Early Risers.

[leopardml2341]

On the subject of report writing, years ago I used to deliberately insert nonsense into some of the writings just to prove that my direct manager was not properly checking them. Eventually his boss spotted this and quizzed my boss and me, I openly admitted it - there was not a lot the other guy could say apart from accept the 'reminder' of the importance of thoroughly checking. Didn't matter to me as I was already working my notice period

[Barry O]

Sure fired way of making sure people don't claim your ideas.. include a deliberate mistake in it.. with my lack of keyboard control.. very easy to do.

 

One guy had claimed my work at Barrow.. i doubr he had ever had an interview without coffee before but he did get the consequences if he had ignored my Scarborough warning. 

 

Baz

[Barry O]

Why do kickballers believe they are above all rules? The majority of people can't get a barber to cut their hair.. professional kickballwrs can and show they are doing it in every televised match from the Premier League...perhaps we should stop showing kickball until they behave (while imposing a "hair cut tax in lockdown"?

Baz

[leopardml2341]

Baz, your post could be a lot shorter.....

 

"perhaps we should stop showing kickball"

Edited January 31, 2021 by leopardml2341

[tigerburnie]

I never had problems at work with this idea nicking thing, I suppose being 6 foot 4 rugby player who looked like a Viking helped, plus a few tales of the fights I used to get in made them all very wary of me lol.

[PeterBB]

12 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

... and the bed of glacial Lake Harrison ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2021/01/30/politics-barbers-and-idols/

Would be interested in your compilation of Lake Harrison.

 

Agree re the barber and the overpaid footballers.

 

Ode to Joy - very uplifting.  Like this kind of thing.  Once on Euston Station a group were singing and I asked one if I could join in as I knew what they're singing ... Yes and it led to a very happy enjoyable wait for my train home.

Edited January 31, 2021 by PeterBB
typo corrections

[New Haven Neil]

Morning.

 

A night of weird dreams too, but unlike AndySLeopard no trains were involved!  Firstly Mrs NHN doing strange things with the garden, seemingly to annoy me deliberately, then being in a pub in the USA and being injected with something against my will.  Very odd indeed! 

 

Won't stop me having the inoculation though.  I actually had measles about 4 years ago, the GP was astonished.....then found there had been a minor outbreak in the local town.  Kids, not inoculated. I had been as a kid, but still got a bit of it, just the skin spots no other symptoms. Could have been a lot worse without....

[BlackRat]

Morning all, generic best wishes, commiserations and congratulations.

 

Busy few days ( over a week so far) as someone ( me) decided it would be a great idea to sort the study out.......

 

I carefully measured ........several times.... and found that 3 x Ikea bookcases would fit across the back wall of the room......very snugly as it turned out, and a large rubber mallet was called upon to 'ease them in'.

 

I decided to fit another next to my work desk, and a sneaky trip was organised to Exeter to collect it.

 

Well done Ikea for an excellent example of click and collect, Just me and one other car in the vast car park and no close contact at all.

 

Back in Cornwall by just after 0900 and the unit was up and installed by 11.

 

Good opportunity for a clear out as well, so various mags we redistributed to my oppo, more went to the recycling and a few well earned beers resulted.

 

I suppose we all hoard 'useful' things but over 100 plastic takeaway containers full of useful stuff is surely is a bit much?

 

Odd bootlaces, milk bottle tops ( handy for mixing weathering colours) drink stirrers, and a myriad of other bits have been sorted and ditched.

 

MRJ's, RM's, BRM's suitably sorted and ditched along with a number of books that no one now seems to want, shame really.

 

RSPB BIrdwatch today, so feeders are topped up and binos ready, will make a nice break from sorting thru my junk!

 

Stay safe one and all.

Edited January 31, 2021 by BlackRat

[greatcoleswoodhalt]

On 24/01/2021 at 12:30, jafcreasey said:

1°C

SE 13kt, gusting 25kt

 

Early snow in West Sussex has turned to sleet and is forecast to continue for the next hour or two.  The Sunday 'big walk' is on hold and so Mrs C made us an egg shakshuka with the plan it'll keep us going until dinner.  We'll see...

 

Very quiet otherwise, a visit to the supermarket the only highlight during another week working from home.

 

Little excitement expected during the coming week though it's the Big Garden Birdwatch next weekend so may invest in some new feeders and dabble with suet for a change.  It's something to look forward to at least!

 

2°C

E 9kt, gusting 19kt

 

Brighter this morning however showers are threatened from 16:00, if the Met Office is to be believed...

