Author Topic: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.  (Read 1576302 times)

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12825 on: 24 December, 2020, 03:00:43 pm »
Took me about a week to get used to mine.

Have you got separate single vision specs for computer use? Varifocals are useless for any screen larger than a laptop.

D has 'intermediate' single vision specs optimised for 75-100cm face-to-screen distance.

barakta

  • Bastard lovechild of Yomiko Readman and Johnny 5
Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12826 on: 24 December, 2020, 04:09:55 pm »
I am worried I need to look at specific reading glasses on top of the £750 reused frames 2x glasses + an extra £100 for prescription sunglasses whack every 2 years...

My eye movement and balance issues  on top of astigmatism and -4ish lenses mean I can't have contacts, need thinned lenses, anti-glare and the precision blue tint isn't cheap... I also don't think varifocals will work because of my lack of eye movement capacity. I am told my "focus refocus" is very poor by at least 2 separate optiquacks and I can't read print books anymore, the typeface is too small in almost all cases.

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12827 on: 25 December, 2020, 10:51:03 am »
I don’t know what the heathens next door are up to but it sounds to involve hitting things with hammers until they break.  Just stop it.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12828 on: 25 December, 2020, 03:32:07 pm »
I am worried I need to look at specific reading glasses on top of the £750 reused frames 2x glasses + an extra £100 for prescription sunglasses whack every 2 years...

My eye movement and balance issues  on top of astigmatism and -4ish lenses mean I can't have contacts, need thinned lenses, anti-glare and the precision blue tint isn't cheap... I also don't think varifocals will work because of my lack of eye movement capacity. I am told my "focus refocus" is very poor by at least 2 separate optiquacks and I can't read print books anymore, the typeface is too small in almost all cases.

Suggest you get cheap readers for your desk and wear them over your prescription specs. You can wiggle them around to optimise position and buy incremental strengths as the need arises. My presbyopia progressed quite rapidly in my 50, other parameters remaining stable. You can then keep your pricy 'outdoor' specs for a few more years. My late great-grandmother used to wear two pairs of specs and this has gone out of fashion, but I'm no fashionista!

barakta

  • Bastard lovechild of Yomiko Readman and Johnny 5
Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12829 on: 25 December, 2020, 05:27:27 pm »
I tried an external blue lens arrangement magnetically attached to my frames but they didn't work as I couldn't focus through the two and it always felt like I was looking through cheap children's binoculars. I took them back and went back to 2 separate pairs.

I think I'll get some kind of proper lens, and either mount it to something or get a mounted one if I can find something not too shit.

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12830 on: 25 December, 2020, 08:17:21 pm »
ebay down.  Everyone trying to sell Christmas presents at once.  I want to order some bolts.
Move Faster and Bake Things

fuzzy

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12831 on: 27 December, 2020, 12:08:29 am »
What we need is something like an astrophotography filter wheel- one for each eye where the wheel is loaded with various prescription lenses that you rotate to put before your eye to suit your needs.
Like two ofthese joined with a bridge.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12832 on: 27 December, 2020, 12:31:33 am »
What we need is something like an astrophotography filter wheel- one for each eye where the wheel is loaded with various prescription lenses that you rotate to put before your eye to suit your needs.
Like two ofthese joined with a bridge.

The optiquack uses a motorised version of exactly that for determining prescriptions without all that tedious slotting lenses in and out.  Bit bulky, thobut.

I reckon a rotating turret like ye olde TV cameras would be more steampunk.

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
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    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12833 on: 27 December, 2020, 07:55:59 am »
What we need is something like an astrophotography filter wheel- one for each eye where the wheel is loaded with various prescription lenses that you rotate to put before your eye to suit your needs.
Like two ofthese joined with a bridge.

The optiquack uses a motorised version of exactly that for determining prescriptions without all that tedious slotting lenses in and out.  Bit bulky, thobut.

I reckon a rotating turret like ye olde TV cameras would be more steampunk.

Yep - our man has an amazing motorised machine that juggles the lenses around, together with a sort of turret that has all sorts of gizmos attached to it that he can fire at your head.

