Early Risers.

[polybear]

1 hour ago, chrisf said:

Last night at home I discovered that one of the books I purchased at Tolworth was already in my collection.  It's a good book, but not that good.  Oh dear.

 

 

I'm sure we all have felt your pain at some point; I've now resorted to "a book list" (there's also a trains list, and a kits list....) in order to (hopefully) avoid such happenings.  As @TheQ has mentioned, one of the tricky circumstances is when the publisher changes the front cover design, thus making the "I haven't got that one" scenario all too easy.

 

53 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

And to complicate matters, there’s the vexed issue of how they should be eaten, namely:

1. Buttered only
2. Buttered, then jam.
3. Buttered, then jam, then clotted cream
4. Buttered, then clotted cream, then jam
5. Unbuttered, jam.
6. Unbuttered, jam, then clotted cream
7. Unbuttered, clotted cream, then jam

And if that wasn’t enough, there is also the troublesome issue of “jam purity”: Is strawberry jam the only one, true, companion to scones, or are the “lesser” jams - such as raspberry or blackberry - also permitted? (Discuss).

 

 

 

42 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

What about types as well,

plain,

sultana,

cheese,

cherry.

almond

and probably other.

For me just jam but occasionally nothing at all. Either raspberry or strawberry.

Favourite is cherry, then sultana, plane and then cheese.

No almond as I have an allergy to them.

Anyway better get a move on, places to go.

 

 

 

Number 2, buttered, strawberry jam for this Bear

Number 1 at a pinch, though I'd feel cheated; number 5 would feel, well, strange.

 

Definitely sultana, though plain or cherry is much better than now't.

 

In other news:

The Beary shoulder/arm/paw is showing definite signs of improvement today , though leccy work will continue to be postponed until (hopefully) tomorrow.

So to keep myself out of trouble today I hope to rig up a smart in-line switch to control the lights in a display cabinet that lives in the Conservatory.  Though to do that I need to be able to open "Alexa" on the tablet - and despite all attempts the Alexa App refused to play nicely last night.  B'stard.

I also have a recently purchased very small four-wheeled object to be tested (only via a rolling road).... 

[TheQ]

Jam and scones are forbidden to me as a diabetic, however should a hot cheese scone well supplied with butter, fresh from the oven pass my way, I would find it hard to refuse.

My excuse bring the fats will slow the impact of sugars in the flour ....

 

[chrisf]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

Chris, I hope that the legs feel better today.

Much better, thanks.

 

Rather more important IMHO is the news that Owain the Weather's drumathon has, at the latest count, raised £2.7 million for Children In Need.  That is a tremendous achievement - well done!

 

Chris

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Greyish sort of start to the day.  Seems it will stay that way with the chance of some wet stuff.

Two rugby matches watched yesterday with good results in both.  Ireland fantastic but England messy and can do much better although the new younger players are showing a lot of promise for the future.

I will be heading towards Tolworth in a little while to admire some model railways.   I will then come home and possibly take a sledge hammer to my layout.  

After lunch we're going next door to help celebrate our neighbour's Mum's 80th birthday.  A lovely lady and a lovely family who are great friends.  They're one of the reasons we've chosen to stay in this house all this time.  Just hope they don't suddenly decide to move but judging by the amount of money they're spending on the house I doubt if they'll do that any time soon. 

Might watch the F1 highlights later.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

P.S.  Anyone with spare jam and "scons" are welcome to send them my way.  I'll even collect if it's not too far. 

Edited November 14, 2021 by grandadbob

[Barry O]

I quite enjoy cheese and onion scones...and also bacon and onion ones (served warm with butter on our last trip to New Zealand).

 

When my grandma baked she did "griddle" scones (or drop scones).. eaten with a cup of tea, the warm scones being buttered then covered in Golden Syrup from a tin (no help to us genetic diabetics.. )

 

Baz

[PeterBB]

16 hours ago, TheQ said:

You be keeping suxmethonium, away from me. That be rapid death..

cholinesterase deficiency be a major problem.

