Author Topic: The Good News Thread  (Read 1109468 times)

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6850 on: 11 January, 2020, 11:24:06 pm »
Arising out of the above, I have just been having a good FB natter with Lynnette, who is back in France looking after guests. We covered a good deal of the past 36 years. She mentioned having nursed her dad through his past few weeks of life. I know her mum died fairly recently.

I recall both her parents well - particularly the day they came to me and asked permission to take Lynnette out of school for a few days (can't recall how many) so that they could all attend the Glastonbury Festival. I also recall my response: "Of course! I am sure it will be more memorable and educational than being stuck in a stuffy classroom!" I got a bit of stick for that from the Head Teacher - it seems I was supposed to go through official channels with such a request. However, there's a good chance he would have refused because he was such a tedious old git. I don't actually remember thinking that it would be better not to tell him, but clearly I did the right thing.

She said this:

Quote
Okay so it wasn't my 1st time then - i think I was 8 then.  I wandered off (as you could back then then - it was such an intimate festival) and on my own I stood in front of the pyramid and watched Chuck Berry/Muddy Waters and BB King - back to back 😃

No, I definitely couldn't compete with that!
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6851 on: 20 January, 2020, 10:46:24 am »
I seem to have completed my accounts for the financial year - the last set, as we wound the business up in March 2018. According to my calculations, we made a profit of £13 in the year.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6852 on: 20 January, 2020, 01:08:31 pm »
I miscalculated. The profit was actually £242. I have filled in and submitted my returns. I still don't have to pay any tax.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6853 on: 17 February, 2020, 10:44:08 am »
Over the last few days I have learned, without setting out to, the BSL for friend, cake and tea and the ASL for friend. Also learned without meeting any actual signers, but I've checked what I was told against http://www.british-sign.co.uk/british-sign-language/how-to-sign/cake/ . So, with those three words, I think my knowledge of essential signs is complete.  ;D
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6854 on: 05 March, 2020, 04:08:45 pm »
Badger culling is to be replaced by vaccination  :thumbsup:
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6855 on: 05 March, 2020, 05:58:42 pm »
About bloody time.
Rust never sleeps

Davef

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6856 on: 06 March, 2020, 07:33:01 am »
Badger culling is to be replaced by vaccination  :thumbsup:
Just imagining what Carrie Symonds went through to achieve this goal turns the stomach.


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Giraffe

  • I brake for Giraffes
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6857 on: 07 March, 2020, 08:41:59 am »
Badger culling is to be replaced by vaccination  :thumbsup:
Just imagining what Carrie Symonds went through to achieve this goal turns the stomach.
Boris bikes - Boris bridge - Boris bonk.
2x4: thick plank; 4x4: 2 of 'em.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6858 on: 20 March, 2020, 03:29:46 pm »
Today is the vernal equinox. The sun crossed the equator at 3.49 a.m.

Hooray! It's summer! Let's all go on hol... oh bugger.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6859 on: 30 March, 2020, 05:40:02 pm »
My son found out this morning that he's been accepted onto the Teach First training scheme...

He had a call from them today to confirm his placement - at a school just eight easily cyclable miles down the road from us! That's convenient. For him.

I was kind of hoping it would be somewhere beyond easy commuting distance so he'd have to get his own accommodation.  ;D

Of course, as things stand, he may not be able to take up the place by September anyway.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6860 on: 31 March, 2020, 08:00:58 am »

Of course, as things stand, he may not be able to take up the place by September anyway.


FWIW, the teaching employment cycle has lost its bearings. And hub. And headset. The bright spot is that coming out of it, there will likely be an unholy scramble, which means CitoyenSon is going to be well placed. He may find the TeacherTapp app useful to get a sense of what is happening "out there". (full declaration: a co-governor runs it)

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6861 on: 31 March, 2020, 08:10:16 am »
Good news: found the half a chain quick link that went pingfuckit last week.
Better news: not by treading on it. My working area is also our route from bedroom to shower, so this seemed likely. In fact it had managed to land in my box of bits that are going on the bike ::)
Small things...

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6862 on: 31 March, 2020, 08:26:39 am »
The bright spot is that coming out of it, there will likely be an unholy scramble, which means CitoyenSon is going to be well placed.

He’s in an incredibly fortunate position given the current circumstances. My employer, like many others, has suspended recruiting and I imagine many new graduates are going to find it extremely difficult to find employment this summer.

