Early Risers.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Well the overnight rain (I didn’t even know it had been raining) has stopped and the sun is fighting to show itself, but with a temperature of 8C it’s at least a little warmer than a couple of days ago. I shall shortly be setting off to collect Ava, who once again is spending the day here with us wrinkle's. Our first task will be to make a tray of rocky road, this is a request from Sheila, as we haven’t made it for some time! After that, I’m not sure what is on the agenda, although I think a film will be watched at some point in the afternoon. 
 

Must dash, back later. 
 

Brian

[PhilJ W]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

And here I must energetically disagree with you, Chimpey. I think that the turning point was around between 1965 and 1970. Before 1965 you had this:

or this

After about 1965 you got this:

and then things really went to pot with this:

Which looks like the bastard offspring from a furtive Rolls Royce and Mercedes Benz love-in.

 

At the more budget friendly end of the market, things got ugly real early - such as with this Ford

Sadly, even considerable wealth will no longer buy you a tastefully designed automobile - as this Bentley “Bentayga” (sic) shows:

 

Fortunately, there are still a few British car manufacturers with taste - such as Morgan

Although they suffer from being

• Expensive
• Having a long waiting list
• Best acquired when young enough to have the reflexes and agility to drive and get in/out of it

But for updated classic design, you can’t beat an Alvis (if you’re lucky enough to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right amount of money [a lot]): https://thealviscarcompany.co.uk/#home-2

Alvis employed the great W O Bentley as designer after his company was grabbed by Rolls-Royce.* Alvis cars until the 1950's could be regarded as 'proper' Bentley's rather than a badge engineered Roller. *Rolls Royce saw Bentley as a competitor and moved in to take them over during a recession. Fortunately the company survived as a sporty Rolls Royce. Surprisingly at my brothers funeral the hearse was a Bentley Silver Spur, quite a new one on the same platform as the late queens official limousine.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. The unmentionable on ER's item I won on E-bay has arrived. Very well packed, so well that its taken twenty minutes to unpack (preferable to it arriving in pieces). It looks good but I won't be able to test it until the week after next. 

Edited April 22, 2023 by PhilJ W

[PhilJ W]

The last Germans to surrender in WW2.

 

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

Morning all from Estuary-Land. The unmentionable on ER's item I won on E-bay has arrived. Very well packe, so well that its taken twenty minutes to unpack (preferable to it arriving in pieces). It looks good but I won't be able to test it until the week after next. 

 

"The unmentionable on ER's item I won on E-bay has arrived" had me puzzled for a moment, knowing that eBay has many curious, unmentionable and ............ items on offer, then I realised you were referring to a clickity-clackety item, which relieved my mind no end!

 

[tigerburnie]

This caught my eye but it's left hand drive so I'll not be buying it....................................

  

Edited April 22, 2023 by tigerburnie

[polybear]

This one comes with a Beary Health Warning - those of a nervous disposition (especially Big H) should not click on the following link.....

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65359036

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.........................😭

[Hroth]

5 minutes ago, polybear said:

This one comes with a Beary Health Warning - those of a nervous disposition (especially Big H) should not click on the following link.....

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65359036

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.........................😭

 

You can't have your cake and heat it!

 

My commiserations.

 

[DaveF]

A drizzly morning here, quite misty and I can hear the harbour foghorn so I've not been far.

 

Yesterday had a bit of sun now and then but was mainly cloudy so I spent the morning at home.  I made a start on going through my clothes,  2 coats, a jacket, sweaters and shirts were sorted out to go. Some were only fit for the bin, the ones that were any good were separated and bagged up.  Then after my usual salad lunch, this time with tuna for a change, I drove into town, parked on the road near the shops and took two bags to a charity shop where they were quickly handed over.

 

After that I had a walk around the shops but almost managed to resist temptation.    I went into Boots and bought some Vitamin tablets as they were on offer and some skin moisturiser as I have very dry skin nowadays.   Then just before I reached the car I visited Poundstretchers and bought some more large plants pots and teabags, again on offer.  The car was only across the road from there so it wasn't far to carry things.

