Early Risers.

[Tony_S]

55 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

I have to write about when I was 12 for my French class.

Aditi has a French Conversation evening today. They usually try to follow on from the topic of the last lecture. That was about French Antarctic exploration. Tonight’s conversation theme will be “visits to unusual places”.

Edited May 24, 2023 by Tony_S
Grammar

[Winslow Boy]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Does it make a difference - and are these the same birds that cr@p all over the Bearmobile?

It's green and wood colour and I know the name of it as well, which is pretty good going for Bear.  No white flowery bits though.....

 

So Bear is clearly not into horticulture then?

 

We are all supposed to be doing our bit for the planet my dear bear, even ones who know the names that they are cutting/pruning or hacking and slashing at.

 

The birds are obviously responding to your removal of a food source. 

[Gwiwer]

3 hours ago, Hroth said:

3 hours ago, The Lurker said:

Pomegranate is grenade

 

Because it looks like one!

 

Pomegranate

Pommie Granite 

 

[DaveF]

As it was sunny and warm with a gentle breeze I decided a bit of exercise would do me good so I took the car to Seaton Sluice and had a walk along the road above the harbour and round Rocky Island.  There weren't many people about, while on the island I saw about 8 other people in about 45 minutes.  I had a slow gentle walk so as not to make the back worse as there are a few uneven bits of path.  The thrift (sea pink) was in flower, the larks were singing and other birds including swallows were flying about.  There are photos below.  It looks as though everywhere has been covered in very bright green grass mat. Late May/early June is one of my favourite times of year and is when I tend to set my models, nice bright cheerful colours not the drabness of late summer.

 

I stopped a lot of times to take photos and sat for a while on my favourite bench which has a lovely view out to sea and north to Blyth and beyond.  While sitting there an insect decided my jacket would be a good place to take a rest, waving my arm about did not make it move, in the end I had to gently touch it with a blade of grass to get it to move.  I took is photo and later on will try to look up its name - though it looks like a lot of harmless insects with yellow and black stripes, mimicing bees or wasps.

 

Then I strolled back to the car, passing several other photographers with big cameras and lenses - I just had my little Ixus as I didn't want to carry anything heavy.  I think they were arriving to photograph birds, I prefer just to watch them - when I remember my binoculars - though most are easy to identify by sound, the way they fly and their general shape even at a distance. After over 40 years round here I have a good idea of what I expect to see on my daily trips out.

 

I came back home for coffee and did some puzzles and read until lunch - salmon again.  In the afternon I read  abit and pottered quietly in the garden taking care not to bend, stretch or carry anything heavy.  I found that some bits of plants I put in as just rooted cuttings are beginning to grow nicely and have worked out where the other plants currently in pots and trays will go.  Then I watered the greenhouse and returned indoors for a cup of tea with a jam tart for a change.  As usual I seem to be enjoying simple things!

 

This evening will be the usual mix, I really must watch the various DVDs I've bought from charity shops in the last few months.

 

Seaton Sluice harbour entrance

 

Mermaid at Seaton Sluice

 

The path round Rocky Island was here.

 

 

Thrift

 

 

Looking north from Rocky Island

 

The Bay at Seaton Sluice

 

David

[southern42]

' afternoon all from pollen red dragon land.

Sunny with white cloud.

A quick dash outside to bring the washing in, hoping not to get the P word in the eyes and dose.

 

Notalot done, today, but did have a toot on the flute, recapping on the start I made, yesterday, with adding twiddly bits to my third song, all contained within 2 beats - so an awful long way to go with this one. it looks and sounds easy enough but getting it just so seemed to be evading me. After several sessions, it was beginning to come together. Another day, tomorrow and the next 6 beats to fit the twiddly bits in... including another type of twiddly bit to fit in as well. Could be fun...

 

Since Monday, I have been watching the evening showing of the Chelsea Flower Show. This afternoon I voted for a couple of the smaller gardens. After this evening's showing, I will be able to vote for a Show Garden. I already know which one I will choose. It will be interesting to see how my choices fare. 

https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show/rhs-peoples-choice-award

 

 

Time for  mugadecaf.

Take care. Be good. Be choosy.

