Early Risers.

[Hroth]

4 minutes ago, Peter Kazmierczak said:

Just realised that because this is a leap year, the summer solstice was today. 

Anyway, this is the view from our back door about 5/10 mins ago as the sunsets in the west.

 

The sun has (just) setted in the sky....

 

Happy Solstice say byebye!

[Peter Kazmierczak]

And so the nights begin to draw in...

[Hroth]

4 minutes ago, Peter Kazmierczak said:

And so the nights begin to draw in...

 

Downhill all the way until December...

 

[Peter Kazmierczak]

I like to look on the bright side...

 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Winslow Boy]

8 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

 

On the plus side that he should consider however - we  seem to largely  lack  his hated "Scrotes" on the scale that infect the UK (going by the posts here)  so maybe the snakes and spiders keep them down. 

 

 

Looking ahead though, based on a report I read today, the "Scrotes" there are getting shorter and fatter, so presumably will be increasingly easier to catch and   then disable by simply bopping them on the now  easy-to-reach  top of the head with a novelty mallet. 

 

https://wholefoodearth.com/wholesome/british-kids-are-shorter-and-fatter-due-to-poor-diet-and-poverty-new-report-finds

 

 

 

 

I think that might violate there human rights.

[big jim]

Had an evening out with my wife and youngest to see Rich Hall in Newcastle under Lyme, a really good night and rich was excellent

 

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

After I’d dropped Sheila off at the church hall and before I went to the Trafford Centre, I called into my local independent DIY shop and dropped off a cutting schedule for 2 sheets of 9mm plywood that I’m going to use for construction of my layout helix. I picked up the cut sheets on my way home, they are now stored in the layout room where they will acclimatise. If the weather remains good, I’m hoping to start cutting them, in the next few days. Once that’s done, I can begin building the helix and fixing and wiring the first the track down! So that’s a very big ✔️ 

 

I noticed this afternoon that RMWeb went off line, for an update, I was reading a post on ERs and went back to the ‘content I follow’ and it was off line, I must have missed messages saying it was going to go off line! 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[skipepsi]

11 hours ago, Hroth said:

The Post Office scandal goes from bad to worse.

(If that's possible...)

 

BBC News headline: "Post Office vindictiveley leaks sub-postmaster data"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd110nl7dppo

 

 

Fixed it for you.

[monkeysarefun]

 Some well-earned recognition

 

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/officer-who-stopped-bondi-junction-attacker-receives-bravery-award-20240620-p5jnfg.html

[Ozexpatriate]

8 hours ago, Grizz said:

Sorry dunno why it repeated itself. Am having a few issues posting I aften.

Thought it was a spot the difference puzzle for a moment.

 

Did I spot them all?

 

Edited June 21 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

8 hours ago, Grizz said:

Pete you’ve just reminded me….by the way have you seen the summer? We seem to have lost it…

The solstice brings us 90°F / 32°C weather today and tomorrow. The sky is a pitiless blue.

 

It is definitely summer here.

 

Next week should a string of days around 25°C.

[Ozexpatriate]

7 hours ago, polybear said:

"He's been gone three days now.....without a phone....."

I believe the implication of that comment is that "with a phone" he would not be lost, but be found by emergency services - telephones being a great location device - presuming they are on - even if they have very little battery power left. They don't even need GPS turned on. Triangulation from cell towers is less accurate but pretty good - good enough for a search team to know where to look.

[Ozexpatriate]

5 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

According to the packaging it is Spanish. (Iberico cheese and Serrano ham.)

Pan-Euro fusion snack -

 

Italian name, French bread, Spanish toppings.

 

Bruschetta is toasted Italian bread rubbed with fresh garlic, topped with some tomatoes* and olive oil.

 

* variations are allowed - often prepared with basil, salt, perhaps some onions and garlic 

[iL Dottore]

10 hours ago, Grizz said:

Smash the screen on my iPad when Danmark scored…….quite a few Deltics to replace it. Over to you Poly Bear for the latest Deltic exchange rate…..😭😭😭😭

I think that @Grizz is taking his footy far too seriously.

