Early Risers.

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, BoD said:

I sometimes wonder if the admins have the facility to and have actually put some sort of ‘choke’ on ER activity.

No - it's just too big. We've had the suggestion come up a couple of times to archive the current thread and start over. It's a good idea I think. Pick a date and start using ERs - Version X.

 

I think, in general, we'd have more consistent performance - except of course at times when the whole forum software is slow.

 

[Gwiwer]

Late night check-in now that I have got both the computer and the site to work.  

 

The Mac was switched off while I was away and kindly decided to not re-boot itself upon our return.  I coaxed it into life earlier tonight with the twin threats of screwdriver and smouldering iron.  It still took a half-hour to wake up and do anything realistic but hey - it is Sunday.  Are computers religious and claim their day of rest? 

 

Two loooonng days in the saddle finally ended late Friday night.  Thursday's trip up started well enough.  An easy run up to a rural property near the equally rural hamlet of Piper's Pool to collect some archive material for ongoing safe keeping.  Then an easy run to Exeter Services and a 90-minute break to ensure I was rested and did not arrive early at the next pick-up.  That was also located quite easily despite being in a fairly obscure location well off the main road near Sidmouth.  The donor of material there is also a long-standing friend and we were talking for somewhat longer than I had expected.  No matter.  Twas all good.  I diverted through Branscombe, Beer and Axmouth for old times' sake and was still making good time until I hit the traffic jam which was the A31 around the back of Bournemouth.  It was then stop-start until the M27 at which point it was simply stop.  Long-term roadworks and the evening peak traffic are not a good combination.  

 

I required a comfort break at Rownhams Services which became "Just wee" not the planned "Wee and tea" as I had then to make up some time.  Clear of the works I was going nicely until the Chichester by-pass on the A27.  At that point everything once again was at a standstill.  This proved to be the queue to get through Arundel almost ten miles ahead, exacerbated by roundabouts and the reduction from two lanes to one near Binstead.  I finally rolled into my destination in "Sunny" Worthing almost an hour behind the expected time but was still able to unload as planned.  Again a longer-than-expected chat with the friend who received the archive material resulted in me arriving at my sister's for the night closer to 9pm than the intended 7.30pm.  I was fed, watered and provided with the sofa and some bedding.  

 

Friday.  Up and away at 8am after a fairly average night's kip.  I joined the queue on the A24 to leave town!  I had expected the road to be busy but not quite that busy.  Once on the dual carriageway all was well and good time was being made.  The A24 becomes "old road" north of Horsham for part of the way up to Dorking and is never fast.  All allowed for.  What was not allowed for was the complete closure of the road for 10 miles north of Beare Green.  No way through to Dorking or Leatherhead at all.   A singularly unhelpful person in an orange jacket suggested I "go back home" when I asked if he could suggest an alternative.  I heard the words "F*** off" being muttered as I closed the window and drove off.  I know the whole area well.  I could have cut through Newdigate and Brockham to Dorking but then with no route through the Mole Gap to Leatherhead which way could I go?  Up and over Box Hill would ultimately put me on the wrong side of south London.  I back-tracked to Ockley, then via Forest Green, Holmbury St. Mary, Shere and Effingham to approach London, and Dr. SWMBO at Kew, from the south-west.  This incidentally took me past the end of the road at the Hill of Strawberries but I was already around an hour behind time and didn't feel I could justify even five minutes to divert.  

 

We loaded Dr. SWMBO, potted plants and some other stuff after a very quick coffee stop.  And headed west down the M3 and A303 just shy of an hour behind my planned time .  I was expecting issues but we had agreed to meet a friend who lives beside that road in the Blackdown Hills.  Clear to Amesbury then a slight delay up to Stonehenge but not as bad as it gets.  The traffic was then quite slow through the single-lane section all the way to Chicklade, there were queues at every point where two lanes reduced to one.  We were losing a little time.  And then it got slower and stickier.  At the Ilminster road works we sat stationary for 20 minutes.  Then crept forward a few yards every few minutes.  Finally through that bit and I thought we were good because I had allowed plenty of time.  My instructions were "Just past Podimore roundabout" which we reached at 16.27 for a 16.30 rendezvous.  It was fully ten miles past Podimore in the end but we pulled in, were plied with tea and cakes (LDC was included, for those still reading this) and left at 18.25 more than somewhat later than I had hoped.  

