Early Risers.

[pH]

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

.. 

In addition, the government could grant you land for farming, which you were free to do in the hours that you weren't fulfilling your government work. In this way, many convicts from  places like the Thames Estuary, who would have never had any hope of owning land back home due to the British class system, found that they were eligible for 50, 100 or 200 and more  acres of land as a grant to farm and build a livelihood upon. 
 

…

 

Very few convicts returned "home"  to their former situation after their sentence was completed.

There was a similar arrangement here in BC with enlisted men in the Royal Engineers (“sappers”). The Royal Engineers were the biggest British Army presence here in the early days of European settlement.

 

At the end of their enlistment, they had the choice of paid passage back to the UK, or a grant of land here. By profession, these were people who had been continually employing skills needed to clear land, build on it (sheds even!) etc. so many chose the second option. Like monkeysarefun says about the convicts in Australia, enlisted soldiers would never have had any hope of owning a similar amount of land in the UK.

[Grizz]

5 hours ago, petethemole said:

Rather like my response when accosted by 'chuggers':

"Can I ask you a quick question?"

"Of course, I'm a consultant*, it's my job to answer questions.  I charge £50 an hour pro rata, minmum charge £15.  I've already answered your question so you owe me £15."

I've only once managed to get it all out before they walk away.

 

*I'm not, but I did consider it when I retired. 

Haha good tactic Pete.

 

Over the years when mobbed by chuggers both outside Victoria and London Bridge stations, I just spoke to them in Danish. And to this day, despite chuggers coming from various parts of the world, I never found a single one that could either understand me or reply in Danish. 

 

 

[PupCam]

Afternoon

 

7 hours ago, polybear said:

35 lengths pupperz paddled this morning (0.71 miles, according to Alexa) - that's the record so far, and results in a very tired Teddy.

I did feel guilty (and somewhat selfish) that @PupCam puppers missed out yet again though - perhaps his alarm clock isn't reliable?

So......

Does the combined wisdom of fellow ER'ers feel that the right and proper thing to do in future would be for Bear to phone Puppers at 0400 on paddlin' days (landline and mobile) to make sure he doesn't miss out?

 

I wouldn't recommend it ................................... if you want to retain the ability to paddle at all  🤪

 

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

I would definitely advise against doing so as A) Puppers needs his beauty sleep, and B) due to recent events, Puppers now has Captain Cynical’s personal cellphone number.

 

Push your luck too far Bear and an early morning phone call from Puppershire could well result in you becoming subject to CC’s “special personalised attention”.

 

It won’t be pleasant and will involve very LARGE spiders….

 

You are correct I do need my beauty sleep (unfortunately I seem to need a lot more sleep these days and it's note because I'm that ugly.

 

Hmm.  Me thinks watching a bunch of very LARGE spiders marauding  around the Bear Cave in search of LDC and Bear but not necessarily in that order could be a most amusing sport.

 

Lucky CC is on Speed-dial 😀

 

20 hours ago, Tony_S said:

It is better though to get it done properly. We had our wills sorted/updated a few years ago. We felt it was dealt with very well. Mil needed to sort hers out but she wouldn’t use our solicitors (too expensive apparently).The difference was quite noticeable. 

 

But without recent soliciting* experience and in the absence of a trustworthy personal recommendation how does one know the good from the bad?       I'm sure "just paying more" is  not a sure fire way of getting good quality and VFM.   

 

In all seriousness, any good advice on this matter would be much appreciated because by nature Puppers is a cynical, untrusting person particularly of such types.   The saying respect is hard won and easily lost is most applicable I believe and being fleeced by an over-charging practitioner would really pee me off.

 

* I'm sure that isn't the correct word in this context 🤣

 

4 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Ouch......🤣

 

3 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

 

 

"OK,  so the induced coma drugs definitely seem to be working -  nurse, hit him with another 6 weeks worth just to be sure!"     

