Early Risers.

[Winslow Boy]

Well up, showered, dog fed not necessary in that order.

 

Bit of excitement last night as we had the rozzers round taping off the roads and SoCo here taking photos. Yet to find out what it was all about but no doubt the neighbourhood grapevine will be all agog. We don't do that sort of thing round here so no doubt a few for sale signs might be appearing.

 

Anyway stay safe everyone. Me and the hound are off exploring the Croele-Irwell Valley.

[DaveF]

A fine but much colder morning with a northerly breze, the few people I've seen this morning are wearing thick winter coats, no short sleeved T shirts so it must be cold.

 

The house jobs are done and things are being moved round because the Christmas cacti are about to flower so they will be boght into the house which means making space for them.  Fortunately they don't all flower at once, it is usually two at a time from now until sometime in January so it isn't too difficult.  I just have to move a rather large orchid - the only problem with that is it doesn't really fit anywhere easily so it means moving other things round, then where do I put the bits I move and so on....  I supposre the answer is to put things in boxes out of the way or even get rid of things, but that isn't always easy.  I will have to move some books which are in the "to read pile", perhaps I could read them and then put them on a bookshelf.

 

Once that is sorted out I might do some model things, a bit of the jigsaw which has the hardest bits left to do, a lot of trees.  I got on better yesterday when I realised I had started to put one together  upside down.  I might even make a model.

 

At some time I'll probably go outside for some fresh air but I think I'll wait until it is a little less chilly.

 

So far today I've deleted about 36 e mails offereing me special Black Friday deals, I might have been interested if there was anything I urgently wanted.

 

David 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

After I’d posted last night, I lost the connection to rmweb, but all seems ok now. Anyway, today is a beautiful sunny day here in the northwest corner of England, so I think I’m going to enjoy my walk to the butchers (not that I don’t anyway) a little bit more this morning. After that, WE are going to the Trafford Centre, so that’ll mean the rest of the morning is gone then. There are no firm plans for the afternoon, so perhaps a bit of reading and research. 
 

Back later. 
 

Brian

[jjb1970]

Just had to reset the house circuit breakers after what I assume was lightning wiped them out, there was a monumental bang and a flash just as they went. Proper thunder and lightning outside and a full on deluge, it's pretty savage even by the standards of SE Asian inclement weather. Sounds like the Malaysians are invading or something...... I feel sorry for dogs, as it must be awful for them, but then again when thunder and lightning are a part of normal life maybe they don't get frightened the way bangs and flashes upset dogs in Britain.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Nothing too exciting happening here today. Well not compared to yesterday, when then coffee machine needed descaling! Food supplies will be arriving soon, I think everything we ordered will be delivered. 
We may go out for a walk, it depends on whether or not the big black clouds go away. 
Tony

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Somewhat overcast here and feels quite fresh out but it's dry with a gentle breeze although there was a shower earlier. There may be one or two sunny spells later.  8°C now and might hurtle up to 9°C.

A walk to Asda has been undertaken as Sainsbury's let us down a bit yesterday and 4 items had to be returned, damaged or short dated.

The Boss is doing something in the gardening department and my main task will be to do some minor decorating jobs, a couple of repairs  I've been putting off for weeks months actually a couple of years. (I don't like decorating, in fact I positively hate it, unfortunately when I do get a round tuit I tend to make quite a good job of it and Management knows this and doesn't let me forget it.  Not sure how I've managed to put this off for so long.)

James came round last Sunday and the new rubber felt has been applied to The Shed but didn't quite finish off the final trimming so will be doing that this Sunday. (That was another couple of Deltics!)

Muggacoffee now and then GDB must be about it.

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited November 24, 2023 by grandadbob

[Darlington_Shed]

56 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

hells bells its still November

 

Had to give myself a stern talking-to yesterday - found myself humming White Christmas 😠

[iL Dottore]

Unfortunately....

... when Baz (@Barry O) was told they'd be playing some "Giants of The Game", he didn't realise they meant it literally...

Edited November 24, 2023 by iL Dottore
Typo

[PhilJ W]

22 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Morning all.

Nothing too exciting happening here today. Well not compared to yesterday, when then coffee machine needed descaling! 

I descaled the kettle a few days ago, it does make a difference to the taste of the tea. Soft water is better for tea but hard water is better for brewing beer.

