Early Risers.

[southern42]

' morning all from red dragon land.

 

Early misty moisty morning is more moisty than misty now. Whatever, it is cold and wet outside, warm but dark inside.

 

Just about to have another toot on the flute with the beat box. Mojo was all over the place yesterday giving me problems with coordination, concentration and patience so, hopefully, I will do a bit better in those compartments this morning. Best get it all set up and give it a go.

 

Take care. Be good. Stay with it.

Polly

 

[iL Dottore]

On 18/11/2023 at 23:02, polybear said:

Bear prefers a somewhat more sophisticated evening.....

 

 

 

Bear gets the bill for his sophisticated evening.....

 

 

[iL Dottore]

NEWS FLASH

 

Captain Cynical has just taken over the franchises of ALL of Britain's TOCs and has already instituted changes. Unfortunately, the DfT insisted on a bare-bones contract.....

[PhilJ W]

7 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

NEWS FLASH

 

Captain Cynical has just taken over the franchises of ALL of Britain's TOCs and has already instituted changes. Unfortunately, the DfT insisted on a bare-bones contract.....

That locomotive won't get far without a tender.

[Barry O]

Landlines now reinstalled and it... works.

 

Ironing completed so major positives there.

 

Now for lunch...

 

Baz

[roundhouse]

21 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Landlines now reinstalled and it... works.

 

Ironing completed so major positives there.

 

Now for lunch...

 

Baz

Talking of ironing, I must remember to get a new bit for my soldering iron at Warley🙂

 

I just remembered this morning to get our hi viz vests out as we will be arriving at the hall before mid day. We will use the trolleys to move our stuff from the car in the car park rather than go through the hassle of filling in forms and queuing to drive into the hall.

[jamie92208]

9 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Another good night last night with no call outs from bladder control and even Arthur Itis was asleep.

This is in the news.  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-67371751

Many years ago I had a friend who's 17 year old daughter died of CS while waiting for a lung-heart donor. She was a bright intelligent girl with ambitions to be a doctor. How can anyone put a price on a young persons life.

I have a friend who's son died of CF in his 20's after marrying and then leaving a youngster and widow.  The grandson has also got CF and the widow couldn't cope so John and his wife became the carers for their grandson. John was one of the leaders of the campaign for one of those drugs and it has done wonders for the grandson.  Sadly John's wife now has dementia.  A very sad situation. 

 

Here we have just received our first Christmas card in the post. 

 

Jamie

Edited November 20, 2023 by jamie92208

[Tim Dubya]

Big hand in for architecture on Wednesday, looking for somewhere nice for a snooze until then.  I mean, they're never on time, so why should I 😁

[RobAllen]

4 hours ago, RobAllen said:

I need to prep for an interview next week and then hopefully seeing a friend in Cardiff. Toying with going earlier and popping into Lord & Butler.

Unfortunately, my friend cancelled as he's unwell and is at the doctors. Sweeping fallen autumn leaves is now on the agenda as it was noted that "you now have the time"…

[polybear]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Another good night last night with no call outs from bladder control and even Arthur Itis was asleep.

This is in the news.  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-67371751

Many years ago I had a friend who's 17 year old daughter died of CS while waiting for a lung-heart donor. She was a bright intelligent girl with ambitions to be a doctor. How can anyone put a price on a young persons life.

 

Perhaps NICE's time and effort would be better spent considering if spending money on NHS treatment for certain self-inflicted conditions is "cost effective" rather than on cases such as CF?

 

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Bear gets the bill for his sophisticated evening.....

 

 

 

I remember it well.....I also remember what a fine job those accompanying Bear did in consoling me and taking my mind off the matter......😉

Edited November 20, 2023 by polybear

[jjb1970]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

NEWS FLASH

 

Captain Cynical has just taken over the franchises of ALL of Britain's TOCs and has already instituted changes. Unfortunately, the DfT insisted on a bare-bones contract.....

 

Crikey, I'm impressed, first day of new management and things have already improved immeasurably compared to Avanti on the WCML!!

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

That locomotive won't get far without a tender.

.... bare bones contract, Phil. Bare Bones contract.....

Edited November 20, 2023 by iL Dottore

[Gwiwer]

Happy Moanday all.  

 

I was prevented from greeting you earlier due to a sight outrage.  That seems to have been rectified.  I can report a very good weekend exhibiting tiny objects of mutual interest and a lot of interest having being generated.  