 

 

 

 

 

You are on the list **

 

** I'm just not sure which one, who owns it and who keeps it up-to-date

 

 

2 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I can see why so many people went to Australia from South Essex in the past.  Apart from the Harbour bridge and the warship it looks just like the Thames Estuary…

 

I agree with the first bit

 

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

And to further add to your side of the ledger, the Thames Estuary has   a very admirable lack of Bullsharks  ( the worlds most crap sharks!)

 

In the context of the Thames (and thus its estuary) the operative words in that statement are:  worlds, most & crap mainly due to the fine way the water utility companies have been controlled and handled over the last 30 years or so.    And now we've got to pay to put it right!     As Bear would say;  FFS !!!!

 

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

.... there are venomous sharks in the Thames Estuary now called Spurdogs.

 

Venomous sharks?     That's just adding insult to injury 😲

 

ION

 

I had to go and collect my medication this morning and I thought, as it was nice I'd go on the bike.     The Beeza selected itself as it was the most convenient following the recent garage re-arrangement.   It was wheeled outside and I togged up and then proceeded to jump up and down on the kick start.   Pointlessly as it turned out, the blighter would not start.     As Puppers levels of stamina are at an all-time low these days it didn't take much jumping  up and down to be completely exhausted.   Then to cap it all, it did fire and bit back causing pain to the right ankle.    Needless to say it was then thrust back into the garage in disgust.     The need to do this was most embarrassing as there has been some recent banter with a few mates telling of the reliability and easy starting of the old Beeza now it's been fixed.   Where is the Egg On Face emoji?    Perhaps it was listening?

 

Having de-togged I jumped in the car and arrived at the GP's.   Imagine my surprise to find the front door locked, with individual interrogation by Checkpoint Charlene for each of the 3 people in the queue (I was 3rd) via the intercomm before being granted access.    Once again; FFS !

 

Having gained admittance I thought I would get a copy of the results of my recent blood tests from reception.   The answer was of course "Go online on the NHS App, it's all on there".   I pointed out that I was there and so was her computer.   She printed the results off which weren't fully populated and included printed hyperlinks (no, they don't work of course).  

 

Later at home I logged onto the NHS App.   Of course, it's not as simple as that as the access to your records is provided by a 3rd party and you have to register with the 3rd party blah blxxdy blah.   So I did.   

 

The result?   Your GP hasn't enabled your full record, you'll have to ask them to do so before you can access them.   So I dutifully found the correct surgery website (a challenge because they've got a few and never actually issued anything that I have to say where this one actually lives), I found the not obvious link to the "Triage Form" (both medical and admin requests are triaged these days) and completed the request quoting the message from the NHS and 3rd party websites so there would be no doubt.

 

Later that same afternoon before I'd finished this post .........

 

Whilst scoffing dinner just now I received a text from the GP. 

 

"Dear Puppers.   Thank you for your request   If you would like to access your clinical records  (I would, that was the whole point of the request)  please collect a request form for this from the surgery reception desk.  Please provide two forms of ID when  asking for this, including one form  of photo ID and one with proof of address, i.e. (sic)  a utility bill  you may have (paperless billing Sir?).  This can then be processed for you.   Many thanks.   DRs Noody & Big Ears, The Fred Karno Surgery"

 

Whilst I am more than happy that ALL organisations are OR SHOULD BE very careful with my private data do the facts that I already have access to their online meds ordering facility (via both their original website and the NHS one) and the fact that I've been collecting a large bag of meds from them every month for 3 years and I've had appointments discussing my numerous ailments count for nought?      And, if I may be so bold, why didn't the "helpful reception person" point this out to me when I was standing there in person rather than just spout off "Just use the NHS App, it's all  on there"?

