The White Rabbit

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Morning all, A damp and windy one here, so suddenly some inside jobs look attractive. On this morning's wander through the news, I saw https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2024/apr/30/you-can-walk-virtually-everywhere-in-england-by-using-the-train-the-man-connecting-rail-based-walks - an interesting idea. For a while now I have been toying with the idea of starting a walking thread, perhaps focussed on walks from/to stations rather than general walks from anywhere to anywhere else. But of the dozen or so I had in mind, I wanted to get the photos sorted out first so I could post them with my verbal ramblings. One day... Meter readings to be taken later, some joinery work to do on repair work in the kitchen, a little filling and painting to do repairing holes made by assorted tradesmen. It's all go round here...

Phil, with due respect, you're an amateur. Some years ago, we used to have a large chest freezer in the garage. One day I thought it would be a good idea to defrost, clean and tidy it. I found a vacuum pack of sausagemeat four and a bit years past its BB date. Memo to self, must do better at planning meals ...

I've seen worse...

Afternoon awl, Good to hear from @grandadbob, looks like good progress has been made with ... ahem ... 'wallpapering'... 😉 Sympathies with Jamie over the poor treatment for Beth. Been there, it's very hard to avoid losing control and inflicting physical harm on morons/insensitive *'s. Fingers crossed for several other ERs too, we seem to be having a nasty outbreak of ill health and problems, either ERs themselves or loved ones. Not much to report from this end, was awake at silly o'clock (again) but didn't fancy any piddling in a puddle. Strangely, I think I was woken by my dream, our neighbour's recently put a fence up and I dreamt 'William' (a Pug [dog]) dug underneath the gravel board and ran towards me, leapt into my arms and started licking my face with great enthusiasm. Which knocked me over onto the grass... I do get on well with most dogs but they are not usually that affectionate... Sent myself back to sleep again by thinking about possible transplant sites for various garden plants. Various odd jobs done. There are three gatherings the awl would disapprove of this weekend I would have liked to go to but it would not be sensible to try for any. Hopefully another year. A couple of plants planted out and some late seeds sown. In nature notes, we seem to be seeing more of a blackbird couple, they have both been throwing grass cuttings about recently, wondered if they were collecting nesting material but I think they were just hunting for insects. Their behaviour was certainly reminiscent of the phrasing in a certain muddling handbook (re garden railways) about them burrowing into [loose] ballast and throwing it left right and centre in their pursuit of worms. I suspect they are nesting somewhere close by.

Tesco have got in on this act too: https://www.flickr.com/photos/loopzilla/35444754081 Or, for SWAG attendees? : https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1194661429/no-pasties-left-in-this-vehicle?dd_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.search.yahoo.com%2F

It was an Ocado van but we had one caught up in a smash too. Thankfully the driver was OK, slightly shaken but no physical injuries. Amazingly, despite a 'seagull swooping' type piece of misfortune, they still managed to deliver on time! Thankyou/sympathy card was sent... Tesco once tried to deliver someone else's goods as well as our own order. We spotted it on the doorstep but that could easily have been a major oopsie for them. Christmas run-up as well, if we hadn't have been paying attention and being honest, the other person could well have had problems. In our experience, both Waitrose and Ocado ring if they are going to be early or late - in fact this week's Ocado delivery was 15 minutes early and he rang to check it was OK to be early. As above, in our experience both are reliable and if there are any substitutions, they tend to be sensible ones. Both have given us much better service than the usual retail standard - and far better than the 'customer service' Pupcam mentioned re banks recently. It's one reason why we use them much more than other supermarkets, we'd sooner pay a bit more and get quality products and decent service.

