Early Risers.

[grandadbob]

While The Boss is away Bobby will play.  I have just taken it upon myself to delve into this week's Sainsbury online order and make a couple of small additions.  She'll never know....well not until it turns up on Saturday.  🙃😂

[southern42]

' morning all from red dragon land.

 

An email arrived in my inbox 23:10 last night from the Reykjavik Grapevine magazine. https://grapevine.is/news/2023/12/18/eruption-has-begun-at-sundhnukagigar/

 

At the same time utoob was filling up with Icelandic eruption videos.

 

Close up view of the eruption near Grindavik in Iceland.

 

Back later, loadsastuff to geronwiv

 

[Tony_S]

8 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

While The Boss is away Bobby will play.  I have just taken it upon myself to delve into this week's Sainsbury online order and make a couple of small additions.  She'll never know....well not until it turns up on Saturday.  🙃😂

I assume the change of order acknowledgments don’t go to her phone!

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A few rumbles from Arthur Itis last night but I still managed six hours sleep last night. I checked the long range forecast again this morning and its changed for Christmas day, the temperature will not take a dip after all so it will remain quite balmy all day, so no white Christmas. Today will be spent moving boxes around and with a bit of shopping this afternoon.

[grandadbob]

31 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

I assume the change of order acknowledgments don’t go to her phone!

 

Nope,  all to my email as The Boss doesn't really do IT so all online stuff is dealt with by yours truly.

[Coombe Barton]

Finally got the major Christmas pressies on the way - pressed the appropriate button on Amazon.

Out later to do other stuff as I now can;t move in the house pending putting the big bags of shredding out for collection so tat I can fill the space with more.

Then I'll be in until shopping on Friday and over to son's on Sunday. I'll be in with memories on the day itself. I am an anti-social blighter, but it suits me.

[Mike Bellamy]

13 hours ago, The Lurker said:

The Icefields Parkway is magnificent- I have been lucky enough to do it twice, each time southwards. The first time was, like Tony, in sunshine and clear blue skies. Lake Louise had a marvellous early evening feel; it felt almost dreamlike. It was cloudy the second time but still dry, but still great views.

 

 

Lake Louise - I thought that sounded familiar and then found out why. Brother and wife have booked a three night stay at Skoki Lodge in September. No road access and so they have to walk about seven miles through the forest. When William and Kate were there, they arrived by Helicopter . . . . . .!

 

https://www.skoki.com/

 

https://www.skoki.com/articles/royal_couple_visits_skoki_lodge.php

 

https://www.hellomagazine.com/travel/2014020916892/kate-middleton-prince-william-holiday-ski-resort-canada-banff/

.

[grandadbob]

Of course it doesn't help when you leave your screen open on Amazon orders like I just did whilst answering the phone.

 

I don't know how it happened but somebody has ordered (on my behalf 😉) a bottle of Remy Martin  and now the whole world is going to hear about it!    Bangs head in despair.

 

She's got her own back though because when she came back from ASDA she gleefully pointed out a very slimy wet deposit left by a fox on the path outside so guess who had the pleasure of clearing that up before somebody trod in it!

Edited December 19, 2023 by grandadbob

[Tony_S]

33 minutes ago, Mike Bellamy said:

 

Lake Louise - I thought that sounded familiar and then found out why. Brother and wife have booked a three night stay at Skoki Lodge in September. No road access and so they have to walk about seven miles through the forest. When William and Kate were there, they arrived by Helicopter . . . . . .!

 

https://www.skoki.com/

 

https://www.skoki.com/articles/royal_couple_visits_skoki_lodge.php

 

https://www.hellomagazine.com/travel/2014020916892/kate-middleton-prince-william-holiday-ski-resort-canada-banff/

.

Not long after he arrived in Calgary, Matthew and some friends went for a hike one weekend on the trails near Lake Louise. They were going to return the following the following weekend but the trail they wanted to walk on was closed. A bear had killed and eaten a dog (small terrier) that was off lead and irritating it. To protect the bears the path was closed. We visited Lake Louise with Matthew at the following Easter during a snowstorm. I think all the bears were asleep then. You did have to be aware of horse drawn sleighs on the lake path though. The chateau hotel was very welcoming at the end for a meal and drinks. 

Edited December 19, 2023 by Tony_S

[Gwiwer]

Morning all.

 

A filthy day dawned earlier though the sky-wee is easing slightly now.  

 

Facebook asked me "What's on your mind?"  The answer is the same as always on 19th December but now we live back on home soil it's literally much closer to home.  

 

The lights go out from 8 - 9 tonight.  Except for a couple of candles.  

 

https://rnli.org/about-us/our-history/timeline/1981-penlee-lifeboat-disaster

[Hroth]

 

The SUN has come out!!!

[Sidecar Racer]

2 hours ago, Hroth said:

What do you call a delivery driver?

 

Chuck!

 

(I'm waiting for an Amazon delivery, their M.O. is ring the bell and run away...)

 

 

 If you are lucky . 

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

31 minutes ago, Hroth said:

 

The SUN has come out!!!

 

Here too - must be the same one then.

