Early Risers.

[Dave Hunt]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Now Dave, let’s try and put a positive spin on things: you’ll have a big bandage on your hooter - so to forestall the curious you have two ways to go: the first is that of the coke-addled rockstar - you just explain that you’ve had your septum repaired ‘cos you did too much coke with Pete and Jimi and Janis back in the day; the second is the Jack Nicholson a la Chinatown approach: you tell the curious that you are investigating Tony “The Nailgun” Perez and one of his goons took a knife to your nose to “warn you off” (not that you are deterred. No, not one bit….)

 

Either approach will help you refine your storytelling abilities, keep you amused and baffle the relatives….

 

 

Or even better, I've been recruited into Captain Cynical's hit squad and my first assignment involved a confrontation with a dangerous knife wielding opponent?

 

Dave

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

The rain that was falling from the sky and watering the garden has now stopped, but everywhere is wet, very wet. 

 

Breakfast is now but a distant memory and I will shortly be heading off to the butchers for the weekly meat rations and a pork pie for my dinner. Once back and the rations safely stored in the fridge, I will then head off to the Trafford Centre for a few more items that we cannot get locally. Once that lot is packed away I shall head down to the office and tweak the engine shed windows and do another test print, hopefully I shall get this done before dinner as I have my eye test booked for this afternoon, which is only 18 months overdue! 

 

Enjoy your day, back later

[jamie92208]

Good moaning.  It's been raining here.  Yesterday went well.  Nurse Dominique came and changed the dressing on my toe and pronounced that was well, along with the bonce. I can't check the bonce as my hair covers the site. There are a few other sets of stitch marks up there that are still well hiden. Dominique is a former beauty queen so there are worse things in life than getting attention from her.  After that varrious other tasks were completed and in the evening an hour of shed time was granted.

 

Today I planned to take the trailer full of cardboard and other rubbish to the tip.  Got there to find a flaw in my planning, the tip doesn't open on a Friday. Anyway back home and then unload the trailer as I need it to pick something up tomorrow. There doesn't appear to be much else on the to do list so more shed time may happen.  First though there is cofee to be drunk accompanied by fresh baked cheese scones. Sounds like a plan.

 

Jamie

[Tony_S]

19 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

I can't check the bonce

The object on my head that the dermatologist marked with a purple pen last week is due to be removed on Monday. One on my back was removed at the clinic with liquid nitrogen. The instructions for Monday recommend not driving myself there, so I don’t know if something more intrusive will be used. The item to be removed looks like a mole (not edible variety or small mammal). 
Tony

[leopardml2341]

Morning all.

[tigerburnie]

Morning, flu jab was jabbed and that turned out to be the highlight of the day, for the first time in around 2 years we ventured into Dundee to go to a sports shop to buy youngest Grandson some football shorts, when we go there it was shut, so we went home again.........................oh well 'tinternet shopping today then.

[southern42]

' morning all from red dragon land.

 

Thunder and lightening night before last and also chuckinitdarn for the first time in ages - no more watering the pot plants for awhile. Mixture of sun, cloud, and rain yesterday.  Wet, again, this morning but currently drying up.

 

Yesterday, a walk up to the Log Swing followed a short toot on the flute. It was click and collect groceries in the afternoon so the trip was a short one. As everything was bound to be wet, I just went with camera in mind. No drawing. The walk was a bit shorter than planned because there was a man with strimmer making a mess of the lane and surrounding airstream so I waited until he reached a wider spot. Needless to say, the stream was flowing with a bit more gusto after the rainfall.

 

So, photos taken and I still had enough time to pick some more blackberries on the way back. By then, the lane had been cleared of strimmer strippings.

 

The walk into  my spot over the sheep trails.

 

Looking down stream with water disturbed by the faster flow.

 

And a little higher level of water upstream. I wonder what it will be like when I get that far in the drawing?

 

I took this one when I noticed the wee drop of water hanging onto the Log Swing's cable.  The best thing, though, is the amount of gorgeous detail on the bark that shows up. Worth adding to the drawing, I think. <gasp>

 

Lastly, I noticed this little critter while picking blackberries. 

 

Off now for a quick visit to the Log Swing to see state of play. I may return after lunch as it is too wet for the G word.

 

Take care all and play safe.

 

[AndrewC]

Greetings all from the boring borough. 

