Early Risers.

[Ozexpatriate]

14 hours ago, Sidecar Racer said:

Now I could be wrong but , I think Tony and I were just being amusing with our

comments . 

Nothing I wrote was calculated / intended to offend. I didn't interpret your reply as being serious.

[Ozexpatriate]

17 hours ago, The Lurker said:

My Mum had a Rolf Harris Christmas Album that we listened to lots when I was little. I quite liked Six White Boomers and the one about "Forget you ever saw me dust".  There was one about a Christmas Pig and one about a Banksia.

I remember all of those songs very well. That album got played a lot while I was growing up. Bing's White Christmas was played more - but only because it was owned for longer. My dad came home from work one day uncharacteristically delighted. He had finally found a Christmas album he had wanted for years - Gene Autry's Christmas album - with "Here comes Santa Claus" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".

 

Fans of the film Christmas Vacation will recognize "Here comes Santa Claus" as the song played while the police arrive at the end of the movie. (Yes spoilers! That movie is now 34 years old!)

 

He was a big fan of singing cowboys when he was young. Autry's version of "Don't fence me in" is the one I remember most. Better than Ba-ba-ba-Bing.

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[jjb1970]

11 hours ago, Tony_S said:

You have a lot of luggage there!

 

Like I say, Mrs JJB could have planned the Normandy landings......

 

In Beijing Capital and I am wondering if Vladimir Putin is in town as there are 4 Rossiya jets (Il96 + 3 Tu214) plus an air force Il76 on the airfield. One of the Tu214's has a big canoe type fairing on top of the fuselage, which I'm guessing is military comms antennae. That's not some lower wrung seat warmer, to send that gear is someone senior, if not Putin I'd guess Sergei Lavrov.

[Ozexpatriate]

After much anticipation:

 

CNN: Volcano erupts on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula

 

This will literally be yesterday's news by the time most of you greet the new day on the 19th.

 

The eruption began around 10:00pm "local time" in Iceland, which, if I'm not mistaken is GMT. Lots of lava fountains along a fissure - as expected.

 

By tomorrow I'm sure there will be better reporting and footage available.

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Speaking of storms, Cyclone Jasper has dumped over 2 metres of rain over parts of Nth QLD, resulting in the largest flooding there on record.

Saw reports of crocodiles showing where you normally wouldn't find them - like this quote from Ingham where a 2.5m / 8' salty was captured near a park:

Quote

People in flood affected areas cannot be complacent and the capture of this animal is a timely reminder that crocodiles can turn up in unusual places, including places they have never been seen before,

 

[BR60103]

I had a note Saturday from the book chain that the book I pre-ordered has had its release date changed from Dec 12 to Dec 26.

I had a note yesterday that the book is shipping from their warehouse.

 

The weather outside (as reported) has changed from sleet to partly cloudy in the last hour.

 

 

[jjb1970]

Heavy digital zoom unfortunately to get snaps with my cellphone.

 

[Flanged Wheel]

Oooh - international espionage on Early Risers…!

 

I think it is the Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin, who is in China to discuss energy cooperation.

 

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/beijing-ready-expand-energy-cooperation-with-russia-chinese-envoy-moscow-2023-12-19/

[Tony_S]

4 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Nothing I wrote was calculated / intended to offend. I didn't interpret your reply as being serious.

I wasn’t at all offended. As it turns out advice on protective headwear may be very useful. We have had port visits on cruises cancelled due to rough sea conditions. Iceland could be rough land instead. 

[Barry O]

@jjb1970 interesting comms/ecm fit.. obviously they don't trust the people along the route or at the destination..

 

baz

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

The gas person cometh.  Between 8 and 1 t the gas "engineer" will be coming to service our boiler,  hob and last remaining gas  fire.

 

Later I should be spending some quality time with a great bunch of friends. Good day in prospect!

 

My diary for this week is officially.. ful!  So full I can't get to the bakers on Friday afternoon to collect the Stand Pies ordered by her indoors. No doubt by the time I get back Dr Eldest Herbert may have eaten most of one... a suitable armoured box needs to be provided I think.. another task for today?

 

We normally ho for a little walk after Christmas  Day lunch. Hopefully the weather will benok to do that..  other than that we will be battening the hatches and staying in.

 

Enjoy your day in whatever way you can! Thoughts are with those who are less than 100% health wise and especially to those awaiting test results.

 

Baz

[jamie92208]

10 hours ago, The Lurker said:

The Icefields Parkway is magnificent- I have been lucky enough to do it twice, each time southwards. The first time was, like Tony, in sunshine and clear blue skies.Lake Louise had a marvellous early evening feel; it felt almost dreamlike. It was cloudy the second time but still dry, but still great views.

