Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

Evening all.  

 

Far from the best day I've had recently.  I slept badly for reasons unknown and woke feeling dehydrated.  I wasn't too hot but I might have been under-watered.  Visits to the bathroom have confirmed that diagnosis; matters are returning towards normal as I have mostly drunk only water today (and rather more than I normally would) avoiding most tea and coffee breaks.  

 

The former employer has emailed me to advise that despite the pay award which is backdated to 2021 being settled I am somehow not entitled to it because I retired in 2023.  They say it is only for currently-serving staff.  As that means those staff have now been paid at the agreed rate for the period since 2021 and I have not there exists a discrepancy and I have, to my mind, been under-paid.  Next stop - legal advice.  

 

1C90 is only 2 minutes late at present which is most uncommon.  Dr. SWMBO's train is normally over a half-hour late by this time but it seems that tonight I shall be picking her up more or less on time for a change.  

 

In other news my friends who are due to stay at the end of the month have confirmed their dates.  She has also confirmed her intention to carry an engagement ring which she plans to offer to him on Leap Year's day.  Unless the weather is diabolical the deed shall be done at sunset on the clifftops here.  I can think of more romantic settings but not many.  And not without expensive international travel.  I hope he accepts!  

[New Haven Neil]

34 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. New car collected and I'm well satisfied, in fact the only thing I don't like is the darkened back windows but I'm willing to put up with those. Best thing from my point of view is the ample footroom, plenty for my size elevens. Another feature I like is a deep compartment under the boot floor. It might be possible to stand the rollator in it and put the parcel shelf down. Testing that is a job for the morning.

 

Was it the Zafira you got, Phil?

[PupCam]

Anyone want to buy a telescope?   🤬  

 

 

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

the only thing I don't like is the darkened back windows but I'm willing to put up with those.

All of our recent cars have had darkened rear windows. They don’t impair driving visibility but do make it a bit harder for anyone looking in to see anything on the back seats.  That is harder, not impossible. Or is it an aesthetic thing, dark windows on a light car? My car is black paintwork with dark obscured glass in the rear. 

Edited February 1 by Tony_S

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. New car collected and I'm well satisfied, in fact the only thing I don't like is the darkened back windows but I'm willing to put up with those. Best thing from my point of view is the ample footroom, plenty for my size elevens. Another feature I like is a deep compartment under the boot floor. It might be possible to stand the rollator in it and put the parcel shelf down. Testing that is a job for the morning.

 

Yeti has tinted back windows.

I noticed them when I got the car, after time I got used to them!

 

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Was it the Zafira you got, Phil?

No, the insurance paid up quicker than expected so I had a bit more money to spend on a replacement. The new car is a Nissan Note with twelve months MoT and has all the extras. This because it was registered in January which is a good time of year to buy a car as few people are buying cars and you can get a good deal. The darkened windows are part of that as are such things as picnic tables for the rear seat passengers. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355414574592

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Something has woken up Arthur Itis this evening so Nurofen has been taken. Strangely sitting on the bed seems to be the most comfortable when Arthur Itis is at his worst. Now to tackle Farcebook.

[DaveF]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. New car collected and I'm well satisfied, in fact the only thing I don't like is the darkened back windows but I'm willing to put up with those. Best thing from my point of view is the ample footroom, plenty for my size elevens. Another feature I like is a deep compartment under the boot floor. It might be possible to stand the rollator in it and put the parcel shelf down. Testing that is a job for the morning.

 

The Yaris I bought last autumn has darkened windows at the back.  I have found I can see out of the back very well, in fact far better than my previous Yaris which also had dark glass.

 

I thnk the newer dark windows are perhaps a bit more "see through" than earlier ones, especially from the inside looking out.  You still can't see the inside of the back of the car at all well from the outside.

 

David

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[NGT6 1315]

Cheers all...

 

Well, I now have the flu as well. Had to happen, of course. I'll get myself to bed in a few, but before I do, could anyone enlighten me re the following? I feel I won't get any sleep before I know...

