Early Risers.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all.

More frost here but it should be a fine and dry day with sunny spells.  Currently 0°C rising to 5°C.

As you can imagine light pollution is terrible around here in the Land of Sutt  so we don't see many stars.

Lots of security lights surrounding us including two on my house.  One at rear covers mine and next door's gardens (both sides) and they're quite happy about it. One on the side is handy as it illuminates the alleyway where we and neighbours keep our bins so if we need to go out there at night we can see what we're doing.  Also got one by the door of The Shed.  I did change the one on the rear of the house for a smaller wattage bulb as it was far too bright.  I also don't switch it on until I go to bed in the winter as the condensate from the gas boiler drifts across the sensor when the wind is in a certain direction and the bl##dy thing keeps going on and off!

I've got to nip out to Asda as "we" forgot to order something.....actually this time it was me.  A couple of parcels are due from Amazon and apart from that I am a free agent.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

 

[grandadbob]

Should have added “apart from when I bang my head” to my comment about “not seeing many stars”. 

[DaveF]

Just a brief note. There was minor issue involving blood a few hours after my colonoscopy so I am in the process of having it dealt with.  I should be back to normal very soon.

David

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Not a bad night last night, the eczema was a bit quieter. Not much else to report, be back later. 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Another frosty start to the day here in the northwest corner of England where it’s currently -2C outside. I will have a guest with me when I go to the Trafford Centre this morning, so I’m planning on going to the cafe at John Lewis first! After that there is nothing else planned. 

 

Back later. 

 

Brian

[Coombe Barton]

Especially for @monkeysarefun - it's reached the front page of the BBC website - about Toadzilla

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-64341453

[grandadbob]

Went for a walk to Asda and managed not to fall over on slippery pavements.  Needless to say one of our Amazon parcels which wasn't due until Monday was delivered while we were out, (by Evri - go figure) ) but at least the driver knocked next door and asked them to take it so that's OK.  The two parcels due today are now out for delivery so the tension and excitement is mounting! 🤪

I think I need to get a life!

[petethemole]

Some of Mrs mole's Amazon orders are delivered by Evri.  I think some of the traders that sell through Amazon but also have their own sales sites just use the one courier.  Our local Evri guy is very good.

[jjb1970]

I think it all depends on the local driver. I remember a few years ago there was a lot of complaints about a low cost delivery outfit, sorry I can't remember which one but the media had pictures of trucks stopping in car parks to give out delivery packages to drivers. At the time they were the company everybody loved to hate yet the driver for our area was superb and delivered terrific service, much better than RM or Parcel Force. Which isn't to say other drivers might not have deserved the reputation the company picked up.

[PupCam]

Morning (pre-munch) All!

 

Psst!    Don't mention it to Winslow Boy but there's been more activity in the Puppershire Observatory.   

 

Last night I managed to find, see and photograph a galaxy for the very first time.    Andromeda since you asked 😃

201 photos were taken with 120 of them being stacked over night while Puppers was sleeping (that's the way to do it said Mr Punch). 

 

Andromedia as it turns out is a bit of a disappointing smudge with Puppers' telescope however the fact that I actually found it gave me more bounce than even Tigger could handle.   I still need a lot more practice and experience with the post-stacking processing though!

 

 

 

12 minutes ago, petethemole said:

Some of Mrs mole's Amazon orders are delivered by Evri.  I think some of the traders that sell through Amazon but also have their own sales sites just use the one courier.  Our local Evri guy is very good.

 

Our Evri delivery person used to be excellent (she lives in the village) but unfortunately she disappeared from the scene about 6 months ago. Not certain if that's due to ill health or she just got fed up but either way it's a great shame she's gone.    The service ever since has been absolutely appalling.

 

Light pollution - Made the news on the BBC website today:

 

                           https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64321824

 

Another cold and clear day today.    Hmm, better charge the camera battery up just-in-case it lasts until the early evening.

 

TTFNQ

 

Alan

 

 

[grandadbob]

We're quite lucky with all the couriers that deliver here, even one of the Amazon guys who delivers most of our parcels, actually waits for you to open the door and hands it to you although the others just leave it on the step. The only driver I've had to complain about was the one from our local pharmacy who seemed to take delight in balancing or hanging the parcel containing prescriptions on the porch door handle so when you opened the door it fell to the ground.  He was usually back in his van by the time we got to the door but did look back to see if anyone was there.  One wonders if it would still be left if no-one was in.  A word to the pharmacy manager stopped his balancing acts,  he just leaves it in plain sight on the doorstep now but I usually know when it's coming and if in doubt phone the pharmacy to check.

Edited January 20, 2023 by grandadbob

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, Coombe Barton said:

Especially for @monkeysarefun - it's reached the front page of the BBC website - about Toadzilla

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-64341453

Although putting them in your freezer is one recommended way of euthanasing them, hitting them with a golf stick thingy so they go pop is more fun, though in that one's case I have a Monty python Meaning Of Life Mr Creosote scene in my mind if someone attempted that.

