Early Risers.

[monkeysarefun]

 

Been wondering why stuff on the BBQ trolley has been mysteriously thrown  off of it and left lying on the deck over the last few days.

 

If it was the UK I could call in Most Haunted but failing that we had to use a combination of being in the right place at the right time and a  super secret spy cam to find the culprit. 

 

Turns out thats their way of letting us know that the bird feeder needs topping up.

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[The Lurker]

The fold in the hill is cooling now although the breeze was warm earlier in the day.

 

work is suit and shirt, very rarely a tie these days, but other than that jeans and a t- shirt- or shorts when the weather’s good!

 

I have never got the “need” to be smart. That is a forced school or work thing. We went out for a belated meal for Mrs Lurker’s birthday last summer and I was in a bit of a crisis because Theo Randall’s expected smart - it said so on their website- and I didn’t want to wear a suit; it was nearly as warm as it had been the last couple of days. As it turned out I needn’t have bothered because there was a bloke on shorts a Hawaiian shirt and flip flops as a fellow guest.

 

and because il Dottore will care, the food was as excellent as it is reputed - and not bank breaking like some Michelin starred places are.

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[brianusa]

Conversely, if my wife and I go out to at a nice restaurant, we both dress up a bit so as not to let down those who have taken the trouble to 'look nice' as she puts it.😐

   Brian

[chrisf]

The pair of jeans was successfully procured and is likely to be deployed today.  This morning I plan to view the new Railway Children movie at the multiplex and I should get home afterwards just in time to watch the original on TV.  This evening a favourite band, Le Vent Du Nord, is playing at The Stables.   All in all, today should be dead cultural.

 

Chris

[iL Dottore]

9 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Only for some - a relative few I suspect.

Interestingly, I read a long, long time ago something about how you could distinguish (before “The swinging 60s”) between the monied classes and those without: look at how they dress on Sundays. The article claimed that the very rich would potter around in battered old clothing on weekends, whilst the less affluent would dress up in their “Sunday best“.

 

How true the claims of this article were, I have no idea.

 

[iL Dottore]

9 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Why does the warm weather bring the rabble out?

 

Optimal breeding conditions?

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a rather warm place.  Due to get warmer.  Thank goodness for aircon in cars.  As yesterday was very warm, mid 30's we didn't do a lot. I did have to top up the pool after a pipe sprang a leal.  The pipes do degrade with sunlightbover thecyears.  The water was still 33 when I spent a pleasant hour hoovering the harvest dust out.

 

Today we will both be heading to Poriers to pick some friends up from the airport. They have 3 young kids and a lot of luggage so 2 cars are needed.  Europcar has taken their booking, and money the told them that their office is shut on a Sunday.  No one is happy but we couldn't see them stranded.  We look after their 2nd home and they are good friends.   They have now managed to locate a hire car for Monday pick up so I'll be helping out with that.

 

Meanwhile not a lot to do but the chickens need mucking out later this morning

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[iL Dottore]

Good morning all,

 

Nothing much in store for me today – except to cook a fillet of beef sous-vide, finish it in the oven and serve it with steamed broccoli.

 

@Gwiwer I hope you had a successful sponsored walk and, apart from being mobbed by beautiful young women seriously impressed by your toned athletic physique 🤣, you suffered no mishaps.

 

@chrisf - Did you follow the link I provided about leg cramps? (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14170-leg-cramps) - some very useful advice which I will heed the next time I have leg cramps (they also happen to me every so often – I suppose part of the price you pay for getting old)

 

I noted that ChrisF has managed to source himself a pair of jeans. I wonder if he is now going to put them on and then sit in a bath full of water as in the famous Levi’s 501 jeans commercial 

and if you remember that commercial (one of a number of amusing commercials for Levi’s produced in the 80s) then you are certainly showing your age.

 

They may not be politically correct nowadays and likely to score very poorly on today’s “what you can and can’t say/show“ tick box checklists; but the 80s certainly did produce a lot of really great TV commercials.

