Early Risers.

[Hroth]

I must admit that I tend to be a connisseur of snot and phlegm, thanks to a very poorly childhood, the effects of which have dogged my heels through my life.

 

Touch wood, so far I've been lucky this winter.  Its been my fangs giving gyp instead!

[Coombe Barton]

@monkeysarefun You haven't told us about this

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/equestrian/68330519

 

 

Edited February 18 by Coombe Barton

[Coombe Barton]

... An email today from a colleague included the words “Please do not retire” which is nice but exhaustion is taking over. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/02/18/covid-working-from-home-more-hs2-sinkholes-not-getting-on-very-fast/

[Hroth]

3 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

@monkeysarefun You haven't told us about this

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/equestrian/68330519

 

 

 

Perhaps its something best forgotten about, even for aussies...

A good thing it wasn't illustrated*, such attire at a rising trot doesn't bear** thinking about!

 

* At least the BBC didn't, but The Sun did...  https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/26017893/banned-show-jumping-mankini-horse-shane-rose/

** bare? And let alone over a jump!

 

Edited February 18 by Hroth
My curiosity got the better of me. Now for the Brain Bleach...

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl , torrential rain on the way to the SC, torrential rain through the race, it stopped after the race, then started again on the way back. Roads are awash, our garden is as flooded as it can be, the well is full to overflowing..

 

It was a good choice last October to put our names down  for duty OOD, and AOD this Sunday.

 

Today was the Tino Trophy, in memory of a keen sailor who thirty years ago felt ill sailing, so as he was being helped to a car , collapsed in the sailing club car park and died.

His widow, children and grandchildren were in attendance , with one grandchild competing today.

 

Forecast wind North westerly 15 mph, we got at the start SW, about 10mph..

Course 3P, 4p, 6p, 5s, Ep, Ws, 2p, 1p and repeat 5 times

The wind was across the broad, so we had to set for 3 short windward legs.

6 to 5, East to West, 2 to 1.

Race for 5 laps, or complete your current lap after the hooter sounds after an hour and a half., eventually .

A general allcomers, sadly only 15 entered due to the weather.

 

As for the race, a Star broke free early on, followed by a Phantom ,eventually a red eye solution broke free from the pack followed by a Solo.

The Phantom retired after getting tangled in weed after the first lap.

 

On handicap, the Solution was first, the Solo Second and the Star third.

 

[BSW01]

Good afternoon everyone 

Very late on parade today, but I’ve been very busy. Lots of boxes that I’d moved into the cellar, whilst I rearranged the underfloor wood store have now been put back and the cellar is now looking a lot clearer. Tonight we are meeting up with all the kids and grandkids for a birthday curry at our local favourite Indian restaurant, which is something we’re looking forward to.

 

Best wishes to Dave @DaveF and Baz @Barry O.

 

Back later. 
 

Brian 

[Flanged Wheel]

I don’t usually post tales of my daily exploits but today was unusually surreal. We headed off to an English speaking church this morning, one thing led to another and I rounded off the day singing Bonjovi karaoke with my wife and a group of Taiwanese students at a Chinese New Year house party having consumed some incredible food and having played with definitely illegal fireworks (at least by UK standards).

 

As a member of Bill Shakespeare’s number one targeted profession, all I will say about copyright is that the most competitive and lucrative branch of the law is IP (intellectual property). The only piracy law that I am expert in deals with real pirates… Much more interesting.

 

And I would add that I fully concur with the “avoid long hospital stays at all costs” mentality. In 2022, my grandmother went to hospital with a broken wrist after a fall. She never made it home.

[DaveF]

I've had a peaceful pleasant day so far.  I woke at about 02.00 and realised the light was on and my book was on the bed so I must have fallen alseep reading.  I went straight back to sleep and woke about 08.00, a bit over 8 hours sleep in all I think.  It was nice and sunny when I woke, there had only been about 5mm of rain overnight.

 

After breakfast I made and received phone calls and then sat quietly watching Alan Titchmarsh on ITV.  I had coffee and after the programme used an old "Home Church" service from Covid days as I cannot go to church at the moment.  I also had a breath of fresh air by standing by the front door and looking out of it.

