Early Risers.

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

Kernackered I am.

Hospital visit was another very quick one so once again I avoided car park charges. Excellent.

When I got home it was "suggested"  that "we really ought to do some gardening as the front garden in particular is a mess, oh and we need some more plants."  Not so excellent.  Big sigh from me but as I'd already said that for once I was pain free I couldn't really get out of it.  We also "needed" to go to Asda where along with some foodstuffs I did manage to liberate a litre of Famous Grouse for 18 pound note coins which I thought quite reasonabubble.....unfortunately another special offer was on bedding plants so we ended up with some of them as well.  I'll give you one guess as to who didn't want to get their hands dirty planting them.  Anyway some hours were spent in the garden and at least I have gained Brownie points but am now aching a bit.  This afternoon I didn't do a lot but did make some burgers and a couple were enjoyed for tonight's meal.  Usual accompaniment of a Shiraz mouthwash and a further glass has just been poured.

Nottalot to do this evening but will probably watch The Repair Shop.

Ian's @Ian Abel mention of the Coronation concert reminded me that I thought Nicole Scherzinger has a good set of lungs and a really great voice.

 

 

I could (and do) listen to her a lot.

Cheers  🍷🍷

Edited May 17, 2023 by grandadbob

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Last night I had some washing that needed drying. So I set it out in the bedroom with a small fan heater. However when I went to bed I forgot to switch the heater off. This morning the temperature in the bedroom was 28C. no wonder I overslept.

[Ozexpatriate]

7 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

This morning the temperature in the bedroom was 28C. no wonder I overslept.

The opposite is true for me. I woke early the other day because it was 24°C and I was too hot.

 

The cooler the better and buried under the covers is more comfortable to me.

 

The air conditioning is set for 22°C at night (25°C during the day). I have an oscillating fan that I use at bedtime (it has a sleep timer so it doesn't stay on overnight).

[PhilJ W]

I find high temperatures quite soporific, hence my sleeping late.

[The Johnster]

Isn’t a garage like a sort of a shed?  Asking for a friend…

[The White Rabbit]

6 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

Isn’t a garage like a sort of a shed?  Asking for a friend…

 

(In fake German accent) - "Your name vill also go on ze list ...". 

[polybear]

Bear here....

A call to the Insurance Company and the guy at the other end tells me that the estimate for fixing Mickey is with their Engineer and I should hear within the next couple of days when I can proceed with repairs.

After that it was all the joys of paperwork - fortunately the outcome put a smile on Bear's face so it was well worthwhile.

I also decided to do a comparison of the cost of the Lidl shop I did yesterday versus what it would cost for a similar shop in Tess n' Co:

 

Lidl Frozen:  £21.15

Tesco Frozen:  £23.31

 

Lidl Groceries:  £115.97

Tesco Groceries:  133.74

 

Lidl Total:  £137.12

Tesco Total:  £157.05

 

- so for a similar outcome the same list from T&C would cost twenty quid extra - quite a difference.

Obviously this isn't an exact science as quite a few brands will be different - some of the quantities/sizes may vary slightly as well;  I've done my best to make it as fair a playing field as possible though.

What is apparent is that many prices & sizes of products are smack-on identical, even for different brands but the same item & weight....not that Bear is suggesting any price fixing you understand.....

T&C is actually cheaper for some items as well; they also have a much, much wider range & choice of products as well as the option of getting someone else to do all the work and deliver it as well.

You pays yer money etc. etc.

 

Bear gone.

 

[tomparryharry]

I have likewise, been sleeping excessively. On a plus point, the Black Dog has gone on holiday, and the last couple of days have been spent on the shed. It's only about 2-3 years...I'm hoping the euphoria can keep going for a while yet.  

[PupCam]

Evening All.

