Early Risers.

[The White Rabbit]

14 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Wouldn't that exclude some of our regulars such as @andyram and @NGT6 1315?

 

Me too. And Simon Taylor. 

[iL Dottore]

12 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I have an idea for a panto, not for Christmas but for Halloween. The characters are based on those from various horror films and some from Shakespeare and I even have ideas about incorporating Guy Fawkes. 

Oh No You Don't......

Oh Yes I do...

 

etc., etc....

 

😁

[southern42]

Happy Birthday  @Dave Hunt

Polly

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Today will be another day where I don’t do very much. This is mainly due to the fact that I have an appointment at 12 noon with ‘The Christie’ nurse, so I’ll find out if my PSA is behaving or not! So, there’s not really enough time to do anything before or after, so I’ll just potter about in the cellar office, getting a bit more practice on Inkscape. 
 

Happy birthday Dave. 
 

Back later. 
 

Brian

[monkeysarefun]

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Once mollified, and used to hearing herself sing as other people did, she went on to give a sterling performance.

These days it's alright, autotune will fix it. Unless its turned off.

 

If ya think HE sounds pretty ordinary, just wait til HER bit!

 

 

[Tony_S]

16 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

just wait til HER bit!

I see (well, hear) what you mean. I didn’t listen for very long after she started singing. 

Edited April 25, 2023 by Tony_S

[Two_sugars]

52 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

I see (well, hear) what you mean. I didn’t listen for very long after she started singing. 

Is  that what it's supposed to be . . . . . . 

 

And a Happy Birthday to Dave Hunt . . 

 

A few weeks ago , i had an MRI scan on my neck/shoulders on a Sunday night . . .yesterday I had an appointment with a Physioterrorist . . . . basically LET IT DEVELOPE . . .

He kept referring to my age, as in "not to bad for 71 . . welll . .at your age etc, etc, etc.

 

Finally My youngest sister died on Sunday , 74 years and 2 months old. . .She had been ill for quite a while.

 

Weather BRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!

 

Have a good day, all, and Keep smiling.

 

John

 

 

[petethemole]

Happy Birthday to Dave.

 

In other news, Mrs mole's recovery is going well, to the extent that she's sometimes trying to do things that her muscles aren't quite ready for.  This results in soreness and, in theory, taking it easy for a day or so...as if; she'll just try something else.  She's also p***ed off because her new Motability car delivery has been delayed  from May to July.

 

[grandadbob]

So sorry to hear your sad news John.

[The Lurker]

Happy Birthday to Dave - let's hope Jill's ankle copes with Mount Pleasant....

 

 

and condolences to Two_Sugars

[The Lurker]

6 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

 

 

Anyway I have a heinous crime to report.  One of our hens  has gone Mia.  Just a pile of feathers left behind.  The prime suspect is a stonemartin as only one was taken.  I"'ve been out this morning g reinforcing the bottom of the fence.  The murderer appears to have got in where the poor bird had dug a dirt bath next to the fence. 

 

Well I'd never heard of a stone marten and had to google it. Every day is a school day!

[The Lurker]

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Happy Birthday Dave.

I hope it is as bright and sunny in Tunbridge Wells as it is here today. We used to go quite frequently to Knole House but perhaps Jill’s ankle would prevent such a visit.
Tony

When I was at school, the District Cross Country trials were always at Knole Park. They were usually the first weekend of the New Year and usually did not go well because I'd done no training over Christmas! 

 

In later years we often went there for a walk with the Lurker boys although we have not been since a year or two before lockdown. The thought of a walk followed by a drink and biscuit seems to be less enticing to them these days! 

[The Lurker]

3 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

 

Me too. And Simon Taylor. 

I just breach the lower limit! Damn

[TheQ]

39 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

Happy Birthday to Dave - let's hope Jill's ankle copes with Mount Pleasant....

I knew he'd gone south but not that far!!  RAF Mount Pleasant   the corridor from the officers accomodation has a long shallow slope up to the officers mess that might be a problem.😄.

 

Meanwhile, 

1, barrow load of dug up pampas remains, taken to the next bone fire. 

1, Section of pampas to do, that will leave, 

1, small bit to grow again.

1, 8 ft length of 1/2 steel rod, very bent, dug up, put on pile for shed foundations.

1, wheel barrow of soil dug up and put in raised bed, trying to level pampas area for grassing.