 

After a pleasant "ready to microwave" beef casserole I read a bit and then had a nap for about 90 minutes.  That was followed by a virtual trip to Switzerland for a ride in the driver's cab from Chur to Zürich on YouTube.

 

There will be more TV and/or book and then an early night.  I only feel a bit sore but am only taking paracetamol, I really do not like codeine very much.

 

David

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Once the rain had passed we had bright sunshine except for a heavy shower mid afternoon. Still haven't had the eyelid inspection yet so thats next and then I'll watch 'Death in Paradise'.

[The White Rabbit]

6 minutes ago, DaveF said:

.... I only feel a bit sore but am only taking paracetamol, I really do not like codeine very much.

 

Snap... I don't think I had any specific reaction to codeine but I didn't like it, was very happy to stop taking it. It's difficult to be certain whether you are feeling grotty due to the drugs - or due to other factors - or a combination of both. So far, after my surgeries, I've felt considerably better than medical science suggests I should have and have been able to walk (and talk!) and do more than official doctrine suggested I would at that particular time. I was able to come off painkillers a lot earlier than the doctors anticipated. What annoys* me is that where it really counted - deep inside me - my body decided it was going to 'sulk'. And not heal the way the rest of me suggested I should have. No address given for a 'PX' form either, pah & TCs in spades...  Fingers crossed you do not suffer from such capriciousness. 

 

It would be easy to sit in a corner and sulk, though the weather today has helped steer me away from such negative thoughts. The first of the garden daffodils are out, rather earlier than anticipated, and it's been relatively mild. A certain amount of gentle G-word activity has been done. Two robins have been making themselves known, I think they must have a nest close by as I've heard a lot of territorial warbling. Some earth-turning has been done and both robins have been showing a considerable interest in this. Much Pecking under the Bush could be the name of a garden railway station... Though I think I might be holding out my cap and cadging for a tip, in view of all the work I've put in and no bill sent in. No cheques, no credit. And no contributions of dead bifurcated earthworms and regurgitated woodlice please, my local branch of Nat West won't accept them and give you all sorts of funny looks if you try. It's strictly coin of the realm chaps, preferably guineas rather than rusty 1890s pennies... 

 

* That's a major understatement, made in consideration of RMW's rules about Anglo-Saxon language in pursuit of excessive honesty... 

[monkeysarefun]

8 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

@monkeysarefun You haven't told us about this

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/equestrian/68330519

 

 

 

 

It wasn't the mankini that stood out for me when checking the link - they seem to be a go-to costume for bucks parties and the Melbourne Cup crowd.

No, when I read that the place was called Wallaby Hill I thought for sure that it was fake news because thats the kind of name English  TV shows etc always use when referring to some town in Australia that one of their characters is moving to or whatever _Dingoes Crack, Koala Bottom etc! 

 

 I'd never heard of  anywhere near Sydney called Wallaby Hill  but turns out its an Equestrian Centre 150km away  down near Roberton, so case solved.

Edited February 18 by monkeysarefun

[Sidecar Racer]

1 hour ago, DaveF said:

 

  That was followed by a virtual trip to Switzerland for a ride in the driver's cab from Chur to Zürich on YouTube.

 

 

 

 

 This is a nice trip if you haven't already seen it . Did both directions back in 1983 .

 

 I  cant seem to reset the start of the video so you will need to drag back to the start .

 

 

Edited February 18 by Sidecar Racer
To reset video .

[Ozexpatriate]

11 hours ago, Mike Bellamy said:

Available on Amazon UK sold by Wood Workers Workshop

It seems that Flavio's ( @iL Dottore )'s real online shopping nemesis is not Amazon but Swiss protectionism. 

 

Perhaps the Swiss trading and commerce authorities believe he should find his local Canton's 'Geppetto' to provide woodworking services rather than purchase suitable equipment to do the job himself. 

[monkeysarefun]

12 hours ago, Mike Bellamy said:

Accurate to one thousandth of an inch

 

Undermined somewhat by your 50 thousandth of an inch pencil line!

[New Haven Neil]

Talking of accurate - her outdoors was the winner again today, but not a PB this time.  Do not annoy this woman!

