Early Risers.

[TheQ]

6 hours ago, newbryford said:

 

I should hope that HM has a UK passport...................

She probably doesn't, who would ask to see one.. Similarly I believe she doesn't have a driving licence.. 

[TheQ]

Mooring awl inner Temple Hare, 

A better nights sleep of 6 hours plus 1.

 

I see my sister will be getting a new boss,  as "Caroline " ( Calderwood) has resigned. 

 

Ben the sleeping collie hasn't prompted me for out yet,  I suspect we tired him out yesterday,  he kept checking on SWMBO in the art muddle railway shed and me at the garage 100yards apart. Then of course the long walk was in somewhat warmer temperatures than lately. 

 

Plans for today, 

An hours work, 

Some work on the keel. 

Muddling... 

I need to move the remains of the Ivy thrown off the roof,  there's quite a big pile.  But that will depend on the weather.. 

 

Time. To.. Wake up Ben  I'm getting hungry and he will want out first.. 

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

Uncommonly, I managed six hours uninterrupted sleep last night and felt refreshed when I woke.  Are these good omens, I wonder?  The aches and pains are less prominent this morning so whatever caused them has either decided to leave me alone or is backing up for another run at me.  An unexpected dollop of joy came as I sat down at the laptop with my cuppa and began scrolling through Facebook.  These days, I find, there is far too much piffle on it but once in a while a gem shines through.  Today's was a rendition of the Bob Dylan song "Quinn the Eskimo", which many of my vintage will recall Manfred Mann taking to the top of the charts as "The Mighty Quinn".  The performers were Grace Petrie, who I have mentioned before, and Ben Moss, an old friend.  He it was who had two album launches without albums to sell.  Grace bashed seven bells out of her guitar and Ben wielded his fiddle to superb effect.   What a brilliant way to start the day!

 

Yesterday was unremarkable.   I chose cod and chips for Sunday lunch.  What a pity that the piece of cod was little better than a fish finger.  Apart from that there was a bit of m*d*ll*ng and a lot of slobbing out in front of the TV.  Today there is the fodder run to undertake, though how much of what is on my shopping list can be procured and taken home is anyone's guess.  It gets me out of the house.  Later, if I fancy spending time to no good purpose, there are missing things in the house that I would like to find.  As well as several m*d*ll*ng books there is the pair of socks that I was wearing on Friday and Saturday.  They must be somewhere.  Other statements of the bleeding obvious are available.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

 

 

[Barry O]

Ey up!

The Royals have driving licences ( and some have pilots licences), i seem to remember that the Queen doesn't have a passport and learned to drive in wartime service.

 

Been raining here. Hopefully it will dry out as a painter is coming to paint the outside of the house. His drinks area is outside so only time he needs to come into the house is for a loo stop. Disinfectant and washdown kit are  ready.

 

My stock of evil stick is fast depleting. I may have to use some other adhesives for muddling.

 

We may be missing some more ERs at the moment. Or is that just me not seeing their posts?

 

Positive thoughts to all ERs, especially those who ail!

 

Now to go and kick Monday into submission. 

Baz

 

[roundhouse]

Morning

 

Been raining here aswell or at least it was at 4.30 when I went to the shed. Painted some 4mm doors and shutters in SR green. I have found at least two tins of it after ordering it from precision last week so Micks (NB) post is very apt.

 

Plans for today include trying to get some face masks from our corner shop that was advertising them a few days ago then drop them through next doors letterbox so that he and his daughter can wear them when she takes him to hospital tomorrow re his cancer. The this afternoon its our weekly food queuing at Sainsburys for both us and Mum.

 

In the meantime more work on the new high level line as I have found some old SEEP solenoids to fit. I also have a Nimrod kit to carry on building.

 

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by roundhouse

[jamie92208]

8 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

I suspect she doesn't actually have one.

 

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

She probably doesn't, who would ask to see one.. Similarly I believe she doesn't have a driving licence.. 

I suspect that she has neither though the rest of the family will have. This is for the same reason that she alone cannot commit a crime and the car that she's travelling in doesn't need a registration number.  As head of state all such things are issued in her name so she doesn't  need them.  As a quid pro quo visiting heads of state get the same privileges but not their families.  

