Early Risers.

[Ozexpatriate]

25 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Does that include the one in The  SImpsons?

Matt Groening, (creator of The Simpsons) was born a Portlander. There are many Simpsons references from local places.

 

Springfield was chosen because it is common, and there is one in Oregon.

 

The city recently completed a pedestrian bridge reconnecting NW Flanders Street. It was officially named the "Ned Flanders Crossing".

 

Close by was the unofficial "Merge Simpson" sign. City workers were compelled to replace it with the original, pedestrian signage.

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

... Domestically I’m up to date with the washing for the first time in ages. Not so the folding and putting away. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/05/22/still-wobbling-round-and-a-withdrawal-in-protest/

I've got to the stage where I can no longer carry  the washing basket upstairs. I have now resorted to using shopping bags which are easier to lift.

[Erichill16]

Evening All, 

Been a busy few days.

After the exploits of my team on Friday night I went to an exhibition of interesting miniature items in Sheffield on Saturday and on Sunday a gig in Leeds. It was in Burley, certainly not a suburb that Id like to live in and by the looks of Baz’s garden, he doesnt live their either. 
In between times many hours have been spent in the garden.

As for today, well as I type this I'm sat in the car, with the dogs, on an industrial estate.  ‘Why?’ you may, or probably more likely not ask. Well the answer is ive taken swmbo to A&E with the foot she damaged three weeks ago. Its not really getting any better and we thought 8.00pm may be a quiet time. Wrong!

We had contemplated a visit to the GP’s but its a two week wait for an appointment and even then, according to sis, who’s a GP in Newark, it would be another three weeks to get an X ray appointment. As we sung at the natch on Friday

’que sera sera’

Edited May 22, 2023 by Erichill16
Cant spell que sera sera. Que sera sera!

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. After doing a bit of shopping at Tess Coes I nodded off in the chair and woke up with a stiff neck, despite that I can't stop yawning. Still no news re. my brothers bungalow except one of the co owners has been traced and they had died intestate.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

We had a good mat the RHS today, enjoying a walk through the woodland and round the lake, as well as a cuppa and a slice at the cafe. We also bought some more plants from the garden centre, but it could have been a lot worse. So, tomorrow morning, my first task will be to plant our new purchases, then do a bit of pruning, after that, I’ll continue with the workshop repairs. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Erichill16]

Still sat waiting in the car……..

feel like a drugs dealer !

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Wildfire smoke is nasty and pervasive. It's hard to fully comprehend how nasty it is until one experiences it firsthand.

 

The Alberta pall has not (so far) made it to northwest Oregon. We are back in a 'normal' onshore flow which is keeping it away from us.

 

Additional wildfire teams have been dispatched to Alberta. May 19:

 

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana are combining to send 125 personnel and equipment as part of the Northwest Wildland Fire Protection Agreement.

Australia has too, but the only mention I can find of it is in the Montana News..

 

https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/firefighters-from-montana-australia-on-the-way-to-aid-canada-as-wildfires-rage

 

They spelt Australia wrong but at least they didn't call us Austria.

Edited May 22, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[Coombe Barton]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

I've got to the stage where I can no longer carry  the washing basket upstairs. I have now resorted to using shopping bags which are easier to lift.

Been using Sainsbury's large shopping bags for years - cheaper and more durable than washing baskets

[Barry O]

4 hours ago, 45156 said:

No - not many - just some - quite a few can't be bothered with the hassle of storing them - I know as I have worked in a number of charity shops and none has offered that facility - and when I suggested it. that was the answer

Sue Ryder takes them.. I know this as guess what my other half does at a local store?

Baz

[monkeysarefun]

8 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I can't speak to the Swiss law, but the Oregon Death with Dignity Act has been in place for a quarter of a century. Most of the controversy was around the (as enacted) residency requirement. There is no substantial movement here to overturn it.

 

It is not euthanasia in so far as the participant self-administers the lethal dose.