The research was of course because of the very much delayed recovery from anaesthetic of some people and the 'paralysis' that the said 'relaxant' caused.  Cannot this remember the name of the prominent initial research doctor but remember seeing her with a permanent disability as a result of said chemical

Edited November 14, 2021 by PeterBB

[Erichill16]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Oh dear, oh dearie me…

We’re not going to re-run the “great scone holy war” of 1990 again? I thought it had established, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the only “true” scones - blessed by the gods - are plain and sultana. The rest being Satan directed creations of apostates and heretics 

As you may recall, we (including Sydney) often go to the garden centre cafe in the village. Swmbo alway has a plain scone. She was horrifed to find it had been “spiced up” for Xmas. She’ll not be having another until the new year. 
better get a move on.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

A dry, bright and sunny day here in England’s northwest. It’s quite cool outside, I know this because I’ve been out to put the recycling and rubbish in the bins.

 

Thank you all for the good wishes, it’s very much appreciated. It’s now post op day 3 and there are real signs of improvement taking place. These are slow, but then I didn’t expect things to happen overnight anyway. The plans for today are pretty much the same as yesterday, namely sofa surfing and catching up with some recorded TV. 

 

Now, on the subject of scones (rhyming with stones), I prefer plain or almond scones, I’m not so keen on fruit or savoury scones. I like them with jam, any sort, I’m not fussed, I usually have what ever is in the fridge, generally a jar of homemade strawberry and rhubarb, either with butter or clotted cream, but never both. 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. After yesterdays exertions I'm taking it easy today. I had a few rumbles from Arthur Itis and Si Attica last night and a bit of stiffness this morning that a long hot soak in the bath soon dealt with. Muggatee time, be back later.

[JohnDMJ]

Good Afternoon Awl, for it is now thus in this neck of the woods.

 

The scone has much to answer for; without it, one could lose its description as the fastest 'cake' in the world: S'Gone!

 

How reliant the cream tea is on the scone is another matter but clearly a cause for concern is that the Devon and Cornwall Music Festival was cancelled as they couldn't decide to open with The Jam or Cream!

 

Hat, coat, fast taxi .....

[jamie92208]

Beth makes excellent  cheese scones, pronounced 'sconne' of course.  We pay a farmer friend with some in return for straw for the hens.  He is always instructed to slice and butter them and to eat them that day.  The cheese scone recipe is sugar free which suits Beth's diabetes.I do however prefer fruit scones. Usually with just butter but if forced will and jam then cltted cream to be polite.

 

Jamie

[Gwiwer]

Good morning all.  Afternoon actually but it's Sunday so who's counting?  

 

Dr. SWMBO is busily self-testing herself.  Not for Covid after her trip to COP26 as that was done much earlier in the morning and is negative so far but for the Life in the UK exam which she must pass next week in order to renew her visa and permission to stay here.  

 

On the subject of scones some lovely fruit ones were baked yesterday for afternoon tea.  I grew up calling them scones rhyming with stones; she has always called them scones rhyming with dons.  Despite the Scottish location and stone therefrom being pronounced "scoon" even up there they are known as "sconns" but i have heard "drop scones" called "pancakes" north of the border and especially in the Highlands and Islands.  Whether the jam or cream goes on first is a matter of life, death and tradition in some places as well we know within these walls.  

 

Speaking of Glasgow I happened to ask Dr. SWMBO, who professed to being very taken by the architecture of Glasgow Central station, whether she had visited Hielanman's Umbrella.  Until I showed her a picture she assured me that the station didn't have ornate glass-and-ironwork and that she didn't see any road passing beneath it.  But show her the picture and "Oh yes - I came out of that entrance and walked through there ..... I didn't think to look back at it!"  I know it as HIGH-lan' man's Umbrella as the name arose for its use as a meeting place by displaced Highlanders during the clearances. But in Glaswegian I believe it is "HEE-lan' Man's Umbrella" on much the same way as the PoLEECE are the POE-liss in that city.  Anyone care to confirm one or the other?  

 

No post was audible here, last or otherwise.  The only sound at 11.-- was of the level crossing warbler and trains thundering past.  The Orange Army is doing something on the line through Mortlake meaning that we have a lot of extra trains passing through the Hill of Strawberries today.  Yesterday they were for Rugby traffic - today they avoid a need for bus replacements.  

 

It must be time to throw the Gwiwer in the shower.  I'll return later when dry and de-groated   

[Gwiwer]

17 minutes ago, JohnDMJ said:

Hat, coat, fast taxi .....

It won't be that fast - the railway barriers are down again at Ford for the next six trains to pass!    

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from a grey Sidcup. A quiet weekend is in progress although nerves are coming from upstairs as Elder Lurker has his first ever job interview/ trial day tomorrow; a job going at a school near Blackheath station as  a SEN TA. It comes with training so will be ideal for him if he gets it as that seem to be what he wants to do.