 

Finally, I have just realised that I face a conundrum today: do I unstrap myself from my finger splint and do some modelling and pay the price later, or do I remain strapped up and get absolutely no modelling done?

 

Enjoy Sunday!

[TheQ]

Mooring, Awl,

4 hours sleep, woke with a headache, pink pills 3 hours sleep.

Ben the I want out Collie, took me on patrol, a much more enthusiastic snuffle, once he had chased off the pigeons.

A light dew this morning, the grass is getting greener, cool light breeze coming off the sea. Just a few light clouds up there..

 

A cheque was written this morning, which will be dropped in at the sailing club today. It's to pay for spoons, traditionally silver spoons are awarded on the Thursday, for the first 3 Places in each race . Originally they were solid silver but have long since downgraded to stainless steel.

In return for the donations, you are awarded by becoming a vice president for the day, and invited to wine and nibbles at lunch time...

 

Certainly it was dress for church in a suit and tie in the 1960s for everyone, but the wealthy it would be a tweed suit, the less well off their only  suit, normally black.

 

For the traditional wealthy men, weekends would be in the country, brown heavy shoes, Tattersall shirt, A full tweed suit if visiting some place, but if not , tweed or "moleskin" trousers. With the shirt and shoes.

Wet weather is a oiled coat, of course Barbour was the name to wear, but I notice, their site now includes hoodies and the like.

 

Having a wander online there are still plenty of country gentlemen's stores available today.

Kilted gentleman also have a country weekend change of clothing, the Green background "Hunting " variety of their family kilt, brown sporran, tweed jacket, paired with the brown shoes and Tattersall shirt.. 

 

It was noticeable a member of the sailing club went from jeans and hoodie to moleskin trousers Tattersall shirt  and highly polished brown shoes.. the reason... Army officer training...

 

Time for a muggacoffee and breakfast.

[polybear]

11 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Why does the warm weather bring the rabble out?

 

 

Gives the flies somewhere to land - must be getting kinda tricky now that doggie owners have to scoop it n' bin it.

 

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

I noted that ChrisF has managed to source himself a pair of jeans. I wonder if he is now going to put them on and then sit in a bath full of water as in the famous Levi’s 501 jeans commercial?

 

 

Personally Bear reckons that Chris may well opt for the launderette scene:

 

 

Bear here.....

Wash the Bearmobile?  Shaky. Very, very shaky - the Beary back resulted in a Bear climbing out of The Pit and heading downstairs very, very carefully this morning, which is kinda concerning when you're bustin' for a Number One.  Turdycurses.

So today is most definitely a MIUATBBDD**

(**That's "Make It Up As The Beary Back Decides Day")

Bear gone.....

Edited July 17, 2022 by polybear

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Practically every hour the predicted temperature on Tuesday goes up, now its 41C., whatever it is its too hot. Off out shortly to the two local events, the second although I will be there when it is hottest will be the most comfortable. Usually it is cold and draughty even in the summer so should be cooler.

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Long day at a warm (with cool breeze) office yesterday. A fielder fell and broke his wrist, then a batter pulled a hamstring, then a very slow over rate in the second innings (they will be fined for that) meant I got home about 8:30 pm.

 

Umpires appointments officer turned up. He is not happy with me as I have told him to follow the ECB ACO guidance for umpire appointments as in Best umpires for Best games not Best mates for best games. 

 

I wear Craghopper cargo trousers (black) to umpire in. Light weight when it's hot, mefuims normally and I do have some thick lined ones for cold weather.

 

Today is do nothing day.. ie no scheduled tasks have been given out..so far!

 

 

Before the day progresses.. Time for my mugatea!

 

Stay safe!

 

Baz

 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Sunshine and blue skies again, this is getting monotonous.  Currently 20° forecast to rise to 30°C  this afternoon.

Not sure what today will bring apart from the usual Sunday breakfast that The Boss has just offered to cook. 

We have got to go out to feed and water a pussy cat as his staff has gone away for a few days.

