Early Risers.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

On Radio 4 at the moment must be one of the most dire "comedy" radio shows ever: "Olga Koch: OK Computer". I've just endured 10 mins of absolute drivel. Had to turn off the radio. The canned laughter is terrible; you can tell it's canned by the same laughter pattern for every "joke". It's not even so bad that it's good. It's just bad. How it got to series 3 is beyond me. How it got even past one episode of series 1 I can't comprehend. How it was even commissioned I don't know. 

 

So Peter, how come you listened to any of it? Well, I was eating my tea and the six o'clock news was on. Tucking into my healthy meal this evening; fried egg, sausage, bacon, baked beans and fried bread - the bread was brown seeded - hence I can justify the "healthy" tag. I couldn't be bothered to turn off the radio; then the drivel started.

 

Rant over...

[iL Dottore]

Awake at 03:08 🙁 but at least I got a snap of the permanent way people at work.

Not the greatest photograph coming being taken with an iPhone on zoom.

 

Thinking about it, I don’t think that the various Japanese railway companies do much in the way of closing entire sections of track to traffic for days at a time. They even shifted an entire platform and track at Shibuya station overnight.

 

Edited 4 hours ago by iL Dottore
Upload didn’t work first time

[Tony_S]

I have been led to believe it may not be raining all day tomorrow. If I can find the keys to release my ladders I will be attempting to screw the bracket for another camera to the house wall. Instead of needing to drill a hole through the wall for a power supply this one has a battery and a solar panel. It is going on a south facing wall, so should be ok. I won’t buy any more  battery ones until I see how this works out .

I also ordered a couple more leak detectors, something I didnt even know existed until @polybear  mentioned them some time ago. 
Then all being well we are planning to go a vegetable show at RHS Hyde Hall gardens. 
Toony

[Coombe Barton]

... What with Boris and Liz Truss, the major academic study in Cloud Cuckoo Land must be Psychoceramics, the study of crackpots. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/10/03/postcards-from-home-2024-36-horizon-and-boris/

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

Looks like a Hornby Railroad diesel loco chassis....

 

[polybear]

10 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Definitely a superb museum and well worth a visit if you are ever in Tokyo.

 

p.s. Children’s Ekiben come in many railway related forms, but the most popular are the Shinkansen Ekiben lunchboxes.

 

Are the info signs also in English, and do many speak English?

 

9 hours ago, Hroth said:

Back from being jabbed in stereo.

Just waiting to see if any aches and pains arise...

 

 

Bear is watching with interest - I'm probably going to splash the cash for a private wooflu jab (if I can't get one thru' the W/H) and am interested in side effects.  Do you know what flavour you had?

 

3 hours ago, DaveF said:

I also had a look in the loft and decided that some things can be got thrown out on a day when I have nothing else I want to do.  There are over 20 framed paintings, tapestries and prints, I don't think any are worth anything so I'll have to think about them - one or two might be suitable for a charity shop but most are not. 

 

If the frames are nice then they might like them on that basis; alternatively you could try Freecycle/Freegle to keep them out of landfill.

[The White Rabbit]

4 hours ago, DaveF said:

... I also had a look in the loft and decided that some things can be got thrown out on a day when I have nothing else I want to do.  There are over 20 framed paintings, tapestries and prints, I don't think any are worth anything so I'll have to think about them - one or two might be suitable for a charity shop but most are not.  ....

 

9 minutes ago, polybear said:

.... If the frames are nice then they might like them on that basis; alternatively you could try Freecycle/Freegle to keep them out of landfill.

 

Yes - 'cheap frames', whether paintings/prints or other artwork are often popular. And tapestry work can attract serious interest - when I was looking to rehome my grandmother's work, someone drove 50-odd miles to collect (via Freecycle). Having worked in a heritage railway's fundraiser (sorry awl!) I was often surprised at what sold. Freecycle is free, so you can always ask/try. 

[monkeysarefun]

6 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I do really like the ferry photo though. 

 

 

Theres a youtubist called Boomer Diorama who has some great videos if you are into scratchbuilding, weathering etc.

 

One series follows  his construction of an HO scale model of the train ferry Carrier Princess.

 

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by monkeysarefun

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Awake at 03:08 🙁 but at least I got a snap of the permanent way people at work.

Not the greatest photograph coming being taken with an iPhone on zoom.