, that was the view for the first week of our honeymoon.  Fabulous place.  Today is more mundane, 311 miles north to Compiègne via the N10. A10, A86 and A 1.

 

Ttfn.

 

Jamie

[New Haven Neil]

Apparently it is a morning, too dark to tell. 8c and of course, wet.

 

A day of contemplation here, as we await the results of Mrs NHN's imaging irradiation yesterday.  Her first experience of CT scan - 'is that it?'.  Previous MRIs of course being long and noisy.

 

As for me, housework I suppose, and a bit of conflab with friends after lunch.

 

Those Russian aircraft are likely hoovering up Chinese information as they fly about, while in turn the Chinese turn off everything they can, or turn on old stuff that is very 'dirty' electronically.  Takes me back to the Russian 'trawlers' we used to see at sea, with more pointy things than a porcupine.

[iL Dottore]

14 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

You would be greener here.Beth and a friend have joi tly bought a sausage maki g machine and production started after we got  brought some Wild Boar and Venison chu ks. The sausages taste delicious.

I too have a sausage making machine (it’s an attachment for my Kenwood Chef). The attachment is both a mincer (three dies: fine, medium and coarse) a kebne make and a sausage stuffer.

 

It does take some getting used to and if you want to make proper British Breakfast Banger you have to source rusk or something that will do the same thing. Getting the meat mix (proportions of meat, fat, rusk) is often quite a challenge (I’ve yet to quite get there).

 

One critical tip I got from a pro, is that everything has to be as cold as possible: meat, machinery, mixing bowls, apparently this is due to the way meat fats behave as they warm up.

 

I have some venison in the deep freeze, will have to see about making some venison sausages over Christmas.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

It's still dark and it's raining.  The dampness is set to continue for at least an hour or more.  It may brighten up and become breezy this afternoon.  12°C now and will probably stay at that.

I think The Boss has one or two domestic tasks for "us" to do on this week's list of essential tasks before the festivities.  It's possible that a bit of furniture needs shifting but it's smaller stuff that me and Ernie (The 'Ernia) can deal with.

I have a parcel with wheeled thingies due and it has already arrived at the Parcelforce depot in Sutton so it should be here today.  I'm looking forward to the unboxing but there won't be a video although if it turns up after lunch when  I'm "zooming" I may have to ask the "teacher" if I can leave the room!😉 😂

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited December 19, 2023 by grandadbob

[monkeysarefun]

5 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Bing's White Christmas

 The sleeve for Bings Christmas album  appears amongst the wreckage of Cyclone Tracy at around the 3 minute mark in Bill and Boyds "Santa Never Made It Into Darwin".

 

CHristmas 1974 was one of several Christmases through the years that seemed to have a backdrop of some unfolding natural disaster  occurring  somewhere in the country , though it is usually bushfires. 

 

Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin in the early hours of Christmas Morning  and destroyed the entire city -  I remember a Christmas morning of presents and the usual christmas  fun that you have when you are 10, while on the radio was a continual updating description of destruction and tragedy.

 

"Santa Never Made It Into Darwin"  was released a couple of weeks later and got high-rotation on the radio for a few months after, - it did pop up again at CHristmas time for the next year or two but songs about natural disasters do put a bit of a dent in the celebration so it didn't become a Christmas classic.  (All proceeds it made went to Darwin support organisations, so you can't complain about it too much!) 

 

 

 

Fans of Brit Cars Downunder will appreciate the  Morris 1100 (or is it an 1800?) in the opening scene that has the must-have NT accessory, a  big roo-bar. 

 

Fans of PPE will appreciate that things were done differently by clean-up crews  up there and back  then. 

 

 

 

 

Hey, thats the second natural disaster I've posted about today.

Edited December 19, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[TheQ]

That's a Morris 1800..

 

Yes, there was always a Russian" trawler" just off the coast of Benbecula / South Uist monitoring the radars and the missile Range.

 

Mooring Awl,

3 hours sleep, short Awake, 2 hours sleep, short awake, 2 1/2 hours Sleep, plus further dozing. I needed that.

 

Splash, splash. Splash, yes heavy rain for much of the night, and Ben the I'm not waiting any longer Collie ,needed his patrol. Dull, very, very wet puddles over maximum, with more soggy defending.

 

Later I'm travelling through Ingham which hopefully is a bit drier than it's Aussie namesake. Especially as it's the site of a former Priory and is therefore well above (13M ASL) the surrounding much lower marshland.

 

Radar Museum day, and I've got some new changeable  lenses with lights to help muddling at 1:1000 it will no doubt show more iniquities that need correcting.

