Early Risers.

[NGT6 1315]

Morning, troops. Overcast and breezy following a few hours worth of thunderstorms last night, so I’m sat in the garden with a muggajava.

 

I myself felt awfully restless ever since the news started to come in on Monday night. Very much like a silent panic, I guess you could call it. It’s usually helpful for me to do something manual in such cases, however minor or no-brainy it might be. So, I remembered I hadn’t properly attached the fire extinguisher which I decided to store in the car - or more properly, the mounting bracket for said extinguisher. This was easy enough to do, punching two suitably spaced holes through one piece of the interior cladding in one of the side storage pockets adjacent to the boot load floor with a low-speed drill, and a pair of M6 screws and lock nuts. There happened to be an overlapping lip of this cladding element which I could lift to reach underneath and tighten the nuts. As you may be able to tell, I chose this location because it’s both relatively easy to access while also not taking away from the actual boot space.
 

Yes, many probably wouldn’t care about such minor details, but I’m one who is seriously bugged by just knowing them to exist!

 

I guess such jobs help me feel in control of my life at challenging times such as these.

 

By the way, @Barry O, I seem to remember you mentioning your son was to get a Corolla estate as a company car. Did that happen by now?

 

There weren’t many news from Berlin for the rest of yesterday. I gather FiL‘s brother, who as mentioned witnessed the crime in progress, isn’t feeling terribly well, to put it mildly. FiL was talking to his wife some time yesterday and told her to make sure he’ll get follow-up counselling. 
Also, it happens to be that his son is actually a judge at a criminal court in Brandenburg. He obviously won’t get directly involved with the case, but I understand they, too, talked about everything and I’m hoping having someone knowledgeable about criminal proceedings may be helpful for the brother.

 

And, yes, I certainly share the sentiment that this kind of day will now not repeat itself for a good, very, very long time, hopefully…

 

Be safe, folks. That’s all I really wish for all of you, or all of us, if you will.

Edited July 14, 2021 by NGT6 1315

[jonny777]

Dry and sunny here in North Somerset, and looks like staying that way for a week. 

 

I might have to trim the privet hedge today, before someone on the path outside complains they can't walk by with a pushchair. 

 

 

[Erichill16]

49 minutes ago, Barry O said:

 

The restvof the day involves a trip to a place near Barnsley to drice a model of somewhere near @Erichill16. With a colleague.

Baz

I will be closer than you think, about a mile and a half away as I’ve got a meeting with the builder at lunch time!

 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. The car flew through the MoT yesterday so today I have to get next years tax, all of £30 to fork out. Muggatee needs drinking, be back later.

[tigerburnie]

Morning all, wall to wall sunshine, no new updates on Grandson patient, but he is having headaches still, Calpol being administered and he seems well otherwise, those of us in detention may well be doing a lot of loafing about, stay safe all.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Cloudy here with hints of blue sky but a warm and sunny afternoon is forecast with temperatures rising to 24°C.

Just been asked " What are we doing today?"  Short answer : "Don't know yet."  I didn't get to The Shed yesterday as after domestic engineering assistance I appear to have pulled a muscle* in my side which is somewhat painful.  I may try today but leaning over ballasting track might be a no no.

*somewhat surprised that there are still muscles lurking amongst the flab!   Didn't lose any weight last week, I put on a pound.  Must try harder.  Problem is I'm already doing without all the nice things I like like beer, biscuits and cake along with beer, biscuits and cake and have cut down on other fuel.  More exercise would help but then The Hip and The Knee voice their objections too frequently.  Too much sitting down watching sport on TV I suppose which doesn't help in any way whatsoever.   T de F this afternoon.......and rugby tonight.   There is no hope for me.   

Time for breakfast,  (porridge only)

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

As others have already said, I hope today’s news is nothing like that of yesterday, we can all do without days like that!

 

Another sunny start to the day here in England’s northwest, although it is not quite as sunny as yesterday, it is a little warmer and according to the app on my phone, there isn’t any rain due for at least a week and the temperatures are due to rise daily! 

 

The plan for today is to empty and modify the drawer unit in the cellar before it is moved to the shed and if I have time, put it in the shed as well. When that is done I will have just 1 cupboard in the cellar, which is going to be recycled into a piece of garden furniture, which will eventually be used to hide the outside tap and hosepipe. When that is done, the cellar will be empty apart from a few offcuts of MDF and flooring, which I will move to the workshop  

 

Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for today, back later. 