I certainly won't be doing anything very energetic though (no real change there then) not even a gentle walk. 

Have a good one and make sure you keep cool and hydrated.

Bob.

 

[southern42]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Interestingly, I read a long, long time ago something about how you could distinguish (before “The swinging 60s”) between the monied classes and those without: look at how they dress on Sundays. The article claimed that the very rich would potter around in battered old clothing on weekends, whilst the less affluent would dress up in their “Sunday best“.

 

How true the claims of this article were, I have no idea.

 

 

"old battered clothing...."

Out shooting or mucking about on the farm estate. But being well made clothing, in the first instance, it probably was not in such a state as that of the "old battered clothing" of the "less affluent."

 

And with that, ' morning all, keep cool, keep safe.

🏖️

 

Polly

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

...Wash the Bearmobile?  Shaky. Very, very shaky

Why? Does the Bearmobile tend to dismantle itself when the grime is removed? 🤣 😶

[iL Dottore]

As we are paddling around in the very shallow end of the murky waters of the British class system, I have an interesting, and probably contentious, factoid to pass on.

 

I read – in one of my many history books about the Georgian period – that the social structures in Britain partly came about because it was physically impossible to tell the difference between the Aristocracy and the rest of the population (or at least much of it before the industrial revolution).

 

This author contended that unlike aristocrats on the continent – who only interbred with themselves – the British aristocracy had a long history of marrying off impoverished sons to the wealthy daughters “of the middling sort“ (and later to American heiresses). Thanks to this constant enrichment of the aristocratic gene pool, without the distinctions made by accent, manners and clothing, it would be easy to mistake a British aristocrat for a commoner (or vice versa). Unlike on the continent, where the aristocracy had (and probably still has for all I know) a certain “look“ about them.

An accurate assessment? It certainly sounds plausible.

 

I have quite a few volumes on British social history of various eras and they are all very thought-provoking in more ways than one. Nothing like a well researched history book to get “the little grey cells“ agitating….

[PupCam]

Morning All!

 

Yesterday I was shocked to learn of the very sudden death of a friend from the world of model flying and (real) speed boats.   Alex Whittaker; ace photographer, magazine journalist, talented modeller and generally  a "life and soul of the party"  type of good guy collapsed and died whilst working on his boat.      Although we were only distant friends, bumping into each other at model flying events and more recently much more frequently on Faceache I have to say I've been quite stunned by the tragic news - Alex was always so busy zooming around here there and everywhere.    

 

Maybe it's because I did the collapsing bit myself last year but as I was standing outside the Resus bay of the hospital A&E department at the time, they caught me before I hit the ground, scooped me up, got me going and bolted in some electronics the very next day.   Perhaps the two events have brought it home to me just how close we all are to infinity 🤔. 

 

As Alex would say, "Live life and prosper man".    Anyway, RIP Alex.

 

In Other News

 

It's hot, that's it!

 

TTFNQ

 

Alan

 

P.S.   I hope @Gwiwer had a very successful outing yesterday and didn't suffer too much physical or thermal inconvenience!

 

 

 

 

[DaveF]

Yesterday's news from me.

 

After breakfast I had a nice walk down to the beach and for about a mile along it.  It was sunny with a gentle sea breeze, it was about 18C so very pleasant.  Photo below.

 

Then I had a phone call from the flowers lady at church to finish sorting out the dates for the flowers in remembrance of Mum each year.

 

I found out that all the activity at the old police station at the back of Mum's flat was in preparation for filming an episode of Vera.

 

In the afternoon I started to move things around in my house to put the things I've brought from the flat in their proper places, then I'll be able to get rid of the heaps on the floor!

 

Wriiten down it doesn't look much but it took all day!

 

I am just outside the weather warning area - it looks as though there will be a breeze off the sea restricting the temperature to about 24-25C.  I hope everyone copes with the heat.

