Small Talk: The Welcome Mat

[Netfoot]

Well, an hour has past, and he has returned from his feast. He drank a lot of water and took himself off to bed. So tonight he will probably pee in the house and vomit up feathers and other unpalatable pigeon parts. Right now, he is positively destroying his bedding, probably because he knows I can't afford to replace it, and will have to give him mine, and do without myself.

Someone suggested cutting off his water supply at 6 PM to discourage peeing in the house at night. Seems a little harsh to me, to deny a thirsty creature water, but I've had mother's say they used the technique on their own children to stop bed-wetting. Is this an acceptable plan?

(Have I asked this question before? Am I experiencing a senior moment? Or am I just developing a stutter?)

My problem child is now insisting on licking off the medication I apply to my scratched/bitten up arms.

P.S: I'm thinking about getting a Twitter account. Wotcha think?

[Netfoot]

An official flood warning has been issued by the MET office now, and will be updated around noon.

Apparently we had as much as 3-5" of rain yesterday depending on where you were and can expect another 3" today, with more in certain areas, "These unstable conditions are exp­ected to persist across the island over the next few days."

I assure you that Mo and I will be perfectly safe. However, Mo is likely to insist on getting very wet. I have both of his towels ready and waiting for when he needs drying off.

 

[Rootbeer]

7 hours ago, Netfoot said:

Well, an hour has past, and he has returned from his feast. He drank a lot of water and took himself off to bed. So tonight he will probably pee in the house and vomit up feathers and other unpalatable pigeon parts. Right now, he is positively destroying his bedding, probably because he knows I can't afford to replace it, and will have to give him mine, and do without myself.

Someone suggested cutting off his water supply at 6 PM to discourage peeing in the house at night. Seems a little harsh to me, to deny a thirsty creature water, but I've had mother's say they used the technique on their own children to stop bed-wetting. Is this an acceptable plan?

(Have I asked this question before? Am I experiencing a senior moment? Or am I just developing a stutter?)

My problem child is now insisting on licking off the medication I apply to my scratched/bitten up arms.

P.S: I'm thinking about getting a Twitter account. Wotcha think?

I think it is fine to remove the water dish at a certain point in the evening and not return it until morning.  As long as he has free access most of the time, he will learn to work with the schedule.  Same thing with dogs who don't empty their dishes but graze all day.  Leave the dish full of food down for 15 minutes or so and then put it away until the next meal.  Dogs aren't dumb, they'll learn to eat and drink on your timetable

Sounds like Mo has some hunting dog in him.  I don't think he caught the pigeon because he was hungry, but because he instinctively needed to chase it down and show it who's boss.  You can't do much about it, like cats that need to catch mice and other varmints.  Same reason Mo went after the mouse the other day, he likes to hunt, it challenges him and he's good at it.

[Netfoot]

22 minutes ago, Rootbeer said:

Sounds like Mo has some hunting dog in him.  I don't think he caught the pigeon because he was hungry, but because he instinctively needed to chase it down and show it who's boss.  You can't do much about it, like cats that need to catch mice and other varmints.  Same reason Mo went after the mouse the other day, he likes to hunt, it challenges him and he's good at it.

I'm fine with him hunting mice. Budweiser was a mouser of some skill (we get mice in the house -- it's a long story). And while I feel sorry for the poor old pigeon, well, nature red in tooth and claw.  I'm just concerned about him eating them. He hasn't up-chucked a bunch of feathers this morning and he looks extremely pleased with himself still, but I just don't want him to make himself sick.

I will try a cover on the water bowl and see what sort of help that is. Although on a day like today, the whole of the outside is like a swimming pool...

[Rootbeer]

22 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

I'm fine with him hunting mice. Budweiser was a mouser of some skill (we get mice in the house -- it's a long story). And while I feel sorry for the poor old pigeon, well, nature red in tooth and claw.  I'm just concerned about him eating them. He hasn't up-chucked a bunch of feathers this morning and he looks extremely pleased with himself still, but I just don't want him to make himself sick.

I will try a cover on the water bowl and see what sort of help that is. Although on a day like today, the whole of the outside is like a swimming pool...

I know my pooches prefer to drink from puddles, the toilet, dishwater and anything else that is NOT in their actual water dishes.

[Netfoot]

Ok, so we went to the supermarket to get some simple supplies: Bread, cheese, milk, some cabbage, pak choy, carrots, potatoes, and a couple of tins. Mo of course, went for the ride.

He behaved the entire time as if he was being pursued by a lion. Yowling and screeching, scratching violently at my arm, barking and howling... I'm not sure if he was like a kid who's angry he can't go out to play because of the rain, or a kid who wants to go out and play in the rain but isn't allowed to.

I had to slog through 3" of water in the supermarket car park, with the rain falling on my head, then after making my purchases I had to do it again in reverse. Then, I had to go back again with the trolly, and come back again to the car before we were finally able to go home.

Mo is now acting perfectly sweetly and normally, except being very insistent on having a significant share of my lunch (he had his own lunch complete with meat as well as puppy chow).

 

A while ago I mentioned I'd started reading an interesting book set at the end of the 9th century in Britain, with the Saxons and Vikings and Danes all hacking away at each other with swords to see who would eventually run the country. (There is much more political scheming and strategic maneuvering than hacking and sword-wielding, in actual fact.) The hero of the book is one Uhtred of Bebbanburg (ficticious character) and to my surprise, the book is one of a series of thirteen books, and the basis for a TV series that lasted five seasons (so far).

Boy, do I feel like a dummy! But I will finish my book and pursue others in the set before I watch the TV show.

[Netfoot]

Went out to give Mo a cuddle, and saw this:

No, it isn't another one, it's the same one which he'd stashed somewhere.

Well, I left him to it and came back in to the house. Pretty soon, I was being bombarded by bugs, because termites are swarming tonight.

This is the light in the garage. I had to turn off the one over my chair/desk, turn on one somewhere far away from me, and so I'm sitting in the partial dark. But not being bombarded by termites dozens of times a second.

In the semi-dark, I stumbled over something on the living room floor. Half a bird. Well, more like quarter of a bird. I set off to dump it in the garbage bin in the kitchen but it was so stinky that I reversed course and threw it directly into the wheelie-bin.

Turned around to find myself being carefully scrutinized by an angry puppy in a bad temper. Well, he can't get his bird back. He will have to be satisfied with his regular dinner. 

____________________

I've said this before, but it bears repeating: I always feel silly shooting off my mouth about Mo and the contents of my sandwich and the bugs in the garage. The photos (and occasional videos) of the activities up at the club must also be pretty tiring for those who have no real interest in aviation and  particularly model aviation.

Is it time to just shut up?

