nick: They're pictures I'd be proud of, Steve
 

 Steve: I felt sure you'd pick up on the wonky powerline post, but as you can see, I have the lefthand tree leaning the opposite direction. I think the post just was leaning.

The sky one started as a though that the chalk coming through the thin soil was like watercolour paper through a painting, but with only a phone that part didn't come off.

You almost got Britain's tallest windmill :)
 

 Tim: The post had to be wonky otherwise it would have missed the sun.

There's a noticable lack of grass.
 

 Steve: I just played Wonky today actually after Paul pinged me.
It's a lot better than Monsters Exist.
 

 nick: Yes I've listened to Wonky a fair bit more than Monsters Exists (going by the play counts in my library). Does Volumio keep track of play counts? Can you find out what your most/least listened to tracks are?

 

 Steve: This isn't using Volumio.
When working it's laptop > DAC > Audiolab

In Sides is also excellent - do you have that? (on now)
 

 nick: Apple announced that you'll have the option to have lossless music streaming starting next month for no extra charge. I think this is seen as a pop against Spotify (and other streaming service) who charge extra for lossless. I wonder if I'll notice any difference in my Laurie Anderson album
 

 Steve: You heard a difference in digital output between Playstation and CD player but refused to believe it, so I'm guessing not.

But what do they mean by subscribers?
I was assuming you just listened to what you had bought, so didn;t have a subscription?
 

 nick: But what do they mean by subscribers?
I was assuming you just listened to what you had bought, so didn;t have a subscription?

It used to be that you could just purchase tracks/albums but now you can have a spotify-like thing where you pay a monthly fee and can listen to anything.

They also have a thing where it scans your ripped library and matches what you've got there with their database, and lets you stream those songs on any device (that's what I use, ~£20/year). I *think* that means I get the option to stream all that stuff lossless now if I want.
 

 Steve: As we get nearer the weekend possibly the weather is looking less solid rain :)
Pretty sure I am committing to bringing the bike whatever the weather, to do a low-carbon journey to your house Nick.
Happy to ride to Tim's in the rain.
If it were JOGLE we'd have to go ahead whatever the weather!
Maybe I need 2 panniers for spare clothes.
 

 nick: Went out last night and it started raining partway through, and this morning it was raining for the first hour or so, so I'm getting used to it. At least it's not too cold. The weather forecasts in general seem to be more pessimistic in the long term than they need to be, so maybe it won't be too bad at the weekend.

The trains between HE/MD seem to be running normally at the weekend so there's always that option. I've not put any fuel in the car for at least two months now and it's a pretty good feeling.
 

 Steve: I'm still wearing a t-shirt and winter top with legwarmers on/off.
Fingerless gloves now at least!
 

 Tim: Saturday's currently looking more windy than wet. Wind from the W or WNW, so best to ride MD>HE, and I think I might give it a go if it fits in with anything? Obv I can line up some dinner at this end (regardless).
 

 Steve: Oh well done Tim on both counts, I don't think we have an agenda do we? :)
I'll turn up at Nick's late Friday evening.
 

 nick: Steve - yes turn up here on Friday evening. I can come to station and cycle back with you if you want. Lesley's doing supper and also prepping breakfast for Sat am.

Sounds like cycling (perhaps with Tim) from MD to HE on Sat am - if Tim's coming to MD then you're welcome to come to breakfast too but perhaps easiest for us to meet you at MD and cycle from there

We're assuming Steve (and Tim too if he wants) are staying Sat night so can do breakfast Sun am? If so I'm happy to cycle or train back to North Waltham on Sat evening. Or could stay at Tim's Saturday night and cycle/train back on Sunday.
 

 Steve: You make it sound like I eat a lot...

Oh yes sorry it was not clear, I intend to return Sunday afternoon if that's OK.
But if you need to go to church, I can go then.
 

 nick: I'm not on duty at church on Sunday so no commitments there. Yes I think you'd previously said you'd be around until Sunday pm
 

 Tim: I just got the bike out of the garage and did a quick 5-miler to Durley (chain corner). To alert the legs to what's coming and acclimatise the bum. I didn't notice the tailwind but felt the headwind.

Assuming the forecast doesn't deteriorate I can be at MIC 5 past anything. Kick around here for lunch/p.m./tea but after that I'll probably be fading!


 

 nick: Suggestions from someone here who likes games - Tim maybe you can check these out and let us know what's worth playing:
- Pandemic Legacy
- Gloomhaven (and Gloomhaven Legacy)


 

 Tim: Two really popular games. I've got Pandemic Legacy in the cupboard ready for when I can get a team of players together for a series of sessions. You play it 12-24 times (depending on how it goes) during which the world situation and the rules change. It starts out much like normal Pandemic but stuff happens and you crack open new sealed packages with new components and rules. Basically you can only play it through once.

