Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

Good morning all from a quiet farmhouse in the Land Afar. Our last full day back home for now and the weather still thinks it’s April.   

 

However it seems that our pot of gold may indeed lie somewhere nearby after all. 
 

 

Snapped through a rain-spattered kitchen window. 
 

This, on the other hand, was snapped last night from a rocky outcrop where I can only go when Dr. SWMBO isn’t watching!  I remain extremely sure-footed and confident; she remains anxious and doesn’t like me going to high exposed edges. But she likes the result. As do I. 
 

[Coombe Barton]

11 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Fortunately it is not in any way compulsory - to participate or witness.

Not even to offer support? A surgical support, I mean.

 

[Andrew P]

Again, not sure if its just me, but over the last few days I have a NEW Boots and other Adds that appears as a strip, top right of the screen and COVERING the Contents I follow link, and there is, NO "X" to get rid of it, so I now have to go to the bottom of the page and use that Contents I follow link, once I've KILLED OFF the rolling Add from the right hand side, that is usually hiding that one.

Edited November 4, 2021 by Andrew P

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Another bright and sunny start to England’s northwest after a night of rain! The ground is still very wet, far too wet for any sort of gardening, so once again I will be staying inside. But then, once again I am required for door answering duties as Sheila has a package due this morning, anytime between 9:25 and 1:25. 

 

So my plan is to carry on with what I was doing yesterday, namely constructing the inspection pits for the engine shed. Yesterday I built 2 of the 4 pits, so with a bit of luck, I’ll get the other 2 built today. 

 

So far this morning, since I logged in, I’ve had to clear the privacy notice 4 times!

 

Back later. 

 

Brian

Edited November 4, 2021 by BSW01
Typo

[simontaylor484]

11 hours ago, Tony_S said:

The aluminium foil covered bubble wrap stuff I lined our old garage door with worked well. It was stuck to the door with the metallic tape the manufacturer recommended. The bottom had brush type draught excluder screwed on and the top had a rubber strip screwed on. It made quite a difference to the room above the garage too. The replacement roller door is made from plastic and is more insulating and the draught exclusion is much better. 
Tony
 

That is the same reason I am trying to insulate my garage as well as having a warmer workshop and layout area. A roller shutter door is on my wish list the mechanism/frame for the current door takes up a lot of space I will add a photo when I get chance.

I need to seal the floor I have some Everbuild 403 to paint on the concrete floor it reacts with the lime in the concrete and it doesn't need over painting 

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, simontaylor484 said:

current door takes up a lot of space I will add a photo when I get chance.

When we had the old door replaced we had the new door moved so the internal space in the garage was increased. The old one was set back to allow the door to swing out as it was raised. 

[pH]

3 hours ago, TheQ said:

Those built before the 1930's often had solid walls where as since then they moved to first a void between two layers of brickwork or these days a wooden frame covered in brick.

We had a house outside Cambridge which had solid brick walls, and had been built in 1939. We found out (I can’t remember where/how) that it and the few around it were among the very last in England built that way. We lived there through the very cold 1981-82 winter and were comfortably warm.

[chrisf]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Finally, a rant: [rant mode ON] as we are approaching the end of year festivities, what’s all this reticence about calling Christmas - Christmas? No one seems to be going around saying that you can’t call Hanukkah - Hanukkah or that you can’t refer to Ōmisoka. However, instead of wishing people a Merry Christmas or sending Christmas cards, we now have to send “seasons greetings“ and wish people “happy holidays“. To quote the great Ebeneezer Scrooge: “bah, humbug!” Acceptance of other peoples cultural festivities is a two way street you know! [rant mode OFF])

 

iD

Blow that for a game of soldiers!  I send Christmas cards in great number and have just bought the blank labels on which the names and addresses will be printed.  I don't actually enjoy Christmas but spending it in a certain Alpine country makes it a whole lot more bearable.

 

[Father] Chris[tmas]

[polybear]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

And whilst on the subject of guitars, I came across a scurrilous rumour yesterday: that there is a town in China, which has a big guitar making factory, that has been renamed as “USA” so devious (or canny) guitar companies can legitimately sell as “Made in USA“ guitars that are actually made in China. True? No idea.

 

Bear couldn't find a "USA" in China.  But there is one in Japan....

 

 

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

The John Lewis C*******s ad has been released. 

 

 

Excellent, though Bear prefers the Moz the Monster JL Ad from 2017....

 

In other news....

Washing up done.  Thanks, dishwasher.

Washing done.  Thanks, washing machine.

Bins emptied.  Thanks, binmen

New skip delivered next door.  Thanks, NNN.

Bear's playroom tidied, blood test booked, dentist booked.  It seems Mr Dentist now works one day a week - I suspect he's now doing more work at the "posh" clinics he also works at as he's a bit of a whizz at Implants (of the dental variety).  So Bear is seeing another at the usual clinic - if he hurts then I'll be sure to sink my fangs into him.  He'll only do it once.

