Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. I didn't note the times but bladder control made two calls last night but I got between seven and eight hours sleep last night and didn't wake up until almost eight and then dozed off for another hour. I was planning to do a bit in the garden today but the hay fever says otherwise but there's plenty to do indoors. Thats it for now, be back later.

[45156]

Morning All,

 

I'm still here, still lurking, but not managing to read or post as much as I ought - largely due to lack of mojo.

 

High spots this week have included a walk to the Park and Ride, then a trip on the bus into town, stay on and come back to the Park and Ride by the other route - it's an odd circular route, as it also incorporates what were two of the three local bus routes and does a different circuit on alternate half hours - quite ingenious in a way, as it means only two buses are needed now instead of three.  Then on Thursday, we took the bus into town, got off at the bottom of the high street - we went to the bank and I did some business which should have been done in December, we walked up the High Street, to the bus terminus, and got the bus back.

 

I see from our bank statement that our State pensions have increased - only a partial increase this time, but a full one next time, and my BT pension is also due to increase by 5%.  So between our State pensions going up by 8.5% and my BT pension by 5%, we should be seeing a slight improvement in our budget.  But....

 

House insurance  UP   33%

Car Insurance  UP  27%

Council Tax  UP  7% (and will go up a further 10% if Ludford parish is incorported into Ludlow town)

Dog insurance  UP   12%

Tax  UP due to erosion of personal allowance

And so on...

But one ray of sunshine - Gas & Electric DOWN - amount TBC depending on consumption.

 

Still, it could be worse, I think we'll just about show a gain in our net income.

 

I see that my friend Mike in Lancaster area is having an open day for his garden and 7.25" railway - See Littledale Light Railway topic in Garden Railway Topics for details.  It is 99.9% certain that I will miss it this year due to this illness, and also the fact that it is on in July.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

Edited April 21 by 45156

[petethemole]

"spirit-level app".  Well, you learn something new everyday.  No use on my dumbphone though!  Fortunately I have several of various sizes, and more usefully I know where at least one of them is.

[Tony_S]

5 minutes ago, petethemole said:

and more usefully I know where at least one of them is.

Glad it isn’t just me! I wonder how I can possibly mislay a metre long bright yellow spirit level. 

[Coombe Barton]

7 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Glad it isn’t just me! I wonder how I can possibly mislay a metre long bright yellow spirit level. 

Me too - it's usually hiding in plain sight!

[Ohmisterporter]

I read that the Telegraph has said that Carlisle is the worst city in England. How can that be true? We have two Wetherspoons.

[monkeysarefun]

21 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Glad it isn’t just me! I wonder how I can possibly mislay a metre long bright yellow spirit level. 

 

 

I needed to use a spirit  at work when we were re-positioning one of our TV monitors and I don't usually carry a metre long spirit level around with me every where!

Edited April 21 by monkeysarefun

[Grizz]

5 minutes ago, Ohmisterporter said:

I read that the Telegraph has said that Carlisle is the worst city in England. How can that be true? We have two Wetherspoons.

Yeah but probs a certainty that the journalist writing that lives in the Home Counties. What what…

[PupCam]

Afternoon!

 

A quick chug over to Shuttleworth this morning.   There was some form of classic car meeting being held there today so we thought it might be worth a look.      The expectation was probably slightly better than the experience although no matter; we'd had a ride, had a (surprisingly good) breakfast in the cafe, had a gawp at the classic cars and a wander around the many and various bikes that were present.  A friends new acquisition, a Vincent  Black Prince was probably the rarest and most valuable there.   Mind you, the price of such  things is rapidly heading in a downward direction as those that typically lust after such beasts shuffle off this mortal coil (and you can't take them with you).    Their use as a solid gold investment opportunity is drawing to a close I suspect.   

 

 

I think the Beeza won the oldest motorcycle accolade today by a country mile.  It was the only pre-war bike I saw.    Rather amazingly on my return the engine was mostly free of external oil contamination.    I'd had another go yesterday at providing a better seal for the blanking plug in the rocker box for the non-existent decompessor.  Maybe I was, at last, successful? 

 

 

Talking of pre-war, one of the Cambridge Flying Group's lovely Tiger Moths was basking in the sunshine overcast, cold and windy dullness - lovely.     Must wangle another go in a Tiggy soon!

