Early Risers.

[leopardml2341]

Mornin'folks.

 

Another day at t' mill beckons.

 

Wet and windy overnight, but seems to be calming down now.

 

The kettle is calling me.........

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl Part 2,

We don't seem to have had that much rain overnight and what there was, must have been early, as there are wind dried patches on the road.

Ben the Unhappy Collie was still unhappy and needed reassurance a couple of times while out on patrol..

 

There were police cars travelling at high speed on the NDR passing me, several of them.. No idea what's going on but there must be something major.. At least one took the wrong turn on a NDR roundabout and did a complete 360 round it...

 

The long awake period last night led me to think of more on the trailer. The old lack of suspension comes straight out of the end of the beam axle, the new one uses lever arms, so the pivot point will move back, I'll have to take that into account when the rebuild starts.

Also I've solved a problem of boat support, the new design happens to lighten it further, which is good as it was very near the limit for an unbraked trailer when added to the boats weight.

 

Never been to a gig or slept on a sofa of a friend, living out in the wilds for most of my life there were no gigs to go to, and moving all the time meant there were few friends in such areas. The only live music, I've ever seen was a folk group in the Sergeants mess in the Hebridies, and a performance of the Mikado in the Officers mess in the Falklands.

 

The politician button on the TV remote control will be sighing with relief.. It won't be used so often..  Politician button? that's the mute.

 

The second Major system is trundling on nicely, the boss seems to have solved the problem with the major system from last week, he's just got to finish the new programme and show me how to use it..

 

Time to... finish the trundling.

 

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by TheQ

[jamie92208]

Good moaning. I think it's damp outside, It was certainly blowing and raining in the night. 

 

The bonfire wouldn't light yesterday and the wind was getting up so I abandoned that idea. Indoor work then commenced and I hung 3 drops of wallpaper in the passage to hide where the redundant doorway was walled up.  Painting needed in a few days.  

 

Today we're off shortly on a shopping trip. First off it's time to unplug the internet box and exchange it for a new one, then on to Niort to try and sort our Orange mobiles.  Such fun. Beth is going to visit the cheapy shop called Aktion.

 

Hope you all stay safe and flood free.

 

Jamie

[Ozexpatriate]

This January marked my 34th year in the US and my 9th presidential inauguration.

 

It was interesting to see this evening (after the 'official' ceremonies) the new President advocating 'unity' in front of the following engraved words:

Quote

With malice toward none; with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan ~ to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

Some may recognize this as the words of a President who would be assassinated 41 days after this address under the exclamation:

Quote

Sic semper tyrannis

Despite more than 1:1,000 pandemic deaths (at 400,000, almost the cumulative total of US deaths in WWII) were the "anti-maskers" (inspired by the prior chief executive), a little better educated, this would have been their politicized rallying cry.

 

All of this did not seem accidental to me.

 

Some may not have enjoyed the "ebullient" rendition of the national anthem by a very high profile performer during the official proceedings this morning, but after television programming (on every network) this evening, substituting for inauguration balls, I am left with the keen observation of just how many similarly high profile entertainers, including 'the Boss', Jon Bon Jovi (channeling George Harrison) John Legend, Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, and many others, none of whom would permit their works to be similarly used by the prior incumbent of the highest office in the land, chose to celebrate the inauguration of the 46th POTUS.

 

Four years ago, none of these celebrities would permit their work to be associated with inauguration celebrations, or the incumbent, who, at rallies, very ironically ended up using musical accompaniment to his "speeches" with recordings by 'The Village People', entirely absent the context in which their works were originally intended. 

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Ozexpatriate

[polybear]

 

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Hmm.  I guess I will have to try baking a Lemon Drizzle Cake to see what all the fuss is about. But first, I need to see how “bear proof“ my current Alpine Redoubt (tm) defences are (I’ll  probably need to resite the antipersonnel mine fields).

 

Now there are LDC's that really are a poor substitute - let's face it, this one's a Lemon Sponge:

 

 

However, this is most definitely worthy of the title LDC - it has an appropriate level of icky, sticky gooey yumminess that is a basic necessity to qualify:

 

 

And in other news:

I see Saga are seeing sense - if you're not vaccinated then you're not cruisin':

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55738918

 

This follows on from Pimlico Plumbers coming out with this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55654229

 

Rumours of low-life parasites sorry, Human Rights Lawyers queuing down the street have yet to be confirmed.

