Early Risers.

[PupCam]

Evening All!

 

5 hours ago, BoD said:

I had an appointment to see a GP yesterday, There were 22 people waiting when I got there with a steady stream of comings and goings whilst I waited for my go.

 

I'll have to Google "GP Appointment" to find out what that is ......

 

In Other News

 

Some last minute shopping for the great Christmas Scoffing Ceremonies (mostly liquid) has been undertaken along with some more work on the focuser.    I've spent a good deal of time over the last few days (20+ hours I reckon) on machining the mounting for the focus wheel and shaft.   A tricky (and wasteful of raw material!)  task but I got there in the end.    First of all a turning exercise and then a milling exercise followed by a hacksawing it in half and throwing half of it in the scrap bin exercise!

 

 

A new focus wheel shaft has been made to suit and it also benefits from being much closer to straight than the prototype!    I might make a larger focus wheel to give finer control and the last remaining "tricky" machining job is to machine a rebate in the base to receive the focus shaft housing.   Because of the radius on the bottom of the mount I'll have to machine a spigot to mount it firmly on to the lathe.   Then the final jobs will be tidying up the spring and mount and adding a focus locking mechanism of some form.

 

Anyway, it works nicely and will be miles better than the cheap and cheerful plastic job supplied with the telescope! 😀

 

 

TTFNQ

 

Alan

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by PupCam

[PupCam]

16 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Bear can sense a Puppers @PupCam Rant approaching........😱

 

 

Deep breaths and R E  L  A    X      .......

[AndyID]

it got so cold last night that our community water well stopped working. There is an electric heater in the pump house but it probably could not keep up. It looks like the water in the pressure switch that turns on the well pump froze or perhaps the switch was too far outside its operating temperature. It started working again after some extra heat was added. (The pump house has little insulation.)

 

I have recommended a 60 watt incandescent light bulb be placed close to the switch until we get beyond this exceptional cold spell.

[polybear]

I know some like the odd Tattoo, but.......

 

https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/22/tattooed-mum-told-to-watch-childs-school-nativity-through-window-17981508/

 

Jeez......

[monkeysarefun]

34 minutes ago, PupCam said:

 

Deep breaths and R E  L  A    X      .......

 

These kind of places are becoming more and more common down here, most suburbs are in reach of one and many regional centres have them  despite us not having "The best health system in the world!". Many remote and rural areas still suffer from the lack of basic healthcare services though, although the Flying Doctor service runs regular free  clinics to the remotest areas.

 

https://www.ourmedicalhome.com.au/medical-centres/penrith

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. As the time of the delivery of the parcel I was expecting was given as between 16:58 and 18:58 I went out to do some shopping. I got home about four o'clock and after unpacking my shopping I went to check the tracking of the parcel only to discover that an attempt to deliver was made about three o'clock not long after I had left the house. I phoned the local depot and when I explained what had happened the chap at the depot said that they don't deliver that late. He did check that the delivery time and was surprised at the times given. He apologised and did promise delivery tomorrow before lunch so I'll wait and see. If not delivered by then I'll have to arrange collection from the depot at Rayleigh Weir.

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

More time spent with Nephews, Syd and mil and visit to cafe at garden centre.

surprise visit from a friend and his wife. Exchanged a couple of books and he wanted to show his SWMBO the layout I took to the exhibition last month. I think he’s wanting planning permission for something similar but I don’t think it’s going to be forthcoming!

Tentatively arranged to meet at Doncaster Racecourse next Friday and it’s not to watch the Gee Gees.

Been a busy day and I think the next few will be the same so Goodnight,

Robert

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

These kind of places are becoming more and more common down here, most suburbs are in reach of one and many regional centres have them  despite us not having "The best health system in the world!". Many remote and rural areas still suffer from the lack of basic healthcare services though, although the Flying Doctor service runs regular free  clinics to the remotest areas.

