Early Risers.

[polybear]

3 hours ago, BR60103 said:

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.

 

 

Maybe a re-format of the card would fix it, or a new card?  Could the lead to the camera be dodgy - can you plug the card into the pc (or a reader)?

 

45 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

What “culinary principles”?

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).

 

 

Bear would swap the leek for onion.

Oh, hang on - I already do.....

https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/chilled/chef-select-cheese-and-onion-quiche/p5108

 

Bear here.....

Up at silly o'clock - at least it puts Bear ahead of the curve; I feel an early danglin' session approaching....

BG

[polybear]

6 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

On a serious note, when my Dad was receiving end of life care I asked if he wanted any help 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.  

 

Momma Bear asked the Docs "Just get a gun and shoot me"

She wasn't joking.

 

That stays with Bear.

 

Fortunately she was able to come home for the last few days - not easy to arrange but thanks to a rather special Ward Sister at UCH London and the Palliative Care Team it was possible.

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Big adventure starts today. Off to see my little Sister in Rutland. Stay overn8ght ( after repairing a loose fence panel. Then drive to Lulworth for a funeral tomorrow afternoon then.. a long drive back.

 

@Erichill16hope your good lady was seewander treated in the end.  I take it that you have visited the Brudenell music venue? Burley has a wide mix of inhabitants.. 

 

In other news.. anyone heard from @grandadbob? Hope he is OK.

 

Time to get my mugatea drunk..

 

Stay safe!

Baz

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl,

 5.5 hours sleep, 2 hours sleep, woken in the middle by a loud  metallic scraping noise outside, watched Michael Palin Himalayas between sleeps. Pink pills had to be taken, as first left knee joined ankle  in complaining, then the whole under carriage.

 

Stairlifts are wonderful things, SWMBO's aunt and uncle had one, as do my parents. Consider getting one earlier than later, doing yourself an injury trying to carry things upstairs is not a good idea.

Before mum needed to use it herself ( Dad did). She used to put heavy items on it send it up on remote. Then follow up herself on foot.

 

At this point Ben the I want Collie stood in the doorway, making noises indicating he was fed up with waiting for me. ( Teenager groaning hrumphing noises), 

 

Patrol has been done, heavy dew, windy again though not quite as bad as yesterday. Undercarriage stiff but not too painful. The grass is growing like mad and needs another cut, also needed because the Alexander is growing even faster, but it is weakening....

 

Ben is now asleep between the bottom of the stairs and the living room door ensuring neither of us can escape without him knowing.

 

We often do our own pre prep veg, as there are genuine farm shops not to far away. Yesterday for instance a huge batch of mashed spud, was made, there are already home made frozen chips in the freezer.

We buy when the farm shops have food on offer, also a 20kg bag of spuds there is vastly cheaper per kg than the cheapest in Tes and Coe at anytime. The local farm shop grows the Nicola variety ( and others), which is a low GI version , so we buy more of that one when we can.

There are also pre prepared, runner beans, onions, carrots, cabbage and cauliflower in the freezer.

 

Plans for today,

More fig tree area clearance, which may include being able to get the step ladder up the side that's growing in front of the computer room window, which started this process.

 

Fuel needs to be bought for the lawn mower, I forgot the other day..

 

Time for breakfast.

 

 

 

 

[iL Dottore]

57 minutes ago, polybear said:

Bear would swap the leek for onion.

Oh, hang on - I already do.....

https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/chilled/chef-select-cheese-and-onion-quiche/p5108

Doesn’t count!

[polybear]

9 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Doesn’t count!

 

Turdycurses.

[Grizz]

Morning All

 

Pleasant and sunny here in the Deep South of Sussex. It would be even warmer if that flipping wind from the north would b0@@er off, but pleasant nonetheless. There….the weather is.nice.             But that is about it.

 

RANT WARNING.

 

Yep here goes…
 

The Highways Herberts have arrived and for their convenience they have closed off our road, well the 50m bit of it that leads up to the main road (an A road). So now we have a 1.5 mile detour each way to get back to our own village and then…and then…we still have to go through the two way lights each way that they have installed on the main road to cover a 5m worksite. 
 

They are W NACKERS!!!!! ….the lot of them….And total, total ones at that!

 

This is entirely for their convenience as they now don’t have to install three way lights at the junction. And further more this total cluster fudge is for 5-10 days….and I’d lay any money that they wont be starting work for at least 3 days of them, if last time is anything to go by. And worse still I bet that this work over runs as well. 
 