 

As to her driving, yes she did learn in the war. However when No2 son was a Guardsman at Windsor the word used to go round when she was out and about behind the wheel and everyone tried to keep as far away as possible to stay safe.  

 

Jamie

Edited April 6, 2020 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good morning all from a somewhat grey and damp place.  I very much doubt that the G word will be mentioned today.  Quite what else will be 'suggested' to help Beth from going stir crazy, I have no idea. However the day will be seized and I will make the best fist of it that I can.  

 

Keep safe out there.  

 

Jamie

[polybear]

20 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

 

Thisvis forvthe same reason that she alone cannot commit a crime and the car that she's travelling in doesn't need a registration number.  As head of state all such things are issued in her name so she doesn't  need them.  As a quid pro quo visiting heads of state get the same privileges but not their families. 

 

That's useful to know....if I ever lose my licence I'll just buy a car and not register it

[polybear]

Does anyone know what day it is today?  I think it's Thursday...

 

And is it me, or is TV gradually improving now that all the usual crap is slowly disappearing due to C-19.

Can't wait for a re-run of Bear in the Big Blue House.  And Fraggle Rock

 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

We've obviously had some overnight rain, as there are a few damp patches on the patio that weren’t there yesterday. Breakfast has now been consumed, just the muggertea and orange juice to go, then I’ll head off for an early Sainsbury’s Grand Prix, the shopping list is safely in my pocket, as far too many times it has remained on the fridge door! I also have to call at the pharmacy to drop in a couple of repeat prescriptions in, both are a few days earlier than usual, but at the moment they are taking longer to process and the up-coming long weekend will only make things worse and if they are left until next week, we will both run out of our medication before they will be filled. After that I’m not sure what is/has been planned, possibly a day sat at the table with a pencil and paper.

 

Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you can find to pass the day, back later. 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

A bit damp earlier but the rain has stopped and hopefully there will be some sunshine later.

A splendid day spent mainly in the garden yesterday ending with a BBQ and much friendly chat over the fence (at a safe distance) with our friends next door who were doing the same.

Earlier we'd had an hour and a half group Facetime birthday chat with Nicki and the kids and also Steve.

Today it seems that "this house is a tip" ( it isn't) and "we need to tidy it up."  I will assist (to keep the peace)  as it is now quite apparent that The Boss is firing on 99% of her cylinders so all is well at GDB Towers.

However first things first and breakfast is called for. "BREAKFAAAASSSST"

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited April 6, 2020 by grandadbob

[AndrewC]

 

Greetings all from the boring borough. Still feeling carp. Plan on spending a few days dead for tax purposes. In the grand scheme of things I probably managed to accomplish over the past 2 days what my 40 year old self would have done in an hour. Still, the beer and sunshine was good. As was the BBQ. Now down to 70kg of lump wood. 

 

SWMBO getting frustrated with work. One minute furlough, the next "ain't happening". Then it's on again, then off. Arsebadgers. 

 

Mr Hippo du 'appy. I wish I could claim that speech review but now you know one of the sources of my vocabulary. Tuckered is another sweary rabbit hole to crawl down. 

 

11 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

 

I wonder, however, how we (as a species) can/could differentiate between “we can eat it and it’s safe to eat” and “we can eat it, but it’s not safe to eat”

iD

I've often wondered about the first human to look at a lobster and say, mmm that looks delicious. What the fork was he thinking? Maybe he'd had some of the wrong kind of mushrooms first. Puffer fish as well. How many still die every year learning which bits aren't deadly.

 

Then other edible foods just have horrific flavour like juniper berries. Bloody awful things to eat. (scouts legacy of outdoor training. Same goes for bits of pine tree). However, if you boil them right to make gin, they are wonderful. 

 

Veggie man due today. That takes care of our fresh food & dairy supplies for another week. 

enough from me, enjoy the day. 

[tigerburnie]

9 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

Australian aboriginals were often bemused by british explorers and settlers starving to death in what to them was a vast supermarket of food.