 

https://www.ourmedicalhome.com.au/medical-centres/penrith

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here in the frozen sub-arctic (a bit further South than Paris) we are fortunate to have very good access to physicians and because we are old enough to be on Medicare it's not at all expensive. Actually we've lived in quite a few US states over the last 40+ years and we've always been very happy with the level of care we have received, but maybe we were just lucky.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

It’s been another busy day here at BSW towers. I managed to get all my railway stock boxes back into the underfloor storage area, the cellar is now looking a lot clearer. All I need to move now are the Christmas decoration boxes and the Christmas tree box, but they can wait until I take everything down. After that, I’ll be able to make a start on making the bookcase for Sheila sewing room and a faux beehive for the garden. Once that lots done, I can finish the cellar. 

 

After dinner, Charlie turned up and after a quick chat with his nana, he and I went to the workshop and spent a very pleasant 3 hours in there. He continued working on his current modelling project, whilst I completed the rigging on the DH Tiger Moth. All that’s left to do now is put the decals on and then fabricate a pair of windscreens and it done. I’ve included a photo of it in it’s current state, unfortunately, the lighting wasn’t very good, so it’s a bit blurry. 

 

 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[Ozexpatriate]

The cold weather (I'm guessing) seems to be playing Harry with the local broadcast television channel feed to the cable television. The cable is fine for everything else - just not any of the the channels with local weather forecasts.

 

None of the forecast wintry precipitation has arrived (yet). I can't complain. I have electricity, gas and water, and know what the forecast is anyway. Being a creature of habit, it's weird not being able to watch the early news, when there's actually something going on locally.

 

EDIT: 

After an hour or so of either looking like a heavily quantized Jackson Pollock or no signal with error messages, the local channels have returned - or at least the one I usually watch.

 

Then approaching 5:30pm the signal disintegrated again. Meanwhile the weather skipped the snow and sleet and went straight to freezing rain - but by bedtime, seems to be accumulating sleet.

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Ozexpatriate
Updated over time

[Kelly]

7 hours ago, polybear said:

 

 

 

 

A new one needed - or just** new batteries?

 

**Says a Bear who hasn't a clue about how much such batteries cost......

 

 

 

The batteries were brand new not long before the warley show. They're not cheap either, being around 160 quid for the pair. 

[BR60103]

I now have an operating printer again.  The previous one went "offline" permanently, so we bought a new one on Sunday.  I found that the setup didn't complete -- no test page printed.

I called a fellow called seniortek but never was called back.

Today I tried again.  I read the instructions and finally realized that charging the printheads required me to hold down thw Stop button for 5 seconds.  I had been holding down the "Start" button.

 

We  have been promised a bit of snow for tomorrow.  All the schools have announced shutdowns.

My sister is having her 50th anniversary party tomorrow.  We weren't going anyway.

 

[jjb1970]

15 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

I only hope that when I visit the Tenshodo shop during my stay that they don’t have any N Gauge models of those amazing tourist trains such as the 

Train Suite Shiki-Shima,  Twilight Express Mizukaze or Cruise Train Seven Stars in Kyushu. The temptation would be too much to resist.

 

However, as I will be travelling part of the way from Tokyo to Osaka on the Saphir Odoriko luxury train, I will probably be ”forced” to acquire the Kato N Gauge model as a souvenir*

 

I might even have to buy a third suitcase…

 

* given that I suffer terribly from GAS (gear acquisition syndrome), it is likely that I might end up collecting N Gauge models**of all those wonderful, specially designed, Japanese EMUs

 

**Anyone want a cellar full of OO gauge GWR rolling stock and other modelling sundries?

 

Alas, I fear this may become expensive........ Kato and Tomix between them do (or have done) most of the luxury and excursion trains in N Gauge. The Kato Seven Stars set was especially nicely done, Kato seemed to go overboard on that one.

The hobby in Japan is huge, indeed rail enthusiasm in general is huge and though many Japanese people have the same bemusement for rail enthusiasts as many British people it is a very visible hobby. Even in Singapore there is a JR Cafe, a Japanese rail themed place. As Claude Dreyfus say's, model shops are still common and many department stores still have excellent model departments (some of the really good ones shame most of the model shops we still have in blighty).