T@ssers! …….🤬🤬🤬

Route cause. There is no financial penalty for their actions or inactions. If I over ran on an NR possession at Clapham Jcn we would get fined £30k a minute! Even at Haywards Heath it would be between. £15-20k a minute. 
Over runs on A roads should carry a fine as well . This would motivate said W NACKERS to do the job properly. 
 

There…Rant Over. Phew I’m worn out now.

 

Mmmmmm best take my meds now I spose. 
 

Have a great day all. 

 

ATB Grizz

 

[iL Dottore]

9 minutes ago, TheQ said:

…We often do our own pre prep veg, as there are genuine farm shops not to far away. Yesterday for instance a huge batch of mashed spud, was made, there are already home made frozen chips in the freezer.

We buy when the farm shops have food on offer, also a 20kg bag of spuds there is vastly cheaper per kg than the cheapest in Tes and Coe at anytime. The local farm shop grows the Nicola variety ( and others), which is a low GI version , so we buy more of that one when we can.

There are also pre prepared, runner beans, onions, carrots, cabbage and cauliflower in the freezer.…

A man after my own heart - although my veg prep for the freezer is usually limited to okra (which I buy up when it’s available - which is seldom) and the classic soffritto (celery, onions, carrots finely diced/chopped) and the “holy trinity” for cajun cooking (green bell pepper, onion, celery finely chopped) - which again is dependent on the availability of green bell peppers and stick celery (both a bit difficult to come by where I live in Switzerland). What the Swiss Germans refer to as celerie is actually celeriac.

 

A question for you, Q: does Ben supervise the meat prep when you or SWMBO is cooking? Schotty is most attentive when I’m prepping or cooking meat (he has high standards!).

 

It goes a bit like this:

• Open fridge, take out onions - no Schotty
• Open fridge, take out cauliflower - no Schotty
• Open fridge, take out meat - instant, attentive, Schotty supervision.

[TheQ]

Meat Or cheese Ben is always in attendance, sitting / lying at the doorway to the kitchen. He knows not to enter if we are " working " in there.

I predict he will be in attendance this afternoon as I make a batch of chilly con carne. Though once it's on its slow and low cooking period. He will retreat with me to the living room.

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, the day of the boiler replacement has arrived.  After the long journey (other end of a short street) the fitter is getting on well with it, and as he's a biker too the conversation is agreeable.  It was an interesting job getting prices for the replacement, took several businesses (including the original fitters and subsequent annual servicing folk) a long time to get back to us.  I can accept a 'we're very busy but we will get back to you' message, but not weeks of silence.  This then followed up the following month with a hopeful telephone call - too late mate.

 

Off to get physiotherapped again this afternoon, as far as I can see this has only succeeded in giving pain in new places so far, but its early days.  The young lady is most pleasant as she instructs me in new tortures I have to practice.

[DaveF]

A nice sunny morning on the Northumberland coast though it hasn't warmed up yet.  The local flocks of starling are making as much noise as possible - the young have fledged recently and like being loud.

 

The groceries came from Asda, one item went back - I don't like things with chili.  After the driver had gone I realised I have an extra bottle of milk - but it keeps until 12th June so that is OK and one yoghurt is different from the others - same make, same split pot but it has chocolate bits in the small part where normally mine have fruit.  I wonder how it got picked - fortunately it is one I buy from time to time for a change.

 

The TV didn't switch on in the early hours, I think that it was the Freeview box causing the problem. Last night I found an HDMI extension lead in a box of useful things so now I can unplug it from the TV without having to grovel at the back of the box or the TV.  I found that for some reason it has gone back to switching on the TV when it wakes up - I had disabled that before but since an update the menu has changed and the option has gone.  

 

I only use the box if I record something which I rarely do anymore, so leaving it not connected to the TV isn't an issue.  It takes seconds to connect it if I want to set it to record something or to watch something.  All the other things are available on the TV through its menu or by casting from the laptop which is much easier and quicker.

 

I suppose the good thing about it is that I have gone through the settings on the box and TV and have amended a couple of things.  I have also checked the sleep settings on the laptop and PC.

 

The toe seems OK today.  I may plant some bedding plants and the sweet peas if it stays nice.

