Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Bohemian Rhapsody by Flash Mob.

 

[PhilJ W]

More from Flash Mob.

 

 

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I receive many printed catalogues from companies wishing for me to purchase something from them. Now that the calendar says "Autumn" (despite 29°C being forecast today) we are in the run-up to the Yuletide holidays.

 

A posh Californian department store sent me their 'holiday' catalog. A page of jewelry was styled in a manner that caught my eye, and may I think some here, so I thought I'd share a photograph I took of the page in question:

What caught my eye of course was not the jewelry, but the staging - on *some* sort of representation of one of Swindon's finest, in a curious colour but with a "GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY" headboard and splasher nameplate. The stylist has gone to great lengths using teased cotton-wool steam, but I'm not too sure about that second 'chimney' / very active safety valves.  😉

 

I case you are wondering the baubles on the boiler (labelled 'B') retail for $3,000.00 for the pair and the necklace labelled 'A' is $2,750.00.  

 

It does of course look rather nice in red.

 

Jamie

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Arthur Itis is making himself obvious so more Nurofen is about to be taken. No surprise really as I've been on my feet for much of the day. I'm not bothering with Farcebook this evening, just a quick look in.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well it’s been a busy old day here one way or another, but it’s also been very enjoyable. 

 

Goodnight all

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[J. S. Bach]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

Bear here.....  ...snip... The last thing was sorting thru' some old family papers, as well as scanning thru' my old Apprentice Logbook - I decided that could be binned ...snip...

Don't do something now that later you will regret! Experientia docet.

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Day 2 of our adventures in Wigan (and St Helens)

 

@5 C called by us yesterday but chances of a catch up were slim.

 

Looks like it could be a long day...hopefully we don't get drowned again loading/ unloading the van ton8ght.my raincoat is still slightly damp from Fridays monsoon. PAH!

 

Nice to meet up with a lot of people I have not seen for a while, I think this will continue today.

 

Still in shock due to the untimely nature of Andrew C passing. Two long term ERs gone ina short space of time. Very sad, but inevitable as tempus does fugit...

 

Nice to see one or two ERs back.. 

 

Time to... make a mugadecaff and get ready to re_enter the fray!

 

Have a great day wherever you are and whatever you do today!

 

Baz

[jamie92208]

Good moaning.  It's not raining at the moment.   Not a huge lot yot done yesterday  but I did soend an hour or so in the shed yesterday maki g things move with electrickery.  The market beckons this morning then I might even head back to the shed.

 

Regards to all and good to hear from @Grizz and @roundhouse.  I wonder how Grizz's hens are doi g.  Ours are doing well.  4 eggs from four birds yesterday.

 

Jamie

[polybear]

9 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

It does of course look rather nice in red.

 

Jamie

 

Now what's that phrase again......"You can't polish a Tvrd......."

Hat, coat etc......

 

7 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

Don't do something now that later you will regret! Experientia docet.

 

Fortunately the info contained is of no useful use; there's a separate, smaller (A5) notebook that does have leccy & mechy info in that I will be keeping though, some of which could prove useful (those with the 'net it's far quicker and easier just to google something now).

 

Bear here......

Washing to do today....yippee - not.  Still, that's not too taxing or time consuming so it could be worse.  After that it's, er, let's see now.....how about MIUABGAD?  That'll do.

One mission though is to research and order a new loft ladder - I'm pretty much heading towards a telescopic jobbie, possibly from Youngmans.

Bear gone - cos' I'm bustin' for a wee

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Plenty of overnight dampness and it's raining again.  It might brighten up this afternoon.

