Early Risers.

[DaveF]

Happy Birthday Stewart.

 

David

[polybear]

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Rumour has it that more money per head is spent feeding criminals in prison than the per head spend on patient food in the NHS.

 

p.s. I am happy to stand corrected on this…

 

A quick Google suggests that the Hospital Budget for a meal is just over twice that of a scrote in Prison.

 

Bear here....

Firstly, VHBBW to Stewart 🎂🧁

 

Today has seen a minor danglin' session as predicted, followed by commencement of cutting the door architraves; the first section is a right PITA cos' it goes from floor to ceiling coving, as well as having to be reduced in width by quite a lot and then scribed to the (wobbly) wall.  How to finish the top of the architrave where it meets the coving is giving cause for ponder - I suspect it'll be a case of picking whatever idea looks right the least cr@p.  That section is still ongoing.....

BG

[Tony_S]

I am just off to the garden where my particular expertise is required. Unfortunately not any great horticulture knowledge, just some plants I can reach that need a little pruning. Aditi did suggest waiting until she can come outside to provide guidance but I am sure I know what I am doing. However she probably remembers when I pruned the wrong clematis the wrong way. Fortunately that survived. Quite a few plants in our garden are having to get used to more light now. The neighbours leylandii were pruned (hooray) but she also had a hawthorn removed (boo, sad). 

[The White Rabbit]

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

... Having said that, the prison breakfast looks miles better than some of the slop served to NHS patients - there have been a number of online accounts of how appalling bad food is for too many patients (e.g. a cold baked potato and a spoonful of tinned baked beans???). You really have to wonder sometimes who is trousering the money dedicated for patient services….

 

Rumour has it that more money per head is spent feeding criminals in prison than the per head spend on patient food in the NHS.

 

13 minutes ago, polybear said:

A quick Google suggests that the Hospital Budget for a meal is just over twice that of a scrote in Prison....

 

My experience suggests it varies massively between hospitals. Not (just?) Trusts but hospitals within the same area. Within our bit of Yorkshire in the last few years, over four hospitals and three Trusts, my mother was impressed by hospital food, my father reckoned weekdays were fine but weekends [dire*] and I found it was uniformly [appalling*]. In type, healthiness and quantity. A later stay at a private hospital was much better, the food was healthy, tasty, warm and like eating out at a good restaurant - it quite caught me by surprise. 

 

Hearsay evidence I've heard suggested prison inmates had a catering budget of well under a pound a day. So twice that is hardly cause for confidence when you consider many patients have not had any choice about being there. I didn't - I asked about private treatment and was told it wasn't possible. Which may well have been a lie but that's a potential law suit, so no further comment for the moment... Certainly when I have been in the NHS hospitals, it has very much felt like being a prison inmate, including the total lack of respect and privacy. I got the distinct impression I was there to be punished for trying to do 'the right thing' and being unlucky. 

 

* Actual words used were more blunt and reproduction would probably result in being barred. Yes, it was that bad. 

[woodenhead]

Are the washer dryer gods trying to tell me something.....

 

Tried to register an account with Electrolux at the weekend to buy an AEG model that with NHS discount is a very good price.  System wouldn't let me validate my account so it delayed my purchase till the end of the weekend.  Yesterday I attempted a chat session with them, waiting an hour before abandoning as no-one answered, then a later attempt worked.  Today it's still not fixed but stock levels were showing as low so I ordered as a guest got the discount and had the email confirming the order......then an email from Electrolux, sorry, website glitch and the item is not in stock, should be here within two weeks.  That and the fact I saw a glaring spelling mistake on the website is making me regret an order that has not even left the manufacturer yet.

 

£600 though for a decent £900 washer dryer is not to be sniffed at so I hope my faith that they will eventually deliver this item and am rewarded with a decent machine. 

 

I was looking at a Bosch for a bit more but lacking some rinse functions that we would like that the AEG offers.

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, PeterBB said:

As I see it because of the Australian Law there are now far too many crocodiles around as they basically have no predators other than man.  In many many years time the result will be that no one will be able to swim or fish in rivers, ponds or the sea and most other marine/river life will be found in crocodiles because of it ... just a thought.

 

HAppy birthday Stewart.

 

They keep the sharks, seasnakes, Box Jellyfish,  Coneshells, Stonefish, and Sea Cassowaries  down. 

Edited May 3, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[woodenhead]

Don't prisoners cook their own food or is that just a TV thing?

 

If that is the case then the budget could be half but still produce a better product because there no direct labour cost (they might earn by other means) and they probably get options on what to buy and where from.