[TheQ]

1 hour ago, pH said:

We had a house outside Cambridge which had solid brick walls, and had been built in 1939. We found out (I can’t remember where/how) that it and the few around it were among the very last in England built that way. We lived there through the very cold 1981-82 winter and were comfortably warm.

Probably a bit more sheltered than my 1906 house on a 19ft Norfolk mountain facing the North sea..

Edited November 4, 2021 by TheQ

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from LBG where clouds have gathered and also metaphorically over year end where we may have picked up an error that adds $4m to an already too high tax charge.

 

My house is a 1930s semi - a classic suburban SE London house, bay fronted etc. It has solid walls. We had the loft insulated a few years back, and noticed the difference, particularly in  summer when the upstairs sometime is unbearably hot! 

 

I have observed a couple of things about the drive for better insulated houses:

 

1. they require triple glazing and airtight windows - does no-one want to open windows any more?

2. external cladding sounds all too reminiscent of what was done to various blocks of flats in the form of cladding, with tragic consequences.

 

The flats at the end of our road where the job centre used to be has polystyrene cladding - the parakeets haven't discovered it but the local yobs did dig holes into at one stage.

 

I am glad to read Tony S  has survived his latest examination and the train ride. 

[polybear]

It seems the weather around Bear Towers is forecast to be dry tomorrow, which means the chances for a re-run of the Somme is increased somewhat.  However, it has been unusually quiet on the run-up to the battle, with no skirmishes reported.  Perhaps there is some hope for at least a partial ceasefire after all....

 

In other news...

Bear needs to work out how much Expamet Mesh I'll need to reinforce certain areas to be plastered in the lounge.  Wickes charge 13 quid a sheet, yet TP want 18.68 (and that's trade price too); However, TP will deliver for now't - which could be a real advantage as it's 2.5m long and as sharp as hell.  If I only need a sheet or two I'll swallow the price and get it delivered, otherwise it's Wickes and cut it in the car park...

[TheQ]

People blame the cladding, but it was also the way it was put on..

From what I've read on Grenfell it was battened off the walls creating  220 foot chimneys, then the window reveals were extended out over the gap with UPVC which melts quite easily. Then the worst thing, they moved the Windows replacing steel frames with UPVC, out from the concrete wall onto the foam, therefore breaking the sealed fireproof room seal. (something the fire brigade didn't know when they advised people to stay in their rooms)  All in all a total cock up, and the enquiry hopefully will eventually find at who's feet that lays..

 

On a house the foam is fixed directly to the walls, and the windows are not moved, but outside fire "influences " have to be kept away by what ever top coat you fit.. if it's an internal fire that gets through to the external cladding then you have a lot more to worry about than the cladding..

 

Similarly I saw people panicking about foam  in layouts, if fire gets through wood / plaster and anything else on the layout then polystyrene won't make a lot of difference to the fire. If you can't put it out,    GET OUT. 

 

PS if you can put it out, once done, ventilate the area, Polystyrene has some nasty fumes..

Edited November 4, 2021 by TheQ

[tigerburnie]

Heads up, there should be a good Aurora tonight, around 9 pm, could be seen down into England, I shall no doubt be out chasing it again lol.

[PhilJ W]

One sick bunny.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bedsit-murderer-sexually-assaulted-least-25380627#source=push

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Not a lot to report today, I haven't done much except a bit of eye lid inspection. The fireworks are just starting but as its Diwali its to be expected as a lot of neighbours are from the sub-continent. On the breakfast show this morning they were discussing Diwali and the foods associated with the celebrations, it looked absolutely delicious. When I was working I used to work in the polling stations. My regular post was at a polling station in Barking where  there is a large Indian/Pakistani community and the wives of a couple of the councillors used to bring around trays of Indian delicacies, they soon disappeared.

[Ozexpatriate]

10 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Saw Xmas lights on outside a house last night.

I saw a home having lights "professionally" installed this morning. Most Americans wait until the Thanksgiving weekend - this year on November 25.

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, The Lurker said:

1. they require triple glazing and airtight windows - does no-one want to open windows any more?

My double glazed windows (5 years old) are quite airtight (when closed). They can be opened as required.

 

11 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Our house is a modern 2002 semi detached bungalow, timber frame, block outer, lots of layers insulation on the timber frame before an air gap - which should not be filled, you will get damp issues if you do. 

The approach here for contemporary construction is usually a wood frame, clad in plywood with a vapor-barrier "house wrap" fabric*, covered in manufactured siding. Interior walls are usually sheetrock dry wall (gypsum) and the void is filled with insulation. (It comes in rolls.)

 

* Tyvek by Dupont is common.

 

At the end of construction the house is pressurized and the resulting pressure (after a set time) is measured to see whether it is airtight. The builder gets a "score" on how well this target is hit. I have two permanently on exhaust fans - one in the downstairs bathroom and one in the laundry to make sure no damp/mould accumulates.

 

Attic insulation may be blown in.

 

All this is great for retaining heat. I wanted a 'whole house' fan to extract heat in the summer but the builder refused to do this since it would affect his airtight 'score'. I open the windows in summer as much as I can but to shift the thermal mass and really cool it down requires the air conditioning.

