Early Risers.

[polybear]

9 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Should have tried the plain one first, just a hint of spice.

 

Bear's Pizza's usually get the home-made (for extra iD points) Chilli Oil - though the C&M Test Jobbie didn't receive that treatment to ensure it was exactly as the Manufacturer intended).

 

8 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

Worrying for us lot is that he came from Manutopea. There was a big clear out/exodus when the proverbial hit the fan  at the Manchester Arena inquiry. Not certain if he was one or whether he jumped earlier.

 

Apparently he also built his own house himself, without contracting out** any work.  So it seems he's a dab hand a being a brickie, plastering, roofing, electrics, plumbing.....

 

I reckon that experience might just come in handy as a Labourer on a Building Site - if he can find someone to offer him a job, that is.

 

**Wonder who did the gas 

 

7 hours ago, PupCam said:

 

You turn your back for 5 minutes and another 5 pages or so turns up so some skippage has been necessary ... 

 

Not doing your homework, young Pup?  You do realise there's an exam at the end, don't you?  And it's no good whingin' to @Coombe Barton about being unfair etc. etc. when you fail....

 

7 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Based on the result it can flag any concerns and recommend followups / lifestyle changes you might like to consider.

 

 

Only "Moderate" on the Social Index Chimpy?  Marked down for too many f@rts in public perhaps?

 

18 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Along this line is the small, but apparently very lucrative, trade in selling off titles.
 

Back in those days when monarchs were, how can I put it?, more “Robust“ than they are nowadays; along with handing out decapitations, hanging drawing and quartering, dismemberment, nose and tongue slitting etc. for various infractions of the law; they also handed out hereditary titles as both bribes* and as rewards. This means there are a number of superfluous titles around which can be flogged off by impecunious Aristo to raise cash or to pay for yet another tax bill from HMRC.

 

As I am only vaguely knowledgeable about this trade I have no idea as to either prices or hierarchies. By the latter, I mean are titles purchased from the British Aristocracy worth more than that those bought from the French aristocracy? Is a being a Duke worth more than being Le Duc?  NB I just found this: https://nobility.co.uk/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=6. which answers a few of those questions. But even if you do buy a title, you still need to have the money and the schooling to pull it off.

 

In addition to “spare” aristocratic titles going on sale, there are also various minor titles of mediaeval officialdom that have never been struck off the roles which are currently unfilled and are up for grabs. Often such roles with sinecures four people doing favours for other people further up the mediaeval hierarchy and come with “rights“ as well as duties. Many of these rights are still enforceable, although in today’s society, most of them are just quaint traditions.

 

I reckon that with some judicious research, you could buy yourself those titles that give you as yet unrevoked rights and powers to do obscure mediaeval things that could seriously inconvenience today’s authorities.

 

* sometimes it was a choice of either a reward OR a punishment, as in “let me have my wicked way with your daughter and I will make you Duke of Barking, if you don’t, how do you fancy a spot of hanging, drawing and quartering?”

 

Hmm, "Prince Bear" has a certain ring to it, don't you think?  Oh, hang on a mo - it seems that being a Prince isn't quite what it was after all.

 

I did know a Senior Field Service(?) guy back in the 90's who worked for Marconi (I think - we were on the same ships in Glasgow) who bought a "Lord" Title (as a larf) and also used to drive into work at Scotstoun Shipyard in a Roller sometimes.....

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Grey skies at the moment with scattered showers forecast and maybe some sunny spells later.  15°C rising to 24°C

 

6 hours ago, The Lurker said:

I think it was Beaulieu that had a Routemaster when we visited- one of the Lurker boys was most impressed that the route it was displaying was the 51 - that goes past the end of the road!

It was an old RT.

 

A visit to Sainsbury's has been deemed "essential" so we'll be going there sooner rather than later as I have a parcel due  containing  an O gauge wagon that RoS tempted me with in their sale.  At least I managed to resist another loco.

More pottering today but specified and it will involve wrapping up the old broadband router and TV box etc for return to BT and then I will spend some time in The Shed.  England are playing rugby in Japan as I write but haven't got access to viewing today as I forgot!!!

Timetogettamoveon.

