Early Risers.

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

And things are still good here at GDB Towers.  I have been fed with bangers & mash and, after a bit of a struggle,* opened a bottle of what turned out to be very nice Portuguese red to wash it down.  

* Screw top and it was a bu##er to open but it does seem as if my grip getting weaker as I get older.   I have resisted buying aids for opening bottles and jars but I think that time is getting closer. 

Cheers 🍷🍷

Edited February 15, 2023 by grandadbob

[Ozexpatriate]

2 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

I have resisted buying aids for opening bottles and jars but I think that time is getting closer. 

Well worth the investment. I don't normally need such things but I do have a selection. I do have a couple of pairs of plier-type devices but my favourite is a 'sticky' open-weave synthetic mesh fabric. It works really well.

 

(I bought mine at a supermarket, but ones similar to this.)

 

Not something I would do with wine, but jars (like sauce, salsa, etc) respond well to a rap to their bottom with the heel of the palm while holding them securely in the other hand. The resulting pressure wave inside the jar helps loosen the vacuum seal.

 

[Ozexpatriate]

17 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Did you try the baby spinach? , that stuff is awesome man, its why all our TV looks  like this! 

I think 2001: A Space Odyssey (released 1968) has more to do with it somehow.

 

I don't remember that one being on television by the way.

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[PupCam]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

Does this involve Puppers booking the appointment on behalf of Bear by any chance?

 

Dream on!

 

You'll be thinking Elon Musk builds each Tesla and writes each Twitter post himself next!

 

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I think 2001: A Space Odyssey (released 1968) has more to do with it somehow.

 

I don't remember that one being on television by the way.

 

You were under the   Joh Jackboot of No-Fun  up there at the time  though!

 

I vaguely recall it was shown in the  late evenings, maybe during Done Lane Show or Ernie Sigley.

 

Interesting because it had that pink tinge despite us not having colour telly at the time.  

 

PS I dont recall the Ford Falcon ute scene in 2001...!

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[polybear]

33 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Not something I would do with wine, but jars (like sauce, salsa, etc) respond well to a rap to their bottom with the heel of the palm while holding them securely in the other hand. The resulting pressure wave inside the jar helps loosen the vacuum seal.

 

 

Bear finds that levering the edge of a jar lid with an old fork handle very slighty until the vacuum is broken makes a HUGE difference; Heinz Jars in particular can be real b'sterds - a certain Bear bvggered a paw for many months fighting with a jar of beetroot.

[Erichill16]

Jar opener very useful for opening Tamiya and other paint pots, but don’t tell SWMBO.

[Erichill16]

Is it just my iPad or is the video advert of the Bachmann Hunslet not showing the loco in a good light.

Looks very jerky and stops and starts like a learner driver?

[Tony_S]

9 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Bear finds that levering the edge of a jar lid with an old fork handle very slighty until the vacuum is broken makes a HUGE difference; Heinz Jars in particular can be real b'sterds - a certain Bear bvggered a paw for many months fighting with a jar of beetroot.

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/7706/jarkey-screw-top-jar-opener
are quite good. I ruined the first one we had opening beer bottles with it. We have a new one and it is just for Aditi’s use. I don’t know why she can’t open jars she is really good at pulling household devices to bits. 

Edited February 15, 2023 by Tony_S

[polybear]

36 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/7706/jarkey-screw-top-jar-opener
are quite good. I ruined the first one we had opening beer bottles with it. We have a new one and it is just for Aditi’s use. I don’t know why she can’t open jars she is really good at pulling household devices to bits. 

 

Thanks Tony - I found the same on Amazon (under a different name) which, whilst a bit more expensive does come out cheaper than Lakeland if you have Prime (free delivery)

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BRIX-2121-Frost-JarKey-Openers-Transparent/dp/B017HAJ1M8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

[polybear]

Bear's Tip of the Day:

 

When pre-warming the Air Fryer do remember to remove the tongs from the tray beforehand.....

(Ask Bear how he knows.....).  Turdycurses.

 

Fortunately they were only a £1/£1.50 from the village Post Office so easily rectified - and the AF came out unscathed.

[jamie92208]

Well we went to The Danglies, did some shopping had somev unch then a coffee and cake before heading to the hospital for Beth's appointment.   That went OK but there was something  quite funny.  Until today the Dr's receptionist has been a very rude lady who treats all patients with contempt especially  les anglais. She refuses point blank to speak English.  As we waited the phone rang quite a lot.  It had two different  tunes.

 

A) The first two lines of God save the King

B) the first two lines of Deutchland Deustchlane Uber Alles.

 

Jamie

Edited February 16, 2023 by jamie92208

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Quite mild for this time of year, in fact the heating has just kicked in after being off for most of the evening. Will have to stay in tomorrow morning as there is a parcel arriving via RM, hopefully with the mornings post. BIN day tomorrow so the sacks are ready to go out, mostly pink sacks nowadays and the black (landfill) sack is very small.

[monkeysarefun]

 Have no idea about horseshoes here  but if its any help turning your beer glass upside down is apparently a sign you want to fight anybody in the pub.

