Early Risers.

[TheQ]

17 minutes ago, AndyID said:

Now look here! I'm trying to make a point.

 

 

 

Printed on my 3D printer. Total cost: About three-and-sixpence.

 

(OK - a bit more if you include the cost of the rail.)

OK how did it turnout?

 

 

 

Mooring awl, Inner Temple Hare, 

4.5 hours sleep so do far. 

 

Steadily during the day yesterday,  my right shoulder and upper arm developed some pain,  this is still the case now. I don't know why in particular other than repeated brick moving. 

 

Today is a day of semi rest, I'm not going to try taking sheets of ancient rust corrugated iron off in 40mph winds.  Once slartybartfast has clad the edges of his latest work, some metal will be warmed to 327.5C

 

The stove is putting out a good amount of heat now,  so it's loading worked last night. 

 

Hopefully I've defeated the rat,  we discovered yesterday that for a second time a rat has been trying to chew it's way through the old wooden conservatory door. A temporary bit of wood was screwed on. 

We are planning to replace the old conservatory with a new bigger one,  so it's difficult to justify spending time and money on the old one.  The old one is 12ft by 7ft, and we are told it's origins are pre WW2.  I've discovered the wooden frame has been patched and repaired many times, to repair it again there wouldn't be much left of the old one. 

It's replacement will be around 20ft by 14ft, with a chunk missing from a corner. 

 

Time to,   roll onto my left side and try for more sleep.. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

45 minutes ago, AndyID said:

Now look here! I'm trying to make a point.

 

18 minutes ago, TheQ said:

OK how did it turnout?

Time to switch topics.

 

Summer arrived early here - 30°C if you please. It was lovely but I wasn't ready for it - being tired after not having slept well on Friday night. The weather will be similar tomorrow (which here, is the 2nd of the major Hallmark holidays, Mothers' Day), but Tuesday will see temperatures back to a more seasonal 20°C with showers. 

 

I plan to turn in early and hopefully I will find the motivation tomorrow to the scrub the pollen off the patio furniture. I thought about sitting out there at dinner time and wiped down a chair - the damp paper towel instantly turned to a honey-brown colour. I'm glad I didn't sit and get that on my clothes. I just did the laundry today, after which the machine alerted me that, much like a hyperbolic CoViD-19 remedy, it wants to be injected with bleach and have the 'clean machine' cycle run.  I couldn't find any bleach in the house. I shall have to venture out and source some - which might or might not be easy in the current emergency. (It is bleach soaked wipes that cannot be had for love or money.) I went to the supermarket on Friday and hadn't planned to return so soon.

[Ozexpatriate]

30 minutes ago, TheQ said:

The old one is 12ft by 7ft, and we are told it's origins are pre WW2.  ...

It's replacement will be around 20ft by 14ft, with a chunk missing from a corner. 

So you'll be taking out the wall to replace the door?

 

I had liked the idea of a greenhouse / conservatory when I had the house built. I had the patio built instead - cheaper but really only useful in summer. My builder was a bit funny and kind of wanted everything built to his house style. He was happy to say he would build anything but it would cost more and ended up looking essentially like what he wanted to build.

[iL Dottore]

Morning all,

Like the good leopard, I too suffer from pretty bad insomnia (although in my case it is fuelled by my arthrosis being a bit of a stroppy bu99er in the early hours of the morning). Hence my early, long, detailed, rambling and frequently incoherent postings. As an aside, it’s interesting to note that in many instances people refer to the disease from which they are suffering as “my arthrosis” or “my migraines” as though they are the proud proprietors of such conditions. Upon reflection, perhaps this is more appropriate and accurate then we may care to think. Primarily because everyone experiences what happens to them in a unique and individual way; so my modelling GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) is truly mine and mine alone, as no one else will experience GAS in quite the same way.

