Early Risers.

[andyram]

Morning all. Tiredness and time with the family meant I did not check in yesterday. I hope today finds you well and generic good wishes are sent out to all in ER land.

 

Last night I finally sat down to watch some of the Jubilee celebrations with the music concert outside Buckingham Palace. I remembered these events from previous Jubilees and was looking forward to it especially the performance by Queen and Adam Lambert. They were an interesting choice to kick off the event and I felt did a great job despite the challenges presented by some feedback from the microphones. Lambert is a fantastic singer and his flamboyance makes him the perfect successor to the great Freddie Mercury (I will ignore the dreadful Paul Rogers years). 

 

Sadly, the rest of the first hour seemed to go downhill from there and I was underwhelmed by much of what followed. Maybe I am getting old, but I did not even know some of the performers. The low was reached with Rod Stewart who must surely now accept that his voice has gone and he should retire. Sadly not - apparently he is on tour this year!

 

Thankfully things improved after 9pm. I do like George Ezra and many that followed him were also enjoyable. Even the penultimate act put on a great show enhanced by the amazing light and drone effects. I feared that Diana Ross would be another Rod Stewart disaster as she was helped onto stage. Thankfully not and she provided a decent end. The lighting effects, large crowds and pageantry once again show what this country can do. A few more decent acts would not have gone amiss and its sad that nobody decided to mark the occasion as Gary Barlow did with the Commonwealth choir for the last Jubilee. "Sing" is still one of my favourite and uplifting tracks and it is a shame that something similar was not created this time around. 

 

Have a good day.

 

Andy

[DaveF]

A bit late this morning.

 

Yesterday I brought home yet more stuff, I've now got to the stage of needing to go through some of Mum's papers to make sure there is nothing which requires fairly urgent action.  Amongst them I found her personal account books going back to the late 60s, it's amazing to see how little she and Dad earnt then!  Some of the papers were quite distressing to look at, they brought back memories of things in my own life I thought I had buried long ago.

 

I was also reminded of a period when I first started work and lived with Mum and Dad in a small village.  Looking at Mum's scrapbook I found a lot of local newspaper cuttings with references to all of us.  I seem to have done well as a member of the village quiz team - I do remember that.  I also often won prizes playing whist in the village hall - I can't even remember how to play it now.  I had forgotten some of the things I was involved in at the village church.

 

Later in the day I finished pulling out the forget me nots and cut down the daffodil leaves, then planted out the last of the bedding plants.

 

In the evening, like others on here, I watched the Jubilee concert - I enjoyed parts of it, but it reminded me that I am getting older, I've never heard of some of the performers.

 

David

Edited June 5, 2022 by DaveF

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. 

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Ouch!

The Brylcreem boys must be really raking it in. £70 a metre? Goodness, you can get a halfway decent kilt for £50. Okay, the material will be a synthetic (sometimes a blessing, as they don’t seem to be as hot [to me] as my wool kilt) but with a bit of shopping around you can get a fairly decent one for that price. I have two £50 kilts – and one is much better quality than the other (mostly the fasteners and straps)

 

Here’s an evil thought: as there are a number of individuals on ER who are known to wear a kilt, what about commissioning an ER tartan?

A good idea about an ER tartan, BUT I don't know how much it costs to commission a tartan but its not that cheap so a considerable number will have to be ordered to make it viable (it would probably make the RAF tartan look like a bargain). I for one would never wear a kilt because my legs are not fit to be seen in public. While on the subject, in my youth I dated a former Dagenham girl piper. She and a few other girls were thrown out of the DGP because of a dare. The wore beneath the kilt the same as their male counterparts, it was discovered when one of the girls mothers became suspicious. So I leave you with that thought of (some of) the Dagenham girl Pipers without any knickers.

[Gwiwer]

10 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I for one would never wear a kilt because my legs are not fit to be seen in public.