 

I went back home via the Quayside, no ships, just a few cormorants, gulls and ducks in the water.  Then I had a look at a very grey somewhat choppy sea before deciding that home was more attractive than doing any more walking.  Despite having got rid of some clothes I still need to throw out more of the things I never seem to wear - of course the day after they go I'll need something.

 

Later on I watched Melodien der Berge, an old one from in and around Salzburg which brought back happy memories of holidays - I recognised most of the places they showed, the music was good too - as long as you like German music.  Later I watched School for Scoundrels which was still as funny as last time I saw it - goodness knows how long ago that was.  I had been going to watch it on Thursday but the snooker overran so I'd recorded it.

 

David

[TheQ]

I think someone's been burning cakes here, huge plumes of smoke in the sky to the south of here, many sirens heard.

 

Not felt to good today so it's been a slow potter about.

First set a big pot of chilli con carne going, from first principles, no packets of sauces.

Much later 7 portions made,  One will be eaten later. The rest is cooling before freezing.

 

Go have look at the miece entry point, first cut back small tree branch from next doors crab apple tree, which is probably how they got up there, the assess the damage. New facia board 8ft by 6 inches required. Old one wood , new will be plastic. They had chewed through at one end, ..

 

Sofa moved from mobile home to outside house, then after a muggacoffee, moved upstairs to SWMBO's art room, which at this moment she is reorganising .

 

SWMBO said her brother's battery vacuum wasn't very good.. so I takes a shufti.

Hmm I thinks there should be a filter in the centre of the bucket.

Looks online yep there should, pack of 6 ordered.

So where has the crud been going?

Air outlet is at the top, how to get in? Two screws Hidden under plastic name plate..

Remove them and the top cover, pull out manufacturer servicing only foam filter. Clogged up.

Try without any filters , still not good.

Remove 4 more screws pull out motor and "fan" assembly, completely clogged with crud. 

Clean that out, 

Put motor and fan back in retest... A much happier little motor.

Cleaned outlet filter and reassembled much happier beastie. Won't be used in anger till the new inlet filters arrive.

 

Eyelid inspection occured.

 

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, DaveF said:

Some were only fit for the bin,

I know a couple of the charity shops here also take clothes that are not resellable as clothes and sell them by weight as rags. Not all do though. Our tip or recycling centre as I think it is called now has a container for textiles for clothing that can’t be reused.  
 

[polybear]

Bear here.....

A day of leccy work in the H/S/L - all went well, so that's a Tick.

 

In other news....

Rather clever stuff:

 

 

Bear gone.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land.

6 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

I know a couple of the charity shops here also take clothes that are not resellable as clothes and sell them by weight as rags. Not all do though. Our tip or recycling centre as I think it is called now has a container for textiles for clothing that can’t be reused.  

I've got some old clothes to go to the charity shop, mostly shirts but towels and bedsheets are always welcome at the local PDSA. and other animal charities.

[Coombe Barton]

.. did Bozo really call Carrie "mad and crazy”? Was that an excuse? Or does it take one to know one? ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/04/22/decline-still-ongoing-and-perhaps-steepening-and-governance-issues/

[Ozexpatriate]

12 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

The 70s may have given us great music and “free love” (a holdover from the 60s) but it also gave us polyester flares, The Captain & Tennille (“Muskrat Love” 🤮), The Winter of Discontent, s*h*a*g-pile carpets and avocado colour bathroom fittings….

They don't call it "The decade that taste forgot" for naught.

[Ozexpatriate]

I am enthusiastic about weather reports for next week. We are promised temperatures exceeding 70°F / 20°C for the first time in five months. I have tickets to see the tulip festival on Wednesday when such temperatures are promised.

 

By the end of the week they might flirt with 25°C. 

 

Still dreary today, but dry and slightly less cool than it has been - 14°C presently.

 

EDIT:

Warmed up more than I expected later in the afternoon with a little hazy sunshine - to about 18°C, so I opened the windows for the first time since last Autumn. The sun disappeared quickly and the temperature dropped but the idea of being able to open windows was nice.

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Ozexpatriate
Updated later

[Rich_F]

Do love finding old treasures while out & about.

This section of road hasn't been the A22 since 1986-ish when it was bypassed. 

