Early Risers.

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all and welcome back to Andyram 

 

Yesterday I stumbled on a video taken at Exeter Pride two years ago.  Naturally I watched it carefully and there I was, lumbering along behind a gritter lorry at a respectful distance.  That was the day I was knocked over by a park’n’ride bus in Exeter High Street, fortunately with no damage to me or the bus.  To paraphrase the old saying, fall goeth before a Pride.  OK, I admit it: I’ve told you that one before.

 

Earlier I strolled/hobbled the short distance to the polling station to cast my vote in the election for police and crime commissioner.  This time it was set up in a social club just round the corner.  Back in 1979 I was accepted for poll clerk duty, for which a modest fee was paid.  For my sins I was sent to Cockayne Hatley, a small and obscure village with 57 on the electoral roll at that time. Unsurprisingly they did not all come.  The result may not be out until Monday and will make few if any waves.  For much of this morning there will be election coverage on BBC2.  The presenters will need to be good at filling as I rather suspect that they will have little to report for some hours apart from the Senedd results.  As I type this the Today programme is referring to the Conservatives having bigger piles.  No comment!

 

A minor miracle has occurred in my jungle, for there are flowers on all but one of my surviving strawberry plants.  It dawned on me too late to do something about it that I had not come across plants on sale with which to re-stock the strawberry bed, which I came as close as humanly possible to denuding of weeds a few weeks back.  Now there is hope that Chris the hunter-gatherer will get his way long enough to harvest sufficient fruits to garnish one helping of cereal.  Fingers crossed!  

 

I don’t often click on the link to John CB’s choice of music but I could not resist Jeremiah Clarke this morning!  Continuing warm thoughts to Gordon and family and best wishes to all

 

Chris

[Joseph_Pestell]

24 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

Morning all, I normally stay up all night to watch Election programs, but last night I gave in at 02.30, but back up at 5am and now waiting for the Hartlepool By Election result.

 

I'll re shut the eyes again later.

 

Have a good day one and all, stay safe and keep well. 

 

Another election night nerd like me.

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Slept well. No pain in my jabbed arm. Hopefully, like jab 1, I should be fine today .

 

Looks more and more that we will have a weekend washout for cricket. Pah!

 

@andyram from friends in the trade April has been a bumper month for sales.. hope it continues in your shop and online.

 

Time to get the mugatea sorted.

 

Back later

Baz

[Gwiwer]

Morning all. Welcome to POETS Day. Good to see Andyram and with good news to boot. 
 

Voting was done postally some time ago. I doubt it will make much difference. No matter who you vote for the most popular person seems to win. 
 

I’m off to Ye Olde House of Funne. See you for drinks later. 

[polybear]

7 hours ago, PupCam said:

Oh Buffer!     I have to admire the accuracy with which you (very nearly) hit the centre of the cable though .....

 

Glad you've recovered the situation swiftly(ish) and without too much collateral.

 

 

A very, very brief moment of humour occurred yesterday, courtesy of Alexa.....

Bear has Alexa set up to respond to questions etc. fired in quick succession without the need to repeat the command "Alexa".

The discussion went like this.....

"Alexa - laptop off"  (Bear uses a smart plug to connect the mains adapter, since the socket is somewhat inaccessible)

"OK" reports Alexa

"Sh1t" says Bear, after I'd just realised I'd not checked what time Travis Perkins closes before shutting down.

"I haven't been equipped to do that" reports Alexa......

 

Just as well, really.

 

6 hours ago, Pacific231G said:

The last of the billioaire's cheesecake was consumed after dinner. The Millionaire's Cake has about three small helpings left. So far it hasn't lost any flavour.

 

 

Almost enough for Bear's elevenses then....

 

6 hours ago, BSW01 said:

Good evening everyone 

 

This morning’s sunshine didn’t last long, it started to chuckinitdarn just after 11 o’clock, it’s been on and off all day, in fact it’s still chuckinitdarn at the moment. Not that it mattered though, as I was in the cellar this morning completing the alterations required to add the spur to the ring main. 