Not quite, I'd certainly say they are significantly more dependable than others but there has been the odd time when we haven't got things ordered. Not through driver error (as below) either. Perhaps the automation in the ordering/warehousing/picking processes is following the automotive industry from a generation or two ago, with emphasis on eliminating human error/misjudgement from the process? No 'Friday afternoon' cars or overly ripe bent bananas? The trouble may be there's a potential weak point at the point of delivery - once the driver forgot to give us one of several bags in a delivery and we had 5/6 items missing. We were refunded without quibble and it's by far the worst problem we've ever had with them but it can happen. I should add for @zarniwhoop's benefit (and anyone else who hasn't used Ocado) that their web-site showing the groceries does show the not available ones (at the time of ordering) as being so, they are at the bottom of the page, marked unavailable and the listing 'faded out'.

We use them alternately with Waitrose and Tesco, perhaps for about 40% of deliveries. I've experience of them delivering to two addresses (different counties). For me, they've been reliable and very few substitutions or unavailable items. Probably the best of all the supermarkets I've used, closely followed by Waitrose and then Tesco (and others) trailing away in the midfield. Of course s0ds law being what it is, the one thing you really, really wanted will be the one (out of perhaps 35-40 items?) that they can't do but that's just Fate being an a*** and it's the same risk as with any of the online order suppliers...

Nice to see the Jones the Steam fan club giving Edwin a warm welcome! Thanks for the other pictures too, some nice ones there.

I don't think I suffer either, though one day I went out to post a letter - post box was 100 yards away and a third of the way there, started sneezing. By the time I got back, the handkerchief was - um ... very soggy... Stopped sneezing a minute or two after going back in. I was living on the coast at the time (mid-Wales) about 25 yards from the beach, it was a light westerly breeze and no-one had a bonfire, revving an old banger or doing anything unusual. I've never had anything remotely like that before or since, still haven't a clue what happened.

Four coaches, if anyone wants all four, great, but I'm OK selling individually. There are: Two Vale of Rheidol coaches, chocolate and cream livery with 'MLR' logos. One is an open saloon, fitted with a few passenger figures and lights (not tested), the other, back to back compartment seating without internal partitions. I presume the bogies were resited to allow for tighter radius curves than the prototype. There's one freelance (?) semi-open saloon (centre compartment reminiscent of L&B arrangements?). And a SR balcony open saloon with moustachioed passenger and working lights (battery fitted and lights work). All are gauged for 45mm track. Generally decent condition, some minor faults. £140 (plus any P&P) each. Part-ex for SM32 considered, as would be services. More photos and details available on request.

I'm interested in their old, discontinued freight stock (four wheel) of the W&L. It need not be pristine but should be in good condition and run well, with no missing bits. In an ideal world (!) I'd like 3/4 opens, 3/4 vans and 3/4 others, whether sheep/cattle, flats, bolsters or one planks - I appreciate no one person is likely to have all of these but mention it to give you an idea what I'm after. I can pay [cash] or we can talk about a part-ex deal for other items or services. I have various 4mm scale items surplus to requirements, various scenery/accessories and some 45mm gauge stock. Please PM me with details.

I have occasionally been involved in interviewing and the last time I did so, one of the candidates was someone with a relatively poor example - but she acknowledged this and said it was due to lack of opportunity to demonstrate skill/judgement. Having been in a very similar situation myself I knew she was completely correct and made allowances. I favoured her over other, more 'privileged', work backgrounds as she had made more of a poor situation than others had done when things were much more in their favour. Value added, not % mark of the end result. Anyone can be a genius when it's all going your way, true ability is being able to turn things around when you inherit a [carp] starting position. Plus one... Whether consciously or not, there is (IMHO/experience) a definite trend to favouring a certain sort of mindset - I would be less concerned if it was a mindset which gave good results. But it seems to be geared to causing maximum harm to our society and the workplace while claiming to be something every 'right-minded person' should be jumping up and down and applauding. And if you dare offer an alternative view, you get the sort of dirty looks the kid which shouted the emperor has no clothes received ... right before he was disembowelled with a halberd on the orders of the captain of the palace guard.

My email was received 6th February:

Plus one. When faced with becoming a higher rate taxpayer, I made certain choices to reduce my income to avoid that. Partly economic self-interest, partly political. Definitely a well screwed up system, I thought it was a great shame but if society will not put a system in place to reward hard work and success then it can't complain when people say '* it - why should I bother?'.