 

David

[New Haven Neil]

I was just thinking our Freeview box doesn't turn the TV on at random times, then realised we turn off the power to the TV at night - I don't like leaving things on standby consuming power unless necessary.  Only the box and the separate hard drive recorder are left on.

[Erichill16]

1 hour ago, Barry O said:

 

@Erichill16hope your good lady was seewander treated in the end.  I take it that you have visited the Brudenell music venue? Burley has a wide mix of inhabitants.. 

 

Baz

No in the end she gave up at half past midnight. She’d waited 4.5 hours and when young woman sat next to her started being sick and recording it as a ‘selfie’ for posterity she decided enough was enough. She went to reception and said she couldn’t wait any long and she was leaving. Just as we’ed got to sleep at about 2.00am SWMBO’s mobile rang and it was A&E wanting to know where she was!
I think that may count as a rant.

Yes it was Brudenell  Social Club.

[Erichill16]

41 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

The young lady is most pleasant as she instructs me in new tortures I have to practice.

Ive heard people will pay great deal of money for that kind of service. 😉

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Well, it’s not as sunny as it was yesterday, but as I plan to spend the day outside, I’m not complaining about that. As I mentioned last night, my first task will be to plant out yesterday’s purchases, as there are less than 2 dozen, it shouldn’t take long. There’s also a bit of pruning to do, as a plant, a large Fatsia Japonica outside the dining room French windows and balcony is now obscure the view, so that will be reduced in height, the bits of trunk cur down will be chopped up into smaller pieces and then go into my log pile bug house. After that, I’ll continue with the workshop repairs. 
 

Back later 

 

Brian

[jjb1970]

10 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

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.  

 

 

 

Crikey, you mean Four & Twenty really are Australian? I thought it was just another of those claims made by companies to make their product sound better, they're sold by the big supermarket chain here and are proudly sold as Australian, if there's one thing life has taught me (and there probably isn't) it is never to question the excellentness of meat pies in Australia, the fine people of Australia can forgive almost anything but draw the line at criticism of the pies🤣

[The White Rabbit]

6 hours ago, BR60103 said:

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.... 

 

3 hours ago, polybear said:

Maybe a re-format of the card would fix it, or a new card?  Could the lead to the camera be dodgy - can you plug the card into the pc (or a reader)? ...

 

Thankyou both for the suggestions - on looking in the card/battery compartment there is indeed a (well camouflaged) slot for a teeny battery, so that might well be it. I'll have a look a bit later for a replacement. 

 

If that doesn't work, I'll have a look for the spare card and see if that gives any results. 

 

Ratings have stopped working for me, will try again later. Time for some fresh air. 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Not even a grumble from Arthur Itis this morning but the joints are as seized up as usual. I left the fan heater on again last night, 25C. this morning, however I went out like a light and slept well. Not much to do today except empty the washing machine and hang everything out to dry. I have thought about a stair lift but I'm not sure as to how long I'm going to stay in this house and  even if one would fit. There is room however for a vertical lift between the utility room and the upstairs landing.

[PhilJ W]

I hope this waste of oxygen gets sent to a male prison.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/18/transgender-butcher-scotland-abduct-sexual-assault-girl/

[southern42]

41 minutes ago, BSW01 said:

the bits of trunk cur down will be chopped up into smaller pieces and then go into my log pile bug house.

My bold

 

You mean the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week,  Brian!

https://www.royensoc.co.uk/chelsea/

 

' morning all from red dragon land.

Cloudy bright.

 

Taking of flowers....

Weepy eyes this morning so steering clear of the garden. However, Ray popped down to the shed, came back and asked if I got his two wotsApps, I checked it out and there were these two lovely looking flowerheads. The Iris was new out and standing proud.

 

 

 

 

 

Looking through the dining room window I could see how tall the iris had got. The cutback Rock Rose is on the right  On the left is the hibiscus which also gives purple flowers - unfortunately at risk of flying thingies leaving behind very hungry flower devouring offspring. Fingers crossed, 🤞 eh?

 

The iris was rescued, along with a few other specimens which did not make it this far, from the site of West Shore Miniature Railway several years. The iris has always been one of those special flowers, this one because my Nan always had a large vase of them, when in season, on top of her glass cabinet. Last year's flowering was not as successful since some strong winds bent the stem in half. So I feel very lucky to have this superb specimen this year.

 

The sun has come out so I might spend a lot of time gazing out of the window....dreaming....

