Early Risers.

[tigerburnie]

27 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

Never heard of that. But it does sound good!

That was my Grandmas war time recipe apparently, though the war was finished before I arrived, though sweets were still on ration, I used to buy farthing chews with mine.

[iL Dottore]

27 minutes ago, Shedman5 said:

...Youngest Son  heard that some food wholesalers were opening their doors to the general public as obviously the demand from catering venues has fallen. After ringing a couple he found an Italian food wholesaler about 3 miles from him so off he went. He now has enough  Dried Pasta/Tinned tomatoes  and various other bits to last  3 to 4 months and at an unbelievable low price so he is well chuffed but unhappy about the supermarket prices in terms of mark up!

As I have my own business I can shop at food wholesalers that only cater to the trade (even though my business has nothing to do with any sort of catering, I still qualify as “trade”) and whilst prices are generally, but not always, better than the supermarkets, the quantities are mostly “trade sized” as well. Not a problem for things like pasta, pelati or other tinned goods, but meats, cheeses and vegetables in “trade quantities” can be a problem to manage. For example, every so often I buy a whole pork belly (@4kg), divide it into 4 pieces, use one piece immediately and the others go in the freezer (other meats are also so purchased). Unless you have [a] a big family, (b) a big freezer or [c] a gargantuan appetite (or any combination thereof) shopping at a food wholesaler is certainly not for impulse purchasing

iD

Edited April 3, 2020 by iL Dottore
Typo

[Ian Abel]

POETS...

Yesterday was quiet, except for the cottage industry we're running, making face masks. Slow going overall but every little helps according to most reports. Once we've a decent amount (a dozen at least) we'll drop them off at the local hospital pickup.

 

Had another virtual/Zoom happy hour with my company team yesterday - breaks the isolation.

 

Today, Jemma back off to New York. She's unsurprisingly rather worried as she has to spend 8 days on reserve in her crash-pad in Queens, she's got no scheduled trips this time around. Hoping she can remain in the apartment 95% of the time and venturing out only for supplies once or twice.

Not sure what is better at this point, holed up in an apartment near ground zero, or on a trip with lots of unknown people contact in as yet undetermined locations!

 

Today we get our comestibles delivery, we're doing "OK" with most things but are low on milk and bread (none as of this AM) especially, so it will be good to get the delivery.

Tonight we've a happy hour (Zoom) with our close friends and that'll be enjoyable.

 

Custard - has to be piping hot, runny, but somewhat thick is OK.

The skin makes me gag, but my dad loved it! 

 

Will definitely POE today as I know the New York client folks will scatter to the winds early for sure.

 

To make sure we remember/acknowledge that Minnesota IS A NORTHERLY LOCALE, it was -3 this morning (and still is as I type) and we're expecting flurries and an icy mix off and on all day. High may reach ZERO!

 

Capre diem and stay safe everyone...

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by Ian Abel

[TheQ]

Afternoon awl,  

One keel Bolt completed in place before I got bored winding nyloc nuts down long threaded rods.. to be continued.. 

 

I still wasn't happy with the  visible board join on the layout.  so I resurfaced the join..  Still experimenting with getting rocks to look wet.  SWMBO advises using some light blue as the wet reflects the sky,  I shall try that tomorrow.. 

 

SWMBOs new kitchen steps arrived,  I lost a lot of brownie points breaking the old one.  But gained more as the new one have 4 steps instead of three and she can now reach the top shelf of the pantry.. 

 

SWMBO phoned a friend,  we should be getting a delivery of bread and milk tomorrow .  The friend in question passes our house twice a day each way so it's not too much of an inconvenience for her.. 

 

The next nearest neighbour is getting bored,  it's the second time he's cut the grass this week... Which reminds me I need to do more of the jungle.. 

 

We used to have access to a couple of wholesalers when we lived in MK,  it's one thing we miss here... 

 

I was coughing a lot.. 

 

 

A pea went down the wrong way.. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony_S]

13 minutes ago, Ian Abel said:

o make sure we remember/acknowledge that Minnesota IS A NORTHERLY LOCALE,

Long way further south than here...

[Joseph_Pestell]

22 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

Afternoon from a now sunny Surrey.

 

Been busy laying track on the new high level test circuit. Just one side of the shed in place ill the timber is delivered in  just over a weeks time. Cant wait to start running stuff that hasnt had much use in some years and other items  that dont look as if they will get much use this year.

 

I suspect that there are quite a few of us missing shows and apres beer afterwards but best we get rid of this virus first.

 

Anyway time to crack ope another Wye valley Wholesome stout.

But for COVID-19, I would have been pulling pints of this today (and other Wye Valley products). The father of the current CEO, who set up Wye Valley, was previously head brewer at Park Royal so they are good at Stout.

[Ian Abel]

21 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Long way further south than here...