 

Low tide at Blyth south beach

 

Breakwater at low tide

 

David

Edited July 17, 2022 by DaveF
To add the photos

[DaveF]

 

I had a phone call from Neil, one of Mum's neighbours, after coffee today.

 

A few days ago I had given him some of Dad's paintings, he had asked for the one of the old police station from the window of the flat.  As Mum had  "a lot" of his paintings this one had been stored in the garage since he died in 2005.

 

He knew that Brenda Blethyn would be there for the Vera filming so he had taken it so that he could get her to sign it for me, a lovely thought.  The plastic sheet fixed on with Blu Tak is to protect her signature, as it is done with a felt tip pen - she also signed it in a bit more detail on the rear where it will be permanent as it is on the backing card.

 

Old Police station by Dad, signed by Brenda Blethyn July 2022

 

David

 

 

 

[Gwiwer]

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

@Gwiwer I hope you had a successful sponsored walk and, apart from being mobbed by beautiful young women seriously impressed by your toned athletic physique 🤣, you suffered no mishaps.

 

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

I hope @Gwiwer had a very successful outing yesterday and didn't suffer too much physical or thermal inconvenience!

Here is the news. 
 

It has been 35 years since I last entered a marathon event. During the interval I have, among other things, suffered from the dreaded Big C.   
 

The warm weather yesterday did threaten the event (and today’s half-marathon has been cancelled) but the organisers allowed it to go ahead and arranged more extra water stops. Morning and afternoon pit-stops plus a lunch stop were already arranged and extra water stops were confirmed a week ago.  The longest gap between water therefore reduced from 9 miles to 4. 
 

Starting at 8.30 from Windsor Racecourse we first walked into Windsor, out through Home Park then back into Windsor. Crossing into Eton we then picked up the Thames Path and followed that more or less all the way to Remenham Farm on the outskirts of Henley. Lunch was, perhaps aptly, at Cookham in a field right beside the river.
 

Around 2500 started and 1400 finished including myself. My official ranking was 646th noting that this was not a race. Times and ranks were for infirmation only. My time was 9 hours 35 minutes but included 75 minutes of stop-time at the various refreshment facilities. And five minutes beneath a shady tree at one point.
 

It was very warm. Much of the later part of the route is across open fields without shade. I managed a net pace of 2.69mph but as that includes stops my actual rate was above 3mph. Not at all bad for a “senior” in those conditions. 
 

I had expected to finish at 6pm. In the end it was 6.06 by the clock though my official time suggests a minute less. So just six minutes “late” after walking 26 miles and very much farther in a day than for 35 years. 
 

I must add that the event was superbly organised and resourced.  Huge quantities of fresh fruit, energy bars / cakes and salad lunches were provided in return for the modest £25 registration fee. Also included was the coach trip back to Windsor, medal, glass of prosecco at the line and full stewarding, signage and medical support. 
 

Very many thanks are due to those who have supported me. 
 

Today I woke after a good sleep with only slight stiffness in the feet. Not a blister nor a patch of sunburn in sight. The kit, preparation and precautions were all spot on. 
 

Would I do it again?  Yes. 
 

At the start area ready to go. That blue tube is my “Camelbak” drink bladder. 3 litres of electrolyte-added water carried in my backpack 

 

Walking into Windsor. 1 mile done. 
 

The well-known viaduct taking the GWR Windsor Central branch line above the Thames flood plain. 
 

A beautiful day on the Thames somewhere near Maidenhead

 

Around eight miles down and barely showing the effort! 
 

Nine-mile pitstop. Water, fruit, cakes, tea, seats, toilets and music! 
 

A great day for boating.  Boaters and bathers were out along the full length of the walk. 
 

That bridge at Maidenhead. 
 

Another idyllic scene 

 

Marlow Lock. 18 miles. Still smiling. This is where it gets harder. Hitting a psychological wall somewhere after half way and before the miles are in the twenties and the end feels near. 
 

Bisham church. More boaters. And bathers. Some of the latter were taken by surprise as hundreds of walkers passed their “hidey-holes” and hastily tried to cover up.  Others could not have cared less. 
 

