Early Risers.

[Ozexpatriate]

With no new episodes, post-writers' strike, CBS (who had broadcast the US version of the sit-com "Ghosts") is promoting upcoming broadcast of what they are calling "Ghosts UK" - which I presume is the one broadcast in 2019 on BBC One on which the US version was based.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

3 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

Evening all,

 

Notalot done today. Though I did make a liddle more progress on the Great Email Review (delete or save) Sort Out.... 

 

Some really aren't suitable for RMW but there's one to share with you - there is a certain employment agency in Germany which advertises their services using 3D posters on various machines throughout the country. IMHO, good advertising...   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is that Liz Truss in the fifth picture? I was wondering what became of her...

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

Evening all from Estuary-Land. More whizzes and bangs this evening but not as bad as last night and now there's only a few in the distance. I can't help thinking of the pets on Guy Fawkes night, some must be extremely frightened.

 

Classic FM have been running a programme of "soothing music" between 5pm and 9pm on Saturday and today to allow petowners to blank out the constant bombardment of loud multishot fireworks.  The only problem is that the racket continues after the programme stops*, and there's a second peak when the drunks come home from the pub...

 

Of course, its sponsored by a dogfood company!

 

* To be fair, all Classic FMs later evening programming tends heavily towards the "soothing and restful".  Enough, in fact, to act as an aid to sleepiness!  Zzzzzz.....

 

 

Edited November 5, 2023 by Hroth

[Gwiwer]

8 hours ago, PMP said:

An exceptionally good venue for a pi** poor pint, or a fight. Often available simultaneously.

The same could be said for rather too many similar establishments.  Including the one, now long-closed, situated at the Distant (Signal) West and known bilingually as the "Miner's Arms / Dewotty an Stennyon", though always colloquially as "The Wink".  A town of under 5000 souls still supports four pubs; the fifth was never a place to go with any expectation of enjoyment nor returning unscathed.  

 

In other news Dr. SWMBO is about to depart Canadia for the Untidy Kingdom having completed her mission and what she describes as her "final overseas work trip."  There are likely to be more offers and requests for her to contribute her uncommon expertise around the planet but she has felt this time more than any before that her mobility issues make it uncomfortable and in some situations impossible to make the most of such times.  She returns direct from Heathrow to Kew and a week's work so I have another week of Boy's Own Club here.  

 

Speaking of the boys here's a question for the DIY mob.  Just how does one Ronseal a floor and keep a cat off it until it's dry?  I have "done" the ground floor these past two evenings.  I don't intend to do upstairs as it doesn't need it.  But keeping His Furship away from the wet areas hasn't been at all easy.  I shall find out in the morning how successful I have (or have not) been tonight when I inspect the final application in the cold light of day.  

[Gwiwer]

7 minutes ago, Hroth said:

Classic FM have been running a programme of "soothing music" between 5pm and 9pm on Saturday and today to allow petowners to blank out the constant bombardment of loud multishot fireworks. 

Not a single firework has been seen nor heard here.  The bigger displays were several miles away.  The closely-packed cottages of the town do not lend themselves to backyard fireworks.  And it's been persisterating down most of the weekend meaning any rogue attempts at public whizzpopping could well have been drowned out - by the rain. 

[Ozexpatriate]

2 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Just how does one Ronseal a floor and keep a cat off it until it's dry?

Move the food/water and litter box upstairs to a room with a door? Cat won't like it of course.

[PupCam]

2 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Could it perhaps actually be that  modern documentaries just seem more simplistic  because being much older and wiser than we were in the 60's we pretty much know everything already  by now?

 

No, they truly are carp now.   Bring back James Burke I say!

 

ION

 

A nice Beeza chug was chugged this morning in the sunshine.  Although the sky was looking "a bit threatening" when we set off it behaved itself nicely and the sun came out to play.   It was a bit parky though! 

