Early Risers.

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, DaveF said:

There was the usual ... tombola

I had to look that up. The parish fête is not a stranger to me, but I had never heard that term. Yes to "Pig in a poke" though. 

[polybear]

Naughty:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-65582895

 

I recall Bear's 1st (and most excellent) Boss mentioning such a case many years ago (Barrow in Furness?) - IIRC he said it put the build back two years because they weren't allowed to in-line joint as it was a new-build ship; other trades (such as pipe fitters) had also done their stuff it meant a lot of stuff had to be ripped out before there was enough access to renew the cables.  They traced the culprit though - it was a Yard Leccy who'd been made redundant then came back on the night shift as a Yard Fireman (presumably on a lot less money).  They figured it'd have to be (a) someone on the night shift, (b) who understood ship's electrics (they're rarely turned off), (c) had a grudge, and (b) had a Fireman's Axe.....

I believe he did two years in the Slammer for it - sabotaging an RN Ship doesn't go down well.

[Ozexpatriate]

2 minutes ago, polybear said:

Naughty

The headline: "Sabotage probe after cables cut on Royal Navy warship HMS Glasgow" is accurate but confused me for a moment above a photograph of a ship in a floating dock.

 

"Cutting the cable" usually means something different in a nautical context (cutting the anchor cable) to urgently get underway.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Done a really big shop at Tess Coes this afternoon. I didn't fancy heaving heavy bags so I took a cab there and back. Just as well as when I got into the store I realised that I was still in my slippers. Possibly that was the reason Arthur Itis stayed quieter than usual. 

49 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Not sure about that, but perhaps yes. I do see Toblerone in the (non-tourist) shops, but the amount available (in terms of display space) is but a fraction of that dedicated to Lindt, Caillier and to other Swiss chocolate makers (including the shop’s own house brands)

 

Of course the premiere Swiss chocolate, the Rolls Royce of deliciousness is Sprüngli. All their products are still handmade and use high-quality ingredients and this is reflected in the price. For example a box of 16 Grand Cru dark chocolates will set you back £34. And the chocolates you buy in their shops are meant to be eaten within a day or so of purchase (not that they ever last that long)

I looked Sprüngli  up, I prefer dark chocolate and this one looks good 

https://www.spruengli.ch/en/shop/chocolate-bars/grand-cru-baracoa-chocolate-70.html

Edited May 13, 2023 by PhilJ W

[polybear]

As if by magic - and on the subject of low speed limits:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-65582895

[Ozexpatriate]

2 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I prefer dark chocolate and this one looks good

I wonder if they are legal to import to the US?

 

It is illegal (once more*) to import Cuban cigars and alcohol to the US. I doubt that chocolate made with Cuban cacao is problematic, but it wouldn't surprise me all the same.

 

* Since 2020.

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Very similar to the toasted, (sealed) sandwiches we would make with a campfire pie iron* - two slices of bread, butter (on the outside), baked beans on the inside. Nice when warm.

 

Cold sounds revolting though... 

 

Maybe pastry is different but ours was rather nice. (IOHO). Certainly worth taking as rations to an exhibition or as an al fresco meal on a long car journey. It could be the add-ons, good quality cheese, some concentrated tomato puree and a few herbs but - and I'm not just saying this to tease il D about baked beans - it was more flavoursome cold than hot. 

 

We did have a sandwich toaster which saw some service but a few months ago, after a prolonged holiday due to the NHS' attempt to kill me, when I tried to use it, it kept shorting out and tripping the downstairs sockets circuit breaker. A few checks later, I couldn't work out what was causing this, so it went to the tip and we now use the grill if we want toasted sandwiches. To be quite honest, I'm not sure I'd want any of the combinations we used to enjoy hot from the machine or grill once they'd gone cold, baked beans or not. 

[Gwiwer]

Someone saw my post about 20mph speed limits. 
 

I have spent over five hours today in traffic in order to complete what would normally be a little over two hours driving. 
 

For much of 60 miles I was lucky to be travelling at 2mph let alone 20mph.  Including on stretches of road with 60 and 70mph limits. At one point it took over an hour to travel the mile-and-a-bit of the northern half of the Leatherhead by-pass. 
 