 

After enjoying pasties for the past two days today's diet is Beef Wellington.  Here's one I made earlier.  Captain Cynical should avert his eyes.  

 

 

 

[iL Dottore]

Unfortunately.....

 

One of my favourite cartoonists was H.M. Bateman (I first came across him as a boy when I found an anthology of Punch articles - culled from the days when Punch was actually funny). Perhaps his most well known series of cartoons are the "The Man who...." featuring comically exaggerated reactions to minor and usually upper-class social gaffes.

 

As you know, I quite enjoy using AI Image Generation to create modern day "cartoons" and putting the two together when working out at the gym today, I came up with the idea of creating a series of images, inspired by HM Bateman's work, entitled "Unfortunately..."

 

I hope you enjoy them (first one coming up...)

[iL Dottore]

Unfortunately.....

 

... whilst on his Winter Holiday in Splötž, @polybear translator app mistranslated "Hörümçək Pühakoda" as <Cake Shop>, so he went in.....

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Perhaps NICE's time and effort would be better spent considering if spending money on NHS treatment for certain self-inflicted conditions is "cost effective" rather than on cases such as CF?

 

In 2019, the NHS indicated that"Alcohol-related harm is estimated to cost the NHS in England £3.5 billion every year" 

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2019/01/nhs-long-term-plan-will-help-problem-drinkers-and-smokers/ That's an awful lot of CF Drugs....

Edited November 20, 2023 by iL Dottore

[TheQ]

5 hours ago, RobAllen said:

 

I have a cuppatea here. I need to prep for an interview next week and then hopefully seeing a friend in Cardiff. Toying with going earlier and popping into Lord & Butler.

The main issue with being under-employed is that I have seen the future where I will have more modelling time!

But nowhere near as much extra time as you'd hoped...

 

Talking of irons, because I wasn't looking for them I found 3 variety packets of tips for my soldering station. That means I can attempt a repair to this gadget.

 

9 slabs recovered from the garden, while doing so I stabbed the spade into the grass to stand while I picked up a slab., Normally it goes in an jnch or two, today the whole blade went in, shows you how soft the ground is with all the rain we've had.

 

9 slabs loosely laid in position on the side alley. Happy with the positioning, now need to get some sand to lay them properly.

 

Ben was much happier,  having played chase the wheel barrow while I was doing the above, he then took me for his long walk , he chose SWMBOs normal route which is shorter. The farmer has been clearing more ditches and re instating under path drain pipes, there is quite a flow of water in the ditches now.

 

Now heading for a long bath to easy my aching back.

[Hroth]

33 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Unfortunately.....

 

One of my favourite cartoonists was H.M. Bateman (I first came across him as a boy when I found an anthology of Punch articles - culled from the days when Punch was actually funny). Perhaps his most well known series of cartoons are the "The Man who...." featuring comically exaggerated reactions to minor and usually upper-class social gaffes.

 

As you know, I quite enjoy using AI Image Generation to create modern day "cartoons" and putting the two together when working out at the gym today, I came up with the idea of creating a series of images, inspired by HM Bateman's work, entitled "Unfortunately..."

 

I hope you enjoy them (first one coming up...)

 

One of the Bateman ones I remember was "The Man who ... Paid Off His Mortgage", which illustrated a somewhat different attitude to financial indebetedness to that prevailing today as the manager and bank staff were cheering the achievement. Nowadays they would be upset at the loss of an income stream and offering him new* loan opportunities!

 

* and more expensive

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by Hroth
miner spelin problm...

[polybear]

1 hour ago, jjb1970 said:

 

Crikey, I'm impressed, first day of new management and things have already improved immeasurably compared to Avanti on the WCML!!

 

The London Underground is significantly worse than that picture during the rush hour....

 

47 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

 

 

 

The top end of that boot shares an uncanny resemblance to a Cat's ar*e....

 

41 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Unfortunately.....

 

... whilst on his Winter Holiday in Splötž, @polybear translator app mistranslated "Hörümçək Pühakoda" as <Cake Shop>, so he went in.....

 

Has Bear just been signed up for a Harry Potter Movie?  Or landed in that "get me out of here" carp?

 

35 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

In 2019, the NHS indicated that"Alcohol-related harm is estimated to cost the NHS in England £3.5 billion every year" 

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2019/01/nhs-long-term-plan-will-help-problem-drinkers-and-smokers/ That's an awful lot of CF Drugs....