Edited April 26, 2022 by Netfoot

[andidante]

I enjoy your posts and love to hear about what you make for dinner, etc! I just don't post much my self. 

[Netfoot]

A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR BARBADOS
Issued: Tue, 26 Apr 2022 06:04 PM
This alert message is valid from 12 Noon Tuesday 26th April 2022 and will be updated at 6 AM Wednesday 27th April 2022.
A flood warning is issued when flooding is occurring or is imminent within the next 48 hours.

**** Hazard Info ****

A trough system continues to affect the island, generating periods of rain and moderate to heavy showers. Over the last 36 hours,
rainfall accumulations in excess of 2 to 5 inches were received across the island. These unstable conditions being experienced will persist over the next few days with further accumulations of 1 to 3 inches expected across Barbados. 

Key Messages: Residents and visitors should note that the following impacts are imminent during this forecast period:-

• Significant runoff from higher elevations.
• Significant soil erosion is likely on exposed or scarred land surfaces.
• Large water settlements on roads and fields.
• Significant adjustments to water levels of existing water bodies (ponds etc.).
• Significant delays on traffic routes with some roads possibly impassable.
• Large objects or debris from higher elevations may also become embedded within fast-moving water flows.
• Significant flooding at the foot of hillsides and coastal roads is possible.

For more information specific to your area, please visit:-
https://www.barbadosweather.org/weatherBarResp.php or our social media pages. 

Prepared by Christophe Martin
Meteorologist (I) (Ag)
Approved by Brian Murray
Deputy Director
Barbados Meteorological Services

[dbklmt]

1 hour ago, andidante said:

I enjoy your posts and love to hear about what you make for dinner, etc! I just don't post much my self. 

I agree with Andidante, but I also like "everything" that you shown at the club with the aircraft.  I've watched all the videos you've posted, but don't respond at Google.  Keep them coming!  

[Netfoot]

I have the cheapest, nastiest South-American made Samsung phone money can buy. The camera is on par. Look at this photo:

It shows Aussie making a low pass with his new J3 Cub while Raf looks over his shoulder. The  Cub is almost disappearing behind them. 

But to get this photo I had to press the shutter about 3 seconds before the Cub came into view, and wait for the camera to decide when it was ready to shoot an image. Took about 15 tries, each one requiring the pilot to cooperate and fly another circuit. And he didn't come to be a photo-model but to have fun flying his model all over the sky!

This makes it difficult to take photos of any activity more involved than the grass growing. By time I can get the camera to snap a picture of Mo giving Unka Rudy kisses, Mo has disappeared around the back of the clubhouse and Unka Rudy is opening a greenie!

Videos are just as difficult.

And like all modern cameras, not having a real viewfinder and having to rely on the LCD  makes it impossible, on a sunny afternoon. I can't even see the shutter button, far less compose a shot!

Add to this the 1Mbyte total image upload size per post, you will understand that every photo has to be cropped, scaled and massaged before you can get it accepted on the forum. (If you want to know how I get 2, 3, even 4 images in a single post, written requests on the back of a Grantley, please!)

And the site doesn't even allow you to post videos! So I have to stick it on the net somewhere and post a link.....

But I like to do it because sometimes you catch Mo being a naughty little angel stealing Raf's hat (for the second time, actually) or a lovely shot of someone making a final approach out of a firey sunset or something else unexpectedly great.

I just sometimes think that someone is going to complain to TPTB and I will be asked to just shut up and stop the neverending babble.

And when I go on a rant about the garbage collection or the bank or the rain or the neighbors, I may just be blowing off steam, but it could easily be taken as a seriously demented post!

I've essentially lost most of my family to events unavoidable, and just about the only person who seems to have no trouble kicking me back onto an even keel is Dr. Kristi, who I think I will be seeing quite a bit less of, these days, to my great dismay.

But, if you have no objection I will carry on as before, telling you about stupid things like the bugs that are flying around the house and other equally thrilling things like that! They've all buggered orf, now, so the lights are back to normal. (See what I did there? Bugs? Buggered orf?)

Someone keeps WhatsApping me. Better go and see how much the Nigerian princess wants to send me.....

Edited April 27, 2022 by Netfoot

[dbklmt]

48 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

I have the cheapest, nastiest South-American made Samsung phone money can buy. The camera is on par. Look at this photo:

It shows Aussie making a low pass with his new J3 Cub while Raf looks over his shoulder. The  Cub is almost disappearing behind them. 

But to get this photo I had to press the shutter about 3 seconds before the Cub came into view, and wait for the camera to decide when it was ready to shoot an image. Took about 15 tries, each one requiring the pilot to cooperate and fly another circuit. And he didn't come to be a photo-model but to have fun flying his model all over the sky!

This makes it difficult to take photos of any activity more involved than the grass growing. By time I can get the camera to snap a picture of Mo giving Unka Rudy kisses, Mo has disappeared around the back of the clubhouse and Unka Rudy is opening a greenie!

Videos are just as difficult.

And like all modern cameras, not having a real viewfinder and having to rely on the LCD  makes it impossible, on a sunny afternoon. I can't even see the shutter button, far less compose a shot!

Add to this the 1Mbyte total image upload size per post, you will understand that every photo has to be cropped, scaled and massaged before you can get it accepted on the forum. (If you want to know how I get 2, 3, even 4 images in a single post, written requests on the back of a Grantley, please!)

And the site doesn't even allow you to post videos! So I have to stick it on the net somewhere and post a link.....

But I like to do it because sometimes you catch Mo being a naughty little angel stealing Raf's (for the second time, actually) or a lovely shot of someone making a final approach out of a firey sunset or something else unexpectedly great.

I just sometimes think that someone is going to complain to TPTB and I will be asked to just shut up and stop the neverending babble.

And when I go on a rant about the garbage collection or the bank or the rain or the neighbors, I may just be blowing off steam, but it could easily be taken as a seriously demented post!

I've essentially lost most of my family to events unavoidable, and just about the only person who seems to have no trouble kicking me back onto an even keel is Dr. Kristi, who I think I will be seeing quite a bit less of, these days, to my great dismay.

But, if you have no objection I will carry on as before, telling you about stupid things like the bugs that are flying around the house and other equally thrilling things like that! They've all buggered orf, now, so the lights are back to normal. (See what I did there? Bugs? Buggered orf?)

Someone keeps WhatsApping me. Better go and see how much the Nigerian princess wants to send me.....

😍 😃🤩

[Netfoot]

Mo is now standing on my head and looking out the window. I've had to move everything off the bedside table so he can put his front feet on it and not knock everything for six!

Several times a night I wake up.and he is looking out that window (and what woke me was him standing on my head!)