The legs are not really seen if the attire is correctly worn.  Kilt socks should come up to just below the knee and the kilt should hang just above it meaning only the knees themselves are exposed.

 

As for what is worn beneath that is very much a matter to balance between tradition and personal preference.  It is well recorded that many a Scot wears nowt but himself beneath and there have been plenty of recorded occasions where this has been proved.  I know of one; it happened that a pipe band was performing for a reason unknown to me during one of my passages through Inverness.  I was bound for the train to Kyle of Lochalsh but found it expedient to refresh and relieve myself within the station's facilities.  At the same moment as the latter took place in marched the Pipe Major and without so much as a "See you, Jimmy" he had whipped up his plaid to perform the required function ....... and revealed all.  I could definitely see Jimmy.  And both his children!!! 

 

I can't speak for the Dagenham Girl Pipers.  I don't frequent their facilities 🤣

Edited June 5, 2022 by Gwiwer

[Coombe Barton]

6 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

 Kilt socks should come up to just below the knee and the kilt should hang just above it meaning only the knees themselves are exposed.

I imagine for some people that's more than enough to repel the enemy.

Edited June 5, 2022 by Coombe Barton

[4630]

56 minutes ago, DaveF said:

 

 

Yesterday I brought home yet more stuff, I've now got to the stage of needing to go through some of Mum's papers to make sure there is nothing which requires fairly urgent action.  Amongst them I found her personal account books going back to the late 60s, it's amazing to see how little she and Dad earnt then!  Some of the papers were quite distressing to look at, they brought back memories of things in my own life I thought I had buried long ago.

 

 

 

I found this a very cathartic experience ten years ago when I 'trod the same path' that you are on now.

 

It was amazing the number of mostly very happy memories that got dragged up from my past just by going through my Mum's paper work.

 

Also some tears too when leafing through her old diaries, where her writing occasionally filled in gaps in my knowledge of only partly understood at the time family issues.

 

Good luck to you Dave as you journey along this path.  I hope it's as positive an experience for you as it was for me at the time, and subsequently too as it happens.

 

[PhilJ W]

I can't post it here but there is a photograph of a kilt clad army officer sitting with his legs apart displaying his family jewels and alongside was HM the Queen. At one time in some Scottish regiments it was the rule that nothing was worn under the kilt. Senior NCO's were supplied with swagger sticks with a small mirror on the bottom so that they could check that the men on parade complied. This ceased during WW1 when irritant gas was used. I was told this more than fifty years ago by a former Scots Guardsman. This was alluded to in 'Carry on up the Khyber'.

[polybear]

Bear here......

Well the dado rail is all now fitted 🙂.  Big Tick.

But......

Bear has screwed up - a couple of bits were marked and were to be cut at the mark +10mm.  Only Bear discovered that he'd cut one of the bits at the mark line - so it's 10mm too short 😡  Piggin' Rattin' Turdycurses.  Of course that bit just happens to be 3m long - so nottalotta chance of replacing it with a left-over offcut either.  It's also in a pretty noticeable location too, rather than hidden in a corner behind a piece of furniture.  Poo.  The only option will be to cut a short 10mm infill piece - by the time it's painted up, slotted in and joints treated to the decorator's caulk it'll not be noticeable.  Unless you're a Bear, of course.....😢

Edited June 5, 2022 by polybear

[benachie]

45 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I can't post it here but there is a photograph of a kilt clad army officer sitting with his legs apart displaying his family jewels and alongside was HM the Queen. At one time in some Scottish regiments it was the rule that nothing was worn under the kilt. Senior NCO's were supplied with swagger sticks with a small mirror on the bottom so that they could check that the men on parade complied. This ceased during WW1 when irritant gas was used. I was told this more than fifty years ago by a former Scots Guardsman. This was alluded to in 'Carry on up the Khyber'.

How these stories get endlessly repeated!

[simontaylor484]

Tis a day to mutter the word turdeycurses.

