Early Risers.

[Ian Abel]

POETS - since I'm recovering from the lurgy and not worked all week, it's not in effect.

 

Yesterday continued the same old schedule, managed to remain upright at least and the dizziness is getting better. 

Trevor made us some chili and did some shopping for us dropping both off early evening and we enjoyed watching the WNBA final game 1 which was a nail biter.

At least "we" won.

 

In keeping with some posts, whilst I'm not venturing out - last day of isolation is today (hooray!!), I can share some autumnal treescape from my office window.

 

also note the white "spot" in the picture, we have a white squirrel frequenting our neighborhood.

 

Starting to feel somewhat better "I think", but will expect the weekend to be slow.

 

Another perfect weather day, 9c and sunny to start, 22c the forecast high.

 

Hope the weekend starts well for all...

[Andy Hayter]

5 hours ago, BSW01 said:

 

The Trafford Centre was also full of people trying their best to stop me catching up. There seemed to be lots of people who clearly had mobility issues, walking sticks, crutches or strollers, who insisted on standing in the centre of an aisle. When I asked them politely, if I could pass, just gave me the look of, can’t you see I’m disabled? I was very tempted to say “yes I can, but does that give you the right to block access to everyone else?” but instead I just smiled and said thank you. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve no objection to the disabled having access like everyone else, but why do they think they have the right stop others from having the same? I think that could be a rant, sorry. 
 

 

 

I feel that pain but here it is not so much disabled folk that is the issue.  During the holiday period it is just about everyone!  but mainly tourists and second home owners.  This reaches a peak on market days.

 

I did try and devise a game where points would be scored for lack of consideration but could not  work out the optimum points level.

Scoring actions - possibly in roughly ascending order.

 

Wandering apparently aimlessly down the road and oblivious to traffic - that's a road that is not already shut and claimed for the market activities.  Extra points gained as the group size increases.

Abandoning your vehicle at the edge of the market, with hazard lights on and blocking the free flow of traffic.  I know it was supposed to be 2 minutes but it is holiday market day and it is going to to take at least 5 minutes to get to your target, then a 10 minute queue then 5 minutes back.  Meanwhile traffic backs up in both directions.  Points scored would depend on the distance from a free car park and escalate the closer the abandonment.  

Walking - better said sauntering - down the aisles of the market as a group side by side.  Extra points awarded as the group size expands upwards from 4.  Groups of 6 and upward will effectively block traffic in both directions.

Said group meeting a similar group coming in the opposite direction.  Triple points if anyone in one group knows someone from the other group.  This will induce a delay while all members of one group are introduced to all members of the other.  Points doubled again if they all know one another since this will involve cheek kissing between all members of both groups - 21 sets of cheek kissing if 2 groups of 6 meet .

Double points again if this can be at the intersection of north south and east west aisle since this will cause gridlock throughout the market.  

 

Edit:  I got the the cheek kissing sum wrong.  it should be 36

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Andy Hayter

[Barry O]

And there was me thinking LEO was a lion on children's TV long, long time ago....Pah!

 

Baz

[45156]

Evening All

 

I had a fall last week - tripped over the fireside mat while going to put a log on the stove.  Nothing broken, but I hurt all down my left side, and my foot is badly bruised, so I am having trouble walking.  I had said a few times to 30747 that it was rucking up quite frequently and badly, but she would not move it - She has now.  It's in the loft where it can stay.

 

Did eventually decide to binge watch Night Sleeper on the I player - utterly inaccuarate, but had to watch it anyway - but you know that the railway realism is going to be nil when in the first episode the junction of the Caley and GSW at Gretna is depicted as a level crossing with an oil tanker train stretched right across and as far as I could see, no actual Junction - apologies if this has already been mentioned.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Coombe Barton]

... Material for Medieval re-enactors on the fish counter at Sainsbury’s ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/10/11/postcards-from-home-2024-44-climate-universities-and-horizon/

[polybear]

5 hours ago, BSW01 said:

The Trafford Centre was also full of people trying their best to stop me catching up. There seemed to be lots of people who clearly had mobility issues, walking sticks, crutches or strollers, who insisted on standing in the centre of an aisle.

 

Reminds me of many Muddle R*ailway Exhibitions - though the guilty parties are quite often able-bodied...

 

12 minutes ago, 45156 said:

I had said a few times to 30747 that it was rucking up quite frequently and badly................

 

You seem to have a spelling error there.....

[BoD]

Evening all.

 

I had my Covid and flu jabs today.  
 

They asked if I wanted one in each arm I thought “Nah, if it’s  going to bu$$er things up it may as well bu$$er one arm doubly as two arms singly”.  Always was a bit of a philosopher me.  

 

The arm is a bit sore but then that was the arm I had physio to treat restricted movement/pain earlier in the year and whilst it’s a lot better it is still a bit restricted and sore,  so no great loss.  I’ve also got mild cold symptoms - woolly head, sniffles, a few aches and pains - that weren’t there this morning.  As long as it gets no worse I’ll be happy.  

