torque mated to an auto box on older models. They weren't especially fast (well, they could be brutal in a straight line but didn't like corners) and certainly not fuel efficient but hugely enjoyable. And the engine notes were wonderful on some of them, I've never liked the high pitched screech of high revving European and Asian high performance engines, the low rumble in which you can hear the firing order of US Vee-block engines is much nicer.

[Hroth]

Yesterday morning, I ordered a book from Amazon. Free standard delivery, it would be with me Monday. Fine, I thought.

Yesterday evening an email from Amazon. The book had been dispatched and would be with me on Sunday. Ok, I thought.

This morning, about elevenish, another email. The book would be delivered today. ***********, I thought.

 

Now I have to stay in as otherwise the delivery operative will leave it propped up against the front door, clearly visible to any light-fingered passerby.....

 

Update.

 

Doobell rung. I got to the door to see the packet propped up against the step and the back of the Amazon van disappearing around the corner. They didn't know/care if anyone was in to retrieve it.  Just ring the bell and run away.....

 

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by Hroth
Update rant.

[Joseph_Pestell]

23 hours ago, skipepsi said:

Nurses have to pay for their training and as I understand it provide free labour during training.  It is not set up as an apprentice scheme.

Doctors as I understand it also pay for their education and training.  The politics behind this I will leave well alone..

 

One of the nurses treating me was on an apprenticeship scheme. Seemed like a much better deal even if it takes a bit longer.

[Joseph_Pestell]

14 hours ago, Tony_S said:

 My neighbour told me his Lamborghini is really just an Audi.

I know somebody with a Bentley like that.

[southern42]

' afternoon all.

Found out, this morning, how to make the sun disappear - put the washing out! 🤣

...the first tine this year - indoors heating having been relied upon for months.

 

I should have had lunch an hour ago but ended up arranging a meet up in May with a friend who  I have not seen for over a year.  Part of this time was spent sorting out public transport times to get me over the Britannia Bridge by train. I have been here for decades, used the train a fair number of times but always in the other direction. I have driven across the bridge, sailed under it in both directions, but never been over it on the rails. I may even get a ride with both Avanti (down) and TfW (up) - in their new  Class 197, I wonder?

 

Definitely time for lunch, now.

Take care, Be good. Be adventurous.

Polly

[monkeysarefun]

8 hours ago, polybear said:

that on the wall of Chateau Chimpy?

Isn't it a beauty! No, not mine, the family that owned it (cos it is big enough to be counted as a possession) had it in their house for about a year to see how big it would get.

 

This is my best offering, a pale imitator.

Rather than conduct size experiments with them I do rehouse them outside when I see them purely because they love disappearing and then later reappearing in  unexpected places like on the back of your bath towel or on the wall just above your bedhead or  right beside the light switch when you turn it on in the dark and scaring the crap out of you. The little pranksters. 

Edited April 15, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[monkeysarefun]

9 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

You don't need a SUV if you've got one of these 😄

 

 

'76 Chevy "Impaler".  Eight by four sheets of plywood slide right in.

Also available as a Buick, Pontiac or Oldsmobile.

 

(The bike and trike were imported from Scotland courtesy of ITT.)

 

All 3 manufacturers here offered wagon versions, the mightiest was the Chrysler Valiant of 1977/78.  This thing was huge and likewise had motors to match, up to I think 365cu inch. Came in great colours like bright orange, mustard and purple.  A pair of visiting US guys saw one in the carpark at work a few years ago and even they were impressed by its size.

 

 

3 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

On American cars, I did enjoy the driving experience of a big lump with immense torque mated to an auto box on older models. They weren't especially fast (well, they could be brutal in a straight line but didn't like corners) and certainly not fuel efficient but hugely enjoyable. And the engine notes were wonderful on some of them, I've never liked the high pitched screech of high revving European and Asian high performance engines, the low rumble in which you can hear the firing order of US Vee-block engines is much nicer.

 

Same for me! The ute is 6 litres (366 cu inches) with a 4 inch dual cat back exhaust, sounds mighty, especially on the overrun when you lift off the accelerator. Random strangers  have  congratulated me on its sound when parking on occasion!

 

 

 

In contrast there is a Ferrari that tears up the hill that I overlook here, he gives it everything as the speed limit increases to 100kmh, sets my teeth on edge with the screamy angry blowfly like noise.