Gloomhaven is a huge dungeon and adventure game that also works on the Legacy basis so you're discovering and fighting stuff and incorporating new add-ins as you go. (Pretty sure there's no separate Legacy game.)

Both require a bit of commitment, who are they suggestions for, you/us or some work thing?
 

 nick: I was just chatting with him and he said he was looking forward to being able to meet people inside (he's in Wales, and they're not allowed to do that yet) to continue playing boardgames - he said these were two he'd played and would recommend. They do sound like they'd last a while though. Wondered if you knew anything about them
 

 Tim: Maybe one day we'll be able to instigate a fortnightly session or something. I hadn't considered P.L. for Zoom because (1) you'd need multiple copies, they're £50 each, and not much use outside of the game group (2) it's not easy to work out whether games are Zoom compatible, even more so when there are rules you don't know about at the outset, and (3) Deborah is suprisingly squeamish about the Pandemic thing - I just thought of it as a Forbidden Desert variant.
Gloomhaven is about £100 and pretty complicated, and doesn't have the benefit of being a Legacy version of a famous game you've already played. There is a newer offshoot (Jaws of the Lion) that's supposed to be less hardcore though.
 

 Tim: Darn spelling.
 

 nick: The condition that Richard Herring has of not being able to picture things in his mind is aphantasia (I had said aphasia before which is a something they taught us about in linguistics, when I did that course 17 years ago!)
 

 nick: "As Ebeyer remembers it, he and his girlfriend were chatting about an old friend they hadn't seen in a while, "when my girlfriend says to me, 'Joanne was wearing the same thing that she was wearing last time we saw her, a year ago.'"

"I was like, 'How on earth do you remember what she was wearing? And she says to me, 'Oh, I see a picture of her clearly in my mind.'"

"And I just did not understand," the Mississauga, Ont., man said."

from this article
 

 Steve: Women always remember stuff blokes don't.
I suppose it could work the other way around as well.

Don't make the bed up, I plan to bring a sleeping bag to save washing.
 

 nick: bedding already laundered here so don't feel you need to bring sleeping bag for staying at ours
 

 Tim: There's some trouble with the trains today round here, trees on the line and such.

Subject to things like that and the weather, how does 10:05 sound?


 

 Steve: Sounds very good, assuming I have finished eating by then.
 

 nick: Went out for a ride this morning and it wasn't rainy but was pretty windy. It is quite blustery so I couldn't really notice ever having a consistent tailwind. If you want a lift from the station instead of cycling Steve, let me know. Otherwise I can aim to be outside on my bike to meet you.
 

 Steve: I haven't bothered today, it is both wet and windy.
I'll let you know station ETA but am definitely cycling back to yours.
I'd say stay in and wait for a drowned rat to turn up.
 

 nick: Well looks like the wind is due to drop from hurricane to just gale force this evening so may not be too bad steve "Light rain showers and a fresh breeze" it says for 7pm onwards. And Saturday has only 10mph winds and no rain until the afternoon, glorious.
 

 Steve: Relatively yes!
 

 Steve: Great effort at the weekend all round.
I even got off at St Albans and rode from there, and again dodged the rain pretty much. Unusual not to be tired at St Albans as previously I would have come from work.
After your recommendation Nick I downloaded Travels With My Aunt although I have half of The Honorary Consul to go.
I'm trigger-happy when it comes to library ebooks!
You can't renew then so I get deadlines to complete them.

 

 nick: Ryan asked me "was it strange having someone stay in the house?" and tbh it didn't feel that strange. Dunno why.

Took me a bit longer to cycle home from the station than it had done to get there - the wind was fairly strong. I think we were amazingly lucky with the rain: don't think we had more than a couple of drops while cycling this weekend but it had been hammering down when we were inside.

I hope you like "Travels With My Aunt". I thought it was quite different from other Greene books I've read. You can renew library books on my app (twice I think). Maybe it won't let you renew if someone else has reserved it but I don't think I've ever been refused. I'm listening to The Dictionary of Lost Words at the moment which is turning out not to be as great as the reviewer I heard on the radio thought. Feels like a book-club sort of book.

Re: briefcase with two keys analogy for encryption - I think I was mixing up two things. First, the way you can do this to do key exchange for PKI is described here.

That's different from the thing I was thinking of (which I can't immediately find a reference to) which isn't public/private keys: it's a way to exchange a secret with someone without using asymmetric encryption:

- I encrypt something with my key and send it to you. (E.g. I multiply all my values by 109)
- You can't decrypt it (because you don't have my private key) but you encrypt it again with YOUR key (e.g. multiply all the values by 201) and send it back to me.
- I decrypt what you sent using my key (divide all the values by 109). That leaves something that is now just encrypted with YOUR key (so I can't read it), and I send it back to you
- You receive and use your key to decrypt (divide all the values by 201) - now you have the original.

