Early Risers.

[iL Dottore]

4 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

…. I've picked up a few motorbike accidents and most weren't pleasant. 

 

Jamie

One motorcycle accident that stuck in my mind was one that involved a young lady wearing only a helmet, boots and a bikini (well, it was a hot day) who came off the back of the bike on a gravel road and tumbled. Fortunately for her it was at a relatively low speed - but even so she was abraded from neck down to the top of her boots - except for a perfect bikini in undamaged skin (where the cloth had protected her). As we found out when we treated her in  the ER.

 

She may not have been seriously injured, but she had definitely learnt the advantages of wearing motorcycle leathers - even in hot weather.

[DaveF]

After breakfast I got on with the housework and washing - it was all done, dried and where necessary ironed before noon.  I also tackled the cooker which hasn't been cleaned for some time.  Before I started I studied it with the aid of a torch to see how bad it was - it wasn't bad at all.  The sides are self cleaning, the bottom has a heatproof sheet  with a big old enamel roasting dish on it.  So the only things needing cleaning were the top, back, shelves and glass door.  It didn't take long and looks a lot better. 

 

The only small issue was when I dropped the torch in the bowl of water.  I now know that the torch is waterproof.

 

The rest of the morning passed quietly sorting out photos to put on here and flickr.

 

After lunch I went to the garden centre at Cramlington, just as I arrived there was a heavy hail shower which gave me an excuse to look at the indoor bits, then I browsed the plants and bought what I really needed - another two bags of pea gravel for the path.  Somehow they didn't seem so heavy today.  I looked at the potting compost but before going I had checked and found I already have enough for now.  The only John Innes they had was in very big bags, more than I would need so I will have another think.

 

I haven't had a walk as such today but the pedometer on the phone says I've done 2.6 miles so far - I can believe it as I have been moving about almost all the time.  I rarely sit for more than 15 minutes on the advice some time ago by a physiotherapist to avoid my shoulder and neck getting worse.  He actually said "get up and walk around the house every time there are adverts on TV, otherwise every 15 minutes if possible".  I find it does help when things are painful and stiff.  He also advised setting a timer to go off every fifteen minutes when using a PC to ensure I don't sit too long.

 

David

 

 

[Dave Hunt]

Having been absent from ER for a while I thought that I’d drop in and say hello. I’m currently in a very un-sunny Tunbridge Wells as tomorrow marks another orbit of the sun for me (no further details but if it was marked by a parade there would be a certain number of trombones involved) and as is fitting for such an event I’m collecting the loco shed for my layout that Tricky of this parish (AKA Monksgate Models) has made for me. Unfortunately, as is often the case these days, Jill had an accident, tripping over in the hotel we are staying in and has twisted her ankle so ice packs and support bandages are part of the scenery. I’m beginning to think that she must be related to GDB. 

 

Dave

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

I might be interested except id want it accessible only by boat. 

Here ya  go then.

 

https://www.jamesedition.com/real_estate/whitsundays-australia/victor-island-12423166

[polybear]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Having re-built two car engines in my yoof I can understand what horrors await when repairing an engine. I was fortunate in that I had expert guidance in the shape of my dad who was trained in motor mechanics in the army.

 

The husband and son of a Secretary at work removed a gearbox from a car, had it rebuilt (££££££) then refitted it, only for it to go bang soon afterwards.  After SWMBO ranted at the re-furbisher they calmly pointed out that the receipts do clearly state that gearboxes are sent out without oil - as do the warning labels attached to the gearboxes.....

 

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

President @polybear?

 

 

Hmm, has a certain ring to it....

Free cake for all - or something else if you're not allowed cake.

 

 

[PupCam]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

One motorcycle accident that stuck in my mind was one that involved a young lady wearing only a helmet, boots and a bikini (well, it was a hot day) who came off the back of the bike on a gravel road and tumbled. Fortunately for her it was at a relatively low speed - but even so she was abraded from neck down to the top of her boots - except for a perfect bikini in undamaged skin (where the cloth had protected her). As we found out when we treated her in  the ER.

 

She may not have been seriously injured, but she had definitely learnt the advantages of wearing motorcycle leathers - even in hot weather.

Sensible motorcyclists always dress for the slide NOT the ride ….

[polybear]

7 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Sensible motorcyclists always dress for the slide NOT the ride ….

 

Bear once did some Video work from the rear cabin of a Bo105 Heli, with the cabin door slid back (which kinda took some getting used to as Bear doesn't "do" heights - I was les than keen on the lap belt harness as well as I was more used to a four-point jobbie).

Bear was dressed in thermals plus a RN Immersion Suit, Aircrew Helmet, Lifejacket and STASS Bottle; the pilot was dressed in trousers, shirt, lifejacket and headset.  In Jan/Feb, over the Irish Sea.....

