Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Overslept this morning, didn't wake up until gone eight but now catching up. Up in time to check the forecast for the weekend, a bit damp tomorrow but Sunday looks clear and dry crucially between here and Warley. If the oppotunity of the coach trip hadn't come up I would not have even considered going to Warley, I last went to Warley about 25 years ago when the model railway club hired a mini-coach, that was cheaper because the minicoach driver was also a club member and gave his services for free. I've been to Ally Pally a couple of times and I'm thinking of going in the new year. C&C's where neccessary, be back later.

[Happy Hippo]

The crony squadron were around this morning, and much fun was had with various power tools.

 

Much noise and sawdust was created before rain stopped play, as we were working outside on the driveway thus giving my neighbours the benefits of the various fallouts.

 

We do like to share.

 

No Warley for me this year:  I have been given quite a few domestic missions that need to be completed in the very near future.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It was sunny earlier, now becoming overcast. 
We went out for a pub lunch yesterday, in Benfleet. We went with a friend who has a doggy day care business, so lunch had to be carefully planned with a gap in her canine visitors presence. 
I may (attempt to ) repair a sticky tap.  It isn’t on the soft water plumbing pipes so I suspect a build up of limescale. I am negotiating a ‘I need to turn off the water’ with Aditi at the moment. The original plumbers didn’t include an isolation valve for that tap. If I do have to replace the taps  I will fit on off valves.

We won’t be going to MiL’s his weekend as she has arranged to go out on Sunday for a meal. We would normally swap to Saturday but Aditi has invited our neighbours round on Saturday assuming we would be going to Enfield on Sunday. 
The cd (as recommended by ChrisF) arrived this morning. It wasn’t a parcel I needed to stay in for, as it fitted easily  through the letter box. Our first item with a Christmas stamp (second class, large) this year. 
Tony
 

Edited November 22, 2019 by Tony_S

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from LBG where it is cloudy but currently dry.

 

Work continues to be hectic and I am looking forward to the weekend. Not that we are doing anything much, except wandering to a relatively nearby butcher to order the Christmas turkey and other meats; the in-laws are visiting over the period.

 

have a good day all

[Stubby47]

Not much chance for me to do anything of the preferred variety this weekend, instead I'll be helping lay a laminate floor and fitting various electrical items in No. 1 daughter's house. SiL is a chef by trade so extremely adept at most things, but is not a fan of electrickery.

[New Haven Neil]

Hmm, the foreguessing seaweed twirlers said showers, the reality is persisting down all morning!  So bike club was a car club.  Much hot air passed, by a load of old , er people.

 

Now have to decide whether to freeze in the garage or slob out in the lounge with videos/youtoob/RMweb etc.  

[AndrewC]

23 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

Greetings all from LBG where it is cloudy but currently dry.

 

Work continues to be hectic and I am looking forward to the weekend. Not that we are doing anything much, except wandering to a relatively nearby butcher to order the Christmas turkey and other meats; the in-laws are visiting over the period.

 

have a good day all

If that is Carnivore I'll be popping in there tomorrow for some supplies myself. Best butcher in the borough. 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Now I've got a plan of the Warley exhibition I can plan on what stands to visit and in what order. I will be packing a few snacks and drinks as I don't know what sort of catering is available, someone mentioned Spoons but with a young child in tow that is out. Tea to be mashed, be back later.

[Tony_S]

The cold tap in the downstairs loo wash basin now works. Of course it wasn’t simple. The retro Edwardian (but I suspect cheap) had 3/4” threads but a short washer movement. The replacement bits had adapters for the thread but the parts to make them suitable for a normal tap of that size restricted the water flow to a dribble. I solved it by using two tap washers without the extension spacer. It works now and turns on and off easily. We will get some new taps eventually. I think Aditi may want to replace the faux Edwardian decor with something modern. It must have been trendy when the house was built in 1990. 
Tony

[BoD]

10 hours ago, chrisf said:

……………... Just don’t ask me to go all gooey over human babies.  They really do all look the same to me.

 

 

…… and all new-born ones look like Winston Churchill.

[Ian Abel]

POETS and definitely happing today

 

Client still in a stew over the migration this weekend, and into the bargain they've also been "informed" by the IT department that the HR/Payroll implementation will go live Jan 1st. even though no parallel run has yet been attempted. Finance are now only just becoming involved, which is "odd" given THEY are the ones that administer the payroll. Since my name, nor my company name are on any of this I say good luck (you're gonna need it - the HR consultants at our company that've been doing this with this system for years say you need a minimum 3 parallel runs before you should attempt to go live!!)