1, wheel barrow of rocks dug up from same area put in pile for shed foundations.

1, Ben the time for my patrol Collie taken for a medium length walk.

1, BT man in van trundling and down between neighbours and up to nearest green box, our phone still not working and he ain't bin here yet.

1, can of doom bar being consumed after the previous events.

 

 

[polybear]

5 hours ago, TheQ said:

My sailing compatriot didn't suffer from gravel rash after his motorbike crash. Sadly leathers don't prevent major injuries from hitting the front of a tractor. He's still off work heading for 4 years.

 

Huge, Huge Ouch.  At a guess I'd say that hitting the front of a Tractor is dangerously close to the top of the "Things not to hit when riding a m'sickle" list.

 

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

The other thing that really angers me is the claim that generic drugs are cheaper because “they don’t have the  added sugar, colours and fancy packaging of branded drugs” WTF? These people really, really don’t know what they are talking about.

 

A totally wild Beary guess suggests it's because the Generic Boys n' Girls don't pick up the tab for research and development costs.  Do I win a cake?

 

4 hours ago, grandadbob said:

Makes up for the pain I've just had looking at the credit card statement which has gone up a bit lot in the last week.  Looks like I'll have to raid the muddling token fund, either that or send The Boss out to work!  🤪

 

Tesco's have vacancies.....

 

Bear here.....

Well the impressively early start soon went to rat poo when I decided that the 10mm thick strip wood should really have been 6mm instead.  Turdycurses.  It was a toss-up between persevering with the 10mm (and regretting it) or taking it back and swapping it - common sense won the day, amazingly; fortunately a round trip + quick shop in Wickes can be done in about 30 minutes, so not too bad.

TC's Issue 2 arose when I discovered that the longitudinal axis of the Bannister Base Rail isn't parallel with that of the Handrail.  Big, Big TC's.  Why is now't on this refurb ever bluddy straightforward?

I think I've cracked it in the end, but it does mean that the length of strip wood I'll be adding to the Base Rail won't be parallel with the edge of the BR; nottalot I can do about that, though I'll have a ponder.

 

In other news....

Amazon kindly delivered a parcel earlier via knock n' scarper quick; It was impressively heavy and not as I expected for the order I'm expecting - a quick scan of the address shows it's not even close to that of Bear Towers.  Fortunately the delivery person was still in the street and I managed to return it - her grasp of the english language was somewhat underwhelming so I'm not surprised she got it wrong.

 

Bear gone

 

 

[Gwiwer]

9 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

As an older actor (I have acted semi-professionally, off and on, for quite a few years) I would love to perform King Lear - although I’m not sure that I have the talent or memory to do the part justice…

Talent is not necessarily related to age.  If the costume fits ..... 

 

Father was into am-dram for many years.  Alf Rytus finally killed off his remaining active interest plus the decline in local groups and in those willing to pay to see them.  He rose to the level of being invited to join the West Sussex County Players which, had they been paid, would definitely have been in the semi-pro league.  

 

His ambition, recorded for posterity in a local newspaper article some 50 years ago, was "To play Cyrano de Bergerac before I get too fat".  He never did on either count.  He never played Lear either not being much of a Shakepsearean actor but he certainly had the presence and gravitas to have done so.  

 

I, for my sins, have only managed a school play and only that - I suspect - because I am apparently quite well-spoken.  It's "not my scene" and never has been.  Marston and Johnson, between which we had to choose, even less so.  Marston won.  Dad also encouraged me to join the local "operatic society" of which he was a member and which resulted in me doing two musicals.  

 

Nothing I'm proud of.  Although it did teach me two things I use to this day namely voice projection and playing to the crowd! 

[Gwiwer]

4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

If ya think HE sounds pretty ordinary, just wait til HER bit!

My self-confidence about singing in the shower or whilst washing-up has just been restored!!!

 

Yes I can sing.  No I can't pitch.  

[Tony_S]

28 minutes ago, polybear said:

totally wild Beary guess suggests it's because the Generic Boys n' Girls don't pick up the tab for research and development costs.  Do I win a cake?

Some of the generic manufacturers are quite naughty too. Once the original licence holder/developer decides it isn’t worth making a drug it isn’t unknown that once a generic company has a monopoly on supply for the price to be hiked. I am quite grateful to the businesses that developed medications. Fortunately most of what I take is now pretty cheap but once they were new and revolutionising treatment. I am not anything like as inconvenienced by the same health conditions as my mother and grandparents had. 