 

lIt  has  always amazed me that they were able to develop ways to pre-treat the poisonous roots and so on  and render them edible -  for instance the Cunjevoi which is like a kind of lily has stems which if eaten cause swelling of the throat and mouth - often fatal. The aborigines would pound and roast them which would remove the toxins.

The  Burawang fern has huge fruits which are also poisonous. They were soaked for  up to three weeks in running water, which would render them safe.

How did they work all this out and how many other unsuccessful methods did they first have to try? 

 

 Personally, if I was them and was  following your 'test it on the oldies" method  i'd have given them away as a hopeless case after about the 4th old person had fallen off the twig.

I'll just take Les Hiddins with me then I won't starve.

 

[Dave Hunt]

I don't know what's going on but when I wrote and sent a post this morning, what appeared was not what I had written but something from about two weeks ago. Here goes with another attempt....

 

Yesterday we tried Facetime with No. 2 son and family but although they could hear and see us there was no audio at our end. After much fiddling about and cursing I realised that there was actually no sound at all on our iPad but nothing I did (including fixes shown on line) had any effect so eventually I had to do a complete reset. That worked (or, at least there is sound back on the pad but we have yet to try Facetime) but now every time we visit a site we have to log in again, which often means setting up a new password. A bit of a PITA but I suppose it helps pass the time......

 

The BBQ we had tentatively planned for yesterday was cancelled due to wind and chill factor. Maybe Wednesday if the seaweed twirlers are to be believed.

 

Anyroadup as the French would say, time to decide what to do to to Baz the day. Happy Monday everyone and many thoughts and prayers for those afflicted as well as the legions of folk working so hard and selflessly on all our behalfs.

 

Dave

Edited April 6, 2020 by Dave Hunt

[45156]

Morning All

 

Internet still v slow hereabouts, but nowhere near as bad as over the weekend - perhaps Openreach have turned the wick up.  I'm now having problems with Firefox keeping crashing - has been doing since the last "update" - and I HATE chrome, and haven't updated IE since I got the machine, as again, I don't like it much.

I think that as I have just been hibernating the PC, maybe I ought to turn it off and let it rest a while.

 

Generic greetings are, of course, on offer, and I will backread later or tomorrow, as there are loads of donestic jobs.

 

And 30747 had an odd do over the weekend where she went numb down one side for about 10 minutes - a call to our excellent GP at 8.00 as they opened got her a callback at 8,35 from her own Dr (a lady), who has arranged for her to see a specialist at the hospital, Covid 19 notwithstanding, which I think is probably a very good idea.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Happy Hippo]

9 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Seaching through the cupboards I came upon a jar marked 'pear conserve'. The date on it was 2014 but when I opened the lid there was the reassuring sound of vacumn being released. So I tried some spread on a slice of bread, delicous. It has the appearance of marmalade with chunks of pear instead of orange peel. I'm going to stir some into my breakfast porridge tomorrow instead of honey.

Has anyone heard from Phil yet?

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It isn’t sunny here this morning. 
Aditi amended our shopping order which is due tomorrow, not a drastic alteration, just added a pizza.

Not a lot happening otherwise. 
Tony

[Sir TophamHatt]

Finished this yesterday.

 

 

Completely messy but reused some scrap bits and as it's just wagons, didn't want to pay out for the top storage inserts, which also would have limited me on space.

 

Had my busiest day of the past 2 weeks today - served 3 people!

[bbishop]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

Does anyone know what day it is today?  I think it's Thursday...

 

 

 

Whatever day it is, it's my day off. 

 

I made use of Sainsbury's NHS ½hr.  No one worried about "2 metres" but we all maintained a sensible distance.  The hoi polloi were let in at 8 o'clock, yeah well ....  Glad I had finished.

