Early Risers.

[Winslow Boy]

Well today has been a game of two halves. It wasn't meant to be. It was supposed to be a smooth operation, but that quickly went out the window courtesy of the British Heart Foundation. But I get ahead of myself I shall go back to beginning.

 

So earlier in the week I arranged for BHF to collect some items of furniture, that rather than take to the tip sorry community recycling point I thought someone else could use. It's one of my pet peeves that when you go to the 'tip' you see perfectly good stuff just being thrown straight into the skips. Well after today I can see why. But I digress. So where was I argh yes BHF confirmed that they would come and collect it today. In fact they said between ten and twelve. So up I was all ready for them. Explained to DD why she wouldn't be getting her early morning patrol, received dirty look in return. No show. No telephone call to say sorry were running late. Rang the local branch- finished for day, had collected too much so had go back to the depot- which I find difficult as you have to specify what's being collected. No apology only- we can book another day for you. No thank you just come to day- or words to that effect. Anyway turned up just after 2 pm and then rejected two items because one was 'too dirty' and the other had a tear in it. The only bright spot in all this is that I was able to crack on with the cupboard I'm making. Tomorrow Jim I will be going to the tip with the 'too dirty' item. What happened to getting some furniture and doing it up like I had to do when I was starting out.

 

Here endeth the rantet. Off to bed so that I can get up early to go to the tip.

Edited February 9 by Winslow Boy

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[TheQ]

Here I be, right ankle throbbing...

Evening Awl,

Forepaws don't seem to be bad at the moment though.

 

Paddled to the MRC and back, about 9 inches deep at the worst place...

 

Spent the evening trying to weld bits of wire together hopefully when wired up, light will come from the object on the end not along the wire.

That reminds me I need to find a sequence to occasionally change lights on the new unmentionable.

Muggachoccy gone

Goodnight Awl.

 

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well I think I got off lightly today when we went shopping at the Trafford Centre, the only thing that Sheila got for herself were a couple of bunches of tulips! However, I didn’t manage to persuade her to go for a cuppa and a slice! 

Whilst we were there, we bumped into my old manager from my time at British Steel, we had a bit of a chat and catch up, but then we went our separate ways. When we set off from home, the weather was dry, but dull, when we left the Trafford Centre, it was raining, it’s only just stopped. 

 

The afternoon was spent reading, I did finish that book and I’ve since started another, ‘Gentleman Jim’ about one of the founding members of the SAS.

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[BR60103]

14 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Although "Olympic Sized Swimming Pools"  is a recognised unit of measurement here, used at times when "Sydney Harbours" is too big an order of magnitude,  I'm not familiar with the "Sugar Beach Umbrella" measurement, can you convert it to the still-not yet updated unit  - "Double decker bus"?

 

That is a local reference. The council installed some sort of umbrellas on Sugar Beach and there was some sort of controversy. I've never been there, so I don't have a reference.  I'm not sure if it's a metric or imperial unit.

 

[Ozexpatriate]

11 hours ago, Sidecar Racer said:

Sounds like one of Harry Potters wizard spells

Having been cursed with that at one point, it's bordering on being a fourth "unforgivable" curse.

 

Only one step below "cruciatus".

 

Edited February 10 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

11 hours ago, DaveF said:

That happened to me yesterday morning.

It's a bit trippy. When you go to the last page and get a feeling of déjà vu - thinking I've already read this - and then notice that you already responded to the posts. I double checked it twice, posted, then it all went back to 'normal'.

 

Hard to imagine how the software got that confused.

[Ozexpatriate]

10 hours ago, The Lurker said:

That's the unfortunate need to have travelled to and from Washington

Only about 23 miles or so for me. (Of course it depends on the location of "Washington".)

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

I can't take Indometacin every day for ever.

Indeed so.

 

Is Uloric (now available as a generic - Febuxostat) not an option for you?

 

I'm sure there are side effects, but before they kill me, it's a lifesaver.

 

I've never had to refill the Indomethacin script.

 

Edited February 10 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

56 minutes ago, BR60103 said:

I'm not sure if it's a metric or imperial unit.

I'd suggest an "Ontarian" unit, or more awkwardly "Torontonian" unit.

 

Edited February 10 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

My motor car is in the hospital - finally. I've been putting it off for months. 

