Early Risers.

[jonny777]

Dry, sunny and hot here in North Somerset. 

 

First outdoor tomatoes almost ripe, which is good considering the number of cool and wet days we have had. 

 

I have cut some leaves off the grape vine, in order to give the fruit more exposure to the sun. They tend to get mildew easily if shaded behind lots of leaves. 

 

It's now 25C and really too hot to do much more outside, so I will sit in the shade and monitor the buddleias for butterflies. 

[iL Dottore]

Good morning all,

 

Currently I am enjoying a break in the rain – it is a bit chilly and overcast but, so far, has been keeping dry. Mrs ID, off in the Holiday Hovel with the Wolfpack, has also been experiencing loads of rain.
 

However, even with the Wolfpack away in the Obergoms, I have not been bereft of canine companionship. I am currently dog-sitting our friend’s dog Frida. After some ear scratching and tummy rubbing followed by some treat-based training (basically impulse control: I have a snack in my open hand and she is not allowed to take it until told to) now she is snoozing on the sofa:

Frida is a sweetie and although I am very fond of her, she doesn’t have the same hold on my affections as Lucy does.

 

To return, briefly, to modern social and cultural tendencies within the Anglo-Saxon Western World (as has been commented upon recently), I would just like to make the following observations:

1. For the easily offended: they would do well to ponder on the fact that (perhaps) the majority of the worlds population have more important matters to worry about than whether or not the wished for pronoun is used or feel guilty about “the sins of their fathers”. Nor do they have the luxury of viewing their lives through the prism of some half-baked academic theory.
2. By “cancelling“, “no platforming“ and the like, the people who are appointing themselves as the arbiters of all of what is good and right in society are actually having the complete opposite effect to what they think they hope to achieve. They are creating discord, dissatisfaction and disunity.
3. People are people! As trite as this may sound, all people, no matter what race, creed or colour are pretty much the same: a mixture of good, bad and indifferent. And that being so, it is completely ludicrous to approach people in a binary fashion, as in “People/Group X = Good, People/Group Y = Bad”

Perhaps it’s time to point out to these self-appointed moral arbiters that Orwell’s 1984 is a dystopian novel, not a how-to instruction manual.
 

Quite frankly, I think I have a sane approach to people: like in Napoleonic law, all people are suspect until proven otherwise. I am greatly and deeply suspicious of any group or individual claiming the moral high ground; individuals I can like very, very much, it’s people I can’t stand.

 

And on that misanthropic note I bid you an enjoyable Saturday.

 

iD

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

A bright sunny day here in England's northwest, currently 19C and predicted to go up to 26C later. 

 

Today's main task is to clear the offcuts of flooring and plasterboard, some will temporarily go in the new underfloor storage area, larger pieces will go to the workshop. 

 

Bins, we have 4

Green bin - garden and kitchen waste, collected every week. 

Grey - all non recyclable waste, collected every 2 weeks. 

Black - glass, metal and recyclable plastics, collected every  4 weeks. 

Blue - paper and cardboard waste, collected every 4 weeks. 

There is no charge for any of the above. Of all the above bins, the grey bin (which is the smallest of them all) fills the fastest, followed by the green when I have had a good few days in the garden. The blue bin is usually 80% full when it comes time to put it out, the black bin  rarely gets more than 25% full. 

 

Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later. 

 

Brian 

[Coombe Barton]

Perspiring freely.

[JohnDMJ]

Good Afternoon, for it is after midday and bright and sunny outside, where I am not!

 

Local supplier has been cleaned out of car screen wash; car has been washed whilst I shopped; meat products have been acquired from the butcher who was, sadly, lacking in any back bacon due to a failure of delivery!

 

In other news WRT:     Blackboards/Whiteboards etc.

 

Remember this guy: (acted as an icon for Robinson's Jam for years!)

In his various incarnations (IIRC, badges, ceramic figures, cuddly toys, et alia) he probably doubled the company's income in merchandising. Golly!