 

Thanks to Swisscom TV, I have quite a backlog of programs to catch up with to while away the long and tedious hours spent in purdah. The latest one I watched was a fascinating, yet somewhat dispiriting, travel program where Michael Palin visited North Korea (with quite unprecedented access). What struck me, was the fact that the country seemed so terribly, terribly drab. Even the May Day celebrations seemed to be...for want of a better word... “shabby“ (Even the intricately detailed propaganda posters had a rather shabby feel to them).  It’s interesting to contemplate why totalitarian and semi totalitarian states are so drab and shabby, could it be that dictators and tyrants are inherently puritanical in the way they view how their societies should be? After all, there is no reason why any dictatorship could not festoon the country with bright neon and colourful signage.

 

One of the daily email alerts I get is from the professional side of the website “WebMD” which is always an interesting and informative read. In today’s stories there were two items which, to me, were of particular interest: firstly, people around the world are reporting altered time perception inasmuch as time for them is perceived as either slowing down or speeding up. Something I have personally experienced. The explanation as to the “why” this happens is quite detailed and very interesting-so very much a recommended read.

The second item of interest from today’s WebMD news alert is a “good news/bad news” sort of thing: Data are emerging that indicate that the coronavirus is probably much more widespread throughout the population than was originally estimated. Studies from California and elsewhere are showing that, in very large population samples, the actual number of people testing positive for coronavirus antibodies (ergo they have been infected) is considerably higher than what the official Government data suggests. The good news is that - if confirmed - this would mean that the disease is not as lethal as originally thought (one study has revised the estimate of lethality to about 0.5% - though these data need to be peer reviewed); the bad news being that even with a lower overall mortality, the disease still is going to have a serious effect on a very large number of people (in other words if, for sake of argument, the original estimate of lethality of 10% was based on a limited sample of 100 infected of whom 10 died, then with a large population sample that shows 100,000 infected, then even with an 0.5% mortality rate this would still mean 500 deaths). 
 

On a different note, I have just indulged in myself by buying a “mini” deep fat fryer. Although I already have a decent deep fat fryer, with a 3 litre capacity, it’s far too big for everyday use for just Mrs iD and myself, so the “mini” fryer with a 1 litre capacity will be perfect. I’m looking forward to being able to cook tempura, arancini or even game chips for two without faffing around with a large fryer. And as my deep freeze runs at -25*C, I might even try my hand at making “deep fried ice cream”

Cheers

 

iD

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by iL Dottore
Stupid censoring software (bu99er spelt properly was removed)

[TheQ]

45 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

 

Time to switch topics.

 

Summer arrived early here - 30°C if you please. It was lovely but I wasn't ready for it - being tired after not having slept well on Friday night. The weather will be similar tomorrow (which here, is the 2nd of the major Hallmark holidays, Mothers' Day), but Tuesday will see temperatures back to a more seasonal 20°C with showers. 

 

 

-30C to + 20C in a couple of days that's one heck of a temperature swing.. 

[Ozexpatriate]

26 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

... the original estimate of lethality of 10% was based on a limited sample of 100 infected of whom 10 died, then with a large population sample that shows 100,000 infected, then even with an 0.5% mortality rate this would still mean 500 deaths). 

Absent comprehensive or even randomized testing, the single digit order of magnitude for percentage mortality rate still holds for people who are sufficiently symptomatic to be tested. (It is ~6% of confirmed cases in the US presently, and 4% here in Oregon and 5% in Washington state.)

 

Nonetheless there are a no doubt a very large number of asymptomatic cases* who presumably keep this virus circulating until it finds someone more vulnerable who gets sick enough to warrant testing. After almost three months of shutdown (we're about 10 days shy of that) our (relatively stabilized) infection rate continues with no decline in sight.

 

* Demonstrably so in the Stanford study some weeks back, though I'm not sure what the false positive / false negative rate was for the antibody test they used. There have been questions about the false positive rate in some of those tests. Apparently more recent antibody tests are better.

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

3 minutes ago, TheQ said:

-30C to + 20C

Except that I didn't write "-30".

 

Let's eat grandma!