 

This week can't end soon enough for me. 

The DHL saga continues with the South American river people showing it as delivered. DHL's site says, delivered, then recipient not home, then recipient asked for deferment, then to be delivered next business day. Useless bunch of <extremely censored> . No it hasn't arrived yet. 

Work is deteriorating quickly. At least I still have a fast escape hatch in 4 weeks if things don't improve. 

 

I predict another wasted weekend. Not a weekend spent being wasted I hasten to add. 

 

Laterzzzzz

 

[PupCam]

Fondle the Prop!  You might as well, as it's raining and no flying today.

 

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 It seems that Bears don't share the same musical appreciation, as I'd much rather be bombarded with "Devilgate Drive", "Ninety-Nine Red Balloons" or "The Power of Love" (the Jennifer Rush version).....

 

Musical taste is a funny and individual ol' thing isn't it!       

I was never really that into Suzi Q, but Nena! Well, there's a thing .....     Jennifer Rush  PoL was good but played to death at the time and became rather tedious I thought.

 

3 hours ago, polybear said:

It seems that Phil Collins is suffering - sad news:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-58508715

 

Yes that's a shame, he's had hearing problems to contend with over the years too (not surprising really I suppose).

But going back to the previous point, the PC and Genesis CD's have taken and are still taking a pounding over the years

 

A Puppers' favourite ......

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

I was shocked and stunned yesterday, the GP practice sent a text message inviting me to attend for my 'annual diabetic check-up' which is due.  No poop Sherlock, it's 2 years overdue......it was overdue before covid.  My last encounter with the diabetic specialist nurse wasn't great, he was about 10 years out of date with his recommendations and seemed more concerned about football results than my HbA1c results.  I foresee a difficult encounter!  

 

With a bit of luck they'll have a new diabetic nurse after all this time   

 

Unfortunately we and the health service are over-run with similar stories of dissatisfaction with the services provided (I've got a few of my own!) which is why I find it so frustrating.   It might be "Just a job" for some but it could be literally life or death for the consumers.     I was interested to note the other day when I phoned the local GP that they are now not offering ANY pre-arranged appointments for patients now (you'll have to dust off my list of excuses from my post a couple of days ago as it is still applicable).   So, if you want to see  communicate with a doctor, (whoops, bit of mistake there) you HAVE TO play Appointment Bingo to get an emergency appointment even if it isn't.    A cynical person might think it's all part of the master plan to reduce and ideally eliminate the need for the GPs to deal with those horrid sick people.  

 

Lucky there's no cynical people round here then! 

 

Inothernews:

 

There's a model Fly-In at Tibenham today.  I was half thinking of attending (as a spectator, there's 1/4" layer of dust on my aircraft that I'd have to chisel off first) and catching up with  some good friends.    If I did a little detour there's a bike dealer selling a second-hand motorcycle that Puppers is very interested in.   It is one that would make lots of nice blue smoke as it makes its way down the road and when revved makes a sound not unlike Ring ding ding ding ding ding ......  

On the other hand, if I bought it any true bimbling would have to be done in 3rd gear just to keep it in the power band

 

Anyway, I haven't gone to Tibbers and so we went for a walk round the village instead.  As it turned out, we'd timed it to perfection as just after we got back and sat down for coffee and biccies it started chuckinitdown.    Still, the sun's out now, there's blue sky and Tibbers would have been good.  Buxxer!

 

Alan

 

[PupCam]

3 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Or even better, I've been recruited into Captain Cynical's hit squad and my first assignment involved a confrontation with a dangerous knife wielding opponent?

 

Sounds very plausible to me !

[JohnDMJ]

Good Afternoon Awl, for despite precluding any external deforestation, there are still things to do!

 

Elsewhere:

 

15 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Musical taste is a funny and individual ol' thing isn't it!       

I was never really that into Suzi Q, but Nena! Well, there's a thing .....     Jennifer Rush  PoL was good but played to death at the time and became rather tedious I thought.

 

Along with similar titles by Huey Lewis and the News and Frankie goes to Cricklewood at about the same sort of time!

[J. S. Bach]

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

 ...snip...  Dominique is a former ...snip...

