Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Tony_S]

We had lunch out today, literally “out” as we sat outside at the restaurant at Hyde Hall Gardens.  Not for social distancing reasons , it was pleasantly warm. Not bad for February.Originally we would have been having lunch in Cambridge but the friend we planned to meet thought it would be busy today due to half term holidays. So we will do that next week. 
The gardens were rather spectacular today. Just about anything that flowers in the spring was flowering. 
Tony

[Ozexpatriate]

10 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

The gardens were rather spectacular today. Just about anything that flowers in the spring was flowering.

We are weeks away from that here. There's some early bulbs but that's about it. I've seen a little group of snowdrops but not noticed anything else - even any crocus. No buds on trees either.

 

A quick look on my camera shows the Sakura (cherry) in full bloom on March 25 last year.

 

Not pleasantly warm either at around 4°C.

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[BR60103]

SWMBO's Valentine gift to me was an hour and a half in the dentist's chair. After that I had leave to go to the bookstore (nothing new) and I bought a tray of fancy chocolates from a local store.

I had two fillings -- one each side at the top.  For lunch I couldn't drink anything as my lip wouldn't form over a glass. 

 One of our neighbours had been to his cottage and had a front row seat to the scramble over Lake Huron.

 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente. Yesterday went well, cards were exchanged and Beth even presented  me with a bottlecof Scottish medecine.  The ironing got done to the music of Help by the Beatles and Odds and Sods by the Who.  We had planned to go out for a meal but the menus we looked at were very mediocre  and overpriced so Beth made a very nice Prawn Linguini.  Not a bad day at all.

 

Today wexare heading for thecDanglies of St John.  An appointment  with the diabetologue this afternoon with some shopping to do.  Alunch will be sourced somewhere.  Not a bad prospect.

 

Jamie

[polybear]

Bear here.........

 

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...................... 

 

Bear gone.

[Grizz]

Morning All

 

Another carp nights sleep. Starting to get boring now. 
 

Quite a busy planned today, topped off this afternoon with me delivering an introduction to Pway to some graduate  engineers. I’ve always enjoyed these sessions, although the time allotted isn’t anything like long enough to cover the subject. 

Just looked out of one of the upper windows of Grizz Castle to see what Wednesday looks like…..

 

Fog It….🤬 …not again. 
 

 

Have a great day all.

 

ATB Grizz

 

 

[grandadbob]

Good  morning all, 

Has Bear fallen down a hole, off a ladder, hit his paw with a hammer, dropped a can of paint?  We need to know!

Dry here yet again with some of Grizz's red sky earlier but we should get plenty of sunshine and a gentle breeze.  Light rain could move in later this afternoon.  6°C rising to 14°C.

We're visiting Steve this morning for a coffee and a natter but will be home for lunch.  I'm still aching after yesterday's DIY efforts,  managed to hurt my shoulder and back whilst papering the ceiling inside the bay window, so nothing else will be done today.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited February 15, 2023 by grandadbob

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Walkabout continues. Weather not ideal for it but.. hey ho!

 

Yes @polybear.. I hope it doesn't mean you are in.pain!

 

Baz

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, Grizz said:

Morning All

 

Another carp nights sleep. Starting to get boring now. 
 

Quite a busy planned today, topped off this afternoon with me delivering an introduction to Pway to some graduate  engineers. I’ve always enjoyed these sessions, although the time allotted isn’t anything like long enough to cover the subject. 

Just looked out of one of the upper windows of Grizz Castle to see what Wednesday looks like…..

 

Fog It….🤬 …not again. 
 

 

Have a great day all.

 

ATB Grizz

 

 

Just out of interest, there was a very interesting article about PWay work on Laal Ratty (Ravenglass and Eskdale) in a newsletter not long ago.  It might be a useful pre read for your talk.  Send me a pm if you are interested.

 

Jamie

[Gwiwer]

Morning all. We are fogless today but wonder if @polybear might have fallen into a murky grey abyss. 
 

Dr. SWMBO has (yet another) hospital appointment later which dictates the plan of campaign for the day somewhat. 
 

Shopping order - for delivery on Friday - will include supplies to celebrate Collop Monday next week.

 

As well as Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. Shall we have something special for Thursday and Friday as well?  
 

I hear the kettle calling. No - not a steam-whistle but a pressing need to install Muggertea the Second 

 

Stay well. Keep warm. 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Still all blocked up and coughing up phlegm but otherwise not feeling too bad this morning.  Breakfast and hot drink(s) installed, now to get on with the rest of the day.

[Winslow Boy]

I think the ceiling rose has detached itself from said ceiling and has slid down the pendant to be left like a flying saucer circling Bear Towers looking for  secret 'military bases' aka LDC depositories.

 

 

 

 

No I don't want Q's comments you silly piece of #£%&54 xdcbggtre software just do as your told!

On 13/02/2023 at 03:13, TheQ said:

 

[PeterBB]

Sounds like a certain First Minister of Scotland is resigning, wonder what effect that will have.

