Early Risers.

[PupCam]

Morning All!

 

I tried booking my Covid booster as I'm eligible on two counts.      NHS website says website is broken.      Must be all those people desperately trying to book their jabs then ......

 

The Puppers contingent who migrated to Scotland last week are returning today.     Best I get the Chauffeur's suit and hat out and prepare for a mid-evening pickup from St Evenage.

 

Otherwise it's MIUAYGA today although I feel that could be biased towards some form of two wheeled transportation device activity because the sun is out and the sky is blue!

 

TTFN

[Tony_S]

4 minutes ago, PupCam said:

I tried booking my Covid booster as I'm eligible on two counts.

I haven’t needed to use the NHS booking site this time as my GP surgery sent a text inviting me to have both flu and Covid vaccines. This will be on October 8th. The person doing the jabbing is named as Dummy Nurse. Our local pharmacy has a robot dispenser, perhaps this is another technological development.

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

Yes, I did but it wasn’t in Tamil script. Perhaps I will have to go in and ask. It used to be the Co-op but transformed a couple of years ago.
 

I might be wrong, you often are I hear a shout from the back, but I think Nisa are a franchise operation- like bargain booze.

If so could the word be the name of the people who run the place on behalf of Nisa. Just a thought. I do occasionally get them. Not often I must admit as I find they can be a damn nuisance. 

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

 

 

 

 

I take the point of certain films being “not for me“ (I am not a particular fan of horror films), but when you are a Cinéphile and you have this compulsion to watch anything that’s projected on the silver screen, you do end up seeing a lot of movies.  You soon realise that films follow a bell shaped curve

 

with most films being somewhere around the middle, with the tail end of the curve comprising amazing, both amazing and unforgettable films at one end and appallingly bad and ghastly films, the other.

 

I

 

 

 

 

[DaveF]

Another dull morning.  So far the housework is done, greenhouse checked and tidied, one lot of washing just about to finish then the second lot to do.

 

The grocery order for tomorrow needs checking and amending and I may see what Covid jabs are avaliable locally as my surgery doesn't have any vaccine as they have used it all.

 

If it stays dry there may be some gardening but if it rains I may think about model things. I would also like to have a quick walk.

 

I've enjoyed loking at the comments about films, I can't really add anything as I cannot remember when I last went to a cinema - it may have been Clockwise with John Cleese - and I usually only watch old ones on TV.  Old means 1950s or earlier, now and then 1960s.

 

David

 

[PupCam]

15 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

I haven’t needed to use the NHS booking site this time as my GP surgery sent a text inviting me to have both flu and Covid vaccines. This will be on October 8th. The person doing the jabbing is named as Dummy Nurse. Our local pharmacy has a robot dispenser, perhaps this is another technological development.

 

What a Utopian world you live in Tony!    

 

My GPs have studiously avoided anything to do with Covid vaccination throughout.      A less charitable soul might suggest they appear to studiously avoid anything at all to do with patients ....

[jjb1970]

On sci-fi, for superior sci-fi TV (and indeed books) I recommend 'The Expanse'. The TV adaptation follows the books closely and while some compromises are made it is much more faithful to the source material than most. Terrific story which mixes an overall story arc plot with lots of sub plots, believable characters which for the most part (not all) avoid being one dimensional heroes or super-villains, a whole future construct of human kind having colonised the solar system which is very well thought out and believable. Perhaps most of all, appropriately given the title, it is one of the few sci-fi/space opera productions which gives some idea of the vastness of space. Gripping TV, I loved it, best sci-fi I've seen for many many years and I suspect it'll be recognized as a real classic of the genre.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Another morning where we both over slept, probably due to over eating last night! Anyway, it’s currently chuckinitdarn at the moment and according to the seaweed twirlers, it’ll be like this all week, so nowt will get done on the workshop. As a change, we are off to RHS Bridgewater, due to the weather it’ll probably be just to the visitor centre and cafe, maybe the garden centre if the rain eases a little. Then after dinner we’re off to Waitrose to get a few items we can’t get locally. 
 

Back later. 
 

Brian

[tigerburnie]

10 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

The Bush Tucker Man! A major in the Australian Army, his mission was to research possible edible foods in  Australia's tropical North and deserts in order to give service personal access to supplementary food and medical  resources in the field  should we ever have to fight the invading hordes sweeping down from the north -  from this the ABC commissioned a TV series about his work.

 

Nowadays every remote area  has "tough guys"  making docos about themselves  wandering around eating weird things but his TV series was released back in 1988, and he did actually do valuable research beyond the mere thrill of seeing someone eat something yucky.

 

For instance the Kakadu Pear, although its health and medicinal properties had been understood by the indigenous people for thousands of years, was not analysed until he sent some for further research. It turns out to contain the highest amount of vitamin C  of any plant  in the world.

 

He is also famous for his distinctively shaped slouch hat.

Him and Rex Hunt were my staple tv watching here in the 1990's when the Discovery Channel was worth watching

[grandadbob]

Walk cancelled as it started raining and still is although the sun is shining.  I'm staying in.

