Early Risers.

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Not a lot to say today, but I've caught up - hope all ERs are well, or recovering and likewise for their kin and companion animals.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[AndyB]

Afternoon all.

Just took a phone call from the MiL about 20 miles south of Salcombe. 

They had 400 broken glasses and plates on board last night - must have been Greek Night?! 

The ETA has been pushed back about 6 hours with disembarkation now tomorrow morning. A 6am fry-up has been promised. I've put an order in for a bacon sarnie to go as I'll be leaving home early to pick her up at the docks.

Going to ask the FiL to give me a hand clearing out my garage so we can kick off the garage/layout upgrade. 

Raining heavily here.

Andy  

[skipepsi]

How many nuclear subs have we got growing barnacles, as Barry says each one a self contained powerplant probably able to supply 2,000/3,000 people.

[Ian Abel]

Morning ER (here anyway, as always half-a-day late, and probably half-a-brain short too )

 

Yet another typical Minnesota winter day, -25C trying for a high around -16, bright sunny sky, light wind, whoopee!

 

Pretty pedestrian here all told, especially compared to the beating the UK seems to be taking - stay warm and safe all you ER folks and your families and furry friends.

 

I've very glad I'm not in a ship of any kind out there it that weather - sod that! Even crossing the channel in December to go skiing back in the '60s was pretty rough - the entire contents of the ferry seemed to be hanging over the side spewing!!! We were told that was just a "moderate swell" - I was damned glad to be off the ship and on a train for sure!

 

Best wishes to all the four-legged companions having challenges and vet visits, been there, done that, know how concerning it can be

[Oldddudders]

 

Just heard that a self-important radio presenter with initials JV will be discussing the rail route between Exeter and Plymouth after midday. I for one will not listen to the tripe that he and his tame and cozy group of so-called experts spout with little knowledge of the real world, preferring to get my updates from the knowledgable crowd on RMWeb.

Deb was interviewed live on air by that chap, when she was spearheading the French Healthcare Issues campaign. He and his researcher made a right hash of it. Pressure was applied - and he had to do it all again. Amazing what you can achieve from a cottage in rural France!

[pH]

Minus 9C, with no wind. I'm off to play soccer in an hour. Where are my fur-lined shorts?

[Coombe Barton]

Dog's home - and OK. Hopwever we had to go back to the vet's to get a collar to prevent her doing a self-removal of the stitches.

 

Other dog is now out from under my desk for the first time today, and fussing round the one who's come back.

 

Supper for them is roast chicken and rice - I've already roasted the chicken.

[Debs.]

Dog's home - and OK. Hopwever we had to go back to the vet's to get a collar to prevent her doing a self-removal of the stitches.

 

Other dog is now out from under my desk for the first time today, and fussing round the one who's come back.

 

Supper for them is roast chicken and rice - I've already roasted the chicken.

 

What a relief, John.

 

The post-operative healing powers of roast chicken are well regarded.

[Sidecar Racer]

What a relief, John.

 

The post-operative healing powers of roast chicken are well regarded.

 

I  always feel better after a roast chicken dinner too .         

Edited February 6, 2014 by Sidecar Racer

[tomparryharry]

I have nothing useful to add to the energy discussion and, therefore, I won't add it.

 

I had a thought that all new builds should have solar panels installed but reading on here doesn't seem to favour them.

Until the advent of the magic new source, maybe some existing technologies could be combined to make a contribution?

As a consumer with only Electricity available (plus various inconvenient and expensive add-ons for emergencies), I am aware of the problems of breakdown in supply.

On the other side of our mountain there is a wind farm - planned to become much larger.

The windmills have been there for years.

Only now are they considering connecting them to anything.

 

 

If you've got a hot water cylinder, you could add solar thermal panels. Instead of using a 3kWh immersion heater, you could be using a 20 W/h pump. My central heating is usually off March-October, when I'm just using the panels. 

 

Ian

Edited February 6, 2014 by tomparryharry

[trisonic]

What a relief, John.

 

The post-operative healing powers of roast chicken are well regarded.

Chicken Soup, surely?

 

Energy? Fracking Hell!

 

Best, Pete.

[DDolfelin]

Calm before the storm for us tomorrow.