 

I wouldn't like to see patients cooking in hospital, in fact is it shipped in from outside premises rather than cooked on prem these days?

[The Johnster]

Hospital food varies; the stuff they serve up in UHW Hospital Cardiff is pretty good, usually something in a sauce, or a casserole, with rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes, and is also served in the staff restaurant, which is open to the public.  Reasonably priced for the public as well, though not as well-known as it should be; most punters allow themselves to suffer the vagaries of the concourse, where several 'fast food' and snack concessions vie for your money but you can't get a proper meal or sit at a table.  This hopital replaced, and for some time operated alongside of, Cardiff Royal Infirmary, an Edwardian mess of buildings just up the road from me that still functions as clinics of various types but is no longer a proper hospital with wards and beds.  Food here was truly dire, disgraceful, and mostly served cold and half-cooked at best, to the extent that when a mate spent some time there following a motorbike accident in the 80s, it was the usual routine for a nurse to be sent over the road to the Chinese with orders for the ward, or pizzas to be phoned out for.  Both hospitals had kitchens on the premises.

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, tigerburnie said:

Happy Birthday Stewart.

 

Re the Croc incident, is it by chance that the incident was not that far away from Darwin as the croc swims. Great White Sharks and Tiger Sharks used to eat the crocs, but of course man has started to try and wipe those off the face of the earth, just so they can go for a paddle in the sea.

Given he was from a remote community in western Cape York ( a long way from Darwin ) he would have  almost certainly been indigenous, those guys have been living among  the crocs for 60,000 years.

Edited May 3, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[The Lurker]

7 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Given he was from a remote community in western Cape York ( a long way from Darwin ) he would have been indigenous, those guys have been living among  the crocs for 60,000 years.

and the crocs weren't among the megafauna that went extinct with their helping hand....possibly. (climate change won't have helped but man introduced dingoes and they didn't help either)

[Ian Abel]

Happy birthday @45156 Stewart.

 

HUMP day.

 

Yesterday mostly the dentist visit. Two fillings and was painless, UNTIL, the injections wore off, then had a very sore jaw for many hours!

 

Nothing else exciting (or otherwise) to report. Pleasant enough to be able to once again use or sun porch. Still a little early/cool for the patio, hopefully by the weekend.

 

Very pleasant and sunny 5c first thing, expecting a high of 18c.

 

Carry on.

[PhilJ W]

Happy birthday Stewart.

[PhilJ W]

6 hours ago, BoD said:

Well that definitely decides it then …

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-65446354

There are worse things than being eaten by a crocodile.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-36136635

 

[grandadbob]

@PhilJ W Ouch!

 

Happy Birthday Stewart.

 

Not feeling too bad and more to the point not aching considering that the garden was visited this morning and some planting took place along with a lot of sweeping and jet washing.  Decking and paving now looking a lot cleaner as is the artificial grass because I jetted that as well to get rid of lots of pigeon deposits. The car washing can wait until tomorrow....or later.

 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Haven't ventured out today because of the hay fever, still blocked up despite keeping the doors and windows closed. Been doing sudoku and watching TV this afternoon.

[Hroth]

23 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

There are worse things than being eaten by a crocodile.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-36136635

 

 

I did notice that Auntie BBC failed to mention that the bite could also cause swelling, though that was listed in the Australian article...

 

 

[tigerburnie]

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

Given he was from a remote community in western Cape York ( a long way from Darwin ) he would have  almost certainly been indigenous, those guys have been living among  the crocs for 60,000 years.

Tributes flow for Laura publican after suspected croc attack < Latest News | Cape York Weekly | Cape York's free community newspaper servicing Weipa, Cooktown, NPA, Cape York, Torres Strait

[DaveF]

My experience of hospital food for a few days in January was that almost all of it was fine and it did not upset my gut.  I didn't think much to the toast at breakfast time though.

 

After I wrote this morning it started to brighten up so I went out, heading south in the direction of the River Tyne.  I stopped at the Royal Quays outlet shopping centre.  About half the shops are empty and there was nothing I needed at the moment in the others - but if I had needed (say) shoes I would have found some.  I believe the company which owns the site has serious financial problems.   It was a pleasant walk around though.  

 

Next I drove down to the river, past the ferry terminal area and arrived at the Royal Quays marina - where you now have to pay to park.  Fortunately there was space on the road outside to park for free, I then had a walk round.  A Fred Olsen cruise ship, the Bolette, was moored at the quay on the river side.  It is the site of Tyne Commission Quay station for those who are old enough to remember it.   The marina, accessed through a lock had a good number of yachts moored.  I had a look at the prices of second hand boats but decided that 73 is a bit old to return to sailing after around 50 years on dry land.  I have often been very tempted in the past.