I'd take a photo except it's absolutely inky black in here right now. The promised flooding hasn't happened (yet) but the clouds have completely blanketed the moon, stars, and/or what ever else is up there, and the mall across the street seems to be on an energy conservation gambit.

Someone up-thread (@Rootbeer I think) mentioned that Mo is probably part hunting dog. I think he is part Panther. It would explain his colouration, his urge to  hunt, his obvious preference for prowling around in the dead of night and his continued refusal to do anything that doesn't suit his immediate mood.

I may take him to the vet tomorrow. I have found no sign of further infestation but a treatment wouldn't hurt. Also, I think he may have a problem with one leg or foot. It's hard to tell but one minute he is rocketing around without issue, the next he is favouring his left front foot. Someone says "Is he limping?" Everyone else looks and says "No!" But I think he may have collected a thorn from the duncs tree when it was being cut back. But whatever, I may just ask them to find out what if anything is wrong and set about putting it right.

Interested in what he weighs, as well.

Trouble is we have two public holidays coming up and the vet is closed on Thursday, Sunday and Monday. So, it's tomorrow or Friday.

 

[Netfoot]

Well, he's been to the vet ($164.94) and they have examined him thoroughly and can find nothing wrong with his leg. Going by my explanation they suggest he may have simply sprained his foot and is gradually recovering.

I have a pain-reduction medication that I am to give him for the next four days and I'm supposed to keep him quiet for that period of time (LOL!).

Other than that, I got a 3-month flea/tick/worm treatment which he gobbled down as soon as we got home. The vet examined his fur/skin and said it doesn't appear that he has any infestation - the tick in question had probably just jumped on him as he romped around in the great outdoors. But the 3-month treatment won't hurt either way.

The vet commented on his beautiful, big, strong, white teeth, his healthy looking fur and his general state of good health.

He was an absolute animal in the clinic, destroyed his already failing collar once and for all, leapt up on every member of staff and any members of the general public he could find, wouldn't sit still and relax for a single second, and made me nostalgic for the days when Budweiser was unofficially known at the clinic as as HyperDog! I asked if they had anything that could cure him, but alas, no.

He weighed in at 31.2 lbs.

[Netfoot]

Cuddle bunny!

He's very fond of kidding on the mouth, now the only beard involved is his!

[Netfoot]

Tried to take a nap, but after 45 minutes of being used as a trampoline, I gave up and started listening to music instead. Which, despite being set on "Randomize" seemed to mostly be Goo-Goo Dolls and Green Day...

The trampolinist has departed now, so I will consider something for dinner. Lunch was only tuna on bread, and I don't feel for more carbs today so dunno what I can have for dinner that isn't carby... Hope not just cups of tea like the other night because I am sorta hungry.

Gotta go administer some potion or other to the little man. 0.8 cc of some liquid in his food once a day for the next four days. 

Unka Rudy just called. Ignoring everyone's advice he went to the club and got completely stuck in the mud. My van is awesome, but not first choice for pulling someone outta the muck. So I dispatched Austin who drives a Landy. Now if Austin calls, we got a problem, because Raf is known as "Mr. Stick-up", and not because he robs banks!

The van has reasonably good road/rally tyres (Bridgestone Potenza) and rarely gets stuck, no matter how bad things are. And it has a good tow rope and a set of heavy duty shackles. But it isn't the ideal solution when the jeeps and Landies need pulling out!

Uh-oh! Look who is back.... and eating a length of weed-whacker string. Good! Maybe his little butt can 3D print some replacements for all of the other things he's eaten recently!

[Netfoot]

Damn it, cheese and tomato on white. And I didn't want to eat carbs, but I was hungry abd and, well, it seemed the least if of the evils presenting themselves. (Potatoes mashed, boiled, fried, pasta, rice...)

Tomorrow is a public holiday - I can't even remember which one; I'll look it up. But Mo and I can't do anything but sit around the house because of the rain. A sprinkle of which is coming through the window right now. Even if no rain falls, the tracks are so sodden (witness Rudy sticking up in his jeep) it will be a while before it will be safe for the van to risk the journey to the club. 

It isn't really the rain that makes the tracks difficult. It's the eejits who think they know what they're doing and instead of driving sensibly, spin their wheels at high speed and churn everything into goo.

The more you spin your wheels the less traction you have. And the faster you are moving, the more momentum you have to get you past a spot where you may lose traction. So, obviously, you want as much speed and as little wheel-spin as possible.

And here is another point many don't seem to see. If you look at a dirt road, it's probably got a hump in the middle, maybe with some grass growing on it. Then, there are two lower wheel tracks in either side of that central hump. And on the very outside, higher ground again, probably with more grass.

Those two lower wheel tracks on either side of the middle? Under no circumstances do you let your wheels go into them! Because they are (or were) probably full of water. And under the water, or where it has been, is mud! So, never put your wheels there!

Also, those lower wheel tracks are, well, lower! Which means as your wheels sink into the mud, the underside of your vehicle will meet the higher central hump, and your vehicle will be bottomed out and stranded.

So, you want one wheel on the central hump, and the other on one of the bits of high ground at the side. If you're lucky, both will have grass in amongst the mud, increasing your grip. 

Pick up speed before you get to the start of the track. You want enough speed so that if you hit a very soggy spot and you lose all traction, your forward momentum will get you past that spot and you can find some traction again. Don't let your wheels spin because they will just dig holes to sit in. 

And don't stop. So, if there are several vehicles using the track, try to go first so the fool in front of you doesn't churn the whole track into a quagmire. Otherwise, make sure there is plenty of room between you and the man in front, because you don't want to find yourself having to stop because he has gone and got stuck.

I dunno why I'm telling you all this, because basically Mo (and therefore I) have been instructed to stay away from the club for 3-4 days. So really, the next time we are likely to visit the club, will be Sunday afternoon. And that's assuming there is no continued deluge between now and then!

I promised to look it up. Tomorrow is "National Heroes Day," a public holiday created a handful of years ago to tick the correct political boxes for one party to make the other look bad. But Bajans are OK with it, because we get a day off. I recall that there are ten national heroes, and if I had to name three of them I'd be guessing for two. The only one I can name for sure is Rihanna, believe it or not.

If you've heard me mention Tony, a club member who flies at the field and glides at the cliff, he is her uncle, but they are not on speaking terms as far as I understand, because Tony doesn't approve of some if her shenanigans. We keep teasing her him and telling him to invite her to the club but it ain't gonna happen.

Another club member told us a tale of how "stuck-up" she was on her first day at school. Apparently he went over to make her welcome, but she didn't respond positively. Reading between the lines, we conclude that how it went down was: 1) Rihanna arrives in class 2) Jack the Lad hits on her 3) She immediately blows him off 4) This makes her "stuck-up."