 

Bear's Tip Of The Day:

Make a good note of all cable positions from known datum points at socket/switch level and ceiling level, if that cable is gonna get plastered over.  Bear has done this on those kitchen walls I had to take back to brickwork, but a certain other wall already had sound plaster on it, hence no such map

 

6 hours ago, BSW01 said:

This evening, it was acting up again, I’d ‘LOST’ all my email folders, only having an inbox, which was empty. So I repeated what I’d done last night and got them all back. However, I still can’t get my NOTES to appear on the iPad, so my plan is to email each NOTE to myself, and then copy and paste the text, then create a NEW note. It’s all a bit long winded, but it’ll work. 

 

 

Bear suggests an external hard drive for backups might be a good investment, ideally kept away from the house if at possible (or failing that then in a fireproof storage box) and backed up at least monthly (ideally more).  Think what would happen if your PC hard drive died and you lost everything

Bear has an intense distrust of cloud-based storage (whatever they are) as it seems like an invitation for some scrote to go looking inside the cloud for stockpile levels and location of the SCR  (they'd be unlucky - it's all in Bear's head, and torture won't reveal it's location.  Capt. Cynical's Henchmen made a very amateurish attempt at that one once - all I'll say is stay away from Fray Bentos meat pies for a few months.....)

 

In other news:

Somewhat sick:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57017028

 

Talk about starting young:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57018329

 

And how does the US ensure it can leave Afgan safely?  Send in more troops....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57017782

 

DIY Chemo, anyone?  Destined for the UK market, apparently:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57011695

 

Today?  Kitchen.....

 

[Winslow Boy]

8 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

 

 

 

                                                       ?

[jamie92208]

Good moaning, my previous post has bern blanked for some reason. A quick good moaning to you all.

 

Jamie

Edited May 7, 2021 by jamie92208

[TheQ]

Mooring awl, Inner temple Hare.

A poor nights sleep..

3.5 hours sleep

Wake up Sky News discussing no results,

1.5 hours dozing

Wakeup Sky news discussing no results,

1 hours badly dozing

Sky news discussing no news from Hartlypuddle

1.5 hours sleep

Sky news still discussing no News from Hartlypuddle.

 

Ben the unhappy last night Collie was happy this morning.. Why was he unhappy? he's a creature of habit.. At his due time for his late evening walk it was chucking it down, and he wanted out but didn't.. He doesn't like the rain..

This morning a very much happier Collie went out on patrol, blue skies, frosty, but less of that than yesterday. No wind..

 

 I spent a good time last night adding F.A.Y.  V.10A and V.14 along with R.Y.A  P.Y., to  P.H.R.F. to produce B.H.  Still a long way to go on that.. Need to do much revision to the layout to make it presentable..

 

Yesterdays results were added at the time to the master spreadsheet, I'm now taking each result and adding that to the individual resistor in the box's page .

 

The radio has just announced a result at the puddle..

Our council results, they aren't even starting the count till tomorrow..

 

Time to do more playing with spreedsheets.

 

 

[Barry O]

I was told a strange "fact" about Jersey yesterday. The senate have subdivided who can and who cannot travel to Jersey by County. Dorset folk can travel there but Yorkshire folk can. Has anyone anything to check this "fact"? 

 

Hopefully we will be hearing positive news from Gordon and Dave Hunt today. Fingers crossed.

 

Mugatea brewed and drunk ... time to go and bash Friday into shape!

Baz

Edited May 7, 2021 by Barry O

[Barry O]

Facr has now been checked. Leeds is on the Amber list for travel to Jersey..Barnsley is on the green list @Erichill16..

 

Baz

[AndrewC]

Greetings all from the boring borough. Warmer than yesterday but still bloody cold for this time of year. 

 

TFIF

Package containing "stuff that must not be mentioned" from Canada was released after paying the ransom. HMRC have over charged the VAT by a significant amount. Most likely they converted from USD instead of CAD from the declaration form. Strange that trying to get a refund is the only process of theirs that still requires a physical printed form + physical evidence. Cost of getting a printed and stamped card statement as well as postage will eat up a fair chunk of the rebate. I can see why they do it. Anything under £10 is just not worth jumping through the flaming hoops to recover. B*stards. 

 

Hopefully some good news from Mr Hunt sr, and Gordon is forthcoming. 