 

we will watch the F1 later and I am slated to hoover and cook lunch in a bit (Hairy Bikers’ chicken paprikash).

 

i pronounce scone to rhyme with gone despite being a lifelong southerner. Not fussed about the jam/cream debate as I don’t like cream. Dropscones we’re known as Scotch Pancakes as a child, and like Baz they were covered with golden syrup. Welsh cakes were made by my Welsh grandma and known as Bakestones.

 

anyway better get on with the chores

[PhilJ W]

7 hours ago, chrisf said:

Greetings

After breakfast in the ‘Spoons at Victoria station I attended the Tolworth show yesterday but stayed for only two hours.  One reason was that my legs started hurting like crazy and I was grateful for the generous provision of chairs in the venue.  Thankfully the pain has gone this morning.  If it returns I suppose I had better consult the vet but let us hope that it does not come to that. 

Chris   

I would suggest one of these @chrisf,

 https://www.completecareshop.co.uk/mobility-aids/rollators-and-wheeled-walkers/rollators-with-seats?gclid=Cj0KCQiAhMOMBhDhARIsAPVml-HJw6t6sH2flpCtwhVGMfyelRLQpB9EhjsoFrgOp7WmYI6QsJJPYIgaAk34EALw_wcB

I have had one for about four years. You still get to exercise your legs without putting too much strain on them and of course you have a seat handy whenever you need one. They also make an excellent shopping trolley at exhibitions etc. They fold up to go in the car and are quite easy to erect. 

[tigerburnie]

On 13/11/2021 at 14:18, Dave Hunt said:

Re Rick’s point about respect and courtesy, a while ago I opened a door for a woman and stepped aside to let her through, whereupon she spat, “Sexist,” at me and stepped away from it until I had entered. She then swept past and glared at me. I used the term woman as I don’t regard such behaviour as ladylike.

 

Dave

I'd be tempted to have punched it in the mouth and then say "if a bloke talked to me like that, that's my response"

[New Haven Neil]

A'noon all.

 

Late night last night with friends resulted in a rather lazy start, then dragged out to shop etc,  no skons, dropped or otherwise due to diabetes.  As Mrs NHN is also, like Rick, a Corn, when skons do appear (I only get a half at best) the jam goes on first, come hell or high water. NHN would put the cream on first, as a Geordie born scion of Jockalia and Fraggle Rock.  

 

A lovely still autumn day here, really very pleasant.  11am was observed but amusingly Mrs NHN, listening to local radio version, was about a minute fast rather than NHN's BBC version.  Most odd.

[tigerburnie]

13 hours ago, brianusa said:

Coming to the US, I can see why.  Our double bathroom has at least four on each wall with real switches, no string dangling from the ceiling!  We have survived for the last twenty years in this house

    Brian.

A question arises though, why? I cannot think of anything I would want to plug in whilst in the bathroom.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Just back from attending a wedding in Bucks. The church service was in Burnham but the reception some miles further west at Bisham Abbey. The luckier of us got accommodation within the National Sports Centre. Some what surreal to have breakfast yesterday with the Red Roses (England Womens' Rugby Team) who I am watching now on the television.

 

This morning's fellow breakfasters were the Manchester Utd U-16 Academy team, a very polite, well-behaved group of lads.

[Joseph_Pestell]

10 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

A question arises though, why? I cannot think of anything I would want to plug in whilst in the bathroom.

A former girlfriend had a washing machine in her bathroom: quite common in France.

 

I wanted to wire it with a fixed fused output but I was advised that the electrical regs insist on a socket.

[tigerburnie]

Well I think I've caught up, only went away for a day and there's "hunners" of posts to read. We had a very pleasant meal and the two tearaways that pass for Grandsons were on best behaviour, I had a mixed grill in this small village pub in rural Perthshire and I couldnae manage a pudding afterwards, but after adjourning back to the daughters for cake, I did manage a small piece of that before the hour long drive home. Had a walk round the fields earlier, I do like an autumnal walk in the stubble fields, though these days minus a shotgun and armed with a pair of binoculars instead.

[chrisf]

2 hours ago, The Lurker said:

i pronounce scone to rhyme with gone despite being a lifelong southerner. Not fussed about the jam/cream debate as I don’t like cream. Dropscones we’re known as Scotch Pancakes as a child, and like Baz they were covered with golden syrup. Welsh cakes were made by my Welsh grandma and known as Bakestones.

