Early Risers.

[Ian Abel]

Chewsday...

 

Yesterday saw Jemma over for a while, she had a chat/walk with the Mrs and they enjoyed "whatever" their discussions covered. Me, working.

 

Later the Mrs and I went bed shopping. We're sadly in need of a new bed as the current one is way past its use-by date!

Found something that looks and feels (feel more important than look for sure!) like it'll fit the bill. Mrs always needs time to ponder such purchases but will happen in the next couple of days for sure.

Close to having a coronary when I discovered the price of these things now. Whatever "Deltics" cost, this purchase will account for quite a lot of them.

We will be adding an adjustable base, so there's another few Deltics to add to the sum. Good thing there's a "Labor Day Sale" on at present, though it's not a huge discount.

 

RANT ON

Someone coined "you get what you pay for..." a few posts back. Not always the case, I pay a LOT for Medical Insurance and had the following interaction today...

 

Preface: At my last Dr visit a couple of weeks ago, reviewed meds as usual and she suggested I consider switching from my current type-2 diabetes med (a daily pill) to a "new and improved product" (a once a week injection). Positing it had the added advantage that people see a weight loss/improvement on it - note: at 6'3" and 230lbs I'm considered obese 😲.

So, I considered it, decided I'll try it, and called yesterday to effect the change.

 

My pharmacy have already filled the prescription and it's ready to be picked up.

 

Get a call this AM from some oik/bod at the Dr office wanting to schedule a meeting with a clinical pharmacist to discuss all my meds INCLUDING insulin medication?!?!?!?
FIRST, I discussed "all my meds" with the Dr just two weeks ago already!

I explained several times it's just a switch from one med to another and the Dr had said the pharmacist would answer any question, PLUS I'd already been to the web site and availed myself of the details of how to take this new one.

She also said they were really booked up and it would be OCTOBER before she could schedule me and she continued to call it a discussion about INSULIN after I'd explained at least three times it's NOT INSULIN!!!

She finally got it and said I probably didn't need an appointment, but IF I DID I had their number!!! DUH!!

 

This is the sort of MESS US health care often is, RIGHT-HAND/LEFT-HAND bullsh!t because there are so many levels of administration. She didn't even really know who I was.

 

RANT OFF

 

So, 16c and mostly cloudy first thing, 24c the high today with some rain expected late in the day.

 

Onward...

Edited August 20 by Ian Abel

[polybear]

Bear here....

 

W/H day, so that's a Tick; nothing of note to report though - just "A Good Day with Nice People Friends" as usual.  That's a Huge Tick.  Bin Diving may have taken place - one item rescued might well keep JJP (and Gramps) entertained.....

It wasn't a D-Day though.....but it was a C-Day....😁

 

ION.....

 

Bear had a letter on the doormat when I returned home - as I started to open it I saw the dreaded Plod Logos and a sentence beginning "Camera, Tickets....."

"Oh Sh1t" thinks Bear...."Have I finally been nabbed for speeding?"

 

Nope....panic over....

Instead it was better....far, far better in fact.....

 

The Plod have confirmed they have summoned certain C**tpuffin to Court for doing a Foxtrot Oscar on a Certain Bear after hitting the Bearmobile 😁

I reckon that qualifies for a full-blown YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO moment.....

 

If C.P. pleads guilty (he will if he has so much as a single braincell in his bonce - he's banged to rights and even his own Insurance Company surrendered PDQ) then Bear will not need to attend (actually it'd be quite entertaining to see it from the Gallery).  If, however he's even more of DumbF**k then I'll have to appear as a witness at a subsequent hearing.  Bring it on......

 

BG

 

 

[polybear]

6 minutes ago, Ian Abel said:

Positing it had the added advantage that people see a weight loss/improvement on it - note: at 6'3" and 230lbs I'm considered obese 😲.

 

 

Bear just ran those numbers thru' the NHS BMI Calculator....

The good news is that, according to the NHS you may well be guilty of "A few too many Pies" (a.k.a. "Overweight") but there's insufficient evidence to accuse you of scoffing Treacle Pud n' Custard Chasers.

I'd call that a Tick.

[monkeysarefun]

10 hours ago, rockershovel said:

Depends .... my recollections of the 90s were pretty bleak, in many ways. There was a bitter recession; the construction industry went into free-fall in the early 90s and the oil patch hadn't recovered from the mid-80s collapse. 

 

The decade started with the Poll Tax riots which were pretty spectacular and brought on a change of PM. It definitely wasn't a good time to be a coal miner. 

 

 

 

But the music, the music!   From grunge and the Seattle Sound  to all that stuff that started in Manchester,  Happy Mondays, etc, to so much more. Was there a better time to own a Walkman? I cant think of anything as interesting that's  happened since, now it seems to be all ex-contestants of those screechy singing shows who sing all around a high note for 5 seconds instead of hitting it, releasing stuff that makes your ears bleed - Too many notes!

 

As to rap, "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five    probably ranks with the first Elvis song, early Beatles and Anarchy In The UK when it comes to the impact it had on music, I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when it first came on the radio and recall  being  completely blown away by how different to anything else it was!