 

Firstly, belated birthday wishes to Rick.      I will be joining you shortly Rick as an official OAP although, unlike you, I've already given up the daily grind (it didn't come a moment too soon in my case) 😀  

 

I ventured over to the Tring Astronomy Centre yesterday with a short (2 items) shopping list; 

 

1) a half decent "standard" eyepiece that will work with my glasses unlike the cheap and cheerful one that came with the 'scope.

 

2) an economically priced "first" proper astrophotography camera.    Bearing in mind you can easily spend £5k or £6K on a really, really good one the availability of a lower end,  a few years old (the design), ex-shop demonstrator seemed to be a good way of dipping a toe into the water at low cost.   Unlike the mirrorless Canon camera I've been using these typically take video rather than single frames and the post-processing then splits the video up into individual frames.   

 

Rather unusually for recent times, the sky was reasonably clear last night so it would have been rude not to give the new toys a quick try.      I'm happy to report the new eyepiece is indeed a significant improvement on the original and, after a bit of faffing  about down-loading the relevant drivers  using a procedure that wasn't "as described", I managed to get some images from the new camera.   The Bahtinov mask that my mate made me works really well with it too.  Much easier than faffing about with the titchy screen on the back of the Canon when focusing!

 

 

Looking out of the window just now there is clearly no need to lug the telescope into the garden tonight!

 

Mr Postie returned the small electronic board now programmed with chuffing noises in place of the original rumbling noises together with a small device to convert the electrical signal representing those noises into a form that will affect the Mk 1 Lug 'ole.       I fear some locomotive dissection will be on the cards as will an update to Puppers Patented bespoke DCC ++ EX  WiFi controller.

 

Oh yes, I picked up another little job from a motorcycling mate yesterday when he dumped a box containing three and a half non-working, 6V Altette  horns with a request "Could I get them working?" .    Well, I'll give it a go ....

 

 

TTFNQ

[PupCam]

10 minutes ago, polybear said:

Bear here....

A call to the Insurance Company and the guy at the other end tells me that the estimate for fixing Mickey is with their Engineer and I should hear within the next couple of days when I can proceed with repairs.

After that it was all the joys of paperwork - fortunately the outcome put a smile on Bear's face so it was well worthwhile.

I also decided to do a comparison of the cost of the Lidl shop I did yesterday versus what it would cost for a similar shop in Tess n' Co:

 

Lidl Frozen:  £21.15

Tesco Frozen:  £23.31

 

Lidl Groceries:  £115.97

Tesco Groceries:  133.74

 

Lidl Total:  £137.12

Tesco Total:  £157.05

 

- so for a similar outcome the same list from T&C would cost twenty quid extra - quite a difference.

Obviously this isn't an exact science as quite a few brands will be different - some of the quantities/sizes may vary slightly as well;  I've done my best to make it as fair a playing field as possible though.

What is apparent is that many prices & sizes of products are smack-on identical, even for different brands but the same item & weight....not that Bear is suggesting any price fixing you understand.....

T&C is actually cheaper for some items as well; they also have a much, much wider range & choice of products as well as the option of getting someone else to do all the work and deliver it as well.

You pays yer money etc. etc.

 

Bear gone.

 

 

What we have noticed is that quite often both the "Blue Shop" and the "Orange Shop" offer "Price-matched with Aldi" but when one comes to put the item in the basket (either virtually or in reality) that miraculously they don't actually have any  of the items but they do have plenty of the non-price matched alternatives.   If I was being charitable I would say that that was because the products were very popular and had sold out but you all know I'm cynical rather than charitable so maybe there's another reason .......

Edited May 17, 2023 by PupCam

[New Haven Neil]

9 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

Though it's still quite common for people to sneer at Chinese cars I was impressed. They seem to be offering good value for money cars with a first class warranty package.

 

That as may be, JJB, but the ones that Mrs NHN deals with at work (the 'mock Transit' vans mostly) ground to a halt because there were no spares to undertake the (very necessary) warranty work with!  They have refused to buy any more.

[polybear]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Son is taking part in a social science experiment. He has to wear a Trump 2024 t-shirt for two weeks and see how people react. So far he's been spit on, punched and had a bottle thrown at him. I'm very concerned about what will happen when he leaves the house.