 

Work still sucks. One of the expected ship jumpers fired off his resignation yesterday. That means my team is now down to 6. That leaves just one more flight risk who is still waiting his formal offer. <sigh> I've got another interview this afternoon. We shall see. None of the supposed new hires will be in place before either of them go. I really don't have time or patience anymore do do the onboarding. 

 

Smart meter installation day. The bonus of this is I can cry off a meeting that I've been dreading all week. (not bad, just dealing with c*ntpuffins of epic asshattery levels) "sorry, power going off for meter install, can't make it" 

 

Votes cast via post. I long ago learned to support the person that will f*ck me over the least. That's why I've put my X next to Count Binface. He's got to be the least useless of the whole bunch running for London Mayor. 

 

coffee calls. 

 

On that note, I bid you all a good day and enjoy the weekend. 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning again. I hope that my missive wint head off into the ether when I post this time. No post yesterday as I got up late and had to head off to get my hair cut.  Then an afternoon  trainspotting made up for it.  Today I will await DPD who may or may not do what I've asked them . In the meantime I will  bid you all bon journée.

 

Hopefully good news from Gordon and DavecHunt and also no talk about piles in Hartlepool.

 

Jamie

[Erichill16]

27 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Facr has now been checked. Leeds is on the Amber list for travel to Jersey..Barnsley is on the green list @Erichill16..

 

Baz

Funnily enough we’re booked to visits Jersey later in the year whilst on a cruise. Hopefully by then we won’t need a Royal Navy escort.

[TheQ]

Of people jumping ship, the man due to arrive as the new deputy head of lab put in his notice at his old company... They made him an offer he couldn't refuse, so he's not coming..

He was already being offered more money here than anyone else of his grade and more than most the next grade up.. (over double my pay) So it's unlikely this company will increase it's offer..

 So no deputy head of lab, and less than 11 months till the current head of lab intends to leave.. 

 

Houston I think they have a problem..

Edited May 7, 2021 by TheQ

[jonny777]

A dry and sunny morning here in North Somerset, although I get the impression that tomorrow will be deluge-ville. 

 

Had my second AZ vaccine yesterday and there were more folk queueing than when I went for my first in February, but I was still there less than 5 minutes. 

 

Then I came back for the tomato plant-fest. I am OiC soil/compost/leaf mould mixing and trough filling; while SWMBO delegates her self as senior executive planter, the highest rank known to the household. 

 

We have six large troughs and each get four tomato plants each, of varying varieties. I am quite happy with Moneymaker and Gardener's Delight because they produce strong plants and the tomatoes taste nice. However, SWMBO finds them somewhat lowly in the tomato hierarchy, and therefore has to have lots of cherry tomato varieties, and yellow pear-shaped things which to me are not really a genuine tomato at all.

 

Anyhow, each variety gets a trough to itself and once they are all in position SWMBO decides she has nothing more to do with them until she can pick her favourite tomatoes. The watering and feeding regime is left to the lowly jobbing gardener  me. I have no problems with this as I love watching plants grow big and strong, and therefore tend to treat them as my babies each year. 

 

As I tipped out the old soil from a couple of last years' troughs, I found about twenty large fat moth larvae curled up in the soil. These were thrown across the lawn for the birds. I'm not sure what the larvae have been eating in there, but I didn't fancy them scoffing tomato roots. I had close attention from the resident robin, who must have thought Christmas and birthday had all come at once. 

 

 

 

 

[Ref44]

One positive result yesterday. Rather than lugging the old dishwasher to the recycling centre, I tried leaving it by the front drive. The metal fairies removed it with a couple of hours. Heavy lifting or failing that a £22 fee for the council to collect avoided. The task of decluttering after 33 years residence is being started should a move be needed. There is a lot to do!

[45156]

Morning All

 

As ever, much skipping, and not a lot to report.

 

Guitarists among us might just appreciate this wonderful rendition which popped into my inbox.

 

 

She is a wonderful player, and very attractive too - and that smile at the end just melts me - Sweden is lucky to have her as a resident

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[TheQ]

10 minutes ago, Ref44 said:

One positive result yesterday. Rather than lugging the old dishwasher to the recycling centre, I tried leaving it by the front drive. The metal fairies removed it with a couple of hours. Heavy lifting or failing that a £22 fee for the council to collect avoided. The task of decluttering after 33 years residence is being started should a move be needed. There is a lot to do!