Another case of a common language causing division and confusion. 'Corned Beef' in England comes in tins and in the words of several americans, is 'stuff we wouldn't feed to our dogs'. 'Bully' beef is not used, though I occasionally encounter it in my reading. 'Salt' beef is what elsewhere in the world is called 'corned' beef - a beef joint, often but not always brisket, boiled in brine and cured. It's a favourite of mine, particularly accompanied by freshly baked bread and boiled carrots and onion. I've never been able to get pastrami other than in plastic packets and thinly sliced but I can see how that could also be very nice.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/44230626 may be worth a look - the preview page refers to some reputable authors. I've a few things to do this evening but will create an account and have a look later. https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1968/march/congreve-war-rockets-1800-1825 also looks promising. There are some stats quoted. From a skim-read, the impression I get is the lack of damage to Fort McHenry was more due to strong construction than a weakness in the artillery used against it. Though given the author's background, I could suggest 'he would say/suggest that, wouldn't he'? I've not found a title about the system, though I've seen several about conventional [tube] artillery of the period. Could be an interesting book if someone writes one.

Sorry for the late reply - the last eight or so hours have been a bit hectic. Other words are available... I wonder about that - I accept I have no personal experience but from my knowledge of the system, some of them came with solid heads as well as shells and incendiary heads. If the former were fitted, then I think 24 or 32 pound heads together with whatever weight the stick was would put a dent in most walls. Or ships. Conventional black powder smoothbore muzzle loading artillery had 24 and 32 pound pieces - but I'm not knowledgeable to know or even take a guess as to the comparable kinetic forces imparted to a target. And I know Baz may be our resident rocket scientist but I won't insult him by suggesting he had personal experience of this type!

Colonel Congreve's 'secret' weapon. Both naval weapons (as here) and land-based, as per Battles of Leipzig and Waterloo. The main problem was one of accuracy.

They would (probably?) be even unhappier if they got turfed out of bed one night or spent time nest-building only to find it catapulted onto the lawn. Yes, I know it's not the best time but due to other [things*] which are going on right now, quite a few things of a routine maintenance nature have had to slide. This pyracantha has not had the attention it should have and thanks to the prevailing wind, has grown at quite an angle (think a letter P, with the trunk literally on the edge of the 'blob' of foliage). It put on a growth spurt and was in danger of either uprooting itself in a gale or subsiding so as to actually grow along the ground. A severe haircut was necessary to relieve the pressure. Needs must when the devil drives. * Mainly medical incompetence and NHS malevolence, of which I have grumbled about on ERs before...

Rabbit's Sunday Sarcasm: Wot, no tractor references? 😇 a) LOTUS...? b) Wasn't there a marketing poster about that? 🤔

Evening all, A curate's egg day, it started well enough, with postie being kind enough not to wake us up at silly o'clock for my parcel of shhh, you know whats. Most of the time he comes at 10.15-10.30 but Saturdays are different, maybe he aims to catch the sparrows yawning? Instead, it was left behind a bush, out of sight of casual passers-by. It sort of went downhill after breakfast, the second bathroom's outflow pump appears to be on strike and any waste from the washbasin, toilet and shower accumulates in the shower tray. Rattinfugginturdycurses I think is the phrase... And my sympathies to all those caught up in the Sydney aggression. I know there will always be some who seek to take their frustrations at life out on others but whatever happened to holding those responsible to account rather than inflicting pain on innocent third parties? However, the sun was out for much of the day and quite a bit of progress was made with G-word stuff. As my right shoulder and back will testify. Complaints have been submitted to the O/C... One garden trellis dismantled, a third of the parts will go towards a bird table (Heath Robinson style), another third will form surveying stakes for a garden project of mine involving large unmentionables and the remainder are for the tip. A pyracantha was pruned - it didn't like it and tried to fight back but Wabbit was wise to such tricks. No jumping up and down in the green bin on the cuttings though - 'Old Spikey' would probably have won that one. Time to catch up on other threads and see if anyone's had any good ideas re my conundrums.