Early Risers.

[The Lurker]

I've not yet managed to get to an LSA at any place I have been - nearly 17 at the current place is the longest. Here they were giving out £1,000 of shares in the company, which was quite a nice thing while the price was going up. Now they are literally worthless, not so much. 

[PhilJ W]

57 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Happy birthday @PhilJ W

 

Regarding delivering babies - when I was doing the Ob/Gyn part of my paramedic training our Ob guy (an old and cynical veteran) said:

> First Baby: lights - no siren - to location, taxi ride to hospital

> Second Baby: lights and siren to to location, lights only to hospital.

> Third (and Third+) Baby: lights and siren to location, lights and siren to hospital and stomp on it....

 

Now I have NO idea how remotely approaching "reality" this cynical observation was, I never did get any "woman in labour" calls as a paramedic (for my sins I got to patch up the drunks, resuscitate the ODs, separate smashed up human from smashed up car and collect bits of the "one unders")

My niece qualified as a paramedic about 25 years ago. Her first call was to a mother in labour and she delivered the child in the back of the ambulance.

[The Lurker]

Greetings from a Sidcup which is bathed in sunshine and from where I can here the birds singing outside. WFH as Mrs Lurker is on a school trip so I need to be around to pick up Younger Lurker from school at 3.

 

Work continues to be fairly hectic but a quieter period over the summer may ensue; but believe that when you see it.

 

This weekend sees Younger Lurker and I making our way to Silverstone to see cars go round.

[The Lurker]

Happy Birthday to Phil - I think I read right he was completing his 75th orbit of the sun

 

And belated birthday greetings to Petethemole

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

A bright, sunny and breezy start to the day here in the northwest corner of England, the temperature is currently 18C so it’s quite warm too. My first task of the day is a walk to the butchers for collect the weekly meat rations and to get myself a pork pie for dinner. After that it’s a visit to the Trafford for a few more bits and pieces then home for a muggertea. After dinner, Charlie is due round for an afternoon’s model making, that is assuming he didn’t have too much to drink last night. 
 

Back later. 
 

Brian

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Thanks for all the birthday wishes, 75 years and when I retired I didn't expect to get this far. Not doing much today, the temperature is predicted to hit 29C later so I'm staying indoors.

[PhilJ W]

12 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

I gottamoveon as directed,  well actually it was more of a slow perambulation of barely a mile to Asda and back.  The Knee was OKish but The Hip wasn't which meant I had to stop a couple of times.   Quite warm outside , already up to 21°C so I will be staying in the shade today.

I've had my hip problem for forty years. The rollator is a great help especially as it has a seat so that I can stop and rest at any time.

[Erichill16]

Morning All,Todays plans scuppered by a late invite to swbo’s cousin for lunch in the garden. No chance of listening to TMS on Radio 4 while doing a bit of paperwork. Pah. 
oh and Mil is coming too. Pah.

 

[Tony_S]

39 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

and 2 Mrs NHN

I didn’t know IoM allowed more than one. 

[Tony_S]

Happy Birthday @PhilJ W. 
Tony

[DaveF]

Happy birthday PhilJ W

 

[Tony_S]

17 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

Here they were giving out £1,000 of shares in the company,

When my neighbour retired from her job in banking she took a lump sum payment in the bank shares which were rather highly valued then. For a long time after they were effectively worthless. 

[DaveF]

This morning started quite early, I decided to get a bit of shopping done before anything else, it is now done and all put away.  The freezer has been partly restocked with things I know I will eat quite quickly.

 

It's quite cloudy, warm and humid so I don't think much will get done - especially not in the garden as my chest muscles and back are protesting about what they had to do yesterday.  The promised overnight rain never materialised - there was just a damp bit at the bottom of the raoin gauge at breakfast time.

 

David

[tigerburnie]

My employment record was a lot of short contracts during the 1980's when the nice Mrs Thatcher(spit) started running our manufacturing into the ground, I did manage 12 years at a car company, which was of course Japanese and finally 7 years before retiring from a multi national oil company, there was 8 years at a GEC factory making gas turbines, but that was shut down and MD got a knighthood for closing our factory rather than one in a marginal seat in Lincoln that was dead on it's feet.

[polybear]

  

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I've had my hip problem for forty years. The rollator is a great help especially as it has a seat so that I can stop and rest at any time.

 

And if it has brakes, you can sit and roll down hills, steering by them*...

 

Happy 75th perambulation!

 

* As they say, don't try this at home!

 

[polybear]

Firstly....

VHBBW's to @PhilJ W 🍰🍰

 

Bear here.....

Yet another unintentional silly o'clock start... 😡

First mission of the day was to remove the glass panels and upper clamps, followed by bonding and sealing the 10mm thick piece of strip wood I added to the underside of the Banister hand rail such that it now looks like an original part rather than an add-on.

Then it was a bit more work on the architrave round the front door frame (adding the last trim strip),  followed by the start of a mega session with the splurge gun - on the Dado Rail and Skirting.  Task "ongoing".

 

During proceedings the Quack phoned as promised to tell Bear that one of the meds. I take is being increased as one of the recent blood test results was "borderline"; nothing of concern though and not unexpected. 