Keep warm and dry, ERs!

[Donw]

Sorry to put a disagree on this Don, but you should always leave the premises if there is a fire alarm. If you wait until you smell smoke it could be too late. I spent years trying to drum the same message into students until we found a bollocking from fire brigade officers did the trick. Be safe, you still have half your life in front of you.

 

Edit for spelling mistakes.

The Nursing Home which looked after F&MiL had a totally different policy. All resident were to stay where they were when the alarm went. There were fire doors on all rooms and along the corridors.  Those with Dementia would not understand and if allowed out could wander off or into the road. Those who could not dress themselves could go out and suffer. Many could not get themselves into their wheel chairs and probably could not use them to get out. Uncontrolled evacuation would be a nightmare. Visitors were asked to sign in and out (which we did religeously) as they could be trapped by the fire doors. I do not know the condition of Don's fellow residents but maybe some would be better with the above approach.

 

The other Don

[Tony_S]

I think I may be getting the hang of this model railway hobby. I've got bits of track all over the dining table, various cables and interfaces connected to track by my computer and a Hornby loco on its way after an eBay purchase. 

[Debs.]

Chicken Soup, surely?

 

 

"No thanks......and don`t call me Shirley!"

[The Stationmaster]

I think we can forget news of floods in the fringes of the country as today the River Thames was back in the spotlight on the BBC at lunch time with a report from Purley (just upstream of Reading, the scene years ago of me saying 'no way am I buying a house here') where the river is already beginning to flood and I noticed on the way back from Waitrose (a day early) that the river here has risen by nearly a foot since last weekend.

 

All of this, plus the continuing continuous rain means that there'll be flooding in the leafy riverside suburbs once again before long and various celebrities such 'the delightful Debbie McGee'  (who can occasionally be seen in Waitrose here) will be photographed romping round in waders for the 'Daily Wail' etc - and all else will be forgotten as the ire of the residents of Windsor or wherever is turned on Chris Smith who will probably be burned in effigy if any dry wood can be found.  All totally silly but if some Coronation Street actor can take leading place on the news above agricultural disaster on the Somerset Levels I think we are once again seeing the broadcast media in its true 'glory'.

[DonBradley]

Oh Misterporter. Point taken. You are right!  except in saying I still have half my life left . That account is already overdrawn.

 

DonW  The home was built in the 1920s, no fire doors. All vulnerable residents reside in the "frail care" wing manned day and night by fully s trained staff who's function includes evacuating their charges safely and expediently. On a drill they were out before the "independent" residents.

 

Today will another clear, moderate day at 25C with a wind of just 17kph

 

Hail Glorious Friday for those of you who still answer the call of duty!

Edited February 7, 2014 by DonBradley

[iL Dottore]

Morning All,

 

Weather so far cold and dry (and yesterday it was gloriously sunny).

 

Glad to read that various canine maladies are resolving themselves. Mind you, the vetinary application of Roast Chicken is a new one on me, although I am familiar with the motivational properties of frankfurters. A powerful restorative and stimulant which is very effective on the HM is Bratwurst im Teig - a St Gallen Bratwurst wrapped in puff pastry and baked. It also works on me!

 

In response to The Stationmaster's comments it must be said that the "London-Centric" phenomenon is not confined to the UK: in France, the Parisians believe that the universe revolves around Paris, in Italy, the Milanese believe that the only Italian city where anything really gets done is Milan and here in Switzerland, the Zurichers believe that that everything Swiss MUST go through Zurich or it isn't really Swiss (which is why to get from Basel to Schaffhausen by train you have to go through Zurich instead if along the Rhine - the shorter, direct, route).

 

[grumpy old git mode ON]it does seem, as I get older, that since the 60s there is a rising tide of incompetence - especially in those countries that use ideology instead of pragmatism to set policy, plans and goals. Political Correctness, Health and Safety and many other things beside, whilst originally well meant, have been hijacked by ideologues and frequently used as a fig leaf to cover incompetence, stupidity, venality and the jobsworth mentality. Countries which favour pragmatism over ideology seem to be doing very nicely. Perhaps what the UK needs is another Boudicca to cleanse the country of a venal ruling class [/grumpy old git mode OFF]

 

Anyway, I'm hoping that the predicted bad weather for the weekend will leave my fellow ERs untouched.