 

Performance wise,  the thing that the ute and other newer V8s have that older V8s didn't is traction control. In the old days you couldn't do too much damage when you planted your foot because most of the power went into shredding the tyres, but these days do the same thing and things a long way away are suddenly much closer!

 

 

 

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

Purchases at the show, two perambulators under their own power on metal rails, they are of cast metal, one has no motor, the other not working, why not working? I spotted that immediately,. All 6 wheels aren't insulated!! Both had a lot of unfitted small parts in the bottom of their original boxes with the original destructions.

Both need a visit to the paint stripper. Anyway total cost only £23..

 

As for the show... A little disappointing, there was room for more exhibits, and three of those that were there were not interesting to me, Lego, corgi, and a tinplate.. though several other exhibits were of a very good standard.

 

After that a visit to the big orange shed, the good news being they have finally finished the road works.

Various bits of wood and a piece of clear plastic bought.

 

Meanwhile SWMBO has been doing more sorting, she's found another mobile phone, the charger to the battery hoover, 5 torches, all working, numerous unopened packets of wet wipes, an enormous amount of other cleaning materials ...

 

I've inspected the car we've gained, a Peugeot 107, it needs two new front tyres, why? 

Front left, 30lbs,

Rear left 20lbs,

Front right 20lbs,

Rear right 10lbs.

Should be 32-34lbs.

Signs of a lot of uneven tyre wear.

 

Therefore engine checked,

Oil at bottom of dipstick,

Washer liquid, a small puddle in the bottom.

Except for the new tyres, all the above has been corrected.

[45156]

Afternoon All,

 

Manged to miss about a week's worth of erudite discussion drivel on here, mainly due to being too busy with Ebay and other items - and I have to say that it is getting a bit more profitable than the cabinet.  We bought a couple of Emma Bridgewater egg coddlers from one of the antique centres in Leominster - a quick check on eBay via the phone showed them to be well under priced, and we got both fo £48.  One went onto Ebay straight away last weekend, and finished today at £73 - so the second has just gone on today so we could be looking at a profit of about £80 if the second one goes at the underbid amount.  Cabinet can never keep up with that - but how a dealer can wrongly price to that extent is beyond me - there are so many online resources to use.

 

As ever, if there is anything urgent that I should know about, could some kindly soul please pm me - thanks.

 

Other than that, it has been bookwork, and the problem that we now have more income being paid lunar monthly, than calendar monthly - and our income seems to come is all over the place, as 30747 and I are on different payment cycles for our State pension, and our pensions are paid about ten days apart, and my work pension comes in on last working day of each month - We'll get used to it, I suppose.

 

No car boots on at all round here tomorrow, as all the fields are waterlogged - PAH.  Jumble sale tbis morning also was a bit of a non event as it was busy, with people rummaging about in piles of nothing.  Oh and there was a sign for a yard sale about five miles up the road starting at 8 - so we got up early, and drove up there - there was a sign outside the yard saying yard sale, but at 8.35 the gate was padlocked and there was nobody about - so we came home for a bacon butty before going out the the jumble.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

 

Regards to All

Stewart

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, 45156 said:

the problem that we now have more income being paid lunar monthly, than calendar monthly

Other than some faiths (like Abrahamic and Asian religions) who does anything based on a lunar* calendar?

 

I've never heard of that. Weekly and biweekly I've heard of.

 

* The moon and menses aside.

[tigerburnie]

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Saturday night movie..........................................................must be 40 years since I saw that film.

[Andy Hayter]

11 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Other than some faiths (like Abrahamic and Asian religions) who does anything based on a lunar* calendar?

 

I've never heard of that. Weekly and biweekly I've heard of.

 

* The moon and menses aside.

HM Pensions service for one.  I get 13 payments per year - and potentially could receive 14.

 

In France, there is a whole gardening "religion" based on phases of the moon and its impact on moisture in the soil. 

This is the time to sow seeds.  This is the time to transplant.  This is the time to pant out - and so on.

https://uk.rhythmofnature.net/gardener-calendar

 

Not just France it seems.

[Ozexpatriate]

As forecast today is dry and "not as nice as yesterday". It is indeed dry and very dreary with a heavy overcast.

 

I stopped by the high school (now that there are no students). The cherry blossoms are still there, but falling - it looked like snow flurries at times. They were also bouncing around in the breeze. The dim light and breeze made them difficult to photograph with my telephone. These were nice and stationary:
 

[Ozexpatriate]

1 minute ago, Andy Hayter said:

In France, there is a whole gardening "religion" based on phases of the moon and its impact on moisture in the soil. 