 

Perhaps I understand why the door was locked? 🤔

 

Well-Peeved of Puppershire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PeterBB]

Hi Guys, just ba short visit although it has taken a whilw to go through quite a few pages.  Comouter wise I still cannot get pictures from e.g. BBC news in emails or anything on the second stage having successfully got nto a site ... we will see waht can be done once the local expert (viz son returns) sometime in the future .

 

Why has it been so long since last access ... well I had a battle with a table saw and it won.  Not quite sure just what happened but a mglove became caught  and a relatively wide but thankfully incomplete  removal of tissue and finger nail resulted on  - you've guessed - main index finger.  For security reasons a large number of PWS were 'automatic' and therfore unrecorded so with a finger that was the key out of action much was unaccessible.   Today 'success' on this site.  What I have found in recent weeks has been that I have done a lot more of thge things that SWMBO required ... and there are more so I will pop-in but probably much less than in recent years.

[Sidecar Racer]

2 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

No, but I was thinking of making some corned beef hash some time ago, and the price of a can of corned beef put me off the idea!

 

 

 Depending on how big a hash you want to make (  see what I did there , 😀 ) I find this

way to purchase is economical . 

 

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/314708576

[pH]

Puppers - is the surgery offering trials of blood pressure medication in co-ordination with a manufacturer?

[PupCam]

2 minutes ago, pH said:

Puppers - is the surgery offering trials of blood pressure medication in co-ordination with a manufacturer?

 

I wouldn't be surprised!

 

As Terry Wogan would have said; "Is it me?"

 

 

[PhilJ W]

38 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Afternoon

 

 

I wouldn't recommend it ................................... if you want to retain the ability to paddle at all  🤪

 

 

You are correct I do need my beauty sleep (unfortunately I seem to need a lot more sleep these days and it's note because I'm that ugly.

 

Hmm.  Me thinks watching a bunch of very LARGE spiders marauding  around the Bear Cave in search of LDC and Bear but not necessarily in that order could be a most amusing sport.

 

Lucky CC is on Speed-dial 😀

 

 

But without recent soliciting* experience and in the absence of a trustworthy personal recommendation how does one know the good from the bad?       I'm sure "just paying more" is  not a sure fire way of getting good quality and VFM.   

 

In all seriousness, any good advice on this matter would be much appreciated because by nature Puppers is a cynical, untrusting person particularly of such types.   The saying respect is hard won and easily lost is most applicable I believe and being fleeced by an over-charging practitioner would really pee me off.

 

* I'm sure that isn't the correct word in this context 🤣

 

 

 

You are on the list **

 

** I'm just not sure which one, who owns it and who keeps it up-to-date

 

 

 

I agree with the first bit

 

 

In the context of the Thames (and thus its estuary) the operative words in that statement are:  worlds, most & crap mainly due to the fine way the water utility companies have been controlled and handled over the last 30 years or so.    And now we've got to pay to put it right!     As Bear would say;  FFS !!!!

 

 

Venomous sharks?     That's just adding insult to injury 😲

 

ION

 

I had to go and collect my medication this morning and I thought, as it was nice I'd go on the bike.     The Beeza selected itself as it was the most convenient following the recent garage re-arrangement.   It was wheeled outside and I togged up and then proceeded to jump up and down on the kick start.   Pointlessly as it turned out, the blighter would not start.     As Puppers levels of stamina are at an all-time low these days it didn't take much jumping  up and down to be completely exhausted.   Then to cap it all, it did fire and bit back causing pain to the right ankle.    Needless to say it was then thrust back into the garage in disgust.     The need to do this was most embarrassing as there has been some recent banter with a few mates telling of the reliability and easy starting of the old Beeza now it's been fixed.   Where is the Egg On Face emoji?    Perhaps it was listening?

 

Having de-togged I jumped in the car and arrived at the GP's.   Imagine my surprise to find the front door locked, with individual interrogation by Checkpoint Charlene for each of the 3 people in the queue (I was 3rd) via the intercomm before being granted access.    Once again; FFS !