 

There is an ignition cut off switch on the clutch pedal - to prevent the car being started without first disengaging the clutch. It is a single point of failure. If that switch does not function there is zero internal combustion. No sad noises - lots of dashboard lights but silent nada from the business end.

 

It has been intermittently flakey for a while. At one point I thought it was related to which pair of shoes I was wearing - softer soled shoes were harder to get the switch to engage. Last night in the dark trying to get home, it just would not work no matter how much I tried to push the clutch pedal through the floor. Then finally it did - sufficiently so to get home.

 

The car dealership gave me a loaner. Ever since the pandemic (when they lost their senior mechanics) it takes a long time to get maintenance done - and not having an appointment puts you at the end of the queue. So I feel myself much like Phil / @Phil W with the biggish, mid-size Crossover Utility Vehicle (Nissan Rogue if anyone is interested) now in my driveway.

 

The service assistant was kind enough to tell me how to program the mirrors and seat configuration - lest I had to reset them every time I got in. But honestly it's almost like this:

Quote

“Arthur Dent: What happens if I press this button?
Ford Prefect: I wouldn't-
Arthur Dent: Oh.
Ford Prefect: What happened?
Arthur Dent: A sign lit up, saying 'Please do not press this button again.”

I'm serious. I pushed a button (which I thought would do something else) which said "steering assist only available in cruise control" (or something to that effect).

 

At lunch time I thought I had turned it on. The dashboard was lit but I had done something (or not done something) such that the motor had not started - but I had not twigged to that while I tried to put it in reverse.

 

And the lights stay on for a disturbingly long period after it is stopped and locked. I don't know if it's on a timer or is sensitive to the presence of the fob or both.

 

Edited February 10 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

This makes me wonder if Britons should get used to snow and the Cornish Riviera* might be consigned to the past.

 

CNN: Critical Atlantic Ocean current system is showing early signs of collapse, prompting warning from scientists

Quote

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (the AMOC) — of which the Gulf Stream is part — works like a giant global conveyor belt, taking warm water from the tropics toward the far North Atlantic, where the water cools, becomes saltier and sinks deep into the ocean, before spreading southward.

...

While many scientists believe the AMOC will slow under climate change, and could even grind to a halt, there remains huge uncertainty over when and how fast this could happen. The AMOC has only been monitored continuously since 2004.

 

* Not the named express of the Great Way 'Round.

 

Edited February 10 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

I doubt Flavio / @iL Dottore should care, given that pizza is not a northern Italian dish but:

 

Quote

Sartoria Panatieri, in Barcelona, was judged the best on the continent. The award was announced at a ceremony, which was also held in Barcelona.

CNN: Italians judge Spanish pizzeria as the best in Europe – but there’s a catch

 

Also referenced here:

CNN: National Pizza Day* 2024: Slice into some absurd facts

 

* Giornata nazionale della pizza (if Google translate is in any way reliable)

[Ozexpatriate]

12 hours ago, DaveF said:

I have ... been told to wear shoes and slippers which will give some cushioning and not to walk on it too much.

Downstairs I have hardwood flooring. Indoors I wear what might be called clogs but do not involve anything remotely Dutch or wooden - or the horrible smelly plastic things that are weirdly popular in the US.

 

They have mesh* uppers and moulded, supportive soles with really good arch support. They are not 'slides' and have a slight heel cup so they don't slip off. Even with that you can easily step into them and step out of them - no bending over. I don't really ever walk on the hardwood without them. Doubleplusgood.

 

These:

 

* Essentially the same shoes are also offered with fuzzy warm shearling liners and leather uppers.

 

I wouldn't recommend 'normal' slippers - not enough arch support.

 

Edited February 10 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

Bin day came late for some folks in Spokane, Washington.

 

 

KIRO: Garbage truck falls into sinkhole in Spokane

 

Edited February 10 by Ozexpatriate

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.  I took an old shutter off yesterday. This was a bit rotten at the bottom,which is why I've been making some new ones. It turned out that the rot went about a quarter of the way up.  Anyway the hinges have now been undercoated and the holes drilled in the new shuuter.  I'lfit this one before doing the other side. All good fun. 

 

This morning we will be talking to the girls then are off the The Dang lies for a couple of things.  Not a lot else planned at the moment. 

 

Regards to all. 

 

Jamie

[iL Dottore]

On 08/02/2024 at 18:30, PhilJ W said:

I do hope that @iL Dottore knows the difference.