 

Amazon goods arrived this morning while I was out.   That's good, I only ordered them yesterday afternoon  and of course, being Puppers, selected "Super Saver Delivery" (aka Slow) when I did so.   I still don't get the point of Prime UNLESS you want to avail yourself of the video content etc which I don't.

 

The goods included some AAA rechargeable cells which were required for the telescopes focuser stepper motor driver.  I found the stepper motor wasn't doing its stuff and I thought it had jammed/failed but no, the lashed-up AAA Duracells were just flat so that was an easy fix.     Having done a VFM comparison between a four pack in local stores (Argos, Toolstation, Screwfix) and compared it with offerings from Amazon I'm afraid there was simply no contest.    I think I got 20 high-capacity (1100mAh) ones for between 1/2 & 2/3 that for a low-capacity 4 pack!     The first tranche of printer cartridges arrived too.  The remaining two are not coming from an Amazon warehouse  but direct from the suppliers one of whom is in Jersey!    I suppose that might be delayed as they might be nailing the roof back on and bailing out the building after storm Cretin or whatever it was called.  

 

Which reminds me.   Many years ago I was trying unsuccessfully to contact the ADT Alarms office in Hemel Hempstead.     As it happened, it was shortly after the minor explosion that was Buncefield (look it up if you are unfamiliar with it).   As we were passing through Hemel I thought I'd swing by the office (in the industrial estate) and visit it in person.   When we got there we could see why they weren't answering the telephone as it seemed to have lost all of it's windows and other bits of its structure 🤣.   I remember the outrage at the time about how stupid it was that they built an oil storage depot right in the middle of the industrial estate.      What the outraged idiots didn't realise was that when it was built it was as far from the original industrial estate and the M1 motorway as it could be given geography.   Later the higher-paid help in the local council "allowed" (encouraged?) the industrial estate to expand and surround the oil depot.  That'll teach them!  Although no doubt it didn't .....

 

I did a bit more "Front porch astronomy" this evening with the now fully functioning, remote controlled focuser.   Jupiter was looking good again although one of the four moons was hiding this evening.  The two main bands clearly discernable through the eyepiece now that precise focus can be achieved.   I've also been playing around abit more with the camera & software.  Some progress in the understanding department was made unfortunately no progress was made in the results department!

 

Right Oh, it's bed time.

 

Night All

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

Could it perhaps actually be that  modern documentaries just seem more simplistic  because being much older and wiser than we were in the 60's we pretty much know everything already  by now?

 

Certainly not. Its that current generation aren't as intelligent as we were and have a shorter attention span. What was I saying.

[skipepsi]

Just now, Winslow Boy said:

 

Certainly not. Its that current generation aren't as intelligent as we were and have a shorter attention span. What was I saying.

I've forgotten

[Tony_S]

We managed to collect MiL and our nephew yesterday morning from Enfield. We arrived a few minutes late at the restaurant near Kettering for Aditi’s brother’s birthday lunch. I had to wait for the takeaway crowd to disperse. The meal was interesting. The food was ok but there were only two waitresses for 45 people. There seemed to be a shortage of plates, cutlery and glasses. One of the courses didn’t reach the bit of the table I was on, but two lots of something I liked more did! I was amused by my niece who thought she was getting fish goujons rather than breaded whitebait when she noticed a tiny eye showing. Also I wasn’t drinking alcohol as I was driving later but the restaurant informed Raj (Aditi’s brother) that they hadn’t fully renewed their alcohol licence but he could bring his own, so he had to nip out to Sainsbury and purchase enough. Although it was a bit like a Turkish Fawlty Towers everyone enjoyed the occasion. Afterwards we set off to stay overnight near Grantham with some friends. We had a good chat and they made a splendid meal for us. The journey over was ok but at one point water was flowing over the road (a single carriage A road).  Aditi informed me I think there is a flood and I said I was already slowing, Imsuspect the underside of the car is quite clean now.