 

Time I moved, breaky will be something hot and substantial..

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by TheQ

[roundhouse]

8 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

I have a parcel with wheeled thingies due and it has already arrived at the Parcelforce depot in Sutton so it should be here today.  I'm looking forward to the unboxing but there won't be a video although if it turns up after lunch when  I'm "zooming" I may have to ask the "teacher" if I can leave the room!😉 😂

 

Or ask SWMBO to bring it into the room🙂

 

Yes wet here. I moved the layouts between the shed and garage yesterday whilst it was dry.

 

We had a good xmas meal on Saturday in Croydon. Beer range not as good as it used to be in the Spread Eagle. Our friend from Warrington made it on time but going home he departed Euston 2 hours 40 mins later than he should have due to Avanti having a shortage of drivers despite the now reduced services to Manchester. Even they were messed up so he didnt even have the option to go via Manchester. He's so peeved that he has cancelled coming down for beers on Thursday in Central London, so our pre xmas drinks will now just be me and one other assuming that he can get down in time from Cumbria before he flies West. Gone are the days when there would be quite a crowd of us.

 

Sunday with the late AndrewC's relatives went very well, finishing in the Royal Oak in Borough. It was our turn for trains to be messed up but luckily we decided to go for a later train by the time we departed the pub and that did run on time but very crowded from East Croydon due to two previous trains being diverted away / cancelled to our destination.

 

Tonight we just have to dodge any lingering rain on our walk to the local pubs.

[Barry O]

@roundhouse.. good idea getting mrs GDB to take the parcel in to Bob.. would she chuck it (like any good delivery driver does) or place it gently in front of him,???😄

 

Baz.. waiting for the gas service person....

[Hroth]

What do you call a delivery driver?

 

Chuck!

 

(I'm waiting for an Amazon delivery, their M.O. is ring the bell and run away...)

 

The driver turned up at 4pm and actually waited for me to answer the door!

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by Hroth
Update

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Once again I’ve got up early for an appointment at the surgery, for a blood test, this should have been done yesterday, but due to a water leak, all appointments were cancelled at very short notice. Thankfully it’s not raining, so at least I will stay dry during my walk there and back. 
 

After that WE are once again going to the Trafford Centre for a few more bits and pieces, who knew we needed so much stuff? This afternoon I’ve got another appointment, this time with the dental hygienist! So, not a great day really, although it could be worse. 
 

Back later.

 

Brian 

[DaveF]

A fine start this morning with the cloud starting to clear, the forecast is for sun.  There was only a trace of rain in the rain gauge this morning.  I got up and had a quick breakfast which was as well because Asda delivered the groceries at 07.45, rather than betwen 8 and 9.  The driver says they are a "bit" busy, he needs a bigger van.  Just about everything came but I have a lot of both melon and grapes as what I ordered was out of stock, but they don't charge for the extra.  I also have a lot of carrots, perhaps it is in case Santa's reindeer feel a bit peckish when they pass by on Sunday night.  The fridge and freezer are very full, I could withstand a siege - or bad weather.

 

All I have to do later in the week is perhaps get a few things from local shop.  The Christmas present shopping is done.

 

I am feeling relieved this morning after yesterday's visit to the dentist that I don't need any work doing on my teeth, usually at least one filling needs doing each Christmas.  I shall eat carefully over Christmas to try not to cause problems.

 

I now have to decide what to do today, I intend to get out for some fresh air but have not decided for how long or where to go yet.  Sometime in the next few days I have to sort out some photos for a book, I had a request from an author yesterday.  The "payment" will simply be a copy of the book when it is published.

 

David

[grandadbob]

Parcel is now out for delivery and The Boss is now out to Asda.  She's not happy about going there by herself and me sitting at home but I did offer to go and let her wait in for the parcels however I might not get the right stuff!  More likely I'd get the right stuff but one or two "extras" that aren't on her list.  😁

[New Haven Neil]

Shockingly, the wet has receded and some brightness is apparent. 

 

I need to have a walk for some exercise and fresh air, but it is very windy once more so may go into town the Bright Lights of Royal Ramsey for shelter and walk up and down Regent Parliament Street and look in the shop windows.  Oh and I have to go way out west to Kirk Michael to a pharmacy in the hope they have finally got in stock what Mrs NHN requires.  Trouble is as half of the script has been dispensed, they have to do the rest, you can't then go elsewhere.  It's all go on Fraggle Rock today.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

It is raining here. We have venture out across the estuarial waters to Canvey today. Bit of an exaggeration really , it is a fairly short bridge over the creek. The clinic shares a car park with a Sainsbury but I don’t think I will be sent off to do any shopping. 
TONY