Gonna read a while...

Edited April 28, 2022 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

O. M. G !!!

The world energy crisis has been solved by little (31.2 lb.) Mo!

And all in the form of natural gas. What he has produced in the past five minutes could power a small city for a week. The only obvious downside is the highly toxic nature of this particular variant of the gas...

[Netfoot]

Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have eaten more bread for dinner. Blood Sugar this morning was 6.1 mmol/L and another red dot on my graph (I plot my readings so I can call them up on my phone so Dr. Kristi can see at a glance how I've been doing.) It's been mostly green for the last 90 days.

Speaking of food, I gave Mo his usual measure of puppy chow this morning, with three spoonfuls of tinned puppy food mixed in to add a bit of extra flavour. 

I don't think he was impressed with the offering, because I just caught him eating this instead:

I don't know where he found it, and heaven knows how much injury he could have done to his mouth, far less had he actually swallowed it!

He periodically comes and whines to tell me he's bored and wants to go for a drive (like, to the club) but with doctor's orders against that plan, plus the waterlogged nature of the tracks... Mind you, the promised flooding had not materializes, at least not around here.

But it doesn't need to! The tracks were already a bog, and all it needs is an occasional sprinkle to keep them boggy. What we need now is three days of blistering sun to dry out the top of the mud, then by Sunday, the tracks will be easily negotiable again. Until an idiot (I won't give his name, but sufficient to say he thinks Rihanna is "stuck-up".) decides to show us how manly he is by racing through the track, smashing the dry crust to smithereens and churning up the mud from underneath.

I would take Mo for a walk around the neighborhood, but that would be like taking a barracuda for a sea-bath. Plus, with his now-useless collar, he would bust free and be gone out of sight in a matter of seconds. It's quiet (Bank Holiday) but I wouldn't trust to have him running around in the road.

I need some sort of choker collar/leash design that will allow me to keep control of him in situations where he might put himself in danger. But I've always considered those things cruel and possibly harmful. Although, the vets all use them, so maybe they aren't quite so bad?

Now to go cook up a bunch of potatoes because once your BS is 6.1 who cares what comes next?

[Rootbeer]

1 hour ago, Netfoot said:

Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have eaten more bread for dinner. Blood Sugar this morning was 6.1 mmol/L and another red dot on my graph (I plot my readings so I can call them up on my phone so Dr. Kristi can see at a glance how I've been doing.) It's been mostly green for the last 90 days.

Speaking of food, I gave Mo his usual measure of puppy chow this morning, with three spoonfuls of tinned puppy food mixed in to add a bit of extra flavour. 

I don't think he was impressed with the offering, because I just caught him eating this instead:

I don't know where he found it, and heaven knows how much injury he could have done to his mouth, far less had he actually swallowed it!

He periodically comes and whines to tell me he's bored and wants to go for a drive (like, to the club) but with doctor's orders against that plan, plus the waterlogged nature of the tracks... Mind you, the promised flooding had not materializes, at least not around here.

But it doesn't need to! The tracks were already a bog, and all it needs is an occasional sprinkle to keep them boggy. What we need now is three days of blistering sun to dry out the top of the mud, then by Sunday, the tracks will be easily negotiable again. Until an idiot (I won't give his name, but sufficient to say he thinks Rihanna is "stuck-up".) decides to show us how manly he is by racing through the track, smashing the dry crust to smithereens and churning up the mud from underneath.

I would take Mo for a walk around the neighborhood, but that would be like taking a barracuda for a sea-bath. Plus, with his now-useless collar, he would bust free and be gone out of sight in a matter of seconds. It's quiet (Bank Holiday) but I wouldn't trust to have him running around in the road.

I need some sort of choker collar/leash design that will allow me to keep control of him in situations where he might put himself in danger. But I've always considered those things cruel and possibly harmful. Although, the vets all use them, so maybe they aren't quite so bad?

Now to go cook up a bunch of potatoes because once your BS is 6.1 who cares what comes next?

There are things like harnesses or the gentle leader that keep the dog from breaking out of a leash and don't have the prongs on them.

However, my larger dog has a very thick coat around her neck.  When I got her, her previous owner had one of those prong collars for her.  It had rubber tips on the prongs.  When I took her to a trainer, the dog barely responded when I pulled on the leash and the trainer said that some dogs just have thick necks/thick hair and don't really feel the correction with a regular collar and recommended using the prong collar for walks.  It really does help and she is not afraid of it, is very cooperative when I put it on her so I don't think she finds it uncomfortable.

[Netfoot]

6 minutes ago, Rootbeer said:

There are things like harnesses or the gentle leader that keep the dog from breaking out of a leash and don't have the prongs on them.

Prongs?!??

I don't like the sound of that. The type of thing I was talking about was a leash with a noose at the end. If the doggie tries too hard to pull away, the noose tightens and "chokes" them. As soon as they stop pulling, the noose slackens again and the "choking" stops.

When ever you take your dog to the vet and he has to be taken away for treatment of some sort, they use such a device. Every time. And I have to think that if the vets use them consistently they can't be all that bad?  Maybe?

But with Mo, he is just the type of dog to keep pulling until he faints for lack of air, because Mo does what Mo wants, no matter what you say!

A harness may not be a bad idea. In fact, it sounds pretty good, unless he keeps growing and I have to buy a new one very 3 weeks! I'm going to scratch my head a while and see if it's possible I could make one.

[Browncoat]

A gentle leader might work.  It has a loop that goes around the snout, but it is NOT a muzzle.  When the dog pulls, his head gets turned back toward you.

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Gentle-Leader-Collar-Training/dp/B00074L4W2?th=1

Prong collars and choke chains can be useful when used properly.  Being used properly is the key, though.

[dbklmt]

58 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

A gentle leader might work.  It has a loop that goes around the snout, but it is NOT a muzzle.  When the dog pulls, his head gets turned back toward you.

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Gentle-Leader-Collar-Training/dp/B00074L4W2?th=1

Prong collars and choke chains can be useful when used properly.  Being used properly is the key, though.

That's what I used in "training" my dog to walk with me.

Another option might be something like this

https://www.amazon.com/BARKBAY-Harness-Reflective-Control-Walking/dp/B07FQ5TC4J/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3FPE9KB1LJP4G&keywords=no%2Bpull%2Bdog%2Bharness&qid=1651181608&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=no%2Bpull%2Cpets%2C146&sr=1-2-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzUkE4U1owQzdDWjlDJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTk1ODkyMTQzWUNLT1VCN0tDNyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODgzNTA2MkdKODBUUUFZTjBSWiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1

[Rootbeer]

31 minutes ago, dbklmt said:

That's what I used in "training" my dog to walk with me.