This is not surprising. There are many things in the natural world that respond to the moon.

 

What is surprising to me is why H.M. Pensions would use a lunar calendar - unless it is essentially "every four weeks" (which is subtly different from a lunar cycle of 29.5 days).

[Andy Hayter]

Well it is indeed very 4 weeks and not the precise lunar cycle.

[polybear]

9 hours ago, Grizz said:

Anyway……more importantly a few questions for Bear.

How did you end up with only Jaffa Cakes? Seriously? 
 

How have your stocks of LDC and other ‘Cakey’ treats run out? Surely there are safety checks, set out in clearly defined  processes and procedures? Who is responsible for your LDC security? Are they external contractors? Can you be sure that it wasn’t an inside job? Do you now or have you ever suffered from Sleep Eating? 
 

Were you burglarised and criminally relieved of your LDC? (I ask this because I don’t see any locks or any other form of security on your designated storage container).
 

Do we need to set up a Bear LDC Disaster Relief concert? With the money raised going to ensure that this deplorable state of affairs can never be repeated?  

 

Yep, only Jaffa Cakes....

How did it happen?  Good question - it seems Bear's Purchasing Dept. may have failed to keep pace with the Consumptions Department.  Turdycurses.

 

The Disaster Relief Concert sounds a fine idea, incidentally...... @iL Dottore on Guitar, @PupCam on trumpet, @southern42 on Flute.....

Could be a 'Tube sensation

 

5 hours ago, Hroth said:

Now I have to stay in as otherwise the delivery operative will leave it propped up against the front door, clearly visible to any light-fingered passerby.....

 

Update.

 

Doobell rung. I got to the door to see the packet propped up against the step and the back of the Amazon van disappearing around the corner. They didn't know/care if anyone was in to retrieve it.  Just ring the bell and run away.....

 

A common occurrence at Bear Towers, sadly

 

3 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Isn't it a beauty! No, not mine, the family that owned it (cos it is big enough to be counted as a possession) had it in their house for about a year to see how big it would get.

 

Leave it in their house??  Bvgger that

 

3 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

This is my best offering, a pale imitator.............The little pranksters. 

 

Other words are available.........

 

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

I've inspected the car we've gained, a Peugeot 107

 

Not bad cars - twenty quid road tax, oodles to the gallon.

 

Bear here......

The first coat of paint on the upper (= biggest) sections of the H/S/L walls is now on; a few of the seams are a bit disappointing - but I have a cunning plan to improve them.  Hopefully.

After than it was a visit to the Co-op - interim cake supplies have been replenished, though I really want a visit to Lidl to do a proper "prep for Armageddon" replenishment.

 

In other news.....

I see that three more Horses have died at the Grand National.  There is most definitely a Rant there. 🤬

 

I also note that the next 48 hour Nurses strike in May is to include Emergency Care, ITU and Cancer Care; whatever the rights and wrongs of the whole situation is, this Bear can't help but feel that affecting those areas is a step too far.  I'll leave it there.

 

Bear gone.

[PupCam]

Evening All!

 

A nice chug over to the motorcycle emporium in Woburn from Puppershire this morning with my neighbour.     Not the best of weather, it was right nippy when we first got there.    Coffee was consumed but I managed to resist the temptation of a bacon butty - quite how I know not!   Met up with some mates and a good collection of proper (ie old) bikes.  I was invited by one chap to join a bunch of them who were just about to go for a run over to Old Warden although I had to decline the kind offer on this occasion.   We nosed around the new offerings in the showroom but Puppers had to support his chin.     It was scraping along the floor when he saw some of the prices ~ £22.5K for a couple of machines !!    I don't think so although I suspect I'm out of touch with reality.

 

Anyway,  tomorrow morning sees another bimble.  I suspect it might turn into a chug to seek out breakfast - well resisting food two days running isn't going to happen is it!

 

Night All!

 

 

 

 

 

[Coombe Barton]

... and a little humour on the fundraising bookshelf ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/04/15/all-regions-decline-first-time-in-ages/

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.  Busy Saturday as usual with Mrs NHN, we took the camper out for a run to visit a nursery down south, then lunch at a railway halt, back home while Mrs NHN planted plants (seems fair) and I polished motorbikes.

 

Not as old as the Puppers fleet, one is one year old the other forty.  Neither is worth 23k!