Something about Japanese N is they use the same batch production system as most markets do, though run sizes are huge, and models can sell out very quickly. The luxury trains seem popular and tend to sell out quickly, however, but it's common to find physical shops with stock long after the on-line vendors have sold out. The Shinkansen trains get regular batches because they're probably the core for much of the range and you can find most of the various Shinkansen trains at any time very easily (though the Tomix Series 400 doesn't seem to be aired as regularly) but some of the more unusual or obscure models can be produced much less frequently.

[jjb1970]

7 hours ago, polybear said:

I know some like the odd Tattoo, but.......

 

https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/22/tattooed-mum-told-to-watch-childs-school-nativity-through-window-17981508/

 

Jeez......

 

What might be called 'extreme tattoos' seem to be becoming much more common. At one time facial and neck tattoos were rare but I notice more and more people getting tattoos where they're extremely visible. To be honest while tattoos are not my thing I've always thought that it's up to individuals and if they like tattoos fair enough, but I do wonder what some people are going to look like in a few years. 

[jjb1970]

7 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

These kind of places are becoming more and more common down here, most suburbs are in reach of one and many regional centres have them  despite us not having "The best health system in the world!". Many remote and rural areas still suffer from the lack of basic healthcare services though, although the Flying Doctor service runs regular free  clinics to the remotest areas.

 

https://www.ourmedicalhome.com.au/medical-centres/penrith

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such centres seem to be the standard model here, though usually smaller. Some are 24/7 clinics, though in the quiet hours the on-call doctor comes out if needed rather than sitting through the night reading or surfing the web. We live very close to the senior doctor in one of the local med centres who told us if we need anything out of hours just knock on his door and he'll see if he can sort things out without going to the med-centre, apparently there are definite benefits to living next to doctors here.

[iL Dottore]

15 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

 

Alas, I fear this may become expensive........ Kato and Tomix between them do (or have done) most of the luxury and excursion trains in N Gauge. The Kato Seven Stars set was especially nicely done, Kato seemed to go overboard on that one.

Sadly, I think that you may well be right….

(sigh) I guess I’ll have to add another £1000 to the “shopping in Japan” budget

7 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

 

What might be called 'extreme tattoos' seem to be becoming much more common. At one time facial and neck tattoos were rare

It’s perhaps as well most of these people are ever unlikely to travel to Japan. Tattoos are associated with criminality (the Yakuza) and some places (such as Onsen) refuse tattooed individuals entrance.

 

I’m certainly going to date myself by saying this, but I learnt as a wee lad that the only people who had tattoos were criminals, soldiers and (especially) sailors. Towards the end of the 60s the list was expanded to include “hippie chicks with strategically placed bunny or butterfly tattoos” 😊 💓

4 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

 

Such centres seem to be the standard model here, though usually smaller. Some are 24/7 clinics, though in the quiet hours the on-call doctor comes out if needed rather than sitting through the night reading or surfing the web. We live very close to the senior doctor in one of the local med centres who told us if we need anything out of hours just knock on his door and he'll see if he can sort things out without going to the med-centre, apparently there are definite benefits to living next to doctors here.

I think that sort of centre is very good healthcare delivery model. Whilst here, where I live in Switzerland, there aren’t any (perhaps there are in Bern, Zürich or Geneva), many GP practices are multifunctional: my own GP has a small lab and a small radiology suite within the practice. Obviously, although neither the lab or radiology can do highly specialised and sophisticated tests, they can provide the GP with routine assessments - which covers a huge percentage of the GP’s diagnostic test needs. Basic ECGs and ultrasound assessments are also done in house. The whole set up is very convenient for both GP and patient.

 

I think that the big central hospital model worked very well when the necessary equipment was very expensive, very bulky and very difficult to operate. Whereas nowadays because the equipment is cheap (comparatively), small and easy to use and within reach of any small practice, I think that the role of the big central hospital should be (and in many places is) moving away from “routine” to highly specialised.
 

When I started out, the hospital I worked at was very proud to have acquired a “cutting edge technology” SMAC machine - which could do over a dozen different analyses on one blood sample. It was a huge machine and, from what I recall, the lab techs said it was “temperamental”. My GP has a similar machine - about the size of an old Gateway desktop, which works at a push of a button and - seemingly - is unproblematic and consistently reliable.