Whether the team win or whether the team lose, tomorrow the Sun will still rise, there will still be good food to eat and great whisky to sip. And you still have to go to work!

[iL Dottore]

 

9 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

…While I was in Tess Coes I raided the reduced to clear cabinet and found something called bruschetta which is French toast topped with cheese and ham. marked down to £2 from £5 so I had to give it a try and very nice it was too and (the other) half of it will be tomorrows lunch.

Tesco has many quality ingredients, but the authenticity of their ready-to-eat foods is - at best - questionable.

9 hours ago, 4630 said:

I’m glad you enjoyed your bruschetta but I fear that Tess Coes have been mucking around with what I believe is a traditional Italian dish which, when done well, is divine as starter.  

Indeed they have.

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Pan-Euro fusion snack -

 

Italian name, French bread, Spanish toppings.

 

Bruschetta is toasted Italian bread rubbed with fresh garlic, topped with some tomatoes* and olive oil.

 

* variations are allowed - often prepared with basil, salt, perhaps some onions and garlic 

Well done that man! I see that someone has been paying attention in iD’s Course on “How To Recognise Authentic Food Made With Real Ingredients (no UPF allowed)”.

I can understand, even if I don’t agree, why people would go for a ready-made version of a complicated dish that requires numerous ingredients and a long prep and cooking time, but far too many of these ready meals – full of UPF ingredients – do not save any time whatsoever. Take the above mentioned bruschetta: to make a proper Italian bruschetta (as described by Oz) takes no more time than taking the ready-made stuff and heating that up. The same applies to spaghetti alla carbonara (with or without cream) and many other dishes besides.

 

The British have been effectively brainwashed by the supermarkets to believe they have neither the time or the skills to create good food from raw ingredients, which helps explain why Britain has such a high consumption of UPF (about 57% of the daily diet, rising to about 80% in younger people). There is also a considerable amount of inverse snobbism around food in Britain; with a love of good food and quality ingredients often being considered as something for “posh people” or – worse – “pretentious”. Which doesn’t help (an inverse snobbism not seen in countries like Italy, France or Spain - where all classes cherish and prize good food).

 

Let’s be blunt here: there have been numerous posts on ER from various participants complaining about the difficulties of getting prompt and effective treatment on the NHS. Given that the NHS itself has stated that a good 60% of its budget goes on treating potentially avoidable “lifestyle” diseases (i.e. diseases caused by poor diet and lack of exercise), perhaps people would start to realise that with a better diet (and exercise) there will be fewer patients with “lifestyle“ disease for the NHS to treat, and therefore more NHS money and resources to treat other illness, injury and disease.
 

And the evidence against UPF continues to mount…

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/28/ultra-processed-food-32-harmful-effects-health-review

Edited June 21 by iL Dottore
Typo

[Barry O]

Ey up!

GP appointment this morning and its a face to face one so I best make sure I get there on time.

 

Ordered a follow on prescription.. might get that Monday but as the ordering is on line I don't mind ( the Marie Celeste is poor at paperwork but has taken NHS on line prescription system on board quite well.)

 

Watched some cricket last night.. close game with an interesting use of the Laws. The male commentators made a complete pigs ear of it, the female commentator knew the correct law..say no more.

 

In the end Yorkshire won...not a bad result at all.

 

Time to get going and get ready for a stroll to the Marie Celeste under blue skies and sun..

 

Baz

 

 

Edited June 21 by Barry O
Spellung

[polybear]

4 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Thought it was a spot the difference puzzle for a moment.

 

Did I spot them all?

 

 

You missed the Beer Bottle Cap, bottle left corner.....

Do I win Cake?

 

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Bruschetta is toasted Italian bread rubbed with fresh garlic, topped with some tomatoes* and olive oil.

 

 

You forgot the chips.....

 

27 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Well done that man! I see that someone has been paying attention in iD’s Course on “How To Recognise Authentic Food Made With Real Ingredients (no UPF allowed)”.