 

The day started with rain so the grass hasn't been cut nor any more landscaping work.But it does mean I don't have to water the plants or the grass seed.

 

So it was on to painting the spare bedroom ceiling and doing a bit of filling and painting the window reveal Matt white.

 

The roller blind tgat I took out of the spare bedroom was then put up in youngests bedroom. It is an Ikea blackout blind and it is cordless for child safety. They are really good but sadly the range was discontinued.

  The blind was put up when her ladyship pulled the blind shut there was a springy sound like zebedee bouncing around. Turdeycurses the tensioners have broken. At least the blind is better than that it replaced so now I have 2 blinds to buy 

Treble Turdeycurses with cherries on top.

 

[The White Rabbit]

17 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

... and Bozo and the boos or was it booze? ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/06/04/moving-up-in-english-regions-and-scotland/

 

I am reminded of a certain play by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton. Could our 'beloved' leader be about to claim (particularly for the BBC perhaps?) there's been a regrettable misunderstanding/mishearing between a booze-up and an (ahem...) 'work event': his missionary friend's convert, 'Great Boo' getting out of bed? And as an aunt might say, most bozos' booze-ups end in boos... either metaphorical or literal. I won't shed any tears. 

 

[The White Rabbit]

Afternoon awl,

 

I'm sorry to hear of various folks going down with the lurgy. Fingers crossed for your and your families health. 

 

Compared to the frenetic activity of Saturday, it's been quiet so far today. Though that might have summat to do with the cooler temperatures and the rain. Nothing overly dramatic, just one of Uncle Mort's favourites, a nice steady downpour, quietly getting on with soaking everyone's spirits in an unassuming sort of way. Good for the garden though and I've plenty to do inside, planting some more seeds and sorting through some things. 

 

The blackbird's been paddling rather than bathing this morning, flying down and having a slurp, then a foot wash. Looked at a splash about and had a very half-hearted flutter for a couple of seconds then just stayed standing in it for half a minute. The bluetits and sparrows have been active, feeding on the nuts and foraging in the garden for seeds and grubs. I hope they get whatever's been eating our young aubretia plants. Three snails were discovered suspiciously close yesterday, they had a one way trip onto the garage roof for the blackbird's elevenses. 

 

The strawberries are starting to appear. Not enough to garnish a chocolate cake slice at the moment but this rain should help fill them out and maybe in a week or two's time? I am currantly* been subjected to emotional blackmail over tea-time treats - I am being lobbied rather blatantly for either a currant slice or a bread and butter pudding. 

 

Time to have an hour or so doing some reading, then don the apron... 

 

* Sorry, couldn't resist. 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I forgot to mention that my e-mail was up and running this morning but there was no less than thirty items in my in-box. All of them were easily dealt with, many just required deletion. I found this afternoon that Farcebook is taking ages to load, it must be busy but I can go back to it later. Muggatee is ready, be back later.

[TheQ]

To register a tartan costs £70, I'm guessing it would include, two long silver parallel lines joined by repeated short black cross lines. On a grey or red background.

 

I have two family tartan kilts in synthetic materials, both a full 8 yards, and the dress family tartan in heavy wool. You can get 4 yard kilts which therefore are much cheaper with less and wider pleats.

 

Originally kilts were made of 16yards of material , but this was woven on what today would be called a table loom. So the cloth was half the width and the length was cut in half and sewn together in parallel making today's 8 yards. But in the old days half of that went round the body and the other half was thrown over the shoulder.

 

The kilt was an overcoat and blanket, worn over the leine. Which was the wearer's combined shirt and underwear.

 

The military tartan kilts are of course normally paid for by the military, and since they bulk buy they no doubt get a serious discount.. Military kilts are now mostly machine sewn, just hand finished and tailored. If you want a RAF kilt yourself it's likely to be fully hand sewn. 

