Early Risers.

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

2 barrow loads of bricks moved,

1 barrow load, of lime mortar and little bits of brick and Portland moved to loom shed foundations, 

1 barrow load of soil to raised bed. We have potatoes growing in the raised bed, not planted, they've grown from the potato peelings.

 

 Soil, yep there's a heap on the outside of the wall, with some brick and other ex wall bits and pieces mixed in. So wall work has ceased while I try to dig through the heap which about 12 ft wide and at max 3 ft high, but it is very shallow sloped. It needs to be dug away, so the rest of the wall can be removed and then turned it into a trailer park.  The former edge of the parking area was found, which gives a straight edge to work from.

 

While doing the above, SWMBO did some jungle clearance in the area. I then dragged that lot out of the way, when the heap is cleared, then the fence post can be removed, and the panel giving a much clearer area. 

 

Ben was then taken on his long walk, it's clouded over so the sun isn't hot. But, it's still warm.

 

Then I fought with the new to me phone, it suddenly said it had run out of credit. But it hadn't warned me, I tried to give it more credit, but they weren't sending info to the email, text or phone so It wouldn't allow access to the he account.

  It took several loops through the system to find they'd actioned double security, weren't sending the info because I hadn't completed the form online.. but that form wasn't accessable because they'd blocked me.. it several more loops through system gathering info, before I'd got enough to get back in.

Once in, the form filled in, submitted, they started the double security properly, and responded to the emails, text, and let me into the web site , once used suddenly I had full access. 

 

 

[Darlington_Shed]

26 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Then I fought with the new to me phone

 

Amazing how much time we save with all the new technology, isn't it?

[southern42]

' afternoon all from red dragon land.

Cloudy and a lot cooler @ 19.4C.

 

Fruitcake just gone in the oven.

 

I had a wander to the garden earlier - I could just feel a very very light drizzle with tiny tiny spots of rain on the terrace's slate slabs. 

 

The Rose of Sharon has a tremendous lot of buds this year.  It was grown from a cutting from one I bought years and years ago which has been overwhelmed by a fuchsia and now needs rescuing.

 

Rock Rose shedding its petals, daily.

 

One of the few clusters of elderflower left still looking good.

 

The hawthorn, off to the right of the elder, now clad in berries.

 

 

Sneaking into the stonework of the recently extended part of the terrace is Ivy-leaved toadflax.

 

And trying to take over the grasswork below is some white clover - I much prefer the more colourful red variety!

I got that out of focus!

 

Cake is out of the oven. Chicken has just gone in. The sun has come out.

And the OH is due in so, I had better get the teapot ready.

 

Take care. Be good. Enjoy what you can.

Polly

[TheQ]

It wasn't forecast but we've had a few spots of rain here on the Norfolk coast...

[Erichill16]

3 hours ago, Gwiwer said:
 

I noticed it straight away when I first visited. It is slightly crisper when bitten and snaps rather than bends. I’m not sure how it differs in detail as that would be covered by commercial confidence. 
. 

A similar issue when formulating suppositories. 
 

[DaveF]

It's gradually becoming dull rather than just cloudy here.  The day has so far been peaceful.  The morning passed quickly sorting out photos, watching a bit of Trooping of the Colour and a phone call from a friend who has had a few days in hospital.  Then it was time for lunch.

 

After lunch I did some more photograhpic things and then set out for a walk, I got as far as the other side of the road as friends saw me and asked me to have a cuppa with them as we haven't chatted for a few days. I then had a short walk, as I came home two other neighbours walked across for a catch up session so I have only been in my house for about twenty minutes since 2 p.m.  

 

I have heard that the traffic is bad so I am pleased I didn't go out, there have been queues of cars trying to get into the town today!   I can hear the music at the Festival at the beach quite clearly from my garden, fortunately it is not too noticeable indoors.   I would not want to hear it at close quarters. I gather it is very busy, I am told the beach is well filled with people with people with their deckchairs, picnics and drinks.

 

The next job is the watering and garden tidying, then tea, book, music and TV.  The Festival finishes before my bedtime , thank goodness. 

 

David

[Erichill16]

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

Pyrenees?  Not the French side as they spell cable car ‘telepherique’.   Possibly the Balkans. 

Cigar to the gentleman!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vall_de_Núria_Rack_Railway

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

The gauge issue in Japan is more complicated than it initially appears.

Very interesting, but isn't that pretty much true everywhere? Even the UK still had many narrow gauge railways - some quite substantial, and not just the famous Welsh or Devonian ones, long after Parliament mandated standard gauge.

 

Queensland 'standardized' on the 3'6" gauge, but of course the mainline from Sydney (through Kyogle) was standard gauge (extended for many years now with a dual-gauge line across the river from the old South Brisbane interstate terminus. The Port of Brisbane line was similarly made dual-gauge many years ago.

 

Then there were all the truly narrow gauge lines for timber and cane fields - many of which were 2' gauge.

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, TheQ said:

It took several loops through the system to find they'd actioned double security, weren't sending the info because I hadn't completed the form online.. but that form wasn't accessible because they'd blocked me.. it several more loops through system gathering info, before I'd got enough to get back in.

Put me in mind of this:

Quote

Yet before long he was awakened. A young man in city clothes, with an actor's face, narrow eyes, thick eyebrows, stood beside him with the landlord. The peasants, too, were still there, a few had turned their chairs around to see and hear better. The young man apologized very politely for having awakened K., introduced himself as the son of the Castle steward and said: "This village is Castle property, anybody residing or spending the night here is effectively residing or spending the night at the Castle. Nobody may do so without permission from the Count. But you have no such permission or at least you haven't shown it yet."