 

It does require that the participant has a terminal condition and is in full control of their faculties, including the ability to self-administer the lethal dose. Depression is not a legitimate reason. People who oppose this sort of law assert that 'doctor shopping' is a means to subvert this.

 

For many it is comforting to know that the option is there - and go through the process, but not to completion.

In Australia, voluntary assisted dying (VAD) laws have been passed in all States. VAD laws have commenced operation in Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, and South Australia. VAD will commence in New South Wales on 28 November 2023.

 

These laws are limited in scope, allowing physician-assisted suicide where a person suffers a medical condition that is advanced, incurable, irreversible, causes intolerable suffering, and will cause the person's death in the next six months, or 12 months for neurodegenerative disorders.

Edited May 23, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

We actually had ours with peas, salad

 

 

Salad often accompanies dishes such as quiche, pies, pizza, fried chicken, steak  and so on as a way to feel less guilty about not having something vegetable-centric. It is often not eaten but just serves as fancy garnish.

 

"Four And Twenty",  a pie company here recognised this and came up with the Magic Salad Plate.

 

I managed to get one 

 

 

and it is invaluable when having a BBQ or a pie and saves having all those green things in the fridge that usually go off just before you need them.

 

In fact when I buy them I just put them straight into the compost to save time.  

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

38 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

 

feel like a drugs dealer !

I thought you are!

Edited May 22, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[Erichill16]

42 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

Still sat waiting in the car……..

feel like a drugs dealer !

Thought I’d got a customer, but turns out its only a jogger. 
 

[Erichill16]

9 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

I thought you are!

Mums the word! 

[Erichill16]

On a serious note, when my Dad was receiving end of life care I asked if he would want  any help if it were available  and he replied that the Lord had brought him to this world and the Lord would take him away.

Somethings will always stay with you.

 

Actually he died in the hospital that ive spent the last four hours waiting for swmbo.  

Edited May 23, 2023 by Erichill16
Alter wording.

[pH]

An e-bay purchase coming from the US seems to have disappeared. 
 

After the usual scenic tour of various locations in several states, it was last shown as “Dispatched by US Carrier” on May 19 - 3 days ago. It’s not shown up anywhere since. Canada Post have been told it’s coming, but haven’t seen it yet.

 

This is my second attempt to get an example of this item. In my previous attempt, the seller just didn’t ship the item, and I got a refund from e-bay. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something.

 

But what do you expect from a carrier called Asendia? ‘A’ as a prefix to a word means ‘not’, as in ‘atypical’ = ‘not typical’. So, by their name, they declare that they don’t send things. I’m all for honesty in advertising, but …

[Ozexpatriate]

20 minutes ago, pH said:

But what do you expect from a carrier called Asendia?

Never heard of it. After looking it up, it began as a joint venture between La Poste (France) and Swiss Post.  They do operate in the US, but the Wikipedia article does not include Canada, though the company webpage does.

 

They don't advertise in any medium that reaches me.

 

Perhaps they offer your eBay seller 'cheap' services?

[jjb1970]

4 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

It does require that the participant has a terminal condition and is in full control of their faculties, including the ability to self-administer the lethal dose. Depression is not a legitimate reason. People who oppose this sort of law assert that 'doctor shopping' is a means to subvert this.

 

I think these issues are the key to whether it should be allowed.

 

In terminal cases where people are in full control of their faculties then I have no objection.

 

The problem arises when it is extended to non-terminal conditions and when it is questionable whether the person is in full control of their faculties. 

 

I used to be generally supportive but some examples of such laws have made me question that. I am not against it, but I do think it needs very robust controls so it doesn't become a sort of economic measure or exploit the vulnerable with mental health issues, learning difficulties etc. 

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, jjb1970 said:

I think these issues are the key to whether it should be allowed.