 

Meanwhile:

 

3 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Our local police ask us to check people's disposal licenses - but I have absolutely no idea what they look like or how to check validity. I suspect that this applies to many people.

I'm storing rubbish for disposal and will get a skip from a company my sons deals with (and I've used before) when I next need it for house mods. I know that then it'll be done according to the book.

 

I tend to use a reputable local skip company or Hippobags depending on what is involved.

[Coombe Barton]

4 minutes ago, JohnDMJ said:

I tend to use a reputable local skip company or Hippobags depending on what is involved.

Use son's trade account

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Yet again AWOL due to computer being used for almost endless house searches - it would appear that we ARE moving, though exactly where and when, well that's another matter.

 

Car had its annual service  robbery of modelling tokens this week.   The garage noticed that our MOT was coming due in just under a month, and had a cancellation, so rang on the offchance that I could get down there within the hour.  I could, having just taken 30747 to work, so toddled off, and on the way, the engine management warning light came on.  I mentioned this to Emma who does the service reception, and she said she'd notify the mechanic - by the time she got there, he'd already failed it as no warning lights are allowed at the point of presentation.  So after the MOT, with a long list of advisories (5 in total), he put the diagnostic on and found it had been a misfire, and a lack of 02  temporarily defeating a sensor - reset it, and it stayed off - so whooopppeee we passed - but while I was waiting, I asked them to try to find me another 2 year old Ibiza, to prevent me from having to pay for the new tyre brake shoes and front linings (and possible discs).  Oh, and they also only charged £25 plus VAT for the diagnostic, which most garages now charge between £50 and £100.

 

Meantime here's two Lillies.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

 

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by 45156

[polybear]

5 hours ago, grandadbob said:

Alun Wyn Jones, who dislocated a shoulder last month is on the bench which seems nothing short of a miraculous recovery.  Quite a few people are expressing doubts about the wisdom of him playing so soon after an injury like that.   
 

 

Bear has been reading "Bike" magazine; there's an article about top racers and their injuries.  One of the riders, Marc Marquez (GP star) busted his Humerous (upper arm bone - a bad one to break, and the end of many Racer's careers) last July.  He had the fracture pinned and four DAYS later is in the next race...

It turned out to be a mistake, as two weeks later he's under the knife again to replace the Titanium plates he bent thru' entering the race.

Another Racer, Mick Doohan, busted his leg so bad that, after getting an infection, the leg was dying.  The surgeon was going to amputate; another surgeon intervened, flew him to Italy and saved the leg by sewing it to the other one for two weeks so they could share a blood supply.  Five weeks later he's in the Brazilian GP....

 

4 hours ago, grandadbob said:

Hmm,  oops,  hadn't thought of that John.  Of course there is another reason for fly tipping and that's the toe rags who charge people for disposal with absolutely no intention of getting rid of it legally.  (And there are a lot of them)

 

 

 

Bear had the bell-ringers coming up the street a couple of days ago - I did ponder giving them my busted Miele hoover but thought better of it, as after rescuing the motor the rest of it (all the plastic) would end up in some farmer's field.

 

4 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Our local police ask us to check people's disposal licenses - but I have absolutely no idea what they look like or how to check validity. I suspect that this applies to many people.

 

There have been several TV programmes where councils have been caught out; in one programme they found paper waste being left out for recycling ending up being illegally buried on farmland in India.

 

In other news:

Bear is currently sitting in the freezer in an attempt to return to a solid state after cleaning and hoovering the loft earlier;  it's all done now, so Bear is a happy Bunny.

Right, time to do some kitchen work....

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

Bins,

 Black  or grey  dump it.

Green recycling, that's everything they do the  sorting.

Brown, composting  but we don't have this one there's a big compost heap down the garden..

Down the garden? Well on the way is Sideshow Bob.. that's him on the left with the red hair. It's 100 yards to the bottom of the garden from here.

First thing today was change the fuel filter on the mower which lives in here..the gardening shed.

That done, the central strip was mown between sideshow Bob. Unfortunately the cutting out of the mower reappeared, I suspect dirt has got past the filter to the carb, the mower restarts with the choke..