 

Then to tidy up at church.  I'm in jeans over jim jams.  Now for a bath.  Bill

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Here I am HH and no ill effects and I stirred a spoonful into my porridge this morning. Another bit of good news, I've found my paint stash. I woke up about three this morning and I instantly recalled were I had put them. I went immediately to where they were to check and they were there. Only slight problem theres a few boxes stacked on top that will have to be moved. The papers have just arrived and are full of pics of the idiots sunbathing rather than exercising. I wonder how many of those do not have a garden where they could sunbathe? If I wanted to sunbathe I would do so in my back garden. In fact at the moment the only house that overlooks my back garden is empty and I could sunbathe nude if I so wished . No evidence of rain here this morning but the pollen level is way down so it probably has rained. 

[Coombe Barton]

Just been nagged by a blackbird.

 

Apparently I hadn't put out enough food.

 

Corrected now.

[Barry O]

My old man and our next door neighbour (an ex WW2 RN) used to sunbathe on the front doorstep with a mugacoffee. This was called "doorstep" time. Didn't take long for them both to go brown in the sun (after 3 years in the Middle East for dad and 2 years in the "Far East" for our next-door neighbour. 

 

Parcel posted..coffee drunk..painter painting outside..time for some ....muddling!

 

Baz

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Flavio's comments about the English eating abroad reminded me of a couple of things.  holidaying in Tunisia in the early '70s the hotel - where I got the gracious living in one of the old rooms, no aircon but high ceilings and a verandah area cloaked in vines so marvellously cool - offered a mixed cuisine.  For most meals there was a choice of  various dishes  - usually one or two 'international', invariably one 'French', quite frequently one 'local' and occasionally one 'English'.  Mr & Mrs Oaf on an adjacent table were forever moaning about the food and caused a young woman sharing that table to move over to the one I was sharing with a couple from Portsmouth - which enabled us all to carefully snigger behind the backs of Mr & Mrs Oaf.  Came the day the 'English' dish was listed on the menu as  'shepherds pie' and great were the cries of anticipation and exultation from Mr Oaf as he looked forward to 'our first proper dinner this week'.   Now the first thing he should have learned was to steer clear of any 'English' dishes as the locals obviously didn't know what they were really like and when his 'shepherds pie' arrived swimming in a sea of olive oil he became, to put it delicately, 'most upset' with calls for the waiter, the manager, and the cook, in no particular order to explain what he had been given.  The waiter carefully explained to him that it was indeed shepherds pie and the meat in it had come from a sheep so it was obviously shepherds pie - to the relief of all Mr Oaf walked out dragging Mrs Oaf in his wake; a much quieter lunch was enjoyed by the rest of us.

 

And having looked at Flavio's list of things that have gone I think I must be inhabiting a time warp.   Lovely sunny day again and quite warm out but we had the forecast overnight rain so the garden looks better for it.  The WFH (which I keep confusing with WTF) lad will shortly be doing an online course about crisis management with a college or the uni in Lausanne, I can but hope that it will be in English.  He is however putting a bit of effort on his day off into trying to learn some French online - I get the impression it does not come with sound because the subsequent pronunciation he comes out with is providing considerable amusement for myself and the household management.   Maybe we could get Aditi to do some tuition via Skype?

 

The really good news is a load of rhubarb has just been harvested;)

 

Have a good day oe and all and stay safe

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by The Stationmaster

[Rugd1022]

A'noon all,

 

Up with the lark this morning to get some outdoor jobs finished - we've a large pile of stuff which we can't recycle waiting to go into the small skip we've ordered, our local tip is closed fore the duration but some skip hire firms are still in operation (saw one go past earlier today). 

 

Note to dear old Mother Nature - thankyou for buggering on as per usual, giving us delightful little scenarios to enjoy despite the CV-19 situation...... last night whilst locking up I looked out the back window to see three very large headgehogs tucking in to the left over cat food on the patio step, made me smile and then some, lovely.

 

In other news..... ''what's the recipe today, Jim...?''

 

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by Rugd1022

[polybear]

Well it now seems (despite being out the door at the end of April on early retirement) that I am now to be classified as an "essential worker"  and needed to start working again, albeit primarily from home but with clearance to visit the fun factory as required.

Double bvgger and Turdycurses.  Don't they realise I've a garden to sort out?

 

** Strange they never treated me as an "essential worker" for all payrises in living memory......