 

And then we really hit the traffic.  Back out on the A303 things had become stationary.  We joined the queue.  We sat.  We went nowhere.  We crept a few feet.  We sat for several minutes.  We crept forwards ......  For all the miles until the A30 joined on the left at April's Corner.  That was the cause; impatient drivers refusing to heed the give way signs and simply pushing in (the A303 has priority) obstructing traffic on the main road.  We were almost pushed into quite literally whilst half way across the junction.  Something white cut sharply in on the left and tried force through.  Rather than argue with a larger car its driver got a long blast on the hooter and a stern flash of the main beams.  They responded with a raised middle finger.  Oh for a dash-cam.  How many times have I said that?  

 

We reached Exeter Services at 8.30.  Over two hours was required to cover 25 miles.  

 

The original plan had us at home for a late dinner.  We ended up eating at Exeter not knowing what time (nor even which day) we might get home.  As luck had it the rest of the road was clear and I made good time.  Helped to the tune of about 5 minutes by the new section of A30 in Mid-Cornwall being open I managed to get home in 2 hours and 5 minutes non-stop from the break and at just after 11pm.  Having set off at 8am in the morning.  The worst traffic ever encountered on the A303 which is notoriously bad.  

 

Yesterday I was mostly tired.  Today I declined the offer of afternoon tea at a cafe 40 miles away.  I simply wasn't ready for another 80 miles on the road.  

 

The Little Red Driving Box was tired too.  By Exeter she was showing signs of needing TLC.  The clutch was shuddering, the brakes slightly uneven and out of screen-wash.  I spotted the oil pressure warning lamp flick on briefly.  Refilled with oil and screen wash, and with a good overnight rest, she was as good as usual when we drove into Penzance yesterday afternoon for some essential shopping.  

 

An epic trip.  And one I, normally a comfortable and confident driver, have no wish to repeat.  

Edited July 14 by Gwiwer

[Gwiwer]

31 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

No - it's just too big. We've had the suggestion come up a couple of times to archive the current thread and start over. It's a good idea I think. Pick a date and start using ERs - Version X.

 

I think, in general, we'd have more consistent performance - except of course at times when the whole forum software is slow.

 

I have floated a similar suggestion with Andy before now; archive the thread at a given point and keep the more recent pages.  Serving up over 13000 pages every time someone asks to read or post here takes time and resources.  Apparently there is some technical reason why that may not be easy.  

 

Far easier, if less palatable, might be to simply close this one off and start all over.  It won't take too long for most of the regulars to find a new place.  Once you post - unless you so choose otherwise - you get emails or other alerts for all other new posts anyway so any discontinuity would be short-lived.  

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Apparently there is some technical reason why that may not be easy.  

We don't really need to archive it - just stop using it and start with a new topic - Early Risers Redux* or whatever.

* I realize there were earlier incarnations with prior versions of the platform.

[Ozexpatriate]

8 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

Given his age, I do wonder about how good his planning was. I know what I was like at 20 and while I was no fool then, some experience and wisdom from the intervening years would help significantly in planning such an operation. Even if you don't care about walking away from the shot, if you are sufficiently motivated to attempt a political assassination, you do want to make that shot count

New reporting today:

 

CNN: Local officer tried to stop gunman on rooftop, but was unable to engage him, Butler County sheriff says

The shooter was rushed by a police officer on the roof of the shed - who dropped when the shooter turned around. The shooter (now positively detected) and possibly distracted, then fired.

Quote

... one local officer hoisted another to get up to the ledge. The shooter turned around, saw the officer peering over and pointed his gun at him. The officer let go of the ledge to “take cover” and save his own life. The gunman then started firing from the rooftop. 

 

[Erichill16]

5 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

We don't really need to archive it - just stop using it and start with a new topic - Early Risers Redux* or whatever.