Edited August 20 by monkeysarefun

[New Haven Neil]

Bad development in the bike rebuild - two left fork legs.  This is of course impossible, as it was bought complete.  Elves? Faeries? Donkeys? Probably the latter.  Garage beamland to be further investigated.

 

Saw this today and thought of @polybear who said he fancies one.  Nice example, not many of these left now.

 

[Tony_S]

30 minutes ago, polybear said:

according to the NHS

You inspired me (by mentioning BMI) to see how well I had done with my attempts to lose weight etc. The BMI is now reporting overweight rather than obese. I did think the only way it was going to happen was by being stretched a few inches but fortunately not necessary. 
Tony

[Ian Abel]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Bear just ran those numbers thru' the NHS BMI Calculator....

The good news is that, according to the NHS you may well be guilty of "A few too many Pies" (a.k.a. "Overweight") but there's insufficient evidence to accuse you of scoffing Treacle Pud n' Custard Chasers.

I'd call that a Tick.

Agreed, however the BMI "calculator" used by my clinic informs me I come out as 30 i.e. obese! 

I HAVE been reliably informed by several friends in the medical profession that the BMI calculator used in most offices is simply bo!!ocks anyway. 😀

 

I hasten to add that this time at the checkup, when identified as such, I finally had to speak up and simply said "have you LOOKED in the waiting room???"

If I'm obese 90% of those waiting are, at a minimum, ELEPHANTINE! I also suggested she avoid the boarding gates at the airport.

She DID confess that compared to 40+% of the US population who are extremely obese I am "reasonable" with the added "HOWEVER, you could lose a few pounds" <sigh>...

Edited August 20 by Ian Abel

[polybear]

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

But the music, the music!   From grunge to all that stuff that started in Manchester,  Happy Mondays, etc, to so much more. Was there a better time to own a Walkman? I cant think of anything as interesting that's  happened since, now it seems to be all ex-contestants of those screechy singing shows who sing around a high note for 5 seconds instead of hitting it, releasing stuff that makes your ears bleed - Too many notes!

 

As to rap, "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five    probably ranks with the first Elvis song, early Beatles and Anarchy In The UK when it comes to the impact it had on music, I can remember exactly where I and what I was doing was when it first came on the radio and recall  being blown completely blown away by it! 

 

WTF?  C'mon Chimpy, you've been sniffin' those resin fumes again, haven't you??

 

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

Saw this today and thought of @polybear who said he fancies one.  Nice example, not many of these left now.

 

 

Dribble Dribble....gold rim version too.....❤️

[polybear]

I can think of worse ways to spend a day.....

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0qe8vj2yy8o

 

[tigerburnie]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

You inspired me (by mentioning BMI) to see how well I had done with my attempts to lose weight etc. The BMI is now reporting overweight rather than obese. I did think the only way it was going to happen was by being stretched a few inches but fortunately not necessary. 
Tony

I kept telling my old GP that I was not over weight just under short, by about 5inches lol.

[New Haven Neil]

Just now, polybear said:

I can think of worse ways to spend a day.....

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0qe8vj2yy8o

 

Yup.  Mine's a bit slower though.

 

[monkeysarefun]

4 hours ago, Grizz said:

Nope defo no signs of any Kangaroos, Kolas, Vegemite, Burgers with Beetroot, Hats with Corks, Utes, Surf Boards, Crocks or Sharks…..so far!

 

 

Do you want some? They are always looking for places to relocate ones that are captured due to them being  too near human activities. However they can travel huge distances to return to their original territory so Denmark sounds perfect. 

 

 

PS this Saltwater Crocodile  was caught at Katherine, 320km from the nearest ocean,  so when the signs say "Danger Crocodiles - no swimming" believe them, wherever you may be!

[New Haven Neil]

Donkey play re bike parts solved - wrong bits given to mate around the corner, for one of his projects.  A sort through HIS garage beamland revealed my missing bits, exchanged for the bits I meant to give him the first time.  Phew, couple of hundred quid saved there. 

 

😖

 

Edited August 20 by New Haven Neil

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Saw this today and thought of @polybear who said he fancies one.  Nice example, not many of these left now.

 

 

 

 

One of the popular "ag bikes" here (ie popular within the agricultural community).

 

Every outback farm used them because they were tough-as and could handle the landscape no worries.

[Tony_S]

23 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

However they can travel huge distances to return to their original territory so Denmark sounds perfect. 

When we visited Denmark a few years ago I thought there seemed to be quite a few Australians working in hotels or restaurants. Chatting to some revealed that they were Danish but their time spent travelling in Australia had given them the accent. No idea if Danes go travelling to Australia nowadays. 

[New Haven Neil]

8 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

 

One of the popular "ag bikes" here (ie popular within the agricultural community).

 

Every outback farm used them because they were tough-as and could handle the landscape no worries.

 

UK bikers didn't really know what to make of them in the 70's, 'too big for trails' was often heard, but most never got muddy as they made good road bikes.  The folk claiming they were too big probably now have 1250GS BMW's.....oh how times change!

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Well they might as well have been thrown away, given that the contents are unavailable to view, except by a select few (and I really wonder how often the Science Museum curators actually go beyond the M25 and visit Swindon?) 

