Early Risers.

[Florence Locomotive Works]

46 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

My Grandparents called them charabangs.

Charabang in french means "wagon with wooden benches", I learned that ages ago in some obscure Ian Allen documentary or the like.

[J. S. Bach]

A rousing good morning owl from the Piedmont. It is going to be a great day; as in off to Gene's for my weekly hit of corned beef and cabbage!

[Simon G]

Afternoon all,

Today has mostly been spent outside trying to get a nice beer of things done before the next batch of carp weather we are forecast.  Friday and Saturday are due to be very wet, while Sunday is more high winds.  Just what the poor garden needs!

 

To protect some of my veg plants, more slates have been stuck into the ground as windbreakers.  My efforts so far at this have been quite effective.  Plants have also been staked to try to help them.  The erection of the new shed is waiting for a fine day, but the wooden base is now ready.  It has all been treated with preservative, and some damp proof course plastic sheet stuck on, in an attempt to prevent water from soaking up into the shed from the base.  Only time will tell how effective this will be.

 

Early this morning, I went to return a number of plastic bags that I had collected free horse manure in, only to find more bags for collection.  The manure has all been placed into a couple of builders dumpy bags that a friend gave me.  It will hopefully rot down nicely in the bags for use next spring.

 

Now it is off to make a summer fruit pudding with some of the soft fruit from the garden.  Makes me feel hungry just thinking about it!

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

Moss on roofs, now that's something I haven't seen in years

Moss and lichen on the roof are supposed to indicate that we don’t live in an area with air pollution. Black spot on roses is I believe another less attractive benefit of clean air too. Big cities don’t seem to have as many vehicles chucking out fumes as they used too but we still notice the difference in air quality when we travel from Benfleet up to London. 
My parcels arrived including the one that came via Packlink and Hermes. As it originated over the river in Mid Kent it must have passed close to here in its way to the sorting hub in Rugby.

We had thunder and lightning earlier. It didn’t last long. 
Tony

Edited July 2, 2020 by Tony_S

[Barry O]

Managed to visit Fort Knox GP Surgery. well drilled process to get in, be met, testing done and being released. Figures from Test done today not available till next week , Sister Drac will ring and growl at me for being a naughty boy re weight and other measures. (and no, I cannot get an Antibody Test until we have some in Leeds) The HCA was very worried about what could happen on Saturday night with some of the people who attend his local pub.. Hopefully it will be damp and cold so may keep people sensible.

 

Baz

[TheQ]

The roof of the house,  has moss,  the roof of the garage,  had lots of moss that left with ivy,  the roof of the landrover had moss.. The jungle grass has lots of moss in it.. 

 

I've just had haggis and chips for tea.. The Highland Park will follow later.. 

1 hour ago, J. S. Bach said:

A rousing good morning owl from the Piedmont. It is going to be a great day; as in off to Gene's for my weekly hit of corned beef and cabbage!

Or as the squaddies called it, bully beef and gas cape..normally followed by stewed sweet tea,  made with condensed milk from a tin. 

 

A little rumble of thunder occurred,  along with heavy rain for a short time.. Ben the scaredy Collie has hidden in his cage.. 

Edited July 2, 2020 by TheQ

[Ian Abel]

Moaning

Nothing to report here, spending most of my time sitting/laying on one side with this annoying !@#$!$!@$ bursitis

It sucks, and there's no pleasure in pretty much anything right now...

 

At least it's not COVID etc.

 

Weather beastly (thank god for air conditioning!) highs in mid-30s next 5-7 days and humid with it. Heat advisories posted.

 

Carry on.

 

 

[Erichill16]

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Please don't forget I am the treasurer for the Central African Sanctuary for Hippos to which donations are always welcome

 

 

Any spare change?

[Ozexpatriate]

10 hours ago, AndyID said:

... o' them pesky Texans is gettin' a mite testy

"All hat, no cattle" as they say in Texas.

[Ozexpatriate]

10 hours ago, TheQ said:

... thinking about the sailing boat again, this time about the Kicking strap or Vang. "Vang" from the Dutch "Vangen" meaning to catch. Many sailing terms are from Dutch, since the Dutch gave Charles the Second the First Royal Yacht the HMY Mary in 1660, that started the fashion for yachting as a hobby rather than sailing as work in the UK..

Around that time, the Dutch were the premier shipbuilders (and maritime explorers) in the world.  In the next century  they were overtaken in shipbuilding technology by the British and French.

 

I did not know about the HMY Mary. Wikipedia has this to say:

Quote

HMY Mary was the first Royal Yacht of the Royal Navy. She was built in 1660 by the Dutch East India Company. Then she was purchased by the City of Amsterdam and given to King Charles II, on the restoration of the monarchy, as part of the Dutch Gift.

The dates made me interested. The first Anglo-Dutch war (between the Commonwealth of England and the Dutch Republic) concluded in 1654 and the second Anglo-Dutch war (between England and the Dutch Republic) would start in 1665, shortly after the Duke of York captured New Amsterdam in 1664.

 

Mr. Pedantic has reminded me that the UK did not exist in 1660. The acts of Union were orchestrated by Queen Anne in 1706 / 1707.

 

Edited July 2, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[TheQ]

11 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

 

 

Mr. Pedantic has reminded me that the UK did not exist in 1660. The acts of Union were orchestrated by Queen Anne in 1706 / 1707.