Having allowed an hour for lunch after arriving at destination I found myself arriving instead as the meeting started. I was therefore quite hungry when I left but it was almost three hours later, and around 12 hours since breakfast, that I was able to enjoy Dr. SWMBO’s cooking. 

Tired now. But at least I am well fed up and agreeably drunk. 

[New Haven Neil]

19 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

and agreeably drunk. 

 

'What's unpleasant about being drunk?'   Just ask a glass of water.  Oh how I miss Douglas Adams.

[Coombe Barton]

The two hours scheduled travel extended to three and three quarters, courtesy of the A34 round Oxford being closed, and the M40 having barrier repairs.

 

And for those going to Bracknell tomorrow the road past the leisure centre is closed from 08:30 to 14:00 for the Bracknell Half Marathon.

[PeterBB]

7 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

Af

 

Outside, the birds continue to do their thing. We have seen more of the sparrows recently, while preparing lunch, I saw them having mixed baths in one of the larger birdbaths. They have also been nibbling the nuts which were formerly the exclusive province of the bluetits. The level in the feeder is visibly sinking faster than usual. The other day I cleaned out and refilled the largest bath and within a couple of minutes, the resident blackbird was splashing about in it. I fear another episode of 'Memoirs of a bath attendant' is looming... 

Our problem has become the crows.  Having almost managed to stop the squirrels so that the 'little' birds could feed one day came a crow who after appearing for a day or two found that by flying at the bird feeders he could dislodge food and then pick it up off the ground.  When around of course we lose the blue tits, wrens goldfinch and blackbirds - pigeons stay unless 5/6/7 crows appear and just about empty the bird feeders ... I think the word here is 'turdycurses' after @polybear.

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by PeterBB

[Coombe Barton]

... You’re tiny, and it’s frozen. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/05/13/11285/

[NGT6 1315]

Cheers all. Still dealing with the aftereffects of a migraine yesterday, so not really much to say.

 

Thought for the night: If only we could settle our terrestrial disputes once and for all and dedicate ourselves to striking out to these wondrous distant shores...

 

 

If only indeed. Alas...

[monkeysarefun]

6 hours ago, TheQ said:

 

 

It took 2 3/4 hours to drive the 88 miles to get there, about the same to get back. that's an average of just 32mph...

 

 

 

Perhaps its time to consider a new car, mate!

 

5 hours ago, Tony_S said:

One useful thing with all the Mondeos and similar sized BMW saloons is that if one leaves a roadside parking space I can definitely get in, as my baby Range Rover is so much shorter. Same width over the mirrors as a Ford Focus too. It is taller though. 

 

The 2007 and onwards Mondeo was imported here as a "medium" car to fit below the Ford Falcon, but its wheelbase was actually 25mm longer than the Falcon.  Didn't do well in  the sales figures since after generations of cars being sold here by manufacturers on the basis of biggest  engine size, a 2 litre in a car that size seemed dubious to many Falcon buyers  at the time. 

(I however DID get a diesel one and its been completely utterly  trouble free in that not a single thing has gone wrong  - except interior lining bits often fall off in the Aussie summers! -  for 15 years and 450,000km...)

 

14 hours ago, Barry O said:

 

 

I did drive a friends UTE while on holiday this year. Comfort levels.. low, cabin space.. small,turning circle.. poor. Petrol consumption... very high..not impressed.

 

 

 

 

NOw, that is a LITTLE bit like saying "I drove a car.."

 

THis is a ute:

 

 

And THIS is a ute:

 

 

But best of all, THIS is a ute!

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[Hroth]

Apparently the UK tried exporting Morris Minor Pickups to Australia as "Utes"

 

 

I wonder why they didn't catch on?  🤪

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

And THIS is a ute:

That middle one looks like a concept vehicle at a car/truck show - and I'd say it's a truck, not a ute. Apart from that overcompensating lift kit it looks like it was a custom stretch job to create that third row of seating.

 

One of the biggest 'normal' pick-up trucks would be something like the Ford F450. The crew cab with an 8' bed is around 6.7m long with a curb weight of 3.8t.