Oh, funny. HaHa 😯😉
 

The plastic of the poo bags is too thin to use as a sous-vide bag, but unused poo bags have a myriad of uses.
 

I often keep friable dog treats in one - to stop dog treat crumbs from ending up in the seams of my pockets (appropriate really: a useful tool for both ends of the dog).

 

They are also great for bagging certain types of food waste (fish trimmings, vegetable peelings, chicken trimmings, etc) before putting the waste in the rubbish bin - thus avoiding the whole “what crawled into the rubbish and died?” scenario.

 

I’ve also used them in the workshop for bagging up miscellaneous nuts, bolts and screws that always seem to accumulate.

 

Think outside the box!

 

Edited February 10 by iL Dottore
Posted too early

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

I have a particularly painful hip. The specialist has decided that it's not "painful" enough to warrant surgery. He has written a letter to tell me to ")I've with it" by using ibuprofen and paracetamol.  Currently I can't take ibrofen and paracetamol bounces off.. perhaps I should revisit him and cause him bit of pain? (My GP is horrified by his letter).

 

Any road up.. off for my eye checks post laser treatment today. The drops mean no driving for a while but I should be fine to trundle to Donnie tomorrow. 

 

Time to finish my tea and wander off...

 

Have a great day!

 

Baz

 

Ps where's the whelkmen @Smiffy2

Edited February 10 by Barry O

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Yet another dull start to the day here.   A mild day with the chance of some showers to start with and then some sunny spells this afternoon although more showers are possible.  8°C rising to 12°C.

Didn't complete all yesterday's tasks and might get a round tuit today but other things need doing.  More domestic tasks "essential" again as we have visitors later.  Friends from over the road are coming to see if England can either defeat Wales today at Twickenham or manage to lash that up and after that they're staying for a meal and a drink or several.  Looking forward to that, should be a good evening.

I will mention that a small addition to the unmentionable is just about  ready to be added to it:

 

Tea has been taken up to Herself and I'm told she will be gettingamoveon on shortly and I ought to consider doing the same.  No peace for the wicked.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

 

 

 

 

[iL Dottore]

18 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

…. Ok,  MOST 70's US TV series had pillow fights.

 

 

 

As did some of those instructional films aimed at the discerning Gentleman collector…..

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I doubt Flavio / @iL Dottore should care, given that pizza is not a northern Italian dish but:

 

CNN: Italians judge Spanish pizzeria as the best in Europe – but there’s a catch

 

Also referenced here:

CNN: National Pizza Day* 2024: Slice into some absurd facts

 

* Giornata nazionale della pizza (if Google translate is in any way reliable)

I noted that on the top 10 list there were no Swiss pizza joints (I won’t dignify them by calling them pizzerias).

 

And rightly so.

 

The “takeaway scene” (for want of a better term) in Switzerland is pretty dire: just about bog-standard* pizza, vaguely Turkish kebabs** and some “might be Thai if you don’t look too closely”. You can rock-up to any pizza joint in Switzerland and order without looking at a menu - ‘cos they’re all the same!  The basically-average Anglo-Cantonese Chinese takeaway near where I lived in the UK was a Michelin starred bastion of authenticity in comparison. It’s almost enough (NOTE: I wrote almost ) to make one turn to oven fries and oven fried chicken in desperation.

 

* interesting factoid: in Edwardian times “BoG Standard” meant very high quality indeed; BoG referring to “British or German Standard” - which at the time were the pinnacles of engineering excellence.

 

** invariably it’s “mystery meat” carved from an “Elephant’s Leg”, whereas the originator dish (in Turkey and elsewhere in the Middle East) is lamb interspersed (layered) with lamb fat.

[Hroth]

41 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

As did some of those instructional films aimed at the discerning Gentleman collector…..

 

As an alternative to the extra large beach balls?

 

[Gwiwer]

5 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

15 hours ago, The Lurker said:

That's the unfortunate need to have travelled to and from Washington

Only about 23 miles or so for me. (Of course it depends on the location of "Washington".)

There’s one in West Sussex around 8 miles north of the coast at Sunny Worthing. It used to be on the A24 road thence to London but has been by-passed for many years now.  
 

Just one of several. But one of the several which is not so well known. 

[grandadbob]

@Gwiwer Washington Sussex certainly known to me Rick as in a previous life early in my career we used to send lorries to pick up sand from the pit there.  (At Sullington)

 

Edited February 10 by grandadbob