The idea of the above is that the plain message never travels on the network at all: it's always encrypted (either with my key, or with your key, or both). This relies on the algorithm being of a type that means you can encrypt/decrypt in either order (in maths terms, I think that's "commutative", like multiplication, or addition)
 

 nick: Here is the article looking at alternative explanations for where COVID originated. I started off reading it assumed it would firmly quash any nonsense about the "escaped from a lab" theory. tl;dr it doesn't (includes comment about people assuming it couldn't be right because Trump was pushing it).

But also, when reading this, it reinforces how it is now impossible to "know" anything for yourself - you just have to choose to believe whoever you think has the most authority. From a recent interview with nobel-laureate Daniel Kahneman:
I think there is less difference between religion and other belief systems than we think. We all like to believe we’re in direct contact with truth. I will say that in some respects my belief in science is not very different from the belief other people have in religion. I mean, I believe in climate change, but I have no idea about it really. What I believe in is the institutions and methods of people who tell me there is climate change.
 

 Steve: Are you not very busy at work Nick? :)
I have news! Nothing major just this from 1865:

"Hi Steve,

I received a reply from their management this morning, they still are yet to agree a rescheduled tour period.

We have opted to cancel the event and instruct SEE Tickets to issue refunds…"

I wonder if I have triggered this tidy-up.
 

 nick: Are you not very busy at work Nick? :) bizarrely, I am hyper-busy. Replying in between meetings!

So that means I'll be getting a refund? £28x4 means I'll be £112 up! All I need to do is work out if anyone paid me anything already
 

 nick: Alan Partridge is touring "Love him or loathe him, we all love Alan Partridge." Doing huge venues, so doesn't really appeal to me, but I probably would watch the DVD (or stream, more likely) when it comes out.
 

 Steve: Hmm I just can't watch any more new stuff by him.
The original series were so perfect.

And we were impressed with Oxygene 3.
I think I would buy it.
 

 nick: We mentioned a possible IoW trip or something - my calendar is pretty empty except for 10-13 Jun, when we're planning on going to Exeter. So up for a potential sunny activity any other time june/july/august. Sun 18 July is "Big" Wheel with the longest route being 24 miles so I might do that I suppose
 

 Steve: I'll have a think - we are away 10th-20th June.
 

 Tim: 10/10 for advance planning.
11 Jun - 11 Jul I shall mostly be watching the European Championship, except for these dates: 24 25 30 1 4 5 8 9 10 which are all weekdays except Sat 10.
In case of any stuff that might be less ambitious than all-dayers, kickoffs generally start at 2pm up to the 19th, then at 5pm until the 3rd, and at 8pm for the last bit.

After that, nothing.
 

 Tim: Correction: Sun 4 isn't a weekday.
 

 Steve: Good work on dates.
Well since Nick and I have a ton of holiday, how about a mid-week?
Maybe Nick and I do the Randonnee route one day, and a smaller thing like the train/ride the next day?

Actually I'm not averse to watching football if there's food involved, or maybe you go to the pub?

I'm a bit shocked to see a day return on the Cowes ferry to be £19.
But the railcard trick gets this down to £15
 

 nick: I don't have a railcard at the moment and realised that in about 6 months I'll be eligible for a senior one, which covers the whole of the UK but has the downside that you can't get discounts for other people you're travelling with. Still, if you've got a NSE card, I'll be able to piggy back off that!

Yes, I don't mind watching football. Mid-week is also good with me, I can generally take time with not very much notice. I guess just pick a time that has a good weather forecast
 

 Tim: So 24/25 might be worth pencilling in, subject to weather forecast, or is that too close to your other leave Steve?

I just played one of the live Brand X albums off Bandcamp. Pretty good (if slightly rough - compared to the studio albums that's hardly surprising).

I couldn't remember which album "...And so to F..." is on and surprisingly one of the top answers is Face Value (2016 2cd reissue) which has a live version.
 

 nick: 24-25 June ok with me, I pencilled in to calendar. I think the youtube video of the Brand X live performance I posted a few weeks ago had "And so to F", which appears on Product
 

 nick: I've watched all the "This Time" shows and feel maybe I'm missing something, because there do seem to be quite a few people who really like it This Time is a masterpiece. Of all the iterations of Alan Partridge, it might be my favourite.
 

 Steve: Sorry those dates clash with Agnes's holiday (for 3 weeks) so I have to work those days.
D is at camp the week 21st July - any good?

And Tim you see that there are 3 recent live albums on there - ridiculous, too many.
 

 nick: AFAICS I'm free for week of 21st July (21st is a Wednesday but I've got nothing on around then). I've pencilled 24-25 June out of my calendar again
 

 Tim: Typical Agnes. I can't imagine 21st Jul being a problem, will try and keep it clear ha ha.

