Early Risers.

[iL Dottore]

8 hours ago, zarniwhoop said:

The librarian: Ook!  Ook!

Rincewind: He said yes please, but he doesn't have a licence.

Another TPratchett aficionado 

 

And as we know, what the librarian wants, the librarian gets (just don’t call him a monkey….)

 

I think that the world would really benefit by having a lot more coppers likes Vimes and Carrot and more politicians like Vetenari!

Having saying said that, many of the usual suspects (no names, no pack drill) who do well out of the present status quo, would be seriously discomforted - not to say extremely “inconvenienced” - by having a Vetenari and a Vimes running and policing things.

 

It might also be A Good Thing to put Moist von Lipwig in charge of the Civil Service and most of the ministries.

[chrisf]

Greetings

 

My sleep was interrupted again last night by cramp in both legs.  It took me a long time to get back to sleep afterwards so I am not at my best this morning.  Should it be possible it would be a good idea to spend the day quietly.  How quiet is quiet?  The Radio Times tells me that there are two Paddington films on TV this morning so that will be a good start.  Oh, it's Paddington BEAR.  Never mind.  I shall spend some time going through the honours list line by line.  Oi!  Who are you calling a sad b*st*rd?

 

Chris 

[polybear]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

Nah! Monica Galetti would shred the Bear - and that’d be just on the skills test.

 

Who?

 

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

If Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing can reduce seasoned professional cooks to quivering wrecks, what chance would a Bear, only skilled in the arts of the deep-freeze, the microwave and tin-opener, have against such remorseless and pitiless judgement.

 

But Bear can cook a Din Dins that (a) tastes yummy (to this Bear, at least) and (b) doesn't create thoughts of "Oi, where's me f. dinner?" followed by "HOW MUCH??"   sorry, that should be "HOW MUCH??"

 

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

The Bear might have some success In wooing the bald grocer bloke who loves puds and cakes - but I wouldn’t count on it….

 

 

The bald bloke?  A Greengrocer turned radio presenter, apparently.  So that qualifies him as an expert on scoff.  Hmmm...

As for that John Torode bloke, well no doubt from his cv he knows a bit about cooking but I find his manner somewhat annoying  (I was going to write something else but decided to be diplomatic....)

 

45 minutes ago, chrisf said:

The Radio Times tells me that there are two Paddington films on TV this morning so that will be a good start.  Oh, it's Paddington BEAR.  Never mind.  I shall spend some time going through the honours list line by line.  Oi!  Who are you calling a sad b*st*rd?

 

Chris 

 

Forsaking two movies starring one of the greatest film stars EVER in favour of the New Year's Honours List?  Help is on it's way, hang in there Chris....

 

In other news....

Bear has decided that a bit of wall preparation work is do-able today - there's just a small area in the hallway (which is to be plastered at the same time as the lounge) left to do, as the lounge walls are all now de-painted/washed/scrubbed/washed again 

Edited January 2, 2022 by polybear

[Mike Bellamy]

10 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I had a number of AA batteries that I left installed in Christmas decorations from last year. A surprising number of them had leaked and some of the battery operated lamps no longer work. I will remove the batteries this year.

 

Father-in-law was an enthusiastic amateur photographer - or so we thought until we started the house clearance when he went into a care home. 37 cameras of various descriptions from Box Brownie to Canon digital SLR. None had been used for at least 10 years since he had a stroke and a friend offered to test and list them ready for sale to a dealer. However almost every one that contained a battery ended up on a scrap pile as the battery had leaked and corroded the internal contacts etc. He said that the time it would take to clean them up and get back into full working order was not worth the effort as the cameras had little value in the first place.

.

 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Breezy and dry here but rain is expected later.  Mild again at 11°C.

Up later than usual as I was watching a film until 2.00am.

I change the batteries on our smoke alarms at the beginning of each year and it's on this week’s to do list but I've got to get some first.