 

I met a fairy yesterday, who said he would grant me one wish.
"I wish to live forever" I said.
"Sorry", said the fairy, "I am not allowed to grant that wish"
"Fine", I said, "Then I want to die on the day that Parliament is filled with hard working, honest people, whose only thought is to serve the country to the best of their ability."
"You crafty b'sterd" said the fairy.

 

An old farmer had a wife who nagged him unmercifully. From morning till night she was always complaining at him about something. The only time he got any relief was when he was out ploughing with his old mule. He tried to plough a lot. One day, when he was out ploughing, his wife brought him lunch in the field. He drove the old mule into the shade, sat down on a stump, and began to eat his lunch. Immediately, his wife began haranguing him again. Complain, nag, nag, nag; it just went on and on. All of a sudden, the old mule lashed out with both hind feet; caught her smack in the back of the head. Killed her dead on the spot.
At the funeral several days later, the minister noticed something rather odd. When a woman mourner would approach the old farmer, he would listen for a minute, then nod his head in agreement; but when a man mourner approached him, he would listen for a minute, then shake his head in disagreement. This was so consistent, the minister decided to ask the old farmer about it. So after the funeral, the minister asked the old farmer, who said:
“Well, the women would come up and say something about how nice my wife looked, or how pretty her dress was, so I'd nod my head in agreement."
“And what about the men?" the minister asked.
“They wanted to know if the mule was for sale."

 

Last night, I was sat alone at the bar. Suddenly, this great big Hells Angel swaggered up, grabbed my pint, and supped it in one go.
"Well, whatcha gonna do about it?" he sneered.
Bursting into tears, I told him, "I've just had the worst day of my life. Been sacked from work, my car got stolen and it's not insured. Had to get the bus home, and I lost my wallet there. My bird had dumped me, and the dog bit me.
"So, to work up the courage to end it all, I've had a few drinks. Then, on my last pint, I dropped a poison capsule in. And just after it dissolved, YOU come up and downed the lot!
"But, enough about me. How's your night going?"

 

I was in a long line at 7:45 am today at the supermarket that opened at 8 for seniors only.
A young man came from the parking lot and tried to cut in at the front of the line, but an old lady beat him back into the parking lot with her cane.
He returned and tried to cut in again but an old man punched him in the gut, then kicked him to the ground and rolled him away.
As he approached the line for the 3rd time he said, "If you don't let me unlock the door, you'll never get in there."

 

I'm fuming! I've just seen my wife’s profile on a  dating site.
The lying cow put "she is fun to be around".

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

The company I've ordered the sdd from has a 98.4% positive listing on 3200 orders.

Which seems ok to me especially as I bet many of the 1.6% were inept themselves. People and Computers are like that.

The order has already been dispatched!!!

 

I always read the negative Ebay reviews of any potential purchaser ,those who have one or two one-star reviews amongst dozens of 5 star ones,  are almost always due to something beyond the sellers control "Parcel arrived damaged!" "The blue on the socks didnt match my tie as well as I thought it would!" etc.

 

My favourite lately was a one star review left on a UK seller of N scale 3D printed road vehicles. Now,, these are clearly labelled N scale because thats all he does, and every other review was a 5 star one  but that wasnt good enough for this person:

 

I have never seen such a small model, the picture is very misleading and suggests something much bigger, I would have thought twice had I known the size was so minuscule, not much bigger than my thumb nail. 

 60's Detailed N gauge Resin Printed Model Ford Zephyr 6 Mk 3 (Primed)

 

 

The seller replied with more good grace than the buyer deserved:

 

In a way this is a good comment, it shows that my models have a lot of detail for such a small scale, which I clearly say in my listings, Just wish some people would read the descriptions first😉

Edited May 17, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

Isn’t a garage like a sort of a shed?  Asking for a friend…

 

If you want to use the garage for something "useful", if you get my drift, you ALSO have to have a shed to store all the stuff that used to be in the garage.

