Early Risers.

[Ozexpatriate]

36 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

... caught out in said very heavy rain, kids trick or treating

We have a rainy Halloween here as well. I am hoping that the little monsters show up despite the inclement weather. I have laid in a store of "fun" sized Kit-Kats* for them.

 

* Apparently the second favourite such treat behind Reece's Peanut Butter Cups, of which I am not a particular fan. The Kit-Kats were expensive and the larger (cheaper per unit) bags ran out weeks ago.

 

It occurred to me that the inflatable costumes have the added benefit of shielding the occupant from the rain. Driving into 'town' this afternoon there was a happy white unicorn**, standing in the rain in front of a daycare, madly waving at the traffic. It made me smile.

 

** Inflatable with pink horn, mane etc.

 

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

Another busy day here.

Been to Meadowhall and the Ilea store nearby and that’s about it but boy as it a tow with mil.

Ive had a look at units that may be of use in my room but I’m thinking if kitchen units for base units and living room units (with glass fronts) for on the walls. Problem, they don’t come in the same finishes, pah AND turdy curses.

Got Syd tomorrow but not sure what’s on the agenda as the weather forecast isn’t promising.

Anyway, Goodnight,

Robert

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Still wound up by that bl00dy pigeon.

Feel like getting a kestrel to hunt the things down 

Starting to feel like Dick Dastardly 

"Catch that pigeon"

Will have to get the dachshunds a scarf each for the Muttley medals 

 

Get a feral  ute, mate!

 

Edited October 31, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well shopping has been shopped and the cupboards, the fridge and the freezers are now groaning u dear the weight. Still, we won’t starve that’s for sure. 

 

It started to chuckinitdarn here just after 6 o’clock, consequently we had the quietest Halloween, apart from the last 2 years of course, for quite some time!

 

When Sheila and I were first married and got our mortgage, the interest rates slowly rose until they peaked at 17%. By then I used to work all the overtime as I could get, just to keep the roof over our head and food on our plates. Regularly doing double shifts, or sometimes coming home off 10pm 6am, going nome to bed. Then getting up at 12 noon and going in for a 2pm 10pm shift, going home to bed, then getting up a 5am for a 6am 2pm shift! 

 

As the family expanded and as I was the only one earning, this need became more acute. I even gave up the car at one time as it was getting too expensive to keep it going, so I bought a bike instead. By the 90’s I’d changed employer and the department I worked in didn’t ‘do’ overtime. After a couple of years I changed departments and was expected to work Saturday morning’s as overtime, so, for the first time we were able to start saving money for things like holidays, something we couldn’t afford before. 

 

Fast forward to the the 2010’s and I was regularly asked if I wanted to do overtime, but unless it was urgent, I usually turned it down, letting the younger ones do it instead, as we didn’t need the money and the young un’s certainly did. 

Edited October 31, 2022 by BSW01

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[Ozexpatriate]

That's Halloween done for another year. Tonight was rainy - very rainy toward the end. According to the television weather people we have a 52% average chance of precipitation on Halloween. (The forecast for today was 100%.)

 

There were fewer little (and not so little) monsters than last year's 476 (likely on account of the weather) but my tally of 363 was still a lot - and more than at one point I thought, since things started slowly. 

 

We are still on daylight saving time and sunset is right around 6:00pm. The peak of trick-or-treaters was around 7:00-7:15pm where there was on average a visitor every 12 seconds.

 

Being a bit overwhelmed by last year's turnout, I had purchased too much candy to hand out and after a while, ended up giving them each two pieces, giving away most of what I had.

 

Some of the costumes are very good. There were a number of Wednesday Adams and more Stitch (from the Disney movie Lilo and Stitch) than I would have expected after all these years. One inflatable costume was very eye-catching - a clown walking on it's hands.

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.   No Halloween  here, thank goodness but most businesses were closed yesterday.  Today is not only my brother's  birthday but is All Saints day  aka the Day of the Dead. It's a bank holiday in France and modt people will be visiting the cemeteries  to put Chrysanthemums  on their relatives graves.  That's why many people took yesterday off for what they call a bridge day.  