Have a good one,

Bob,

[iL Dottore]

Idly procrastinating and considering the above post, I wondered what sort of medieval style roles I could come up that would be suitable for some of the “usual suspects”. So, how about:

 

Numerator of His Majesty’s Railways: it is his Majesty’s pleasure to entitle @jamie92208, as His Majesty’s Railway numerator, tasked with the obligation of creating a census of His Majesty’s Railways by recording the train numbers in the official ledger of his office. It is his Majesty’s command that the official Numerator of His Majesty’s Railways shall be neither impeded, hindered, or obstructed by any railway official of high or low rank.

 

Grand Panetier et maître pâtissier d'Angleterre A role perfect for @polybear (who else?). It is his Majesty’s command that the Grand Panetier et maître pâtissier d'Angleterre provides the Royal household with the freshest and highest quality all-natural and organic bread and cake on a daily basis as directed and instructed by his Majesty, and furthermore is personally tasked with the prompt removal and disposal of all bread and cake more than 4 hours old.

 

Keeper of The King’s Wicket @Barry O it is His Majesty’s command, that the Keeper of the King’s Wicket shall oversee the great and noble sport of cricket throughout the kingdom, ensuring that the highest standards of propriety, sportsmanship and fair-play are adhered to. It is also His Majesty’s command, that the Keeper of the Kings Wicket has both power and authority to punish, as he sees fit, any violators of the laws, ordinances and regulations (domestic or foreign) of the great and Noble game of cricket.

 

There may be other titles going? Do you know of any?

[polybear]

Bear here....

 

MIUABGAD methinks - I've got the Carry-Case for the Sander to wash; the velcro sheet also needs re-bonding onto the sanding plate (I've got some spray contact adhesive that should do the job nicely).

 

The local Drug Dealer also informs me that he's got a new batch of a different flavour reserved for me - he has a nasty habit of doing that just a couple of hours after I've just collected something else from him; if I didn't know better (I don't) then I'd swear he's trying to get me hooked.....

 

After that I reckon I'll just wing it as I go along....

 

BG

[polybear]

4 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Grand Panetier et maître pâtissier d'Angleterre A role perfect for @polybear (who else?). It is his Majesty’s command that the Grand Panetier et maître pâtissier d'Angleterre provides the Royal household with the freshest and highest quality all-natural and organic bread and cake on a daily basis as directed and instructed by his Majesty.....

 

"Provide the Royal Household with Bread n' Cake?  Huh??

 

4 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

..... and furthermore is personally tasked with the prompt removal and disposal of all bread and cake more than 4 hours old.

 

 

Ah, that's different....I reckon we can do a deal after all.....

[iL Dottore]

Something for @polybear and others who believe that there’s no such thing as bad pasta.

 

Grace Dent’s amusing review says otherwise https://www.theguardian.com/food/article/2024/jun/21/assaggini-glasgow-g12-until-now-i-thought-bad-pizza-was-a-contradiction-restaurant-review

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Bit overcast this morning.. fine as I have some more garden fencing to paint and it was far too warm yesterday.

 

@polybear.. what is a "Roller"? Obviously you have never travelled in a Royce?  If you mentioned roller at a certain factory in Crewe you would have been lucky to escape as anything other than a floor mat.

 

Off to a muddling session this afternoon.. only 4 more sets of parts to be fitted together to complete the first part of Bazes little demo layout in slightly wider sets of nickel silvervstrips than usual.

 

Time for my teavthen.. hand me that paint brush!

 

Baz

 

 

[BoD]

37 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Along this line is the small, but apparently very lucrative, trade in selling off titles.

A few years ago Valerie, as a novelty gift, bought me a piece of land in Scotland.  I know the exact location but if I wanted to stand on ‘my’ land I would have to stand on one leg to do so, such is the extent of my estates.  I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a scam just a money making idea to provide a novelty gift.
 

However,  I am by right allowed to style myself Laird of Glen Somewhereorother and have the certificates to prove it.  So, as Messrs Gilbert & Sullivan would have it, Bow, bow, ye lower middle classes ….
 

 

[Gwiwer]

8 hours ago, PupCam said:

You turn your back for 5 minutes and another 5 pages or so turns up so some skippage has been necessary ... 

Tell me about it!  
 

Whilst I cannot keep up with the speed at times and have yet to gain an interest in motorised two-wheeled conveyances I do try to follow things. 
 