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Today willbe a busy one. Off to the Butchers for our Christmas meat order, calling into the bakers for some bread,a last minute tidy up of the work room then....relax....

 

We have a lot of "medical centres" in Leeds.. they are larger than a normal GPS surgery and can dovarious minor procedures. The NHS model is based on centralised services.. we can use a small hospital in Otley (more akinto the old cottage hospital) which has no A&E facility but does do xrays, blood tests etc as well as very good physio facilities.  Turn round gor blood tests in our practice is generally a day.. its the admin tail which really slows the process down. BUT  it's free!

 

In other matters..

Watched a bit of kickball last night. Professional referee was poor and the players realised it.. the younger viewers will now believe its OK to push other players to the ground in a fit of pique .. useless! Skills were poor.. overpaid, undersikilled and very petty.. no more kickball watching for a while for me.

 

On the other hand I watched the England women walking past an understrength West Indies women's team. A bit one sided but the windiest have some great prospective players who will be a force at the Under 19 World Cup.

 

Mugatea has arrived so.. TTFN!

Have as good a day/even8ng as you can.

 

Stay safe!

 

Baz

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

It's been raining quite heavily for a couple of hours and is set to continue through the morning and part of the afternoon.  Currently 8°C, might reach 12°C.

A couple of deliveries due,  first up Sainsbury's and only one unavailable item today which is non-urgent.  Also due are two parcels from Amazon which have both reached their local depot so we should see them today.

I expect a couple more domestic tasks will require assistance but most things are near enough done.  I have requested a hair cutting appointment if Management can spare the necessary few minutes.

Have a good 'un,

Bob.

Edited December 23, 2022 by grandadbob

[grandadbob]

Things have gone slightly pear-shaped.  Had a call at 08.28 from Sainsbury's to tell me that our 8.30 delivery will be late as a driver has rung in sick.  Now scheduled for 11.00....ish.    Hmmm, we'll see.  The Boss is jumping up and down a bit. 

Edited December 23, 2022 by grandadbob

[polybear]

8 hours ago, Kelly said:

 

The batteries were brand new not long before the warley show. They're not cheap either, being around 160 quid for the pair. 

 

A dodgy battery(s) perhaps, or maybe the charger isn't charging fully?

 

Bear here.....

Today sees the "Great Changing Of Email Addresses" - to be combined with sorting of paperwork etc.  Bear can do that - no dust or cut paws involved.  After that it's MIUABGAD.

 

In other news......

At last - somewhere approaching a proper sentence:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/crufts-judge-fined-78-000-for-large-scale-illegal-puppy-farm/ar-AA15zxs1?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=dd862294e1f446469b5b02ac72b92e99

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/video/viral/exploding-tyre-sends-worker-flying-into-the-air/vi-AA15zoyg?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=7a356b11a5f0460e997e44922cc4472f&category=foryou

 

So much for Crufts Judges - and Bear feels confident that a certain @iL Dottore may well issue a Rant that even Puppers @PupCam would struggle to match......

 

And finally.....

This'll sting in the morning (he's Ok though):

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/video/viral/exploding-tyre-sends-worker-flying-into-the-air/vi-AA15zoyg?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=7a356b11a5f0460e997e44922cc4472f&category=foryou

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Another dull and wet start to the day here in the northwest corner of England, that currently has a temperature of 5C. Very shortly I’ll be setting off for my walk to the butchers for the weekly meat rations and a pork pie for my dinner. Then I shall head off to the Trafford Centre for a few more items, I suspect it I’ll be busier than usual. There are no plans for the afternoon, but that can always be changed. 

 

Back later. 

 

Brian

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Persisting down here but should stop later. My parcel should be here soon, the tracker says I'm parcel # 8 and the delivery is currently at # 5 just under a mile away # 7 so I should be next. Problem is that I'm not even dressed yet.

[grandadbob]

Just had another phone call from Sainsbury's.   Our delivery will now be between 12.00 and 13.00.     Definitely.  Hmmmm again.