 

Brian

[TheQ]

Mooring awl, Inner temple hare,

Another bad nights sleep I got up at around 02:00 to take some little pink pills, but it took a long time for them to take action, maybe got another hours sleep after that..

 

This weekends work will NOT include slab moving, my back has had enough, so I'm going to give that a break, So Sideshow Bob better look out..

I've had a read up of pruning Berberis purpura and I've not been hard enough on it in the past..

 

 Remember that parachutist?

 

The first major system passed ok... The second.. I can't even get it to run some of the Automatic tests, so I've moved onto another section and will come back to that.

 

I also have a temperature meter to do, Luckily it's measurement only and that takes a lot less time. Although it's an internal to the company item from the continent so it's not a major customer fail if it's late, they don't pay for the cal anyway..

 

Much more thought has gone into weed and the rudder, no great solutions have come up, but I did come across another design of weed deflector for a rudder, something I can make easily  in under an hour, commercially with the right equipment you could make them in seconds.  With materials I already have so theres no cost, if I did have to buy the materials about £2.50, price of Item pre made? £24.99..

So I'll make the weed deflector and try it with the old rudder, if that is successful then the new rudder will be the high aspect version. If not, then something else will have to be designed, a shallow draft rudder or possibly twin much smaller high aspect rudders..

 

The good news is the second series of Automatic tests on this system is working, so that narrows down the problem somewhat. Another 38 minutes for that to run, so..

 

Time for another measurement on the temperature meter, I've done about 20 while typing this and wandering off to move on the other system

 

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Rather overcast and breezy here. 
Only our garden waste wheelie bin remains to be emptied. I didn’t notice the other recycling going earlier, perhaps I was asleep. 
I think we may go to the pharmacy to collect a prescription later today. The latest government “advice” to those of us on the vulnerable list is to go at quieter times. Also included is advice to avoid people who haven’t been double vaccinated and unmasked people. So not much change then!
Tony
 

[laurenceb]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Were you successful?

Me thinks the Jamie posting answers that question

[petethemole]

Mornin' all, bright and breezy at The Gateway to the World (currently on limited opening).

 

I'm feeling a bit fragile on the right side; yesterday having had a largely sleepless night, I kept dozing off, and one micronap fell off my chair.  Proof that H&S were right to ban four-footed desk chairs.

 

I'm waiting for delivery of a new pool for Mrs mole, an exercise pool, which is rectangular and bigger than the spa pool.  It will give more space for the exercise she needs with her disability.  She's currently getting two swims in per week but likes to do more, and the new pool can be used for tethered swimming.  Plus it will be available in case of more lockdowns, although not in winter. 

My stepson (so her son) told her yesterday that as she's vulnerable and refusing vaccination, she needs to isolate from herself.  She's gone out to meet like-minded xxxxxxx people.

 

It's a good day to get some washing done, as the threat of rain kyboshed Sunday's wash, so the next task is decided.

[New Haven Neil]

Morning - just.

 

Late to rise due to extreme knackeredness - did too much yesterday (big walk then wood splitting all afternoon), then couldn't get to sleep - so when I did, I stayed there!

 

23c and rising currently although windy, Fraggles will be swooning with heat exhaustion, we're not used to this!  Not sure what I have to achieve today, washing probably as it'll dry quickly, then maybe a ride on the bike for lunch somewhere.  That loco kit isn't building itself, but it is too nice to hang about indoors.

[simontaylor484]

Good morning all 

 

Best wishes to Gordon's and Doms respective families.

 

Tethered swimming sounds like a euphemism like concrete arm bands although I know it is a form of hydro therapy.

 

My Grandad Bob moment yesterday I sat on a garden chair to out my knee pads on to take up more deck boards, the chair was on a slightly uneven footing as i reached out to get my other kneepad  the chair cockled over depositing me on the floor banging my head on the house wall. I ended up grazing all my right arm bruising on my stomach and with a headache of a severity not witnessed since I stopped drinking. Worse bit was my wife was dealing with the Asda delivery at the time so I had no assistance for a bit. I do count myself lucky though that I didn't seriously injure myself

[simontaylor484]

I wonder if the owner of the house the parachuting landed in offered him a cigarette like the little lad does when the RAF pilot lands in his Dads cold frame "Thanks awfully Old chap"

 

Edited July 14, 2021 by simontaylor484
Link found

[iL Dottore]

Morning/Afternoon All (I’m posting at the cusp of midday, so my post may be either ante-meridian or post-meridian).