Jamie

That made me think of this (in a few nanoseconds, btw):

 

[J. S. Bach]

15 hours ago, brianusa said:

Nelson Riddle could make any singer sound good and he did with possibly the best backing in real music.  Lind Ronstadt was one who really benefitted by his orchestral style along with Frank Sinatra and most of the pop singers of that era.

Not my kind of music, but I did spin the record once or twice and did note the overall excellence of the performances.

[J. S. Bach]

15 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

 ...snip... The surgeon wants to do the job ASAP and hopes to get me in next month. ...snip...

G'night all.

Dave

ASAP = next month?????????????????????????

[polybear]

4 hours ago, waggy said:

Just watched my final episode of The Chase yesterday, It has always seemed to me that no matter which set of questions the Chasers choose the  Chaser gets an easier set.

so last night the Beast gets What is 6 x 8. 

So that's it no more Chase for me.

 

You'd be surprised just how many contestants have got such questions wrong...

 

4 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Some of the dresses that the ladies were wearing they were very much at risk of something dropping out.

 

Wot, no link??

 

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

If I did a little detour there's a bike dealer selling a second-hand motorcycle that Puppers is very interested in.   It is one that would make lots of nice blue smoke as it makes its way down the road and when revved makes a sound not unlike Ring ding ding ding ding ding ......  

 

 

Hmmm......and does Mrs Puppers know about this ploy - and more importantly does she approve?  So which of Pupper's current steeds is facing the chop - otherwise it'll be mighty crowded in the Puppers Cave.  There's RardDy any room as it is now...(see what I did there - cunning eh?)

 

In other news:

A productive morning for Bear, ranging from checking the car over (which has done less than 1K miles since it's service last Nov-ish), the G word, general dross etc.

Bear has realised that he is due to have the Flu jab the day before enforced Detention later this month - which *may* include the running of various items.  The possibility of side-effects are therefore of concern - a call to the chemist reports that changing the date isn't a great plan (they've got 600 lined up, apparently); the docs are going to offer a similar service - but further details are sparse at present.  Here's hoping....

[PupCam]

5 minutes ago, polybear said:

Hmmm......and does Mrs Puppers know about this ploy - and more importantly does she approve? 

Yes and Yes

 

5 minutes ago, polybear said:

So which of Pupper's current steeds is facing the chop - otherwise it'll be mighty crowded in the Puppers Cave.  There's RardDy any room as it is now...(see what I did there - cunning eh?)

Neither, it's going to be crowded! 

 

You'd 'Ave Made An Honest Alan (more cunning there then!)  look foolish - getting rid of a steed indeed!

Now if Shakespeare was still around he might enquire "250 or not 250, that is the question?" 

 

[polybear]

Bear's Culinary(?) Report of the Day:

 

Title:  Broccoli & Stilton Soup

Supplier:  Tesco

 

Introduction:  "With crumbled Blue Stilton melted through, for a tangy smooth finish".  Purchased at the start of the first lock-down cos' I was already maxed-out on tommy/veggie/minestrone soups.

 

Initial Findings:  Jeez, I'll need a bulldog clip on the snozzle in order to eat this dross.....

 

Results: 

Bl00dy disgusting - how on earth I managed to finish it will remain one of life's miracles (and this comes from a self-confessed walking dustbin).  If it hadn't have been for the accompanying bread roll being spread with Marmite and used at the half-time interval then at least half a tin would've had a close encounter with the plug hole....

 

Recommendations:  Conduct an immediate search of the cupboard in case Bear was foolish enough to buy more than one tin - and ditch immediately as hazardous waste.

 

Conclusions:  Barf in a Tin

 

Epilogue:  If it hadn't have been for the Co-op Lemon Cheesecake (a new line to this Bear) acting as a subsequent antidote there's a fair chance a stomach pump would be inbound.....

 

Edited September 10, 2021 by polybear

[The Lurker]

greetings all from a Sidcup which is grey and has threatened to rain all day to no avail.

 

It has been a long day today after what felt like a long day yesterday. Things must be getting back to normal as I bumped into the guy I used to see regularly on the train home and speak to (shock horror on the commute) for the first time at LBG since the lockdown started. ( I have seen him a couple of times in Sidcup).

