Early Risers.

[jamie92208]

Unfortunately, I've had to deal with quite a few suicides and have also had personal experience of having a close relative who felt that way.  I believe that it's the largest cause of death among young males in the UK. Two of our middle son's friends went that way within 3 months.   Though most of us can't understand how someone can get that low, Simon has mentioned the main reason.  This is that the sufferer feels that they are the problem and the only way to help their loved ones is to remove themselves from the equation.  It's a horrible thing to deal with and my deepest sympathy goes out to those that suffer, either as the subject of the thoughts or their loved ones. 

 

Because of the stigma and trauma that suicide carries, many coroners are very reluctant to issue a verdict of suicide unless there is uncontrevertible evidence of proparation and pre meditation. 

 

On a more psoitive note I once spent time helping in a Railtrack sponsored study into suicide prevention. That came about because of a sufferer had been listening in to the radio traffic (Pre encryption days) and had heard some of the things that I was ordering to be done after a fatality on the railway line at hemsworth, on my patch.  I'd had to deal with it initially as BTP were some distance away.  Apparently the young man had been so affected by what he heard that thoughts of doing the deed disappeared.  Somehow or other a mental helath professional mnaged to put two and two together and I met the young man. I explained, carefully, the trauma that the event caused to those around the subject, both professionals and family and as far as I know this became a turning point in his life.  the incident got used as a case study in the Railtrack study that IIRC was done by Sheffield University in about 1999.

 

Anyway it's sunny here and the autumn colours on the trees in the neighbours garden look lovely.

 

Jamie

[Barry O]

Streamline taxis in Leeds..what a shower of sh1t! Had to use another company (Amber) to get us to the station in time.

 

Azumas ride like a bucking bronco but..bacon sarnie eaten, 2 cups of coffee drunk so life is now far calmer!!

 

time to..drink more "free" coffee

 

Baz

[TheSignalEngineer]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

Chuckinitdarn!

 

Nuff said

Baz

Likewise, no MTB trip today. May do the week shop instead after present bit of wall painting finished.

[PhilJ W]

Hello again from Estuary-Land. Bright and sunny at the moment but blowing a hooley. Its not predicted to last though and later this week its reckoned to be a lot cooler.

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

It's just gone up! https://www.thewhiskyworld.com/the-macallan-in-lalique-65-year-old-p763

 

Although this one is a tiny bit more affordable: https://www.thewhiskyworld.com/mortlach-1954-65-year-old-private-collection-p9002

 

And this one isn't: https://www.thewhiskyworld.com/macallan-genesis-72-year-old-in-lalique-decanter-p6831

 

And I might be able to persuade The Alpine Angel of Death (aka Mrs iD) to buy myself this one: https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/45357/glen-grant-1948-65-year-old-sherry-cask-gordon-macphail?source=&utm_source=twe-aff-core&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=aff-core-4431887 The trick will be to persuade the taxman that it is a necessary business (entertaining) expense.

I'm not a whisky drinker but my dad liked the odd dram or two. Way back in the 60's he was a controller for Tillings at Kings Cross coach station. One of his duties was liaising with the various tour companies. Just before one Christmas the boss of one of the tour companies turned up in his Rolls-Royce, opened the boot and started handing out bottles of whisky from a case in the boot. My dad didn't read the label and just handed out a tot to most of the people who called such as meter readers, milkman etc. The bottle was almost empty when the insurance man remarked "this is a good whisky". My dad then looked at the label, it was a 20 year old single malt that even back then (mid 60's) would have set you back the best part of thirty pounds, more than a weeks average pay back then. 

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from LBG where I have come to work, although not without difficulty due to a broken rail at New Cross resulting in all the CHX trains on the Dartford Loop being cancelled and me being sent the long way around. 

 

Thoughts with Ref44.

 

Linking back to one of Bear's posts, city status is no longer dependent on having a cathedral, and hasn't been for many years. Indeed, a number of places, including Rochester, have lost city status despite having a cathedral. I learned this by watching Pointless!