The Castle - Franz Kafka

 

An exquisite study in bureaucracy, and probably the most futile thing one can read.

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[PhilJ W]

My thought of the day. Lets replace all the Border Force with G P Receptionists and then lets see  who gets in.

[Ozexpatriate]

We like to jest about bears, but this was quite sad and very unusual:

 

CNN: An Arizona man was mauled to death by a black bear in a rare, unprovoked attack

 

Quote

An Arizona man was fatally mauled by a black bear that attacked him unprovoked while he was having his morning coffee on Friday.

...

“From multiple witness accounts and preliminary investigation of the scene, Mr. Jackson had been sitting having coffee at a table on his property where he was building a home,”

Prescott is in central Arizona. Think of it as half-way between the Grand Canyon and Phoenix. While high desert, it is at altitude (5,100' / 1554m) and there is plenty of forest around.

 

What that article doesn't say, but television news did was that the bear was eating the man. A nasty way to go.

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Only done a bit of shopping today, to hot to do much else.

3 hours ago, TheQ said:

It wasn't forecast but we've had a few spots of rain here on the Norfolk coast...

There was a bit of dampness about lunchtime and later I could hear rain falling but when I went out half an hour later it was dry.

[Ozexpatriate]

11 hours ago, polybear said:

Screenwash

Windex - My Big Fat Greek Wedding

[Coombe Barton]

... I was lying down beneath the caravan at one stage, lying on a cheap IKEA doormat I’ve had soe several years. They call it BORRIS. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/06/17/wobbling-and-the-government-not-doing-the-right-thing-again/

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

Not quite so hot today but still a bit too much for me.  I watched all The Trooping of the Colour as it was HM's first as King so didn't visit The Shed as intended.  However I've just spent an hour in there after a light evening meal. 

No beer or wine today as I'm reducing my intake a bit. (trying to lose a little weight)  Probably not enough to satisfy the medics who are now saying we should only have a couple of drinks a week or better still none at all.  Personally I'm not going to break the habits of the last almost 60 years as I suspect any damage was done long ago.

Edited June 17, 2023 by grandadbob

[Erichill16]

Despite appearances, these pictures were taken on my walkabout in the French Pyrenees rather than @iL Dottore’s in Osaka!

[Erichill16]

The main street in Villefranche-de-Conflent. Not a place you’d expect to find a Japanese themed shop!

[Gwiwer]

4 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

A similar issue when formulating suppositories. 
 

I won’t ask how you know

[Andy Hayter]

Well the bike ride is over.

 

At around 22km from the start we were the first official feeding and watering station.  But the first through had no intention of stopping wanting to in or at least get a good place.

 

 

Just another 250km and 4000m climbing to go!

 

As time went on however, more and more availed themselves of water and free cake - sorry RB -

 

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Andy Hayter

[Andy Hayter]

The ride/race was open to males and females and I suppose you might call these bi.

 

[Gwiwer]

Good evening all from the Distant (Signal) West. 
 

As we near the end of the first week of our two based in Pendeen we have enjoyed another largely relaxed day. Dr. SWMBO has had some anxiety attacks over the house purchase but we have managed to work through them with time. 
 

Today included a drive up the narrow and twisting coast road to Zennor where we enjoyed coffee and cakes mid-afternoon.  This was followed by a drive into (but not stopping at) St. Ives which was busy without being full - except for the car parks.  I had a plan to visit a spot Dr. SWMBO had not been before and which required several miles of narrow-lane driving. At one point we were obliged to stop and wait for the chap in front to find a passing bay - he was astride a mobility scooter and was leading his dog!  
 

Having reached John Knill’s monument Dr. SWMBO deployed her newly-purchased walking poles and was clearly finding mobility far easier than it has been. 
 

We later went out very locally to a most unlikely venue. A Portuguese tapas restaurant in a Cornish (former) mining town. It turned out to be a true delight. Excellent service by the owning Portuguese family and quality food. My favourites dish was the warm brie in apricot sauce which I can replicate at home some time. 
 

And then it was time to put the feet up in the window with a glass of red laughing water and watch the sun set into the sea - again. Does it get any better?  
 

Zennor’s plague stone.  
 

Gardens at the Moomaid Café at Zennor

 

Sharon makes it up the climb to John Knill’s Steeple

 

A different vie of The Island, St Ives, from Knill’s steeple. With a couple of German visitors in shot for scale 

St. Ives Bay. Carbis Bay centre right, Hayle above it across the estuary, sandy beaches along to Gwithian, Godrevy lighthouse offshore centre left, North Cliffs and St Agnes Beacon dark in the distance and the cliffs beyond Newquay towards Trevose Head just discernible at up to 50 miles away 

 

Porth Nanven, Cot stream and The Brisons offshore near St Just

 

Ahhhhhhhh ………………….

.

.

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Gwiwer

[Sidecar Racer]

35 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

I won’t ask how you know

 Well he is a farmercyst after all . 

[The Johnster]

5 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Cigar to the gentleman!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vall_de_Núria_Rack_Railway

 

Why, thank you sir, I shall smoke it with a glass of Napoleon out on the patio in the cool evening air.  Lucky 'vaguely informed' guess based on the spelling of 'Teleferic'.

 

You are flattering me by calling me a gentleman; I'm not, at least in terms of medieval societal rankings.  A gentleman is a person who owns property but is not a knight or noble, and I live in a rented flat.  I am therefore (probably) a freeman villein; my landlord is a gentleman. 

Edited June 17, 2023 by The Johnster

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Seeing @Gwiwer's pics of the sunset in Cornwall set me thinking. What is the time difference between sunset in Southend and sunset in St Just?

[grandadbob]

Southend 21.17, St. Just 21.35 Phil