Prior to that then, there are still some weekend possibilities.
 

 Steve: Yes I see no reason not to have a Friday afternoon off for the train faff, even if it clashes.
 

 nick: I do fancy doing the Luton<->Basingstoke ride if only we could work out logistics.
 

 Steve: Yes I'm up for that, the 60 on Saturday was fine with 1 pannier.
I've started the mental "train to there... cycle back... no wait!"
Actually I'd be happy to train to you and then back afterwards.

I could go for: train to you Thurs afternoon, cycle Fri/Sat and I train back Sun morning.
Weather looks fine until Sunday and I can get the time off.

This is funny in the G letters page:

"Perhaps Cummings has been to Barnard Castle to test his hindsight?"
 

 nick: For Luton, yes maybe doing the train in one direction each is the answer, bit like when Tim and I do MD->HE

My brother Phil has ordered his bike to replace the one that was stolen earlier this year (or maybe it was last year). He's getting a Marin Presidio 3 which I think will suit him fine (some commuting, some occasional leisure rides). Wouldn't mind having a go on a belt drive/hub gear bike myself

I could go for: train to you Thurs afternoon, cycle Fri/Sat and I train back Sun morning.
Weather looks fine until Sunday and I can get the time off.
Not sure which week you're thinking of here?
 

 Tim: I'm a bit confused too.
 

 Steve: Sorry I meant this coming week.

He had a new bike from his accident a few years ago, so that new one got stolen did it?
 

 nick: He had a new bike from his accident a few years ago, so that new one got stolen did it? - I guess it must have been, I'd forgotten that. Perils of living in London I suppose.

Maybe can discuss holiday stuff at zoom this evening if people are up for that. Let me know
 

 Tim: Yep.
 

 Steve: Ok yes we can do a mtg thanks.
 

 nick: I'm on the Public Service Broadcasting mailing list and they've been teasing info about a new release over the last month. Today they announced a new album coming on 24-Sep: "Bright Magic".
You'll hear a lot more about it (I hope) over the coming weeks and months, but in essence it is a record about creativity, imagination, illumination, inspiration, myth, magic and the city. There's also the small matter of there being hardly any samples and it being almost entirely in German, but hey, what's life without a few risks?
The first single has a video on youtube.

They're also touring, including Southampton Guildhall on 28 October this year, if anyone is interested (I feel maybe I should go after I got such a nice mail from them)
 

 Tim: If you decide to go, count me in.
 

 nick: There's a woman on youtube who posts loads of cycling videos under the name Katie Kookaburra. She has in the last week been doing the King Alfred's Way on her new gravel bike. You can get some idea of the terrain by watching: looks like it would be ideal for a gravel bike, probably fine for Tim's, but maybe a bit too rugged for road bikes. MTB would be OK but slower I guess. first two days on youtube
 

 Tim: Nice to see that the route includes all the biggest hills round this way.
 

 Steve: Yes to the gig as well thanks.
Well the answer is Tim on road bike, us two on MTB to slow us down.
Marathon MTB tyres run pretty smooth on tarmac.

BTW your corrosion could be caused by two dissimilar metals coming into contact. This generates voltages and chemical reactions.

Second jab not as bad as the first, was up in the night feeling achy/irritable and took a tab. Then fine.
 

 nick: Yes to the gig as well thanks.
Earlybird booking (for mailing-list members only!) opens tomorrow so I'll try and remember to book then

I've got my second jab tomorrow afternoon: hoping it'll be as side-effect-free as the first one. If I'm capable, then I can do a zoom for 8.15 in the evening
 

 Steve: Yes I think we might be busy actually.

Tonight I'm training Brenda on how to use her new wildlife cam thing.
Seems simple enough from the hour I spent already.

Bandcamp Friday tomorrow - I'll try to ignore it.
Although the Bill Laurance I bought last month has proved to be excellent.
 

 Tim: We had our 2nds yesterday, no problems.
 

 nick: Yes I think we might be busy actually.
Any other time that's more convenient? Think I can do Sat or Sun evening
Weather looks nice this weekend Tim in case you fancy a bike ride
 

 Steve: Hmm not sure at the moment what we are doing.
 

 Tim: A bike ride sounds like a good idea. How about 11:05 at MIC? (Other options poss.)
 

 nick: 3xPSB tickets for Southampton Guildhall on Thu 28 Oct booked. £34 each, standing (no seats)

"Your Postal Tickets will be sent to your delivery address closer to the date of the event, and the latest you will receive them is up to 5 days before the event."