 

My Dad used to get given whisky and gin every year by his contacts in the travel industry. They sat in our sideboard at home, barely touched until I was a teenager, when I took to helping myself when my parents were out. They eventually noticed one Christmas when my Dad thought he would have some drambuie. That had gone too!

[simontaylor484]

When i worked in transport we were often given bottles of spirits, my employer also gave us a bottle of Grouse and a box of choccies.  I used to save a bottle for my dad's xmas present I would also exchange him whisky for demerera rum. Gin would be kept till the following year to give to the Ful of a friend of his for Sloe gin production.

 

It's dried up here but its mild out of the wind showing 19° in the car

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

The hardest blow was the suicide of a work colleague, not long after I retired (the first time) - he was the team counsellor. Nobody saw it coming, nobody understands why, and you would have though of all people.....but perhaps the burden of all he carried for others was to blame.  People in jobs like that get close supervision to help them unload (my daughter is a senior social worker, MA level) but perhaps that wasn't done well enough, or their supervisor able to see what was building.  It also left the people they were counselling with a lot of issues as a result of their actions that had to be unpicked by other colleagues.  Tough time, glad I was no longer the office manager for sure (Young offenders - youth justice team).

[simontaylor484]

Today due to rain stopping play I have had to do a couple of pottering type jobs as well as a bit of vacuuming ironing and bed making.

 Mainly this involved using a few spots of Gripfil no nails on a bit of uppity carpet at the top of the first flight of stairs where it meets the laminate flooring of the hallway it kept falling away from the plate at the edge I had tried staples and carpet tacks to no avail.  The carpet needs replacing ideally because it is fraying on the edges on the stairs. I want to wait till we have the bathroom replaced so as not to ruin a brand new carpet

[Gwiwer]

19 hours ago, polybear said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The van was operated by Knowles Bakery of Broadwater Street West, Worthing.  Three of their own-brands were The Knick-Knack Loaf and (wait for it ..... ) The Paddy Whack Loaf along with a long-tin one called ..... errrr ..... Long Tom.  The Paddy Whack Loaf was de-branded but remained in their range following protests about perceived association with persons of Irish descent.  What I can't do is locate the view but it appears to be in the Western Road area of South Lancing perhaps Thirlmere Crescent or Ullswater Road although there are many other similar scenes around Worthing and district.  

 

Their vans were either red or green and memory now eludes me as to which carried each branding but one was for Knick Knack (a white loaf) and the other for Paddy Whack (which was brown).  

 

Their premises were opposite a small parade of flint-and-brick shops and next to a pub which iirc was The Millers Arms.  It's been redeveloped since after Knowles closed many years ago.

 

Oh - LDC - yes.  I'm not sure whether they offered it or not.  We used them for bread.  Cake of any kind was something mother made at home.  It was never bought except on the very rare occasions when we had a Battenburg.   

 

Good afternoon all.  Mizzle of the Morning has given way to Autumnal Afternoon with Gustiness.  And a day when Dr. SWMBO is suffering a much lower level of anxiety than of late.  She had an appointment this morning with a pelvic physioterrorist to investigate issues affecting women in that part of the body and came home much brighter having been assured matteres were nowhere near what she had convinced herself of.  Some pelvic-floor exercises are all that is required.  

 

Anxiety is a very curious and multi-headed beast; one never knows for sure how nor when it will strike next.  The tiniest thing, the slightest change to how one feels, one's mood or even external factors (such as my brief sortie on Saturday night for a drink - singular - with friends) can flip it off the scale.  I am learning to accept it for what it is and quietly work through until a better day.  I don't really know what else can be done unless she decides for herself that it needs intervention on a medical level and then we are potentially into the realm of pills and watching for side-effects .....

 

Hey ho.  She could have ended up with someone far less patient, empathetic and understanding.  And I might have never enjoyed the past 26 years together.  

 

 

[simontaylor484]

Whilst I was off sick pre my early retirement one of the guys who interviewed me for the council job killed himself. He had recently been moved from Normanton depot to South Kirkby the bin men there are extremely militant. 

[polybear]

44 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

My Dad used to get given whisky and gin every year by his contacts in the travel industry. They sat in our sideboard at home, barely touched until I was a teenager, when I took to helping myself when my parents were out. They eventually noticed one Christmas when my Dad thought he would have some drambuie. That had gone too!