 

Today’s weather started out rather sunny, but now the grey clouds have closed in and it has started to rain. Which is fine by me, as I have to get back to work at 6 pm for a 7 pm teleconference (it’s a complete bu99er to be summoned in by the client, but there you are. still, it’s all pennies in the piggybank).

 

I note that GrandadBob reports that he is getting nowhere with his diet,  despite, so he claims, cutting back on everything. I said “so he claims“ not because I doubt his veracity (far from it), but because – as I have experienced myself – unless you weigh and record everything you eat, you think that you are eating much less than you actually are eating. Before I started my diet a few years back (-30 kg and counting) I kept a very strict and brutally honest food consumption diary  to see what I was consuming. To say that I was shocked and horrified at the outcome is very much an understatement. A biscuit here, a handful of peanuts there, a piece of cake and a cup of coffee, a snack or two…..well it all adds up and then you add proper meals on top. Definitely Not Good!  
 

Every person has a different metabolism, so what works for me may not work for anyone else. But I went on a low carbohydrate diet which was successful for two reasons: firstly, it takes advantage of how the body metabolises food and energy reserves and secondly I ate a lot more fat than carbohydrate in my diet than conventional dieting wisdom deems appropriate. However, by not cutting out fat (e.g. leaving the fat on a nice grilled steak) you end up being satiated much quicker and for longer (after eating 150 g of slow roast pork belly I am full to the brim and satiated and will remain so for a good 6 - 7 hours; after 150 g of pasta I will be hungry again in only a couple of hours). 
 

A number of posters on ER are dealing with Type II Diabetes and many have recounted that they have had to fight against out of date “conventional wisdom“ about diet in order to effectively manage their disease. As John Maynard Keynes reportedly said when challenged on why he changed his opinion he replied “ When the facts change I change my mind .What do you do sir?“”

 

I’m now off to do something I haven’t done for quite a long while: take an afternoon nap. After which I will take out all the guitar effects pedals that I bought over Christmas (which are still boxed!) and see about starting to put my bespoke pedal board together.

 

Enjoy hump day

 

iD

Edited July 14, 2021 by iL Dottore
Getting my Latin correct

[grandadbob]

I do actually record and weigh everything I eat and drink, even if it's only a few peanuts (which currently I'm avoiding).  *

This does cause some annoyance to Management when food is being dished up!  

I am honest enough to admit that sometimes I exceed the limits I have set myself.

 

Eg.  This morning's porridge contained 30g Flahavan's oats and 187g semi skimmed milk.

 

*Apart from when we went away to Exeter for 4 days

Edited July 14, 2021 by grandadbob

[Coombe Barton]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

That loco kit isn't building itself, but it is too nice to hang about indoors.

Can you not conduct some boiling water and traction experiments? 

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, grandadbob said:

I do actually record and weigh everything I eat and drink, even if it's only a few peanuts (which currently I'm avoiding).

This does cause some annoyance to Management when food is being dished up!  

I am honest enough to admit that sometimes I exceed the limits I have set myself.

Well done, Bob!

 

Quite frankly, to measure and weigh everything (I also keep a record not only of kcalories consumed but also of grams of carbohydrate) is a complete and total PITA. But certainly better than guesswork. Fortunately, there are some great iPhone apps to help you with this.

I found that the next step, after recording consumption (grams of food, grams of carbohydrate, kilocalories et cetera) is to start looking very carefully at the contents of commercially prepared food. Given that every food manufacturer does things differently, it really does pay in the long run to be “label savvy”. As Gertrude Stein might have (not) said: “a biscuit is not a biscuit is not a biscuit“ even something as simple as a digestive biscuit can vary in the amount of carbohydrates fats and sugar it contains -  depending on the manufacturer’s recipe. Careful review of labels has, at least for me, produced some interesting surprises: fruit yoghurt for breakfast? Definitely not (too much sugar); sausage and scrambled egg for breakfast? Definitely (very low in carbohydrates, rich in fat and protein).