All up however, cane toads are more @Ozexpatriateterritory!.

[BoD]

19 hours ago, BoD said:

Curdyturses as they say.

 

The bulb has gone in the oven.  Can I unscrew the glass cover? Can I heck.

Sorted.

 

Eventually I wrapped it in cloth and took a git waz set of  mole grippy things to it.  I managed to persuade it to come out without breaking it.  I knew I should have been a dentist.

 

I wonder if it was originally cross threaded because now it screws in  and unscrews easily.

[polybear]

46 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Andromedia as it turns out is a bit of a disappointing smudge with Puppers' telescope however the fact that I actually found it gave me more bounce than even Tigger could handle.  

 

 

Bear sees a green LED poked thru' a black bit of cardboard that's covered in dandruff - is that it??

 

 

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Especially for @monkeysarefun - it's reached the front page of the BBC website - about Toadzilla

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-64341453

Apparently its been put down.

[polybear]

50 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

We're quite lucky with all the couriers that deliver here, even one of the Amazon guys who delivers most of our parcels, actually waits for you to open the door and hands it to you although the others just leave it on the step. The only driver I've had to complain about was the one from our local pharmacy who seemed to take delight in balancing or hanging the parcel containing prescriptions on the porch door handle so when you opened the door it fell to the ground.  He was usually back in his van by the time we got to the door but did look back to see if anyone was there.  One wonders if it would still be left if no-one was in.  A word to the pharmacy manage stopped his balancing acts,  he just leaves it in plain sight on the doorstep now but I usually know when it's coming and if in doubt phone the pharmacy to check.

 

I'd expect them to (a) ensure that someone is in, and (b) actually hand them the package to ensure they're delivering the drugs to the right house.  

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

Morning (pre-munch) All!

 

Psst!    Don't mention it to Winslow Boy but there's been more activity in the Puppershire Observatory.   

 

Last night I managed to find, see and photograph a galaxy for the very first time.    Andromeda since you asked 😃

201 photos were taken with 120 of them being stacked over night while Puppers was sleeping (that's the way to do it said Mr Punch). 

 

Andromedia as it turns out is a bit of a disappointing smudge with Puppers' telescope however the fact that I actually found it gave me more bounce than even Tigger could handle.   I still need a lot more practice and experience with the post-stacking processing though!

 

 

 

 

Our Evri delivery person used to be excellent (she lives in the village) but unfortunately she disappeared from the scene about 6 months ago. Not certain if that's due to ill health or she just got fed up but either way it's a great shame she's gone.    The service ever since has been absolutely appalling.

 

Light pollution - Made the news on the BBC website today:

 

                           https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64321824

 

Another cold and clear day today.    Hmm, better charge the camera battery up just-in-case it lasts until the early evening.

 

TTFNQ

 

Alan

 

 

 

Look if you want to post snaps of interstellar phenomena that's fine by Mr Puppers. All I ask is that you check your appliances first as that looks like a piece of green

s ..t to me.

 

Anyway shouldn't it be red as it's getting further away from us- you see I do know some things I'm not just good looking.

Edited January 20, 2023 by Winslow Boy

[Winslow Boy]

6 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

I'd expect them to (a) ensure that someone is in, and (b) actually hand them the package to ensure they're delivering the drugs to the right house.  

 

A friend of my delivers drugs. We tease him by making out he's a drug dealer.

 

He says that they have strict instructions about leaving them - not in the blue bin (not certain about other coloured bins)- not to be squashed flat and pushed through the letter box-not in plain sight etc etc.

[45156]

1 hour ago, petethemole said:

Some of Mrs mole's Amazon orders are delivered by Evri.  I think some of the traders that sell through Amazon but also have their own sales sites just use the one courier.  Our local Evri guy is very good.

If it is an independent seller selling on the Amazon platform, they may choose to have Amazon fulfil their order, or to use their own courier - orders through Amazon or fulfilled by Amazon are delivered by Amazon's own people.  Otherwise could be pot luck as to what carrier is used.

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

Morning (pre-munch) All!

 

Psst!    Don't mention it to Winslow Boy but there's been more activity in the Puppershire Observatory.   

 

Last night I managed to find, see and photograph a galaxy for the very first time.    Andromeda since you asked 😃

201 photos were taken with 120 of them being stacked over night while Puppers was sleeping (that's the way to do it said Mr Punch). 

 

Andromedia as it turns out is a bit of a disappointing smudge with Puppers' telescope however the fact that I actually found it gave me more bounce than even Tigger could handle.   I still need a lot more practice and experience with the post-stacking processing though!

