WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Bodger]

Makes you think !!

[Stanley]

It does doesn't it. I often think of the unimaginable distances we look at even with the visible stars. That's why we need Quantum Theory!

[Tizer]

All I see in Bodger's post is this...

Makes you think !!
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[Stanley]

Quantum theory colliding with everyday reality Tiz....
I was watching a film made in Australia last night and was struck by the starscapes. I had forgotten how magnificent they are and how poor ours are over here. I don't know whether it's the latitude or light pollution but we can't see any where near as many or the Milky Way.

[Tizer]

What holidays used to be like...
`In pictures: Fun for all the family at Butlin's' LINK

We watched an episode of Paul Murton's TV tours around Scotland where he visited Sutherland. It included Loch Eriboll and the story of how the German U-boats were corralled there at the end of WW2. He also visited the wonderful cottage of artist Lotte Glob and viewed some of her colourful artworks. I found her web site and strongly recommend looking at the lovely photos of both her art and the local landscape. Lotte Glob

Loch Eriboll's link with the navy goes further than just the U-boats. Here's a clip from Wikipedia...
`The Royal Navy have been frequent visitors to the loch, particularly during World War II. There are stones arranged by sailors into the names of their warships, including HMS Hood and Amethyst, on the hillside above the hamlet of Laid. It was nicknamed "Lock ’orrible" by the British servicemen stationed here during the war because of the often inclement weather. The largest island in the loch, Eilean Choraidh, was used as a representation of the German battleship Tirpitz for aerial bombing practice by the Fleet Air Arm prior to the successful Operation Tungsten in April 1944. The surviving 33 German U-boats, for example U-532 and U-295, formally surrendered here in 1945, ending the Battle of the Atlantic. A leased area of the shore and loch is classified as a Minor training area by the Defence Training Estate, generally being used for amphibious and specialist training for three fortnights per year. In 2011 the loch was used as part of Exercise Joint Warrior, the largest war games staged in the UK, involving the navy's new flagship, the assault ship HMS Bulwark.'

[Big Kev]

All this talk of holidays, and to avoid any confusion, I thought it best to mention that this Friday is bank holiday Monday

[Stanley]

Now that has confused me!
Site went AWOL at 03:20 but is back now at 03:30, they must have put another shilling in the meter!

[Tizer]

A friend of ours, a lady of about 60 years, received one of those covid letters from the government telling her that as a very vulnerable person she needed to isolate for 12 weeks. Being healthy she was surprised by the letter and worried about having to go into that kind of extreme isolation. After further thought she rang her GP and asked why she'd got it. The GP concluded that it was sent to her in mistake!

[Bodger]

Thats me finished with Tate & Lyle , some great pictures of old machinery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtXM6XYQiTY

[Stanley]

Not sure yet, just waking up!
Yesterday it was the glorious day today it's the prospect of another possibly.

[Stanley]

I'm going to enjoy another warm day and get ready for our temporary return to winter!
The confusion there seems to be over lockdown because of the government making premature announcements. Many people are going to anticipate freedom today in a mistaken expectation that lockdown will end on Monday. They are going to be disappointed, there is nothing in the data to suggest we can relax our precautions. I shall be keeping strict isolation and hope that anyone jumping the gun doesn't trigger a rise in transmission.
Kids playing out in the back streets. I don't see this as a big danger as they are almost large family units already. There seem to be more than is usual and I hope the trend lasts beyond the pandemic.

[Stanley]

I listened this morning to a novice monk comparing the experience of self isolation with being a novice in a monastery. Some very good parallels and well worth seeking out if you like a bit of depth. What struck me in particular was that a common experience was that under the stress of readjusting their lives many novices went through a period of bad temper and intolerance, I think we can all recognise that. He finished by recommending something his novice master taught him, start every day by thinking about the good things and in particular by thanking your immediate neighbours for being there.
Not a bad idea, so thanks to all of you just for being part of my life and I hope you can find as much content in your day as I do. The ultimate virus is boredom. The devil finds work for idle hands!
(Having said that, cooking meant I missed the shed this morning.....)

