Early Risers.

[Hroth]

5 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

Post office might be a bit busy at the moment sh!t shovelling at the enquiry. If it's Royal Mail then they are running around like headless chickens trying to get rid of all the postal votes they couldn't be ar#ed to deliver.

 

My Postal Voting Pack arrived last Tuesday (25th June), my voting card told me to expect it on the 21st.  I completed it the same day and posted it on the 26th.  Hopefully it will have arrived by the 3rd July...

 

[jjb1970]

Best wishes to the Q at this sad time. Losing a companion like a dog or cat is losing a member of the family. One reason I am not a pet person is that after having pets as a youth I found the sense of loss too much. 

[jjb1970]

4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

I think I mentioned here the joys of Facebook 3D printer groups  and how the simplest question just blows up into name calling and outrage...?

 

Heres one from earlier today. Jeez, I spend  just 10 minutes on Facebook then I always feel like I  have to scrub the inside of my head out. 

 

 

Ah, the joys of Facebook! I closed my accounts for Facebook and Linkedin quite a while ago and never missed either. Linkedin was kind of forgettably inoffensive in being largely a platform for lower wrung social climbers and sales people to indulge in shameless self promotion. However Facebook can be a sewer. What really turned me off was my feed was so clogged up with garbage it was difficult to see the stuff that interested me (and don't get me started on their seeming unwillingness to police dodgy outfits selling counterfeit junk). Facebook should be great for me, I'm living in a foreign land with family and friends all round the world but it became useless as a platform for keeping in touch with friends and family. We now use WhatsApp groups instead which works much better but is more closed. The upside of it being closed is people can be more candid than a public platform, the downside is you lose the contact with less close friends and associates.

 

I also tend to ignore 'experts'. This may sound stupid and a bit Michael Gove-ish, but I am interested in several hobbies which are either quite techie or which attract serious enthusiasts. Audio, photography, model trailways and also a bit of cycling. Ask an audiophile for advice about an amplifier or speakers  and you can very quickly descend into an alternative universe of full on swivel eyed bonkersness populated by angry people who 'know' their highly subjective opinion is not only right but that anyone with a different opinion should be shot. Ditto cameras. You'll enter a world where buying new gear every 6 weeks transforms your photography, bonkers ranting about why anything less than full frame is junk, how going from a 40MP to a 60MP sensor is night and day blah blah blah. And we all know how some people can end up looking bonkers on the subject of model railways. I find that reviews aimed at casual users are more useful than 'serious' ones as they tend to focus on stuff that might matter to most users than pushing borderline mad opinions.

Edited July 2 by jjb1970

[Andy Hayter]

4 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

 

 

I also tend to ignore 'experts'. 

 

 

You know the derivation of the word expert don't you?

two roots:

 

Ex - something that has been

spurt - a drip under pressure.

[grandadbob]

@TheQVery sorry to hear about Ben. Always looked forward to hearing about his daily walks.

 

Had an email from Royal Mail about 45 minutes ago saying they would attempt to deliver my parcel today……, they said that yesterday! Double Pah!

Edited July 2 by grandadbob

[Tony_S]

29 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

find that reviews aimed at casual users are more useful than 'serious' ones as they tend to focus on stuff that might matter to most users than pushing borderline mad opinions

True. Finding someone’s opinions that are based on rational criteria is very refreshing, especially if they aren’t trying to  sell you something. I tried researching how to test the electric radiator fan in a 2012 Fiesta recently. Once upon a time there would have been YouTube videos of someone in their driveway showing what to do. Now you get videos showing how to buy a Bluetooth equipped OBD dongle and app for a phone. I gave up looking and asked my brother.
 

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

And here was me thinking July might be something called "Summer".

Plenty of "summer" on this side of the pond. It is quite lovely right now - today should see 26°C.

 

This year the Independence Day holiday lands on a Thursday making a de facto four-day weekend or many. The long weekend forecast is:

 

THU - 34°C

FRI - 38°C

SAT - 40°C

SUN - 37°C

MON - 34°C

 

It will be well over a century in l/s/d°.

