Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

35 minutes ago, BSW01 said:

The puppy unfortunately has a deformed rear paw and an extra one to boot, poor thing. 

Is that an extra paw or is he a rather well endowed boy puppy?

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I hear everyone here complaining about parcels being left on the porch, so how is "undeliverable" then a problem?  If items are simply dropped off then they are surely delivered and not still in the possession of the Royal Mail.

 

I could see "porch piracy" being a concern in that case.

 

Unless there are separate "rules" for RM deliveries? Or we are talking about tracked signature required items, which I would have a high confidence would at least go back to the sender.

 

And the Royal Mail does not deliver in France - at least I presume that they don't, wouldn't that be La Poste?

 

I find that packages, originating with the Royal Mail and delivered by the US Postal Service are highly reliable. Recently I've been getting all sorts of emails from RM "We have received your parcel", "Your parcel has left the UK" etc.

 

Here is an example:

 

Finally, (from the RM) "Your parcel was delivered" (when delivery was by the US Postal Service, on my doorstep).

 

Apparently an attempt was made to deliver the parcel in France but the recipient was not available and for whatever reason the parcel was not collected and was returned via the post office. It should have been returned to the sender but somehow ended up in the to be sold off pile.

Edited March 20 by PhilJ W

[DaveF]

As expected I haven't achieved very much so far today.  I have printed off some documents from e mails so they can be put in my car file for quick reference and I can make notes on them if I need to.  I have also booked the car in for its paintwork/alloy wheels/tyre checks due next month.  One alloy wheel needs some work as I found a pothole a little while ago though the damage is only cosmetic.  In some ways I would prefer steel wheels.  Since the garage has been taken over by a large group what used to be a 2 minute phone call to the service department has become much more convoluted and time consuming as you have to go through their central bookings system.

 

I had an e mail about church things so I now have dates for the services when I am doing things for the next few months which is useful.  I will be doing more than in the past.

 

The rain finally stopped after lunch so I had a quick walk, as it is very damp I ached so it was not as enjoyable as usual.  I've also done a bit of work on a model and found a mistake in the instructions, fortunately before I had attached the wrong bits.

 

I've done a lot of thinking about things I might or could do but have decided none of them can be done now, everything needs a little more mobility and lifting ability than I have right now.  What a pity, I'll just have to continue doing only things I enjoy for now.

 

Just for fun I asked Windows copilot for pictures of Midland Railway locomotives.  It didn't find any but suggests I visit the NRM.

 

Next is tea and so on.

 

David

[polybear]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

I find it really, really annoying, that interfering busy bodies like the FDA, EMA and MHRA, keep on insisting that such useful tinctures and bromides have to be "safe". Why let the occasional infant death interfere with the use of a most efficient and effective treatment. Children pop their clogs ALL the time!

 

Bloody namby-pamby Nanny State!

 

Surely the mortality rate caused by such brews has gotta be less than the rate resulting from poor irate adults at the ends of their tether stranglin' the little  ......sterd's.....  🤣

Edited March 20 by polybear

[Ian Abel]

HUMP day...

 

Little to report for the past couple of days. Slow and uneventful both with work and post work activities.

Mrs seems to have a pinched nerve that is giving her some lower back pain, scheduling a physiotherapist hopefully soon.

 

Weather returning to winter rapidly here, threats of a couple of inches of snow overnight tomorrow and possibly plowable amounts Saturday night and all-day Sunday!

Just what we'd need for Palm Sunday since we've two services we're supposed to sing at!  😵

 

-6c and sunny first thing, -1c the expected high with clear skies forecast all day.

 

Onward.

[polybear]

Bear here.....

 

Pool piddled, ears lowered, washing machine being driven, bed changed.....

.....plus a meet-up with three buddies for a pub lunch...

 

There is a slight risk that Bear's four-letter word beginning with D might have hit a slight bump in the road however....

 

 

Don't worry, Bear had a Kit Kat Sundae Neutraliser....🤣

 

Right, how long until Tea Time?

 

Bear gone....

Edited March 20 by polybear

[polybear]

There are just no words to describe how dreadful this is:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-68606271

 

 

[PhilJ W]

2 minutes ago, polybear said:

There are just no words to describe how dreadful this is:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-68606271

 

 

This has been all over the news for the past week or so. Hopefully those involved once they are prosecuted receive a suitably long sentence.

[TheQ]

Just got a delivery from the house of strong ladies... Followed on tracking..

 It was to the,

South West of us,

South of us,

south east of us,

East of us

North of us,

West of us, 

South West of us..

Then it got here.....

I think I missed a few points of the compass...

They didn't...

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

Is that an extra paw or is he a rather well endowed boy puppy?

I thought it was a docked tail.

[Hroth]

I'm not a Crufts judge (they like to grapple dogs in that area), so I wasn't paying that much attention to extra "appendages"...

 

[polybear]

45 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

This has been all over the news for the past week or so. Hopefully those involved once they are prosecuted receive a suitably long sentence.

 

If A Certain Bear had been placed in a similar position to the man in the article then those responsible would be well advised to ask the Judge to never let them out.....