 

As nowhere will be open today it will be a quiet day.  We have finished clearing up from the party apart from some cake that still needs eating.  If it's quiet I may even get some time in the shed.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[Barry O]

WHITE RABBITS!

 

I hope your wish comes true.

 

Baz

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

I have lots of muddling to do but cricket admin is getting in the way. Pah!

 

Chuckinitdarn here at the moment but no worries I don't need to go anywhere today.

 

Overtime... well that started when I was 17 in a holiday job (1977) ..working August Bank Holiday made a lot of money for an impoverished student.

 

Working at St Evenage gave little opportunity to work overtime.. we could have done with it due to the huge mortgage payment rise at the time. At JET.. lots of overtime but not paid..lots of "ghosters" worked ie start at 07:30 one day.. finish about the same time the next day . This was due to the access times to work on the Tokamak.

 

Vickers.. well.. lots of paid overtime.. so they gave me a car and called me a manager.. this meant no more overtime or travelling time on overseas trips  pah!.

 

Since then lots of overtime.. no financial payment but I did get a fair bit of time off in lieu. 

 

 

Time to.. drink my mugatea and then fit some speakers into a scale representation of a people moving device.

 

Stay safe!

 

Baz

[polybear]

8 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

... very heavy rain and a massive queue on what is laughingly called the Aston Expressway. And then near home, caught out in said very heavy rain, kids trick or treating. ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/10/31/direction-uncertain/

 

Bear was particularly taken by mention of Students turning up late - or not at all.  However, on the News last night there was mention of UCL and a Student Legal Class Action (I think) seeking compensation.  As regards arriving for lectures late - or not at all, perhaps Universities/Colleges should start installing clocking machines....

 

https://thetab.com/uk/2022/10/31/thousands-of-students-and-grads-are-claiming-uni-compensation-for-lost-time-over-strikes-279381

 

Bear here.....

Oh joy, a load of washing to do.  Yippee.  Once that's started, I'll check progress on the paint stripper test area - it's been on since 2pm yesterday so I reckon it's had plenty of chance to do its stuff - if indeed it's actually going to do its stuff in a reasonable manner.  If successful then I'll bang in an order for 5L of the stuff; I may also order 5L of the Nitromors "Trade use only" equivalent to stash away in case of need - I've a sneaky feeling that sooner or later (sooner, probably) such stuff will become NLA to all concerned.

Once that's done I'll be prepping a couple of projects that would be of the "Awl" attracting variety - including planning the outstanding tasks necessary to complete the chassis construction jig modifications, which I hope to complete this week.

Cancelled (by the seller) Ebay order no. 2 has been refunded; I've now ordered the same stuff (PTFE clear tubing 0.5mm i.d.) from a different seller - I wonder what the chances are of this one being successful?

Bear gone.

 

p.s. No T or T's at Bear Towers last night.  Pity - I could've unleashed some pretty good tricks.....

[iL Dottore]

Good morning all,

 

A fairly quiet morning of work awaits, followed by some cycling and some modelling (non-railway). Most of the day will be spent inside, as it is wet outside and promises to remain so for the rest of the day!

 

Some rather worrying developments with Schotty: he’s started suffering from intermittent faecal incontinence – which means sudden dashes to the door with him when we notice he’s starting to strain (although usually it’s too late). He is getting old and has some incontinence (urinary and faecal) that in itself is not too unexpected, but the problem is that he doesn’t try to get out before voiding. (Unlike Lucy, who is about two years older than Schotty and nonetheless still manages to make it well known when she needs to go out and void - usually about 2 am in the morning when she bounces on my chest and licks my face to let me know that she really needs to go out).

 

We have adjusted mealtimes and so feed them rather late in the evening - the assumption being that it will take a good eight hours or so for the food to go through the GI tract and be excreted – giving us some peace of mind that he should not get taken short in the middle of the night. They are walked first thing in the morning (as soon as it is light) and then just before bed. Their other walks take place as usual.