Hang on - "the latest you will receive them is up to 5 days before" - doesn't that just mean literally any time at all? It's like saying "up to 50% or more off"
 

 nick: Tim yes can do 11.05 at MIC, sounds good! Looks like warm but not too hot
 

 nick: I can bring my MTB if you want to do some off-roady bits
 

 Tim: OK. We can start by having a look at that track near the station, see if it's overgrown.
 

 nick: Yet another remix of Animals is due out. Maybe this one will sound better than all the others
 

 Tim: A couple of bits of trivia in today's news:
One story refers to Postman's Park in London, doesn't ring any bells but according to the wiki "it is one of the largest open spaces in the City of London." What??? (OK yes I get it now.)

And the latest Tory gerrymandering plan (/Boundary Commission Review) includes a Hedge End constituency, how odd.
 

 Steve: Oh dear, the hold-up for release was an argument on sleeve notes - I saw this the other day.
I never got on with this album, but did play The Wall on LP the other day.
Maybe I should try vinyl.
 

 Steve: So the money for the concert, remind me, had I paid for Brand X?...
 

 nick: So the money for the concert, remind me, had I paid for Brand X?...
I just created a spreadsheet to try and keep track

Steve you paid for Brand X so I owe you £28 for that, PSB is £34
Tim I have no idea if you paid for Brand X, if you did then I owe you £28

Other stuff I could think of is Big Big Train and Steve Hackett but I don't think either of you is going to those
 

 nick: Oh - just remembered two more:
- Global Communication. I can't find a mail about that to say whether or not I paid you anything Steve - maybe I owe you for that.
- Wolfgang Flur thing (currently scheduled for 27-Nov this year) - Steve paid me £25, don't know about Tim
 

 Tim: I *think* we just banked on a bit of ticket swapping averaging out, so Flur and Brand X for TD and Max Richter, or something like that. We might have been about evens? Or not!
 

 nick: I *think* we just banked on a bit of ticket swapping averaging out,

I *think* that you are using the "royal we" in that sentence ;-)
 

 Tim: What was your take on it then?
 

 Tim: Not TD anyway, that's nonsense. Steve Reich maybe (I forgot we went to that!)
 

 nick: You may be right, I can't really remember! I should have written it down. I was trying to go through my mails to see who's paid what and so far as I can see it's just Tim's stuff that no money has changed hands, so if that's the case that's fine and it'll all cancel out in the end. And maybe that's a better way of doing it
Just that I've got in a bit of a muddle with other stuff e.g. someone asked me if I wanted tickets for Hackett, and I said I wanted three because Tony and his mate wanted to go, so there are quite a few potential payments/refunds to remember if it gets cancelled.
 

 Tim: Steve, do I owe you for anything?
 

 Steve: Well you are a pensioner Tim, I'll let you off.

Seriously, I have no idea of status. Call it quits?
 

 Tim: Yes - I think we were square last time we were at the Barbican.
 

 Tim: You must be in the tent now Steve, did it go up in record time? Plenty of condensation?
 

 Steve: Went up a lot better thanks. Tiny hint of condensation but on the insulation and not on the slats touching the mattress.
There is another one here so we will go and ask them what they do.
Weather unbelievable, site great. Lots of dogs but virtually no noise.
Visiting Carolyn at her beachhut tomorrow.
 

 nick: That was a pretty sunny weekend, I almost envy you being in a tent Steve! I cycled to Exeter on a rather cloudy Thursday but it was sunny on Fri/Sat/Sun and did some cycling in the countryside including down both sides of the Exe estuary to Dawlish and Exmouth (is that near where Richard and Jill live?).

Next few weekends looking free at the moment except for Church duty at 9am on Sun 27.
 

 Tim: Looks like there could be a spot of rain tonight but nothing to bother the Campleteers.
 

 nick: Are they there all week? I lost track a bit of when they were away
 

 Tim: 10th-20th it says round here somewhere.
 

 nick: Missed my morning ride today because it was raining quite hard. Forecast is for continued rain through until tomorrow morning so I hope it will at least have eased off a bit this evening because I don't want to miss a day. Hope it's not to bad where you are, S+D

Ryan is getting into cycling and has been out with me a couple of times (one of us on the MTB, one of us on the Whyte). He has been looking at bikes on eBay and says they seem quite expensive. Due to go out tomorrow morning with him, and possibly Spencer too if it's not raining.

Tony has published another music track which continues the proggy vibe, and is performed entirely by him again. We're seeing him in July so will find out what his album plans are, and whether he's got any session musicians lined up to record the tracks.

Another "Dolce Vita" by Ryan Paris just came on, what a jolly tune.
 

 Tim: It's just stopped raining here, but the Met Office radar shows another couple of big bands heading this way from France, so best to keep an eye on the gaps.
 

 Tim: That's quite an achievement fitting "Bernoulli" into the lyrics of a song.
 

 Steve: Oh dear the annual bonus has been paid.
How long do I leave it...
Now it comes to it, it is a bit scary.
A couple of minutes of reading work emails has raised my blood pressure.
One nice one asking us to check we have been paid!