 

The Big Garden Birdwatch will be completed after a walk though we'll be lucky to make double-figures if yesterday was anything to go by.  We ordered a couple of Flutter Butter feeders last weekend but think they probably arrived too late to entice any visitors.

 

For Mum's birthday yesterday Mrs C and I bought her a three course 'caddy' for dinner - "carefully prepared and oven-ready" - hopefully something a little different to break-up the monotony.  It was the closest thing to being able to host (as we would have done normally) and came from a chef she enjoyed watching on Great British Menu so hopefully a winner!

 

Roof repairs, first mentioned on here in November, are finally planned to commence tomorrow - any water damage in the intervening months hopefully only cosmetic.  Scaffolders arrived Wednesday, achieving a 'full house' on the stereotype bingo card.

 

As Fletcher (from Porridge) would say, "don't let the b*stards grind you down".

 

Stay safe.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Frosty earlier and my weather app now says it's 2°C .  We did have some sunshine and blue sky but it's clouded over again. It should stay dry until this evening.

Gloucester v Northampton watched yesterday and I almost fell asleep during the first half but it livened up in the second half.  Another match this afternoon with "my" team Quins visiting Wasps.

Nothing much else done in the past 24 hours apart from comparing Meerkats and also getting quotes direct from insurers for house insurance.  Current suppliers rip off merchants have increased the premium by 17.5%.  On speaking to them I was told that was non-negotiable.  Take it or leave it leaves me with one simple choice so I will be changing to another organisation tomorrow.  Their quote is actually somewhat cheaper than I paid for the past year.

Fast has been broken and the usual small portion of bacon, egg, tomatoes and toast enjoyed.  Another coffee beside me , the sun has just reappeared and all is well in my little world for now.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by grandadbob

[Tony_S]

Good morning. 
There were still some signs of an overnight frost but it is sunny now. We have had our usual Sunday breakfast of croissants.  
Aditi asked me to record a couple of films this afternoon. “Le Mans” (the Steve McQueen version) and “The Train”. I may watch them too.

Tony

[iL Dottore]

18 hours ago, polybear said:

...he mentioned seeing someone (on tv? - he doesn't do internet so it's not a farcebook rumour etc.) being asked if they would have the vaccine.  "No - because it turns your hair blue and that's against the teachings of the Koran". ... 

18 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Not seen that one but I did see a piece this morning in the reputable press suggesting those of certain beliefs are refusing the vaccine until they are satisfied that it is Kosher, Halal, vegan or any one of several other requirements....

Just goes to show that mindless stupidity and scientific ignorance is truly ecumenical!

17 hours ago, Barry O said:

...My sister had her jab yesterday. She has not developed blue hair, green skin with yellow blotches etc but  has a slightly saw arm...

God god, that’s terrible - going to the doctor with a fully functioning arm and then being partly turned into a woodcutter’s tool...

16 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

....I mean we elected (before I was able to vote I hasten to add!!) a wrestler, Jesse Venture for mayor of a suburb, he THEN won as governor..

I read that, in comparison with many of the present incumbents (and wanna-bes) Mr Ventura was relatively sane, sensible and pragmatic.

Quote

...iD, crispy of course good sir, with fried black pud and fried eggs, I have to imagine the accompanying fried bread though, for the carbs. 

I feel the pain.  I too have to currently watch my carbohydrates, not because of any particular medical reason, but for the simple fact that my body processes carbohydrates extremely efficiently and - if I eat fairly reasonable quantities of the stuff - I start to put on the pounds again (of course your and my idea of “reasonable“ are likely to be significantly different).

I have to confess that I will disagree with you upon the preference for a fried egg in a fry-up breakfast. Whilst definitely not an abomination (like baked beans) my preference has always been for scrambled eggs over fried eggs. But I am perfectly happy to enjoy a properly cooked fried egg.

15 hours ago, laurenceb said:

Measles is my particular hobby hoss because I nearly died from as a result of having it. I get very annoyed when people claim that it is a minor virus. It aint, it is a killer

We may, I fear, be a victim of our own medical successes. Measles is highly contagious, can be lethal and is devastating to adults and potentially lethal to the foetus in utero; diptheria can paralyse you, cause significant cardiac toxicity and even kill you; even rubella is no walk in the park. Yet for considerable time (at least within living memory) these diseases have been controlled by vaccination.  With memories of serious outbreaks of these diseases fading from folk memory, there are now far too many ignorant morons and craven adherents to superstition and antiscience credos that refuse immunisation for their children.