I do recall thinking that if we were to go down he was gonna be in severe sh1t and unlikely to make it.

 

[Ozexpatriate]

9 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Want to buy an island? https://www.galbraithgroup.com/property/cad170147-barlocco-island-borgue-kirkcudbright-dumfries-and-galloway-dg6-4ud/ No trees or buildings and you need a boat to get to it at high tide or a tractor/quad-bike at low tide. 

CNN was running that story over the weekend, under their "Travel" umbrella.

 

CNN: This uninhabited Scottish island could be yours for $190,000

 

Edited April 24, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[polybear]

Bear here....again.....

Well I did manage to navigate the call from the Surgery Pharmacist with glowing success well ok, I scraped thru'.  She sneakily threw in a couple of curve balls when she asked about the "E" word following by the "D" word, which I thought pretty underhand.  Fortunately I managed to bluff my way thru' those, albeit with her adopting a somewhat disapproving tone of voice.  I neglected to mention The Ladder of Doom as I figured that would be just a bit more than she could handle.

She did get her own back by saying I was down to visit Dracula in June - and the good 'ol NHS has brightened Bear's Day further by sending a Pooh Sticks Kit to Bear Towers.  Turdycurses.

 

In other news....

Two picture hooks now fitted to The Wall of Doom - fortunately I had two left over from hanging the Lounge Piccies so that was a result - they're "special" safety hooks that feature a device to stop the picture easily coming off the hook (which is fine unless you actually want to do that of course).

 

Bear gone.

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, TheQ said:

BT computer, she say, we've found a fault outside your home!!

Have your ravenous mice developed a taste for copper as well?

 

Hope it gets fixed soon.

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

the alternatives as head of state could be far worse ...

In avoidance of politics I'll (mostly) abstain, but the argument that the Monarchy in the British parliamentary system does anything* (non ceremonial) as head of state is a bit facetious.

 

* The only exception I can think of is the monarch asking WSC to form an unelected government in 1939.

 

I would suggest that a PM is equally capable of making a mess as an elected head of state.

 

The Constitutional Monarchy failed Australia in the biggest constitutional crisis in Australian history.

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, PeterBB said:

Just look at USA, ... much better ... the fact that we can criticise our politicians beyond reason without being clapped in jail or worse.

There is a whole industry based on criticizing the POTUS (often deserved, sometimes not) - without involving any threat of jail time. Long may that continue.

[Ian Abel]

Morning all.

 

Weekend update, as usual.

 

Saturday, "Hamilton" was excellent. Worth seeing if you haven't. This was our second time, some folks have apparently seen in MANY more!

Sunday - Earth Day services with the choir in attendance for the last time this year, went extremely well but very tiring. There is a very good A/V presentation as part of the service with the choir singing various pieces, new result, too much standing <phew>.

After that, spent the afternoon taking up the garden railway tracks. We're having some landscaping done in front, including EXPANDING the space for the train <yay>, but it all needed to be removed to facilitate the work. Time for a NAP after that!!

 

Already had landscap4ers here at 8am, and a Vet visit for Bob at 10am. Bob is fine, regular check shows he's in good health for his age. Was p!ssed at having to go to the Vet though, no surprise there. So much so, they elected to NOT take a blood sample - I said that was a GOOD decision 😃

 

Weather chilly all weekend, -1c first thing today, mostly sunny, high of 8c forecast.

 

Tally ho.

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

It's a bit damp here with lots of wet stuff falling from the sky.  

Lunchtime quandary about chicken or ham was decided in favour of both.

A bit of time was spent cleaning the space under the old dishwasher, it was surprisingly clean considering it's been a while since I last did it.  It was a bit awkward getting down on my knees but The Hip has eased a bit, probably helped by the hot water bottles and addition of Paracetamol to the pain relief options.

Tonight's repast was Spaghetti "Suttonese" so named as I'm sure that it bears no resemblance whatsoever to the dish that originated in Italy.  However I enjoyed it and ate the lot.  A large glass of Portuguese Galodoro helped it along, I may just have another small one.

Cheers  🍷🍷

 

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

Here ya  go then.

How is an island in the Whitsundays listed under "Coomera"? (more than 800km away).

 

 

I'm guessing that the realtor doesn't have islands in the Whitsunday group come up very often, and more regularly flogs off holiday lets in a former swamp to unsuspecting Victorians as "Gold Coast" and "close to Dreamworld".

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

she had definitely learnt the advantages of wearing motorcycle leathers ...

A university classmate wore appropriate clothing. His bike went down in wet weather going home one night - on his leg. Doubtless the boots and leathers (which he had to be cut out of) helped save his leg for the orthopædic surgeon to have something to work with. It took him an extra year to complete his degree as a result of being incapacitated.