And yes, Exmouth is where they live.
I'll look at weekends for activities but Agnes is off for a bit so I can't book holidays easily. Annoying problem that could soon disappear...
 

 nick: Exmouth seemed quite nice! Well, at least when we were there on a sunny day without many people. We went on an open top bus which visited a HUGE caravan park so I suppose it may be quite busy in the holiday season.

Cathryn (from the village) has been planning a cycle ride on (some of) the IoW in a couple of weeks with some other people in the village who cycle. She asked me for suggestions/experience and they've invited me on the ride they're doing so I may get a day over there. I found some pictures of when we've been before and it looked lovely when it was sunny.


 

 Steve: Could it be a bit lightweight?
 

 nick: Could it be a bit lightweight? I think it won't be all round the Island but I don't mind an easy ride and chat.
Cathryn's since clarified that they're planning on going for three days, stopping over two nights (if they can get accommodation I suppose). So I might just join them for a day's riding (depending on where they're staying I could cycle to them from Cowes..
 

 Tim: Aha you're back, cheers for the card.
 

 Tim: Three days to go round the island sounds about right to me :-)
 

 Steve: Go on the first day, wear them all out and bugger off on the ferry :)

I just emailed HR and my manager. Here we go...
 

 Steve: OK a short conversation, anything we can do? No thanks.
I did offer some flexibility as I don't have a deadline.

 

 nick: Maybe they'll want you to hang around a bit to train someone else up? I guess they must know you're not going for another job if you're not saying you need to go by a certain date.
 

 Steve: I can't do any more training!
I did (I think) 20 1 hour lessons last year to the team.
All recorded with project artefacts.
 

 Tim: Crikey Steve, are you no good at dithering? I could have pointlessly managed another 4 months easy.
 

 Steve: You set such a great example Tim.
 

 nick: How are you feeling today Steve?
 

 Steve: Yes pretty fearful I suppose, what have I done?.
Some horrible-looking tickets coming in and some unpleasant tasks, and a glance at the pension balance and I feel better again!

Assume you went through this Tim.
Plus our wives are still working ha ha.
 

 Steve: Instead of cashing on on the recent-ish gigs, AoN are releasing this one from way back: Noise In The City, Live In Tokyo 1986

Currently on: LP of Koyaanisqatsi - a bit crackly I suppose, but lovely otherwise.
 

 Steve: Potentially free this weekend to pop down but the weather looks a bit terrible?
 

 nick: Good suggestion - although I'm away next week in Exeter - not sure which day I'm going yet but could be Sunday... think I'll be around Saturday but looks like there's football that day so maybe Tim will be otherwise occupied? So perhaps another weekend would be better.
 

 Steve: Yes fine, well we are away the next one, so the next one after that maybe...
 

 Tim: Well, that seemed like the loudest goal cheer I've ever heard, and Wembley was only half-full.

We're going again next week, for the "other" semi-final (Belgium or Italy v Spain or Switerland) and although it might be 75% full it's bound to be much more sedate.
 

 nick: Must have been exciting! I did watch the second half (forgot it was on!) and couldn't see you in the audience. There did seem to be a lot of empty space in the stands.
Anything happening at your work steve?


 

 Steve: Chat with manager's manager with various offers.
I didn't bring up the promotion that appeared to make me worse off.
I did say that I do not like working for the company so do not want another job there.
And if I enjoyed it they would have got a few more years out of me.
I selected 30th July as preferred (Fri)day but it seems to be going through as the default of 27th. Yet another mistake? Who cares.
Mentally in complete turmoil but there you go!
 

 nick: Seems pretty odd having a leaving date of Tuesday 27th!
Mentally in complete turmoil but there you go!
When I found out I was being made redundant from HP, a lot of my thoughts were occupied/confused about the company, how they were handling things, what they'd do when I went etc.. After I left, all those concerns seemed to fade away pretty quickly. So hopefully by August you'll have a calmer state of mind.

 

 Steve: Well it's a month from triggering the official process.
Hang on, no it isn't, it's 4 weeks!
So will D be upset if I don't return to the office to pick her picture up.
Is it even possible?
Apart from that I don't think I have much there, and don't know how the laptop goes back.
 

 nick: Cycling for 2021 is going OK so far but getting red for July will be quite a challenge.

I think there's football tomorrow evening, did anyone want a zoom tonight instead?
 

 Tim: I didn't realise you were that crazy.