 

Today's fun?  Let's see now, it begins with K, and it isn't a kit......

Edited January 21, 2021 by polybear

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup where I can see bright blue sky for the first time in what seems like forever. The winds were strong overnight but blew the clouds and the rain away. It makes a difference.

 

Other than that it is a bit groundhog again, enlivened by the weekly Waitrose trips to pick up essentials for Younger Lurker; Autosport magazine and LDC!

 

Have a good day all

[jonny777]

It's much colder here in North Somerset today, but still cloudy and wet. There is blue sky to the north, but that is of little use when the showers are coming straight off the Bristol Channel. 

 

In an optimistic frame of mind, I have put the washing machine on; but with lingering doubts as to whether anything will actually dry outside this afternoon. 

 

I love those pictures of cake, although I am not keen on eating sweet things. I prefer sausage rolls, scotch eggs and pork pies. At school we used to get a sausage meat pie every now and then, which combined two of my favourites - sausage meat and pastry. My favourite pudding was chocolate sponge with chocolate sauce. I used to buy those tinned sponge puddings when I was in my bedsit. In fact virtually everything I bought was tinned, because I had no fridge and needed to store things for future meals. 

 

My default standard one pot baby belling concoction was a tin of beef stew, a tin of baked beans and some powdered mash as a thickener. 

 

I was quite young when I saw my first live concert, probably 11 or 12. It was Cliff Richard & The Shadows in Bournemouth. My mum liked their music, and so my dad bought us all tickets while on holiday. I'm not sure where he got them from; but he wished he hadn't when he realised the level of amplification he was going to have to endure. He never bought any more tickets for gigs. My first lone gig attendance was Status Quo in 1970. 

[Tony_S]

3 minutes ago, jonny777 said:

 

I was quite young when I saw my first live concert, probably 11 or 12. It was Cliff Richard

I felt so sorry for a friend years ago. She had been a real fan of Cliff Richard. Then she met him.

[BoD]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

..an opricians appointment

You need it.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

My job this morning is to take Aditi to the opticians. She won’t be able to drive back so it seems easier for me to take her. I will return when she needs collecting. She may be there for a while as she is convinced she will need new glasses. 
I didn’t have a great night, without giving too much information,I must have eaten something that “  disagreed” with me. Seems ok now. 
Blue sky and sunny here. Aditi said she heard a big bump in the night and thought the garden furniture had blown over. It hadn’t but it was probably empty boxes blowing about in the loft. 
Tony
 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Tony_S

[Sir TophamHatt]

Much better day today.

Although three incidents going on at once, information provision was top notch.

 

AND worked out that a government child care account pays 20% of our nursery fees.  Not bad really.

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, from a very draughty Fraggle Rock.

 

A frustrating tech day.  Last night, in front of my eyes, my 'phone' deleted all my music files, and Google Play Music no longer worked.  I now find this has been ongoing since October when Google Play Music was turned off, they must have caught up with me last night.  it tells us to transfer to Yo Tube Music.  Except this comes up as 'not available in your area'.  So.....I tried to find Samsung's own music player.  No chance.  I can find it using the PC but not on my phone.  I ended up having to download someone else's which no doubt will be full of adverts.  I use the player every day on random whilst out walking, I enjoy the change from Led Zeppelin to a Cathedral pipe organ, that it can often throw at me.  I hate technology, or more accurately, technology that does not work correctly or you need an MSc in to get to work.  BEng doesn't cut it.....

 

Poly, that first photo cake, with custard, would pretty much be perfection.  Unlike my phone.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Well last nights snow fall turned back to rain just after we’d got into bed, most of the snow has gone now, there are just a few bits left on the shed roof, workshop roof and a few plant pots in the garden. 

 

My back is slowly improving, it’s getting easier to get dressed in the morning and undressed at night now. Another day of rest today, which I think I’ll spend sitting at the dining room table, working on the layout plan. Thankfully there has been no water ingress in the cellar and thankfully it remains dry.