[Tizer]

In the 1980s the company I worked for splashed out some money and sent a group of its employees, including me, on a course for managers to learn how to deal with change. That novice monk was experiencing some of what we heard about on that course. (The course was good for me - it prompted me to leave and start my own business! )

[Stanley]

I'll bet that wasn't included in the aims and objectives Tiz! Well done, you allowed it to work.

[Stanley]

How cold that wind was!
Thinking particularly about Sue and her earache... I have such bad memories of my children suffering from it, a miserable condition. I wish her well....

[plaques]

I must apologise for this spell of cold weather. This weekend I bit the bullet and let Mrs P cut my hair. The good news is that we are still in lockdown and nobody will see it, my cap now fits and I can hear a lot better. All in all not a bad move.

[Stanley]

Ah, the Lancashire equivalent of the Barlick rain dance. I shouldn't worry too much Old Lad, it will soon grow and the weather will warm up later in the week. I for one will not blame you! (I nearly cut mine last week.....)

[Stanley]

Sleeping in until almost 4AM.....

[Stanley]

I've mentioned this elsewhere but worth repeating... We are generally so preoccupied with temperatures and the prospects of Spring in our part of the world (which has the latest Spring season in the UK I think) that we forget the length of the day. At this time of the year we reap the rewards of our Northern longitude and have really long days to make up for the miserably short days in winter which can be so depressing. The days are long now and will continue to increase until June 21st which is the longest day. Remember the short days of winter and take full advantage of the light now!
Incidentally, it has always seemed cruel to me that as soon as we get frost free days and summer weather the days start shortening on us. Put aside those thoughts and take advantage.

[Tizer]

At this time of the year we reap the rewards of our Northern longitude and have really long days to make up for the miserably short days in winter which can be so depressing. The days are long now and will continue to increase until June 21st which is the longest day.

Also we benefit from more solar energy as the days get longer. We got a reading from our panels of 27 kWh yesterday due to clear skies and the long day length. The highest we've had in our few years of recording here was just over 29 kWh at the longest day but we've not had a fully clear longest day. I'm hoping we might get a clear one this year and break the 30 kWh barrier!

Some BBC pictures but not as good as usual in my opinion...
`The faded beauty of abandoned cars across Europe and the US' LINK

[Stanley]

I agree Tiz. However, they can be fascinating!



I found the graveyard for old Land Rovers on Eigg in 1988.

[Cathy]

A few days ago I stumbled on a program showing what is happening with the worlds aeroplanes. Hundreds, probably thousands, have been flown to deserts all around the world, parked, wrapped, and are taken care of by crews who keep them washed. They said the best place for an aeroplane was in the air, and a desert was the second best place to replicate the conditions they need. It was quite a sight to see so many at one time.

[Stanley]

Indeed Cathy, lots of Youtube videos of them. Many will never fly again and the cost of maintenance in itself is crippling.

[Tizer]

Cathy, I mentioned recently on OG how the parked aeroplanes also have to be moved regularly. This is to prevent the tyres being damaged by the weight always being on the same bit of the tyre. You'd think it would be better to rig up some simple stands to take some of the weight off the tyres. (On the other hand perhaps they still would need to move the planes so the batteries wouldn't go flat...haha, only joking! )

Now here's something to keep you all occupied during lockdown or post-lockdown. The UK's Royal Collection Trust has published online King George III's collection of military maps and they are available to view for free. It might be a bit slow at times due to high graphic content so please be patient! Royal Collection Trust

[Stanley]

I forget who it was but one military man once complained that every action he ever engaged in took place on the junction of more than one map.
MPs getting electronic voting wrong as they participated in the first one ever.
The growing ground swell of complaints from the care home and social care sectors. Why am I not confident that this well lead to some improvement? I refer you to the discussion about servicing our new levels of National Debt.
I heard an interesting comparison by one economist to the way debt was treated after WW2. But then I heard that the Pound Sterling was only worth $1.21.