 

 

Nothing in flower down the glen yet, but the daffs are out in force in the garden, must take a photo.  Snowdrops are over, and the crocus not far off it either.  The glen will soon be a carpet of bluebells.

[Tony_S]

40 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

Undermined somewhat by your 50 thousandth of an inch pencil line!

In my case definitely undermined by my inability to cut straight with a saw. I must have done really well on the O level woodwork theory paper to make up for the horrible thing I submitted for the practical. 

Edited February 18 by Tony_S

[Tony_S]

The only subject choice at the end of third year secondary (now would be year 9) was art or woodwork. The woodwork teacher didn’t want me. The art teacher didn’t want me either. I suppose I could have just sat in the stairs but there was a space in woodwork so I had to go there.  There was quite a tradition of woodworking in the family. Not an inherited skill in my case. 

[Winslow Boy]

13 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

The only subject choice at the end of third year secondary (now would be year 9) was art or woodwork. The woodwork teacher didn’t want me. The art teacher didn’t want me either. I suppose I could have just sat in the stairs but there was a space in woodwork so I had to go there.  There was quite a tradition of woodworking in the family. Not an inherited skill in my case. 

Sometimes it skips a generation mainly due to genes I believe. Hence my absolute abysmal ability at writing when my mother could have been an author. But to even things up I'm quite good at woodwork.

[pgcroc]

20 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

Sometimes it skips a generation mainly due to genes I believe. Hence my absolute abysmal ability at writing when my mother could have been an author. But to even things up I'm quite good at woodwork.

Why not build a shed then?

[Winslow Boy]

7 minutes ago, pgcroc said:

Why not build a shed then?

That is a cruel and nefarious slur that is my good man and I shall be sending my second round to discuss terms. 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. My brother was good at woodwork, I still have a couple of items made by him that I will pass on to my niece. My woodworking skills are none-existent however. My maternal grandfather was a cabinet maker as was his father and grandfather before him. My great grandfather had a business employing twelve men making bespoke furniture for the west end department stores. I'm not sure but a lot of such businesses were based in the arches under Broad Street Station and that could be where he carried out his business.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

We had a great time this evening, much merriment and great food. It’s always nice when the whole family can get together. We’ve booked for another meal in April, so that’s something we are looking forward to. 
 

 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[southern42]

5 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

and then I'll watch 'Death in Paradise'.

 

We watched it later, after the Welsh knocking coloured balls down little holes final had finished.

 

 

2 hours ago, Tony_S said:

The only subject choice at the end of third year secondary (now would be year 9) was art or woodwork. The woodwork teacher didn’t want me. The art teacher didn’t want me either. I suppose I could have just sat in the stairs but there was a space in woodwork so I had to go there.  There was quite a tradition of woodworking in the family. Not an inherited skill in my case. 

 

My introduction to woodwork was building a balsa airplane when friends alerted me to bundles in a local shop going for 1/- (one shilling in old money). A few years later, only metalwork available in our school and for "boys only," <<Pah!>> but I did get my hands on some planks of pre-cut plywood to stitch and glue, clean up and varnish etc, into canoes in upper sixth only to be told we were not able to use them because the powers that be demanded the teacher gain yet another certificate on top of her teaching ones in the subject before she could take us out with them. <<Pah!>> My next venture arose with evening classes after I left college. First year began with carving a wooden plate and ended with a self designed coffee table (top surface still waiting for some cork/other option to be put on it...er...hum). Second year saw a self designed dining table, planks cut to shape (by Mr Suvvern who had access to a saw at his place of work), glued together and the top sanded and varnished. The tutor was never around when you needed him so there were long spells of having to wait around to get onto the next step etc which slowed down all of us. <<Pah!>> All the pieces came home - top, legs, stretcher, wedges - then moved up here with us and are still waiting to be finished (sanding and varnishing mainly and no room to do it) and assembled. One day... Anything else has been a lot smaller and mainly connected with things that run on parallel bits of metal, amounting to a few (wood and mdf) kits. Given the chance I may have chosen carpentry as a career. One can dream, I suppose.

 

Talking of which, it is shuteye time.

So ' night all and nos da.