 

 

Nite awl.

 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.  Trainspotting to be done today plus a bit of shopping. 

 

We went shopping yesterday and visited various shops in Niort and ended up having a good Chinese buffet.  Not a bad day in all. On a rather different not

 

I am thoroughly enjoying paying visits to to a bald Eagle nest coutesy of YouTube.  

They are fabulous to watch.  The female, Jackie has just laid three eggs and is currently incubating then whilst sitting in several inches of snow.  Las years eggs didn't hatch so I hope that they have better luck this year.

 

Jamie

Edited February 2 by jamie92208

[TheQ]

Unfortunately cookies,  because we are controlled by Bill Gates microchips.

 

Mooring Awl.

3 hours sleep, medium awake, 3.5 hours sleep. Ben woke me at one point giving lots of little woofs in his sleep.

 

Forepaws extremely unhappy, a combination of another change in the weather, and being on the end of a fibreglass shaft through a chunk of metal hitting wood.

Not  looking forward to waving a sander at the hull of BM today, paws won't be happy at that. But I really need to get the annual hull work done.

 

Hopefully the padding will have stuck to the board for swmbo's weaving and not stuck to the unmentionable where it's residing on an as yet until muddled bit.

 

humm very dark outside, and I can hear the wind. Doesn't sound good for boat work.

 

I'm hungry,

time to get up take Ben on patrol then the kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 2 by TheQ

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Slept well. 

Off to watch some cricket on TV.. 

 

Today involves waiting in for a visit from a builder to quote to turn our outside porch into a weather protected area. That could be.. expensive.. ouch!

 

Time to getonwithit!

 

Baz

Edited February 2 by Barry O

[Hroth]

We use cookies as we prefer to dunk biscuits in our tea!

 

BTW, I tried the US method of cooking tea in a microwave. No wonder they think adding salt would improve the taste...

 

[Grizz]

Morning All

 

Today I’ll mostly be trying to get my treacherous Landy to bleedin well start….🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

 

Had a real John Cleese Faulty Towers moment with it yesterday. Thin that it is either the immobiliser, earth fault or possibly crank shaft sensor. Hope that it is not the last one as sensors are a pain. 
 

Have a great day all

 

ATB Grizz

[monkeysarefun]

29 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Unfortunately cookies,  because we are controlled by Bill Gates microchips.

 

 

Microfries in the US.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Dull here.  It will be  a mainly dry, grey, cloudy mild and breezy day with the chance of a few spots of rain.  8°C rising to 13°C.

Multiple TCs abound at the moment as I appear to have lost a gold ring that my mother bought me for my 17th birthday.  The search is ongoing.

Yesterday's walking reached 2 miles in total for me and The Knee and The Hip have been behaving quite well lately. OTOH The Boss is having a problem with her right calf and a visit to the doctor is scheduled for today.

The last locos were tested yesterday and out of a total of 73 there is one scrap and 5 that need attention, three of which need traction tyres, bloody things, wish I'd never bought them.  Two others are still a bit stuttery despite umpteen laps so further investigations will be needed.

6 Nations rugby starts tonight with France v Ireland, England are visiting Italy and Wales are hosting Scotland tomorrow.  No prizes for guessing what I'll be doing.  France are favourites to win the title followed by Ireland and then England.  Not sure about the latter as the England team is much changed with 5 uncapped players in the squad due to injuries, international retirements and some players now barred because they're playing for foreign clubs . (Stupid rule IMHO)  Mind you the new blood could be A Good Thing!

Apparently The Boss thinks "it'stimetogettamoveon."

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited February 2 by grandadbob
Punchewayshun and speelink. There may be more.

[New Haven Neil]

11 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

The new car is a Nissan Note

 

Thanks Phil.  The reason I ask is that it is becoming apparent that my next car will need easier access/egress than my i30, and we're starting to look around to see what may suit.  I'm very happy with the car, it has been faultless at 9 years old now but getting in and out is fast becoming very uncomfortable.