The duty of any government to its people is to protect the health and well-being of the populace, which is done in laws and regulations. Now, if there are laws and regulations to keep people safe from bad drivers, sloppy and dangerous electrical work, rotten and contaminated food (and so on) and which apply to every member of the population, regardless of race, credo or sexual preference, then why shouldn’t such a universal application/requirement be extended to cover vaccinations  and other matters of health which are a necessary to keep the population safe from disease and promote well-being?

14 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

...I once wrote a paper back in my NHS management days, about a year long project I had undertaken with a senior nurse, myself as admin. manager but as equal partners.  She distributed the paper with my name removed from it....

Quite the opposite for me, my colleagues and the researchers I have worked with have tended to be very generous in assigning an author’s credit to me. In fact, a fortnight ago I did some editing of an abstract that will be submitted to a major medical conference this year. Thinking nothing of it, I did the work

 (not that much) sent off the revised paper. To my surprise, a day or so later I got an email from one of the other authors saying “please complete and submit this <conflict of interest statement> (now required of any scientific publication) and we will include you in the list of authors“. A nice surprise

12 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Evening all from Estuary-Land. This popped up on Farcebook:-

 

The mind boggles! cheese and Marmite hot cross buns.

Two things come to mind, Phil: 1, farcebook is dangerous to your mental health and sanity, and 2, there are some very sick and twisted individuals out there who are parted easily from their money!

10 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Couldn't be much worse than this..

I can think of one or two things (such as “roadkill“ flavoured dogfood), but it is a bit of a struggle, I must admit.

 

And whilst in the vicinity of the subject of pets, I have to report that Schotty is currently not a happy boy: The day before yesterday, he broke one of his dew claws and a quick examination of the injured extremity revealed that I had neither the equipment nor the necessary experience to cut back the claw to prevent further injury. So off he went to the vet, had a minor Op and now I have to change the dressing on the operation site twice a day. Given that Schotty is quite the melodramatic “drama queen“, you will not be surprised to learn that he is milking his current situation for as much sympathy and as many treats as he can inveigle out of people (but to be fair, a broken off claw, that close to its‘ origin, is definitely painful, poor lad).
Although he doesn’t like having his dressing changed, he does like getting his analgesia. Not because he is any kind of canine opiate junkie, but simply because the pills come wrapped in an abundance of sausage to ease the passage of the medication into him

In fact I’ve developed a great technique to prevent canine separation and expectoration of medication encased in a piece of sausage: when I give him a pill-laden piece of sausage, as I do so I simultaneously dangle another piece of sausage in front of his eyes. So intent is he on getting more sausage, that the first piece containing the pill is swallowed so fast that it, almost literally, “doesn’t touch the sides“.

And on that veterinary note, I bid you all a great Sunday!

Edited January 31, 2021 by iL Dottore
Typo, phrasing

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

 A cold but bright and dry morning - such weather surely will not last and Exeter's seaweed appears to confirm that suppositiom.  But hopefully we'll have some dry time as the GD is clearing off a bit of leave which, quite honestly, she needs after yet another stint on the Covid ward.  One death yesterday but an unusual event was a woman on the ward having to have a C section becauseher breathing was becoming incapable of supplying enough oxygen for herself and the baby she was carrying - yet another story of human suffering to shoot down the barmy ideas of the Covidiots and regrettably show that it isn't only 'old people' who can suffer from thos diseasi.

 

Talking of the latter there is a very strange letter in the latest edition of the local rag.  It's from a pair of people complaining about the number of people moaning about them not wearing masks at the local (outdoor) market - well if they could get at least 2 metres apart from other shoppers there they must be some sort of contortionists.  They then go on to complain about the number of people walking around the town (on market day ) before going on to give us various WHO  references about the wearing of masks.  Of course it takes all sorts and there are plenty of Covidiots writing to the local rag but this pair really have set themselves up as their address was included at the foot of their letter - and it clearly proved they had broken lockdown rules by coming here in the first place.  When the country has inhabitants with that little brain power it's hardly surprising that covid spreads so readily.

 

And on aa very different tack it never ceases to surprise me of the extent to which RMweb posts can offer unexpected amusement in what was obviously intended as a very serious post - somebody complained about the sprues on Modelu figures and wanted them removed by Modelu.  Takes all sort I s'pose.  Off to have a further wander and see what more amusement is on offer.

 

Have a good day one and all and try to stay safe - notwithstanding the idiots around us.

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

Why do kickballers believe they are above all rules?