 

Just leave the sign in place - battered & all!

 

This kind of stuff fascinates me! 

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Weeny Works

[PupCam]

Evening All!

 

4 hours ago, polybear said:

 

That is amazing!

 

In Other News

 

Today has been mostly Beeza fettling and Pampas wrestling.

 

Great news (for me)!

 

There is new life in the old Beeza 😀

 

 

Out on the AJ tomorrow, the Beeza is not quite done yet 😂

 

TTFNQ

 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Not done a lot today, in fact I've done sweet FA. If its not the aching joints its the hay fever. At least the predicted rain for tomorrow will keep the pollen low.

[Erichill16]

Whilst on the subject of small Fiats I found  this photo last week, dated June 69.

The fist family car I can remember, it belonged to Mum. She now has a Hyundai i10. I know which I’d prefer.

A Red Fiat 850 coupe.

[New Haven Neil]

36 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Evening All!

 

 

That is amazing!

 

In Other News

 

Today has been mostly Beeza fettling and Pampas wrestling.

 

Great news (for me)!

 

There is new life in the old Beeza 😀

 

 

Out on the AJ tomorrow, the Beeza is not quite done yet 😂

 

TTFNQ

 

 

Yay, you did it!  Great job.

[Sidecar Racer]

22 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

No no no a 1000 times no. It would have looked like what Aussie car based utes became, before the US parent shut up shop here and started importing their oversized wannabe  trucks..

 

. Pedestrian friendlier, cooler looking and you can fit more in the back cos you don't need to take up half of it with the spare &*&b wheel!  ANd it has the supercharger fully ensconsed under the bonnet which puts out  130KW and 70 more Nm than that  Ford one does..

 

 All our top environmentalists drive and recommend  these. 

 

Look, a bat ute!

 

 

 

I know you and your brethren like  like your super power  ute's but sometime you can get

carried away and over confident in there performance abilities .

 

Case in point , some years ago there was a UK Top Gear v Oz Top gear challenge , here is one round .

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=537FDgzGv2A

 

[Gwiwer]

A quieter day than we had planned.  

Friends cancelled on dinner as they clearly preferred partaking in the Extinction Rebellion festival of disruption.

Dr. SWMBO hasn't been feeling too well - unable to get warm, anxiety playing up, sleepy, negative on the test stick.

So a few other tasks have been completed which were not on the list for today.

 

Order new sheets - check

Order supplies from Who Gives A Cr@p - check

Order fish & chips - check

Collect previously-ordered beers from the local Jawbone Brewery - check

Enjoy the two items immediately above - check

Fiddle with small items of hobby-related interest - check

 

Tomorrow sees the East Grinstead bus running day where (some older, some newer) buses will operate over selected routes (parts of routes, mostly) in the area.  Despite a mediocre weather forecast I shall be there and Dr. SWMBO shall not.  She did ask what there was to do in East Grinstead on a Sunday that didn't involve buses but wasn't impressed with the answer : there's always the steam trains!  

[TheSignalEngineer]

The cricket season is upon us again. Need to check rule changes so I don't make a fool of myself.

Chair and blanket packed as I am on grandad duty tomorrow taking Sammy to his U13 match. Later he is playing for the U15 team. He made his debut for an Adult team today, waiting for match report although I know they lost. It must be a bit daunting for a lad just 13.

Meanwhile Thomas is off to play two matches for his district U11 coaching group. Will be good for him to play in these, the local teams don't use him as a bowler in U11 matches as they are afraid he is too dangerous for the opposition to face. Because of this he asked if he could keep wicket in those games and turned out to be a demon at catches and stumpings. They have now promoted him to the U13 for league matches and use him as an opening bowler there.

[Gwiwer]

In other news.  

 

If anyone needs me between around 3 - 4pm tomorrow afternoon don't expect a swift reply.  I shall have all alerts and notifications disabled and the phone turned very firmly off. 

 

If I'm driving I don't want a fake alarm suddenly wailing at me and causing distraction.  Test your system by all means.  And accept that not everyone wants to be a part of that test.  Sometimes for perfectly good reasons of (in my case) road safety.