 

I left the marina and headed east to North Shields where I parked in the free car park by the Tyne and had a short walk and drank my flask of coffee and ate a KitKat, then I went on to Tynemouth where again I found the free car park (it doesn't have a view) and walked up to Spanish Battery and had a look at the Tyne entrance. Lastly I headed north using the road which runs right along the cliffs, stopping at the south end of Whitley Bay to get a couple of photos - where you can just park at the side of the road.

 

Pictures are below.

 

You may think me a skinflint for not paying to use car parks but it is quite simple.  I have recently put the required parking app on my phone but wanted to check what a payment covers.  Each car park has its own code to enter on the App but once you pay for one car park it also covers you for most of the other car parks along that bit of coast and town.  So I think I now know how it works and will try the paid for car parks next time.  As for taking a flask of coffee - I nearly always do, then I can have it whenever I like - and there are a lot of coffee shops I don't like!

 

This afternoon has been sorting out the photos I took.

 

 

Bolette at Royal Quays

 

Royal Quays marina

 

Tyne entrance from North Shields

 

 

Tynemouth Priory and Castle from Spanish Battery

 

Whitley Bay from the south

 

St Mary's lighthouse, Whitley Bay.  The distant wind turbine is at Blyth harbour.

 

David

Edited May 3, 2023 by DaveF

[New Haven Neil]

HB Stewart!

 

One of those running about days has been had, with some success for a change.

 

Mrs NHN works from home on Wetkneesdays, so I like to keep out of the way - it's best for my health.

 

A strong cool wind this morning has eased into a pleasant afternoon, although it has become hazy this last hour.

 

This talk about early computers has made me realise they make the same whooshing sound as missed deadlines, as they pass over my head.....

[PupCam]

Early evening All!

 

48 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

There are worse things than being eaten by a crocodile.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-36136635

 

 

"Doc, if you could get rid of the pain but leave the swelling that would be great"   -  Ah, the old jokes are the best ......

 

In Other News

 

The handle/magnet mount for my mate's Bahtinov mask that I made yesterday has been dispatched to its recipient.    The box was somewhat larger than you would imagine as it also contained the "Astronomy Gadget" and fittings (two rotary encoders and the IR LED on a lead to trigger a camera shutter) that I built for him previously.   Hopefully they will be well received!      Meanwhile the Postie delivered a reciprocal parcel containing a Bahtinov mask 😀  So this afternoon was spent making the handle / magnet mount for mine.   Seems to work (as in holds the mask in place and enables it to be removed easily).     If the sky is clear this evening I might give it a try and see if I can achieve a better focus.   Of course, it could be that the budget optics just aren't up to it and a better 'scope is required.    As another lap of the sun approaches perhaps I should start counting beans.   On second thoughts, perhaps I should concentrate on selling clapped out BSA spares on EBay to generate/recover some Gronkits?     Which reminds me, special thanks to the Beary one for helping with a possible EBay purchase of a rocker box that I wanted certain bits out of.   Sadly it wasn't to be because it went for a way too high price to be justified by my specific needs.    Never mind, it was a nice to have not an essential need.

 

 

Earlier this morning I thought I'd put a few more miles on the Beeza so, after togging-up suitably, I ventured out and completed three laps of "Down to Puppers Bottom and return via a full circuit of Puppers Magna".    Did about 25 miles in total.    I'm not certain but it seemed to me that it kept wanting to go a little bit quicker than 30mph and I had to keep reigning it back.   Steady on, the bloke in front with the red flag can't walk that quick!     Anyway, hopefully that's a good sign but I wonder if it's too early to think that it's going to be OK now?    Well, I'd better not tempt fate so I'll just set the status to "Cautiously optimistic" for the moment.

 

Late breaking news ......  

Reports are coming in that the two young Junior Junior Puppers have just got Chicken Pox.   Turdy curses for numerous reasons.

 

TTFNQ

 

 

 

[polybear]

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

However she probably remembers when I pruned the wrong clematis the wrong way. Fortunately that survived. 

 

Momma Bear used to have a Clematis in the back garden - growing up the shed wall.

*Allegedly* a certain young Cub watered it with Petrol one day.  That's bad, apparently.

 

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

There are worse things than being eaten by a crocodile.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-36136635

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.................😱

And then there's the years of grief the poor guy's gonna get off all the other guys in the Building Trade........