 

Throw in fags, drugs and nitrous oxide sniffers and I wonder what the bill will then come to?

 

16 minutes ago, Hroth said:

 

One of the Bateman ones I remember was "The Man who ... Paid Off His Mortgage", which illustrated a somewhat different attitude to financial indebetedness to that prevailing today as the manager and bank staff were cheering the achievement. Nowadays they would be upset at the loss of an income stream and offering him new* loan opportunities!

 

* and more expensive

 

 

When Bear took out a rather minute mortgage** back in the 90's (I was planning to use savings) the local CIS Insurance/Mortgage Rep. tried his very hardest to convince me not to, and to whack it all on a Mortgage instead.  He lost - and no, he didn't get the job anyway.  The fact that his earnings were commission-based had nothing to do with it, of course.  T0sser.

(** Right To Buy property).

[iL Dottore]

Unfortunately.....

 

... Ben The "I'll have a wee dram" Collie, was surprised by @TheQ coming home early - just as Mr McPherson was unloading the delivery van

[DaveF]

I had a useful talk with the GP on the phone.  We agreed that I will continue with the medications, 2 will be tapered off and be discontinued by early December and we will see what happens.  I will have a prostate examination and if needed further tests.  Apart from that all appears to be well, I have been advised how to minimise any interactions between the ongoing tamsulosin medication and other things I need now and then, in the quantities I use there shouldn't be a problem, but I have been given alternatives to consider.  I also have to avoid grapefruit - which causes problems with a number of medications - one of the earlier hay fever treatments caused serious problems if grapefuit was eaten.

 

We discussed my history of long term medication which is not good, most things I take eventually lead to a reaction severe enough for me to have to stop taking them, I hope that will not happen this time, though alternatives are available.  He has given me a repeat prescription for tamsulosin which means I can order it on line.  I have also had a read through of the notes from the consultation, again online, and am happy with them.

 

I had a walk along the promenade, having finished work on roads, rivers and streams following the storms the council workmen are now cutting up the tree trunks and other large pieces of wood on the beach and taking them away.  More sand is coming back on to the beach.

 

I read a book while I had coffee, after lunch I did some more of the jigsaw, it is now about 25% complete.  I don't rush them and it is a 1,000 piece puzzle.

 

It stayed dull all day and has rained on an off since late morning, it got dark even earlier than usual.

 

This evening will be reading, TV quizzes, jigsaw and music (yet) again.

 

David

Edited November 20, 2023 by DaveF

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

.... bare bones contract, Phil. Bare Bones contract.....

Sorry, I forgot the conditions were laid down by  DafT. I wonder how many of the decision makers at DafT use rail transport on a regular basis? 

[iL Dottore]

1 minute ago, PhilJ W said:

Sorry, I forgot the conditions were laid down by  DafT. I wonder how many of the decision makers at DafT use rail transport on a regular basis? 

A good question. On the face of it, few I would guess.

 

I wonder if a Freedom of Information request would be enlightening (a curt refusal would probably be almost as informative as a reply...)

[PupCam]

Early evening all!

 

19 hours ago, Sidecar Racer said:

 

 @PupCam has decided that motorcycling no longer has a fun element and frustrated with his

latest purchase decides to sort it out once and for all .

 

 

I had to move the axe only the other day when re-arranging the bikes!

 

8 hours ago, polybear said:

First task of the day completed - a WooFlu test for the Winter ONS Testing Survey; I've just discovered that one of the vaccine cards I have has the name of someone I've never heard of on it - maybe the person who did the vaccine?  Or they gave me someone else's card?  A Turdycurses in any event.  I'll phone the Chemist who did it later to see if they can help.

 

The cards are just a nice-to-have aren't they?      The full details will be on your NHS record and in some places (not here AFAIA) you can actually gain access to them and have a look.    If I recall, the last time I looked in my case it was one of the many "Greyed Out" options that had not been enabled by the GP on the website 🙄 

 

7 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

@PupCam wondered, not for the first time, whether Cousin Algy had the better job and the better mode of transport...

 

What would Puppers do in such a situation?

 

Silly, silly, silly.   Puppers wouldn't get in that situation.  Remember, Puppers doesn't "Do" rain!