Another option might be something like this

https://www.amazon.com/BARKBAY-Harness-Reflective-Control-Walking/dp/B07FQ5TC4J/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3FPE9KB1LJP4G&keywords=no%2Bpull%2Bdog%2Bharness&qid=1651181608&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=no%2Bpull%2Cpets%2C146&sr=1-2-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzUkE4U1owQzdDWjlDJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTk1ODkyMTQzWUNLT1VCN0tDNyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODgzNTA2MkdKODBUUUFZTjBSWiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1

Yes, I have used Gentle Leaders with several of my dogs and they work very well.  

This is the sort of prong collar I have and, according to the blurb, it is better than other choke type devices because it distributes pressure evenly and is less likely to result in injury to the dog's trachea than the typical choke collar.  I had tried a Gentle Leader first, but this particular dog was so distracted and upset every time I put it on her, that it was impossible to get her out of the house, let alone take a walk when she was wearing it.  Weirdly enough, the prong collar doesn't bother her.

https://www.amazon.com/DEYACE-Collar-Release-Buckle-Adjustable/dp/B091XPQ2KW/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=prong+collar&qid=1651183564&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFYRFpFQTgxRUlBS08mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAzNjEwMTE3VTVGWDhBNkFCMEQmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDY1MDAzNzJQRUkwRUhaTVZLQTUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Edited April 28, 2022 by Rootbeer

[Netfoot]

For lunch, I diced up some potatoes and stir-fried them in a wok. once they started to brown and got softish in the middle (bamboo skewers) I added some onion and a tin of corned beef. As the stir-frying continued I added pak choy, crushed tomatoes, and striped, diced cucumber. 

I watch a lot of cooking videos on YT when I'm hungry, because it's cheaper than actual food. Much of what I see mystifies me. Two examples:

1) Chef is making a tomato based sauce for pasta. They drain the tin of diced tomatoes, combine with other ingredients and spices, and then (because they need more liquid) add a pint of water out if the taps. WTF? They just drained a pint of water off the tomatoes and poured it down the sink. Water that was packed with flavour and nutrients. I keep my liquids in a jug until I see how much I need, making up any excess with water from the tap or with a bottle of cider or something. 

2) Chef is making a vegetable dish and wants to include pak choy. They get a handful of pak choy leaves, cut off and throw away the white stems, then roll and chop the green leaves. Again, WTF? The white stems are as close to celery as you are going to get without actually buying celery! Why throw them away? I chop them up and chuck them into the pot. They are tasty, crunchy, and a real counterpoint to the green leaves that are all most chefs use. 

Anyway, back to my lunch. I had originally contemplated adding a tin of red kidney beans, but decided they were not necessary, and left them out. It was a good decision. I had half if my concoction for lunch (with a small plantain) and the remainder for dinner.

The landlord cut the grass today. Good thing, it was getting to be a bit of a jungle out there, and the recent rains wouldn't have helped. Besides, it wouldn't be a bank holiday if he wasn't outside my bedroom window with a noisy weed whacker. But I say nothing, because I don't want him to give me the job!

Anyway, out we went tonight, Mo and I, as we have every night since he came home. I walked down to the far end of the garden checking for crapauds (none tonight but several over the last two nights). I come slowly back up past the concrete slab where they often hide (still none) and walk to the far end of the garden before turning for home. Mo ignored me completely.

He didn't walk long with me to see what (if anything) my torch would find. He didn't cross back to the opposite wall sniffing at every blade of grass and checking out every leaf. He basically came with me for the first two or three steps, sat down and watched me as I went through the motions. And as soon as I started back to the house, he shot off and disappeared.

Does this mean he doesn't need me to come with him, guard him from crapauds, spot the torch so he didn't have to be afraid of the dark, and keep him company for his pre-bedtime routine? I never had to take Buddy or old Dotty out with a torch, when it was time for bed. And if Mo is now grown up enough to manage on his own, I'm fine with it.

Anyway, I have to pay my electricity bill tomorrow, and get the rent in cash for the dumbass landlord who can't figure out how to manage a bank account. He doesn't want a cheque, he doesn't want a direct deposit... I think he'd prefer to be paid in coins, rather than this new fangled paper money!

Maybe Heidi will be free for a while. I want her to get to know Mo a little bit but when ever I ask her if she would be free for five minutes if I bring him around, the answer is no. (I wouldn't mind seeing her for five minutes myself. I only get to see her two or three times a year...)

Mo assists Unka Rudy with the safe landing of his Spacewalker. Taken last weekend. You can see from the length of the shadows it's getting late.

 

 

[Netfoot]

Anybody got any idea what this is?

I left Mo in the van while I ran to the ATM and when I got back, it was sitting on the driver's seat.

Mo has obviously ripped it loose from some part of the interior of the van, and try as I might, I can't find where it came from. 

2½ hours to pay the light bill, because of nonsense. I stood in the line in a Bill-Pay company while they dealt with ONE CUSTOMER for over 40 minutes. When I finally made it to the head of the line, I was told they don't accept cards of any sort.

So another line at the bank to get to withdraw some cash. And since I was close enough, I went directly to Barbados Light & Power to pay. Where upon another line stretching all around the building just to get inside (with an employee coming out to repeatedly tell us they weren't accepting any plastic, cash only.)

Finally, on my way home I stopped at the store where the lady behind the mask asked "What's wrong with your new stove?" I told her the button that click-click-clicks to light the gas isn't clicking any more. She immediately put me down for an in-home service call, apologizing that it might not be tomorrow, what with yesterday and Monday being bank holidays.

The stove still works fine, BTW, but I have to light it with a lighter (or a match) and I miss my click-click-clickety-click!

Now I'd go cook some lunch but I'm too tired to even think about that. But I'd better, because rumble, rumble!

Edited April 29, 2022 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

I think I may need new glasses or something. You guys please check out this portion of my latest water bill, received today. The areas I've highlighted in pink/red are the parts that are causing me the greatest discomfort around the eyeballs:

So, whaddya think? Do I need a new pair of reading glasses?

[dbklmt]

21 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

I think I may need new glasses or something. You guys please check out this portion of my latest water bill, received today. The areas I've highlighted in pink/red are the parts that are causing me the greatest discomfort around the eyeballs:

So, whaddya think? Do I need a new pair of reading glasses?

No.  Obviously a mistake unless your water meter is broken.  Can this be done via the telephone or computer or will another trip with a long wait in line be necessary?

[Netfoot]

4 hours ago, dbklmt said:

Can this be done via the telephone or computer or will another trip with a long wait in line be necessary?