 

The hedge trimmer and long extension cable were retrieved from the above shed, and the bottom 30 ft each side was trimmed, and the cutting removed to the bonfire pile.

I wanted to do some more substantial cutting back but SWMBO has put the long handled loppers somewhere safe...

We looked in 

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by TheQ

[southern42]

' afternoon all from red dragon land.

HOT I will say no more... 

Toot on the flute showing a bit more promise than usual. Getting to the end of the tunes without too many duff notes, now. Sounding a bit better, too. That will keep me going for a bit.  

 

Bike ride on the terrace resumed this week now that we have cleared the doorway to get bike and trainer in and out easier. It is a long way round to the front door! Mornings only while it is  HOT as the terrace is in the shade.

 

Just off to have lunch out on the terrace.  The sun is round now.  Might as well enjoy it while there is a cooling breeze out there.

 

F1, later, should be fun (?)   Hmmmmm.....

 

Fitt  and  Elfie, surprisingly, doing well considering the time of year.....aah...choo! You didn't hear that!

 

Take care all and play safe.

_________

Best wishes

Polly

[TheQ]

Here, the garage workshop, 

The unmentionable hobby shed,

And the mobile home to the left of the shed..

We didn't look in..

[Mark Saunders]

5 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Here, the garage workshop, 

The unmentionable hobby shed,

And the mobile home to the left of the shed..

We didn't look in..

The oft used phrase, has potential and in need of updating!

Edited July 17, 2021 by Mark Saunders
The s and d are too close!

[Andrew P]

Ours is easy.

Black Bin = None recycle.

Grey with Green lid = Recycle,

BUT

BUT

BUT 

NO Glass or tin foil in the recycle.

No food waste bins.

No Garden waste unless you want to pay for it, which I don't.

 

Still ott init.

[TheQ]

Accidentally hit the wrong button changed pages does it remember the post I was typing... No the one from several days before..

Here, the patio equipment storage shed, that beige thing on the right, 

In front is the demolished remains of the decking and beyond the mobile home.

So I gave up looking and went to work on the boat..

Next to the boat shed,

 

First two pieces of plastic were laid on the bench, two pieces of fibreglass laid on each resined, the steering control sticks laid on each, then more fibreglass laid on top in top hat shape and resined..

Then onto the main hatch which was sanded and painted.

 

Ben the I want my walk Collie took me out for his long stroll,. But it's so hot he kept stopping to sit in the shade so I cut the walk short.

 

We are now both resting in the house..

[JohnDMJ]

51 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

Ours is easy.

Black Bin = None recycle.

Grey with Green lid = Recycle,

BUT

BUT

BUT 

NO Glass or tin foil in the recycle.

No food waste bins.

No Garden waste unless you want to pay for it, which I don't.

 

Still ott init.

 

Do you come under EHDC?

[Tony_S]

Afternoon all.

Much to my surprise we are in Enfield.  We woke up late this morning. I noticed every muscle and joint ache possible after my garage rearranging yesterday. I mentioned to Aditi that I didn’t think I would accompany her to see MiL. Aditi must have misheard and told her Mum I would be there. MiL had said she was pleased I was going so I thought I should do so. Anyway by the time we eventually set off I was fine and Evoque seating is a very effective back ache improver. Traffic wasn’t too bad today but I will need to check before we go home as there were queues towards Southend due to waterworks on the A127. Though I expect there will be less people heading to the coast this evening.

Tony

[JohnDMJ]

17 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

 

Would that be a cantata?

[J. S. Bach]

8 hours ago, chrisf said:

Greetings one and all ...snip...  That is how you make a happy man feel very old. ...snip...

Best wishes to all

Chris   

Or "An old man very happy."!

[Tony_S]

We have pink weeks and black weeks for rubbish. 
Pink is for general recycling in pink sacks. Cardboard piled up as neatly as possible.  Glass in a yellow crate, clothing in a blue bag .