 

GRAMMAR POLICE

TO SERVE AND CORRECT

 

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

Once again it is time to look at the diary of dismay and remind myself just what that ruddy virus has stopped me from doing.  Last night, in the infinitely preferable parallel universe, I would have been at The Stables to enjoy Sam Carter playing songs from his very new CD.  On Tuesday I would have been back there for a concert by Grace Petrie, which The Stables tell me has been postponed to a date in November, though their webshite casts some doubt on that. We shall see, for these are uncertain times.  The rest of the week would have been quiet until the weekend, when I would have joined many others at Expo-EM Spring in Bracknell.  How I shall miss being rude about the town centre, which by common consent is best seen under cover of darkness.  On Saturday night many of us would have embarked upon the short stumble between the hotel and the local ‘Spoons.  CAMRA members get vouchers for 50p off a point of real ale or cider in that controversial pub chain and boy are my vouchers burning a hole in my wallet.  How I miss the opportunity to cast off my inhibitions and sup more beer than is strictly good for me.

 

Today, back in the all too real world, I plan to make a batch of coq au vin.  The packet that the sauce comes in says that it serves four but we shall see.  Gentle readers may harrumph that I am not using raw materials such as red wine.  Worry not, for I have some that I shall sup with and after my lunch.  One consequence of visiting unfamiliar supermarkets is that I do not know where anything is and therefore make some interesting discoveries.  The coq au vin sauce caught my eye.  Other sauces are available and will be explored on a future visit.

 

Matters arising:  I was disappointed to see Flavio’s comment on my rainbow boots.  How sad it would be if we all had the same tastes.  I doubt that they will grace my feet this year given that nearly all Prides have been cancelled, but they will be back and with them the admirers who took photographs of my feet last year!

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[TheQ]

Mooring part 2,

 

Ben the alarm clock Collie,  got me up 15 minutes early,  I think he was desperate .

 

A cool light northerly,  sunny to the south and east,  grey clouds to the north and west.  Damp and Misty. 

 

Having had a stroll round with Ben,  a change to plans, 

If the rain holds off, the first work will be to mow the main parts of the grass. It's getting long in places. Then to the plans in mooring Part 1.

 

Like il Dottore,  we bought a 1L fryer for our use,  the 3L fryer only gets used when the family visits..  I guess it has saved a fair amount of electricity over the years.

 

And so to porridge,  blackcurrant flavoured today,  tomorrow, the last portion of the porridge I'm not fond of.

 

[TheQ]

28 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Except that I didn't write "-30".

 

Let's eat grandma!

 

GRAMMAR POLICE

TO SERVE AND CORRECT

 

You didn't write, you typed.. 

Edited May 10, 2020 by TheQ

[iL Dottore]

1 minute ago, chrisf said:

...I was disappointed to see Flavio’s comment on my rainbow boots...

Why so, dear fellow? If you consider some of your t-shirts to be provocative (to some), why not your rainbow boots? (probably to the same “some” who find your t-shirts provocative).

Personally? I find them amusing as - to me - they are wonderfully OTT. I certainly would not have the nous to wear them. And I salute your boldness. But there again, I am most conservative when it comes to clothes, especially shoes/boots. Probably the closest I come to being “outrageous” with my footware is my pair of 30 year old leather brogues that have weathered to an orangey brown. Furthermore, most of my t-shirts are plain, although I am the happy owner of two Pink Floyd t-shirts (souvenirs of the wonderful Pink Floyd exhibition at the V&A of some years back)

[AndyID]

52 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

The second item of interest from today’s WebMD news alert is a “good news/bad news” sort of thing: Data are emerging that indicate that the coronavirus is probably much more widespread throughout the population than was originally estimated. Studies from California and elsewhere are showing that, in very large population samples, the actual number of people testing positive for coronavirus antibodies (ergo they have been infected) is considerably higher than what the official Government data suggests. The good news is that - if confirmed - this would mean that the disease is not as lethal as originally thought (one study has revised the estimate of lethality to about 0.5% - though these data need to be peer reviewed); the bad news being that even with a lower overall mortality, the disease still is going to have a serious effect on a very large number of people (in other words if, for sake of argument, the original estimate of lethality of 10% was based on a limited sample of 100 infected of whom 10 died, then with a large population sample that shows 100,000 infected, then even with an 0.5% mortality rate this would still mean 500 deaths). 
 