 

That's the big problem for many - is it, or isn't it?  And if it is, then is it a good or a bad UPF?

Bring on compulsory UPF Traffic Lights on all packaging (as well as making the existing traffic light system for fat, sugar, calories, salt etc. on the front COMPULSORY.

 

27 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

I can understand, even if I don’t agree, why people would go for a ready-made version of a complicated dish that requires numerous ingredients and a long prep and cooking time, but far too many of these ready meals – full of UPF ingredients – do not save any time whatsoever. Take the above mentioned bruschetta: to make a proper Italian bruschetta (as described by Oz) takes no more time than taking the ready-made stuff and heating that up.

 

Taking the bread bit as an example, buying a UPF-free version of that isn't as easy as you might think - Bear's recent query to a local Bakery that Bear thought must be making & selling UPF free bread proved not to be the case, despite their prices.

Make it myself?  Well I s'pose I could......but then it does start to become more time-consuming (ok if you actually enjoy doing that kinda stuff) and would presumably need doing several times a week as the bread wouldn't store for very many days. 

 

 

[polybear]

Bear here.....

 

A nice long snooze - even the bluddy wee wee fairy stayed away too.  Tick.

Today?  Well a session driving Bertie the Bosch is called for, along with getting the lug 'oles lowered; after that it'll be a meet-up with the local drug dealer.

 

After that I guess it's MIUABGAD; I've got the busted sander to look at (maybe) - I'd like to be able to fit a Helicoil insert into the end of the output shaft (= the leccy motor) but it'll need some ponderin' in order to lock the shaft to prevent it from turning whilst it's drilled & tapped.  Now if the Muddle Engineering Course** at College was still running I'd drop the armature out and bung it in the Lathe....

 

A big bag (three, actually - 200 in total) of M4, M5 and M6 Penny/Repair Washers arrived from the 'bay yesterday, meaning Bear can now repair a lot of things needing a repair washer.....which doesn't include a Sander, sadly.  Also arrived from the 'bay was a bag of replacement bumper plastic rivet clips (20 for four quid) - five of which were (very easily) fitted to Mickey last night to replace the ones busted last week during the H&R.  Mickey's bumper is even more secure that it was - and still has the 250Kg luggage strap fitted as well so it definitely isn't going anywhere.  I'll be keeping five of the clips in Mickey's "useful bits/tools bag" in the boot, just in case another tw@t whacks into me again in the future....

 

Right, time to get the furry ar5e in gear....

 

BG

 

 

[grandadbob]

Quote

 

Good morning all,

Sunshine and blue sky here and it should be a warm and dry day with plenty of sunny spells.  15°C rinsing to 25°C.

I've been absent for a few days as we've had a short break in Hythe Marina Village, Southampton.  Nice, peaceful and enjoyable.  I only had my phone with me so unable to rate any posts although TBH I stopped reading for a while as there was a bit of pollytickle discussion going on and although it seemed civilised I'm trying to avoid all that carp.

The main event as far as The Boss and I are concerned is that while we were away we heard that grandson Joe who has been at Uni for the past 4 years (3 at Sussex and 1 at UBC) has gained a First Class  (Joint Honours) degree.   Too say that we are proud of him would be  a huge understatement.

Today I will be mainly pottering in an unspecified manner © ChrisF but it will include a couple of financial admin tasks.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

 

Edit:  Not sure how the quote box has appeared but strange things still seem to be happening on here.

Edited June 21 by grandadbob
fat finger mistooks

[roundhouse]

Yes its also very sunny here not that far away from Sutton.

 

Will be running the garden railway today whilst shuffling things around in the shed to make space from items in the house ready for the boiler replacement commencing on Monday. It requires part of the kitchen clearing plus the airing cupboard. We did look at having a thermal exchange unit in place of the storage tank but our airing cupboard is  too small for it, plus they are as much as the boiler itself.  I will gain valuable rolling stock storage space though. Also with just being the two of us we should save quite a bit on the energy bills and massively reduce the chance of the old unit breaking down in the middle of winter, it was 2nd hand when it was installed many years ago.