 

the woman who works for me managed to attend the office for the first time. She got herself in a real state and was hyperventilating when she got in (heavily masked), disinfecting regularly. I think she has barely been out all lockdown and now finds it very hard. She lost most of the collaboration benefit by refusing to sit anywhere near us for most of the day although we did find a large meeting room to share for a while to discuss a few things. I suspect she will work her way back to it all. She'll need to; the powers that be (HR) have decreed we'll all have to be back at least 3 days a week from October. Not necessarily a bad thing but it was done without consulting senior management, and there is a certain irony that there are members of the HR team who have not yet been back in!

 

Anyway I am glad it is Friday and that I have largely managed to deal with the work that needs to be done. Maybe not; just as I typed that a new e-mail appeared! C'est la vie!

[simontaylor484]

Afternoon all 

 

NTA didnt watch wont watch how the bl**dy hell do Ant and Dec win presenters of the year for the 20th year in a row. Happen the voters misread the form and read prize for the most annoying talentless Geordie barstewards please tick here.

[polybear]

Bear's Question of the Day:

 

Bear has a very old style Youngmans Spacemaker aluminium loft ladder (2 section); the hinge mechanisms at the top (where the ladder joins to the loft floor) are some sort of plastic material, and there's a locking catch on the side of the ladder (also plastic) that locks the two ladder sections together when fully extended:

 

 

Now when Bear is on the bottom half of the ladder all weight is bearing on the floor.  I like that.

But when I'm on the top half of the ladder all weight transfers to the plastic hinges and the plastic locking catch.  I've never been keen on that....

So I'd like to fit something on each side of the ladder such that when Bear is on the top half of the ladder the weight is (a) transferred to the bottom half of the ladder, and therefore (b) to the floor.  I'll be much happier about that. 

Now this idea may well fit the bill - a pair of these:

The problem is that the ladder sides are 50mm wide - and all these seem to start at 100mm (the few that are 50mm appear to be pretty pony in construction).

So, do any fellow ER'ers have any suitable ideas as to alternatives please, before I resort to making something myself? 

[Gwiwer]

19 hours ago, brianusa said:

Nelson Riddle

Be careful with your rhyming slang!

 

On the Nelson

Going for a Jimmy

 

Quite unrelated Riddles

[leopardml2341]

@polybear something like this perhaps?

 

https://www.lockshop-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/era-902-flush-pivot-lock.html

[simontaylor484]

The weather here today is basically April showers. I started off this morning doing some further weeding and trimming the top of the buxus trees. Until rain stopped play . 

[Sir TophamHatt]

21 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

At last the promised rain has arrived that will do my grass seed some good as well as this warm weather. It is sprouting but it is still patchy but at 3 quid for 2 boxes ( reduced to clear at b&m) its Johnson's tuffgrass I ain't complaining 

You can also try growing it in shallow dishes.
Then when it's grown, you can simply cut a bit out and slot it in the lawn where it's needed.

 

Saves the birds nabbing loads of the seed!

[Pacific231G]

5 hours ago, PupCam said:

Fondle the Prop!  You might as well, as it's raining and no flying today.

Alan

 

Never a good idea Alan as props (both rugby and aircraft) are liable to roar into action if fondled. Unlike almost every other type of vehicle the fail-safe for an aircraft engine is- for very obvious reasons- to run not to stop. Assuming  that it's safe to approach the prop of a parked aircraft, even if all the electrics are off, is a bit like assuming that a tiger is asleep. Sorry for the tedious safety message but this really is something that most people are unaware of.

 

Afternoon all. It's raining now in W. London but i managed a decent 4.6km walk this afternoon between showers. When it stops I shall see if there any more blackberries on my bushes- so far this year's crop has been very poor

 

For some reason, I can't get the idea out of my head that today is Saturday even though

1. the bins were emptied this morning which they are of Friday mornings,

2, the local roads were jammed with cars doing the the school run at 3.30 which never happens on a Saturday, 

3. the local pharmacy that is closed on Saturdays, is open,

4. there weren't many people on the golf course 

5. at 4.30 the A40 was jammed as it always is on a Friday afternoon at this time and,.

6. it's Friday

All of which are very strong evidence for today being Friday.

 

I think it may be because I've just organised a zoom meeting for tomorrow for a group that usually meets on a Sunday but it's a very disconcerting feeling. I know that tme is relative but ,though I walked quite briskly, I'm pretty sure it wasn't even close to the speed of light and I think I'd have noticed if I'd walked clsoe to any black holes.