The journey from near Grantham to York was awful. The A1 was closed and we were diverted off through somewhere called Blyth and then through various other places to rejoin the A1, though it may have been the A1M by then. Another diversion to avoid bridgeworks took us away from the A1. I have no idea why the sat nav took us through a load of York suburbs rather than the A64 exit near the hotel but we are here now. It is very comfy and we had a pleasant meal from their “lighter menu” as we didn’t really want the “big menu”. 
 Tomorrow the day should start with the first of  the week’s “Full Yorkshire Breakfasts”.

Tony

 

 

[Tony_S]

17 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Just how does one Ronseal a floor and keep a cat off it until it's dry?

I did decorate the lounge and dining room while we had Robbie the spaniel. I was getting ready by spreading out dust sheets and other coverings to protect from paint splashes. After a while I looked round to realise that Robbie had dragged a lot of the coverings into the utility room and added them to his dog bed to make a big nest. I put them back and pointed and them and said “ No” in my best attempt at an “I mean it” voice, and it worked. He kept away from the paint (Dulux matt vinyl Magnolia) and the Ronseal  wood stain but stuck his snout into a tin of Farrow and Ball House White. I assume as it didn’t smell nasty.  

[Ozexpatriate]

Clocks changed here this morning - so the 'normal' differences in time zones have been renewed.

 

This afternoon is very dark - not because of the clocks but because the forecast rain has arrived. It is mid-to-late afternoon and still at least 90 minutes before sunset.

 

EDIT: 

While not warm, temperatures are above where they were some days back in clear weather. The thermostatically controlled furnace was needed then, not so much now.

 

Edited November 5, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[PhilJ W]

56 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

But keeping His Furship away from the wet areas hasn't been at all easy.  I shall find out in the morning how successful I have (or have not) been tonight when I inspect the final application in the cold light of day.  

Or inspect His Furship for signs of Ronseal?

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

When I got up this morning, surprisingly the sun was shining, so decided to make the most of it and I went straight outside, as the stone cellar steps needed a good clean, as did the workshop decking and the garden paths. So, after breakfast I made a muggertea to take outside with me and headed out to the shed to get the pressure washer. I’d just started work on the cellar steps when I felt it start to rain, before I had chance to switch of the pressure washer, the rain had stopped, so I carried on. An hour and a half later I was sat on the bench under the workshop window, having my tea, when it once again started to rain! So, I quickly finished my tea and packed everything away and headed inside. At this point, Sheila asked for my assistance in taking down the living room window blinds, so they could be washed, that didn’t take long, but by then it was almost dinner time! 

 

After dinner, I mixed a second blue colour, slightly darker than the one I’d mixed earlier in the week and began painting the cellar ceiling, by the time I’d knocked off for the day, I’d painted about 1/4 of the ceiling and I’m pleased with how it’s looking. The forecast for tomorrow is rain again, so I’ll continue painting the ceiling. Once that’s done, the next stage will be to apply both blue colours to the walls and then blend them in so that the dark colour (which will be at the top of the wall) gradually fades to the light colour at the centre of the wall. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[Barry O]

Ey up! @Tony_S and Aditi.. welcome to Yorkshire..the 2nd best county in England (Durham being the best of course.).

 

Sounds like you visited most of South Yorkshire and a bit of Lincolnshire on your trip North.

 

Weather for today is now expected to be... wet. Pah!

 

I am going north tomorrow for a cricket meeting in Benwell Hill CC. I am looking forward to it.

 

Time to start the day with my mugatea. No time for more drivelling... TTFN!

 

Baz

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl,

Not such a good night's sleep, 1/2 hour, then a long awake, then 4 hours sleep, then an hour. Right ankle, and back are complaining of the last two days activities.

 

My current hate is talking heads on technical or history programmes. Where they switch from person to person for a sentence, the sentences are getting shorter and I'm sure they'll soon be down to switching persons between words.

 

Ben the I want out Collie, was still at summer time this morning, I delayed him for 1/2 an hour .