I also asked about the actual result for the PSA Test I had a couple of weeks ago - rather than the standard "Satisfactory" response that Checkpoint Charlene dishes out.

The Doc says it was "0.4" - which is rather good for a Bear apparently - and a quick Google suggests that (based on this result) Bear may not be anywhere near as old as the Birth Certificate suggests after all.  I'd call that a Tick.

 

Right, where's the splurge gun?

BG

[The White Rabbit]

Many Happy Returns to Phil (and belated ones to Pete). 

 

Busy week, looking into this and that and trying to make some progress. Mixed results, one of which I feel somewhat cream crackered. 

 

Looking out of the window this am, the birds were using the birdbaths a lot. I think the maximum was one blackbird, one goldfinch and five sparrows... mixed bathing! 

 

A bit later, after I'd put fresh water in, one sparrow flew down, perched on the edge and had a couple of beakfuls. Then it hopped across to the other side, swivelled and supped again. Then shuffled round a bit and had a beakful from that angle... then hopped in, had a quick splash, got out, had another drink (hmm), hopped across to another birdbath, had a drink from that one and then stood for a while. Looking for all the world like a connoisseur trying to decide which tasted best. I know they move around a bit to dodge potential predators but this did seem strange. I actually thought at the time of il D supping whisky - I recall the respective merits of certain ones being discussed but I do not recall any reference being made to which glass it tastes best from! What next, Bear testing which plate makes LDC taste the sweetest? Bizarre thoughts of a bath attendant. 

[petethemole]

Happy birthday to PhilJ W.

 

Thanks for all your good wishes yesterday.  I had a fairly ordinary day, then Martyn and I went for a meal at the local Hungry Horse.  Mrs mole was out at a theatrical event with a friend.  I ate more than usual and felt sleepy as a result so went to bed early (for me).

 

Mrs mole is seriously stressed out ATM.  Virgin Media sold their mobile network to O2 last weeknd she's had problems ever since incuding no text facility.  She decided to change to another network but needs to text a code in order to keep her existing number.  Cue calls to the O2 call centre somewhere in India (Mumbai probably).  She had difficulty with the lady's accent, but I understood what was going on.  However the problem remains unresolved.  A visit to the O2 shop was suggested, which did not go down well.

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, petethemole said:

Mrs mole is seriously stressed out ATM.  Virgin Media sold their mobile network to O2 last weeknd she's had problems ever since incuding no text facility.

My neighbours had all their TV, phone and mobile with VirginMedia. They had some offer that meant their phone contract went to O2. The transfer wasn’t smooth but everything did work eventually. Wi-Fi calling which they need when visiting family in Wales didn’t work for a while. 

[polybear]

2 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

What next, Bear testing which plate makes LDC taste the sweetest? Bizarre thoughts of a bath attendant. 

 

If some kind fellow ER'er would care to donate half a dozen** LDC's then Bear is more than happy to conduct a taste test experiment using different plates to see which, if any makes the LDC taste best.  Purely in the interests of Culinary Science, you understand......

 

**Or even a dozen, to make the test sample even bigger.....

Edited July 7, 2023 by polybear

[Ozexpatriate]

9 hours ago, AndyID said:

I can see how that could be the case but if there are any serious complications it's probably a good idea to have experts on-hand at a hospital.

Hospital obstetrical physicians will often resort to (various) surgical means (much faster than a midwife/doula would) which often creates other complications, sometimes with worse outcomes.

[monkeysarefun]

Ive once reached the "ten years with one employer" milestone we have  here where by law  they have to give you two months off at full pay, and that means all regular loadings etc. Worked out perfectly timed because I took it off when monkey junior was born, plus that employer would  mark 10 years service with a $2500 cheque so that came in  handy at that time too.

 

Although I've been in the current role for 26 years now that's as a contractor so I've missed out on an additional two and a half lots of  Long Service Leave.  Some industries unions such as the  building and construction and cleaning industries recognise that employment in those industries can mean many different jobs with different employers so have an agreement in place to honour the 2 months leave if an employee can show proof of 10 years continuous employment in the industry, independent of the single employer rule.

One of our cleaners at work has just come back from a month in Tahiti and The Cook Islands on long service leave,  which is pretty sweet - it's a Workers Paradise mate. 

 

Now back to the cricket.

Edited July 7, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[Ozexpatriate]

19 hours ago, polybear said:

VSBT's to those caught up in the Wimbledon Tragedy - including those dealing with it.

Had to look that up. It was not reported here and I wasn't sure what you meant. Yes, quite sad.

 

Other events in SW19 occupy more virtual ink and airtime here.

 

I did not think you were referring to Sir "British when he wins and Scottish when he loses"* on set point.

 

* According to English media

 

I wonder how football fans would react to being told that a tied match would resume with extra time (penalty kicks if needed) the next day, so as not to upset the neighbours.

[Hroth]

3 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Now back to the cricket.

 

What's that?  🤪

 

There's a surfeit of tennis on the telly at the moment, BBC1 and BBC2 are flooding the airwaves with the ruddy stuff.  Whatever is going on at the Ashes has been overtaken by Murrymania....