 

I am hoping that these sudden bouts of incontinence are due to the fact that he had some GI problems recently, received both antibiotics and gut bacteria replacement and his large intestine has not yet settled down and remains somewhat sensitive and irritated (and as I am sure many ER posters have experienced [such as the day after a particularly fiery curry], when your GI tract is irritated and you’ve gotta go, you really gotta go). If so, this incontinence should clear up fairly quickly.

The sad thing about this, is when he does get caught short and has to go afterwards he looks at us in a very, very worried way (almost scared) as though we are going to “punish” him.
 

Of course we won’t. Silly boy! Sh1t Happens (literally in this case) and it is part and parcel of living with (and loving) dogs. Apart from the fact that we don’t believe in (and have never practised) hitting dogs as “punishment” (a vile and cowardly act), this sudden intermittent incontinence is definitely nothing to do with whether he is a “good boy“ or a “bad boy“

 

Anyway, enough with iD’s Veterinary Casebook already, enjoy the Day Of The Dead! 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Morning world, from a breezy rock, dry currently and 11c.

 

Not sure what the day will bring, less hassle as Mrs NHN is back to work after a long weekend.  A huge amount of leaf fall taken to the tip recycling centre yesterday, the sycamores are nearly bald now thankfully, but the beeches and birches still have a lot of colourful leaves on them.

 

Hop tu Naa was reasonably quiet last night, only 4 groups of well dressed up kids, supervised at a distance by adults.  They have to sing a song here - 'Ginny the Witch' - to get treats!

 

Not many orders issued for the day so the odd bit of that pastime may be undertaken.

[iL Dottore]

7 hours ago, BSW01 said:

…Fast forward to the the 2010’s and I was regularly asked if I wanted to do overtime, but unless it was urgent, I usually turned it down, letting the younger ones do it instead, as we didn’t need the money and the young un’s certainly did. 

Isn’t that one of the ironies of working life? That when you need a robust income when you are starting out (buying a house, starting a family, et cetera) you are generally on a lower income than when you are older and well established.

 

As for overtime, I only did it when I was working in the hospital (I was on an hourly wage, not a salary). Being young and impecunious meant that I had the energy to do double shifts. With appropriate timing a long holiday weekend of double shifts could become incredibly profitable.

 

I forget the exact details, but it was something along the lines of working the first shift on a holiday was paid 1.5x base rate, the second shift (overtime) was paid holiday rate x second shift (OT) rate. If I did an evening shift (1.25 x basic rate) and a night shift (about 1.5 x basic rate) on a holiday weekend rate (add weekend and holiday multiplications) then I could really coin it. After one Christmas weekend in the late 70s I pocketed about $2000 after tax (about $8000 [£7000] in today’s money). Which paid my university fees for the year.

 

Moving to a salaried job (as opposed to being “waged“) meant that there was no such thing as overtime – you just did the time the job required which meant that as the line managers in the companies I worked for had all “come up from the tools“ (so speak) if it was quiet, I could go home early or even take a day off without using holiday time (the corollary being that if you needed to work out of hours to complete a time critical task, you just did so).  A decent salary, bonuses, spot awards for achievements, a generous holiday allowance and a Christmas “gift” salary payment (an extra salary payment on top of the usual 12 monthly ones) meant that overtime was never missed.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl,

3 hour plus 3 hours plus 1.5 hours sleep a good sum, and I really was comfortable and didn't want to get up.

Ben the alarm clock Collie agreed and didn't move from his pit.

 Unfortunately I do need to go into work for the last month and a half.. 

 

Ben the sensible Collie just went out for a splash and dash back in.. it was very wet, very windy and very dark out there..

On the way in a line of brightness swept in from the west, so by the time I was at work the skies were blue except for the eastern horizon.. Still windy though.

 

Luckily living in the middle of nowhere, no rug rats turn up at our place, it's not that much of a tradition here and what happens in the towns is definitely of the American import variety..   Such  Halloween events were unknown to me till they appeared on TV on American programmes, and I'd never seen any in the UK till 1989 when we moved to Milton Keynes .

Guido Fawkes Night, that was a different matter, that was the big thing for us..

 

 

Over time?