We've had a small amount of rain overnight as Ben's outdoor water bowl is full, but the ground is definitely less squelchy than yesterday. Very chilly, with a grey Welkin at the moment, but the forecast is sunshine and a South Westerly at a massive 11C.

 

Plans for today, 

More driveway digging.

Some paperwork, another pension to claim!!!

Join two more units of unmentionables with pivot hinges. I thought of a solution to joining them over night, The problem being, one of this pair has no legs to support it during fitting.

 

Time for a muggacoffee.

 

 

[Gwiwer]

8 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Or inspect His Furship for signs of Ronseal?

I inspected the Ronseal this morning for signs of His Furship. Not a single paw-print was found.  Inspecting his feet is not required. 
 

Good morning. Welcome to Moan-day. The wind has eased a lot overnight and there are blobs of blue sky in the greyness. I am led to believe it might feel colder outside than in. 

A few phone calls are required today but otherwise notter lot on the agenda. Morning coffee with a friend has been postponed until Wetness-day. 
 

Dr. SWMBO should have landed an hour ago but has yet to check in with me. That may be down to the queues at Heathrow T5. 
 

Muggertea The First has been enjoyed with cross ants croissants.  Let’s see what today brings. 
 

Stay safe. Avagoodun 

[roundhouse]

Last night I had one of the best views of a fireworks display that I have ever seen and it was a good set of fireworks. It was right across from our bedroom window just behind the houses opposite in the common ground. So it was comfy and free plus if it had been later in the evening I could have laid in bed watching.

Unfortunately my other half doesnt like fireworks because of the noise and not helped by still suffering after falling over in the road by London Bridge and that was before we got to any pubs. She's got a lot of bruises on her as it was a very hard fall.

 

Sunny here.

Edited November 6, 2023 by roundhouse

[monkeysarefun]

Its Jacaranda season again, some shots around the local town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 6, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Blue sky and sunshine here and it should be a dry and sunny day with just a chance of the odd shower.  8°C rising to13°C.

Watched some of the local fireworks display from the conservatory but our view is now partially obscured by a neighbour's tree and the fireworks themselves did not seem as impressive or numerous as in previous years.  There were also nowhere near as many flashes, crackles and bangs in the neighbourhood and nothing heard at all after about 22.00 which is most unusual.....and most welcome.

Nothing has been  posted on Daily Orders yet nor have there been any hints (so far) so it looks like I may be a free agent today.  I may erect the fencing on the layout and see how much more is needed.

Time for porridge.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, from a damp rock that is 9c and.....damp.

 

Not a bad night was had by my standards, although it was chemically assisted to some extent, thus finally, finally, feeling a bit better this morning, not coughed yet!  Hurrah!

 

A gentle day of consolidation ahead, little bit of domestic servitude and odds and ends from the village shop will be about it.  I may even wander down to the garage/toy room.

[TheSignalEngineer]

9 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

A town of under 5000 souls still supports four pubs;

A village we lived in some years ago had an electoral roll of about 1000 for Parish Council elections. At the time it had three pubs and two WMCs. Two of the pubs have now gone.

[Mike Bellamy]

9 hours ago, Tony_S said:

The journey from near Grantham to York was awful. The A1 was closed and we were diverted off through somewhere called Blyth and then through various other places to rejoin the A1, though it may have been the A1M by then. Another diversion to avoid bridgeworks took us away from the A1.

 

I expect some of that was because of weekend closure as we drove north of Doncaster on Monday where the bridge works were down to a single lane in each direction. If you don't need to go to Grantham then you can avoid almost all of the A1 by coming home on the M1 around Leeds and then coming off south of Leicester on the A14 to Cambridge and then M11 towards home.

 

I left Grantham in 1978 but until very recently we went to visit family every couple of weeks, until it was time to start arranging funerals . . . . . . . . 

 

Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday - did you know there's a museum and model shop in York . . . . . . . . 😀

.