 

Bear recalls one of his work buddies doing some work at a sub-contractor's (who were responsible for the manufacture and supply of various bits of ground handling equipment to the Armed Forces); it was a few days before Chrimbo and a certain Project Manageress was also down there doing what P.M's do (I'll let you fill that bit in...).  Buddy did note that said PM was also getting the boot of her car loaded up with a Hamper plus lots of Booze by the subbie....

 

In other news....

The windscreen on the Bearmobile is now fixed - hopefully (such repairs can never be guaranteed).

I'm also planning to reverse the door on a cabinet in the Conservatory which houses Bear's TV etc. equipment; it's hinged on the wrong side for the location it's in and would work much better if it opened the other way.  Unfortunately the manufacturer didn't cater for such changes so Bear will have to drill a couple of 25mm blind holes on the other side to suit the cabinet hinges.  Does Bear have a Forstner bit to do this?  Of course not  - so hopefully one will arrive from S.America in the next day or so...

I've also noticed a distinct lack of milk, so it looks like a Co-op run is on the cards for this afternoon.  Deep joy.

[Gwiwer]

2 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

Whilst I was off sick pre my early retirement one of the guys who interviewed me for the council job killed himself. He had recently been moved from Normanton depot to South Kirkby the bin men there are extremely militant. 

 

I truly do not know which rating to give that comment.  Supportive, Agree and Funny all come to mind but at least two might be disingenuous.  

[simontaylor484]

Anxiety I find absolutely paralyzing at times the thing is it comes and goes when it likes. It can feel "normal" to be extremely anxious after a while my medication helps but therapy is needed too

[Pacific231G]

Afternoon all

 

My thoughts also with Ref44

 

Last week I went to the funeral of the son of some old friends. I don't want to say any more but they are, undestandably, utterly devastated and it really does seem that he had a lot to live for and lot more to give. 

 

Very little rain here so far, in fact the sun has got his hat on and it's warm  but it is windy and Northolt is forecasting gusts to 36 knots this afternoon. Heathrow, which has a longer forecast period, also has a strong wind warning and is predicting more of the same tomorrow morning. There are severe weather warnings of thunderstorms for Southern England overnight.  which, with a cold front meeting the current warm air is not suprising. There is a curious anomaly in that the BBC now gets its forecasts from a commercial company MeteoGroup (after it was forced to put the contract that it had always had with the Met Office out to tender) but the attached sever weather warnings still come from the Met Office. 

 

There is something rather illogical about an organisation funded by a tax being forced (by the Government) to transfer some of those funds from the Met Office , which is also funded by our taxes, to a private foreign company (and therefore out of the UK economy). However, if you have the same sort of unquestioning quasi-religious belief in the "Free Market" that Soviet Communist Party Officials used to have in the Five Year Plan, rather than seeing the market as a useful tool but not without its limitations, I suppose that sort of thing makes perfect sense- even if it weakens the Met Office. 

 

It's a bit like knowing, in this part of London, that any profits made by the operator of many of our local buses (RATP Group) will go towards helping the good citizens of Paris to have better public transport or, far worse, that one of the reasons why Royal Mail switched away from using trains to HGVs was that it had to pay VAT on the services provided by the freight TOCs thus adding 20% to their relative costs compared with RM's own trucks. 

Edited October 19, 2021 by Pacific231G

[Winslow Boy]

Further to my recent post of being off the ball and the subsequent receipt of the many offers of support of which I was most grateful I have some sad news to report.

 

Unfortunately my mother passed away at the end of last week. It wasn't unexpected as the doctors had warned me that it could occur given the underlying medical conditions. It is however a bit of a shock to me and the rest of the family. We are now in the throws of coping with the all the backwash created.

 

I am though in a much better place than I was eleven years ago when due to a nervous breakdown I had to give up work and my home and move back up north. I was very lucky as it could quite easily have ended in me being no more.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. The sun has gone into hiding but its still showing 20 degrees and its still blowing a hooley. Can't do any of the G word so I'll put the kettle on and make a pot of tea.