 

To my mind most of the vehicles Aussies still call "utes" today are trucks. The "ute" term should be applied to those built on a car platform, not a truck platform. EDIT: It is after all, a contraction of "utility coupé".

 

In this part of the world these are "Utes", or more properly these people.

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Ozexpatriate
utility coupé

[Ozexpatriate]

13 minutes ago, Hroth said:

I wonder why they didn't catch on?

Only because by then they were competing with Australian-made versions from GM/Holden and Ford.

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[Andy Hayter]

An interesting day - copied from the << on cats >>thread

 

"Well what a day.

 

We have been expecting the feline family to increase from 22 for a few weeks now.  We have a black and white cat called imaginatively <<Felix>>.  For a few weeks we have spotted a near doppelganger - slightly less well fed and rather dirtier - around the garden and nipping in and out of our two buildings - presumably helping themselves to free food.  

 

However today while I was out doing the main shopping, OH nipped around the corner in torrential rain to get a couple of bits and bobs.  On the way back she was accosted by a very wet ,unhappy  and distressed ginger cat which she scooped up and brought home.  Very hungry and thirsty, once the initial needs were sorted a quick inspection showed a mass on the rear foot about the size of a golf ball which was obviously very painful.  When I got home we allowed her to settle and then decided an emergency call to the vet was in order (closed of course on a Saturday afternoon.)  Very friendly and comfortable around people (the cat as well as the vet)  - which not all of ours are when they arrive - she has clearly been used to being handled (only the cat.  I think the vet might complain.)

 

So a rush down the hill to the vet.  She has now received antibiotics and is being rehydrated and will stay with the vet over the weekend with surgery expected on Monday morning.  All being well she may just have to loose a toe but she may need more serious attention depending on what is found once the operation commences.

 

Of course, she carried no tattoo or chip - both a legal requirement in France -  and as I light heartedly exchanged with the vet, the next one will be the first.

 

Well whatever it looks as if number 23 is now well on the way to installation in our family.    I will have to find a better name than number 23 though!"

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Andy Hayter

[Ozexpatriate]

3 minutes ago, Andy Hayter said:

Well whatever it looks as if number 23 is now well on the way to installation in our family. 

That's a lot of cats. Does Mme Vétérinaire offer a volume discount?

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[southern42]

' night all from me too.

 

[The Lurker]

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I wonder if they are legal to import to the US?

 

It is illegal (once more*) to import Cuban cigars and alcohol to the US. I doubt that chocolate made with Cuban cacao is problematic, but it wouldn't surprise me all the same.

 

* Since 2020.

And being associated in any way with Cuban sugar can be very problematic under laws introduced by either Obama or Clinton ( I forget which) but only given full force under Trump, appeasing the Hispanic voters in Florida and not repealed by Biden; anyone who can claim their sugar plantation was stolen by the communists can sue you if you make profits dealing with Cuban sugar producers- and the reach can be extraterritorial to the extent that a US citizen is an officer of the company or if the USD is used anywhere in the export chain. 

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

We’ve had a lovely day today. Ava helped me make a jar of lime curd and it was absolutely delicious, everyone who tasted it said so. Mike very kindly walked down to the takeaway to collect the meal and we all really enjoyed it. 

 

On the subject of cars, I have a mid-sized SUV, (it’s a FWD not an AWD), I bought it new when I retired 6 years ago. The reason I bought this is purely down to the fact that I back problem and I find it easier to get in and out of this car as the sitting position is higher than normal height saloon or estates cars.

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[monkeysarefun]

39 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

That middle one looks like a concept vehicle at a car/truck show - and I'd say it's a truck, not a ute. Apart from that overcompensating lift kit it looks like it was a custom stretch job to create that third row of seating.

 No,  its a Ford F650, could be coming to a car park near you!

 

https://www.carscoops.com/2020/04/want-the-biggest-meanest-pickup-in-the-hood-try-this-six-door-2005-ford-f650/

 

I agree that the "Ute" definition is less meaningful the bigger they get but there is a bloke down the road with a GMC Behemoth  something or other which is the size of a small truck but its still a ute to him and all who whinge about it taking up 4 spots  in the local Woolies.