[PhilJ W]

My hay fever has kicked in, all I can do is stay indoors.

[Coombe Barton]

... Today has been marking and admin – the story of my life currently. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/05/24/fluctuating-still-and-are-they-catching-up-with-boris/

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

The weather has been glorious, so I’ve spent most of the day outside. By the time I’d finished for the day, I’ve stripped paint of 75% of the south facing workshop wall. This wall gets most of the sun and is the wall that needed most work doing to it, as a lot of paint had blistered and flaked off, I also had to replace the some of the ends on this wall too. This wall is 3m x 3m so is a fairly large expanse of woodwork. The west wall also has some flaking paint, but as this also has the door and windows, it’s not quite as bad. I’ll need to use a ladder to reach the top part of the wall, then I’ll go over the whole wall again with gradually finer grades sandpaper. Thankfully, on the north and east facing walls, the paint hasn’t blistered or flaked off, so I’m hoping that I can get away with not stripping the paint off completely and just giving it all a light sanding. I’ll know after I’ve done a test section beside the door tomorrow. I’ve attached a couple of photos of todays work on the workshop.

 

Below are the 2 new rear corner pieces, which are just resting in place.

 

Finally, the south facing wall, showing how much paint has been removed.

[polybear]

8 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I hope Bear doesn’t jump in the bin after the pyracantha prunings have been put in. 

 

Bear did....numerous times.....

Perhaps gardening in flip flops isn't so bright after all.

 

4 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I thought it was Mickey?

 

Yep - Mickey the Bearmobile....

 

Bear here.....

Bear went into battle with the Pyracanthus.....the forelegs are a little scratched up now, though paw piercings were kept out of double figures, which is a bit of a result based on previous experience.  Progress was made somewhat more entertaining by the appearance of Miss Poland during proceedings (several times in fact) - Bear just happened to be at the top of the step ladder at the time so the 6ft fence wasn't an issue;  Miss P was sporting a rather trendy pair of shorts as well.....🤪

 

I also assisted NNNND with the assembly of a new hosepipe & reel she'd just bought from Tess n' Co - with no instructions as to how it should all be assembled (it looked very much like the hose and reel were sold as separate items).  It all seemed to turn out ok in the end, which is a Tick.

 

And after all that fun Bear decided that a wedge of sticky gooey choccy cake with Salted Caramel Ice cream on the side had been earned.  Another Tick.

 

In other news.....

There was a feature on the lunchtime news where the reporter was discussing how much her usual Supermarket Shop had increased by over the last year(?) - the biggest % increase going to.....Frozen Crinkle Cut Oven Chips 🤬  Turdycurses.

BG

[Ozexpatriate]

10 hours ago, polybear said:

I wonder if the security barriers would be triggered if you walked out without paying for them....

They were wrapped in 'unbreakable' wire wraps with a large plastic security transponder.

 

10 hours ago, polybear said:

Incidentally, does Lego cost obscene amounts as it does in the UK?  It's a pile of plastic, after all.

LEGO bricks are extremely well manufactured to very tight tolerances. The LEGO 'clones' (now that the patent has expired) do not perform as well. Additionally LEGO quality control is fabulous as is their customer service.

 

Having said that, LEGO is experimenting with new, more sustainable (less fossil fuel) plastics. So far they don't work as well.

 

The set I mentioned (76423) retails for £114.99 and $129.99 in the UK and US respectively. (Less than a Deltic in beary funds.)

 

A random Google currency converter indicated that £114.99 is presently $142.23, so perhaps slightly less expensive in the US market.

 

It's easy to compare prices - the websites are essentially identical lego.com/en-gb and lego.com/en-us

 

It's not clear where LEGO components are made. Boxes indicate "Components made in Denmark, Mexico, Hungary, China and the Czech Republic". I'm pretty sure the Chinese factory is only for the 'local' market. I believe that many sets sold in the US are made in Mexico.

 

[Ozexpatriate]

12 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

have you considered baking your own?

In my married days, my spouse did just that. I don't remember where I found the recipe but I had a Queensland high school home economics text book and it might have come from that. Either way, the results were excellent. And so was her recreation of the family pavlova recipe (now sadly forbidden to me.)