Good thinking - I can do tonight, or Sunday.
 

 nick: From a reader comment to this article
This sort of thing almost makes it sound like it would be fun to go to meetings:
We had monthly meeting with a client that was always lengthy, pointless, and difficult to endure, so we introduced a different game - to begin with we played 'goat', which meant you had to try to get the word 'goat' into entirely unrelated conversations. Then we moved on to something much better - each person had their own different line or phrase that had to be incorporated into a statement. Mine was 'in hospital', my friend's was 'I've seen bigger', and my boss's was 'Gosh, that's huge.' Eventually one of the other attendees (in fact the funder for the entire project) rumbled us and insisted that she be given her own phrase or she would shop us to our clients. We gave her 'anything over 40's fine.' She was absolutely brilliant, I thought I would die trying not to laugh.
 

 Steve: I love reading Adrian Chiles' articles - small and interesting.
He put me onto the availability of Sosmix which I absolutely love, and had disappeared from shops years ago.
When going to the health food site they had warnings about demand that the article had caused! Seemed to have what I needed though.
Chris Packham used to insert song titles into his nature show spiel.

I find those dire meeting times useful for Guardian crossword failures, surfing, or chatting with people I see in the meeting who I know are suffering equally.

Yes tonight good thanks.
 

 Steve: I got a bit interested to see the 2020 version of Hyperborea includes the Risky Business tracks. Reading the reviews it turns out that the CD outside of the box set does not include any extra tracks. Lucky escape as all but Discogs show extras.
Bandcamp Friday, but I will resist I think.
 

 Tim: It's not Bandcamp Friday, I can tell by the absence of spam. Next month there is one.

Strange about Hyperborea.
 

 Tim: Cheers for the cards. Wembley was pretty good yesterday although we had to skip the penalty shoot-out in order to get back to Waterloo for our last trains home, no big deal though. I see the coverage for tonight's game starts at 6:30, no idea what rubbish they'll fill the time with, but anyway I'm looking forward to kick-off. I think.
 

 Steve: We're camping Fri-Sun so won't be doing any zooming ta.

Just bought the 2 disk "deluxe" A Secret Wish used from MMagpie. Seems virtually mint. I play this album so much. I had my double LP on the other night and this has the extras from that on it I think!
 

 Tim: Where are you off to this time?
 

 Steve: Was between Ely and St Ives and we got down in the dry.
This site allows arrival from 9 and leaving before 5 which is very unusual.
Did a couple of bike rides but not much else.
 

 nick: Not sure how this came up in my youtube feed but I've found it fascinating to watch because of the drummer. He's not doing anything particularly special, but being able to see/hear what he's doing really adds to the experience. It's a pretty foot-tappy song so maybe Tim would want to avoid.
 

 Tim: That's just terrible so yes I should have.


 

 Tim: Just as bad, I heard a song on the radio, "Heartbreak Anthem". What words rhyme with anthem? Just tantrum apparently. Oh well, just have to crowbar it in then.
 

 Tim: I've just finished another book by P.K. Dick (A Maze of Death). I've only read a few, but they all seem to be fairly bonkers. Or, more imaginative than I can properly cope with.
 

 nick: Recommend a good PK Dick book, Tim. Apparently I read Do Androids Dream.. 16 years ago but I can't remember it.
Looks like it'll be sunny on Sunday for the Big Wheel (Geoff's doing it, and maybe John too). And should be sunny on Saturday too if you fancy a cycle ride Tim.

The house that Ella and Ryan were looking at, which got taken off the market, came back on, then off, and is now back on again with what appears to be a complete chain, so there's a possibility they'll be moving after all. I can't see it happening before September which means they'll be moving with a new baby. They're trying not to get too excited though.
 

 Tim: I can't really recommend a PKD except for Do Androids (likewise read it years ago). I've got a couple more in the pipeline though so I'll let you know eventually. Anyway, you haven't read Mission of Gravity yet.

Bike ride could be a goer, I'll see what's happening.
 

 Steve: I tried The Man in the High Castle a while back and did not like it at all.
What could go wrong with a book about Germany winning the war?
Think of Robert Harris's Fatherland.
That reminds me to get his latest V2.

Got a good le Carré on the go currently, and recently enjoyed a Ted Allbeury fictional about Kim Philby.
Checking for tails in the Co-op window...
 

 nick: Bike ride could be a goer, I'll see what's happening.
I bought a second-hand bike this week off ebay for Ryan, and am collecting it on Saturday although the guy hasn't told me a time yet. I realise now it was a mistake to tell him "Any time saturday would be ok". I'll update when I hear from him
 

 Steve: Actually, Deborah needs some quiet time to sort out Guide camp so I could train down tomorrow until Sunday and do both rides if that fits.
Looks like sun cream required.
 

 nick: Great if you can come tomorrow Steve. I've still not heard back from S/H bike guy so I'll chase him for a definite time. Maybe you can come with me to collect it Steve! He sent me his address, which is on a road I quite often cycle past, so I know exactly where he is.

I also had an invite for a 7am bike ride tomorrow but should be finished by 10am and I don't suppose you'd be here before then anyway.