Black is non recyclable waste in black bin bags. 

There is a food waste (small green  bin with secure lid) and garden waste  (big brown wheelie bin) every week. The garden bin is a paid for service, £32 a year. You can put garden bags (pale green) out if you buy them. We do have a compost bin but woody stuff and grass cuttings go in the garden waste bin. 
Our local authority has won awards for its recycling so it was very embarrassing to see film of the distinctive pink bags being dumped into Malaysian landfill rather than the sorting service the council and residents thought was happening. 

[monkeysarefun]

19 hours ago, brianusa said:

Mike, I beg your pardon! .  Sorry, it looks too much like those you mentioned, but a shame they all disappeared especially being replaced by gargantuan full size pick ups which are generally to big to fit in the average garage and parking space.

   Brian.

Holden utes have quite a cult following in the US, owners report that the V8s are often mistaken for some kind of new El Camino by confused bystanders.

 

They were never officially  imported into the US but there is a speciality market for them, with at least one importer who converts them so they'll drive on the wrong side of the road. It's possible using donor parts from either  the Pontiac GTO which itself was an Australian designed Holden Monaro or the Chevrolet SS which is a Holden Commodore, like the ute.

 

I've seen one the same as mine on the market there  once with a ridiculous asking price of 55k US, but  I'd seriously  consider a straight  swap for a 1966 Thunderbird if you know anyone who's got a blue one.

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[grandadbob]

Back from The Shed after about 5 hours in total with a couple of breaks for cooling down and lunch etc.  Now too hot in there even with a fan going full blast.  Chinese builders two doors away were still hammering and drilling until about 30 minutes ago when Russ next door “asked” them to put a sock in it. Peace and quiet now reigns.  My ballast delivery from Liverpool was given a slot by Royal Mail between 11.48 and 15.48 today.  I’d given up hope when it arrived at 15.46!

Now watching a bit of T de F and shortly some cold beers * will be sampled and rugby is due to kick off at 17.00.  
 

* temporary suspension of diet 

 

[chrisf]

1 hour ago, J. S. Bach said:

Or "An old man very happy."!

What I have written I have written.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Went to Tess Coes for a few supplies and managed to get home before the hay fever kicked in. Luckily most of the house stays cool even in the hottest weather, about 3C less than outside at the moment. 

[southern42]

Back from a pleasant afternoon outside with plenty of walking exercise back and forth form front to back garden, and various limb and torso exercises sorting out compost and tools for potting some lonicera cuttings that kindly sprouted some good roots. Of course, that meant reordering and sweeping the plant pot corner out front afterwards - more exercises; watering the plants - a bit of weightlifting;  and putting everything back in the garden 'bin' - warming* down exercises. That should keep the Doc happy!

Now for some refreshments.

F1 can wait!

 

* Warming?  I don't know about being warm.  Hot, was more like it!

[Pacific231G]

Good afternoon all

This is me not doing the work I'd assigned myself today; I've decided it's too hot for work but watching time trials is the one bit of the TdF I can't be bothered with. Cav has one more chance to beat Eddie Merkx's record tomorrow in Paris so I'll watch the last half hour of it though the "parade" through the suburbs does provide opportunities for railway spotting. There was speculation that Merkx wasn't happy about the prospect of his stage victories record being broken but the hug he gave Cav yesterday (when everyone thought that was day it would happen) therather gave the lie to that. Anyway he has an overall record that will probably never be equalled beause the sport is now so much more specialised. 

I mowed the lawn this morning before the temperature soared (and I now have a blister on the palm of my right hand to prove it  (memo to self: next time wear gardening gloves!) cut down the brambles encroaching on the lawn from the defined "nature reserve" strip at the bottom of the garden and those that would stop me from picking the blackberries later this summer. Thought of going to B&Q to get strimmer cable then remembered it's Saturday so thought better of it. I'll go on Monday

 

Bordeaux wine tasting in someone's garden this evening so I'll walk the 4800m there and back thus getting my daily exercise later than usual.

 

Have a great weekend.