The "can you read this" machine also selects random characters - he says it's to beat the smart-arses that can remember the different sized letter sequences - and the car number plate read test thing is clever (with advancing years my eyesight as a specs wearer since 11 has improved to the point that I am just about legal to drive sans specs - I do cycle now without my contacts or specs, but do put specs on to drive) - the optician man has seen his revenue from me slip away . . . .  :)

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12834 on: 02 January, 2021, 07:43:44 pm »
Got taken out by a skateboarder this evening.
The Location: Outside Canada Water Library
The event: Skateboarder parted company with his board. Board continued to travel in my direction before colliding with my rear (Brompton) wheel, taking the bike out from under me.
The response: I actually saw it coming and was thus able to take evasive action and execute a perfect Judo break fall, landing on my right shoulder and rolling into the ground.
The aftermath: The skateboardist was profusely apologetic (his board didn't end up in the drink - as I had secretly hoped it might, as that's where it was heading for had my bike not stopped it)
The reflection: No harm done to myself, my attire or my bicycle.
The conclusion: It could've been many worsers. And probably better than being knocked off by a moton.

bhoot

  • MemSec (ex-Mrs RRtY)
Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12835 on: 02 January, 2021, 09:52:57 pm »
Has anyone else observed a much higher quantity of dog shit on the streets in the last month or so? It's definitely the case around this part of East London, to the extent that in some places you need to walk around looking at the pavement. I guess this could be linked to the increase in dog ownership that we have been told about, but I am slightly surprised in an area where many live in small flats.

Note - if I step in it this may turn from grumble to rant!

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12836 on: 03 January, 2021, 12:26:10 pm »
Not recently, no, but I did notice this during lockdown one. I put it down to people using dog exercise as an excuse for leaving the house, coupled with people having more time for dog walking.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12837 on: 03 January, 2021, 12:39:22 pm »
Do three grumbles make a rant?
I stopped work for the year on 15th December. Since then we have had:
  • One of the cars with water in the front passenger footwell due to something being blocked, resulting in the car being at the garage for over a week drying out
  • A broken tile on the roof resulting in a drip through our bedroom ceiling right over MrsC's pillow
  • And this morning, the shower started leaking. There is water coming through the unit, without going through the heater. As the whole shower room was built by a previous owner, badly, there is no obvious isolation valve. So we now have now water in the house at all. Fortunately our tame plumber/kitchen fitter/bathroom fitter has given us Facebook consultation and will be here at 8.30 in the morning.
I suppose, if we're lucky, that's the 'three bad things'.
"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12838 on: 03 January, 2021, 02:07:56 pm »
  • One of the cars with water in the front passenger footwell due to something being blocked, resulting in the car being at the garage for over a week drying out

What car is that Steve? It sounds a bit like what happened with our Kangoo - turned out to be a third drainhole in the gutter below the wipers that the garage mechanics didn't even know existed.

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12839 on: 03 January, 2021, 02:28:29 pm »
  • One of the cars with water in the front passenger footwell due to something being blocked, resulting in the car being at the garage for over a week drying out

What car is that Steve? It sounds a bit like what happened with our Kangoo - turned out to be a third drainhole in the gutter below the wipers that the garage mechanics didn't even know existed.
It was the Kangoo. (11 plate Kangoo II). In this case the drain hole was blocked, most likely with bits from our tamarisk tree. Said tree has now gone--nothing to do with the car, it was getting too big anyway. The garage said it was probably the drain holes being blocked even before they'd seen it.
"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12840 on: 05 January, 2021, 10:37:35 am »
My garage will shortly be full of an 8x10 greenhouse which cant be erected as the builder didn't come to pour the concrete foundation and build the little wall its to be erected on. Not the builders fault, you cant pore concrete when it's < 5 deg C which it has been here for two weeks :(
No idea when he will fit us in to do it now as he was doing it over the Christmas break.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

ian

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12841 on: 05 January, 2021, 11:00:12 am »
The car, apparently, has a flat tyre.