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, BoD said:

Thoughts are with you and yours Q.

@TheQ Very sorry to hear your news. Ben is a good boy.

[PupCam]

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

Ben the for ever resting Collie,

1/1/2011 ish to 7/7/2024

Very sorry to hear the news of Ben Q

 

Alan

[PhilJ W]

Sorry to hear of Ben's passing.

[The White Rabbit]

Me too. As has been said, they are a [valued] member of your family. My condolences. 

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Bother.

 

There seems to be sky-widdle descending.  And here was me thinking July might be something called "Summer".  

 

 

Summer was last week.

 

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

My Postal Voting Pack arrived last Tuesday (25th June), my voting card told me to expect it on the 21st.  I completed it the same day and posted it on the 26th.  Hopefully it will have arrived by the 3rd July...

Actually postal votes are accepted right up until the polls shut.

[Erichill16]

@TheQ, sorry to hear about the loss of your best mate. 

[Hroth]

 

 

ER's will no doubt be pleased to know that Letby has been found guilty of trying to kill the child that the original jury couldn't agree on.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98q74dn91do

 

She will be sentenced for the attempted murder of Baby K on 5 July.

 

[iL Dottore]

Devastated to hear about Ben, my condolences to @TheQ

 

I will raise a "wee dram" In Ben's honour and memory tonight.

 

He will be missed.

 

Time to give my two an extra cuddle

[Sidecar Racer]

 To @TheQ and Mrs Q, sorry to read about the loss of your special

companion .

[DaveF]

The Q, I'm very sorry to hear about your loss, I know you will miss Ben very much.

 

I've always enjoyed reading your posts about him, I'll miss those too.

 

David

[DaveF]

I decided to go out today so made some sandwiches and packed a small fruit pie (just like in the days of tain spotting) together with a flask of coffee and a can of Coke.

 

I set off for Belsay Hall (English Heritage) and had a very pleasant drive there taking my usual single track road short cut.  I only encountered one cyclist, fortunately at a passing place.

 

Parking was very easy as they had only just opened when I got there and I set of for a walk past the Hall to the Castle.  There was a lot to see, some very nice flowers and it was warmer than I expected - I needed a jacket but not a sweater as well.  I met a very friendly robin who was walking along beside me at the edge of the path for a hundred yards or so.  The Gunnera by the pond in the Quarry Garden is bigger than usual after all the rain, the leaves must be at least 7 feet above the ground and 5 feet across.  I had a look at the castle and then went to the new coffee shop for a coffee and a very large slice of rich chocolate cake.  Then I made my way slowly back along the return path, there are now notices and rope fences asking people not to leave the paths as the plants get trampled.  I find it sad that that is necessary.

 

On the way through the Quarry Garden there were curved metal mirrors as part of an art installation, they made some weird effects.  I got back to the Hall and walked around, there were more parts of the art installation there, including a large block of stone suspened from ropes in the main Hall.  There were also some printed voile curtains over some windows which were similar to but different from the view through the windows creating interesting effects.

 

As I came out of the Hall I was asked to participate in a feedback exercise which proved to be quite enjoyable.  I finally got to the shop and decided I needed a nice bottle of gin and a copy of "Peter Pan", I don't think I've ever read the bok though obviously I know the story.  

 

I felt a bit weary so just had my picnic in the car rather than going somewhere else.

 

On the way home I stopped at a garden centre and then the shops at Blagdon, part of the Blagdon Estate.  There is a very good farm shop, cook shop, cane/pine/house shop as well as an art gallery amongst others.  I was very tempted by a painting but I would have to take something off my wall to put something new up so will think about it.

 

When I got home I was so tired I had a lie down and slept for 90 minutes.  I found I have walked 4.5 miles today, it is time I remembered that I will be 75 next month and so cannot do quite as much as fifty years ago.

 

All being well I'll post some photos sometime tomorrow.