 

Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later. 

 

Brian

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

.  it tells us to transfer to Yo Tube Music.  Except this comes up as 'not available in your area'. 

That must be an IoM thing I suppose. I don’t know much about streaming music services as I store all my music on iTunes but YouTube Music seems to be preinstalled on my Samsung phone and works here. I don’t listen to music while I walk.I don’t walk by myself and Aditi likes to chat. 
Tony

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. The sore foot gave me an alarm at 05:30 this morning. So I took my bath, applied a fresh dressing and afterwards continued with the eyelid inspection. Three subscription magazines arrived in the post this morning so plenty to keep me occupied while I wait for UPS to deliver a package from Shapeways.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Good deed for the day duly done and somebody's erudite question regarding a certain piece of rolling stock not only answered but I was able to give him a dimension from a 1927 document I have.  Not sure what use that will be as in 4mm scale it the numerals concerned would be just under 1mm tall but those Chinese folk can be very clever so maybe it will reproduce?.

 

The earlier sunshine has hidden although it's making occasional escape attempts from behind various banks of cloud.  The overnight rain has definitely ceased but might be back later and there are no flood alerts out for Old Father Thames as yet but the level below our local lock is now only. a few inches above 'slight flooding' level and the Loddon has plenty of water to unload in our direction.  As previously noted the flood alert and warning map id s very crowded indeed with an awful lot of warnings  showing at present and some considerable stretches of orange on the map.

 

In order to balance things for Johnny777 below is a pic of our 'Christmas' pork pie from the Pangbourne butcher who makes an excellent job of such delicacies.

 

Have a good day one and all and stay safe (and dry for those affected by the heavy rains)

 

 

[PhilJ W]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

I don’t think it’s you “just getting old”, Winnie dear boy. Looking from afar it does seem that the UK - over the past few decades or so - has developed a higher level of tolerance of incompetence and a correspondingly higher acceptance of low standards than in some other countries . Just reading about the experiences of many ERs as posted here seems to support that contention.

We could spend a lot of time (and get bitterly “political” in the process) discussing the whys and wherefores, but I think the attitude of “get it cheap as possible” has a major effect on how a society functions.  The old expression “pay peanuts, get monkeys“ has a lot of validity. Is it really reasonable to expect a decent level of competence and functionality when salaries (especially in the UK) are low to inadequate? 

 

Agreed, back in the day (1960's) Pay was far more evenly distributed and with negligible unemployment job security was guaranteed, unless you were really stupid or got caught with your fingers in the till. Mind you you were expected to work hard for what you got. There are still a few organisations where the employer treats their workers with respect and invariably they are the businesses that prosper.

3 hours ago, polybear said:

This follows on from Pimlico Plumbers coming out with this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55654229

 

 

Exactly the sort of business I mean. The company has a good public reputation and is highly profitable and the staff are happy and well paid. If the CEO of that company was Prime Minister the corvid crisis could possibly be almost over by now.

[Winslow Boy]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

I don’t think it’s you “just getting old”, Winnie dear boy. Looking from afar it does seem that the UK - over the past few decades or so - has developed a higher level of tolerance of incompetence and a correspondingly higher acceptance of low standards than in some other countries . Just reading about the experiences of many ERs as posted here seems to support that contention.

We could spend a lot of time (and get bitterly “political” in the process) discussing the whys and wherefores, but I think the attitude of “get it cheap as possible” has a major effect on how a society functions.  The old expression “pay peanuts, get monkeys“ has a lot of validity. Is it really reasonable to expect a decent level of competence and functionality when salaries (especially in the UK) are low to inadequate? 
Certainly in my line of business, if you are competent and knowledgeable you will be more than adequately compensated and rewarded; and if not, it is easy enough to walk into another job with better conditions.  So, in general, both salaries and standards of competence are high.  Were is it so elsewhere.

It sounds like you, sadly, missed out on the joys of being that age: namely, going to a gig, enjoying the recreational molecule of your choice, having a great time, ending up either kipping on the sofa of a friend or, if lucky and so inclined, sharing sleeping accommodation with a newly acquired acquaintance of the gender of one’s choice.