 

Finally, to leave you with a thought: sometime ago I read about an extremely rare metabolic disease whereby the individual afflicted has a very hard time in maintaining their weight as their metabolism was so (for want of a better term) “hyper” that even eating numerous incredibly large, high calorie, meals a day (meals that would have a normal person piling on the pounds) would see them continue to lose weight. An “overclocked” metabolism must be incredibly unpleasant to live with, but if you could reproduce that metabolic disorder with a drug (and which would disappear as soon as you stopped taking that medication), you could make a fortune.

Edited July 14, 2021 by iL Dottore

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, petethemole said:

a largely sleepless night

While that is an embuggerance I also suffer from occasionally - though less often than was once the case - it could be worse. 
 

Spill chucker suggested “a large sleepless knight”

[petethemole]

4 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

large sleepless knight

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21469048-sleepless-knight

 

A pallet load of boxes arrived shortly after I posted.  The contents have been taken to the back garden green thing to await erec  putting up.  We first have to deflate and pack up the spa pool and source a heater for the new one.  The pool came from USA so we have to get one for UK voltage.

 

Nearly time for lunch and hanging washing out.

 

Stay elfy.

[simontaylor484]

US mains voltage is only 120 v it always sounds puny to out 230v.

[New Haven Neil]

CB, yes, the thought had crossed my mind, however the new rear brake shoes for Mrs NHN's BMW arrived, so I set to replacing them.. Except they don't fit.  Correct items in box? Yes.  Correct items for VIN? Yes. Phone Motorworks (BM bike specialists, great folk) look up VIN on clever system, shows the bike first registered in 1992 was actually made in 1999.  Still shows the same parts though.  Closer examination shows it was made 'just after' - according to the VIN -  a change to spec - but they must have been using left-overs as the previous version is correct! Pah, I think the saying is.  Such is my life.

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from a Sidcup which started out with glorious blue skies but then clouded over. The sun is trying to break through as I type.

 

Internet issues this morning which made my work and Mrs Lurker's google classroom attendance much harder than they ought to have been. It appears to have settled down again now.

 

Our bin men are on strike. The council says to leave the bins out and they'll get to them as soon as they can. I imagine that will be the full fortnight of the planned action unless the bin men wangle themselves some overtime to collect them anyway. 

 

I was cursing earlier as people kindly put midday and 1 o'clock meetings in my calendar. Don't these people eat? Fortunately the 12 o'clock was cancelled but the 1 o'clock is about to start so I will see you later!

[Dave Hunt]

47 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

....sometime ago I read about an extremely rare metabolic disease whereby the individual afflicted has a very hard time in maintaining their weight as their metabolism was so (for want of a better term) “hyper” that even eating numerous incredibly large, high calorie, meals a day (meals that would have a normal person piling on the pounds) would see them continue to lose weight. An “overclocked” metabolism must be incredibly unpleasant to live with, but if you could reproduce that metabolic disorder with a drug and which would disappear as soon as soon as you stopped taking that medication), you could make a fortune.

When I was on my first squadron in Singapore one of my colleagues was built like the proverbial racing snake despite eating more than most of us could contemplate whilst his idea of exercise was tying his shoelaces. If you stood close to him you could feel the heat radiating from him so he was obviously one of those people to whom iD refers, albeit not quite as bad as some. He was once told at his aircrew annual medical that he was underweight - the only time in RAF history I think that such a thing has ever happened; overweight? - frequently, underweight - ????? Anyway, he was put on a weight gaining diet and lived for a while on chips and plum duff and suchlike, which in Singapore is hardly the sort of constant intake that usually appeals. At the end of a month he had lost a pound! In the end the medics gave up  as he wasn't actually dangerously underweight and normally his weight was fairly stable but the rest of us were incredibly envious of the way he could eat and drink without putting it on.

 

Dave

[TheQ]

SWMBO was also told by the RAF she was underweight, despite being the same weight as she joined  up some years before.

 

36 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

US mains voltage is only 120 v it always sounds puny to out 230v.

Not quite, in the USA for high power uses like washing machines, some sockets are fed with 120V on the live wire with another phase on the neutral wire so giving the equivalent of 230V.