 

Having gained admittance I thought I would get a copy of the results of my recent blood tests from reception.   The answer was of course "Go online on the NHS App, it's all on there".   I pointed out that I was there and so was her computer.   She printed the results off which weren't fully populated and included printed hyperlinks (no, they don't work of course).  

 

Later at home I logged onto the NHS App.   Of course, it's not as simple as that as the access to your records is provided by a 3rd party and you have to register with the 3rd party blah blxxdy blah.   So I did.   

 

The result?   Your GP hasn't enabled your full record, you'll have to ask them to do so before you can access them.   So I dutifully found the correct surgery website (a challenge because they've got a few and never actually issued anything that I have to say where this one actually lives), I found the not obvious link to the "Triage Form" (both medical and admin requests are triaged these days) and completed the request quoting the message from the NHS and 3rd party websites so there would be no doubt.

 

Later that same afternoon before I'd finished this post .........

 

Whilst scoffing dinner just now I received a text from the GP. 

 

"Dear Puppers.   Thank you for your request   If you would like to access your clinical records  (I would, that was the whole point of the request)  please collect a request form for this from the surgery reception desk.  Please provide two forms of ID when  asking for this, including one form  of photo ID and one with proof of address, i.e. (sic)  a utility bill  you may have (paperless billing Sir?).  This can then be processed for you.   Many thanks.   DRs Noody & Big Ears, The Fred Karno Surgery"

 

Whilst I am more than happy that ALL organisations are OR SHOULD BE very careful with my private data do the facts that I already have access to their online meds ordering facility (via both their original website and the NHS one) and the fact that I've been collecting a large bag of meds from them every month for 3 years and I've had appointments discussing my numerous ailments count for nought?      And, if I may be so bold, why didn't the "helpful reception person" point this out to me when I was standing there in person rather than just spout off "Just use the NHS App, it's all  on there"?

 

Perhaps I understand why the door was locked? 🤔

 

Well-Peeved of Puppershire

The complete opposite of my experience. When I became ill on Friday I dialled 111. When I explained my symptoms they booked a phone consultation with my GP's surgery, the (locum) doctor called back within twenty minutes. After discussing my symptoms the doctor told me that she was issuing a prescription for an antibiotic and was about to e-mail it to a local pharmacy when I said that I would pick it up myself. I popped into the surgery on my way to Tess Coes about twenty minutes later, gave my name and the receptionist looked it up on his computer and after a few checks (address, d-o-b etc.) printed off the form for the blood test(s), I asked about the prescription and when he checked it was still on the doctors desk so I only had to wait a couple of minutes for the doctor to bring it out. 

[Ohmisterporter]

My paternal grandfather served in the Canadian army from 1914 to 1919. On discharge he, along with most others,  was offered land for settlement; I think it was forty acres but can't be sure. It would have meant emigrating there but there was no way his wife would go to foreign parts, particularly with two young boys to bring up. He had gone to Canada with his brother prior to 1914 to look for work and joined up when war broke out. Once nana Phoebe had him back in her clutches there was no chance of him getting off the hook again. 

[polybear]

Bear here.....

A quiet afternoon, as promised; not quite a zeddin' session - more a snoozybear session for an hour or so.  I also checked out a couple of deliveries - a set of ten broaches and some very, very diddy (M1.4 x 3) screws.

Tea tonight was a naughty one - a toasted snagger & onion sarnie; the snaggers had been defrosted for din dins originally, but a low-flying spaggy carb. changed plans accordingly.  A bit naughty, but still well within acceptable limits.

The good news is I've weighed 73Kg for 3 days in a row now (and that's post-brekkies) so it looks like an accurate weight).  The bad news is some naughty Bear scoffed the last Cornetto yesterday 😢 - so tonight's treat was a few sultanas instead, which is a pretty poor substitute ☹️

Tomorrow?  MIUABGA; I've been trying to find out if & when the Hospice require my attendance this week, but so far without success.....