Already sorted. No explanation given, but the actual amount owed is 21 bucks and change. Because I already pre-paid $50 via internet banking. I said to the lady "So, I do not owe this money, and I can ignore this bill and wait to pay the next one?" to which she replied "Yes, exactly."

(Did you catch the 35 dollar charge for SSA to come collect my trash maybe once a week?)

[Netfoot]

Here's a story for you.

My dad was a Geordie. He joined the navy and came to the West Indies during the war. He met my mum here in Barbados (frequently called "Little England" in those days) and married her. 

On the day I was born, I was enrolled as a student at a local "British Public School" because that's what English people did back then. And nine years later, I entered the place as a very small boy with a lot to learn. Many things happened back then; you may remember the teacup I showed you a while back?

But the point is, before you could join the school, you were presented with a long list if things you had to have. A blazer in the school colours with the crest on the front pocket, and two pairs of wool (in the tropics) trousers. So many pairs of white socks, So many pairs of grey socks, a suit of white drill (for church parade) the school tie, etc, etc, etc.

And everything had to be marked with your name. Embroidered name tags could be ordered from England and every sock, handkerchief and pair of white underpants had to have one stitched into it somewhere.

The list included sheets, pillowcases and two blankets because it could get a mite chilly in St. John in the wee hours.

My mum (no seamstress) dutifully obtained, and stitched in, hundred of nametags (embroidered red on white) but when it came to the blankets she stitched my name in in larger letters, with red thread.

I could not tell you where this has been, and have no memory of ever seeing it since I left school in 1975. But Mo found it. And dragged it out and all around the yard. And when I took it away, he stole it back and dragged it all around the yard again. For me to find, tonight. When I went looking for my shoes...

Yes, that's my name. Angus John McLeod. And that shakey needlework was done by my mum, when I was nine.

The surname is easy to pronounce. It's like me: Dirty and noisy. Muck-Loud.

ETA: The "c" is supposed to be superscript. As the blanket shows. But this editor doesn't have that feature. Not as far as I can see.

Edited April 30, 2022 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Lunch today was simple. Some sausages cut up into bite-sized pieces, stir-fried with onion and a few leaves of pak choy. At the end I added some red kidney beans and the that was that. I didn't want a lot of carbs, and I know beans are carby, but far less than potatoes or pasta, and they do bring some protein to the party.

Of course, it wasn't as simple as I've described. First of all, the Black-Furred Mafia demanded 20% of the sausages, right out of the pan. Ok, I'm accustomed to being strong-armed by the little fellow. But as I was eating the finished bowl of lunch, he returned and demanded an additional 5% of the sausages, making his total 25% overall.

Now, when he got his lunch a little earlier, I don't recall him offering me any...

[dbklmt]

15 hours ago, Netfoot said:

Here's a story for you.

My dad was a Geordie. He joined the navy and came to the West Indies during the war. He met my mum here in Barbados (frequently called "Little England" in those days) and married her. 

On the day I was born, I was enrolled as a student at a local "British Public School" because that's what English people did back then. And nine years later, I entered the place as a very small boy with a lot to learn. Many things happened back then; you may remember the teacup I showed you a while back?

But the point is, before you could join the school, you were presented with a long list if things you had to have. A blazer in the school colours with the crest on the front pocket, and two pairs of wool (in the tropics) trousers. So many pairs of white socks, So many pairs of grey socks, a suit of white drill (for church parade) the school tie, etc, etc, etc.

And everything had to be marked with your name. Embroidered name tags could be ordered from England and every sock, handkerchief and pair of white underpants had to have one stitched into it somewhere.

The list included sheets, pillowcases and two blankets because it could get a mite chilly in St. John in the wee hours.

My mum (no seamstress) dutifully obtained, and stitched in, hundred of nametags (embroidered red on white) but when it came to the blankets she stitched my name in in larger letters, with red thread.

I could not tell you where this has been, and have no memory of ever seeing it since I left school in 1975. But Mo found it. And dragged it out and all around the yard. And when I took it away, he stole it back and dragged it all around the yard again. For me to find, tonight. When I went looking for my shoes...

Yes, that's my name. Angus John McLeod. And that shakey needlework was done by my mum, when I was nine.

The surname is easy to pronounce. It's like me: Dirty and noisy. Muck-Loud.

ETA: The "c" is supposed to be superscript. As the blanket shows. But this editor doesn't have that feature. Not as far as I can see.

Absolutely loved this story that you told thanks to Mo finding it and giving you a chance to tell us more about your life.  I think you should get this cleaned and framed as a beautiful memory of your mum's handiwork.

I loved learning more about the life of a Geordie which I first learned about thanks to Outlander.  Were you born in Barbados or in the Newcastle area in the UK?  If in Barbados, are or were you a dual citizen since Barbados was in the Commonwealth at the time that you were born?  I'm presuming you went to school in St. John's in Barbados?  Is that near where you live now?

I watched this video at You Tube about how a Geordie speaks.

https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+a+geordie&rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS862US862&oq=what+is+a+geordie&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512l5j0i390l3.8783j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_z2VtYtSKK7KfkPIP5faCgAc4

Your thoughts please!

When I saw the name beautifully inscribed in your photo I knew exactly what it was since I've seen your name when I've watched your videos you post at Google.  Again thanks for posting them!

You may notice that my screen name is dbklmt which describes who I am and what I did for a living.  Here's what it stands for:

D = Dudley (a proper British name) 😃

B = my middle name, Bertram (for one of my uncles)

K = my last name, Kohl

L = Library  M = Media  T = Teacher (which was my lifelong profession)

You can see that like you I ❤️ books although my preference is children's literature which was my expertise as a school librarian for 30 years.

Like you who has your avatar with Mo mine is my dog, Chula who crossed the Rainbow Bridge before Buddy on April 21, 2021.  I rescued her when she was 7 years old and we had almost four wonderful years together before she lost her battle with cancer.  I'm now in the process of rescuing another dog 😃      

[Netfoot]

2 hours ago, dbklmt said:

I think you should get this cleaned and framed as a beautiful memory of your mum's handiwork.

Thanks for your response. 

Yes, I want to have it carefully dry-cleaned and then perhaps create a display case for it folded within so as to show the needlework.My mo passed away eleven years ago this January and I still miss her and think of her often. She was a remarkable woman, just ask anyone. 

She had this ability to casually tell a story that you could hardly believe, and were left wondering how it is you never heard this story before! Like the one I was a teenaged before I knew anything about it: Like the time she had to jump out of a 2nd story window while 8 months pregnant with my brother (Hamish) to avoid a lunatic with a 12 gauge shotgun who killed three other people before turning the weapon on himself. How do you not mention that for fifteen years?