 

On to better things - flight home was on time and very pleasant. Had the opportunity to flight in a new Airbus A220 for the first time. Quite a delightful plane, spacious inside for a smaller aircraft, and quiet, comfortable seating too. They've an amazing flight tracking tool in the in-flight entertainment which includes all kinds of goodies, though due to teething troubles it wasn't working 100% so I didn't manage to get a good play with it.

It has a sort of "heads-up display " of the flight data, but only worked other than intermittently once we landed, so the picture of that below doesn't do it justice...

 

Package containing bookshelf speaker supposed to arrive today so I've got something to play with later

 

-6 getting the paper and refreshing the bird feeders first thing, sunny with a high of 2 the forecast.

 

Hope the weekend starts well for everyone.

Edited November 22, 2019 by Ian Abel

[Coombe Barton]

St Cecilia and back to work

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2019/11/22/slow-road-st-cecilia-and-back-to-work/

[81C]

Evening All

 The dog wondered what was going on today it was command command command a bit of bribery with the tiniest of treats we got through the day well

the muzzle went on he wouldn't sit for his collar so the muzzle came off and I went and sat to read a book totally ignoring him he came across the room

with his lead, collar and muzzle and dumped it all at my feet then sat down and started whimpering he even jabbed me in the ribs with his snout.

All his bits finally went on with the lead set at its shortest length and he walked most of the way to heel, he can do it when treated correctly if he improves I will take the muzzle

of on the way back from a walk a short distance from his home there wasn't much play today he sat on the sofa with me while I read a book that stopped the jumping up

and the 100mph dash around the house, what made me laugh was a chair he crashed into fell on him so he attacked it I stopped him straight away I might get lucky with him if I can 

condition him in behaving himself with me with less play longer walks and maybe some extra treats, it was hard work but if the result are there I don't mind.  

 

B. Woodhouse

[pH]

40 minutes ago, Ian Abel said:

Client still in a stew over the migration this weekend, and into the bargain they've also been "informed" by the IT department that the HR/Payroll implementation will go live Jan 1st. even though no parallel run has yet been attempted. Finance are now only just becoming involved, which is "odd" given THEY are the ones that administer the payroll. Since my name, nor my company name are on any of this I say good luck (you're gonna need it - the HR consultants at our company that've been doing this with this system for years say you need a minimum 3 parallel runs before you should attempt to go live!!)

 

I know you shouldn't, but ...

 

When you're that close to a potential disaster like that but have nothing to do with it, and especially if you have issued warnings - just sit back and watch the entertainment. (Being aware that you always have to make sure you're not on the other end of a similar event!!)

 

I remember being in a meeting where the implementation of a replacement system which had been developed in the organisational equivalent of a "skunk works", and about which we (support staff of an interfacing system) had been sending up red flares for months, was abandoned. It involved (genuine) hysterical laughter from the support manager of another major system, who had not been kept informed, when he was finally told what changes would have to be made to his system, and the deadline (fiscal yearend, so not moveable) by which he had to make them.

 

Another pay system, the implementation of which has not gone too well: 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_pay_system

 

[Debs.]

3 hours ago, BoD said:

 

…… and all new-born ones look like Winston Churchill.

 

"....but tomorrow, I shall be sober...."

[Ian Abel]

15 minutes ago, Debs. said:

 

"....but tomorrow, I shall be sober...."

We should also add one of my favourties (though related to "sober" as opposed to babies) often used by Frank Sinatra in his Vegas appearance;

"I feel sorry for folks who don't drink, because when they get up in the morning that's as good as they're gonna feel all day"  

[Gwiwer]

POETS Day was not celebrated as it should have been.

 

An "Operational Incident" required me to complete a full written account after finishing normal duties.   Having arrived early I therefore left late to make up for it.  Said incident may or may not result in altered circumstances of employment for other(s) and is therefore not open for discussion.  Let's just say it was safety-critical.

 

I have also felt most uncommonly tired through the afternoon and into the evening so may retire to the f@rting-sack earlier than normal.  

 

 

[tigerburnie]

Evening all, suffering from a form of jet lag here, going out fishing in that weather for a large part of the night is now telling, I fear after the glass of Bo jolly has been consumed some eyelid inspection may take place, even earlier than usual, I am not getting to old for this...………………………………….I am not getting too old for this...………………...I am not...………………..