 

A toddle was toddled in town, mile and a half so not too bad by current standards, but no joy with the prescription.  Doesn't feel as windy in town, but it's not very nice out here in the sticks despite the appearance of the sun.

 

Given how often the ferries have been off, and likely to be so this week again looking at the weather fore-guess, this may become an issue.  Much criticism is thrown at the new boat regarding its suitability for the weather, by folk that soon forget the previous one (we still have it) was much the same, especially when new and the crew less experienced in handling it.  Oh and they had to fill some of the double bottoms with concrete because of stability issues.  All forgotten.  Also the fact that 'back in the day' the boat only went twice a week in winter - now we get two round trips a day 7/52.  Forgot that too.  Then they cry to 'bring back the side-loaders' - forgetting you couldn't get the big trucks on those....#sigh# Fraggles, the world's best moaners.  Hence Mona's Isle. (No not really).

[Hroth]

3 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Here too - must be the same one then.

 

A toddle was toddled in town, mile and a half so not too bad by current standards, but no joy with the prescription.  Doesn't feel as windy in town, but it's not very nice out here in the sticks despite the appearance of the sun.

 

Given how often the ferries have been off, and likely to be so this week again looking at the weather fore-guess, this may become an issue.  Much criticism is thrown at the new boat regarding its suitability for the weather, by folk that soon forget the previous one (we still have it) was much the same, especially when new and the crew less experienced in handling it.  Oh and they had to fill some of the double bottoms with concrete because of stability issues.  All forgotten.  Also the fact that 'back in the day' the boat only went twice a week in winter - now we get two round trips a day 7/52.  Forgot that too.  Then they cry to 'bring back the side-loaders' - forgetting you couldn't get the big trucks on those....#sigh# Fraggles, the world's best moaners.  Hence Mona's Isle. (No not really).

 

The ferry company probably doesn't want another Ellan Vannin

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUvX3JIzT2A

 

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by Hroth
Link to the Spinners song, and redid malformed link, which was irritating me...

[iL Dottore]

49 minutes ago, Sidecar Racer said:

 

 If you are lucky . 

 

 

Quite frankly, I don’t really blame the poor s**s. Instead of being waged and driving a company provided (fuelled and insured) delivery van, they are paid by the piece delivered and have to provide their own vehicle, fuel and insurance.
 

Definitely unlikely to encourage a “go the extra mile” customer service mindset.

 

I partly blame Amazon, but also the general public. “Cheap at Any Cost” seems to be the mantra - leading to Victorian sweatshop working conditions (for many) and the degradation of both brand name and quality by the rise of rebadged Chinese made items (the Chinese can make superb things, especially technology, but when they build down to a price, quality and reliability suffer). And this doesn’t include the very cheap made in PRC knockoffs: poor quality at best, downright dangerous at worst.

 

Perhaps I’m showing my age, but I’m definitely of the era of:

• Save up for something, no easy credit
• Buy to last
• Fix ‘n’ Repair (and if all else fails - recycle into something else)

I am also convinced that if we bought to last (and what we bought could be repairable) we would go along way to addressing many of the issues impacting on the environment.

[Tim Dubya]

I don't use Amazon at all, for reasons already stated and more.

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

Perhaps I’m showing my age, but I’m definitely of the era of:

• Save up for something, no easy credit
• Buy to last
• Fix ‘n’ Repair (and if all else fails - recycle into something else)

 

When we were first married we took advantage of the six months free credit offers available then. We knew we would have the income but didn’t have the cash to buy a cooker and a refrigerator. Aditi has inherited her family reluctance to pay interest. It isn’t a prohibition like Islamic belief, just a reluctance. Fortunately it didn’t seem to apply to mortgages. We did try to buy to last. We did save up for our first lounge furniture and it moved with us to this house. It was quite worn out but we were not going to replace until we found something we both liked. 
I do like repairing things. But now I tend to only do so when the item has been scheduled for replacement. Then I don’t feel bad if my repair breaks the item  beyond help. I was especially pleased with the Kenwood Chef (over 40years old remotoring ). That was a useful use of the internet and my toolbox. Without the internet and search engines I would never have found a company that made a conversion kit to put a new Kenwood motor and speed control into an old model. 
One thing I don’t mind not doing myself now are car repairs. I have over the years spent quite enough time in horrid weather fixing vehicles that we needed for work. Now I like a car that starts when it is supposed to, and someone else services. 
At one time I thought when I retired would like an older car to tinker with. Having a few years of cars that needed fixing soon changed that.  Model railways deal with any tendency to have something to sort out.

Edited December 19, 2023 by Tony_S

[PhilJ W]

15 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

One thing I don’t mind not doing myself now are car repairs. I have over the years spent quite enough time in horrid weather fixing vehicles that we needed for work. Now I like a car that starts when it is supposed to, and someone else services. 
At one time I thought when I retired would like an older car to tinker with. Having a few years of cars that needed fixing soon changed that.  Model railways deal with any tendency to have something to sort out.

I purchased an old van soon after I retired with the intention of getting it back on the road. But not having a garage to work on it it just sat in the front garden for about six years until I obtained a garage. It only needed some petrol and a jump start to get it going but then I realised that restoring it would be beyond me as I was getting too old so I sold it on.