Continuing with a bit more more of my mini catch up:

Mid September we received messages from the surgery and NHS website that we could have flu and Covid jabs.   Walk in at our Doctor's surgery for the former and my usual Doc was on duty and took the time to question me over my general health whilst jabbing me and The Boss.  First time Herself has met this Doc as she rarely has to visit but she could see why I like the young lady in question.  She is very easy on the eye too.... not that that has anything to do with it!  😜  Covid jab done a couple of days later at a local hall about a mile away and all dealt with very quickly and efficiently.  No ill effects from either for me apart from being able to feel the injection sites for a couple of days,  The Boss's arm is still hurting from the Covid jab and she felt a bit rough for a couple of days. .  More catch up drivel to come later.

 

Yesterday afternoon I was halfway through watching rugby (Tigers getting somewhat tonked by Saracens so I suspect TB @tigerburnieand DH @Dave Huntare feeling the pain) when the doorbell rang.  Nicki and husband to be Darren turned up on a surprise visit and stayed for a very pleasant 3 hours.  Recorded the second half of rugby and watched it later.  Quins are playing Northampton today so that's my afternoon sorted and I suspect a very hard fought match there.

Time to think about breakfast which will be the normal Sunday fry up but I will be doing it because I have a new toy to use.  More on that later.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited October 2, 2022 by grandadbob

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Just a quick look in before I head off to the Wigan show. As usual I’ll be wearing my ‘Old Git’ hat, so if anyone wants to say hello, please feel free to do so. 

 

Back later. 

 

Brian

[Winslow Boy]

Right flying visit as I have an action packed day planned. This morning I will be chauffeuring DD to one of her satellite estates, Maulbury Park in Cheshire - told her she's got to mind her p & Q's as there a funny lot the cheshir set and then in the afternoon hoping to pop in to the Wigan show. So will keep a look out for any fellow ER's - I will be the one staring at you trying to work out if we have 'corresponded'. Wish me luck.

[5 C]

Morning awl,

 

It's been several many months since my last post on ER's, although I have been lurking and popping in from time to time to catch up with the various goings on. My 3 month contract turned into 18 months and the work was all-consuming to say the least, so time for ER's and related matters was somewhat limited.

 

Shocked to hear of AndrewC's sudden passing. Thoughts with his family and friends. I'll miss his updates from the boring borough.

 

Good to see @Barry O at Wigan yesterday. My first visit to this show which I've combined with a visit to my parent a few miles away. 

 

Have a good day awl.

[simontaylor484]

Morning all 

A bright sunny start here everything is wet through outside due to more overnight rain.

Looks like a make it up as we go day

 

[grandadbob]

Me again.

I am fed up but not in a bad  way as breakfast has been consumed and enjoyed.  Cooked by me in my new toy - an air fryer.  Having had good reports from a couple of people about these contraptions I thought I'd give it a go and so far very pleased with the results but still not quite got my fried eggs spot on although this morning's effort was the best so far.  Later on I'm cooking a small chicken (well actually it's not much bigger than an oversized sparrow) so will see how I get on with that.  

 

Over the past few weeks I've been visiting a therapist for er  therapy on The Hand following the op in June.  I'm in her good books as I've been doing what I've been told and she has now discharged me from her care although she did say it could take up to a year to get back to normal.  I have an appointment to see the consultant next week and expect him to finish with me as well. Have tried playing my guitars again but am struggling with quite a few chords, even on the electric which has a very light action.  After seeing Stewart's link to the lovely Gabriella and her gobsmacking performance I think the best thing I can do for my own sanity and the music loving public in general is to forget all about playing them and just park them or put them on display....or bin them.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A few tweaks from Arthur Itis this morning but a brace of Nurofen sent him packing. Not much to do today, or that I can do.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl , from The Q of the bruised hip.

 

Yep, took a flyer in the workshop landing on my right hip on a 20 ltr can of resin, it was unharmed, well dented a bit, but didn't spill.

The stool I was attempting to sit on is broken, it's made of two 'U's of metal tube with a wooden seat formerly screwed on top.. unfortunately the top of the 'U's are like a U, there's no flat, so I must have caught the edge in my attempt to sit on it, the top tilted, broke off and down I went.

It's a poor design, thoughts are going on how to make it more secure..