Just been on to the NHS website and easily booked our Covid boosters for tomorrow morning but we've got to wait until the beginning of October for our flu jabs.  Covid jabs are at a vaccination centre whilst flu jabs are done at our doctor's surgery.  No complaints from me about our surgery, I think I'm very lucky compared to some of you.

More coffee needed and The Boss wants me to order "stuff" from Amazon.  I've also got to get her a birthday card for next week and another present (she's had one already) so I'll deal with that shortly and then I may get around to muddling.  Possibly...unless she finds something else for me to "assist" with.

Edited September 18, 2023 by grandadbob

[tigerburnie]

My hospitals(I've now been in three in the last 2 years) have provided a very good service(though some of the grub might have even made a hungry bear back away), but the GP service is abysmal. My old practice closed due to lack of doctors, the one in charge packed it in and now works as a locum in a nearby town earning way more money it seems. My new practice that I have been with for around 18 months is very different to any I have come across before(this is my 7th in total), never seen a doctor, despite my ongoing health issues, I have spoken to one on the phone twice on unrelated issues(change of blood pressure tablet), the nurses are carrying the business and doing their best to make it work, no idea what the GP's are doing apart from the odd phone call and signing prescriptions(I think they might be still working from home since covid).

[grandadbob]

The last film I saw at the cinema was Apollo 13 which I think was in 1995.

[Hroth]

54 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

 

 

 

You should see your GP and have that boil lanced...

 

[DaveF]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

Morning All!

 

I tried booking my Covid booster as I'm eligible on two counts.      NHS website says website is broken.      Must be all those people desperately trying to book their jabs then ......

 

 

 

I have just tried the NHS website to see if I can get my Covid booster more quickly than waiting for my surgery to offer me an appointment.   I've treid two venues, both allow me to click on a time but when it asks if I want a confirmation e mail the screen goes blank.

 

I rang the first place I tried, another surgery, they are only doing their own patients - so why does the NHS website say appointments are available and gives the times you can book?

 

Useless!!

 

David

Edited September 18, 2023 by DaveF

[PupCam]

12 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

Just been on to the NHS website and easily booked our Covid boosters for tomorrow morning but we've got to wait until the beginning of October for our flu jabs.  Covid jabs are at a vaccination centre whilst flu jabs are done at our doctor's surgery.

 

Just had another go .......

 

 

I've tracked down the fault;  they didn't specify to omit the hyphens in the NHS number so I stupidly entered the complete number including the hyphens as it is presented in all of my hospital communications. 

Stupid boy Alan ......

 

I tried it once more sans hyphens and hey presto it works and the good news is my appointment is booked at the nearest pharmacy for later in the week.   I'm very pleased about that.

 

As an ex-Softie who at one point in his career far far away used to develop user interface applications I note the useful messages to the user advising them of the special formatting requirements for the data entry and the robust handling of incorrect albeit apparently correct data.    Must try harder .....  5/10.

 

Whilst we are talking vaccination.   Being over 65 I thought I'd try and book a Shingles jab but the rules have recently changed apparently.     If you are over 65 you are not eligible for one until you are 70.   For those youngsters amongst us as soon as you turn 65 you will be eligible.   So, if it's your 65th birthday tomorrow you can have some fun booking your Shingles jab.   I've got to wait another few years ....

 

As our American friends would say; "Go figure!"

 

TTFNQ

 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

21 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

The last film I saw at the cinema was Apollo 13 which I think was in 1995.

The last film I saw in a cinema was Love Story. Not my choice I might add but my then girlfriends. That must be all of fifty years ago.  

[eastwestdivide]

I've just had the same error "technical error - our fault" trying to book a jab for my mother, but seeing the post above, I filled in the NHS number without spaces (spaces were given in the example number on the site and in the NHS letter I was using). Without space, I got to the booking screen successfully.

Either there's some poor programming, or they're overwhelmed with people and only a few get through.

Edited September 18, 2023 by eastwestdivide

[Hroth]

10 minutes ago, eastwestdivide said:

Either there's some poor programming, or they're overwhelmed with people and only a few get through.

 

Given the relatively poor takeup of the offer for boosting the last priority group, I'd tend towards blaming poor programming.

 

[PupCam]

8 minutes ago, eastwestdivide said:

Either there's some poor programming, or they're overwhelmed with people and only a few get through.

 

I'll chose the first option (my emphasis) as I tried numerous times "full format" and failed and yet on the first go missing out some characters I got in.    

 

If the hyphens are not required they should either be silently trapped and removed and/or second best, the user should at least be advised of the "special requirement" for the format that is required.  In just the same way as they did provide an example of the DoB year format as four digits being necessary which is understandable because there are still some very old people about where a 2 digit date could be considered ambiguous.     Of course, that's not really likely as the DoB is tied to the NHS number which already knows if the individual is 2 years old or 102 years old.

 

The users maybe "simple" but at least give them some clues for any special requirements.

 

Anyway, the important thing is we're both sorted 😀

 

"Simple" Alan

[DaveF]

I tried again to book my Covid booster at a pharmacy a few miles away, once again it seemed to work but no confirmation.