[Coombe Barton]

... On travel, it’s the season for end of budgets, which manifests itself in roadworks with temporary traffic lights. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/03/20/covid-figures-tomorrow-boris-and-a-hedge-fund-what-do-i-do-with-students/

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

Bear here.....

 

Pool piddled, ears lowered, washing machine being driven, bed changed.....

.....plus a meet-up with three buddies for a pub lunch...

 

There is a slight risk that Bear's four-letter word beginning with D might have hit a slight bump in the road however....

 

 

Don't worry, Bear had a Kit Kat Sundae Neutraliser....🤣

 

Right, how long until Tea Time?

 

Bear gone....

So have you let Pupcam know that you won't be  dueting with him? 

Well I assume it must be that as it wouldn't be the other 'd' word would it - that's duelling by the way.

[PupCam]

3 hours ago, BSW01 said:

The puppy unfortunately has a deformed rear paw and an extra one to boot, poor thing. 

 

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Is that an extra paw or is he a rather well endowed boy puppy?

 

I didn't like to say ..

 

[polybear]

17 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

So have you let Pupcam know that you won't be  dueting with him? 

Well I assume it must be that as it wouldn't be the other 'd' word would it - that's duelling by the way.

 

Both those words have more than four letters the last time Bear looked.....😁

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Both those words have more than four letters the last time Bear looked.....😁

Not where I come from- duet or duel.

[figworthy]

23 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

I got a mention for a "Bach Before Seven" suggestion (The Italian Concerto) some time ago! 

 

And even a personalised weather forecast...

 

 

I got a mention for my suggestion on the play list challenge some time ago.  Unfortunately, the mention was followed by the suggestion that I go for a walk, which I thought was a bit harsh.

 

Adrian

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Dinner tonight was liver and bacon with the usual extras followed by a rice pud. I will have to get my ears lowered soon, my hair is getting a bit too long. I've already caught up with Farcebook this evening so a bit of sudoku will be done before bed.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

With the exception of the small door/hatch, I’ve now finished painting the woodwork in the cellar, so to all intents and purposes, the refurbishment is complete, so I now have a model railway room. However, I’ve also decided to repaint the main internal door, as it looks a little yellow, when compared to the new paint that has recently been applied. But then again, it’s from a different manufacturer, so that may be the reason. Regardless of that fact, I’ll repaint to make it blend in better and I’ll do this when I do the small door later in the year, probably early summer. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BR60103]

Today's project was changing the batteries in the smoke detectors. The fire dept. suggests doing it twice a year. They originally said at clock change time but since this has gone off the rails I now use the equinox.  Time to change the batteries comes out under 5 minutes if you don't count getting out the steps and buying new batteries.  I also run a vacuum over the openings and over the CO detector.

Then I did some extra bits along floor-wall.

I now have a problem. Since the detectors are powered from the mains with the battery only as a backup (I think) the batteries have a charge of slightly over 9 volts.  I have a small collection of used 9V batteries that are not depleted. I need some devices that take 9V.

I do have a garage on the l****t that has lighting including a welding torch that takes them, but doesn't get that much use. 

 

Our walk today was in the mall as the inside weather was better. The bookstore magazine rack has 3 copies of the latest Hornby catalogue at almost $30 a shot.  I know 2 other guys in town who might know what they're looking at in it, but one does P4.

 

[Ozexpatriate]

8 hours ago, polybear said:

There are just no words to describe how dreadful this is:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-68606271

It is indeed woeful mismanagement by the funeral directors. Much depends on one's perspective regarding cremains.

 

Done properly, (not considering the possibility of larger bone or teeth fragments, pulverized mechanically during the process) cremains are just "ash" (see below). Essentially no DNA remains - all those identifying carbon-based polymers are combusted.

Quote

Cremated remains are mostly dry calcium phosphates with some minor minerals, such as salts of sodium and potassium. Sulfur and most carbon are driven off as oxidized gases during the process, although about 1–4% of carbon remains as carbonate.

 

I do respect the idea of people holding on to tangible remains of their loved one as part of the grieving process, but for me, the perspective is one of chemicals. There is no DNA. There is no 'personhood' to this matter.

 

If people don't want to look at this from a chemical perspective, the Judeo-Christian tradition might help. Genesis 3:19 (KJV)

Quote

for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

It's not a person or (to me) the meaningful remains of a person. It's dirt - or if you prefer "stardust".

 

Unless you are looking for the "gleanings" one set of cremated remains is utterly indistinguishable from another.

Quote

[Titanium] Implants may be returned to the family, but are more commonly sold as ferrous/non-ferrous scrap metal. After the remains are processed, smaller bits of metal such as tooth fillings, and rings (commonly known as gleanings) are sieved out and may be later interred in common, consecrated ground in a remote area of the cemetery. They may also be sold as precious metal scrap.

 

Edited March 21 by Ozexpatriate

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.  It's a tad cool but fortunately not frosty.  The plum trees are in blossom so we don't want a frost at this stage. I like my plum jam, plum chutney and plum crumbles. 

 

An expedition to buy a new strimmer may take place this morning and a tip run this afternoon.  Not a lot else to report for the time being. 

 

Jamie