 

My hip is not happy, that goes with my left knee which for reasons known to itself is also unhappy.. so I'm in repose on the sofa while pink pills take effect..

 

So what was I doing out there? Working on the trailer board which is now completed. I realised overnight that I'm towing my sailing compatriots boat on his trailer in a couple of weeks. His boat is 20ft, Blue Moon  is 16ft. His trailer has a longer " nose to it by a couple of feet..

The light board cable was just long enough for BM... So the cable would by 6ft short..

So I took the old cable off, took cable from the reel I'd bought for purposes unmentionable, and fitted a length as before + 10ft just to be safe .

Luckily the drum of cable bought was 25M so there is plenty left and I've wound the removed cable onto the drum..

Various properly made joints were taped up to make them pretty, the cables  secured to the board, the number plate lights were connected up, and it has all been tested. 

 

Ben the unhappy Collie is asleep on SWMBO's chair, he's unhappy with her being out for a second unusual time in two days..

 

When my muggacoffee is finished I'll hobble out with Ben, before returning to rummage through the freezer to find something for tonight's main meal.

 

GDB don't give up your guitar,, use it as a reason to get your paw working properly again..

[DaveF]

It's been a lovely sunny morning here, not too cold either.

 

Yesterday I had another walk on the beach, this time from the car park to Seaton Sluice harbour mouth and back.  It was the first day dogs are allowed back on the bits of beach which are closed to them in summer.  Judging by the way they were running about they were celebrating being able to go where they liked.  One was even having a swim with its owner.  In the distance I saw a ship leaving Blyth harbour with the pilot boat in attendance.  I could just see the pilot leave the ship once it was well clear of the harbour mouth.  It then turned east and went off between two of the wind turbines. 

 

On the way home I saw two flocks of lapwings flying over the fields just inland of the Links, a sure sign that autumn is here.  They will now be around until next Spring.

 

I spent the afternoon doing computer things.  I managed to get an old laptop to update itself - it's the one I gave to Mum when she could no longer get to her PC.  Once it had updated I copied some relevant files including her last photos on to my hard drives.  It's not worth selling so I'll keep it as a spare until it wears out - it cannot run Windows 11.  I also checked another laptop had updated - it's one I kept at Mum's for myself so it doesn't get used much as I also have one at home along with my PC.  They are all on Windows 11.  

 

I looked at Scorttish Powers website to get an up to date idea of what I might be paying when my fixed rate comes to an end in a few weeks time.  There is a warning on their site that they cannot give proper quotes at the moment - I now know why.  It suggested that I would pay 5 times what I pay now - according to their tariff and my usage it should be about 2.3 times what I pay now.  When I asked it to take into account the positive balance I have with them the payments went up by £100 a month.

 

I wonder how difficult it is to put the correct figures for their tariffs into their systme to allow accurte quotes for exisiting customers?  I will have to wait to see what they say and then perhaps ring them.  At least in My Account I can set my own direct debit payment if al else fails.

 

Then I spent the evening reading and watching an old black and white Maigret.

 

P.S. I've just looked at Sottish Power's website again (12.25p.m.), it now shows a future payment only £1 a month above my calculations, so they must be sorting things out - Hooray!

 

David

Edited October 2, 2022 by DaveF

[polybear]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

GDB don't give up your guitar,, use it as a reason to get your paw working properly again..

 

Agreed - if it gives you pleasure then Bear says stick with it.  It'll come good before you know it.

 

Bear here....

Washing done.  Tick.  Some general sorting done - resulting in a certain Bear putting a box into the loft......Oops.  In Bear's defence I would offer as mitigation the fact that the box was previously stored in the muddlin' room - and it ain't now,

I also researched the finer points of bungin' duvets in the washing machine; this could be an experiment for tomorrow, which I hope I won't live to regret.  I have a double that's been stored (wrapped up) in the airing cupboard for, er, rather a long time and as it has a higher Tog than the current one in use I thought I'd give it a go.  The washer is 8Kg so we'll see.  Of course it would've made much more sense to do this in the summer in order to help get it dry - only Bear wasn't starting to feel cold at night back then.  Turdycurses.