 

 

 

ION

 

I saw the Italeri kit for a Manx Norton the other day whilst in Hobby Craft.   I've seen them many times and I was severely tempted but it was ~£57 IIRC and I managed to resist.       When I got home I thought I'll just have a look on the Big River where the same kit was being offered for £44 and I was unable to resist "Adding to Basket".       It turned up yesterday ..........

 

This is "Handed to resident".   I think @polybear has a descriptive term that he uses to describe such situations.  I believe it starts with a "T" and ends with an "s" and is applicable here.

 

 

This is the suitable protective packaging in which it came ....

 

 

You might notice the damage to the box at both ends and the nice way the box artwork has been defaced by the application of the delivery labels.   

 

I think @polybear has a descriptive term that he uses to describe such situations.  I believe it starts with a "T" and ends with an "s" and is applicable here.

 

Fortunately the contents appear to be undamaged and all present.   More by luck than judgement!       I'd send a snottogram but I haven't spotted a suitable Email address.   The customer complaint / feedback in "My Account" does not appear to have a suitably relevant grump along the lines of "Put the goods in some protective packaging that's up to the job!" but I'll have another look if ICBA.   I might have to tap the Bear up for that Email address.  It can't do anything but help for the Managing Director to receive hundreds of Emails from disgruntled customers to keep him busy up to the morning coffee.

 

TTFN

 

 

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, Ohmisterporter said:

I read that the Telegraph has said that Carlisle is the worst city in England. How can that be true? We have two Wetherspoons.

Could be worse, you could have three.

[Flanged Wheel]

This was where my last order from the House of Big Ladies ended up being delivered.

Hilariously, this picture was sent to me in an email from them entitled “how was our service?”

 

Edited April 21 by Flanged Wheel
Seeing double with the picture

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

I needed to use a spirit  at work when we were re-positioning one of our TV monitors and I don't usually carry a metre long spirit level around with me every where!

I am at my MiL’s at the moment. She has a few pictures I know are correctly hung but they look wrong. It may perhaps be the picture frames are not quite rectangular. 

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, 45156 said:

Morning All,

 

I'm still here, still lurking, but not managing to read or post as much as I ought - largely due to lack of mojo.

 

High spots this week have included a walk to the Park and Ride, then a trip on the bus into town, stay on and come back to the Park and Ride by the other route - it's an odd circular route, as it also incorporates what were two of the three local bus routes and does a different circuit on alternate half hours - quite ingenious in a way, as it means only two buses are needed now instead of three.  Then on Thursday, we took the bus into town, got off at the bottom of the high street - we went to the bank and I did some business which should have been done in December, we walked up the High Street, to the bus terminus, and got the bus back.

 

I see from our bank statement that our State pensions have increased - only a partial increase this time, but a full one next time, and my BT pension is also due to increase by 5%.  So between our State pensions going up by 8.5% and my BT pension by 5%, we should be seeing a slight improvement in our budget.  But....

 

House insurance  UP   33%

Car Insurance  UP  27%

Council Tax  UP  7% (and will go up a further 10% if Ludford parish is incorported into Ludlow town)

Dog insurance  UP   12%

Tax  UP due to erosion of personal allowance

And so on...

But one ray of sunshine - Gas & Electric DOWN - amount TBC depending on consumption.

 

Still, it could be worse, I think we'll just about show a gain in our net income.

 

I see that my friend Mike in Lancaster area is having an open day for his garden and 7.25" railway - See Littledale Light Railway topic in Garden Railway Topics for details.  It is 99.9% certain that I will miss it this year due to this illness, and also the fact that it is on in July.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

I checked my bank balance yesterday and I was surprised to see it still in four figures with less than a week to go when my council pension hits the account.

[Tony_S]

7 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Could be worse, you could have three.

You are going to be able to celebrate the return of Wetherspoons to Basildon soon..

 

Quote

Wetherspoons to build new £3million pub in Basildon town centre in old Poundworld shop

Quote from Essex Live website. 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Done it again, got the Wordl but it took five goes, the first try was only one letter correct and only on the fourth try did I get another letter but in the wrong place. It then took a bit of concentration to find the correct word. Thats nine correct in nine tries. Now housework to do, be back later. 