Because money talks louder than any politician or scientist.  They are paid more than most; if one looks at the hourly rate (allowing for training etc, so not just the couple of match hours) it's pretty decent.  Perhaps fines should be based on income rather than fixed?  £200 for someone inadvertently breaking the rules while on Universal Credit is a huge hit; £2m for a top-flight professional kick-baller knowingly doing the wrong thing and bragging about it would make a difference to them.

 

1 hour ago, BlackRat said:

RSPB BIrdwatch today

Zero birds landed.  13 grey squirrels and one cat.  Plenty of avian activity at a safe altitude (including many of the so-called "Twickenham Parakeets") but they don't count.

 

In other news Middle Nephew has been confirmed positive by lab test so the household is locked until 9th February.  Sister will be teaching via Teams.  Nephew reports feeling "better" this morning and not unwell at all.  He's 32 and otherwise healthy so hopefully a night feeling a bit fluey will be as bad as it got.  Sister is using industrial quantities of cleaning substances and the entire household (sister, BiL and two younger nephews) are all voluntarily masked at all times indoors when not asleep.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BSW01]

Good morning (just) everyone 

 

Another lie in this morning, but it is Sunday! 

 

A dry but cold start to the day, currently 1C at the moment. I've just got to the workshop and I'll shortly make a start on the last turntable exit/entry rail.

 

I must be one of the few people who've had Measles 3 times. Apparently my first dose was when I was very young, the doctor told my mother that I'll probably get it again and that should boost my immune system enough. He was right, I got it again a year or so later and had a very heavy dose. The doctor said that should do the trick. Low and behold, a couple of years later I got another really bad dose, the doctor couldn't understand why! 

 

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

 

Brian 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Not had a lot of bother from the sore foot for a few days and nights. Same last night but this morning after it was washed and dressed it feels like its on fire. Nurofen has been taken and its now cooling down.

3 hours ago, polybear said:

Be worth feeding in an idea that looks good on paper, but all except the guilty party knows will back fire big time a little way down the line......

I had a colleague who's boss used to claim other peoples work as his own. His boss asked him for a report but then he wrote out a report that was total gibberish but he kept telling his boss that it hadn't been finished until his boss came up a few minutes before the meeting and demanded the report. So he was handed the total gibberish report. It only took about five minutes for his boss to come out of the meeting very red faced demanding what my colleague was up to. Unfortunately for him he was followed out by one of the people who had commissioned the report so my colleague handed the real report (which had his name and signature on it) direct to that person. His boss resigned soon after and my colleague took his place.

Edited January 31, 2021 by PhilJ W

[TheQ]

Mid day Awl,

I got chicken pox at 17...cost me my job, as I got low marks at the next exam..well I'd missed two weeks of a six week training block...

 

Ben the clever Collie learnt to examine every bit of food even if there was more coming..

He also learnt that, even though it's not to his taste, the liquid Calpol injected into his big gob, does relieve the pain after a long walk..he asks for it now, (1/2 a baby / small child dose).

 

SWMBO being a qualified groomer is trained to cut doggies claws, but with her hands being so weak and Ben's are claws so tough, I'm instructed to do it, under very close supervision...

 

More shelving bits painted, more kits of shelving bits made,

trailer bed measured,

After reading the zinc primer label , examined my stock of paint in the back of the garage... The recommended on the label  paint is high build latex , and there was some.  3/4 of a 2.5ltr tin  of light blue,  more than enough for the trailer. Appropriate for a boat called Blue Moon... Axle given first coat of paint..

 

Ben is now telling me it is time for the long walk, I'd better do as he says as his next move is sitting on my lap stareing into my eyes.. Yesterday he did that and his  full weight of 26 kg landed on one paw...where it hurts.. ( normal Border collie males weigh up to 30kg)

 

Time to...walk..

 

 

[Chris116]

Many years ago I came up with an aide memoir for staff at my job. I had only shown it to a few people and one of them told me he had shown it to our boss. According to him our boss had asked him to combine it with a project my colleague was doing so I happily gave him the fully updated version.

 

A month later the boss produced the full report and praised my colleague for his work. I went straight to the boss and pointed out that over half of what had been produced was my work! The Boss asked me if I could prove what I was claiming. I asked the boss to bring the report up on his computer and then highlighted the whole document and changed the text colour of the whole document to black. Every page of my work had my name on it as I had put it in white on the original to stop my colleague from doing what he had done as I did not completely trust him. 

 

Our boss was furious, gave me a double bonus and removed my colleague from his special projects position. 

[BlackRat]

I can't see what all the fuss is about regarding the vaccine.......