 

BG

[Sidecar Racer]

 Well a certain bear has been hiding his talents .

 

 

 

Edited February 26 by Sidecar Racer

[polybear]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

But without recent soliciting* experience and in the absence of a trustworthy personal recommendation how does one know the good from the bad?       I'm sure "just paying more" is  not a sure fire way of getting good quality and VFM.   

 

In all seriousness, any good advice on this matter would be much appreciated because by nature Puppers is a cynical, untrusting person particularly of such types.   The saying respect is hard won and easily lost is most applicable I believe and being fleeced by an over-charging practitioner would really pee me off.

 

* I'm sure that isn't the correct word in this context 🤣

 

You are very right to be cynical....
Bear's previous two attempts with Solicitors were a tram smash.  Both times it was via a "Will Aid Scheme"  - basically Solicitors supposedly give their time free of charge to help raise money for Charity, with the punter making a "suggested donation" (about £100 - 150 IIRC) to the chosen Charity (who also hope you'll make them a beneficiary in your Will.

The first time the Solicitor announces (once the Will was drafted - but before I'd got it) was a lot more work than the norm under the scheme (to the tune of a grand or so - and that was 10+ years ago); however, "as a gesture of goodwill etc. etc. cos' it was under the scheme" they'd only charge Bear six hundred.  Likefuggtheywill - they should've said so at the outset.  At which point she got all snotty, saying the "Partner-Client Relationship had broken down and they were no longer able to represent me".  Fine by me.  Guess what?  The Charity were down to do rather well indeed  out of Bear - and she was a Trustee....

 

The second time there were sooooo many typos in the first draft it was untrue - and important ones as well (like having a beneciaries' name living at someone else's address).  When I submitted corrections the 2nd draft came back with new errors....

After that happened "several times" I told 'em to keep it - they never chased me so I guess they realised they were on very shaky ground indeed.  T0ssers.

 

This time?  Well it all seems to have gone pretty smoothly - she took time to understand Bear's situation & wishes & drafted the Will accordingly - there were "numerous" typos but all have been corrected without issue; the whole procedure has taken a month.  I've also been provided with two extra, certified copies of the Will (at a cost....😞).

The bill?  A noisy Deltic plus a quiet Deltic 😢 - which feels like a lot for not many pages but I guess by the time you've paid for their professional training, insurance, fancy offices, staff, leccy bill.....

 

All I need to do now is deposit the master with the Probate Registry for storage - that'll be another twenty seven notes (incl. RM special delivery postage).  Poo.

 

BG

[Sidecar Racer]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

I offer this screenshot of an interesting news feed (available only to registered professionals) about some medical matters in France - which may be of interest to our correspondents in La Belle France. I shall refrain from comment, observation or witticisms........

 

 

 And I thought the french used letters .    😎

[Ian Abel]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

We have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that our companion animals are happy and pain free for as long as they can live. If you can't or won't take on that responsibility you shouldn't have a companion animal.

THIS... I can't agree more, our animal family members deserve the utmost respect, care and love we can provide them for a happy life!

[Barry O]

3 hours ago, PupCam said:

 

I wouldn't be surprised!

 

As Terry Wogan would have said; "Is it me?"

 

 

Nope..its everyone who has achieved a point in life when you become less than amazed by the unprofessional attitude of so called professionals.

 

Our late great colleague Chris f would have siad.. "Checkpoint Charlene "...

 

Yep!