RAF .. don't be silly you work all hours God gives you and don't get time off in lieu. Even the AOC's day off we rarely got as because we were shift workers you had to take turns to take it off. If you didn't take it before the next bank Holiday you lost it, and most radar stations I was at had their AOC's inspection in April or May.

Never, outside training camp,  did we have a poets , or sports afternoon either..

 

GEC no overtime at our base, but travelling back from say Leuchars or Leeming always got some even when they stopped us travelling after work and had to travel the next day.. This was of course when we needed the money most.

 

GEC Saudi no overtime fixed shifts.

 

Bacton gas works, no over time fixed shifts

 

Tesco's maintenance, some overtime, but they didn't like it.. Always trying to screw down on costs. 

 

Here.. rarely overtime, normally because of some panic.. Not done any in some years, unlike to again.

 

Well this is the last time I shall do a major system, from next week I shall be teaching my replacement to do it, so he will be sat in this chair..

 

Time to.... Do it.

 

 

 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

A very wet and windy night here and it's pouring again.  Sunny spells and scattered heavy, blustery, thundery showers are forecast.  We must have had a power surge/cut earlier as a couple of clocks were flashing when I got up. 

The weather's all my fault as I washed the car yesterday.  It did need it though and for now it's gleaming.  I made the task last most of the morning.  When I'd finished I asked The Boss what it was she wanted my help with.  Apparently I was too late and she'd done it herself. 🤪

She's not happy at the moment as she's going to the hairdresser this morning and will have to walk.  I can't take her because I need to wait in for three or four parcels to be delivered.  Still, it's only about a 10/12 minute walk....in the wind and rain...there and back.  Ooops.   That'll be my fault as well.  When she gets back I'll have to go out because we're running low on bread and milk but at least I can take the car.   

No trick or treaters here, we no longer encourage them and leave the porch lights off but TBH I don't think there were any about last night due to the weather.  Seemed like there were a few parties locally judging by the fireworks.

Time for my porridge.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

 

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by grandadbob

[PeterBB]

Overtime - what is that?  NHS had 'working hours' but in practice ... and during the pandemic those still of the relevant age and working most certainly did and continue to go 'the extra mile'.

 

Sycamore trees - still some leaves on but after last night daylight can be seen through the branches, the trampoline while still in the garden has taken a 'walk' and in a different attitude but the heavy rain continued until just now.

 

T&T this road being rural we had none GD did go with a group in her area, got soaked through but enjoyed it.  They still have over 300 sweets left themselves as in their area T&T is quite a thing and with good weather there would have been a lot of 'organised' groups.  The house decorating in some was out of this world and many obviously spent time and money on it.

 

Fuel prices seem to have risen again, it is a long time since it was possible to get change out of a pound for 4 gallons!

 

Beths's tribute to Jamie is still in mind.  Singapore blog posts interesting but also thoughtful into how current 'status' came to be.

 

 

[polybear]

46 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

Still, it's only about a 10/12 minute walk....in the wind and rain...there and back.  Ooops.   That'll be my fault as well.  When she gets back I'll have to go out because we're running low on bread and milk but at least I can take the car.

 

Why not suggest to SWMBO that she pick up the bread and milk after the Hairdressers......

Good luck.

[DaveF]

A fine morning here on the coast after 15mm rain overnight - just before I went to bed I heard a dripping noise so went out with a torch and found that a gutter joint is leaking.  Fortunately I have quite deep eaves so the water was ending up well away from the house wall on the tiled porch roof so no need to panic. I will visit the roofer later and arrange for it to be fixed and also check on what they are going to do about the flat's gutter.

 

Yesterday started fine, I cut my hair first thing with the clippers I bought during lockdown, then the day proceeded with the washing and housework.  Needless to say the washing didn't all dry outside so some was finished off in the tumble drier.

 

Then I went to the beach and had a walk along the sea's edge without getting wet feet.  I really must remember to wear a hat.  The car is being serviced on Wednesday so I gave it a vacuum inside and removed a few things which no longer need to be in the boot.  I rang the garage just to check the time I need to be there and we have come up with a simple soution to a mistake they made when they set up the service plan payments, namely leave well alone and sort it out at the end of the plan in  2024.