 

Well thats what they reckon anyway, I've never tested it out. Closest I've come to was down in Tassie when the bloke sitting beside me turned his glass upside down (or maybe it was sideways, it was a hazy night...). I thought "Bu99er,  I've got me good shirt on"

 

Turns out though that down there it means that you have had enough and it  is a sign to the barmaid to not refill your glass.

 

(Come to think of it though that might be the cause of Tasmaniacs disdain for The  Mainland -  "Every time I go into a pub up there I have a couple of beers and then  someone knocks me teeth out"....)

Edited February 15, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[New Haven Neil]

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

We have a Samsung and on that it is quite easy. I can switch between Satellite, FreeSat bundled programmes and Freeview just by pressing the remote control “channel list” button and selecting the source.  Certainly no repeat setting up required. 
 

 

Yes agreed - I was dreading setting it up, given my computo-phobia, but it just works.  Nice menu function, even Mrs NHN, who is useless with anything bar a word processor, is currently using it to watch Sister Boniface on a some catch-upy thing.  And that, believe me, is really something.

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

When pre-warming the Air Fryer

I'm still unclear as to why anyone would want to fry air

[The Lurker]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Replacement door locks (assuming a upvc door with multi-point locking mechanisms and euro cylinder locks) are very cheap and an easy DIY swap (just a few screws) - the likes of Screwfix etc. sell them from about twelve quid; they do come in different sizes so you'd need to remove/replace the existing lock (probably 10 minutes work) in order to measure it before buying.

 

Do you know what items she's claiming she was "promised"?  If so then rescuing them just in case she does gain unauthorised access may be worthwhile.

Wouldn’t it be easier to empty or even move the safe?

[The Lurker]

Seeing Ian Abel’s menu made me wonder all over again why Americans refer to the main course as an Entree; surely that should be the starter?

[zarniwhoop]

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Well worth the investment. I don't normally need such things but I do have a selection. I do have a couple of pairs of plier-type devices but my favourite is a 'sticky' open-weave synthetic mesh fabric. It works really well.

 

(I bought mine at a supermarket, but ones similar to this.)

 

Not something I would do with wine, but jars (like sauce, salsa, etc) respond well to a rap to their bottom with the heel of the palm while holding them securely in the other hand. The resulting pressure wave inside the jar helps loosen the vacuum seal.

 

For screw-top bottles I sometimes use water-pump pliers.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[PeterBB]

4 hours ago, grandadbob said:

Evenin' each,

And things are still good here at GDB Towers.  I have been fed with bangers & mash and, after a bit of a struggle,* opened a bottle of what turned out to be very nice Portuguese red to wash it down.  

* Screw top and it was a bu##er to open but it does seem as if my grip getting weaker as I get older.   I have resisted buying aids for opening bottles and jars but I think that time is getting closer. 

Cheers 🍷🍷

Well worth getting one as it reduces the use of 'fobidden words' and frustration ending with a sudden influx of liquid onto the floor.

 

Read the next post - similar comment.

Edited February 15, 2023 by PeterBB
Read next post

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Just as I was coming in for dinner it started to rain, lightly at first but it slowly got heavier as the morning drew to a close. So, after dinner, I stayed inside and had a play on the new computer to see if I could get used to some of the new features that the old one didn’t have. It was recommended that I use PowerPoint to do circuit drawings and diagrams. So far, I’ve managed to successfully draw one line of blank veroboard, which is good, as it’s a start and I now know how to do this task and any future circuit diagrams etc can be done using this program. Not much else done today, they’ll be no work done at all tomorrow as it’s Sheila’s birthday and after breakfast, we’re calling at Vickie’s to pick Ava up and then we’re heading off to RHS Bridgewater for the morning, if the weathers nice well hopefully have a nice walk in the woodland area. Charlie is calling round in the afternoon for a model making session. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all. 

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

I vaguely recall it was shown in the  late evenings, maybe during Done Lane Show or Ernie Sigley.

I probably wasn't up that late watching TV in 1973. I don't remember exactly when we got our first colour set but it was probably around then. We moved into the house where my parents still live in 1971 and the black and white set lasted for a little while.

 

4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

PS I dont recall the Ford Falcon ute scene in 2001...!

Well it would have been the (imagined) 2001 model not a '73 wouldn't it?

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, The Lurker said:

Seeing Ian Abel’s menu made me wonder all over again why Americans refer to the main course as an Entree; surely that should be the starter?

There is a reason - it is more accidental than intentional.

 

It relates to the Gilded Age adoption of European 19th century fine dining terms for formal long multi-course meals. As the number of courses subsequently dropped to ~three in the early 20th century, restaurants didn't want to drop posh sounding French terms and replace them with the more pedestrian and prosaic "main course".

 

Many blog posts explain it. Here is one.

 

The "entrée" wasn't the first course in 19th century dining, but it did come before the main / plat principal / rôti (roast). There's a rabbit hole of formal dining trends including service à la française and service à la russe the latter of which (sequential plate service) became the trend in the 19th century. 

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Ozexpatriate