 

About an hour after my mother in law had hers she had a nice bunch of flowers sent to her home address AND a follow up call from someone called Bill Gates.......

[polybear]

4 hours ago, leopardml2341 said:

On the subject of report writing, years ago I used to deliberately insert nonsense into some of the writings just to prove that my direct manager was not properly checking them. Eventually his boss spotted this and quizzed my boss and me, I openly admitted it - there was not a lot the other guy could say apart from accept the 'reminder' of the importance of thoroughly checking. Didn't matter to me as I was already working my notice period

 

A friend at work (RIP Mickey B) did that:

"Micky and Minnie went to the funfair, on on the way home ate candyfloss".

He distributed it then asked at a large meeting if everyone had read it - yes, they had.

"Any questions" he asked.  Nope, apart from from person - "what colour was the candyfloss?"

Everyone looked most confused.  Mick then had great pleasure in going round the table one by one and saying "You haven't read it, you haven't read it........, you've read it......"

 

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

Because money talks louder than any politician or scientist.  They are paid more than most; if one looks at the hourly rate (allowing for training etc, so not just the couple of match hours) it's pretty decent.  Perhaps fines should be based on income rather than fixed?  £200 for someone inadvertently breaking the rules while on Universal Credit is a huge hit; £2m for a top-flight professional kick-baller knowingly doing the wrong thing and bragging about it would make a difference to them.

 

 

Five grand fine for everyone having a kiss and cuddle after scoring a goal should focus their attention.  A women's footie match on telly really showed up the guys, as the women had no trouble playing by the rules - for an awful lot less money.

 

27 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Ben is now telling me it is time for the long walk, I'd better do as he says as his next move is sitting on my lap stareing into my eyes.. Yesterday he did that and his  full weight of 26 kg landed on one paw...where it hurts.. ( normal Border collie males weigh up to 30kg)

 

Think yourself lucky.....imagine a pet Poly sitting on your lap.....

 

Bear is having a plumbing day today - using full fat Nitromors (an old can - not the namby pamby stuff they sell nowadays) to strip paint from copper pipework, then getting shot of those 'orrid copper saddle pipe clips (the ones in two halves) and replacing with plastic clips.  Snacky din dins was beans on toast, as the cooker is still disconnected.....

 

[Tony_S]

Aditi is dusting the bookcases. She is being very thorough, removing all the books, dusting them and putting them back. I did mention some bookcases were screwed to the wall. I think she forgot. 
Aditi “ I think I found one that was screwed to the wall”

Me “Do you need some help?”

Aditi” It isn’t fixed anymore “

 

She had pulled hard enough to shear the screw. Most of it must still be in the rawlplug. 

[PhilJ W]

9 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

 

She had pulled hard enough to shear the screw. Most of it must still be in the rawlplug. 

Cheap Chinese made screws. I was screwing one in when there was suddenly no resistance and when I withdrew the screwdriver the screw head came with it. It was such an effort to extract the remainder of the screw that the piece of work had to be scrapped.

[Tony_S]

22 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Cheap Chinese made screws.

Not necessarily. Remember I am married to Aditi aka “was this supposed to come apart?” Or in earlier days “I think I have broken the Volvo (insert lever switch etc here). “ I don’t know how she manages to break things. She can’t open jars as well as I can but can make things fall apart quite often. If the academic career hadn’t worked out she could have reviewed items for Which magazine. Years ago we were in Allders department store looking for a new vacuum cleaner. Aditi commented that she didn’t think the one the sales assistant was demonstrating looked very robust. The assistant stood the cleaner on its end and told her to push it over. She did and it fell to bits. I thought it was funny the demonstrator was “not amused”. 
Edit

New hole made, rawlplug and screw. I even vacuumed up the dust. 

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by Tony_S

[Andrew P]

And low and be old, da sun did shine a bit dis mornin, so I walked down for the paper, collected me lottery winins and twas nice.

Now back to normal, cold, wet damp dismal dreary dark dull and dissing down.

[Gwiwer]

The back door has been operated. The Gwiwer has ventured outside.  On a Sunday.  

 

Primroses have been planted.  Holes have been re-filled where Evil Squirrel has dug out and made off with the tulip bulbs.  One of the three bare-rooted roses planted before it froze might have survived.  It's too early to prune and too cold and damp for kneeling and weeding.  Some jobs have to be saved for Later Ron   

 

Muggercoffy No.3 time.  Soon to be followed by the weekly visit of Captain Ocado bearing, as usual, a full order with no substitutions nor missing items.