 

In the afternoon I spent a long time on the phone to Scottish Power to sort out the new tariff from today - it wouldn't work online - apparently too many people using it at once.  I am now, like most people, on a simple variable tariff and paying more than before.  The payment is within £5/month of my calculations so I am happy (as much as I can be).  The various government things will pay about 80% of the increase over the winter.  

 

I also asked to be put on their "Priority Services Register" as being 73 I am eligible (I have been for 8 years apparently, since I turned 65).  I looked at my account online today and the changes show correctly. 

 

I got some more plants put in the garden.  Last night was peaceful, the doorbell never rang so I have a few small bars of chocolate to eat over the coming weeks.  To be honest there are very few children nearby, nearly everybody is retired or will be in a few years.

 

In the 1970s I took  photos of a SNCF 141R by the docks at Harwich, when it came to the UK to be preserved and they are now on flickr.  I had an e mail from the current owners, the loco is now in Vallorbe, asking if they could use the photos on their website - so I said yes.

 

David

Edited November 1, 2022 by DaveF

[Winslow Boy]

6 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Why not suggest to SWMBO that she pick up the bread and milk after the Hairdressers......

Good luck.

 

That's cruel PB. Ask her if she could get some petrol while she's out so the car doesnt s have to get dirty and you'll have to wash it again. 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Apart from the usual stiff joints this morning Arthur Itis is absent. 

50 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

She's not happy at the moment as she's going to the hairdresser this morning and will have to walk.  I can't take her because I need to wait in for three or four parcels to be delivered.  Still, it's only about a 10/12 minute walk....in the wind and rain...there and back.  Ooops. 

 

2 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Why not suggest to SWMBO that she pick up the bread and milk after the Hairdressers......

Good luck.

Why not ask SWMBO to pick up the bread and milk after her appointment and then you pick her up.

[The White Rabbit]

It would risk (guarantee?) the parcels arriving during that ten or so minutes GDB was out. 

 

Good morning from a soggy and windy valley. I too have to stay in for expected deliveries, though it's not much of a hardship given the inhospitable conditions outside the burrow. No T&Ts last night, I heard voices passing a few times but the chuckitdarns kept most folk at home. 

 

I've not had much opportunity for overtime, most employers haven't offered it, then when I was, I couldn't take advantage as I was spending most waking hours outside of work caring. Not that I was in serious need of the money the way some have been or are, though if I wasn't going to deprive those of my colleagues who didn't really need it, I might have done some to top up the bank balance and fund some indulgences. 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

The rain that fell last night has now stopped, but everywhere is wet, very wet. I’ve a few little jobs to do inside first thing then if it’s dried enough, I shall look at pruning the buddleia, then digging it up to relocate it closer to the shed. This will free up a lot of space and make moving other shrubs easier. There’s also lots of leaves to sweep up too. 

 

Back later. 

 

Brian

[grandadbob]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

Why not suggest to SWMBO that she pick up the bread and milk after the Hairdressers......

 

 I would but the only shop en-route is one that "we" don't like, in fact she refuses to set foot in there.  The one we use is in the opposite direction.

 

41 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Why not ask SWMBO to pick up the bread and milk after her appointment and then you pick her up.

 

I refer my honourable friend to the answer I gave earlier.  😁

 

12 minutes ago, The White Rabbit said:

It would risk (guarantee?) the parcels arriving during that ten or so minutes GDB was out. 

 

Been there, done that!  Three of the parcels are for herself anyway and two contain books so we don't want to risk them being left on the doorstep and getting soaked.

 

She has now left on her journey into the wilderness with hood up and brolly in hand, lets just hope the wind doesn't turn that inside out.  🤪

Edited November 1, 2022 by grandadbob

[southern42]

16 hours ago, big jim said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63412651

 

 

 

I had some of that sort of treatment from two people - one male and one female - out in the street when I had to wear a mask to visit the dentist awhile ago. Apparently, I was to blame for the virus and got an awful lot of stick for it. Not pleasant encounters, by any means, and thankfully, not physically violent, but eyeopening, and sad, to see how views on everyday life can turn people against others so abominably. 

 

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by southern42