 

A good part of yesterday was spent going to Mums 8 miles away, do the food shopping, a bit of gardneing then drive her to East Surrey hopsital close to us, where they thought she had a telephone consultation till I showed them the letter. They disappeared into a room for a discussion then wanted mum to have an x-ray, so wheeled her through the looong corridors to x-ray. Its a very spread out two story hospital so everything is long walk which Mum cant do these days even with a walking frame. out of there in 10 minutes and back to have a blood test then consultation. Out an hour after arriving, so not bad considering it was a change of plans for them.  Luckily my other half eventaully got in a disabled parking space, parking is not good despite the size of the car parks, it take both of us to be able to get mum in and out of the hospital because of the parking problems which is my only gripe with the place. NHS staff are very good here (so far fingers crossed). Took mum home via Sainsburys as she had forgotten to add things to her shopping list as usual then a mad rush to get past 5 schools on the way back home moments before they started kicking out the kids for the day.

 

I was back home after 3pm and relaxed in the shade by the shed with the laptop on.

 

Tomorrow is our monthly meet up with old / ex Croydon MRS members in Croydon but Spooning it in Norbury first. One that I have never been in.

Edited June 21 by roundhouse

[Grizz]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

I think that @Grizz is taking his footy far too seriously.

Whether the team win or whether the team lose, tomorrow the Sun will still rise, there will still be good food to eat and great whisky to sip. And you still have to go to work!

Sage council as ever @iL Dottore…..

 

Although in my defence…..
 

The iPad damage was sustained very shortly after it momentarily defied gravity. It became airborne during my beer and whisky assisted celebration of Morten Hjulmand‘s superb goal. Unfortunately having failed to successfully become the first gravity defying iPad, it landed on its edge on the solid oak kitchen floor. After which viewing anything on the aforementioned iPad looks like peering at it through a spiders web. 
 

As for the Sun rising, I woke at 02:50 and could not get back to kip. So on the longest day of the year I did in fact witness the sunrise. It was beautiful. 
 

As for work….I’m off shift today (until next Tuesday happily) and consequently Mrs Grizz and I are off to a small private party this evening, at a local farm, hosted by some old friends. We are celebrating midsummer. With the good food and whisky you mentioned. 
 

To be completely honest Doc, you are perfectly correct in your diagnosis (but we would never expect anything else) I am guilty as charged with taking my footy far too seriously. I shall try harder to be more careful next time. 😉

 

PS….at least I didn’t spill any beer or whisky….that would have been unforgivable.

[iL Dottore]

For those of you grumbling about the cost of the latest Hornby/Bachmann/Dapol/Heljan offering:

 

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/luxury/article/train-sets-times-luxury-vqtlbmqkc?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Luxury 2024 June 21&utm_term=audience_LUXURY

 

or

 

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/luxury/article/train-sets-times-luxury-vqtlbmqkc

 

The age of the £100k train set

Train sets used to be either for the very young or the very old, but the new high-end kit — including smoke machines, tiny instrument panels and bespoke livery options — has widened their appeal

Edited June 21 by iL Dottore

[DaveF]

After the excitement (?) of the football I had pleasant evening doing a couple of puzzles, reading and watching some Swiss musicians on You Tube until after sunset.  

 

Then I went outside to listen to the dusk chorus provided by the local blackbirds.  They start by singing their normal songs and then change to their alarm calls before they fly to their preferred resting places.  "My" blackbird went to his rest in the holly bush as usual.  Then the seagulls took over, calling as they made their way back to the beach and river for the night, along with a few very late sparrows.  By now it was just about dark and there wre a lot of moths about, hotly pursued by the usual bats which emerged once it was about dark.

 

The only downside was that I had been sitting on a seat under a quince, when I took my shirt off at bedtime I found a small snail, it must have dropped off the bush and fallen down inside the back of my shirt.

 

This morning it is sunny and already warm, I have to decided what to do today.  As I have hay fever as always in summer I am tempted to stay indoors but I might make an effort to be outside for a while.

 

David