 

Have a wonderful TGIF

[travelintrev]

Good morning all,  

 

Yup it's Friday, did meet the GM yesterday who was not a happy chap about  his boat.  When it left the yard were it had been stored it was on a trailer....which some were en-route  transformed into a Hi-abb truck!   In day light it looks a right mess. 

 

Well its Friday,  so I just have to get a "Bill- of - Materials" done for another  gas powered plant, before Monday! So busy week end beckons! 

 

Try to stay dry and warm, 

 

Trev.

[Barry O]

TGIF!, I didn't think we would get to Friday but we have ....so let's everyone have a good Friday wherever we are and whatever we are doing!

 

Travelintrev - hope the BOM doesn't take too long.

 

Have a great Friday...for me fish and chips for tea beckon...yummy!

[Oldddudders]

Morning all

 

High winds were threatened, have been and now abating. 100-110 kph sounds quite unpleasant. I have no idea if anything is damaged yet.

 

Off to horses shortly, then to Sheena for coffee at 11.

 

Hope your week finishes on a high note.

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

It has yet to get light here, but it looks like the weather is going to offer up more of the same today.  The wind is also due to get up as the afternoon goes on.

 

Good to hear that John's dog is home again and doing well.  How is senior dog doing, Debs?

 

On the subject of the Somerset levels - admittedly this is an extreme case, but I can't understand how it has been allowed to get this bad.  When I lived near Romney Marsh, I regularly used to see the old Gentleman who was responsible for checking the sluices and opening and closing them as necessary.  He had lived on the marsh all his life, and passed his knowledge onto his apprentice, who took over his job later on.  This is a system that had worked for hundreds of years.

 

I fear that the old Gentleman has probably been replaced by stuffed suits in an office somewhere, who make the decisions based on some sort of handbook - rather than the local knowledge.  This probably has the illusion of saving money.

 

What a bizarre world we live in.

 

Have a good day everyone...

Edited February 7, 2014 by Robert

[BoD]

I think I may be getting the hang of this model railway hobby. I've got bits of track all over the dining table, various cables and interfaces connected to track by my computer and a Hornby loco on its way after an eBay purchase.

 

Have you had a ding row about OO versus EM versus P4 versus .....

Or a rant about DCC v DC ?

 

Thought not.

You aren't a proper modeller yet.

[BoD]

On a more serious note.....

 

Got an urgent phone call at work yesterday, Mrs BoD had taken a bad turn and they had sent for the paramedics. I think I must have turned rather pale too as colleagues guessed that their was something amiss. When I got there (I honestly don't remember making the journey) they had wired her to various machines. Her BP was low and her pulse down but all eventually returned to normal. She wanted to just come home which they allowed but she has to make arrangements with her GP today for tests or whatever. She said she felt weak and like she has been kicked all over, probably from when she passed out.

She did rally enough to throw the dog bowl of rice and cooked white fish that I had made back at me.

 

I don't like staying off and putting on to colleagues but I think I might go in later once I have seen that she is ok (she is still asleep) and we have contacted her GP.

[edcayton]

On a more serious note.....

 

Got an urgent phone call at work yesterday, Mrs BoD had taken a bad turn and they had sent for the paramedics. I think I must have turned rather pale too as colleagues guessed that their was something amiss. When I got there (I honestly don't remember making the journey) they had wired her to various machines. Her BP was low and her pulse down but all eventually returned to normal. She wanted to just come home which they allowed but she has to make arrangements with her GP today for tests or whatever. She said she felt weak and like she has been kicked all over, probably from when she passed out.

She did rally enough to throw the dog bowl of rice and cooked white fish that I had made back at me.

 

I don't like staying off and putting on to colleagues but I think I might go in later once I have seen that she is ok (she is still asleep) and we have contacted her GP.

 

Is she on blood pressure meds BoD?  I managed to collapse whilst waiting for a blood test a few weeks ago. BP was 80/40 which I'm told is on the low side! I was taken off one of the BP tablets and things have improved since.

 

My GP is of the opinion that the cardiac lot like the BP as low as possible to make things easier for the heart, but that this can make life "difficult".

 

HTH

 

Ed