Ah, happy days! Back when the future was limitless, everything corporeal worked, we felt indestructible and cares and responsibilities were few and definitely not onerous.

Hmm.  I guess I will have to try baking a Lemon Drizzle Cake to see what all the fuss is about. But first, I need to see how “bear proof“ my current Alpine Redoubt (tm) defences are (I’ll  probably need to resite the antipersonnel mine fields).

I suspect that the orange one will end up being a bit like Yersinia pestis - the bug that caused the black death (and wiped out about 50% of Europe’s population with an estimated [high] death toll of 200 million in Eurasia) 

Y Pestis has never really been eradicated and emerges periodically in the most unlikely of places (although, thank God, it can now be controlled and treated by antibiotics).

I suspect the orange one, like Y Pestis, will also periodically emerge in the most unlikely of places. So eternal vigilance is the key. (there are other parallels between the two that can be drawn, but that would definitely stray into the area of “politics“ and should be avoided).

Well, off to walk the Wolfpack and then to shop - a replenishment of my Whisky stocks is on the cards today  

Enjoy the day.

iD

Well iL Dottori I am glad that its not just me nor the effects of age on the few brain cell that are left.

 

As you say we could waste considerable effort and time chuntering away on this subject and I certainly have no wish to have my knuckles rapped for discussing the 'P' word but I do think it reflects a deeper malaise within society itself. The fact that people seem to want things within a very short timescale whether that be wealth or family is not good.

 

Anyway I am off to rout some notches and by the way I do not believe relaying the mines will work as bears are quite clever.

[The Lurker]

The staff of Pimlico Plumbers are technically self employed from a tax point of view, something which suits them perfectly (and indeed they will get a nice advantage from it)until they are off sick when they cannot earn. That is why some of them took Pimlico Plumbers to tribunal and got themselves declared "workers" which means they get sick pay, holiday etc. That really is cake and eat it territory for them, not so great for the company.

 

[Gwiwer]

19 hours ago, leopardml2341 said:

Where did today go?

It has passed into history and is currently referred to as "Yesterday".  At a non-specific future time it may be referred to as "History".  

 

Happy Lunchtime all.  Happiness enhanced by being home, warm and out of the biting wind.  Further enhanced by the arrival of lunch supplied by a favourite little place which provided us - today - with chicken wrap, salad, mezze platter and a plate of assorted baklava.  

 

In other news today is the 21st day of the 21st year of the 21st Century.  Strictly that makes it no more unique than any other day but that sort of combination doesn't come around all that often.  

 

 

[leopardml2341]

The River Trent near me is a touch high:

 

With more to come when yesterday's rain makes its way down from t'hills.

 

The right bank of the 'normal' channel is approximately a line between be lower left corner of the pic and the left most bush in the water. The flood plain to the right is a good 1/2 mile wide.

Edited January 21, 2021 by leopardml2341
Edit adds river channel info.

[Gwiwer]

36 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

Pimlico Plumbers ..... cake and eat it territory for them, not so great for the company.

To each their own, of course, both in terms of selling their labour and of hiring said labour to perform specific tasks often outwith the remit of the average person.  

 

Pimlico Plumbers, to my mind, are already coining it.  Their rates are significantly above those of some others for the trades in question - not by any means confined to plumbing these days - and any business which can afford large offices and under cover accommodation for the (always spotless and glossy) company vans is not short of a quid or two. Factor in that each and every PP van carries a Select Registration which will have cost the business a moderate sum, possibly a quite significant sum, and their customers are paying dearly for glitz and marketing whether or not the individual tradespeople are any better than "Joe's Tool and Pipe Works" working out of a small yard on the street corner.  

 

I also took exception to their large premises displaying a massive bright yellow banner, unmissable from passing trains, clearly intended to influence the tens of thousands of daily commuters who passed by twice daily, and reading "B*ll*cks To Brexit".  With o displayed in place of the * of course.  What ever one's personal stance on the subject I felt that was unnecessary and verging on the offensive.  As, clearly, did the number of people who complained but who were unsuccessful in having the thing taken down for months.  

 

I will not use them.  

[leopardml2341]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

There are still a few organisations where the employer treats their workers with respect and invariably they are the businesses that prosper.