During WW-II as a young woman she worked in the censor's office, where incoming and outgoing mail was checked for accidental (or deliberate) leakage if war secrets. She made quite plain that she was no boffin, and just worked on the clerical/secretarial side of things but you had to sign the "Official Secret Act" which binds you to silence. Seventy Years later she still refused to say what it was she actually did because the Official Secret Act binds you for life and she wasn't breaking that oath!

I was actually born to a British father and Barbadian mother (both of whom were British Subjects) in Trinidad, which was a British colony at the time. Therefore I am a citizen of three countries, British, Barbadian and Trinidadian. Each of these countries allow multiple citizenship so that isn't a problem. I have British and Barbadian passports and would apply for a Trinidadian one if it weren't such a drawn out process most likely requiring that I go to Trinidad for weeks if not months, or travel back and forth multiple times.

When ever I go to Trinidad the Immigration Officer wants to know how long I plan to stay. I usually reply "As long as I like, since I am a born citizen of TnT. But probably only a week..."

I went to The Lodge School in St. John. If you check headmasters you will see Percival McDonald Crichlow, Known to all as "Scratch" and reputed to have only one ball. (That wartime ditty about which Germans had what type of balls was reworked to include the leading school masters of the day.) Scratch was followed by a complete incompetent called Aurelius Smith, who was promoted from assistant head of a small school in the middle of nowhere, to the head of the premier school in the island the same week his brother got appointed Minister of Education! Now there's a coincidence!

I understand the school has changed greatly since my departure. Why, shortly after I left, they decided to allow females! But my old house master told me the first year there were only eight of them, and they selected the eight ugliest girls they could find. His judgement, not mine.

I never visit the place. Even though when going back and forth to the cliff I pass less than 2 Km. from the place. I guess in this instance I'd rather remember what was than find out what is now.

In 2017, while touring Britain by car, I visited Whitley Bay where my dad was born. Even found Trinity Terrace where they family lived. But it had been much beautified and gentrified since 1914...

The way Geordies talk has been a running gag since I was a kid! We had a book: The Geordie to English Dictionary. For the record, Bajans are considered to have the most incomprehensible accent in the entire Caribbean! Which is obvious nonsense - I understand myself perfectly well, and so do most of my friends!

I love to read and there are books I can read again and again. But I spent most of my working career working in the computer industry and having read literally millions of words of technical jargon, I now like to read to escape. I like Sci-fi and Fanasy as well as thoughtfully written thrillers, mysteries, adventures, and so forth. When I was at The Lodge, students could borrow one book at a time from the Library but I had special permission to borrow three on Fridaysd, to get me through the weekend. Nowadays, it's hard to find the time to read a book and usually I'm grabbing half a chapter between retiring late and my eyes shutting down. The fact that a new book is $40 (paperback) in the bookshops now means I am pretty much restricted to what I can find in the few 2nd hand book places in the island. Buddy's / Mo's ladies is one source, and The Book Den is another but I've recently heard that the RSPCA sells books for $2 per book and has a large selection! However, they are a bit more of a drive and I visit them only when going in that general direction anyway.

Within the last couple of years I bought a number of books I recall reading when I was a teenager or pre-teen. Interesting to read them again. The Biggles books were particularly interesting, because my somewhat improved knowledge of aeroplanes adds a lot of nuance to what otherwise went over my head as a kid.

Sorry to hear about your Chula, and hope you can find someone who will brighten your life a bit in her absence. I know that @Spunkygal lost her Girl a while back, but as far as I know, isn't ready to find a new baby to care for.

I know a new puppy can be so annoying sometimes. I threaten to murder Mo at least three times a day and occasionally point out to him what a good fit he'd be for the new oven. I used to promise Budweiser dire consequences as well! But you know that however annoying they are, when they come and start gnawing at your toes or falling asleep in your lap, the hot air is just hot air.

Mo is going stir-crazy because the vet said keep him quiet for a few days, and he's been complaining about being stuck at home since last Sunday. So tomorrow afternoon (mud willing) he's going with me up to the club to get a bit of a wander around and meet up with friends like Unka Rudy, Raf and the other regulars. I always walk around the site with him, then let him wander freely within the site (we all keep a close eye on him). So let's hope the tracks are dry enough that we can get in there tomorrow. Otherwise it will be Monday, which is a Bank Holiday.

BTW, the clickety-clicker on the stove? Started clickety-clicking again all on it's own. I didn't call and advise them, because whatever went wrong, I'm hoping service guy can explain to me what the problem is/was and how to fix it, should it happen again.

Like I said, I like to read books, but it seems I've now gone and written one...

 

[Netfoot]

Well, Mo's black and red collar suffered some damage, so I made him a new one -- same size as the previous one. If we go to the club tomorrow we will need something reliable, not something falling apart!

You knew we were eventually going to end up with an all-black design, didn't you?

What I'm thinking of is getting a much finer cord in a contrasting colour and stitching it into the design somehow, strictly for decorative reasons. I'll look and see what I've got and think about how I might use it.

Diner tonight: one cuppa tea. But the stove is still clicking! 

I'm not going to call and tell them not to worry. I want it on file that this was reported as an issue while the machine was under warranty. Just in case it rears it's head again later.

Tomorrow, some soup. Maybe some curry flavoured soup. With a lot of potatoes because I have a lot of potatoes. But if we do go to the club I won't get to enjoy it until we get back tomorrow night. (I rarely eat anything before going to the club. No breakfast or lunch. Food can wait until we're all safely home again. Mo will get his lunch of course, but not me.)

[Netfoot]

Remember that soup I thought about cooking tomorrow?  With potatoes because I had a lot of potatoes?

Well, here's a funny thing: I keep my potatoes in the microwave. A bag and a half, as it happens. Because I don't like to keep them in the fridge and because there are too many mice to just leave them on the counter. So: The microwave.

Of course, when you want to use the microwave, say to defrost some sausages for your lunch, you have to take them out. Put them on the counter (unless it's already choc-a-block). On the stove (unless it's lit). Or hell even on the floor, if it's only for a couple of minutes.....

So, you know where this is going already, don't you?

Took Mo out for his evening constitutional and the yard was potatoes from asshole to breakfast! Took me for ever to collect them up. Tomorrow, I have to examine them and see how many are suitable for soup and how many are only good for the bin.

Can't blame baby Mo, of course. My fault.

What I need is an old-fashioned Bajan Larder.

But they cost a fortune to buy now, since they're all antiques. And I don't know if you can still get the "Larder Wire" (sheets of perforated zinc) needed to build a new one.

Anyway, tomorrow's soup may be less potatoey than originally planned...

FYI:
1) Many consider Flying fish best if left in the larder for two days after cooking before they are served.

2) The four legs of the larder should be standing in "Salmon tots" of water to keep the ants at bay...