[Flanged Wheel]

We were privileged enough to drive the Ice Parkway (from south to north) in late September as part of our camping road trip from San Diego to Fairbanks. It was, like much of the scenery, truly spectacular. 
 

One of our favourite hikes was on Castle Mountain just across the valley from Lake Louise. The picture below doesn’t really do it justice…

 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Still raining but I have to go out to do some shopping. And if there's no queues fill up with petrol before the price goes up.

[Hroth]

3 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

The SUN has come out!!!

 

 

It only stayed out for about an hour, then hid again.

Recently there's been a spell of "sharp" drizzle, and the BBC weather app is predicting strong winds over the next three days...

 

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

Still raining, but there is a line of light on the horizon. However I suspect sunset will get here first, so we'll have cloudless cold night.

 

Muddling went well with the new lenses.

Current progress at 1/1000.

Working from this photo. Plus some knowledge cos I was working here when it was taken.

Oops I put the photo down at 90 degrees. Interesting the shadows of radar and buildings are more obvious than the items themselves.

Quite a lot more to do yet. Like 5 more radar aerials, the air intakes on the mound, several trees and more hedging. Spotted other things todo while typing this.

 

Coming back I think too many have already had too much Christmas spirit.

First a driver pulled out of a petrol station with out looking, shortly after a jogger was running down the middle of the road towards me head set on, head down, because of the heavy rain.

Then in Tes and Coe a couple were having a blazing row at the next till, she couldn't understand why her card wouldn't swipe, he kept shouting at her it was because the bill was £100,   and

88p....

 

 

 

[DaveF]

I decided to go out today so packed a simple picnic and set off for Wallington Hall which is a National Trust property.  I had a good drive there, the road works near home had finished and the traffic was all doing a reasonable speed.  The single track road was quiet, fortunately I met the cyclists on a section where they could just get by with me slowed right down.  I may wait until it dries out before I go that way again, the verges are a sea of soft mud so I didn't stop at my usual place for a cup of coffee, I did that a bit further on where there is an informal parking area just outside Belsay village - usually locals park there along with lorries taking a break but it is not signed for parking.

 

I got into Wallington quickly, for once everyone in the cars in front had their membership cards or bank cards ready to gain entry.  As usual there was plenty of parking space. I decided to have a sensible walk rather then try to do everything in one go - that takes several hours.  So I just walked past the China lake to the next lake and then round the walled garden and then back by a different route and going round the outside of the Hall.   That came to about 2.75 miles.  It was lovely and sunny but the wind was cool, I was glad of a hat and gloves.  I took some photos, a few are below.  There weren't many people about - it is so big that it rarely feels busy.

 

While i was there I received a text about a delivery to come today.  I was surprised to get it as only a couple of parts of the estate have any mobile reception, I must have been in just the right spot.  It is like a lot of Northumberland there is simply no reception so a mobile phone is an expensive lump in a pocket a lot of the time.  On the way out I had  a look at the shop and bought some fudge - not cheap but it is nice.

 

Then I drove home by a different route, stopping as usual at the country store in Scotsgap to buy a shirt, rubber gloves and a new stainless steel Thermos flask.  I had a good look at the paint, hardware, TVs, cookers, animal husbandry stuff and small tractors but decided none were needed.  Most of the people there were buying things like large sacks of food supplements, sheep medications and so on.

 

I tried a new route just after I passed through the little village of Mitford - it is a road which used to go nowhere but now has a link to the roundabout under the A1 north of Morpeth so it saves going into the town to head south on the A1.  As you would expect being Northumberland it is basically a single track road, mostly without passing places.

 

Back at home I sorted out the photos and did other computer based things until cup of tea time.  The delivery then came, a hamper from an old friend.

 

From 5-6 pm I am taking part in an energy saving period with Scottish Power, I'm not sure how much less electricity I'll use but I suppose every bit helps.  I rarely cook or wash at the time so it is just making sure lights are turned off and check the heating pump doesn't come on.

 

Later on it will be more quizzes on TV nd then once again the French Maigret on TPTV.

 

Cafe and cottages at Wallington Hall

 

Wallington China Pond

 

 

Wallington in the Walled Garden

 

 

Trees near the Walled Garden

 

Looking south east from Wallington Hall

 

From the south west of Wallington Hall.

 

David

Edited December 19, 2023 by DaveF

[Barry O]

The gas person did not arrive.. never mind!

I expect a visit tomorrow. 

 

Baz

[Tony_S]

Aditi went to Brentwood to get her hair cut this afternoon. The cash only car park she usually uses was full so she had to go to the nearby multi storey, which has a “scan this notice QR code” system for payment. 
She returned home with some cakes though she said she had a silent “ow much” moment as two cakes from Gail’s Bakery came to £8. More expensive than Bettys in Yorkshire! We shared one and will have the other one tomorrow.

We may not be seeing MiL before Christmas. This weekend it seems she has a busy social schedule that doesn’t leave much opportunity for us to visit. 
Tony