[PupCam]

Afternoon All!

 

Very sorry to here of the sad news from Ref44 and Winslow Boy, hopefully some small measure of support (albeit mostly virtual) from the ERs will help in difficult times.

 

The recent discussions on here have been interesting if rather heavy, but the subject is a very important one and needs to be spoken about.   If such discussions provide people with some more knowledge on a difficult subject it must be of use, particularly so if anyone who is or could be directly affected by the subject is given the encouragement to seek help and/or support so much the better.

 

On a lighter note;   we've had a lovely day here in cloudy, windy, grey Puppershire today with our little grandson.    You know, for a 3 year old, he really is picking up the idea of how to drive a green box with wheels using Puppers' prototype wireless controller rather well.      And what a lovely greeting when he arrived "Grandad, can we play with your train?"   Of course we can little man.    Little acorns and all that .....

 

Alan

 

Edited October 19, 2021 by PupCam

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Apologies for absence, and also the most supportive of thoughts to Ref44 and Winslow Boy, generic greetings to everbody else.

 

I have finally managed to get our equity release provider to contact us (after three weeks of trying, and waiting, and trying) and have got a face to face (well video) appointment for two weeks hence  that's FIVE weeks after our offer on the property that we're buying - and that's them just got the ball rolling - now looking like mid December for the move, all things being equal.

 

It has casued a lot of stress over the weeks between 30747 and I, but as there is no chain, and provided our buyer and vendor don't get tired, all should be OK. 

 

Not a lot else to report.

 

This is beautiful, it really is, and it popped into my inbox this morning - two of my YouTube faves together - Alison Young, and Josh Turner - and this version even knocks Barbara DIckson's rendition (which up til now didn't have a lot to beat it) out of the park.

 

 

Regards to All

Stewart

 

[Andrew P]

2 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

Further to my recent post of being off the ball and the subsequent receipt of the many offers of support of which I was most grateful I have some sad news to report.

 

Unfortunately my mother passed away at the end of last week. It wasn't unexpected as the doctors had warned me that it could occur given the underlying medical conditions. It is however a bit of a shock to me and the rest of the family. We are now in the throws of coping with the all the backwash created.

 

I am though in a much better place than I was eleven years ago when due to a nervous breakdown I had to give up work and my home and move back up north. I was very lucky as it could quite easily have ended in me being no more.

Really sorry to read about your Mum, and glad your still around and on here.

[Ian Abel]

Thoughts go out to  Ref44 and Winslow Boy

 

Chewsday - busy though uneventful weekend replete with chores of numerous sorts.

No adverse effects from the Friday flu jab. 

Spent Saturday at home doing "stuff", and Sunday at Meagan and Trevors re-working some wiring for her chickens ahead of winter.

 

Yesterday, took the day off and spent a long time visiting with friends who live in downtown Minneapolis in a condo. He had a kidney transplant last year and they have been sensibly distancing for a LONG time, but feel they are more suited to some visits now, so we had a lot to catch up on.

 

Today - work of course  - we are embarking on a major rewrite of the "Cash Flow Statement" for my Long Island client, they've rumored of this for a while and it's one of the worst of all the stuff they have. Will be many iterations before it's how the new BoD what it I'm sure.

 

10 "o' crack..." and sunny should reach 22 for the high. We are now looking at the first downward trend towards winter. expecting 0 for the low and 8-10 for highs later in the week.

 

Tally ho.

Edited October 19, 2021 by Ian Abel
Typo Cach -> Cash

[Barry O]

In shock....

 

Herself and I had a sandwich and a coffee (she had a tea) in Harrods..

 

2 sandwiches, 2 hot drinks plus a service charge....£56.. yer wot!

 

But a superior Christmas pudding has been collected.

 

Off for a lie down in a dark room...

 

Bas

[Barry O]

Sory to here your bad news re swmbo and mother gents. Life can be a real g1t when it wants to be.

 

Having lived through a grandad who suffered from the "Dust" and had long bouts of serious illness along with my parents and mil who all suffered and died of the Big C I have become less upset by illness in my close family. That is not to say that it hasn't been plain sailing..  but the Black Dog has been walled up in his kennel with the odd trip out on good behaviour.