 

That pie recipe is now in the possession of my granddaughter who is *supposed* to publish her late grandmother's recipes but other teenage distractions have slowed publication. (I'm looking forward to the red beans and rice* recipe too.)

 

* Louisiana comfort food.

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[PeterBB]

2 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

... Today has been marking and admin – the story of my life currently. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/05/24/fluctuating-still-and-are-they-catching-up-with-boris/

 ... and then some students want to sue because they did not get 'personal' tuition,  it beggars belief!

Edited May 24, 2023 by PeterBB
splelin.

[PeterBB]

Anyone seen tonight 'Railways the Making of a Nation?  The film was interesting but all the speech was way out of alignment with the every person providing comments including the presenter - pity.

 

Obviously avoiding the food blog information; cameras - apart from the Pentax SLR still have a small Pentax Optio 750Z - would be nice if I could readily transfer to the computer - miss the DVD and other bits that make compouters useful.

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

That was about French Antarctic exploration.

I'm tempted to suggest the discussion must have been brief - but that would be out of ignorance. 

 

Australians are very proud of Douglas Mawson and his Antarctic adventures. Wikipedia lumps his expeditions under "British Empire/Commonwealth". Most of the early 20th century "Antarctic exploration" was European post-colonial posturing.

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

the story of my life currently

An occupational hazard, one imagines. Thankfully "this too shall pass" applies, in the fullness of time.

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[Coombe Barton]

36 minutes ago, PeterBB said:

 ... and then some students want to sue because they did not get 'personal' tuition,  it beggars belief!

Students 2020 (during lockdown) - we're deprived because we can't get face to face tuition

Sr=tudents 2022/3 - we're deprived because you're making us come into the university.

Actual from our registrar

[iL Dottore]

2 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

Students 2020 (during lockdown) - we're deprived because we can't get face to face tuition

Sr=tudents 2022/3 - we're deprived because you're making us come into the university.

Actual from our registrar

Somehow, John, I don’t think that your (ahem) “students” would like “The Captain Cynical University of Life” which actually reflects the real world.

 

With a faculty including such tough-but-fair lecturers such as @polybear, @jamie92208, @PupCam, @Gwiwer, @grandadbob etc., the students would soon find out that their post-adolescent whinging, whining and shenanigans cuts no ice.

 

To pass students must provide the correct answer to just two questions:

1. Did you do ALL the required coursework? Yes/No
2. Did you achieve at least a 75% proficiency in the material you had to master? Yes/No

One other point:

 

NO REFUNDS!

 

[Ozexpatriate]

A couple of posters have mentioned "three way traffic lights" recently.  What is the significance of this?

 

Does it imply directional arrows? (Left turn, right turn, ahead?)

[The White Rabbit]

I assumed it was when there's a side turning on the section of the road covered by the traffic lights and someone's decided this traffic should also be controlled by lights. . 

[zarniwhoop]

15 minutes ago, The White Rabbit said:

I assumed it was when there's a side turning on the section of the road covered by the traffic lights and someone's decided this traffic should also be controlled by lights. . 

Yes. It's what the sign says. Adds to the delays and is probably to stop people thinking the lights have stuck on red.

[TheQ]

Sometimes they even have 4 way  roadworks traffic lights, at a cross roads that wouldn't normally have them . But they're digging a hole in the middle...

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land.  Arthur Itis is quiet again and I hope it stays that way. Bit late getting dinner ready, steak ragu, waiting for the ping.

[Gwiwer]

9 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Sometimes they even have 4 way  roadworks traffic lights, at a cross roads that wouldn't normally have them . But they're digging a hole in the middle...

They need to have someone looking into that

[polybear]

1 hour ago, PeterBB said:

 ... and then some students want to sue because they did not get 'personal' tuition,  it beggars belief!

 

I do hope that if they get some - or all of their money back then the University cancels any Degree awarded.  No fee - no Degree.

[polybear]

Bear here.....

I received a text from the Docs today - it seems they're upgrading their phone system at the moment; hopefully this will put an end to the bullsh1t bingo but the jury's out on that one until I get to test it.

Call me cynical but I remain to be convinced....

BG