[woodenhead]

19 minutes ago, PeterBB said:

Sounds like a certain First Minister of Scotland is resigning, wonder what effect that will have.

It's 50/50 as to which of these two will replace her

[polybear]

3 hours ago, grandadbob said:

Good  morning all, 

Has Bear fallen down a hole, off a ladder, hit his paw with a hammer, dropped a can of paint?  We need to know!

 

None of the above......

 

3 hours ago, grandadbob said:

I'm still aching after yesterday's DIY efforts,  managed to hurt my shoulder and back whilst papering the ceiling inside the bay window, so nothing else will be done today.

 

 

Book, Play, Film, T-Shirt......

 

Bear here......

Yet another sh1tty nighty.  Turdycurses.  Fed up with the grief this arm/shoulder/neck is giving me, so on the blower to the Docs at 8am sharp to play Bullsh1t Bingo....for 24 minutes, to be precise.  That's 24 minutes of dial/engaged/hang-up/redial/engaged.....continuously....

Let's see now, probably 3 (maybe 4) calls a minute....for 24 minutes.....that's er, quite a lot if Bear's sums are correct.

And when I do finally get through to the recorded message the Chief Doc says "If it's an emergency then please hang up and dial 999.  Too late.....

The outcome was that Checkpoint Charlene has given Bear an appointment.  For today.  She must think I'm at death's door.  Turdycurses....I haven't finished the Hall yet.

 

Bear predicts that Doc will bung some pain killers different/stronger than Big Pink Pills (oh yes pleeeeeese.....) and suggest the dreaded "Big O" word.  That's Osteopath to those not medically trained.  Bear has just been checking current prices......HOW MUCH??  The cheapest (= working from a home clinic without all the fancy reception area etc. etc. starts at forty quid (a quarter of a Deltic) and shoots upwards very, very quickly (one wants 75 notes for the first session).  Bear can remember when they charged eighteen quid a session.  Piggin' Turdycurses.

[woodenhead]

@polybearAt least you can ring up, we have an online portal that the surgery can switch off at any time they feel they have enough work for the day - so mid typing of your symptoms you find the portal has closed and you have to repeat tomorrow.

 

Now get that Hall done before the appointment 😄

[New Haven Neil]

A damp morning sur le rock, or it may be la rock.  I have enough trouble with English never mind other languages.

 

Mrs NHN off today so who knows what excitement awaits.  Likely to involve getting wet while carrying bags from shops.

 

Rain is easing though, with a hint of brightness yonder.  If yonder comes hither we'll go out for lunch maybe! 

 

All calls to GP practices here have been made free from last month, after Government intervention due to so many complaints about being on hold until mobile credit runs out.

[Gwiwer]

51 minutes ago, PeterBB said:

Sounds like a certain First Minister of Scotland is resigning, wonder what effect that will have.

The first effect will be to create a vacancy.  

 

Nature abhors a vacuum so the next thing will be a rush to fill it.  

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

None of the above......

 

 

Book, Play, Film, T-Shirt......

 

Bear here......

Yet another sh1tty nighty.  Turdycurses.  Fed up with the grief this arm/shoulder/neck is giving me, so on the blower to the Docs at 8am sharp to play Bullsh1t Bingo....for 24 minutes, to be precise.  That's 24 minutes of dial/engaged/hang-up/redial/engaged.....continuously....

Let's see now, probably 3 (maybe 4) calls a minute....for 24 minutes.....that's er, quite a lot if Bear's sums are correct.

And when I do finally get through to the recorded message the Chief Doc says "If it's an emergency then please hang up and dial 999.  Too late.....

Brush up on your html skilz and knock up a website to use instead!

https://www.hotdoc.com.au/

 

Speaking of shoulder pain, I'm a huge convert to Chinese massage therapy after spending several weeks with huge pains down my arm which became so bad that I couldn't lift my arm above my shoulder, and could only sleep in one position, with my arm extended out sideways. Several weeks of physio and doctors visits did absolutely nothing and there was talk of an operation.

 

Then someone suggested a Chinese medical practitioner who'd been a doctor  of Chinese and western medicine in China but was unable to get Australian medical  accreditation until his English was up to scratch so he had set up  a Chinese massage therapy practice in the meantime.

 

The first visit he spent about 40 minutes squeezing and rubbing various parts of my arm and back and when I left I could already feel about a 10% improvement. It took about 4 more fortnightly visits but at the end the pain had gone completely, and he only charged 20 bucks a pop.

 

5 stars from me!

Edited February 15, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[The Lurker]

4 hours ago, grandadbob said:

 

Has Bear fallen down a hole, off a ladder, hit his paw with a hammer, dropped a can of paint?  We need to know!

 

GDB, do I sense a wry amusement that it's not you?

[grandadbob]

@The Lurker  You might think that,  I couldn't possibly comment! 😀

[TheQ]

In line with another framed picture here's some I  someone else framed earlier, 1998 according to the back.