He was supposed to be doing a few residential training courses over the summer, can’t see those going ahead, but they were already doing a lot of stuff online anyway, so no doubt they’ll be carrying on with the courses in some form.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Davef

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6863 on: 31 March, 2020, 08:52:44 am »
The bright spot is that coming out of it, there will likely be an unholy scramble, which means CitoyenSon is going to be well placed.

He’s in an incredibly fortunate position given the current circumstances. My employer, like many others, has suspended recruiting and I imagine many new graduates are going to find it extremely difficult to find employment this summer.

He was supposed to be doing a few residential training courses over the summer, can’t see those going ahead, but they were already doing a lot of stuff online anyway, so no doubt they’ll be carrying on with the courses in some form.
My daughter has been doing teach first since September. It is very much in at the deep end (of an alligator infested swamp) but is very rewarding.


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citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6864 on: 31 March, 2020, 09:09:18 am »
My daughter has been doing teach first since September. It is very much in at the deep end (of an alligator infested swamp) but is very rewarding.

 :thumbsup:
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

andytheflyer

  • Andytheex-flyer.....
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6865 on: 02 April, 2020, 01:06:34 pm »
Our Worcester Combi boiler packed up Saturday morning - well the hot water bit did.  (Despite last being serviced in November and pronounced A-OK).  Ah, this could be a problem...

Rang our local boiler fixers (with whom we have a service contract) at 0835 Monday.  Answering machine.  Ah, this really could be a problem.

They were knocking on the door at 11am.

Parts found, boiler fixed at 11am today.

Phew......

Dodged one there methinks.

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6866 on: 09 April, 2020, 04:20:32 pm »
I was going to order a Suntour NCX suspension seatpost for my new bike, assuming the one I have on my other bike is a 31mm. With a bit of delving I stumbled across the email from its purchase and it's a 27.2. It's not needed on the other bike, so that's £60 saved.
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6867 on: 10 April, 2020, 02:00:45 pm »
You could use some of that £60 you’ve saved to invest in a set of Vernier callipers.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6868 on: 10 April, 2020, 02:22:38 pm »
I've found my Berlin photos!

I thought I had lost the originals and only had a low res DropBox selection.

Currently carefully copying them off a failing disk...
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6869 on: 15 April, 2020, 04:19:07 pm »
You could use some of that £60 you’ve saved to invest in a set of Vernier callipers.

:) I have a pair, but the other bike is at my old house, and not easily accessible. What happened last time was that I bought a 31mm one secondhand and ended up buying the aforementioned 27.2 once I'd flogged it. That was a few years ago and I am not getting any younger...
Haggerty F, Haggerty R, Tomkins, Noble, Carrick, Robson, Crapper, Dewhurst, Macintyre, Treadmore, Davitt.

Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6870 on: 01 July, 2020, 02:15:26 pm »
I am a proud uncle.  My nephew has just got a 2:1 MSci in Stupidly Hard Maths & Physics (Theoretical Physics & Applied Mathematics) from the University of Birmingham.
Quote from: clarion
I completely agree with Reg.

Green Party Councillor

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6871 on: 14 July, 2020, 07:52:38 pm »
The cooncil are restarting fortnighly recycling collection next month.
This is good news as clearly we drink too much/get too many cardboard boxes delivered for a months' worth to fit in the bin.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

SoreTween

  • Most of me survived the Pennine Bridleway.
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6872 on: 19 July, 2020, 01:17:06 pm »
The trains are back :)  We've been hearing the DMUs and diesels on practice runs the past 2 week but this morning we hear the most wonderful sound of all:




Looks like someone spent most of past 4 months polishing her 8).  Click for full size.
DFR reopens on Aug 1st
2023 targets: Survive. Maybe.
There is only one infinite resource in this universe; human stupidity.

CommuteTooFar

  • Inadequate Randonneur
Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6873 on: 20 July, 2020, 05:29:04 pm »
Yes but those should be banned. Saddle tanks have a high centre of gravity. GWR made the square ones to help this problem. Railways should use more modern technology.

Re: The Good News Thread
« Reply #6874 on: 20 July, 2020, 05:51:43 pm »
The trains are back :)  We've been hearing the DMUs and diesels on practice runs the past 2 week but this morning we hear the most wonderful sound of all:




Looks like someone spent most of past 4 months polishing her 8).  Click for full size.
DFR reopens on Aug 1st

Thanks. Booked for August 30. With a two year old who gets Very Excited About Trains.