 

Thinking about it, I don’t think that the various Japanese railway companies do much in the way of closing entire sections of track to traffic for days at a time. They even shifted an entire platform and track at Shibuya station overnight.

 

That can't be Grizz can it! He'd have mentioned it if he was going to be on an away day.

[PhilJ W]

The ferry model reminds me of the train ferries that operated out  of Harwich with the same twin funnels at the sides of the superstructure.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. No adverse effects from the visit to Tess Coes this afternoon but I spent the last couple of hours sorting out the washing, and putting the machine on with the next batch.

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, The White Rabbit said:

 

 

So many people, with so many lists....

 

 

[Chris Snowdon]

4 hours ago, DaveF said:

As usual church went well, once the heating had been persuaded to work - for the first few weeks the boiler does not always obey the controls.

 

Then I had a walk along the promenade, I noticed a strong smell of seaweed, there was quite a lot on the beach just above low water mark which the recent easterly winds must have brought in.  The sea was quite calm now the wind has dropped.

 

After lunch I finished sorting out yesterday's photos then went in the garden to cut things down and tidied more plants in the greenhouse - the geraniums are not enjoying the weather.

 

I also had a look in the loft and decided that some things can be got thrown out on a day when I have nothing else I want to do.  There are over 20 framed paintings, tapestries and prints, I don't think any are worth anything so I'll have to think about them - one or two might be suitable for a charity shop but most are not.  I also found more paperwork to shred.  Then there are various old electrical things and a lot of connecting cables.

 

I think the evening will be spent watching a mix of German and British TV, I must check the programme times.

 

A few more photos with the new camera.

Belsay Folly farm

 

Belsay the quarry garden

 

Belsay Hall, south side.

 

Chaffinches at Bolam Lake  I haven't quite got used to the long zoom yet and I took it from inside the car while I was eating my lunch.

 

David

Wonderful mix of colours in that shot of the south front of Belsay Hall - the contrasts in the sky, and with the honey of the stone, really complement each other.  For those who don't know this site - The house is much smaller than it looks, but just imagine the colours when the flower-beds, between the staircases, are in full bloom...

 

regards

cs

 

PS - am still struggling with identifying birds.

 

[Chris Snowdon]

6 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I do really like the ferry photo though. 

Agreed.  That train ferry is a belter.  I refer also to jjb1970's picture several pages above.

 

regards

cs

[polybear]

Bear here....

 

W/H Day again - the "Country Run" (four shops, always a nice run - though parking/unloading at one of them can be a right PITA as some bluddy people will insist on parking in the loading/unloading bays; it's rather nice to see "efficient" Traffic Wardens on such occasions - and the town in question certainly isn't short of those....).  The skips were somewhat lacking, sadly - which is actually a good thing really cos' it means more donations are actually classed as sellable, which is the whole point of the exercise.....

The afternoon meant two runs to the Ebay W/H plus a visit to the IPU** to collect a sh*dload of paperwork for storage.  The best bit, however was the presence of Strawberry Donuts from The Boss for din dins.....😁

 

**Not a place that Bear really like to go, for obvious reasons; our occasional visits there are such that we never encounter (or see) any Patients - at least not on the visits Bear has had there so far....

 

**In-Patient Unit.

 

BG

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Barry O]

14 hours ago, polybear said:

Not sure if Bear misinterpreted this but there are oodles of Museums in the UK that you have to pay to go into (IWM Duxford Concession is £24.10 without donation, or £26.55 with).

Compare with NRM and locomotion.. both free...

.

[iL Dottore]

Two more views:

 

 

The photographs were taken with my iPhone which although can do a pretty good job in taking photographs (and you have the after shot photo manipulation available on the iPhone as well) it really doesn’t do a good job in getting pass reflection on glass. Does anyone know of an app that can do that – get rid of the reflections? 

 

The signage is mostly in Japanese with a little bit of top level English explanation. However, there is an audio guide in English which can be downloaded as an app and used on your smart phone to guide you through the museum.

 

The English language skills of most of the staff is slim to none, but that really isn’t too much of a problem as everything works well and even with the language barrier, they are very helpful.

 

 

Edited 55 minutes ago by iL Dottore
Format

[BoD]

5 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Compare with NRM and locomotion.. both free...

.

I have visited both and enjoyed both.

I’m not sure why people seem to have such a ‘downer’ on them.