 

I note now there is a "fake" RAF tartan  called "Royal Air Force Modern" which is just different enough to be classed as a separate tartan, so no licence fees, it's available in much lighter  weight and cheaper material .

 

Meanwhile, I went to the boat after the rain stopped, the roads were flooded in some places.

did some modifications, then came home...

[polybear]

1 hour ago, simontaylor484 said:

Treble Turdeycurses with cherries on top.

 

 

Is this a new contest Bear senses?  First we had the Bearies, next was the Puppies - and now we have the Turdies......

 

In other news.....

A shed check (that's "Shed - singular" for the avoidance of any doubt) revealed the score has now increased to 5-0; Bear is rather hoping that the Ref will blow the final whistle before too much longer.  As to whether or not the score is due to squatters or those sneakin' in for a look-see will forever remain a mystery.

No painting of architrave carried out today after all - though I did knock up a new batch of paint mixed with Owatrol Paint Conditioner, ready for tomorrow morning.

[polybear]

Bear's Sunday Funnies....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Former Prime Minister John Major pledged to make Britain a 'classless society'.
Having just spent the afternoon in my local Wetherspoons, I have to say he did a pretty thorough job.

 

I was standing at the bar when a girl came up to me.
"Fancy buying me a drink?" She said,
"Sure," I replied. "If you let me choose."
"Okay," she grinned. "But how will you know what I want?"
"Well, it's kind of a talent," I smiled. "All I do is look a girl up and down and I know exactly what drink suits her best."
"Okay," she giggled. "You can choose for me."
So I turned to the barman and said, "Diet coke, mate."

 

 

[polybear]

Very, very clever.....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-61696430

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I watched the cricket highlights this evening although I knew the result (England won), at least knowing the result saved on the chewed fingernails. Well done Joe Root for breaking a few records, both personal and test records.

[monkeysarefun]

On 03/06/2022 at 07:10, brianusa said:

Be careful what you wish for!  Take a look at this country, the US, and see what a political state it is in.  Unscrupulous politicians from a president down may happen to you too and likely Australia might suffer the same consequences, going from a widely respected democracy to a close imitation of an autocracy with a Putin or a Trump type attitude.

The Queen and other royals over the years have at least kept the UK on the straight and Narrow and while not perfects, maintains continuity which beats electing a relatively unknown new president every four years.

     Brian.

Having a Queen who keeps the UK on the straight and narrow didn't work out too well for us in 1975 when her representative took it upon himself to sack a government that had been popularly elected by the Australian people though, to be fair!

At least our president will have less power to meddle in our government  than that.

 

And at least with a president, we've just got to put up with  him/her, there's no widespread  tribe of self-entitled relations  that need primping and fawning to based on  nothing other than who they were lucky enough to be born to.

Edited June 5, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[Coombe Barton]

... Fortunately I didn't have to resort to a blowtorch. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/06/05/still-general-increase-and-rate-increasing/

[PhilJ W]

9 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Having a Queen who keeps the UK on the straight and narrow didn't work out too well for us in 1975 when her representative took it upon himself to sack a government that had been popularly elected by the Australian people though, to be fair!

At least our president will have less power to meddle in our government  than that.

I do believe that the Governor General concerned was an Australian citizen.

[monkeysarefun]

Just now, PhilJ W said:

I do believe that the Governor General concerned was an Australian citizen.

Maybe so but him being an  Australian citizen didn't give him the right to sack the government, otherwise we'd all be doing it!

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

Belated birthday wishes to PeterBB.

Got up late this morning, 11.00, something due to my medication?

Nothing much to report so goodnight,

Robert

Edited June 5, 2022 by Erichill16
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[simontaylor484]

The rain continues but so far none of the forecast thunderstorms.

 

 

 

[Barry O]

Got wet  umpiring today. Got started then..it chuckeditdarn. Pah!

 

As it happens @monkeysarefun  presidents replacing the Queen have had some very negative outcomes. 

 

Baz

Edited June 6, 2022 by Barry O