Finally aporoaching the finish line! 26.2 miles. 
 

Job done. Finisher’s medal. Glass of prosecco. And still smiling!!!  
 

 

 

[simontaylor484]

14 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

Been wondering why stuff on the BBQ trolley has been mysteriously thrown  off of it and left lying on the deck over the last few days.

 

If it was the UK I could call in Most Haunted but failing that we had to use a combination of being in the right place at the right time and a  super secret spy cam to find the culprit. 

 

Turns out thats their way of letting us know that the bird feeder needs topping up.

 

 

 

If you had called Most Haunted in you would have found that it would be Stuart and Yvette Fieldings Husband throwing stuff about. Allegedly.

 

[The White Rabbit]

Congratulations to Rick. It's been a while since I've had a long walk and a long time since I've done anything approaching that distance. I will not remedy that this afternoon... 

 

Perhaps if I washed our windows I could make it rain to lower the temperatures? We did have a couple of showers this morning, one around 5 am and then another a bit later. The dawn was very colourful, though only having had a few hours sleep, I didn't get the camera out. Blue skies and a hot sun now. 

 

A light and cold lunch has been had. I wondered if we might have a visit from our four legged suspects, as I baked a chocolate cake yesterday. Together with other food cooked to see us through the hot spell without needing to use the cooker, the inside of the fridge is a tad crowded. Garfield would probably approve. Fingers crossed for Bear's back. Now if the NHS was civilised and run on humanitarian principles, LDC would be available on prescription... 

 

Time to head into a cooler room and review some 'mucky magazines'... Hope everyone can stay cool(ish) and free from aches and pains of all descriptions. 

[simontaylor484]

Well done Rick.

 

As everywhere today is Scorchio but cloudy not a breath of air.

The DDSF were released into the back garden early doors Rolo roaming Pebbles into her play pen I sat next to her pen on a deckchair drinking my coffee. The deckchair is too low for me and made my knees hurt.

I have some woodwork to paint inside but decided its too hot to do it, its the spare bedroom so not a rush job yet.

As the car goes for test at the end of the week I decided to give it a good hoovering with Henry ending up changing the bag as her ladyship seems to forget to do it.

The car has been to the jet wash (a sh1tehawk has decided to drop a bomb on it whilst we had nipped into Halfords.

I am now re reading last years Viz annual

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Yes ALL POSTS READ - as we are again having a couple of days of not doing any work on the house.  And of course, the ususal greetings are on offer to all fellow ERs.  And a special mention for Rick completing your walk against a really warm day.  Well done to you.

 

Instead, we went to a church fete - which turned out to be a fete worse than death - it was dire, and a waste of petrol and of the admission fee - there were only four stands there - books, bric a brac, bottle stall and a lollipop tree - oh and a rather dire brass band.  Just to support the event, we had a go on the bottle stall, and WE WON - a bottle of cassis and nectarine buck's fizz - with a use by date of June 2016 - needess to say it was used to clean the drain.  The bottle is so sedimented that I couldn't recycle it without wasting a lot of water - and Severn Trent have already asked us (twice) to keep our consumption down.  So it went into landfill.

 

Temperature here is HOT - but then again, some of us remember 1976 when it was HOT for three months - not three days - standpipes, pubs running dry, and no respite at all - and NO red weather warnings - just warnings from work (and no air conditioning in those days) about non arrival due to the hot weather.  ISTR that a TV presenter tried to fry an egg on the pavement - I don't recall whether he succeeded.

 

Anyway, back tomorrow if I don't melt.  I have a DR appointement at 08.40 then a shift in Oxfam sorting and pricing - and any railway book lovers near Ludlow - we do have quite a few railway books at the moment, and some of them are not the usual rubbish that frequents most charity shops = and quite fairly priced - if anybody wants to visit tomorrow morning, ask for me, and I will root out the stuff at the back for their perusal.

 

Regards to All

Stewart