 

And finally....

Bear has just started watching "The Blind Side" starring Sandra Bullock ❤️ - wonder if she likes cake?

 

p.s. It seems @iL Dottore has gone a little quiet - hope all is well....

[45156]

3 hours ago, grandadbob said:

I am fed up but not in a bad  way as breakfast has been consumed and enjoyed.  Cooked by me in my new toy - an air fryer.  Having had good reports from a couple of people about these contraptions I thought I'd give it a go and so far very pleased with the results but still not quite got my fried eggs spot on although this morning's effort was the best so far.  Later on I'm cooking a small chicken (well actually it's not much bigger than an oversized sparrow) so will see how I get on with that.  

 

Best thing I ever bought - takes a bit of getting used to, but hey - crispy chips that actually don't taste like frozen, crispy chicken in batter, and good everything else so far - in a fraction of the time of an ordinary oven, and will save you money - chicken is best cooked in a roasting bag, as it gets a little dry otherwise.  Sausages take about half the time of oven cooking too.  Second best buy was the indiction hob that we were convinced to buy when we moved - the guy at Homecare said we'd never regret it, and he was RIGHT - it is quite the best, and most efficient way to cook by electric.

[grandadbob]

I've seen various comments about energy suppliers and unsurprisingly price increases.

Earlier in the year Ovo tried to up my payments to IIRC £240 a month.  (I was paying £100 last year) As I was well in credit I objected and agreed to £160.  Now in credit to the tune of about £577 and a couple of weeks ago they tried again to increase to £209.  Another phone call was made and I asked if they'd taken into account the £66 a month discount we'll all be getting for 6 months from October.  The lady went away to "ask her supervisor" and payments staying at £160 for now "but we will review in 3 months time."  Just looked at my statement online and the tw#ts are now suggesting an increase to £210.  I wish Andrew was still here to conjure up a new word to describe these people.

Time to go and marinade my chicken before I watch the rugby.

[Tony_S]

51 minutes ago, polybear said:

bungin' duvets in the washing machine

We have washed duvets in the machine. I can’t remember which ones also were supposed to be tumbled and which ones were not. However last year we had a repair on our washing machine and a new control unit. I knew that Miele did offer all kinds of extra programs that could be added at extra cost but the new one came “fully loaded”. There are options for down filled items. There is also a soft toy and what is known unofficially as the Lego option for children’s building bricks. We never paid for them when we originally bought the machine. Perhaps they are standard now. We hadn’t noticed the upgrade. 
Tony

[monkeysarefun]

The labour day long weekend is here, conveniently placed in  the otherwise long holiday-less strip between the Queens Birthday in June and Christmas.

Hopefully King Chuck 3 will share the same pretend birthday as his mum as the June long weekend is also nicely placed, otherwise we may as well become a republic.

 

Clocks also go forward this weekend to denote summers arrival, it's the only thing this year that does, it still feels like late winter temperature-wise. Traditionally there is at least one mid to high 30s day this weekend so we can all go around saying how if it's this hot in October imagine what Summer will be like, and the news can run stories about how the state is a tinderbox, but this year is just the opposite.

 

The NRL (Rugby League) grand final played out today, luckily for us at work Penrith won, because the boss is a mad Penrith supporter and in fact is one of their sponsors and gets to hang out in the corporate box so we all have to tell him how Godlike they are when it's pay appraisal time if we want to get an increase, and if they have a bad game he often hits us.

 

Why are Australian snakes venomous  but our lizards aren't? Which is good since we see way more if them than snakes. Like this one, who until today when I had a clear up spent the last couple of years living under a tarp that covered some construction stuff in my front yard. 

When I first saw it it was about 6 inches long, now it's well on the way to it's full length of around 18 inches.

I like it's little feet!