Yes I agree, the company I work for falls into that category; shame it took me almost 40 years to find a job which I really enjoy and more importantly where I'm valued. Earlier last year I had my first 'in job' promotion in years, a direct reflection on my manager(s), the project team and the company ethic to recognising and rewarding employees' contributions.

 

Of course others in the company may hold a different view.

 

Happy Bunny

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by leopardml2341

[Barry O]

I have been to the opticians. Eye Pressures are fine (and nowhere near where the eye "doctor" said they were last week. Negative bit.. have to buy some new glasses  but I get another pair .. free..

 

And I am off to his other "shop/practice" next week to do some more measuring and checking ...

 

New glasses give me better than 20:20 vision in one eye and 20/20 vision in the other. Lens changes are due to adding a bit of "prism" in them to get my eyes to look in a straight direction easier.

 

Blue sky then torrential rain then blue skies.. yes, a very , vey varied weather day here. Water still being pumped out of the pool garden.

 

Baz

[polybear]

3 hours ago, jonny777 said:

I love those pictures of cake, although I am not keen on eating sweet things. I prefer sausage rolls, scotch eggs and pork pies.

 

My favourite pudding was chocolate sponge with chocolate sauce. I used to buy those tinned sponge puddings when I was in my bedsit. In fact virtually everything I bought was tinned, because I had no fridge and needed to store things for future meals.

 

Ahh yes, Scotch Eggs......

Bear's best buddy at primary school would be Robert Jarrett; we were both sausage mad and would live for the day when they appeared for school din dins.  Then one day these strange things appeared.....

Cos' we were all little cubs at the time ISTR that these strange objects were cut in half, and half is what you got.  Bear looked suspiciously at them and decided they weren't for me - I wasn't a big meat eater (still not) and it wasn't worth the risk....

When I sat down buddy Robert killed himself laughing and then (only then ) told me it was sausage meat.  Not a happy Bear.  Mind you, he got a birthday treat sometime later and could take a buddy of his on a trip to see HMS Belfast in London; we went up in his dad's car (his dad was a policeman - at one time he was one of three of the village bobbies - the station went long ago and is now a couple of private houses) and on the way back I clearly recall a stop in this covered alleyway that you could drive down.  His dad disappeared for a couple of minutes, and when he returned he had a couple of bags of sausage and chips for Robert and I.  Happy days, and I wish I'd kept in touch with Robert as I'd love to know what he's doing now.

 

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I felt so sorry for a friend years ago. She had been a real fan of Cliff Richard. Then she met him.

 

My mum and aunt went to school with him - my aunt was in the same year and has a couple of school photos with him in.  Apparently he went round their house one day and was in the lounge playing his guitar.

 

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Poly, that first photo cake, with custard, would pretty much be perfection.  Unlike my phone.

 

Custard?  Excellent - a perfect neutralising agent.  The local Co-op sells (warning to iD:  look away now) various microwave puddings (chocolate, treacle, spotted dick) that come as a pair.  Half a (another warning to iD.....) tin of custard and you're well away.  Of course that leaves half a tin of custard that has to be eaten within a couple of days, along with a second pud feeling all sad and lonely by itself....

 

26 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

The staff of Pimlico Plumbers are technically self employed from a tax point of view, something which suits them perfectly (and indeed they will get a nice advantage from it)until they are off sick when they cannot earn. That is why some of them took Pimlico Plumbers to tribunal and got themselves declared "workers" which means they get sick pay, holiday etc. That really is cake and eat it territory for them, not so great for the company.

 

 

In Bear's book if you want contract money then you take the rough with the smooth.  There were loads of contractors at my last place, and in latter years HR got very twitchy about where they could park, use of the restaurant, time employed etc as there were changes afoot that could mean that if they shared similar benefits to permanent staff then they too were permies.  Only the contractors were pulling in anything up to the thick edge of a ton an hour for the really scarce skills.

Not to mention setting up a company (with them as the only shareholder) and paying less tax as a result.  ISTR that perhaps things aren't quite as rosy for contractors since the taxman changed rules (early last year?) which makes the whole idea a lot less appealing