[Tony_S]

5 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I descaled the kettle a few days ago, it does make a difference to the taste of the tea. Soft water is better for tea but hard water is better for brewing beer.

We have a water softener but the downstairs cold taps are not connected to it, so our kettle and coffee machine do need some descaling. The coffee machine does have a replaceable filter in the water tank but I am not sure what it filters. 
I quite enjoyed having tea when we were in Yorkshire. Just ordering a pot of tea always resulted in something quite acceptable. Though all the more exotic varieties were available for those who desired such things. We had some gift vouchers for Bettys Cafe and Tearooms. I always imagined that Betty was some enterprising Yorkshire woman who had started a tea room after the First World War. However it turned out to be a Swiss chap who after being orphaned and being used as cheap labour on a farm decided to seek his fortune in a place he believed was called Bratwurst in England. So after arriving in Bradford and working in a local confectionery business he eventually started the famous tea room in Harrogate. 

[Tony_S]

I think the AI doesn’t really understand cricket. 

[PhilJ W]

6 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

We have a water softener but the downstairs cold taps are not connected to it, so our kettle and coffee machine do need some descaling. The coffee machine does have a replaceable filter in the water tank but I am not sure what it filters. 
I quite enjoyed having tea when we were in Yorkshire. Just ordering a pot of tea always resulted in something quite acceptable. Though all the more exotic varieties were available for those who desired such things. We had some gift vouchers for Bettys Cafe and Tearooms. I always imagined that Betty was some enterprising Yorkshire woman who had started a tea room after the First World War. However it turned out to be a Swiss chap who after being orphaned and being used as cheap labour on a farm decided to seek his fortune in a place he believed was called Bratwurst in England. So after arriving in Bradford and working in a local confectionery business he eventually started the famous tea room in Harrogate. 

Here's a history of Betty's.

https://www.bettys.co.uk/timeline#intro

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, Darlington_Shed said:

 

Had to give myself a stern talking-to yesterday - found myself humming White Christmas 😠

 

Radio stations are getting jittery too.

 

Yesterday Classic FM played "In the Bleak Midwinter".  Obviously softening listeners up for a week today when they'll go all Christmas Music...

 

A bit more restrained than the telly.  The Digital channels in the far reaches of the listings have been purveying "Christmas Films" since September, and now Ch5 is filling its afternoon schedule with similar dross.

 

Bring on Slade!!!

 

[The Lurker]

15 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

The second Anglo-Dutch war (which encompasses the Raid on the Medway) was pre-empted by the capture by the Duke of York and Albany* of New Amsterdam and Fort Orange (now New York and Albany) in 1664.

 

* The future James II.

 

The Dutch would recapture it but later trade it for Willoughbyland (the English colony in South America, aka Suriname) presuming that tropical agriculture would be more profitable than what would become NYC.

 

A Dutchman yes, but also the grandson of one Stuart King and nephew of two others. One of the legacies of the T&Cs* of the Glorious Revolution is the gun problem in the US.

 

* The 1689 English Bill of Rights.

 

Much of British imperialism (and by consequence the US) stems from this period. The impact on world history of these times is greatly overlooked.

 

They also included the island in East Indies that was the home of Nutmeg. This was an English possession having been given by the locals because they were far more friendly than the VOE.

[New Haven Neil]

Didn't know that about Betty's.  I used to go there after attending CIPD HR conferences in the conference centre in Harrogate, always an excuse to go anyway.  The boss didn't drive so I was the preferred accompaniment as she liked my car.  Oh, R18 Turbo - those were the days!

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I think the AI doesn’t really understand cricket. 

Does anyone?

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

Car unloaded,

Activity at front of house done, filled hole in front door frame where meeces are trying to get into the house.

Activity at easterly side of house added, leveling slabs with sand, some done, as it was out off the wind, but still darn cold.

Went to workshop, to find heater on... It's set at 4C on, 6 C off..

Chopped some scrap wood which now on the fire.

Made like Slartibartfast at 3.5 mm to the foot.

Froze on walk round garden with Ben , he took some time to settle but is asleep again.

 

[TheQ]

Tis windy..

Gusting 46mph out there..

7C  that's a feels like of 0C..