 

Now remind me again, what is it I have a wee drink of when I have a cold….

[Darlington_Shed]

8 minutes ago, BoD said:

what is it I have a wee drink of when I have a cold

 

Large scotch, spoonful of honey, squeeze of lemon, hot water as required. Or forget everything after 'scotch'. Repeat as required.

[Tony_S]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

And there was me thinking LEO was a lion on children's TV long, long time ago....Pah!

 

Baz

I remember Lenny the Lion

 

 

[Tony_S]

3 hours ago, Barry O said:

I notice that you need stronger UV protection in Kiwiland otherwise your skin can burn very quickly.

 

Baz

We had just emerged from the Australian and New Zealand garden into the dry garden at Hyde Hall this afternoon. I think it is the altitude here that gives such blue skies. 


It wasn’t far to the cafe for a cup of tea. 
Tony

Edited 1 hour ago by Tony_S

[PupCam]

2 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

 

also note the white "spot" in the picture, we have a white squirrel frequenting our neighborhood.

 

We've got black ones round these parts.    It's just like old televisions in the squirrel world ....

 

15 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

I remember Lenny the Lion

 

 

 

I'd forgotten.  I rather wish it had stayed that way/

 

ION

 

As it was a lovely if nippy evening last night I thought I'd have a crack at some wide-field astrophotography.    Mainly because a small CCTV camera lens screwed onto the astro-camera and mounted on the tripod/equatorial mount is way lighter than the telescope to drag into the garden.        I managed some total exposure times of around 20 minutes and up to a 1000+ frames.    Sadly I haven't been able to make anything half decent out of the data.    Maybe there's nothing in the data to be half decent?    I'll keep playing.    

 

It was also, of course, a grand opportunity to finally witness the aurora for myself.     With my colour-challanged Mk 1 eyeballs I perhaps didn't get the full benefit but I did see it and it got better as the night went on.    I note today that there's some excellent photographs of our church on the hill with some spectacular sky backgrounds on Faceache.     The main problem with optical astronomy (apart from the potential for a very large hole in the bank balance) is that it generally has to be done at night.    I felt OK at 2:00am after I'd packed the gear away.  The trouble was that by the time I was in bed my mind was still extremely active (how unusual!) which as we all know is not conducive for getting to sleep and I couldn't.   The net result of course was that I've been kn*ck*d all day.   I think a very early night beckons!

 

Probably night awl

 

 

 

[polybear]

2 hours ago, BoD said:

Evening all.

 

I had my Covid and flu jabs today.  

 

Bear has a private wooflu jab tomorrow - bye bye half a Deltic....😢

Fortunately the flu jab in a week is a freebie 😀

 

Today was taken up by ironing 😡 and various general dross then meeting up with two of the muddle engineering group guys for din dins at our regular pub nearby - sadly Buddy No. 3 phoned earlier today to report he's got the Flu' (just a few days before he's due for the jab......) so couldn't attend.  One of the Buddies was a lot happier than previously - he's resolved a work issue to his satisfaction (involving signing a NDA - so he couldn't discuss it) and as a consequence is now retired/"on a sabbatical".

 

The last couple of weeks have been "eventful" for Bear - involving a scan ("results in about a week, Mr. Bear"). So when the Doc gets onto Mr. Bear 18 hours later to report there were some "issues" it kinda gets interesting....

I was then told I'd be getting an appointment to see a Consultant - and true to their word one arrived from a nearby Private Hospital a couple of hours later.....for the end of fuggin' January.....

Well Buggerthat, thinks Bear - I'd rather not be danglin' for four months, so out came the flexible friend and a private consultation arrived at the very same private hospital - meaning Bear waved bye bye to a Noisy Deltic 😭😭.  And the waiting list for such an appointment?  Well it was a case of "which day next week would Mr. Bear like, and at what time?".

 

That was yesterday - and in fairness it was money well spent (at that price it bluddy well should be too....).  Fortunately the issue shouldn't be after all - a few changes to sweeties and hopefully all will be resolved (or at least improved).  Time will tell....

 

Incidentally, a noisy Deltic buys you around 20 minutes....ouch.

 

ION.....

 

New Steam Iron (thirty quid) arrived earlier this week.....so identical Steam iron (forty five quid....) that arrived last week went back today....and no postie charges either way.

If The Big River thinks it can play games like that with Bear then it's very much mistaken.....😁

 

 

 

Edited 25 minutes ago by polybear

[New Haven Neil]

Where did the day go, then?

 

Up early ish, prep bike, go out with Old Farts, ride, eat, ride, drink (coffee), talk, talk some more, ride home, do some jobs on project bike, take Mrs NHN for flu jab, eat Chinese sitty-in at Chinese friend's sitty-in cafe, talk, go home, light fire, expire in front of it for an hour!

 

End of day.  This retirement lark is so tiring and busy.