By coincidence this was on CNN online this evening:

 

CNN: ‘I have my life in my own hands’: A filmmaker spent three years with Paralympian and triathlete Marieke Vervoort to explore her wish to die by euthanasia

 

The empowerment that knowing they can control the manner of their death often inspires people to continue to live to their fullest, where they might otherwise choose a non-legally sanctioned suicide - like this quote from the article:

Quote

“If I didn’t have the papers, I think I would have already committed suicide,”

She would participate and medal in two paralympic games after being approved for euthanasia in Belgium.

 

As noted earlier, "euthanasia" is not permitted in Oregon.

[BR60103]

White Rabbit:

We have a Canon camera where the date & time stopped working.  I found that there's an extra battery (hearing aid type) that keeps this up. Ours is located under a clip beside the SD card.

I've now replaced it twice.

But I can't get the computer to talk to the SD card anymore.

 

[iL Dottore]

8 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

The secret parts are deep underground of course. The glasshouse is needed for the ostentatious display - glittering parties with the beautiful people, etc.

Captain Cynical, like iD, hates “glittering parties with beautiful people” (much preferring a quiet 6 - 10 person dinner party with good food, good wine and erudite conversation).

 

CC did contemplate inviting a whole G7’s worth of “movers and shakers” to an <exclusive> soirée, eliminating them with a tasteless and odourless poison gas and replace the late “movers and shakers” with specially programmed android clones that would do his bidding.

 

CC says that, in the end, he couldn’t be faffed to do this, as he was having problems with getting the android clones to properly respond to his programming. So he abandoned the project, he claims.

 

I’m not sure that I believe him given the behaviour and attitudes of so many prominent personalities. I think he did do the swap but many of the android clones were faulty and went “off script”

 

[iL Dottore]

8 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

Bear too can enjoy this without opening himself to allegations of betraying his culinary principles.

What “culinary principles”?

8 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

…. It's a dish you could spend a lot of time and trouble over - or use some 'cheat' ingredients….

….Though I wouldn't mind having a go at triple cooked chips with this! 

That’s a pretty good recipe there, my dear lagomorph. Were I to do the recipe I’d probably tinker a bit with the filling but otherwise follow your steps pretty much verbatim (making allowances, of course, for the vagaries of my kitchen).

 

Tom Kerridge, who has two Michelin stars and a number of very, very good (and expensive) restaurants is on record saying that he uses good quality “shortcuts“ when cooking at home (stockpots, high quality pastry etc.). And if it is good enough for Tom Kerridge, then it is good enough for me.

 

Being able to shop at a supermarket that serves the restaurant trade has opened my eyes to a number of things – some positive, some negative. On the negative side are the huge amounts of ready-made frozen items that go straight into the deep fat fryer/oven and then on to the customers plate with minimal kitchen intervention by the restaurant (and for which the restaurant charges a huge multiple of the cost of goods). I would venture to say that some such things are perfectly fine in the domestic setting for time poor, busy, parents, or for the culinary inept, but a bit naughty (actually, very naughty) for a restaurant to serve such things at high prices.

 

On the positive side is the amount of ready prepped food (meat, vegetables) that is available. For a small restaurant (or even an amateur cook like myself), ready prepped vegetables are a godsend: with a limited amount of staff/time, a small restaurant needs to maximise the truly productive work of the kitchen and not having to peel, slice, or chop, frees up people to do other things. I’ve used ready prepped veg rom the trade supermarket (chopped and sliced onion, peeled garlic) but the meat, good as it is, is butchered in the Swiss way. I prefer how the Brits butcher the meat, so when the trade supermarket does have half a lamb or pig on sale, I buy one and butcher it myself.

 

Re. triple cooked chips - delicious but time consuming and require quite a few tries to get right.

[jjb1970]

A lot of Asian restaurants (and not just in Europe) buy sauces from bulk catering suppliers. They may play with it by adding more flavours but the base stock/broth is often bought in. I suspect the Singaporean company Prima sell their laksa and curry broth mixes in bulk as it is suspicious just how many restaurant laksa has exactly the same taste, consistency and thickness as Prima (in fairness, it is excellent so I'm not complaining).