[jamie92208]

The boss has been in bed most of the day.  I have been gainfully employed in the shed and have routed a tounge on the end of 15 boards for the new shutters.  The tounges even fit in the groove that I routed in another board that will form the top rail.  

 

Jamie

Edited November 24, 2023 by jamie92208

[The Lurker]

56 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Does anyone?

Every civilised person understands cricket. It's a mark of civilisation. It's how we knew Piltdown Man was a direct ancestor of sapiens - he was found with a fossilised cricket bat.

 

CB Fry (English cricketer, athlete, footballer, rugby player, acrobat and ice skater, who turned down the throne of Albania because of the likely cost) once said something along the lines of if we had only taught the Germans cricket, Nazism would never have got a foothold.

What he couldn't have guessed was that if we had taught them cricket, they would have dominated it, and knocked England out of world cups in a series of last over bowl offs...

[Gwiwer]

Greetings from the Great Outdoors. 
 

Dr SWMBO is easing her very poorly knees in the Jubilee Pool (geothermal end) while I enjoy a flat white and sour cherry slice in the café. 
 

The hand rails which boat-builder friend installed midweek have eased her passage up and down stairs significantly but age and weight are not doing her any favours. 
 

At least it is calm and (unless in pool or sea) dry allowing this non-swimmer* to park his butt for an hour and watch. 
 

Tomorrow I am told we are to meet friends at St Germans for lunch. I hope she knows how far that is. We’re only driving the first eight miles. There are trains for the rest. 
 

But first. It will be beer o’clock when we return this afternoon. And that’s when the weekend starts.  
 

* as in I don’t enjoy swimming and take a great deal of persuasion to get into water. But if a life needed saving I’d be first in. 
 

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Gwiwer

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Not done a lot today, got the next load ready for the washing machine and that will go on this evening. Received two items in the post this morning, one was a book on something that runs on two parallel rails and the other was a card saying there is excess postage to pay. The excess postage is £3.50 and as I am waiting for a few items on mail order I forked out the money. If I get these not enough postage cards I ignore them as in the past I've paid out for something that I didn't want or ask for.

[pH]

6 hours ago, grandadbob said:

… my main task will be to do some minor decorating jobs, a couple of repairs  I've been putting off for weeks months actually a couple of years. (I don't like decorating, in fact I positively hate it, unfortunately when I do get a round tuit I tend to make quite a good job of it and Management knows this and doesn't let me forget it …

Perhaps get yourself one of these?

 

https://www.lightinthebox.com/p/men-s-unisex-t-shirt-tee-3d-print-graphic-patterned-letter-crew-neck-street-daily-print-short-sleeve-tops-designer-casual-vintage-big-and-tall-black-a_p9217372.html?from_cid=1

[DaveF]

A quiet day with a few jobs done.  Sufficient things were moved round to make space for the Christmas cacti I brought in to the house and the orchid has a new home in my bedroom where it will get enough light but not too much.  After that I had a look at the kitchen cupboards and did some reorganising so things both fit better and are easier to get at.  Some things ended up in the bin, to be honest that is the best place for them.

 

Once that was done it was time for coffee, afterwards I had a slightly shorter walk than usual having first got out a thick sweater and a jacket with a fleece zipped into it.  The sun was nice but the wind was biting as it came along the coast.  At least it stayed dry.

 

Then it was time for lunch followed by paying some society subscriptions for next year.  The reminders came in today's post so I paid them while I remembered.  It would help if the renewal from was enclosed with the magazine as was stated in the magazine.  I just did it on line which was quicker.

 

Then I had a long chat on the phone with a friend, we compared our symptoms as usual and decided that really we are fortunate compared to many people.  Next it was time for a cup of tea and a go at the jigsaw, whiich will continue after tea.

 

David

[Tony_S]

Our walk didn’t get us a lot of exercise. I assumed we were going to walk round the reservoir at Hanningfield. However, Aditi had been talking to her friends and they had recommended the Essex Wildlife centre as being a good place to shop for new binoculars. She had been thinking about getting some for a while now. Our existing ones are fine for the garden but not a lot else. We got to try lots and were both happy with the choice. At the wildlife centre we could at least try them by looking at birdies rather than bricks in a high street environment. The black vaguely bird like things were identified as  cormorants. By the time we had had a cup of tea it was getting dark so we came home.