Disused hangers don’t seem to me to be appropriate storage for many valuable and often fragile items.

Would it be very cynical for me to speculate that whilst “Joe public“ may not get access to the contents, what is stored in those hangars get plenty of visits of those cheerful characters, Mr Rust, Mr Rot, Ms Corrode and Cousin Mould?

Indeed, Ipswich trolleybus # 44 which was displayed immaculately restored at the Clapham transport museum fifty years ago was stored there. It has been allowed to deteriorate to such an extent that scrapping it was considered. Fortunately the Ipswich Transport Museum* stepped in and it's now being restored for the second time.

*A proper transport museum, run by enthusiasts.  Well worth a visit if you're up that way.

  https://www.ipswichtransportmuseum.co.uk/ 

And only a short distance away at Leiston is the Long Shop Museum.

 https://www.longshopmuseum.co.uk/

[TheQ]

2 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

 

 

RANT ON

Someone coined "you get what you pay for..." a few posts back. Not always the case, I pay a LOT for Medical Insurance and had the following interaction today...

 

Preface: At my last Dr visit a couple of weeks ago, reviewed meds as usual and she suggested I consider switching from my current type-2 diabetes med (a daily pill) to a "new and improved product" (a once a week injection). Positing it had the added advantage that people see a weight loss/improvement on it - note: at 6'3" and 230lbs I'm considered obese 😲.

So, I considered it, decided I'll try it, and called yesterday to effect the change.

 

My pharmacy have already filled the prescription and it's ready to be picked up.

 

 

 

Onward...

Wegovy or one of the other Semaglutide derivatives?

Must weigh myself some time see if my Semaglutide derivative is working, mind you I might be lighter just because of the amount of gas it's producing in me.

 

The old hangers at Wroughton are used for stuff that can take it, they now have a shiny new hanger like building with proper conditions for stuff that needs looking after.

 

Evening Awl, 

MRC went well, for me anyway, there were several sounds of upset from 3 unmentionables ( that xxxxxxxxx worked last time why not now?, ) that are being prepared for Sundays Show. 

https://broadlandmodelrailwayclub.co.uk/stalham-2023/ yes if know the link says 2023, but the info is 2024..

One unit of unmentionables was fixed, the other two were " working on it" when I left.

 

First time since the spring I've needed full beam on the land Rover, that illuminated, rabbits, rats, bats and thousands of moths.. oh and one Barn owl near home..

 

Muggachoccy gone goodnight Awl.

[figworthy]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Well they might as well have been thrown away, given that the contents are unavailable to view, except by a select few (and I really wonder how often the Science Museum curators actually go beyond the M25 and visit Swindon?) 

 

Disused hangers don’t seem to me to be appropriate storage for many valuable and often fragile items.

 

Would it be very cynical for me to speculate that whilst “Joe public“ may not get access to the contents, what is stored in those hangars get plenty of visits of those cheerful characters, Mr Rust, Mr Rot, Ms Corrode and Cousin Mould?

 

Years back (noughties ?) I discovered that they ran periodic open days (weekends ?) when you could turn up and wander around some of the hangers, they even laid on a bus service between the hangers.  Definitely more of a warehouse than a museum, but well worth looking around.

 

Adrian

[figworthy]

14 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

There was even a ship in the port of Le Verdon on the opposite bank.  AAL Limassol.  It's the first time I've seen a ship there.  I'd love to now where it's heading to. 

 

 

Marinetraffic.com may be your friend.

 

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:8575085/mmsi:210232000/imo:9958755/vessel:AAL_LIMASSOL

 

Adrian

[Coombe Barton]

... The van will be unloaded tomorrow. This will be followed by a visit to the garage to book the MOT and then shopping. Back to the mundane. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/08/20/postcards-from-the-periphery-2024-24/

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Just checked outside, clear sky if a bit hazy. Should get a better view later when the moon isn't hiding behind some buildings.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

I had a good morning in the garden, plenty of dead heading done and lots of pruning done too. There’s a holly tree started to grow in one of the hedges, so that has been cut right down to ground level, as I don’t want a holly tree where it’s started to grow and it never has berries on either. Once again this all filled the wheelbarrow, so it was taken round to the front and put in the garden waste bin. 

 

My car passed its MOT, just one advisory, front drivers side tyre was worn, so I got them to fit a new one, about the same price as other places. To be fair though, it did have a slow puncture, so that’s now sorted, so that’s all good! The car’s now roadworthy legal for another year. It was back here just before 2:30! I don’t think it’s ever been that quick before! 

Edited August 20 by BSW01

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

WTF?  C'mon Chimpy, you've been sniffin' those resin fumes again, haven't you??

 

 

 

While I well understand that you are more a "Puppet On A String"/"Making Your Mind Up" kind of bear, just listen to  the lyrics, man....

 

The Message is a full on rant about urban life in New York at the time and like all great songs it is timeless. Change some location references and some slang and it could be one of your "anti-scrote/state of the UK today" rants  but with more street cred and better rhymes!

Edited August 20 by monkeysarefun

[BSW01]

Goodnight everyone