 

BTW Leathers are OK although I have recently added a yellow high-viz vest to go with the yellow high-viz full face crash helmet I've always worn (since my return  to biking overe 6 years ago now - my, my how time flies).

 

5 hours ago, roundhouse said:

Talking of ironing, I must remember to get a new bit for my soldering iron at Warley🙂

 

I just remembered this morning to get our hi viz vests out as we will be arriving at the hall before mid day. We will use the trolleys to move our stuff from the car in the car park rather than go through the hassle of filling in forms and queuing to drive into the hall.

 

But what happens if it's tipping down .....  See, Puppers always on the look-out for not "Doing" rain 🤣

 

5 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I have a friend who's on died of CF in his 20's after marrying and the nleaving a youngster and widow.  The grandson has also got CF and the widow couldn't cope so John and his wife became the carers for their grandson. John was one of the leaders of the campaign for one of those drugs and it has done wonders for the grandson.  Sadly John's wife ow has dementia.  A very sad situation.

 

What a heart wrenching story along with the one referred to earlier.  If this doesn't moisten an eye or two you have no soul

 

 

4 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Perhaps NICE's time and effort would be better spent considering if spending money on NHS treatment for certain self-inflicted conditions is "cost effective" rather than on cases such as CF?

 

 

I remember it well.....I also remember what a fine job those accompanying Bear did in consoling me and taking my mind off the matter......😉

 

Whilst in full agreement once again with Bear's sentiments on this the argument, as with many things in life, generally is not binary ......  

 

Is the predicament in the health department I find myself in these days my fault?    To which I believe the answer (no one actually knows) is probably not.  Have things that I've done / not done in the past  contributed to the situation?   Probably yes.

 

Although, given the specific choice of helping a seriously ill through no fault of their own young child with their whole life ahead of them OR helping some complete, repeat offender, waster through <insert your own self-inflicted abuse of choice here>*    Well, I know which way Puppers' mop flops!

 

*   I could add some other things here relating to some  "contentious" treatments but I won't for fear of banishment.

 

3 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Happy Moanday all.  

 

I was prevented from greeting you earlier due to a sight outrage.  That seems to have been rectified.  I can report a very good weekend exhibiting tiny objects of mutual interest and a lot of interest having being generated.  

 

After enjoying pasties for the past two days today's diet is Beef Wellington.  Here's one I made earlier.  Captain Cynical should avert his eyes.  

 

 

 

 

That looks like it is residing in the wrong county!      Quick, send it Puppershire (and stuff the cat! - your mind @polybear)

 

ION

 

I squeezed in a bit of astronomy last night with Jupiter once again the main focus of attention trying to capture yet more imagery.     This evening I will see if I can do anything with it.     The new "Phone Mount" used to level and align the tripod and telescope was tried out. The Clinometer app worked perfectly for setting it level.  As for the alignment app, well, not quite so good as would be expected because it uses the magnetometer sensors in the phone which are influenced by any great chunks of ferrous metal nearby of which there are a few.    The compass can only ever get you somewhere close when polar aligning (just thought; could a bear help with this?)  and use of the pole star (and an offset) is required plus a view of some targets near the east and west horizons none of which were on hand in the "front porch" observatory.     What is clear though is the inclination adjustment = setting the lattitude of the telescope needs to be much finer and precise and, as I mentioned many moons ago, so does the azimuth/heading.   Yet more improvement projects then.

 

A couple of runs on the RD today as fortunately the fuel line air-locks were not causing too much havoc.     Was s going well to start with but performance started dropping off as it got hotter as indicated by the two digital thermometers installed just above the exhaust pipes.   A gentle nurse home to check the plugs revealed that they were very dry and indicating relatively weak mixture although to be fair I haven't actually been very far to get a really true reading.   When I checked the needles they were set 1 slot leaner than "middle".    They were reset to be richer by moving to the middle slot and another quick run was tried.   Much better but still getting warmer towards the end with a consequential drop off in performance.    Me thinks I'll try another slot richer tomorrow.

 

I've just been reminded it's time for me to go and cook the dinner.

 

TTFN

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by PupCam

[roundhouse]

34 minutes ago, PupCam said:

 

But what happens if it's tipping down .....  See, Puppers always on the look-out for not "Doing" rain 🤣

 

 

 

 

We managed last year in the rain. Still far less hassle than waiting to get in with the car.

 

We might even go shopping in between setting up our stand and helping set up Star Lane