I know them as pikelets!  Oh, and since when was Baz covered with golden syrup?!

 

Chris

[New Haven Neil]

A pikelet is a thin crumpet around here.  Holey things, not dense like a dropped skon.

 

I forget to agree with Chris before about the great effort Owain has made with the drumathon, he's the weatherbloke here on the BBC, and even remembers to mention us usually - many of his North-west Beeb colleagues don't.  

 

My daughter is very young looking, a few years ago she was refused entry to the first class lounge on the ferry as it is over -16's only,  She was 28 at the time.....33 now.

 

This was Hop-tu-naa (halloween) last year...or probably the year before now I think about it!

 

.

[45156]

9 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Nice collection. Do you only play acoustic or do you play electric as well? (you may have mentioned something before, but I don’t recall)

How is the Hofner to play? For some reason, I always had the impression that European guitars were always second-tier instruments as groups in the 60s dumped their Vox, Eko, Burns and Hofner guitars in favour of Gibson, Fender, Rickenbacker and Martin as soon as the instruments were allowed on sale in Europe / they could afford them.

 

I've got nine guitars now, six accoustic, two electro accoustic, and the recently puchased Tanglewood copy SG.  I've got a nice Marshall combo to play the electric and electro through.  I also have a Fender C10 classical 3/4 sized instrument, which I got at a jumble sale, complete with case, and in unplayed condition for £7.  I did have a Taylor 415ce, but that had to go due to various reasons - but the Barry Vernon which I picked up very cheaply more than makes up for that loss.

 

The Hofner came into my posession when Malcolm Lockyer died, and his widow asked a friend called Bobby Kevin (drummer) who owned a music shop in Surrey to sell it "to a good home, and with the condition that it not be resold" - this was in 1977 according to the invoice.  I got it for about £17, and it was a pig - high action, worn frets, pickup added, but not an original, and a hideous metal pickguard.  I stripped it down, and spent ages sanding the bridge by taping sandpaper to the body of the guitar, and moving it up and down - so that it kept the shape of the body, which is arched.  I didn't tackle the frets, but promptly removed the pickup and pickguard.  In so doing, the guitar became playable again - and when we moved to Lancaster, I got a good luthier working locally to do a partial refret.  It now plays as well as many of my other guitars, and is very good for the "chunk chunk" sound at the back of a trad jazz band.   It will not be resold, and I have left it in my will to our nephew, who is a guitarist, and who had always admired it.  My will also has a clause stating that it should not be resold.

 

And Chrisf - that's my forte - buying books that I think I will enjoy, only to find that I've got a copy at the back of one of the cupboards which house my collection - on one occasion, I managed to buy the same book twice more - but as it was one by Colin T Gifford, there was actually method in my madness, as I sold them on on eBay for a decent profit.

 

Afternoon All

 

Went to an antique fair this morning, at the behest of 30747, who wanted to go to it as we have missed a few locally - we had the leaflet for this one sitting on the dressing table.  Didn't check it this morning - drove 10 miles to find the venue locked and a vicar waiting in the car park.  Then went into Kirkby Lonsdale and got caught behind the rememberance parade,  When we got home, I checked the leaflet, to find that the fair was yesterday, and is always on a Saturday now!!!!!  We could have gone yesterday, as we did attend a craft fair which was only a few miles away in another village - it was suprisingly good as well.

 

I have also now packed all my locos and rolling stock back into the boxes - in over ten years of collecting these, I have only lost three boxes - and I know one of these was pressed into service to house my 3F tank as it was bought unboxed in a sale at The (much missed) Train Shop in Morecambe.

 

Anyhows, the usual generic greetings to all ailing and celebrating ERs.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[JohnDMJ]

3 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

It won't be that fast - the railway barriers are down again at Ford for the next six trains to pass!    

 

Indeed, although the most I've ever noted has been 5! (However, one can always turn left with the gates down and head towards Arundel!!)

 

A couple of years back, Yapton Crossing was converted from AHBC to CCTV and in the survey, it was logged that the barriers were down for 40 minutes per hour!

 

I am researching an article for our Right Lines Ezine on the local signalling practices to try and shed some light on why Ford and Yapton crossing are not car-friendly and need to book an audience with the local MOM to get the correct operational information!