[Ozexpatriate]

18 minutes ago, Ian Abel said:

"Hamilton" was excellent. Worth seeing if you haven't.

I'm sure I would enjoy it. Apparently I read the Ron Chernow biography of Alexander Hamilton at roughly the same time that Lin-Manuel Miranda did. I found it quite eye-opening regarding other biographers' (thinly veiled) hagiographies of other 'founders' (like Jefferson).

 

While I found the biography compelling (if a little dry) we can conclude that Lin-Manuel is much more creative than I.

[Andy Hayter]

17 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

I discovered here in 2019  that it is actually pretty easy to not be oblivious to the major fire just over the hill!

 

 

That of course is highly dependent on wind direction

 

That is a Canadair water bomber about 3km from our village last summer.  No smoke smell.  No sign of smoke from the other side of the village.  All it would have needed was a change in wind direction.........

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Dr. SWMBO is very persuasive in her arguments about emitting less but acknowledges the need to sometimes fly to far-off places.  We have both been keenly aware of the carbon footprint left by our travels between the UK and Australia over the years. 

2.5% of global anthropogenic CO2 is produced by air travel (even including all the executive jets flying to Davos). Other sources (like cement production at 8%) contribute much, much more.

 

3 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

On a more localised level we have been aware, especially in the past three years or so, of the increasing carbon footprint of the "delivery-van society" where we order stuff from the comfort of our homes, or from our phones where ever we might be, and it turns up in one of those ubiquitous white (usually) vans we often moan about.  

..

We do our bit.  

One could make the argument that a single white van making many deliveries produces a fraction of the CO2 produced by the alternative of multiple individual journeys by car to the supermarket and back to purchase the same amount of groceries.

 

And were that van electrified - it is a mission suitable for EVs - then far, far less.

[polybear]

 

 

 

 

I went to the shop on my bicycle and bought a bottle of whisky.
As I left the shop I thought, "If I fall off my bike on the way home, the bottle of whisky will break. I'd better drink it here."
It's lucky I did because I fell off seven times.

 

An 85 year old lady is waiting for her husband at the bar in Harpoon Harry's. Suddenly, a very handsome man enters and sits down a few seats away. The man is so attractive she cannot keep her eyes off him. After a short time, the man notices her staring and approaches her. Before the lady has time to apologize, the man looks deep into her eyes and says in a sultry tone, "I'll do anything you'd like. Anything you can imagine in your wildest dreams. I doesn't matter how extreme or unusual it is, I will do it. For this I want $100 cash. And, there's another condition."
Completely stunned by this turn of events, the lady asks him what the condition is.
"You have to tell me what you want me to do in just three words."
The lady takes a moment to consider the offer from the handsome man. She reaches into her handbag and puts $100 in his hand. She then smiles, looks him square in the eyes, and slowly, but clearly says, "Paint my house."

 

Martha recently lost her husband. She had him cremated and brought his ashes home:
Picking up the urn he was in, she poured him out on the patio table.
Then, whilst tracing her fingers in the ashes, she started talking to him.
"Herman, you know that dishwasher you promised me? I bought it with the insurance money!"
She paused for a minute, tracing her fingers in the ashes, then said "Herman, remember that car you promised me? Well, I also bought it with the insurance money!"
Again she paused for a few minutes and whilst tracing her fingers in the ashes, she said.
"Herman, that diamond ring you promised me? I bought it too, with the insurance money!"
Finally, still tracing her fingers in the ashes, she said.
"Herman, remember that bl*w job I promised you? Here it comes!"

 

I wish I hadn't started working for the Samaritans.
I rang in sick this morning and they talked me out of it.

Edited April 24, 2023 by polybear

[New Haven Neil]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

Sensible motorcyclists always dress for the slide NOT the ride ….

 

Always. No exceptions, not ever.

 

Odd day....after staying in bed 'much too long enough', feel a bit more lively at last.  it's been a month.  So a walk, then general pottering about in the garden.  Both sets of solar lights have succumbed at the same time with different faults, but both related to the control electronics not hardware.  I wonder if there has been a zot of lightning close by. Pah.  They were both really good sets, and have lasted IRO ten years.

 

[polybear]

And this one deserves a post all of it's very own....

 

 

Edited April 24, 2023 by polybear

[New Haven Neil]

1 minute ago, polybear said:

And this one deserves a post all of it's very own....

 

 

 

 

I wonder what it is?

[polybear]

2 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

I wonder what it is?

 

 

Fixed....

[Ozexpatriate]

The temperature roller coaster continues here.

 

After above normal temperatures on Saturday, the last two days were/are cooler (14°C, which is below normal). We are still eagerly expecting our first >70°F (>21°C day) in the last five months on Wednesday and now Friday's forecast is for 85°F / 30°C! That won't last long.

I'd be content with "normal" which is around 18°C.