 

It probably is more widespread but it's pretty clear that it affects those who's health is either compromised by disease or age. I think it's inevitable that, absent a vaccine or proven efficacious treatments/pharmaceuticals, we need to open economies for business. What alarms me, in the US at any rate, there is no clear guidance being given to those who are most likely to succumb to this thing. My uneducated guess is that anyone over 70 has less than a 80% chance of survival.

 

Turns out the State of Florida has deliberately tried to suppress data, so who can we trust?

[roundhouse]

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

OK how did it turnout?

 

All right by the looks of that one (or rather  left)

Edited May 10, 2020 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

5 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

Thank you. It is an ss tape deck. Tyger as been gone for about four years now. As for another cat, well, same here; on the way home form a train show, no less. Meet Wingnut:

 

Isnt it strange how we love these little mass killing and pooping machines. Yesterday whilst redoing the garden railway I came across loads of cat sh!t in the borders and we dont have our own cats but love the ones that visit us especially the black and white cat that lifts his right paw up to beg for attention and no doubt food. My other half would love to have cats but we are were away too often. That could change if travel is now off the agenda for a long time but would certainly upset next doors cats.

[tigerburnie]

Morning, just back from gigging with the Rolling Stones all night(where do these dreams come from) suns out, winds howling and it doesn't feel very spring like with the temperatures out there, a fire may be lit later if it doesn't warm up a bit. Take care all and enjoy the day.

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Bit windy outside...pah!

However the change in the weather will mean more time to finish coaches etc.

 

Cats like me..I can take them or leave them. I would like to have a dog but until I stop umpiring (which may be sooner rather than later) I won't get one.

 

Watched the last Star Wars film last night...err it didn't answer all of the questions..Star Wars X must be on its way.

 

Having had a mugatea her indoors has set the coffee machine going..this is a not so subtle hint to getonwithit..so I shall!

 

Make today work to meet your needs. Have as good a day as you can!

Positive thoughts to all...

 

Baz

 

Ps I will wave to BoD and Two_sugars as the wind blows them past here...

[leopardml2341]

Hello all (again).

 

Supplementary to he light(?) Rain was the odd flash and rumble and today as forecast it's somewhat cooker and windier; insidy stuff today methinks.

 

Talking of today, 10th May seems to be coincidentally quite a significant date in my life:

 

First 'proper' girlfriend's birthday; 1963

Passed driving test; 1982

Completed purchase of my first mortgage; 1987

 

Muggatea in hand, but this one's full fat as opposed to the decaf at 04:xx.

 

Bye for now, be safe, be well and behave

Edited May 10, 2020 by leopardml2341

[chrisf]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

Why so, dear fellow? If you consider some of your t-shirts to be provocative (to some), why not your rainbow boots? (probably to the same “some” who find your t-shirts provocative).

Personally? I find them amusing as - to me - they are wonderfully OTT. I certainly would not have the nous to wear them. And I salute your boldness. But there again, I am most conservative when it comes to clothes, especially shoes/boots. Probably the closest I come to being “outrageous” with my footware is my pair of 30 year old leather brogues that have weathered to an orangey brown. Furthermore, most of my t-shirts are plain, although I am the happy owner of two Pink Floyd t-shirts (souvenirs of the wonderful Pink Floyd exhibition at the V&A of some years back)

 

Flavio, I think I am guilty of reading more than there was into what you said.  "Wonderfully OTT" is much more like it.  As for boldness, I have a long way to go by comparison with some.   Not for me is the scanty apparel of those marching in the parade at Sydney Mardi Gras.  Pink speedos?  No thanks!

 

Chris 

[BoD]

4 minutes ago, chrisf said:

 

Not for me is the scanty apparel of those marching in the parade at Sydney Mardi Gras.  Pink speedos?  No thanks!