 

That's what I've found...

 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I have a garage, built c.1960 so its too small for a modern car, even a small one such as mine. I use it for storing a small trailer, the ladder, items for maintaining the house (spare roof tiles, paint etc.), timber and garden items that have to be kept dry. A lot (most) of the timber has been rescued from skips.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well, Brian is a very happy bunny, all the work that I’d planned for today has been done and the workshop is looking much better. Tomorrow, the plan is to tidy up and put away all the tools that I don’t need for the little bit work that’s left to do, if I have time, I’ll get my mop and bucket and give the floor a good clean. I’m also hoping to get it tidy enough to be able to do some modelling tomorrow afternoon, assuming his modelling mojo has returned. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[monkeysarefun]

8 hours ago, DaveF said:

 

 

I am considering it but as my fence was built first technically the extra 6" would be a trespass.

 

David

 

OK I was hoping someone else would ask this so I wouldnt have to because whenever  I do ask something about England  the answer will invariably be something like  "well obviously its because In 945AD King Hector The Inappropriate hid from a bunch of Roman Vikings in a gap between 2 fences and therefore decreed that ALL  English fences must henceforth have a 6 inch gap between them" and so on, but no one else  has, so here  goes:

 

 Why do you have a 6 inch gap between your back fence and the people behind?

 

Doesnt your land end at the point theirs starts? Perhaps the surveyors were working on say a 1:200 map and scaled up the boundary line on it, figuring a pencil line at 1:200 was a 6 inch line at full scale? So if its not an ancient law, or a popular  way to get around something like "The  Fencing  and Enclosed Lands Act of 1623" etc, nor a surveyors quirk then ..why?

 

You say you would be trespassing if you claimed it for yourself  but who's land would you be trespassing on? If it belongs to the people behind why did they not just use YOUR fence as their rear boundary rather than do themselves out of 6 inches of land as well as needlessly incur the cost of their own fence? If its not theirs then whos -  "The Crown?", some  land-holding gent like The Duke Of Bedford Vans? 

 

Gotta add, a 6 inch gap between fences here would be a scene out of a @polybear nightmare. Weeds and Kikuyu would grow rampant in it, creating a perfect environment for Eastern Browns and Red-Belly blacks in  the lower half, and a tangled mess of redback spider webs along the top half. Then in summer it would all  probably catch fire and burn your fence down.

 

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[Ozexpatriate]

30 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Gotta add, a 6 inch gap between fences here would be a scene out of a @polybear nightmare. Weeds and Kikuyu would grow rampant in it, creating a perfect environment for Eastern Browns and Red-Belly blacks in  the lower half, and a tangled mess of redback spider webs along the top half. Then in summer it would all  probably catch fire and burn your fence down.

Indeed. I have a single fence which I share with my neighbour. It alternates boards to each side so there is some airflow, but that is enough space (a few cm) for a Himalayan blackberry to sprout. I have to cut it back every year - there's no way to remove it without removing the fence.

 

I was thinking that @TheQ 's custom letter box / parcel safe would make a great unintended snake habitat were it located down unda:

15 hours ago, TheQ said:

The way I've built our post box in the wall, the maximum drop is only 18 inches, below that is a cupboard with a push to lock door, for small parcels of up to 18 inches square, below that is another cupboard for larger parcels, of up to 2ft 6inches high.

I could imagine opening the access panel after a delivery to get a coiled up surprise.

 

Worse than kikuyu is kudzu in the US southeast, introduced to stop soil erosion. 

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I could imagine opening the access panel after a delivery to get a coiled up surprise.

 

 

For sure a large dark box near ground level would be a definite hotbed  of Redback Spiders and Huntsmen, if not snakes!

 

 Brown Snakes - ,like Daleks -  are meant to not tend to  climb things but the number that get found in weird off-the-ground spots, eg:

 

makes me doubt that,  so my letterbox on top of a metal pole   while in theory brown snake proof, is still not something I just shove my hand into without checking first.