And a fox (I assume) ran off with the bag of soiled cat litter we left outside the back door last night (too cold and wet to run to the dustbin). No idea where it took it. Erm, enjoy.

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12842 on: 05 January, 2021, 11:15:37 am »
My garage will shortly be full of an 8x10 greenhouse which cant be erected as the builder didn't come to pour the concrete foundation and build the little wall its to be erected on. Not the builders fault, you cant pore concrete when it's < 5 deg C which it has been here for two weeks :(
No idea when he will fit us in to do it now as he was doing it over the Christmas break.

That is a good size.  I erected our 8x6 greenhouse just before Christmas on the hard standing we had ready.  I got the heated mats in and started some sweet peas off as an experiment and they are already sprouting within 5 days!  I now have some more mats and a thermostat and the tomatoes will probably go in soon along with some more flowers.  I then need some automatic watering and i will be all set.  One end is set against a brick wall and a side against the shed so they will have some reflective foil and bubble wrap applied this weekend.

I have somehow received an illustrated veg and flower seed catalogue in the post!  I did not realise the extent of such porn!

ian

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12843 on: 05 January, 2021, 01:19:20 pm »
Did expect to find the bag of stinky cat litter to be strewn somewhere and necessitate an unpleasant clean-up job, but there's no sign of it anywhere.

Maybe I can get the foxes to take it all. It could be the badgers I suppose, but there's a family of resident foxes. As a double grumble, I'm not sure why the cats have started doing their business in the house (it's cold and wet outside, I guess I wouldn't go in the garden either – but come summer, try stopping me).

In other news, I found the spare tyre under the car*. Not that I plan to fix anything, so don't panic. I think the Lady Upstairs called the RAC and my task was to verify the presence or not of a spare.

*no small task, remember this is the same car that took us twelve years to realise how to lock the doors from the inside.

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12844 on: 05 January, 2021, 01:50:35 pm »
I'm not sure why the cats have started doing their business in the house (it's cold and wet outside, I guess I wouldn't go in the garden either – but come summer, try stopping me).


Because you provide them with a liiter tray perchance?
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

ian

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12845 on: 05 January, 2021, 01:56:51 pm »
I'm not sure I'd like to find out where they'd go if there wasn't a back-up litter tray.

Bad Cat came to us because her last owners didn't like 'having a litter tray inside' which meant she shat on their bed (at least that's what the cat rehoming place told us). That said, LMC is going indoors too. It must be too cold for their tender little paws.

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
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Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12846 on: 05 January, 2021, 03:00:53 pm »
Ours are still going outside. I'm pretty sure Mojo and Pippin when they were getting old started coming back indoors especially to use the tray and then go back out again, but not this pair yet.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12847 on: 05 January, 2021, 03:10:42 pm »
Speaking of cold paws, when I was out for a run on the rather icy Bennachie a few days ago I came across another runner going in the opposite direction.
They had a dog running with them, and it was wearing four tiny little neoprene-ish looking booties.

I'm not sure if these were just thermal to keep the paws warm, or more mechanical to prevent abrasion of the foot-pads on the ice, or if they had metal studs to provide grip like little canine crampons.

I'd never seen such things before.
But the dog seemed very sure-footed on the slippy stuff.
4-paw-drive helps too, I suppose.

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12848 on: 05 January, 2021, 04:30:52 pm »
Ours are still going outside. I'm pretty sure Mojo and Pippin when they were getting old started coming back indoors especially to use the tray and then go back out again, but not this pair yet.

Our old lady (17) definitely does this. Hasn't even needed a litter tray until the last 12 months.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

ian

Re: The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.
« Reply #12849 on: 05 January, 2021, 04:57:43 pm »
They are getting older, but it's a suddenish change. They occasionally use the tray but generally like al fresco toileting (forgoing the delights of the many large gardens for the small patch by the kitchen patio). They're not lingering outside at the moment, so I presume the conditions are not to their liking.

Dog booties a certainly a common thing in Canada (otherwise their paws can freeze to the ground).