 

Baz

[pH]

I had packed the car for a trip to visit No#2 son and family. Everything fitted - just. All those hours of playing Tetris paid off! Then No#1 son turned up with a guitar his brother had asked him to give us to bring.  

[New Haven Neil]

Evening, and sincere condolences to @Winslow Boy.  Been there, not fun.

 

A little trip out on the Manx Electric to collect Mrs NHN showed the island's weather systems in full flow - sunny in Andreas, dull but OK in Ramsey, peeing down in Laxey, foggy in Douglas.  Trip back to Laxey to try a mobile chippy that gets good reports - Tuesday being chippy tea night - was a waste, chips were poor and the fish awful, and poor value.  Back to our usual in Ramsey next week. Pah, as the saying goes.

[polybear]

2 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

When i worked in transport we were often given bottles of spirits, my employer also gave us a bottle of Grouse and a box of choccies. 

 

 

 

The best Bear (and Puppers) saw at Chrimbo each year from the (multi-million £) Great Empire was a cheap bottle of wine (think two quid in Tesco's here) plus a box of a few choccies from some bunch you'd never heard of.  Oh yes, and a free "chrimbo" din dins in the canteen, sorry restaurant.  Incidentally, Bear's Boss (note to Puppers: that'll be Marsh) went one year; whilst in the Q and being spooned various items of dubious parentage onto his plate he received (despite requests otherwise) a dollop of Sprouts (Marsh doesn't "do" sprouts).  Marsh politely pointed out the serving guy's error - who promptly grabbed the plate back and dragged the sprouts off with his bare hand back into the tray, ready for dishing out to someone else.  At which point Marsh disappeared out the door.  He was never keen on attending after that, strangely....

 

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

The van was operated by Knowles Bakery of Broadwater Street West, Worthing.  Three of their own-brands were The Knick-Knack Loaf and (wait for it ..... ) The Paddy Whack Loaf along with a long-tin one called ..... errrr ..... Long Tom.  The Paddy Whack Loaf was de-branded but remained in their range following protests about perceived association with persons of Irish descent.  What I can't do is locate the view but it appears to be in the Western Road area of South Lancing perhaps Thirlmere Crescent or Ullswater Road although there are many other similar scenes around Worthing and district.  

 

Many, many thanks Gwiwer - there's much info there that I was unaware of.

As for location, that's an easy one for this Bear - it's Cuckfield Crescent, Worthing (just a stone's throw from an area known as "The Selden" and the John Selden Pub); an easy one for me since it's directly outside Grandpa Bear's house (that's the lounge window in front of the cab) and that's him in the photo.  There's a good chance that when on holiday I and my brother may well have travelled with him on his rounds in this very vehicle when very young, but sadly I have very little memory of it.

I'm 99% sure the bakery was actually on Broadwater St. East (just off "West"); there's no sign of the Miller's Arms in that street now using Google Maps streetview - it's possible it's still there but has been re-named, or is no longer a Pub?

As you say, sadly the Bakery is long gone  - apparently it dated from 1817.

Are (or were) you a local by any chance?

 

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Their vans were either red or green and memory now eludes me as to which carried each branding but one was for Knick Knack (a white loaf) and the other for Paddy Whack (which was brown).  

 

 

I'll ask my Aunt; I'd be very interested to know in case I do construct a model of the lorry (I've made enquires regarding those that were advertised in MRJ some months ago but have yet to receive a definitive answer) - the transfers could be an issue however...

 

In other news:

Do any ER'ers happen to have, or know of anyone with one of these heat pump thingummybobs that are all over the news at present?  Are they any good?  In any event, this Bear is rather happy with his Baxi Bermuda back boiler thanks very much - and long may it last.  Though I could be tempted to a new boiler to be installed on Dec 31st 2034....

 

Bear's Surprise (to me) of the Day:

I never knew that Cathy Brown (in Mrs. Brown's Boys) is actually Mrs. Brown's wife in real life....

 

And finally:

Talk about being sh1t on from a great height:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-58968692