 

Take care. Be good. Make the most of it.

Polly

[iL Dottore]

[The Lurker]

4 hours ago, Barry O said:

Ey up!

 

Big adventure starts today. Off to see my little Sister in Rutland. Stay overn8ght ( after repairing a loose fence panel. Then drive to Lulworth for a funeral tomorrow afternoon then.. a long drive back.

 

@Erichill16hope your good lady was seewander treated in the end.  I take it that you have visited the Brudenell music venue? Burley has a wide mix of inhabitants.. 

 

In other news.. anyone heard from @grandadbob? Hope he is OK.

 

Time to get my mugatea drunk..

 

Stay safe!

Baz

I was once a resident of Burley. Or at least Burley Road, back in my student days.

[TheQ]

When we were deciding whether to move the big 55inch TV to the living room. So after some research i discovered, when running the power consumption is 197W, when on stand by 0.7W.

So a 3kw kettle takes 45 seconds to boil a cup of water. That would cost at the current government max price 1.27p

So roughly leaving that TV on standby for 134 days would cost 1.27p...

 

Stair lifts can be moved house to house I've done it. It's not a big job.

 

One thing I've noticed when the pvr box is off the TV aerial loop through doesn't work, turn it on then it does, must find out if this TV has a loop through that works switched off or do we need a splitter before the signal reaches the equipments.

 

Some TVs and many PVR boxes turn on at an appointed time during the night to see if there is an update to their programming being sent over the air.

 

[Erichill16]

Spent a Deltic on football tickets yesterday and now trying to  spend another Deltic on coach travel.Called 17 times and keep getting cut off. 
pah AND turdycurses

[polybear]

 

3 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Morning, the day of the boiler replacement has arrived.  After the long journey (other end of a short street) the fitter is getting on well with it, and as he's a biker too the conversation is agreeable.  It was an interesting job getting prices for the replacement, took several businesses (including the original fitters and subsequent annual servicing folk) a long time to get back to us.  I can accept a 'we're very busy but we will get back to you' message, but not weeks of silence.  This then followed up the following month with a hopeful telephone call - too late mate.

 

 

When Bear was doing the Great Kitchen Refurb I needed a gas pipe capped off - getting a quote was hard enough.  A local guy in the very next street quoted (IIRC) forty quid (which is robbery) and when I said yes he was no-where to be seen.  B'sterd.

What's even more annoying is that Bear could do it blindfolded - but that's naughty (and there were a few houses in the news blowing up due to gas leaks at the time - and one bloke deliberately cutting thru' a gas pipe with an angle grinder as well....).

At least I've got a nice shiny bit of paper from a local registered gas company, plus the knowledge that he did a drop (leak) test as well.  A bit more than forty quid though.  Turdycurses.

 

3 hours ago, DaveF said:

The TV didn't switch on in the early hours, I think that it was the Freeview box causing the problem. Last night I found an HDMI extension lead in a box of useful things so now I can unplug it from the TV without having to grovel at the back of the box or the TV.  I found that for some reason it has gone back to switching on the TV when it wakes up - I had disabled that before but since an update the menu has changed and the option has gone.  

 

I only use the box if I record something which I rarely do anymore, so leaving it not connected to the TV isn't an issue.  It takes seconds to connect it if I want to set it to record something or to watch something.  All the other things are available on the TV through its menu or by casting from the laptop which is much easier and quicker.

 

Bear has to turn on the Humax HDD then the TV immediately afterwards, otherwise I don't get any sound so have to turn both off then start again; it did the same thing with the old TV (a different make) as well.  Weird.

 

3 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

...... and when young woman sat next to her started being sick and recording it as a ‘selfie’ for posterity......

 

Bear was scoffin' din dins when I read that..... 🤢

 

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I have thought about a stair lift but I'm not sure as to how long I'm going to stay in this house and  even if one would fit. 

 

And those that sell them are a Grade A bunch of crooks - loadsadosh involved.

As @The Q has mentioned it is possible to swap them from house to house - but only if the layout is the same (the stairs in Bear Castle has a 90 degree bend at the top, for example).

When a neighbour died very recently her son approached the stairlift company with a view to them buying it back (it wasn't very old) - they normally do, but it has to be less than 2 years old.  They were happy to take it out for quitealottahundreds though, and take it away....

He did it himself and the scrap man took the lot.