A scrap yard would probably given you £5 to £10 for it.. Where do you think the metal fairies go with them?

 

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Second jab day today for Aditi. There won’t be parking problems at the venue as there isn’t any parking. Our road is the nearest place that is easy to park in. 
Our nephew in Zurich had his first vaccine jab yesterday. In Zurich the vaccine is available for anyone vulnerable (he has asthma) otherwise it is by age (he is 29) order. He was given the Moderna vaccine. 
Aditi is now back, all very efficient. The receptionist at the clinic was from our GP surgery so they recognised Aditi even with the mask, there are not many Aditi’s in South Essex. 
Tony
 

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup where it is cool but sunny. 

 

Nice to read good news from Andyram. Hopes for positive news from Gordon and Dave's Dad.

 

Bear - presumably you didn't turn on the laptop to find out what time TP opened - you just asked Alexa?

 

A friend of mine worked in the TP head office pensions department for a number of years before they decided to outsource and threatened him with redundancy. As an alternative, they offered him a job in the local Cityplumbing branch, which he took. Roll forward a few years and they are downsizing that branch but as an alternative to redundancy offered him a job at...the head office. Presumably his face fits.

 

Today sees a number of slightly irritating meetings all crammed aroud trying to do some work.

 

Speaking of which I had better get on.

 

See you later!

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

A bright sunny start to the day, thankfully the overnight rain has stopped, but it’s very wet out there, but cool, currently 6C. Now that breakfast has been consumed I’m about to head off to the butchers, for the weekly meat rations and hopefully a pastie for dinner. Once I’ve returned with said rations and they have been put in the fridge, I’ll head off to the Trafford Centre for a few more provisions. 

 

After dinner, we’ll more towards late afternoon, as it’s quieter then, I’ll then head off to Costco to stock up on items we buy in bulk.

 

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

 

Brian 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. As usual I was woken by Arthur Itis this morning but he soon went back to sleep so did I. Reading through ER's this morning I feel there's fewer posts than when I started so perhaps Jamie's post wasn't the only one to disappear. Bright sunshine this morning but not predicted to last. Rain is a bit of a mixed blessing, it washes out the pollen in the air thus easing the hay fever but Arthur Itis loves doing a rain dance.

[Pacific231G]

Bright and sunny in W.London this morning with just a few clouds. After breakfast (black pudding etc.) I washed the kitchen floor and cleaned the muck out of the kitchen drain sump (I think coffeee grounds are the basis of the muck but it was a lot easier to bin them when I had a proper espresso machine) .

 

The old bill were in the HMO next door yesterday afternoon and quizzing the landlord's agent. No idea why but I intend to find out- so far the tenants haven't been a problem and I'm hoping it stays that way .  

 

Planning a relatively screen free day today. Have a good one.

 

[PupCam]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

A scrap yard would probably given you £5 to £10 for it.. Where do you think the metal fairies go with them?

The nearest country lane round these parts! 

 

[PupCam]

1 hour ago, Ref44 said:

One positive result yesterday. Rather than lugging the old dishwasher to the recycling centre, I tried leaving it by the front drive. The metal fairies removed it with a couple of hours. Heavy lifting or failing that a £22 fee for the council to collect avoided. The task of decluttering after 33 years residence is being started should a move be needed. There is a lot to do!

I would urge caution on adopting such an approach;   If the "metal fairies" decide that they don't want your carp "valuable re-cycling material" after all and decide to deposit it in the scenic tidy tip (just about any local country lane) then IF it can be traced back to you you could (quite rightly IMHO) be prosecuted.  

 

I've no idea were you live but round here (rural Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire) fly-tipping is a huge and disgusting problem that makes my blood boil every-time I see the latest deposits.     To be fair, the Council (once again IMVHO) are their own worst enemies; they should make using the local amenity tips the easiest way of disposing of rubbish NOT the hardest which, of course, does not excuse the dirty fly-tipping scrotes but perhaps goes some way to explain why they do it.   Of course, them having no pride or indeed brain cells does go quite a long way in that explanation too.

 

I'll get off my horse now ......