East Camp RAF Benbecula, the big concrete building is the RAF Radar operations building. I was the first to use the building.... I repainted my old sailing boat in the loading bay. I had to make sure the place was spotless afterwards...

 

 

The RAF /Army fishing club boats, at St Peters Port, Benbecula, the fishing club itself was in the ancient nissen huts above.

 

This one can explain itself.

 

I've fitted the rudder temporarily, the top still isn't a good fit so I cling filmed the bottom of the boat, and put thickened resin on the top of the rudder. Then propped up the rudder tight to the bottom of the boat, squishing the resin, where it will stay till tomorrow,.

Also bonded the top bearing in place.

 

Marked the top of the rudder shaft for the tiller connections

Made a support bracket for the chair,

Sanded and painted the centre console again.

Wrapped the boat back up in its plastic cos wind and rain is forecast.

 

Ben walked, we chose the short route because of the sugar beet loading, even that he cut short, he definitely feeling his age.

 

10:00 ish loader arrives on pan, bloke sits there till 11:00 ish when first lorry turns up. SWMBO was lucky with her trip to the art club, leaving just before the first lorry, and arriving back between two lorries.

 

 

 

[southern42]

On 09/02/2023 at 11:09, southern42 said:

Hoping to get some muddling done, later, but there will be a bit of prep to do first, like sorting out the materials and tools I will need, and having a practice run first... This could possibly end up as a delaying tactic to hide the "can I really do this?" and "will it turn out alright?" syndrome.

 

'  afternoon all from red dragon land.

Sunny after a wet start - good for the pot plants all round!

 

 

Not been on for a few days. Apart from a bit of muddling (see below) there have been so many things happening altogether including looking and buying presents for two birthdays, spending Christmas tokens, and organising an awayday.... 

 

The tokens went on a picnic backpack and kitting it out with food boxes. I had to wait for the backpack to arrive first because although external measurements were given, inside ones were not. Once it arrived, I got the tape measure out. Two food boxes, not on the seller's list, were also included in the parcel. These helped me to visualise various ways of filling the bag. Thus I was able to order, in a suitable size, a double pack of compartment boxes and 6 pack of round boxes - extras for use in the fridge and freezer.

 

So, DIY First Class Dining, reading backwards in time:

Bottom row: Three small round (pudding) bowls - Desert

Middle row: The two boxes included plus small flask in-between - Main meal

Top row: Compartment box (with or without compartments) - Lunch

And still plenty of room down the front for icepacks, or foodstuff in bags.

This should give us spaces for a variety of foodstuff. The backpack also came with stainless steel flask and two matching mugs - one of those special offer jobs! You might as well get a good deal when it is offered! 

 

 

 

Muddling achieved - click to see! 

 

 

Lunch, toot on the flute and more muddling beckon.

Take care. Be good. Grab it while you can.

Polly

[The White Rabbit]

Afternoon awl,

 

Changing the subject a little, there's been a debate on another thread I follow about horseshoes. Triggered by a heraldic question, things moved on to whether they should be attached to buildings as amulets in the 'legs up' or 'legs down' position. We seem to have a majority in favour of 'legs up' but with a significant minority believing in a 'legs down' option. I wondered what ERs thought?

 

I always thought they should be attached to buildings legs up, so the luck doesn't run out. And the horseshoes nailed to our old garden shed, next door's garage and a friend in Wales' railway room were/are all 'legs up'. But reports have come in from New Zealand of a legs down 'policy' - which made me wonder if it was a case of legs pointing away from the Equator? Then another said someone in the East Riding used one legs down so the devil couldn't sit in the 'cup'. 

 

To copy most of my post from the other thread, I have looked in my copy of The Dictionary of Omens and Superstitions - I have a varied reference library - and this generally supports the 'legs up' practice. It also suggests nailing it sideways in the form of a letter 'C' (to represent Christ) is 'effective'. It speculates that the power of the horseshoe originates from the symbolism of the 'sacred fire' and made from the 'sacred metal' (iron). Also, the ability of the shoe to be nailed to the horse's hoof with nails without the horse feeling any pain. Rather than attributing this to biological factors, it was seen in earlier times as the amazing power of the horseshoe. As such, when it had finished 'active service', it still retained power and was therefore a useful amulet to keep about the place. I know it's hardly conclusive proof but the Wills plastic kit of a village forge (SS31) shows one 'legs up'. 

 

Two local superstitions which may interest certain ERs, the Scottish fishermen's belief that a horseshoe fixed to a mast will protect the vessel from storms and in 'the North', if you find a horseshoe, spit on it and throw it over your left shoulder while making a wish, this wish will be granted. (Though as someone has pointed out, this may make you unpopular with anybody behind and to the left of you, so watch out Dave and Warren...). 

 

Any thoughts? (Other than those involving over consumption of alcohol and exotic substances)? 

.