 

Baz

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

We had a good walk through the woodland of RHS Bridgewater today, whilst doing so I spotted a treecreeper, as well as a little grebe and a tufted duck, when we got to the lake. We ended up buying another dozen plants, one of which is an indoor plant, the rest are currently sat outside, waiting to be planted. 5 of these will go in the front garden, to replace some evergreen plants that have become a little too big for there current location. These will be resisted in the back garden. The other 6 plants are some more hellebores and will go in the back garden. Once we’d eaten dinner, I decided that the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix could wait until after tea. So instead of going out, I had a rest on the sofa reading the latest copy of MRJ which I’d picked up on Friday, when I was at the Trafford Centre. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I almost forgot to take this evenings antibiotic capsule. In fact I was unsure if I had taken it at all but a quick count proved that I hadn't taken it so I've just done so. I didn't fancy any chips so tonights dinner was a couple of fried egg butties.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[jjb1970]

1 hour ago, Barry O said:

Nope..its everyone who has achieved a point in life when you become less than amazed by the unprofessional attitude of so called professionals.

 

Our late great colleague Chris f would have siad.. "Checkpoint Charlene "...

 

Yep!

 

Baz

 

It calls to mind Michael Goves infamous and misquoted comment about experts. I can't stand the guy but that particular comment was actually pretty well observed and reasonable (the media generally omit the bit about experts getting it wrong). A modern variation is 'listen to the science', an idea which is antithetical to the scientific method of testing the hypothesis and which if taken to its logical conclusion in the form advocated by many talking heads would put an end to further advancement in knowledge. I get the point that science should be challenged by substantive, rational argument and by reference to evidence but what we see a lot of if a quasi-religous faith in particular scientific fields which views any attempt to question as heresy.

[jjb1970]

8 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Aditi said the Australian waiters were very kind to them. Aditi and her sister wouldn’t eat the British style food served in their restaurant so the waiters got Indian food from the crew mess. 
Tony

 

When I was at sea and sailed with Asian and Caribbean crew it was very common for British officers especially to eat the food from the crew mess. 

[Ozexpatriate]

11 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

On pensions, I think the UK should copy what a few other countries do and replace our money defined contribution pension system with a retirement savings and investment account where you get the same tax incentive (it comes off gross pay) but you manage it and when you retire you decide what to do with it.

I'm not so sure. My first employer offered a traditional pension. Ever since I've had the system you describe - usually in the US under an investment fund called a 401k.

 

There are usually a lot of elective investment knobs to turn and people who do not understand investment strategy can really struggle. Swings and roundabouts of course. Having all your money in the hands of 'irresponsible' pension fund managers is not a good thing either.

[Ozexpatriate]

12 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Actually for the majority of those deported the Thames Estuary was their last ever sight of blighty as there were many prison hulks moored in the estuary waiting for the next ship to Australia.

Many prison hulks, aka ships in ordinary, were indeed in the Thames Estuary. I'm not so sure that many of the convicts ensconced there ever left.

 

The first fleet departed from Portsmouth.  It's not so clear where the others departed.

 

The Active (in the third fleet) departed from Plymouth. Others left from Portsmouth and Cork.

 

According to this site, Irish convicts were shipped out of Dublin and Cork.

 

EDIT:

Random samplings suggest a lot of sailings from Portsmouth. The Pitt left Yarmouth Roads on the Isle of Wight in 1791.

 

Edited February 27 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

10 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

the other one in Brisbane

Moreton Bay* was the name for the Brisbane settlement, removed from the less satisfactory location of Redcliffe. Like everywhere else there was a separate place for the hard 'uns - the patriotically named "Saint Helena Island" (in Waterloo Bay**, bordered on the south by Wellington Point). There must have been some event they were proud of to think up those names.

 

** An inlet of Moreton Bay (and home).

 

* Per: "Moreton Bay"

Quote

I've been a prisoner at Port Macquarie, Norfolk Island and Emu Plains,
At Castle Hill and cursed Toongabbie, at all those settlements I've worked in chains;
But of all those places of condemnation, in each penal station of New South Wales,
To Moreton Bay I've found no equal: excessive tyranny there each day prevails.

 

[Ozexpatriate]

10 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

Today, back working and have an afternoon meeting with someone up the food chain from me to discuss my "annual goals"!

Ian, it's nice to see you today. So where do you see yourself ten years from now? 😉