[jamie92208]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Are they under 55?

 

They post so much older.....

Does that include those who are still 18 between their ears. 

2 hours ago, The Lurker said:

Happy Birthday to Dave - let's hope Jill's ankle copes with Mount Pleasant....

 

 

and condolences to Two_Sugars

At least the runway has a good surface made  of Yorkshire gritstone from Helwith Bridge asIdiscoverecin the research for you re ent talk.  Happy Birthday DH. 

 

Jamie

[jjb1970]

On Shakespeare I think the play that modern audiences might find most jarring is probably Coriolanus. I know many find issue with The Taming of the Shrew for its dated attitudes towards women, but Coriolanus challenges much more about modern attitudes.

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

A totally wild Beary guess suggests it's because the Generic Boys n' Girls don't pick up the tab for research and development costs.  Do I win a cake?

Give that Bear a pantechnicon of patisserie

[iL Dottore]

23 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Does that include those who are still 18 between their ears.

IQ or age, Jamie?

[Ian Abel]

5 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

These days it's alright, autotune will fix it. Unless its turned off.

 

If ya think HE sounds pretty ordinary, just wait til HER bit!

 

GOOD GRIEF!!! We're a VERY amateur choir (all are welcome) but she sounds simply AWFUL, I think most all our sopranos and altos sound twice as good as her! 😒

 

Happy birthday @Dave Hunt

 

Chewsday...

 

Yesterday can be summed up as YIKES!!!

 

The landscapers arrived on cue, and as we reviewed the work to be done;

1) Reworking the front area - all no big deal at all. That was completed by late afternoon, expanded space for the outdoor railway - YAY!

2) Water mitigation/drainage work on the south side of the house, including an egress window well. The window well is FAR WORSE than it seemed.

Apparently, it was originally installed by a numbnut cowboy who sheared all the locking lips off of every stone on every course. Net result was the whole thing was probably one winter from falling inward! So rather than some minor repair during the drainage work, they're now completely replacing the entire egress window well!!

 

Then, the Mrs had call a local pest control guy as she'd heard "something' in the attic. We figured mice, squirrel?? Nope, A RACOON, setting up home!

The racoon was actually ON the attic access panel and was NOT pleased when he tried to open it. Much growling ensued!

Entry point determined to be the large vent extractor on the roof, the mesh shield all torn apart. 

Trap placed on roof awaiting capture. We hear sounds up there occasionally now, definitely a "family" being created. Once the female takes the trap bait (could take several days before she ventures out) he'll remove her and then go into the attic for the others.

What FUN!!! 😵

 

Lastly some GOOD news, I won 8x 3ft sections of Aristo straight track for the garden railway.

 

Today, Whitney dropped off early as Jemma is off on a 6-day trip to Paris (twice).

Lunch with some friends today.

 

Weather, zero and sunny first thing, expected to reach 10c this afternoon.

 

Carry on.

Edited April 25, 2023 by Ian Abel

[monkeysarefun]

5 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I see (well, hear) what you mean. I didn’t listen for very long after she started singing. 

I'm gutted you missed the bit at at around 3.45 where she gives it her all.

 

Things that sing better part one...

The Bleating Tree Frog that was on my front step just now.

 

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[DaveF]

After I posted this morning I looked at the sky again and decided it was "too glitty to bide", I think that might be a family saying.  Within a few minutes the first clouds arrived.  As it was cold and looked as though it might turn dull I decided to go out locally this morning so headed a short distance north, somehow I ended up at another garden centre where I had a good look round and just bought some more gravel.  I hope I have enough now.

 

Then I retraced my steps (in the car) for a mile or so and turned off the Spine Road to visit Cambois (pronounced roughly as Cammus).  As usual I parked in one of the small cliff top car parks and had a pleasant walk though the wind made it feel very cold every time a cloud passed over the sun.  There are good views out to sea, northwards to Newbiggin by the Sea and south to North Blyth.  I spent about half an hour before moving on - which has to be written about in a separate post or there would be too many photos.

 

Cambois, view to Newbiggin by the Sea

 

 

Cambois from the cliff, its not a high cliff, just a steep grassy slope with rocks at the bottom

 

David

Edited April 25, 2023 by DaveF