 

 

 

 

Our Evri delivery person used to be excellent (she lives in the village) but unfortunately she disappeared from the scene about 6 months ago. Not certain if that's due to ill health or she just got fed up but either way it's a great shame she's gone.    The service ever since has been absolutely appalling.

 

Light pollution - Made the news on the BBC website today:

 

                           https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64321824

 

Another cold and clear day today.    Hmm, better charge the camera battery up just-in-case it lasts until the early evening.

 

TTFNQ

 

Alan

 

 

You should be able to pull a bit more out of it in the post processing, not sure if this is any help.

 

https://astrobackyard.com/andromeda-galaxy-tutorial/

 

Orion and Sagittarius both have good stuff that's pretty easy to process, Orion with M42 and the Horse head nebula, while Sagittarius has the Triffid and the lagoon nebulae. Rho Ophiuchi in Ophiuchus is good too, don't need a telescope for that. 

 

Then there's comet C/2022 E3 hanging around at the moment..

Edited January 20, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

Yesterday's doors sanded, filled, and reinforced by adding some screws in the frame.

 

Parts cut for another two doors.

 

Rudder, 

Reinforcement added on bottom edge and one side of trailing edge.

 

Ben the I want out Collie took me for the short walk, that's ok, his choice, but about half of it was straight into the northerly chilly wind. A lazy wind was going straight through my overalls zip, straight through my fleece zip and then through my shirt.

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup where I am WFH, hiding from the new boss. She is terribly keen to make a good impression with her superiors (and why wouldn't she) but the only person in the team who has been there long enough to remember much is me, which keeps me in demand for a while longer.

 

Our Evri person is usually quite good although the most recent one has a habit of leaving parcels under some trees where they get wet and covered in pine needles.

 

Royal Mail delivered on time the most recent parcel; those nice people in Cornwall sent me some Cross-Country stuff, although I did have to order and pay for them. 

 

I thought Fort Stevens park was a familiar placename and looked it up on google maps. We drove not far from it so must have considered whether to detour to it a few years back on our jaunt down the coast. I think that day's drive was Olympia to Seaside (via Long Beach WA, just the other side of the Colombia River)

[The Lurker]

And here is a photo of Long Beach and two of Seaside

[Gwiwer]

Afternoon all from the frozen wastes of a Hill of Strawberries.  If the thermometer has tipped into positive temperatures it hasn't told us about them.  

 

It appears, at least to followers of a certain Mr. I. Visits, that the place to view the night sky from within what is loosely termed the "London Area" is Theydon Bois.  

 

Firmly in Essex, though close to the London boundary, and in possession of a tube station served far more frequently than the local population alone might justify, it has no street lighting for the most part.  And therefore quite good views of the night sky.  

 

 https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/theydon-bois-the-town-with-no-street-lights-60066/

 

Having spent 17 years in Australia and a few of those nights literally "under the stars" I have seen without the need of stacked digital imagery some quite spectacular displays.  Ormiston Gorge had zero artificial light-spill so we were camped staring straight up at the Milky Way.  And no I don't mean a bar of goo-fillled chocolate!  After-sunset and pre-dawn at Uluru were pretty special too.  The large camp ground for visitors is carefully lit to offer minimal spill - just a handful of carefully-placed and specially-designed downwards-facing lamps for safety - so there is plenty to watch there too.  We were lucky enough to be invited by Anangu elders (with whom SWMBO had professional as well as informal contacts at the time) to watch dawn break from the uninhabited south side of the rock by the sacred rock-art sites.  

 

Two of the Elder women explained how the stars "went out" as the day came up in their own unique way.  The story they tell is that their men follow the stars by night when out hunting and track their direction by watching the stars fade into the dawn sky.  SWMBO is published (in a book by William L "Bill" Fox) as advancing the theory that Indigenous peoples can read fractal patterns in the landscape and are therefore able to navigate in apparently featureless terrain.  Although this surely doesn't work after dark.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1582434298/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i4

 

Interesting stuff when you get into it.  There are no maps, there are no written indigenous records and only word-of-mouth handed down in stories from the Dreamtime to convey the knowledge to younger generations.  

 

How much do we not know?????

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

A friend of my delivers drugs. We tease him by making out he's a drug dealer.

 

He says that they have strict instructions about leaving them - not in the blue bin (not certain about other coloured bins)- not to be squashed flat and pushed through the letter box-not in plain sight etc etc.

A friend was diagnosed with a male disorder which he was told might be eased with some blue pills.  At the time those were hard to obtain even on prescription.  So he visits the intertubes and orders what seem to be much the same thing and make much the same claims.  The advert / web-page promised "plain packaging" and "discretion".

 

The package duly arrived.  Plain brown card.  With a large sticker advertising the exact product contained inside!!!  So much for "discretion" although the actual cardboard packaging was plain even if the bright advertising sticker applied to it was anything but!!!

 

I believe the package was returned unopened.