 

Morning world, windy again here and showers fore-guessed, so the Old Farts Brunch is a car job, and even better the boorish guy that invited himself into the group isn't coming today.

 

OK better get on with it, Steve'll be here soon , it's his turn to drive - how diplomatic we are!

[Tony_S]

2 hours ago, Grizz said:

Thin that it is either the immobiliser, earth fault or possibly crank shaft sensor.

One of my Freelanders had an occasional refuse to start. Wait a while and it would start. When it did its fail to start at home I called out the Lamd Rover Rescue people. The chap arrived and said that it was almost certainly an earth fault, would probably take 30 secinds to sort. Half an hour later after bypassing loads,of sensors with tiny jump leads , he identified an intermittent fault on the starter motor. This was replaced next day. 

[DaveF]

It's quite cloudy and mild with a strong wind, during the night there was enough noise to wake me several times until I got my earplugs in my ears, then it was OK.  This morning's usual jobs have been done. The new bits of sealant around the bath seem to have dried correctly, of course there is one small bit I missed.  It may get done today... or tomorrow.

 

As I am visiting the hospital this afternoon I am intending to have a quiet morning doing a few small bits and pieces and in due course enjoying a coffee before having an early lunch.

 

Then I hope that this evening I will relax.

 

David

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Overslept this morning, didn't wake up until 08:15 so a bit of a rush. But it did mean that I got almost eight hours sleep in all, only a couple of interruptions, one from bladder control and the other from Arthur Itis when I had to break out the Nurofen.  This morning I will be loading the car with the bits and pieces that I like to carry in the car, torch, ice scraper, microfibre cloth etc.  

 

[monkeysarefun]

14 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

One of my Freelanders had an occasional refuse to start. Wait a while and it would start. When it did its fail to start at home I called out the Lamd Rover Rescue people. The chap arrived and said that it was almost certainly an earth fault, would probably take 30 secinds to sort. Half an hour later after bypassing loads,of sensors with tiny jump leads , he identified an intermittent fault on the starter motor. This was replaced next day. 

 

 

 

It would have been your doo-dad.

 

 

[PhilJ W]

19 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Thanks Phil.  The reason I ask is that it is becoming apparent that my next car will need easier access/egress than my i30, and we're starting to look around to see what may suit.  I'm very happy with the car, it has been faultless at 9 years old now but getting in and out is fast becoming very uncomfortable.

My advice is to check out the height of the door sills, deep sills are a no-no. I had a baptism of fire yesterday as driving the car from the dealer I had to go through *Brentwood at school turn out time with all the Chelsea tractors in abundance. The car performed very well in the traffic.  

*Brentwood abounds with private schools at all levels and is a nightmare to drive through at any time.

Edited February 2 by PhilJ W
full stop missing.

[PhilJ W]

Postie has just delivered a cheque from VOSA for the refund of the tax on the i10, all £17.50 of it. 

[monkeysarefun]

4 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Good moaning from the Charente.  Trainspotting to be done today plus a bit of shopping. 

 

We went shopping yesterday and visited various shops in Niort and ended up having a good Chinese buffet.  Not a bad day in all. On a rather different not

 

I am thoroughly enjoying paying visits to to a bald Eagle nest coutesy of YouTube.  

They are fabulous to watch.  The female, Jackie has just laid three eggs and is currently incubating then whilst sitting in several inches of snow.  Las years eggs didn't hatch so I hope that they have better luck this year.

 

Jamie

 

 

I periodically see Wedgetail Eagles across the back paddock from here, spiralling upwards, three or four of them just going round and round as they go higher and higher. They are bald-eagle sized birds  but I never have my decent camera  handy when I spot them and they just come out as specks in my phone camera, or just square pixels if I zoom in.

 

I'll never forget coming upon one feeding on roadkill on the  side of the road to Cradle Mountain in Tassie. It ignored the car as we crept past it, it was seriously huge, like a border collie with 6 foot wings outspread to stop us stealing its wallaby bits.

Edited February 2 by monkeysarefun