* I realize there were earlier incarnations with prior versions of the platform.

Can’t the thread be locked, as I’ve seen on several threads that have got overheated with direction to a new version?

 

Edited July 15 by Erichill16
Spelling

[Erichill16]

4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

. Ken (or was it Keith?) was saying ………..

 

 

Come on Monkey you’re getting sloppy, you know here on ER we need accurate information, not something that a gutter press ‘journalist’ may have come up with.

Otherwise an interesting post.

[Hroth]

So.

 

St Swithuns/Swithins day, bright sunshine, high of 20c, calm.  Rain later...

 

The 40 days of rain rule was apparently originally dependant on rain falling on his bridge in Winchester, similar to the old "white christmas" rule that a snowflake had to fall on the roof of the London Weather Centre on Christmas Day.

 

The BBC weather app seems to be interested in predicting rain for most of the following two weeks....

 

Edited July 15 by Hroth

[polybear]

3 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Can’t the thread be locked, as I’ve seen on several threads that have got overhead, with direction to a new version?

 

 

Bear has fixed it - or started a sh1t storm......

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/187201-early-risers-part-2/

 

 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.  A good day yesterday, Market in the morning. Not a lot in the afternoon then the Bastille Day meal in the evening.  We got collared into the  after party, the only English there but still managed to get home safely.  Head is clear.  Now a French class this morning. 

 

Jamie

[Hroth]

3 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Bear has fixed it - or started a sh1t storm......

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/187201-early-risers-part-2/

 

 

 

We'll see, we'll see....

Unless your breakaway movement gets locked instead...

 

[Barry O]

Ey up!

The wedding week starts .. today!

 

Haircut today

Her indoors to collect Dr Eldest Herbert from the wrong side of the hills

 

Tomorrow.. taxi booked for 11 is..  off to the Civic Hall for the legal ceremony then

Lunch at a nice restaurant in Leeds.

 

Wednesday.. travel to Warwick for a cricket meeting.. thermo nuclear multiple war headed teddies are ready to go

Thursday.. herself at volunteering.. me cleaning

Friday .. welcome guests, attend meal for my 167 year on this plant..

Saturday.. taxi to a marquee in a father in laws field.. eat, drink and be nice to people

Sunday .. guests depart.. me into hibernation....

 

Baz

[Barry O]

ION 

So for £37 million you build a cycle supe highway between Leeds and Bradford on the pretext of getting more people out of their cars..

 

Well 10 years on an average of 800  people  per day use it..  yes 800 people.. wow.. great impact on the environment..  not..

 

One Councillor commented "why build it its too hilly"... really??

 

Baz

Edited July 15 by Barry O
Spellung

[Gwiwer]

Well well well. No pussy in there so far though. 
 

It is, as forecast, raining more than somewhat. The gulls are vocally objecting but the garden is thankful. 
 

We shall find out in the fullness of time how accurate Old Swithun was. 
 

And in case this turns out to be my last post on this version of ERs I’ll see you on the other side. 

[Erichill16]

10 minutes ago, Barry O said:

 

Friday .. welcome guests, attend meal for my 167 year on this plant..

 

Baz

Bl00dy ‘ell, you’re looking good!

[Winslow Boy]

54 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

Bl00dy ‘ell, you’re looking good!

Amazing what you can do with some Millie put and grease paint now a days.

[Barry O]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

Well well well. No pussy in there so far though. 
 

It is, as forecast, raining more than somewhat. The gulls are vocally objecting but the garden is thankful. 
 

We shall find out in the fullness of time how accurate Old Swithun was. 
 

And in case this turns out to be my last post on this version of ERs I’ll see you on the other side. 

Not  for me.. I will have words with Andy Y.  I find @polybear to be acting well above his station.. thank god for the Drivellers!

 

Baz

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from a quiet and grey Sidcup, although rain is not due here until early evening.

 

That depressed feeling that England lost - expected but you still have hope. Next tournament will be 30 years of "30 years of hurt". 

 

Even the thought that I had Spain in the work sweepstake seems of little consolation.

 

Never mind, I guess we move on to the excitement of work!