Today we're off to Nicki's for Sunday lunch and she has arranged transport as she has assumed I'd like a couple of drinks while we're there.  She's right of course!  

Rugby on TV this afternoon will have to be recorded for later consumption.

Breakfast has just been offered so I bid you farewell for now.

Have a good one,

Bob.

  

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by grandadbob

[45156]

16 hours ago, Barry O said:

Afternoon!

 

Best bought in Pizza was at the Duke of Edinburgh in Barrow in Furness - a "Breakfast Feast"  Bacon, Black pudding, mushrooms, sausage, skinless mice and an egg in the middle (cooked as the pizza cooked.. It was very nice but was missing some baked beans!

 

Baz

Owned by my  friends, Matt Jackson and Phil Simpson, who have very high standards of food, drink, and general decor and cleanliness as well as brewing some of the best beers this side of the Pennines - they could not get beers to a consistently high standards from their suppliers, so they started to make their own.  Lancaster brewery is now very successful.

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, le Rock is dry and windy, amazing given it is an archery day - normally rains. 9 of those c's.

 

Those cookery programmes are up there with the soaps in this house, Mr Barrowboy and Mr Corrode can keep their pretentious bo££ocks for us.  Little of it has application in a real-world domestic kitchen.

 

Oh that may have been a little rant-let.

 

In a better tone of 'speech', the day will bring a gathering of archists to sample the changes we made to the course, always controversial as some of them get 'used' to the range and positioning of targets - totally missing the point of field archery, which is supposed to mimic the more original used of a bow in hunting to survive.  So the animal (foam rubber or a painted target in our case) wouldn't be in the same place every time you walk through a wood!  It is supposed to be intuitive shooting, hence barebow with no sights or balance aids.  Mrs H will be on one today, there was a lot of arrow checking and bow adjustment going on last night.....be afraid.....

[Gwiwer]

Good morning all from a bright, breezy and slightly cooler Hill of Strawberries. 

Let’s see what the day has in store 

 

This evening has our standy-by seadonal dinner in store - the turkey / stuffing / veg etc which I had ready in case we were unable to go away last week. The question is whether or not we also make a start on the Heston-at-Waitrose “hidden orange” pudding mountain.  There’s Cornish clotted cream available. Or there’s this …..

 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by Gwiwer

[Winslow Boy]

41 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Morning, le Rock is dry and windy, amazing given it is an archery day - normally rains. 9 of those c's.

 

Those cookery programmes are up there with the soaps in this house, Mr Barrowboy and Mr Corrode can keep their pretentious bo££ocks for us.  Little of it has application in a real-world domestic kitchen.

 

Oh that may have been a little rant-let.

 

In a better tone of 'speech', the day will bring a gathering of archists to sample the changes we made to the course, always controversial as some of them get 'used' to the range and positioning of targets - totally missing the point of field archery, which is supposed to mimic the more original used of a bow in hunting to survive.  So the animal (foam rubber or a painted target in our case) wouldn't be in the same place every time you walk through a wood!  It is supposed to be intuitive shooting, hence barebow with no sights or balance aids.  Mrs H will be on one today, there was a lot of arrow checking and bow adjustment going on last night.....be afraid.....

 

Should we on the mainland be donning our tin hats just in case. Can you also get her to attach a label with her address on so we know where to send them back as I suspect putting To the Archer Isle of Man might not be sufficient for the Royal Mail.

[PupCam]

Morning All!

 

Well, what's on the cards today then?   

 

While it's dry I might get the AJ out and try a small bimble round the lanes.   I'll start it whether I go out or not, as it's been standing for a couple of weeks I need to get the oil out of the sump and back in the tank before it's too late!

 

Then I'm going to take photos and dimensions of the Beeza's crank and conrod "as-is" before removing the peening on the big-end nuts so that the nuts can be removed and, fingers crossed, the crank separated without the need for a huge hydraulic press!