 

I rang the pharmacy who checked it hadn't gone through.  They took my NHS number and booked it for me on their end of the website, they also took my mobile number so I now have the confirmation text.  They think the NHS website is a bit overwhelmed as they only put their appointments on at 9a.m. and I have got one of the last ones, 10.45 tomorrow.  All I have to do tomorow is find the place - I know where the village is and they have given me directions.

 

David

[grandadbob]

Now  muddling has been put on hold again as I have been tasked to print out umpteen photos of myself and the Boss.  Not my idea but Herself and Abbie are creating a photo collection of us to be displayed at our joint birthday bash in October.  Not quite sure why it has to be done now but when "someone" gets a bee in their bonnet about something it's much easier to just go with the flow.  Mind you that may come to a halt shortly as the ink in the printer is getting low, there is more en route but it's not here yet.

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

A special report...

 

So at 3:30am I woke up and couldn't catch my breath.

Rang 111 and within 10 minutes a very capable ambulance crew had arrived to find out the problem.

 

A trip to the LGI A&E (no blues and2s required).  Bloods taken ECGs done again.. then doctor arrives. She checks me out... seems like you are having a bit of an arterial fibrillation moment ..or six.

 

So.. jabs to help reduce fluids, x rays doe, more tablets issued (the water jab made me fell quite ill..). 

 

Now waiting for a bed in the Cardiology Ward. Frabjoy!

 

Bang goes my flu jab tomorrow. 

 

Feeling a bit better.. its a quiet day in A&E so far today.

 

Staff brilliant!

 

Baz

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Winslow Boy said:

I might be wrong, you often are I hear a shout from the back, but I think Nisa are a franchise operation- like bargain booze.

If so could the word be the name of the people who run the place on behalf of Nisa. Just a thought. I do occasionally get them. Not often I must admit as I find they can be a damn nuisance. 

 

The Co-op in the next village used to have a Co-op - that became a Nisa and the prices went up.......

 

1 hour ago, jjb1970 said:

On sci-fi, for superior sci-fi TV (and indeed books) I recommend 'The Expanse'. The TV adaptation follows the books closely and while some compromises are made it is much more faithful to the source material than most. Terrific story which mixes an overall story arc plot with lots of sub plots, believable characters which for the most part (not all) avoid being one dimensional heroes or super-villains, a whole future construct of human kind having colonised the solar system which is very well thought out and believable. Perhaps most of all, appropriately given the title, it is one of the few sci-fi/space opera productions which gives some idea of the vastness of space. Gripping TV, I loved it, best sci-fi I've seen for many many years and I suspect it'll be recognized as a real classic of the genre.

 

Thanks - apparently available as a freebie via Prime as well, so I'll check it out.

 

ION......

Two loads of washing done - that's a Tick.

Then I ended up having a battle with the piggin' rattin' Amazon website - they wanted me to enter one of those verification code number thingies that they were sending by text as a part of the login process - only I never receive them; this is a long-standing issue that's never been resolved.

The first customer service guy reckons I don't have an account (really?), the second didn't know and the third finally managed to sort it - once I was logged in to Amazon (with much help from him) I deleted my mobile phone number from the site, which of course will stop them trying to text me those piggin' numbers.  He said to ignore any future prompts asking me to submit a number, which should keep it fixed as well.  Big Tick.

He then transferred me to "Delano" from Amazon Logistics Support (and by the sound of his accent in the U.S.) who happily listened to Bear having a (polite) Rant about Nob'ead Couriers (a) dumping stuff on the doorstep, and (b) often not ringing the bell either.  T0ssers.  I got the impression he'll be firing off a Snottogram to the relevant Courier Agency responsible for delivering to Bear Towers; a couple of weeks ago I also amended my delivery address to include instructions regarding leaving parcels at named neighbours if I'm not at home - which of course they won't know if they don't ring the piggin' bell in the first place........

Only time will tell to see if things improve or not.

Total time taken:  45 minutes.

 

After that I (hopefully) sorted some wrinkly wallpaper in one corner of the muddlin' room; in a day or so it'll need a bit of paint applied but that'll only take 20 minutes or so.  Of course as this activity all took place in the muddlin' room it does of course comply with orders from a certain Sqn. Ldr......doesn't it?

 

BG

Edited September 18, 2023 by polybear

[grandadbob]

Sorry to hear that Baz, hope you get sorted out and released from captivity soon. 

[Hroth]

Seeing as my GP surgery was being pig-headed about covid jabs, I decided to try booking one through the NHS website.  After following the instructions/caveats listed by fellow ERs, I was offered a jab and located a handy clinic with plenty of parking.  As its next door to an Aldi, even if the clinics car park is full, I can park at Aldi (and do some shopping afterwards to keep them happy!).

 

Regarding my previous remarks about a dearth of vaccinations locally, the interesting thing is that my offered jab was on the same day (a month hence) as my flu jab, but several hours earlier, so I should be able to fit both in...

 

Perhaps I ought to phone my opticians for an eyetest.

The appointment is for TOMORROW!!!  WeyHey!!!

 

Start writing the shopping list

Milk

Bread

...

 

Almost bug@ered that one up....

 

Edited September 18, 2023 by Hroth
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