 

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[AndyID]

3 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

For sure a large dark box near ground level would be a definite hotbed  of Redback Spiders and Huntsmen, if not snakes!

 

 Brown Snakes - ,like Daleks -  are meant to not tend to  climb things but the number that get found in weird off-the-ground spots, eg:

 

makes me doubt that,  so my letterbox on top of a metal pole   while in theory brown snake proof, is still not something I just shove my hand into without checking first.

 

 

 

The snakes around here are not supposed to be venomous but we have birds that attack cars, at least my truck anyway. The most recent example is a little rotter who goes for his reflection in the wing mirrors then proceeds to crepe all over them and the doors.

 

MrsID suggested I apply a couple of her shower caps to the mirrors. Seems to do the trick 😀

[jamie92208]

We have snakes here, Vipers which get to be about 18" long but aren't considered dangerousand whip sakes which get to about 6' and keep the mice down.  We've only seen one in the open once but have found several shed skins.  These are always in the same area so we presume that they live in the verandah foundations at the front. 

 

Anyway I finished shovelling soil yesterday and the third raised bed is now full.  In the afternoon we went to a friends for coffee and cake.  It's a hard life. 

 

Today I need to start making a deck for the hot tub.  

 

Regards to all. 

 

Jamie

[pH]

34 minutes ago, AndyID said:

The snakes around here are not supposed to be venomous …

I thought you got rattlers in Idaho? Or not in your part?

[polybear]

6 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

OK I was hoping someone else would ask this so I wouldnt have to because whenever  I do ask something about England  the answer will invariably be something like  "well obviously its because In 945AD King Hector The Inappropriate hid from a bunch of Roman Vikings in a gap between 2 fences and therefore decreed that ALL  English fences must henceforth have a 6 inch gap between them" and so on, but no one else  has, so here  goes:

 

 Why do you have a 6 inch gap between your back fence and the people behind?

 

Doesnt your land end at the point theirs starts? Perhaps the surveyors were working on say a 1:200 map and scaled up the boundary line on it, figuring a pencil line at 1:200 was a 6 inch line at full scale? So if its not an ancient law, or a popular  way to get around something like "The  Fencing  and Enclosed Lands Act of 1623" etc, nor a surveyors quirk then ..why?

 

You say you would be trespassing if you claimed it for yourself  but who's land would you be trespassing on? If it belongs to the people behind why did they not just use YOUR fence as their rear boundary rather than do themselves out of 6 inches of land as well as needlessly incur the cost of their own fence? If its not theirs then whos -  "The Crown?", some  land-holding gent like The Duke Of Bedford Vans? 

 

Gotta add, a 6 inch gap between fences here would be a scene out of a @polybear nightmare. Weeds and Kikuyu would grow rampant in it, creating a perfect environment for Eastern Browns and Red-Belly blacks in  the lower half, and a tangled mess of redback spider webs along the top half. Then in summer it would all  probably catch fire and burn your fence down.

 

 

 

Agreed - I wonder if the other adjacent houses near to @DaveF also have a 6" gap (which would suggest a deliberate act on the part of the Developer) or just the house at the bottom of Dave's back garden?

Bear's next door neighbour has a small gap between fences in a similar fashion to Dave; the previous owner wanted a 6ft fence for privacy but the existing fence (which was only 4ft) isn't owned by them so they can't touch it without getting permission first (and the owner of the other house is a total Ar5ehole - fortunately he rents the place out to really nice long-term tenants). So the previous owner put in a second fence just inside the boundary - but nowhere near as large a gap as 6".

 

4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Brown Snakes - ,like Daleks -  are meant to not tend to  climb things but the number that get found in weird off-the-ground spots, eg:

 

 

Would Bear prefer Mickey to be covered in bird sh1t or snakes?

Now where did I put that Trill......

Edited May 18, 2023 by polybear