 

I thought I'd put the crank up between centres on the Myford (the throw is just big enough!) and see what the run-out was.   Not that it's helped much as I'm distinctly lacking in the "this is what it should be" information department!     Finding such information seems quite tricky.  I joined one of the BSA Owners Club who promised access to lots of technical information on a whole range of bikes.    When it came down to it there seemed to be naff all information available on Pre-war machines.    One kind chap did provide the parts book for my year which is absolutely invaluable and has helped me determine that what I actually own is a pile of random parts that hang together(ish) in the form of an old bike!    Still, I think it's got lots of character even if it didn't leave the factory like it.    It will be even better when the (an?) engine runs reliably in it.

 

Anyway, here's the crank in the Myford for your interest or boredom*

 

* Delete as appropriate

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

On 31/12/2021 at 20:48, Ozexpatriate said:

One wonders why they don't just market them as "buns" sans croix, and then include the cross as seasonally appropriate.

 

 

 

A Hot Cross Bun is a quite separate recipe from an "ordinary" currant bun. It has spices and, optionally, candied peel.

[Gwiwer]

7 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

A Hot Cross Bun is a quite separate recipe from an "ordinary" currant bun. It has spices and, optionally, candied peel.

And a cross which, traditionally, is still warm (or even hot) when served.

[Coombe Barton]

From 1955 to 1963 we lived on a road above but not in sight of the Plym, and incidentally, within sound of the GW main Line. On Good Friday morning it was a tradition for motorcyclists (prior to the days they were called bikers) to travel along the (then) A38 to Plympton where a bakery produced fresh hot cross buns. We used to hear them every year, lots of them.

 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by Coombe Barton
TYPOMAN is back

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Didn't wake up until 09:15 this morning despite going to bed earlier than my normal time. There was bright sunshine when I awoke this morning but its now clouding over, the weather thingy was saying thunderstorms but there's no sign of any. Kettles ready so its be back later.

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

 There’s Cornish clotted cream available. Or there’s this …..

 

 

I can never look at brandy butter in the same way again.

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup where it is grey and dry, but also mild. 
 

today should have been a day when we entertained my parents- but first we heard FiL had tested positive after we had spent a week with him and then Elder Lurker tested positive yesterday afternoon- so the visit was cancelled and I have taken him for a PCR test. The rest of us were negative and again this morning. Elder Lurker thought he had had a return of the heavy cold he had a week before Christmas. FiL is of course dying. He told us this Christmas was his last- but then he told us that for the last several years. He’s got cancers you tend to die with, not of.

 

anyway I hope everyone else remains well and enjoy your day

[iL Dottore]

4 hours ago, polybear said:

But Bear can cook a Din Dins that (a) tastes yummy (to this Bear, at least) and (b) doesn't create thoughts of "Oi, where's me f. dinner?" followed by "HOW MUCH??"   sorry, that should be "HOW MUCH??"

Clearly, fine dining is a closed (cookery) book to the Bear.

As for cost, a lot is down to the quality of the ingredients - no battery farmed chicken or disguised horsemeat there…

Not to mention skilled labour costs…

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

…Those cookery programmes are up there with the soaps in this house, Mr Barrowboy and Mr Corrode can keep their pretentious bo££ocks for us.  Little of it has application in a real-world domestic kitchen.

 

Oh that may have been a little rant-let.

A lot of the UK cookery shows are very popular (think Nigella or Jamie Oliver) and are sufficiently popular (i.e. have viewing figures in the millions - Nigella averages 1.8 million viewers) for hard-nosed, hard-headed TV executives to commission various series. But, apart from Delia (and one or two others), I find that these programmes do nothing to improve my knowledge or skill-sets.

 

As for “pretentious bo££ocks” in the kitchen - well, a lot of the skills they showcase on Masterchef The Professionals - such as boning fish, reducing stocks, jointing a carcasse  - I use on a fairly regular basis, I also regularly cook sous-vide, use a food processor, piping bags and passe-vite, make my own ice cream and pastry, etc. And I hardly consider myself to be a particularly accomplished or skilful cook.