 

Edited November 4, 2021 by Ozexpatriate

[JohnDMJ]

Good Evening Awl,

 

Elsewhere:

 

11 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Good morning all,

 

Finally, a rant: [rant mode ON] as we are approaching the end of year festivities, what’s all this reticence about calling Christmas - Christmas? No one seems to be going around saying that you can’t call Hanukkah - Hanukkah or that you can’t refer to Ōmisoka. However, instead of wishing people a Merry Christmas or sending Christmas cards, we now have to send “seasons greetings“ and wish people “happy holidays“. To quote the great Ebeneezer Scrooge: “bah, humbug!” Acceptance of other peoples cultural festivities is a two way street you know! [rant mode OFF])

 

iD

 

Agreed! Each has their own take on the various celebrations made for whatever reason.

 

I adopt the French approach: Joyeuses fêtes ! = Happy Festival!

[Ozexpatriate]

11 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Finally, a rant: [rant mode ON] as we are approaching the end of year festivities, what’s all this reticence about calling Christmas - Christmas? No one seems to be going around saying that you can’t call Hanukkah - Hanukkah or that you can’t refer to Ōmisoka. However, instead of wishing people a Merry Christmas or sending Christmas cards, we now have to send “seasons greetings“ and wish people “happy holidays“. To quote the great Ebeneezer Scrooge: “bah, humbug!” Acceptance of other peoples cultural festivities is a two way street you know! [rant mode OFF]

 

10 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Don’t worry. In the real world people still greet each other with Happy Christmas , or Eid Mubarak, or Diwali greetings. Every year certain newspapers get in a bate about someone who claims you can’t say Happy Christmas anymore. Same claims about shops not stocking Easter Eggs. All manufactured indignation. Our family is quite diverse and basically any excuse for a meal.

Very much so Tony. I get so tired of manufactured "culture wars" used to whip up outrage amongst media consumers. I won't name names but the worst offender might be a news company (owned by a nonagenarian whose dad owned my hometown paper.)

 

"Happy Holidays" is hardly new. Bing Crosby was happy to sing it in 1942. I suspect it became popular in the early 20th century amongst big city department stores in the US (particularly New York) to not discourage their Jewish customers from shopping at that time. It is documented in use by tobacco companies in the 1930s with slogans like "Happy Holidays and Happy Smoking" encouraging tobacco as a gift. There is documented evidence of it appearing in newspapers in the 19th century.

 

The origin of "Happy Holidays" appears to be inclusive of the holy days of Advent through Epiphany, so one could argue it is actually religious.

[Tony_S]

I am amazed the internet and other communication system’s survived today. The amount of Diwali messages arriving from Aditi’s worldwide family multiplied by all the other families that celebrate Diwali must have been significant. 
Tony

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

At the end of construction the house is pressurized and the resulting pressure (after a set time) is measured to see whether it is airtight. 

 

Or do the  huntsman spider test . If its a rainy day and theres no huntsman on your ceiling somewhere your house is airtight .  Probably even the space shuttle would find them on board if it was based here. Its been raining 2 days and I've removed three. Or maybe the same one three times. You can only catch and release  them -  spray them and they take about a week to die, Squash them and you need a crime scene clean up team to mop up the mess. 

 

 

Edited November 4, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[Gwiwer]

Good evening. And “see ‘ee dreckly” to Cornwall. It’s back to the Hill of Strawberries tomorrow. 
 

 

 

[Erichill16]

Been to Meadowhall shopping with SWMBO.

Nearly bought a book on Schrodinger’s Cat but was in two minds.

[PupCam]

Evening All!

 

 

11 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

That is the same reason I am trying to insulate my garage as well as having a warmer workshop and layout area. A roller shutter door is on my wish list the mechanism/frame for the current door takes up a lot of space I will add a photo when I get chance.

I need to seal the floor I have some Everbuild 403 to paint on the concrete floor it reacts with the lime in the concrete and it doesn't need over painting 

 

One of the best additions to my garage was some scrap "New offcuts" carpet.   The cold is pervasive standing directly on the concrete floor.      Door lagging "mostly finished", I'm just doing the supplementary twiddly bits at the moment.  

 

I've also had to add quite a bit of extra tension to the spring to counteract the additional weight.  It probably took another 5 or 6 turns to get the door to balance/stay up.     As the spring is viscous I enlisted the help of the neighbour as it involves the simultaneous use of two spanners and an Allen Key and I've only got two hands!

 

Above the garage door is a full width window albeit blanked off so you can't see inside the garage.   The thought did cross my mind that the ledge would be wide enough for a length of Peco Streamline and a train with an automated shuttle controller in a moment of silliness .  Might amuse passers-by.   

Does the team think ......

 

8 hours ago, The Lurker said:

1. they require triple glazing and airtight windows - does no-one want to open windows any more?

 

Sounds like it.  That is of course until a nasty virus comes along and we are all instructed to fling open our windows .....

 

Good night!

 

Alan

Edited November 4, 2021 by PupCam
Too many "Had"s and not enough "Add"s!