Speaking of which we have a quite full weekend ahead which may well result in more skippage. 

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl,

Woke at stupid o'clock with blocked nose and a headache. Hayfever struck. Did get to sleep again and had a good total of hours.

 

Ben the sleeping Collie's patrol went well.  He had a good snuffle. Light dew,  100% blue welkin.

 

Back in the late 1970 a junior airman turned up at RAF Locking in a Rolls Royce, he was told to remove it within days. Can't have airmen having better cars than the officers...

 

Plans for today, 

More unmentionable kit cleaning, so a couple of hours will be sat in the sun with a bucket of hot water..

 

But first finish this muggacoffee.

[Winslow Boy]

9 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

 

One pharmacy chain has rolled out these do it yourself "free health check" machines.

 

 

 It lets you know your Blood Pressure, Weight,  BMI,  % Body Fat , Heart Rate,   Heart "Age"   and Height as well as some airey fairy things like "Social Index" and "Emotional Index".

 

Planned upgrades include health pathology ( I guess some kind of blood testing regime ,going by the icon), and "Sleep analysis", though I'm  not sure how that one would work, maybe you are meant to  nod off for a few minutes or something.

 

It takes around 4 minutes all up.

 

Based on the result it can flag any concerns and recommend followups / lifestyle changes you might like to consider.

 

 

 

 

A nice touch is that you can choose the "standard" health check or what is called "The Shane Warne Legacy Heart test"!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had these a few years ago. Nice to know that the 'colonies' are finally catching up. If memory serves I think they stopped being used but I might be wrong on that.

[monkeysarefun]

18 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

We had these a few years ago. Nice to know that the 'colonies' are finally catching up. If memory serves I think they stopped being used but I might be wrong on that.

 

Maybe the NHS fell behind with the repayments.

 

Anyway you wouldn't have got the Shane Warne heart test version,  yours would have had the "you are alarmingly  sedentary. You are either dead, or Geoffrey Boycott" evaluation.

Edited June 22 by monkeysarefun

[Winslow Boy]

I seem to recall from a few years ago something about a chap buying a big house/estate and also getting the rights to several over pieces of land at the same time. What made it 'newsworthy' - other terms are available, was that he promptly wrote to few of the properties adjacent to his land saying that they owed him some Dosh. As you can imagine everyone was up in arms saying it wasn't fair, but he pointed out that just because the previous owner hadn't charged it didn't mean he wasn't. I can't remember how it ended up.

[Winslow Boy]

3 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

Maybe the NHS fell behind with the repayments.

 

Anyway you wouldn't have got the Shane Warne heart test version,  yours would have had the "you are overly sedentary. You are either dead, or Geoffrey Boycott" evaluation.

Or in my case - you are perfectly healthy, well done!

[tigerburnie]

1 hour ago, BoD said:

A few years ago Valerie, as a novelty gift, bought me a piece of land in Scotland.  I know the exact location but if I wanted to stand on ‘my’ land I would have to stand on one leg to do so, such is the extent of my estates.  I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a scam just a money making idea to provide a novelty gift.
 

However,  I am by right allowed to style myself Laird of Glen Somewhereorother and have the certificates to prove it.  So, as Messrs Gilbert & Sullivan would have it, Bow, bow, ye lower middle classes ….
 

 

I too am a landowner of a far flung island, well to be precise a square foot of it. The Laphroaig whisky company "gave" those who bought a bottle of their finest this for their life only, you get paid rent, a miniature bottle, but you have to go to the distillery to collect it, something I can recommend, a lovely island.

[DaveF]

I've managed to read all the posts so am up to date.  Just don't test me on the content though I can remember the gist of most conversations.

 

I slept quite well which was a suprise as I realised this morning I forgot my antihistamine so I took it when I got up.  I wondered why I woke sneezing.  

 

I tried oat "milk" this morning in my tea and on some Weetabix.  It is bearable but I prefer lactose free milk as the oat stuff leaves an aftertaste.  I will probably finish the carton to see if I get used to it. 

 

It has started very grey but blue sky is now approaching from the north.  Shortly I shall go into the garden to do some dead heading, weeding and to remove a very unhappy looking plant from a tub.  It is about dead, a seedling growing in the soil by the tub is very healthy so I will keep that instead and find something else for the tub.  That means I have an excuse  reason to go to a garden centre next week.