[PhilJ W]

6 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

You are going to be able to celebrate the return of Wetherspoons to Basildon soon..

 

Quote from Essex Live website. 

I very rarely venture into Basildon town centre now and I very rarely touch alcohol anyway and I don't go into Weatherspoons on principle. 

[Tony_S]

5 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I very rarely venture into Basildon town centre now and I very rarely touch alcohol anyway and I don't go into Weatherspoons on principle. 

So you won’t miss the Poundshop then?

[polybear]

35 minutes ago, PupCam said:

 

That's one Pig Ugly Mo'sickle......

 

35 minutes ago, PupCam said:

ION

 

I saw the Italeri kit for a Manx Norton the other day whilst in Hobby Craft.   I've seen them many times and I was severely tempted but it was ~£57 IIRC and I managed to resist.       When I got home I thought I'll just have a look on the Big River where the same kit was being offered for £44 and I was unable to resist "Adding to Basket".       It turned up yesterday ..........

 

This is "Handed to resident".   I think @polybear has a descriptive term that he uses to describe such situations.  I believe it starts with a "T" and ends with an "s" and is applicable here.

 

 

This is the suitable protective packaging in which it came ....

 

 

You might notice the damage to the box at both ends and the nice way the box artwork has been defaced by the application of the delivery labels.   

 

I think @polybear has a descriptive term that he uses to describe such situations.  I believe it starts with a "T" and ends with an "s" and is applicable here.

 

Fortunately the contents appear to be undamaged and all present.   More by luck than judgement!       I'd send a snottogram but I haven't spotted a suitable Email address.   The customer complaint / feedback in "My Account" does not appear to have a suitably relevant grump along the lines of "Put the goods in some protective packaging that's up to the job!" but I'll have another look if ICBA.   I might have to tap the Bear up for that Email address.  It can't do anything but help for the Managing Director to receive hundreds of Emails from disgruntled customers to keep him busy up to the morning coffee.

 

TTFN

 

 

 

Try this:

 

managingdirector@amazon.co.uk

[PupCam]

24 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I checked my bank balance yesterday and I was surprised to see it still in four figures with less than a week to go when my council pension hits the account.

 

The beers are on Phil then! 🍺  What time should we call round?

 

ION Update

 

I've staggered my round the Amazon (Not much) Help pages and thought blow it,   they can just have it back and I'll do without.    If I send it back and re-order no doubt it will be a repeat match.    Another "amusing" (I use the term in a sarcastic manner) one of the return options was words to the effect of "The product was damaged but the packing was intact".   Nowhere was there a "We forgot to put it any packaging" option.

 

At one point I got to a page that provided a "Call me" option.   I thought Hurrah! I can speak to a human.    Silly old me ....... no, it was an opportunity to talk to a stupid computer albeit no doubt equipped allegedly with artificial intelligence.

 

Anyway, I've gone for the give the item as-is to the local post office, show them the QR code and wait for the refund option.     Apparently, the Post Office will wrap  it (well, there's a first) and return it all for nothing.  

Looks like if I want a model of a Manx Norton I'll have to scratch build it.    Now where did I put that brass tube?

 

TTFNQ

 

[petethemole]

24 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Looks like if I want a model of a Manx Norton I'll have to scratch build it.   

Try eBay.  Omit "Italeri".

[polybear]

49 minutes ago, PupCam said:

 

The beers are on Phil then! 🍺  What time should we call round?

 

ION Update

 

I've staggered my round the Amazon (Not much) Help pages and thought blow it,   they can just have it back and I'll do without.    If I send it back and re-order no doubt it will be a repeat match.    Another "amusing" (I use the term in a sarcastic manner) one of the return options was words to the effect of "The product was damaged but the packing was intact".   Nowhere was there a "We forgot to put it any packaging" option.

 

At one point I got to a page that provided a "Call me" option.   I thought Hurrah! I can speak to a human.    Silly old me ....... no, it was an opportunity to talk to a stupid computer albeit no doubt equipped allegedly with artificial intelligence.

 

Anyway, I've gone for the give the item as-is to the local post office, show them the QR code and wait for the refund option.     Apparently, the Post Office will wrap  it (well, there's a first) and return it all for nothing.  