Indeed, but you've all got the warmth (relatively) of the Atlantic to help you out, here we're stuck with the frigid Canadian expanse above us that tends to provide a relentless air conditioning with the Arctic above THAT!

I should have been more explicit for sure - those Canadian/Arctic blasts that do us in

 

[Coombe Barton]

For Ian Abel for BIN day

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-australia-52147740/coronavirus-dressing-up-for-bin-night-brings-a-smile-in-australia

[81C]

Afternoon All 

Had a thousand and one things to do today breakfast was at 6am and I haven't stopped a newfound burst of energy has had me bouncing along all day 

Now rid of Her I'm looking forward to moving on, the thermostat was fixed and I've spent most of the day repairing damaged plasterwork it will be a big

improvement once some topcoat paint starts going on the walls.

My daughter bought the shopping round for me Nosey neighbour stuck her oar in about getting it delivered my daughter and I looked at each other and

burst into laughter nosey neighbour went off with the huff there is no way you can book a delivery a round here, stupid bloody woman .  

Sainsburys turned up with a delivery for someone else later half of it was missing , my food come from Sainsburys to and it was £10 quid dearer so on the

whole not impressed with that store at least everything was available.  

Dinner time already, stay safe L.Aderfull 

 

[Gwiwer]

Evening all,

 

Items of note today:- 

1.  Bins were emptied as normal as was the neighbourhood recycling centre;

2.  Slightly more passengers about at the House of Not-so-much-Fun but probably only a daily variation;

3.  Our Fortnum & Mason Easter Hamper arrived right on time;

4.  Custard should be thick but still flow freely; the rubbery substance which refused to move from inverted bowls referred to earlier was force-fed to all at Tolcarne School, Newlyn.  Custard belongs on apple pie or crumble, with or without rhubarb.

5.  I have always found Snozzle Brewery to be very helpful with orders; one which arrived damaged but drinkable was not only replaced but they included a half-dozen extra bottles free;

6.  We are awaiting delivery of the "takeaway" curry promised for 7pm and therefore not due just yet;

7.  SWMBO is furloughed as of close of business next Thursday and for three-weekly periods reviewed in line with government advice.

8.  I am now expecting SWMBO to produce all the quilts she has threatened to make and write the novel she insists is "in the works". 

 

That's all for now.  Stay well.  

[JohnDMJ]

Food-wise, tapioca, (cornflour based) custard, semolina, (going for broke here) brussel sprouts, and lots more were all enjoyed in formative years, often, whilst at school, with seconds, thirds, etc being vacuumed up (not all vacuum cleaners are Hoovers!).

 

As for the skin on the aforementioned custard (or even semolina puds), hands up those who cut the white outer from a Brie or a Camembert cheese. I'll bet you'll even cut the crust from a Stilton! Sacrilege (on all 3 counts)!

 

As for removing the crusts from bread; WHY?

 

<rant> most vegetables are best eaten raw; sweetcorn (maize), carrot, broccoli, peas, cauliflower, some (if not all) cabbages, brussel sprouts, the list continues. Why do we insist on boiling the fxxk out of them, reducing them to a totally innutritious pulp? </rant>

 

3 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

 

And here they are neatly bundling the individual cables as they reel them out.  Unfortunately they had to back track a bit because I moved the site of the disconnection box for our property so they had to reel a bit more out for that one then restore the bundle

 

 

 

From my experience, that looks almost aircraft grade looming!

 

BTW, from a parallel thread in this forumiverse, 

I quote:

 

"

UK cabinet minister Michael Gove has been asked to provide more clarity on the government guidelines announced on Monday night.

Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme, he said:

Chancellor Rishi Sunak will outline more help for self-employed workers later

Deliveries of "non-essential" goods such as toys and clothes can continue

He says people should work from home "wherever possible" but there will be exceptions. For example, he says plumbers may be called out to emergencies but Sports Direct stores "should not be open"

Ministers want to "reduce the rate of infection" and will follow scientific advice on whether or not to change the measures after three weeks

Children under the age of 18 can travel between the homes of separated parents - a point he reiterated on Twitter:

"

 

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by JohnDMJ

[AndyID]

9 hours ago, PeterBB said:

The 'big one' as I understand it has a huge crater i.e 100s of miles and 'goes' every 600 000 years.  Geologists have noted movement in the form of 'slight tilting' so theoretically it could go at any time now but there would probably be a warning.

 

A little bit of the Yellowstone caldera is actually in Idaho but the average interval between eruptions is 725,000 years so we might be OK for a bit longer.

[AndyID]

9 minutes ago, JohnDMJ said:

 (not all vacuum cleaners are Hoovers!).

 

 

So how come "hoover" is a verb?

[Coombe Barton]

10 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

So how come "hoover" is a verb?

Because the Hoover company allowed it as a marketing tool?

In contrast with Google who are/were resisting 'to google'.

Edited April 3, 2020 by Coombe Barton

[big jim]

6 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

So how come "hoover" is a verb?