Edited November 22, 2019 by tigerburnie

[Ozexpatriate]

7 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Let's just say it was safety-critical.

With the understanding that it is not to be discussed, I hope that nobody got hurt.

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land.

3 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

POETS and definitely happing today

 

Client still in a stew over the migration this weekend, and into the bargain they've also been "informed" by the IT department that the HR/Payroll implementation will go live Jan 1st. even though no parallel run has yet been attempted. Finance are now only just becoming involved, which is "odd" given THEY are the ones that administer the payroll. Since my name, nor my company name are on any of this I say good luck (you're gonna need it - the HR consultants at our company that've been doing this with this system for years say you need a minimum 3 parallel runs before you should attempt to go live!!)

 

 

 

2 hours ago, pH said:

 

I know you shouldn't, but ...

 

When you're that close to a potential disaster like that but have nothing to do with it, and especially if you have issued warnings - just sit back and watch the entertainment. (Being aware that you always have to make sure you're not on the other end of a similar event!!)

 

I remember being in a meeting where the implementation of a replacement system which had been developed in the organisational equivalent of a "skunk works", and about which we (support staff of an interfacing system) had been sending up red flares for months, was abandoned. It involved (genuine) hysterical laughter from the support manager of another major system, who had not been kept informed, when he was finally told what changes would have to be made to his system, and the deadline (fiscal yearend, so not moveable) by which he had to make them.

 

Another pay system, the implementation of which has not gone too well: 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_pay_system

 

Having spent most of my working life in payroll I can't resist having a chuckle at the goings on mentioned above. On average a new system was not up and running with all the bugs ironed out for at least a year. My last line manager would not hold back on forcibly telling those above what he thought of some systems. They tried to fob us off with a version of the Phoenix system or something similar, my manager instructed the senior management to put it where the sun doesn't shine.

[JohnDMJ]

51 minutes ago, Debs. said:

 

"....but tomorrow, I shall be sober...."

But don't all new-borns look like ewe?

 

A sheepish remark, I know.

Edited November 22, 2019 by JohnDMJ

[AndyB]

Evening all  

Spent a few brownie points in the pub this evening. Balance healthy.

Wishing all ER exhibitors and demonstrators at Warley every success. 

Time for a nap now. Night all.

[bbishop]

Off to bed - see some of you at Warley tomorrow.

 

Bill

[polybear]

On 21/11/2019 at 19:21, 81C said:

 

 

 

 

My Grandma, what big ears you've got......

Edited November 22, 2019 by polybear

[Kingzance]

The builder didn't appear , the xmas grotto was grotty  but the pub lunch was a vast improvement on yesterday's . Eating that early meant that I have recently cut into a loaf (in best Blue Peter style) that I baked earlier and it was really nice when paired with a bit of blue cheese from The Isle of Wight Cheese Company and a couple of measures of malt from the Tomintoul Distillery - that place made famous by the late Terry Wogan and his follower (Mrs Mary McKay?) who he would have you believe single-handedly kept the road clear in the depths of winter. This bottle was a birthday gift from earlier in the year and is much appreciated but is almost exhausted now, particularly as I enjoy it "straight, no chaser" in the words of Thelonius Monk. I wonder what I will open next?

 

As expected, tomorrow sees a variation of DIY called Do It For Someone Else as I complete a load of bedroom furniture for daughter on behalf of No1 grandson, having got the various lengths of planed softwood required to fill the gaps prior to final installation. We need to get some comestibles in and then we will attend an extended family evening where I can hopefully sit in the corner and have my glass of G&T frequently replenished by No1 Granddaughter (she has been well trained by her mother) whilst others make small talk and discuss the forthcoming political farce! Staggering back early in the morning, I would not be in a fit state to travel to join the heaving mass that is Warley on Sunday but, to those who are making that pilgrimage, I wish you well.

 

Commiserations to Rick for his extended shift and I hope it hasn't impacted upon Sharon, to our wee shore fishing expert for the lack of a decent haul and to Ian who is clearly worried about the plan adopted by his Long Island clients. Hopefully our Charente correspondent has cut enough wood to be allowed on his way without too many worries about Beth and Kerry is adapting to John's return to work - something that John needs to do and it sounds as if he has he has a very supportive bunch of colleagues. Good to note also that 81C may be getting to the position of having a dog and not barking himself! Enjoy the quiet hours and be ready for the morrow.