 

Later on I'll have a look at some of my photos, then this afternoon I may read, work on a model or see if there is anything on TV.

 

David

 

 

[DaveF]

4 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

I too am a landowner of a far flung island, well to be precise a square foot of it. The Laphroaig whisky company "gave" those who bought a bottle of their finest this for their life only, you get paid rent, a miniature bottle, but you have to go to the distillery to collect it, something I can recommend, a lovely island.

 

 

I have a square foot too.  In the original paperwork it says I can visit it, they would give me an exact location.  Sadly I've never got around to it.

 

David

Edited June 22 by DaveF

[tigerburnie]

1 minute ago, DaveF said:

 

 

I have a square foot too.  In the original paperwork it says I can visit it, they would give me an exact location.  Sadly I've never got around to it.

 

David

I didn't bother wandering over the peat bog, but I did do the testing of the product, came out grinning like a Cheshire cat and bouncing off the walls. Islay is a lovely Island to visit, I intend to return next year to visit the newly re-built Port Ellen distillery as well.

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, Barry O said:

. what is a "Roller"?

 

 

Maybe he was Fred Dibna.

Edited June 22 by monkeysarefun

[monkeysarefun]

8 minutes ago, DaveF said:

 

 

I have a square foot too.  In the original paperwork it says I can visit it, they would give me an exact location.  Sadly I've never got around to it.

 

David

 

 

Jeez there's a heap of us on here!  The bloke who runs our sub-contracting company bought us all one each when BAE took over and one of their managers was a bit up himself.

 

We'd all reply to his emails using our Scottish titles.

[monkeysarefun]

17 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

Or in my case - you are perfectly healthy, well done!

 

I never doubted it, probably THATS why you lost your machine.

[grandadbob]

Hmm, the visit to Sainsbury's was not essential after all....so we went to Asda instead.  This entailed a walk of just under a mile in total and The Hip is now shouting at me.   Whilst we were down South for a few days I managed an average of 3 miles a day without too much grief.  Strange. 

Getting lots of pics on Instagram at the moment from grandkids who are currently on holiday with their dad (Ex SiL) Steve in Thailand. They've spent a few days in Bangkok and yesterday flew to Chiang Mai and they appear to be having a fantastic time.   However Joe did say that after his business class trip last week to the US with (Son) Steve it was a bit of a come down having to do a 12-13 hour flight in economy.  😁  I think I can understand that, I certainly wouldn't fancy it.

Time for another muggacoffee.

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

Only "Moderate" on the Social Index Chimpy?  Marked down for too many f@rts in public perhaps?

 

 

They were random results I found on the internet! I've never used one because ignorance is bliss.

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, BoD said:

 

However,  I am by right allowed to style myself Laird of Glen Somewhereorother and have the certificates to prove it.  So, as Messrs Gilbert & Sullivan would have it, Bow, bow, ye lower middle classes ….
 

 

 

Is that like being middle-glass?  You're neither upper or lower glass....

 

Hey-ho,  Time for another muggacoffee...

 

[polybear]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Something for @polybear and others who believe that there’s no such thing as bad pasta.

 

Grace Dent’s amusing review says otherwise https://www.theguardian.com/food/article/2024/jun/21/assaggini-glasgow-g12-until-now-i-thought-bad-pizza-was-a-contradiction-restaurant-review

 

Never heard of her - but any Restaurant that serves Pasta on a saucer and makes 8" Pizzas** deserves A Very Wide Berth....

 

**That's a side-order.

 

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

@polybear.. what is a "Roller"? Obviously you have never travelled in a Royce?  If you mentioned roller at a certain factory in Crewe you would have been lucky to escape as anything other than a floor mat.

 

 

Common terminology - sometimes phrases such as "We'll go in the Rolls" are also used.

 

25 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

This entailed a walk of just under a mile in total and The Hip is now shouting at me.   Whilst we were down South for a few days I managed an average of 3 miles a day without too much grief.  Strange. 

 

 

Different Bed?  Different Chair?  Escaping from Mrs. GDB's Task List for a few days?

 

ION....

 

Carry-Case washed.  Tick.  Velcro Pad re-bonded onto Sanding Pad.  Another Tick.

Right, what's next?

 

BG