 

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Despite this morning’s test results, today has been a nice day. The weather was just right for walking round RHS Bridgewater, it gave me a good feeling, I’ve not had a good walk for over 6 weeks now and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Once back at the visitor centre, we went for a drink and a slice, the cake today was Parkin, which was very nice too! I think I got off lightly in the garden centre, with just 6 plants purchased, all evergreen ferns! 

 

After dinner and before Charlie arrived, I part made a few more corridor connections, 15 are currently at the halfway stage and will hopefully get finished tomorrow. I had to stop at 15, as I’d once again run out of paper sides. 

[Chris Snowdon]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Are the info signs also in English, and do many speak English?

 

 

Bear is watching with interest - I'm probably going to splash the cash for a private wooflu jab (if I can't get one thru' the W/H) and am interested in side effects.  Do you know what flavour you had?

 

 

If the frames are nice then they might like them on that basis; alternatively you could try Freecycle/Freegle to keep them out of landfill.

Bear speaks a truth.

 

Firstly, keep it all away from landfill, unless you want to create a time capsule or some other lasting memorial, in which case, encase it in concrete and bury it deep.

 

Secondly, as well as the online recyling and upcycling sites, you can still give to a charity dear to (or relevant to) you and yours.  The resale prices and "value" of donations can be surprising.  Polybear mentioned frames - I have tried to attach some different examples of some of my framed stuff, none of which is "valuable" except to me.  But several either were expensive to get framed, or were sold as decent frames regardless of the contents... And... Places such as hospices don't usually have much spare cash but sometimes can go on the look-out for "period" or memory-enhancing stuff, so the donation can be more important than the cash value.

 

Thirdly, if you don't like those options because they're distant, then seriously consider getting constructively destructive and having a ceremonial bonfire.

 

For comparisons, of what I have tried to attach, and hopefully succeeded with:

 

1 - Repro prints of LNER and BR posters. One, a gift from my sister, bro-in-law and nephews, referring to family holidays.  The next two are together a souvenir from my only summer holiday in recent years.  All three framed in matching £6 ones from Wilko.

2 - A watercolour of the Ribblehead viaduct, and two repro prints of landmarks in The Toon.  I inherited all three of these but simply imagine the frames worth more than what is framed.

3 - A print of "The Ambassadors", professionally framed.  A £15 poster in a frame which cost almost ten times that, but I could afford it back then and it looks good.  I like how to interpret this painting, and people who know it also seem to like using it as a talking-point...

4 - A print of Gilray's "A Warm Birth to the New Administration", a poster (c.1974) apparently professionally framed, but in the style of that time...  £50 from a High Street charity shop, 15 years ago, with an comment about "just some cartoon, but a good neutral mount"...

 

So there's no accounting for taste, and it's just better to let it live again than go to landfill.

 

cs

 

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

Bear is watching with interest - I'm probably going to splash the cash for a private wooflu jab (if I can't get one thru' the W/H) and am interested in side effects.  Do you know what flavour you had?

 

I was given "Spikevax", which is apparently the current branding for the Moderna vaccine.

No aches or pains, though I did feel a bit dozy this afternoon, which may be one of the side effects.  Apart from that, no problems so far.

 

 

ION

 

I've just been prodding at the grot between the keys on my keyboard with an old dental tool (some sort of manual caries excavator). I may well invest in a replacement....

 

[BSW01]

Goodnight everyone 

[Chris Snowdon]

27 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Two more views:

 

 

The photographs were taken with my iPhone which although can do a pretty good job in taking photographs (and you have the after shot photo manipulation available on the iPhone as well) it really doesn’t do a good job in getting pass reflection on glass. Does anyone know of an app that can do that – get rid of the reflections? 

 

The signage is mostly in Japanese with a little bit of top level English explanation. However, there is an audio guide in English which can be downloaded as an app and used on your smart phone to guide you through the museum.

 

The English language skills of most of the staff is slim to none, but that really isn’t too much of a problem as everything works well and even with the language barrier, they are very helpful.

 

 

Utterly glorious - Well Done and Thanks!  Those pics are clear enough to scale her reasonably well, even if just as a sketch for a backscene for those of us who lack shed, garages, bus-garages etc.  BTW, Does anyone here remember "Hengist" and "Horsa"?

[Tony_S]

9 minutes ago, Hroth said:

may well invest in a replacement....

You really shouldn’t put it back in your mouth after cleaning a keyboard. Definitely get a new one.🙂 

Edited 22 minutes ago by Tony_S