 

 

[roundhouse]

1 hour ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

But for COVID-19, I would have been pulling pints of this today (and other Wye Valley products). The father of the current CEO, who set up Wye Valley, was previously head brewer at Park Royal so they are good at Stout.

In the Barrels by any chance?

 

Wholesome Stout is one of our favourites and we try to visit the barrels at least once a year.

[pH]

1 hour ago, Ian Abel said:

Indeed, but you've all got the warmth (relatively) of the Atlantic to help you out, here we're stuck with the frigid Canadian expanse above us that tends to provide a relentless air conditioning with the Arctic above THAT!

I should have been more explicit for sure - those Canadian/Arctic blasts that do us in

 

 

While we have the warmth of the Pacific Ocean here to modify the climate, we've just had a north wind push a blast of 'pearl' snow over and past us. Snow in Lotusland on April 3! My wife and I are trying to remember the latest we've had snow before - we think April 1.

[JohnDMJ]

 

31 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

So how come "hoover" is a verb?

 

You may not have noticed that I deliberately wrote 'Hoover' with a capital (aka upper case) 'H'!

 

Other makes of vacuum cleaners are available.

Edited April 3, 2020 by JohnDMJ

[pH]

4 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

I took my car to the garage early doors for new pads all round and hopefully not discs, but it has done 40k now so maybe ...

 

I was thinking "That's not a lot!", then I remembered you're dealing in miles, not kilometres like here. 

[JohnDMJ]

 

 

4 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

I took my car to the garage early doors for new pads all round and hopefully not discs, but it has done 40k now so maybe, and that'll be the excitement for the day and mucho mudelling tokens removed from my grip.

 

8 minutes ago, pH said:

 

I was thinking "That's not a lot!", then I remembered you're dealing in miles, not kilometres like here. 

 

My car is used so infrequently that I have to be careful starting for the first time to allow the handbrake to release and for the first few miles, the pads to remove the rust from the discs.

 

My 57 reg (November 2007) 'beast' is now rapidly (given that I'm not using the train to get to work this month) heading towards 45000 miles (72000Km) on the clock!

 

I feel sorry for her, as, after a long rest, she will now be in use daily since Michael Gove has proclaimed that "Deliveries of "non-essential" goods such as toys and clothes can continue" so work continues!

[Happy Hippo]

5 hours ago, southern42 said:

 

Being dressed by a maid: that is the problem with women's clothing - especially the buttons being on the "wrong" side, left hand side as opposed to the right hand side for men.  No wonder Joan of Arc had to dress as a man.  She would never have got her sword out wearing a woman's jacket!

Although, we women are very adept at doing the buttons this way round...those of us who dress ourselves, that is.

___________

Best wishes

Not a ladies maid

Polly

 

Although if you are left handed as both the Obergrumpenfuhrer and I are, I have difficulty in doing up buttons whilst she finds it incredibly easy.

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

To make sure we remember/acknowledge that Minnesota IS A NORTHERLY LOCALE, it was -3 this morning (and still is as I type) and we're expecting flurries and an icy mix off and on all day. High may reach ZERO!

 

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Long way further south than here...

Yes, even I am further north than Ian (just, at 45.4°N) and today's forecast is 12°C with occasional rain, though snowflakes were forecast overnight. (I couldn't tell you if they happened.) 

 

It is quite amazing what a difference being central to the continent makes to the climate. The first week of April was traditionally the approximate date for last snow in Chicago, which at 41.8°N is quite a bit south of Minneapolis/St. Paul but not very far north of San Francisco 37.8°N which almost never sees any snow at sea level. (The last time it snowed in San Francisco was 1976!)

 

There is no one to mutter the "G" word to me but the weeds are laughing at me. They will get their due, but I'd like a little sun first.

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[New Haven Neil]

43 minutes ago, pH said:

 

I was thinking "That's not a lot!", then I remembered you're dealing in miles, not kilometres like here. 

 

Indeed yes, 40 thousand miles in 4 years, basically none of which were on roads with more than one carriageway, and this is a hilly place - plus auto transmission, which would be familiar to you but rare here over the pond on what you would consider a small car (Hyundai i30) but essential for me since my left foot injury prevents me from driving a vehicle with a clutch for more than half an hour or so.  Good life for brake pads, none of my previous vehicles have done that many miles on the originals. Tame mechanic hadn't had a recent i30 in before, he was pleasantly surprised how far they have come since some rather basic earlier models, I'm very happy with it after less than happy experience with Fords of late.

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, JohnDMJ said:

 

 

You may not have noticed that I deliberately wrote 'Hoover' with a capital (aka upper case) 'H'!

 

Other makes of vacuum cleaners are available.

 

I was only trying to wind you up - and it looks like I did

[JohnDMJ]

7 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

I was only trying to wind you up - and it looks like I did

Ah, but did you?

 

Was I just trying to clean up the post?