 

There is a God, after all.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Sunny at the moment although there is some cloud which is forecast to increase later and bring some wind and rain. (Depending which forecast you believe)

Sainsbury's delivered yesterday and only a couple of "unimportant" items missing. (A magazine and a particular bottle of wine for The Boss  ) There were 3 other bottles for her though. The good news is we have eggs and bacon so my usual breakfast will be available.

Yet again I did not get to The Shed after saying I would. Not good enough you might say so I will try to do better today. I did remember that I have a blue Tornado that died last year so dug it out and may have a go at fixing that. If I can't do it I will have to send it to a loco hospital at some stage.

I did do a bit of gardening and have transferred my tomato plants to larger pots. Let's see if they survive the trauma of being manhandled by me.   That probably applies to Tornado as well!

The Boss is on the march towards the kitchen and has indicated that breakfast will be ready shortly so farewell for now.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[Shedman5]

Morning,  grey with slight drizzle along with a gusty breeze here in this part of the sunny northwest. I will add that its not warm and thats the weather dealt with.

 

The shed beckons a few things will be run in a world that is free of any virus and people can board the trains to go to work and on holiday. At some point reality will return but I will enjoy my escapism while it lasts.

No jobs to do it promises to be a relaxing day.

 

Enjoy yours

[JohnDMJ]

13 minutes ago, chrisf said:

 

Flavio, I think I am guilty of reading more than there was into what you said.  "Wonderfully OTT" is much more like it.  As for boldness, I have a long way to go by comparison with some.   Not for me is the scanty apparel of those marching in the parade at Sydney Mardi Gras.  Pink speedos?  No thanks!

 

Chris 

 

You, Speedos - IMAGE ALERT!!!!!

[Happy Hippo]

 

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

Cats like me..I can take them or leave them. I would like to have a dog but until I stop umpiring (which may be sooner rather than later) I won't get one.

You can just imagine it.

 

The kitchen door opens, and Baz dressed in full cricket regalia  points to the shed at the bottom of the garden, just visible through the drizzle:

 

'Out!'

[New Haven Neil]

Morning,

 

Yesterday hit 24c here, which is a sort of UK equivalent to 30c.  This morning it is 10 'feels like 6'.  Back to normal then!

 

We were kind to the little bikes again yesterday, and ended up doing just short of 100 miles.  Takes some doing on a rock 32 miles long, but there are many, many interesting lanes away from the major roads.  It was a really glorious day, thoroughly enjoyable even with the required isolation.  Lunch was had at the MSPCA  tearooms where they are providing carry-out meals, there is sufficient space in their grounds to sit alone to eat.

 

This is the view across Laxey Bay from Clay Head, on the east coast of the rock.

The view earlier in the day was 'down south', all the way south in our case at the Sound ('Lands End'), looking across to the islands of Kitterland and the Calf of Man, the larger island.

The days  reward.....a cool beer in the sun back home.

[jamie92208]

Morning all.  It's still dry here just but the seaweed  twirlers say that that will change later.  We have been to the market and a cluck bird will be sacrificed later.  It's clucking gear has still to be removed. That apparently  is my job.  After Hippos in thongs yesterday and now the mental image of Chris in pink speedos, I dread to think what potentially ocular scarring image will be conjured up tomorrow.  

 

Tomorrow the lockdown is to be eased.  It is obvious that they are still terrified of the second homers from Paris rushing out to infect us all so a 100 km travel rule is to be enforced. We are apparently due a new style of attestation to carry with us. As it is I plan to head off to Angouleme (42 km) on Tuesday. This will be to visit a DIY shed but I might sit by a nearby railway line for a short while. It would be rude not to. On the way home I am due to call at a friends to collect a 3/16" reamer, doesn't everbody need one.  

 

Apart from that not a lot appears to be on the agenda.

 

Regards to all, and PLEASE, no more mental images. It's before the watershed and some of us are delicate creatures.

 

 

Jamie

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by jamie92208