To be honest there is - unfortunately - a lot of snobbery and (especially) inverse snobbery associated with/around food in the UK. Which is a pity, as Britain has loads of amazing high-quality produce, a lot of which is [or at least was] exported as the domestic market was (is?) unwilling to pay for it or use it (I read that a lot of the catch from the waters off Cornwall was exported to France and Spain as there was no market in the UK for many of the types of the fish and seafood landed)

Edited January 2, 2022 by iL Dottore

[Coombe Barton]

31 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I can never look at brandy butter in the same way again.

Next time I go to Sainsbury's could see me doing a subtle rearrangement of the shelf

 

[BoD]

15 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

Next time I go to Sainsbury's could see me doing a subtle rearrangement of the shelf

 

… with the added challenge of finding other examples to rearrange too.

I think you will struggle to beat randy butt

I look forward to being proved wrong - with photographic evidence of course.

Edited January 2, 2022 by BoD

[Coombe Barton]

19 minutes ago, BoD said:

I think you will struggle to beat randy butt

 

There's always Arsenal shirts in a sports shop

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl, since the sun is over the yard arm, a bottle of white dating from 2010, has been opened in today random bottle use..

 

Little has been done today, some sorting of documents, from a training course in 2000, lots of buzz words on that one,  only one person knew what they meant. He'd done the level 1 course, all the rest of us were sent straight onto the level two course as we were already supervisors.. however we only spoke English..

Any way it was three piles, writing paper, scrap paper to write on the back of. And bin.

The folder and paper work holder are useful though.

 

Been researching overcoating the VCtar2 seemingly I have 14 day during which I can recoat without sanding between..

 

Also found,  more books out of the to be repurposed spare bedroom. wondered where they'd gone, they are still to be sorted yet.

 

The boat cover was put on earlier, a bit of a struggle in the wind, I see they've put us on yellow alert for wind and rain later..

 

After some pink pills I've hobbled down the lane with Ben, he didn't get his full route for obvious reasons. We were passed by a learner plated motorcycle, semi scrambler. I thought illegal on the bridalway, but I followed the sound and it stopped by the sheep field and the farm that running the sheep so I guess it's a farmhand.

 

Bye for now...

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by TheQ

[petethemole]

58 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

Next time I go to Sainsbury's could see me doing a subtle rearrangement of the shelf

 

A while back, some of the supermarket chains redesigned their herb pot labels so the initial letter was very large.  Rearranging them became quite popular, until they were changed again.  https://metro.co.uk/2011/03/22/rude-herb-facebook-crew-terrorise-asda-tesco-and-morrisons-supermarket-aisles-646017/

[PhilJ W]

47 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

There's always Arsenal shirts in a sports shop

Especially down Tottenham way.

[simontaylor484]

Good Afternoon 

Mugs with letters on were always a favourite of mine to mess with in shops it had to be a swear word of course.

This morning I took advantage of the weather and changed the gas struts on the car boot   it had been nagging at me but it was a fairly straightforward swap with new OEM parts fitted the only difference was the clip to secure them onto the studs on the body work. The clips had to be threaded through a small hole to secure.

The cost was just short of £40 for 3 including delivery from Germany. The cost from a Volvo dealer was £70 Each!

The parts are identical except for the Volvo branding.

 

Cookery shows I don't normally watch. If I do watch Nigella I don't really notice what she is cooking

[simontaylor484]

We have booked the train tickets for London with LNER although I doubt we will be pulled by one of Sir Nigel's creations it looks like a Class 91 outbound and Azuma back. We were able to add travel cards for the tube on to the tickets.

There is a service from the station 10mins walk from our house to London with Grand Central but we couldn't get a cheaper ticket even allowing for parking at Doncaster