[Coombe Barton]

I do not have a problem with loading times or volume of information. I do have a problem with loss  of continuity.

[polybear]

34 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Not  for me.. I will have words with Andy Y.  I find @polybear to be acting well above his station.. thank god for the Drivellers!

 

Baz

 

Well there's been moanin' about how slow ER'ers often is for months....so do we carry on moanin' for more months or does someone try to fix it (and the idea of starting a new ER thread suggested by many seems as sensible as any) - so why not give it a go?

And who's "station" would it be exactly??

 

It might work, it might not.  And @Andy Y might agree it's a good idea - or not.  In which case nothing's been lost.  But at least someone will've tried to do something about it.

 

 

 

Edited July 15 by polybear

[Hroth]

48 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

Amazing what you can do with some Millie put and grease paint now a days.

 

🎶 Millie put the kettle on,

We'll all have tea! 🎶

 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

There’s something strange happening here, there’s a big shiny yellow thing in the sky AND the sky is an odd blue colour, can’t quite work out what’s going on🤣. 
 

So, with the current weather conditions, I might get the cross beams cut today, I might even get the holes drilled in the bottom of the legs and the feet fitted to them. However, before I start all that, I’m going to get the chairs and truck out of th shed ready for the Tatton flower show on Wednesday. Due to the current RHS thinking and planning, this is the last show there for 3 years, 😡, pah. It’s not gone down well with us RHS members! 
 

Back later. 
 

Brian. 

[Gwiwer]

30 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Well there's been moanin' about how slow ER'ers often is for months....so do we carry on moanin' for more months or does someone try to fix it (and the idea of starting a new ER thread suggested by many seems as sensible as any) - so why not give it a go?

And who's "station" would it be exactly??

 

It might work, it might not.  And @Andy Y might agree it's a good idea - or not.  In which case nothing's been lost.  But at least someone will've tried to do something about it.

 

 

 

There would be loss of immediate continuity but nothing IMHO that cannot be overcome.  I respect the fact that other opinions may differ.  I do have issues of loading time (and more often than not the request times out before service) and I more often than not receive "Community Temporarily Unavailable" when posting.  I know the post goes up but I don't get to see it until some time later.  Which can mean typos and other stuff goes uncorrected for some time.  

I would prefer a faster thread.  But we are in Andy's club and his rules and decisions apply.  

[DaveF]

I too find that ERs can take a long time to load (and Save) if someone else is doing the same thing.  Until a decision is made either by design or default I'll probably put the same post in both versions.  I might say "Obviously everything I write is so important that everyone needs to see it." - but that would be rubbish, most of what I write is inconsequential and does not "need" to be read by anyone let alone everyone.  

 

Anyway today has started well, the sun is putting in an appearance now and then, the rain has stopped, the wind has gone round to the west and it is a bit warmer.  I slept better too.

 

So far I've done my share of the housework, had a quick tidy up, put some bits in the bin and had a look at the garden which now needs attention, even though it is very wet.  I've tied up some of the sweet peas which had fallen down because of how heavy the rain was, fortunately the stems hadn't broken.  I've had a paddle round the greenhouse and found a couple of tomatoes to pick, by teatime some plants will need watering so they will also get fed.

 

The Asda order for tomorrow needs amending and I must work out what to do about the credit card account where the bank has changed the account number but not yet sent me a new card.  Their e mails say the old one will continue to work for now, I may ring them to check.  Why do they have to change things just to suit themselves, another case of customers do not matter.  I begin to think that banks really do work in the way they are portrayed in the current Nationwide adverts.  Moan over.

 

The rest of the day is a bit fluid, it may be captioning photos, making something, reading.  The window cleaner is slowly getting nearer, I don't want to miss him so I can pay him.  I also will be doing some washing once the cleaner has finished.

 

David

[jjb1970]

I call on all fellow ERs to come together and avoid turning against eachother in the face of the seccessionist movement of Jefferson Polybear, now is a time for unity!! As such, I will offer my services along with my loyal army of P4 nutters in the service of the highest bidder, to crush the enemy. Offers by PM please, used S$100 dollar notes only.