 

19 minutes ago, DaveF said:

You may think me a skinflint for not paying to use car parks but it is quite simple.

 

In the words of Uncle Psycho Bear.....

"It costs enough to run a car without having to bluddy well pay to stop it...."

Incidentally, UPB was a pretty good Jazz Pianist (as a hobby) - if he had a quid for every time Bear asked him to play this he'd be rather rich:

 

 

Auntie Poly HATES Jazz with a vengeance - to say that Tom n' Jerry had nothing on that pair would be a real understatement....

 

 

[Hroth]

30 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Incidentally, UPB was a pretty good Jazz Pianist (as a hobby) - if he had a quid for every time Bear asked him to play this he'd be rather rich:

 

 

Auntie Poly HATES Jazz with a vengeance - to say that Tom n' Jerry had nothing on that pair would be a real understatement....

 

 

 

I can just see the left hand getting bored playing dumpty dumpty dumpty dumpty all the time while the right hand gets all the interesting twiddly bits...

 

But I am partial to a bit of Albert Ammons!

 

Something a bit more RMWebby.   Tonk Train Blues by Mead Lux Lewis

 

 

Looks like the Net Nanny has chopped off the title, it should read H'onky Tonk Train Blues...

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by Hroth

[polybear]

Bear here.....

An afternoon of yet more architrave cutting n' shaping - the pieces for the muddlin' room door frame are now ready for a final sanding then priming; these pieces were the most awkward to prepare as they required the most cutting to shape to (a) fit the wall, and (b) clear the top of the stair stringer.  One frame down, four to go.  Tick

 

Bear's culinary exploits continued today (yesterday it was Penne all' Amatriciana) - this evening it was Rhubard Crumble, using Beary-grown Rhubarb, no less.  Has Bear "seen the light"?  Well, er, not exactly....I'm right out of Pizzas, as well as grated Mozzarella to make my own.  Turdycurses.

 

In other news.....

The Golly Pub bites the dust:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-65471314

 

@Grizz has been up to his old tricks again:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-65455991

 

And this Plod wins the Gold Medal for most hazardous shreddies of the year:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-65450461

- one seriously lucky guy.

 

Bear gone.

[Coombe Barton]

... Woke up this morning and found a very sore throat, and no sound being emitted when I tried, so had to cancel my appearance as Obi-Wan Jonkolbi for tomorrow. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/05/03/no-zoe-updates-today/

 

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by Coombe Barton
typo man

[Gwiwer]

22 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

Woke up this morning and found a very sore throat

Hopefully without the dreaded double-red lines.  

 

Evening all.  It remains unseasonably and unreasonably cold in the Great Outdoors at the House of Fun.  I should not need to wear thermal socks and gloves in May!!!  In other news the ever-rotating door there has seen two managers depart and two replacements arrive this week alone.  How is one expected to maintain any semblance of consistency when one is working for different faces with different expectations and attitudes every other shift? I could retire in two weeks and be done with it.  There are times when that option is very tempting.  

 

In other news and related to the above I have applied for my bus pass on the earliest possible day (14 days before it can be used) and found their website to be faulty.  I then used the helpline phone number and was taken through multiple levels of options, at each stage being "advised" to use the website!  I truly thought I was in one of those cycles which ends in the call being terminated if no option is chosen.  After several minutes I did get through to a very helpful and apologetic woman who gave me the necessary directions to apply by email.  I await a response.  

 

The Hill of Strawberries is now fully bunted and awaiting some chap or other to park himself on the throne this weekend and have a sparkly thing placed on his head.  Most of the comestibles Dr. SWMBO requires are in stock with the rest due on Friday.  I am advised we are partying outside on Saturday along with some of the neighbours.  I am further advised that we are also partying on Sunday afternoon with her senior directorate in a private function at Kew Gardens.  Sounds as though I have best be on my Good Behaviour and wear a smile.  And some nice pressed clothes.  I was hoping to get away with a T-shirt 🤣

 

Having been up very late the past two nights for essential calls with our Australian conveyancer we can now get to bed at the proper time tonight.  All should be well; the other party has pre-approved finance and we are just waiting for their side to pay our side.  Settlement is due tomorrow but they have an option to defer for up to 14 days at no cost to us.  We are well past the cooling-off period meaning they need to come good or lose big bucks.  

 

Sleep well.  Tomorrow is Star Wars Day for those playing at home.  

.

Edited May 3, 2023 by Gwiwer
Fat-fingered typist at work.