PS: No forums for half the day tomorrow...  

Edited May 1, 2022 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

As we departed for the club this afternoon, what should I find when I went to open the gate?

Another novel. But this one doesn't belong to me! So now, I have to try and find one selling second hand for a price I can afford, and hope the person who lent it to me will take back the replacement!

Mo got very muddy feet but there was very little mud in evidence on the tracks.

And by time he'd wiped them off on my upholstery, they were pretty clean when we got home.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

There was water in the pond, and it brought back memories of people crashing in there!

[Netfoot]

I overheard the president suggesting that Mo could be banned from the site. This would in practice end my membership too.

Tomorrow there is supposed to be a number of big planes. Raf will bring the Giant ugly! Stik. Rudy may bring his Stampe and Austin is bringing out the "Extra 300 of Death." It has had four previous owner, all of whom have died suddenly and unexpectedly, shortly after their first flight. Austin is owner #5 and tomorrow will be a first flight for him

[Netfoot]

Oh, forgot to mention: Gas prices are going up 25¢ per liter. And all because of CV19 Supply Chain Ukraine Elon!

[Browncoat]

4 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

I overheard the president suggesting that Mo could be banned from the site. This would in practice end my membership too.

Why do they want to ban Mo?  Is it just Mo or all dogs?

[Netfoot]

Dinner.

Beef stock, mini carrots, sweet potatoes. English potatoes, diced tomatoes, pak choy, cucumber, onion, a tin of corned beef. Added all the curry powder left in the package, and some cayenne pepper to enhance the overall mix. 

Had a giant bowl of it for dinner because no lunch. More remains for at least one more meal, and if I add stuff like channa, more spuds, a bit of yam I have here, etc, it can easily get two more meals out of this, three if I eat it with some bread on the side!

6 hours ago, Browncoat said:

Why do they want to ban Mo?

Because he will not behave himself, and makes everyone's day at the club less enjoyable. Despite demonstrating clearly that he understands he isn't allowed near the aeroplanes, two minutes later he will then refuse to exit the pits, and lead everyone a merry chase for quarter of an hour before he can be safely removed. After that delay, pilots go for a flight, only to discover 10 minutes later with their fuel running low, that he is now cavorting on the strip, and ignoring every attempt to get him off, before the aircraft goes "dead stick" and obeys the universal law that What Goes Up...

By the way, i think I know what that black thingy Mo ripped off the interior on Friday is. Will confirm tomorrow (when there is light) and even, if possible, reattach!

Edited May 2, 2022 by Netfoot

[Lamb18]

Is the black thingy a seat adjuster?

Whitley Bay and surrounding areas are the setting in many of the Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope mysteries. I think WB is the setting under a different name in some of her books, such as Harbour Street. Actually the author lives there. I like to look up locations when I read books and figure out where the action is located when fictitious names are used. 

[Netfoot]

1 hour ago, Lamb18 said:

Is the black thingy a seat adjuster? 

Have a look at this short video and while you are looking, try to figure out how he got it off!

Also, I woke up this morning to discover that a pill-box was missing. A box containing a single dose of Lasix, Digoxin and Verapamil. I have searched high and low, and will continue to search until the box (or what ever is left of it) is found.

Back to the club today. The grounds sure are looking good! I've never seen the "Extra 300 of Death" and I'm also wondering what Rudy will bring as his "big plane". The Spacewalker again, perhaps? Or will he roll out the Stampe SV.4? 

[Browncoat]

16 hours ago, Netfoot said:

Because he will not behave himself, and makes everyone's day at the club less enjoyable. Despite demonstrating clearly that he understands he isn't allowed near the aeroplanes, two minutes later he will then refuse to exit the pits, and lead everyone a merry chase for quarter of an hour before he can be safely removed.

Maybe it is time for a harness and a long lead?  He could still run around a little, but you could reel him in when you needed to.

[Netfoot]

14 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Maybe it is time for a harness and a long lead?  He could still run around a little, but you could reel him in when you needed to.

Going to work on that. 

My soup is delicious! Or maybe I'm hungry. But Mo seems to like it as well.

Haven't located the pillbox yet, but did spot Mo departing through the front door with another book in his mouth...

Don't usually eat before visiting the club, but there was a shower of rain and it looked like the afternoon was going to be called off... Then as I was digging into a bowl of hot goodness, came the news that they are going up anyway! So, gotta put some clothes on and make a rapid departure...

[Rootbeer]

19 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Maybe it is time for a harness and a long lead?  He could still run around a little, but you could reel him in when you needed to.

I've used that with my dogs and they adapted to it very well and it is a good solution, especially when Mo is at risk of getting injured when he gets too close to the planes.

I have one with a little coiled spike thing on it and it screws into the ground easily and is removed just as easily. It looks like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/HaveGet-Durable-Training-Reflective-Backyard/dp/B07CXJGZY5/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=dog+stake&qid=1651517835&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzU0RTMldSNjZQWENGJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTgwOTQ5MjBVRkg4Q09NQjhCQyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTE4OTc4Vkk1SEQyT0JYR0xDJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[Netfoot]

Well, up to the club we went, and I know you wonder how much freedom to exercise little Mo gets. Well, here is a brief video of him running around. He's like this most of the afternoon!

Large aeroplanes today's, they said, do Raf's Ugly Stik was there, Rudy disappointed me by bringing back his. Spacewalker instead of the Stampe (which apparently needs 3' of some special fuel line which he can't find), and Tony also brought a Spacewalker.

Decorated in the classic colour scheme, I know the aircraft and the man who built it and whose initials can be seen under the wing (but not in this photo).

But the model we all came to see was the "Extra 300 of Death" now owned by Aussie. Here it is, coming out of the Landie:

It's like a coffin!

It runs a 95cc engine hand-built in Canada. 

Edited May 2, 2022 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

This is just the fuselage. Wings and things still to come.

[Netfoot]

Undercarriage, wings...

Where did that other wing go? Did you forget it at home?

[Netfoot]

And there it is, ready to fly!

Except the engine wouldn't start. They tried for ages but they only got it to run by removing the spinner and cowl.this revealed a wet carburetor which got old Tony's head into gear. He remembered a weird carb from the past, that had a weird diaphragm, and when they checked, this engine has that weird diaphragm as well.

By which time it was fairly dark, so flight was abandoned and with a new understanding of the carburetor, it is to be completely retuned to be used another day.

Shortly after this, the rain started down, so after a polite delay waiting for a lull, and more rain promising, I put Mo in the car and brought him home.

So, we never got to see the E300oD in the air! But unless the curse strikes again, I'm sure it won't be long.

Now, let me think how to enhance that pot-ful of soup I have in the kitchen...