Looks like if I want a model of a Manx Norton I'll have to scratch build it.    Now where did I put that brass tube?

 

TTFNQ

 

 

Try re-ordering it, but this time tick the "This is a Gift" tick box as they may just pack it properly (so as not to spoil the surprise).  Might work - if it doesn't they can have it back again.....

Edited April 21 by polybear

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

Decided to go to the sailing club, too windy to sail in BM, gusting 35 mph,  only 11 got their boats out. Of which 9 sailed..

Extracted BM from her moorings with difficulty, the wind was pushing her back into the moorings, once I got her out a strong incoming tide started washing us up river. That made for a hard row tow across to the club, moored BM strategically out of the wind.

 

Muggacoffee and a bacon butty..

 

Eased side stays and gooseneck bracing stays.

Tried new wedge, too big, which wasn't a surprise, so I trimmed it to fit and it did..

Looking at the mast it was then leaning forward..but..

When bracing and side stays were tightened up the overall effect was vertical.

So that when 1/5 of BMs all up weight sits in the back, the mast will be tilted back.

 

During this I got a foot caught in a sheet as I made for the bank off the boat, hit my already sore knee on the quay, then the rest of me hit the deck somewhat hard.. 

 

Second race series only 7 sailed, heard from the next club 3 miles up river, racing had been abandoned.

 

The next job was replacing the blocks in the steering gear. Removal of the old ones was slightly difficult, several screws were refusing to be extracted easily. They ended up being replaced once they had been pliered out.

Putting the new ones in was somewhat easier. 

Then the entire system was set up, which took three rounds of tighten and adjust.

 

Muggacoffee and lunch..

 

3rd race only 5 boats sailed.

 

I suspect next week both stays and steering will need tightening again as they settled in their new positions.

 

Then towed BM back across the river, trouble was the BM kept trying to overtake with the wind. Arrived at her moorings sideways, took a couple of attempts to get her nose into the mooring  then swinging her stern in line and then the wind pushed her in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[polybear]

Bear here.....

 

Harry the Honda is now all washed - that's a long morning I'll  not be seeing again; I forgot just how long it takes to wash (even a clean to start with) Bike properly - and just how much I don't miss doing it......

 

Harry is now drying off in the (elusive) Sun, before I cover it up for beddybuys.

 

I also discovered that Bear's outside drain that takes the rainwater off the rear roof elevations of two houses + two extensions is blocked 🤬  Rattin' Piggin' Turdycurses.  That's a job for Bear sometime tomorrow.  Poo.

 

Bear gone.

[Coombe Barton]

... people with disabilities aren’t seen as having value of that sort? I can think of one person who sometimes reads this blog who would have rather a lot to say about that ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/21/respiratory-infections-inhumanity-all-round-rip-sir-andrew-davis/

[DaveF]

A fairly normal Sunday starting with the usual e mails and phone calls followed by church.  I came home, had coffee and cooked lunch.  I haven't cooked a proper Sunday lunch with a cooked dessert for ages so it was something of a shock to see how much there was to eat compared to "ready meals".  The extra though was mainly more vegetables and a larger helping of cooked plums for afters.  I managed to eat it all and then decided there was nothing urgent so had a rest ending up by falling asleep.

 

Later I went outside and cut down some of the heather which is to be removed, it was a lot easier than I had thought but my muscles haven't seen much use recently, the first time most of them had been used much was in the greenhouse yesterday.  About half of the heathers have gone now.  According to my neighbours the rats have come back, probably because several of them are feeding the birds, unlike me.  I thought I saw one yesterday, removing the heather will mean they have one less place to hide.  I think one the neighbours is going to ring the pest control people at the council tomorrow.

 

I had just come in and made a cup of tea when I saw and heard 2 fire engines and a fire car go along to the far end of the road in a hurry.  They quickly got a hose out and in through the front door of one of the houses and men with breathing gear went in.  After a couple of minutes they came out again, there was no smoke but a distinct burnt smell when I went outside.  The hose was left for some time with men in their ordinary clothes going in and out.  They were there for about an hour and have just left.  Doubtless I will hear more in due course.

 

Hopefully the normal peace and quiet of a Sunday will now resume.  I looked at the offerings on TV this evening, fortunately I have a book I want to read.  If I get bored I'll find something to steam.

 

David