 

Correct but King Charles II was in charge,  of England Scotland,  Wales,  and not in the UK, Ireland. 

It was just easier to say the UK. 

 

 

[AndyID]

5 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Yes, white is the live feed to the lights from the relay switch with the red looped from the live feed to the coil. Purple is the neutral feed to the coil from the pushbuttons.  This is all because changeover switches aren't allowed over here so if you need more than 2 switches for a set up lights they use the latching relay arrangement.   Apparently newly wired house have the relays in the consumer unit on a din rail, not in an inaccessible place in the loft.  

 

Jamie

 

Well, obviously white is neutral. "Hot" should be black but I suppose that must the red one. Purple is a new one on me

 

OK, so you can press buttons at multiple locations to latch the relay to turn on the lights but how do you turn the bloomin things off?

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, Erichill16 said:

Any spare change?

Thank you so much for supporting Hippos in Need. 

 

I'll get my Nigerian finance Director to send you a large cheque.

[New Haven Neil]

Where did yesterday go?

 

There was a whoosh and it's Thor's preferred day already.

 

Catching up a little, congrats belatedly to Sharon Gwiwer, and I don't think anyone would ever begrudge a rant on here, or a cry for support - it is what makes this little corner of webworld so good.  I came here originally while recovering from some surgery, and was supported again when undergoing a couple more due to an accident.  Always supported. Always.

 

Donk was wondering of all this bear stuff wasn't a little, well, bearist?  After consideration though it would appear all the soft toys are as one, and have passed due warning to the weapons system engineers that any threat of bear abuse will not be tolerated.  The might of John Deere with smite upon those guilty....

 

 

 

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Afternoon all,

 

Well it’s chuckinitdern outside, for the for the first time in about a month, as one may observe below. Spent the morning making a design for the BG layout, and I will be venturing outside to the hobby shop to collect materials soon.

[tigerburnie]

Early start again tomorrow off Salmon fishing on the river Dee, seeing as the owners of the beat above me are staying at their gaff in Windsor, I might as well give it a go.

G'night all. (not actually going to bed just yet,but won't be far off once the gears loaded for a quiet-ish start)

[J. S. Bach]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

 ...snip... Catching up a little, congrats belatedly to Sharon Gwiwer, and I don't think anyone would ever begrudge a rant on here, or a cry for support - it is what makes this little corner of webworld so good.  I came here originally while recovering from some surgery, and was supported again when undergoing a couple more due to an accident.  Always supported. Always. ...snip...

I agree, this is like having a family with distant and scattered members to me.

 

 

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

 ...snip... The might of John Deere with smite upon those guilty....

 

 

 

I wonder, my Hustler Raptor might object :

 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. It was chuckinitdarn a little while ago, now drying out and no rain predicted for tomorrow. The second wheelbarrow from the first vendor (1/2) is out on the patio and the cardboard box is a bit soggy now, but I've nowhere else to put it. I expect I'll have another wheelbarrow delivered tomorrow, number 2/2 (second wheelbarrow from second vendor). Thats all for now, time to put the kettle on, be back later. 

Edited July 2, 2020 by PhilJ W

[New Haven Neil]

Query.

 

Has anyone ever made a small signal box diagram?  Maybe 6 inches long or so, just to refer to point and signal numbers?  I don't have the artistic skills to draw one freehand (or any artistic skills of that sort TBH), has anyone used a computer programme to make one?  Any hints?

[polybear]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

Donk was wondering of all this bear stuff wasn't a little, well, bearist? 

 

 

Donk lives matter.........

[AndyID]

23 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

I agree, this is like having a family with distant and scattered members to me.

 

 

I wonder, my Hustler Raptor might object :

 

 

I'm not sure that's the best vehicle for that sort of thing. It lacks much in the way of forward defenses.

 

Smoting probably requires something more like Tiny Tym.

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

10 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Has anyone ever made a small signal box diagram?  ...  Any hints?

My years of technical drawing in high school would encourage me to draw one freehand (well with a ruler, compasses and splines) - even if it ended up a little rustic.

 

If you have Microsoft Office tools, the drawing capabilities of PowerPoint are more than adequate for a signal box diagram. Most of these features also exist in Word, but I find them dreadfully awkward in that context. Since the page size for PowerPoint is essentially fixed (it can be set to different page sizes) you can get exactly the size diagram you need without scaling.

 

Edited July 2, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[AndyID]

5 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Moss and lichen on the roof are supposed to indicate that we don’t live in an area with air pollution.

 

The air must be very clean here in the Northwet.

 

 

That bit is North facing. The other side has hardly any moss.

 

 

[PhilJ W]

17 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

I'm not sure that's the best vehicle for that sort of thing. It lacks much in the way of forward defenses.

 

Smoting probably requires something more like Tiny Tym.

 

 

Has it got an attachment for a wheelbarrow? I might have a couple going spare. 

[AndyID]

18 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Query.

 

Has anyone ever made a small signal box diagram?  Maybe 6 inches long or so, just to refer to point and signal numbers?  I don't have the artistic skills to draw one freehand (or any artistic skills of that sort TBH), has anyone used a computer programme to make one?  Any hints?

 

Without doing a little digging I'm not entirely sure what they look like but I can easily crank one out for you in CAD.

 

(I had to learn to draw with CAD software some years ago because the US patent office rejected my drawings )