 

David

Edited July 2 by DaveF

[southern42]

@TheQ Sorry to hear of the loss of Ben the for ever resting Collie. I always loved to see his daily Titles.

Just keep him in your heart, eh.

[Ian Abel]

@TheQ so sorry to hear of Bens passing, all our furry friends are also family and their departure does leave a gap but also such fond memories you'll always treasure.

 

 

Seems I've been AWOL, without even noticing it! Odd! or more likely O L D!!

 

Weekend busy with belated party for the Mrs (undisclosed) and Otis (15) over at Trevor and Meagans Saturday, some household chores accomplished beforehand.

 

Sunday was the farewell/retirement services for our retiring Music Director/Choir Director.

Uplifting and sad at the same time. The choir featured many alumni as well as all the current members. Few dry eyes both on the risers and in the congregation.

I'm sixth from right back row - the official demarcation point between the altos and tenors.

The evening there was a musical tribute to her, featured so many local musicians that have worked with her/us over the years, great time was had by all.

Had to get a selfie with her...

 

Now back to the normalcy of work though it's only a three-day week as July 4th. is some kind of holiday here 😲, and I'll take the 5th. to make a 4-day weekend of it.!

 

Weather was delightful all weekend with some rain overnight bit lovely sunny and not too hot days.

Today, 15c and overcast first thing, expecting light showers off and on and 24c for the high.

 

Carry on.

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

Yippee!  At long last I received the long awaited parcel after getting a message that it was indeed waiting for me at the Post Office.  

New BluRay player connected and working but only after some head scratching.  I connected the HDMI lead to the socket the previous player had been in but it only partially worked.  Recognised the player but no menu and wouldn't play anything.  After multiple TCs had been uttered tried another socket an lo and behold everything fired up. Put the other thingy (Firestick)  in the first socket and that works OK.  Go figure.  I can't but all's well that ends well.

Now for dinner, The Boss is concocting some quick Butter Chicken and Rice, only a ready mixed sauce but we've had it before and it's not bad.

I'm being summoned....

Edited July 2 by grandadbob

[pH]

10 hours ago, Hroth said:

Asbestos was even incorporated in some brands of lino tiles too.  Unless they really do have to be lifted, they're best left in situ …

We had roll linoleum on the kitchen floor and were told that, by its age, it probably had asbestos in it. So we just had the new (engineered wood) floor laid on top of it.

[pH]

7 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

And the helicopters of course which are now a private fully-commercial concern … 

Are they still crewed mostly by ex-RN pilots from Culdrose?

[Northroader]

Q, really sorry to hear that you’ve lost Ben. Best way to start the day was hearing about his behaviour on the morning walks.

[polybear]

Bear here.....

 

Just spent a week in Lisbon - much of it exploring & riding the Vintage Trams:

 

 

and scoffin' Pastel de Nata:

 

 

Or Ice Cream....oh look, Lemon Cheesecake Cornetto's....

 

 

  Or more likely both....😁

 

Now back at Bear Towers; I was due to work the next three days at the Hospice Warehouse...until I discovered I'd brought "a friend" back with me from Lisbon, that is....

 

 

Bluddy Rattin' Piggin' Turdycurses.

Still, it is the first time so I've not done too bad.

 

Having discovered "the real deal" Pastel de Nata's I reckoned I should bring a few back to Blighty with me; sadly they only keep for a day or so, meaning Bear had no choice but to sacrifice the dreaded "D" word temporarily**.  Oops.  Three somehow disappeared yesterday, leaving another three (or so I thought) for essential consumption today, otherwise they'd be binned (and @Grizz would never forgive me); but then I discovered there were four left in the box.  Oops....

Still, purely for medicinal purposes you understand.....

 

Incidentally, do any of the usual suppliers offer anything similar in the way of taste to "the real deal"? 

 

Bear gone.

 

**Several could've have @PupCam's name on - but he was, well, "there" and the PdeN were, well, "here".  Oh well.....

 

Edited July 2 by polybear