Does look pretty set fair for the weekend. And Tim if you don't fancy cycling I'm sure we could do something else
 

 Steve: OK in theory I will train in the morning, time to be confirmed.

 

 Tim: We've just been out for a walk and it's pretty hot. If we're riding tomorrow then it calls for an easy route with plenty of shade and avoiding the peak heat (3-6pm).
 

 Steve: Just wear short socks Tim :)
To be fair, you get a breeze cycling that you don't walking.
 

 Tim: Short socks is a good idea if we're avoiding the harder off-road overgrown trails. Also need to factor in the shop at Cheriton or similar.
 

 nick: I assume Steve will be bringing a road bike so avoiding overgrown trails sounds good

I heard from my bike guy and have agreed to collect bike on Sunday after 3pm, so no disruption to tomorrow. If Steve happens still to be around then he can come and collect it with me, but that's purely optional
 

 Tim: So at this point I'm wondering what time to turn up at MIC. I'll have a guess at 12:05 for now and await updates.
 

 nick: Steve reports ETA 11am BSK so I think 12.05 MD sounds ok
 

 Tim: OK great. Don't worry if you're a bit late.
 

 nick: Well it's still pretty hot - have the window open in my office and not sure if that makes it better or worse. I expect you've been out cycling round Upham all day Tim?

Steve mentioned trying to get in to a museum or gallery in London while there aren't too many tourists. I'm not sure if there's anything on at the moment that we'd like to see? I did a quick look and didn't see anything leaping out at me but maybe there's something good on?
 

 Tim: We had all the windows open last night but it MADE NO DIFFERENCE, there wasn't a hint of a breeze. A bit crosseyed today but at least there's no work.

Haven't we missed the boat on no-tourists now that the schools are about to break up?

How did BW go?
 

 nick: How did BW go?
It was quite hot and unfortunately we had an accident about 8 miles before the end (of the 48 mile route): Geoff hit a pothole in Axford and fell off his bike, sustaining cuts and bruises and a buckled front wheel. Fortunately that's only 4 miles from my house so Steve and I cycled back there while John stayed with Geoff, so I could get my car and bring Geoff home to my house (where he'd parked).
Geoff's fine now although John said he seemed a bit fuddled after he came off. I feel a bit bad for not making more fuss about the pothole, which I knew was there - I cycle on that bit of road every day but I think I sort of automatically assumed that everyone knew about it and would cycle round it like I do. Checked on Hampshire CC website and it had already been reported, but I put another report in anyway.
For this year's BW you're supposed to send in GPX evidence of the ride and they'll send you a medal. John went on to complete the ride afterwards but the rest of us didn't, so no medals for us! Hopefully it'll be a properly marshalled ride next year, and hopefully they'll have fixed the pothole by then.
 

 Steve: Oh yeah school holidays - good point.

We have a fan at night but as D will be at camp from this evening I will sleep downstairs.
Ideal for camping but seems too weird to do it in the garden if you are older than 10.

Will try an office visit Friday to get my things - been so long I can't remember what sized bag to take! None of our lot there but my passes should still work, and I checked with HCL if it is feasible.
Might come home via Fopp :)
 

 nick: Any luck getting the pre-wedding ping Steve? Went to my housegroup last night (first time in 18 months: we all sat in the garden) and one of the people there had been pinged "you need to self-isolate for 5 days". She had no idea who she might have been in contact with but stayed in anyway. She says she's turned the app off now. My brother Phil also got pinged to isolate for 2 days.
I usually have my bluetooth thing turned off on the basis that I'm never next to anyone but I suppose I should at least put it on when I go out.
 

 nick: I was talking with the pinged woman about retirement (she's in her 70s) and asked her how old she thought I was ("Be honest, I won't mind"). I confidently expected her to come up with a number in the low 50s, but she said "62". At which point I realised I did mind!
 

 Tim: Could have been worse ;-)
 

 Steve: No ping but Matt got one and I shared a car with him so here's hoping.
Maybe I will pick something up visiting London tomorrow.
He tested negative BTW.

Phew, I have done the car insurance, contents and broadband - still +Net Nick.
Will be interesting if they do legislate to stop new customers getting better deals.
 

 nick: - still +Net Nick.
Thanks Steve. And Tim. According to my plusnet page, I've had ~£132 worth of referral credit from Steve since September 2010, and £63 off Tim since March 2005(!). So I think I owe you both a drink or pizza or something
 

 Steve: Shame Paul ditched them - my gravy train didn't last.
 

 Steve: I'm assuming this is relevant news to you Tim: Peter Rehberg dies
 

 nick: anyone want to do a zoom this evening?
 

 Steve: Good plan thanks, no anagram solver though!
 

 Tim: Yes that's a shame about Peter Rehberg.

Yep see you later.
 

 nick: Fixed the front derailleur on Ryan's bike and took it out for a test ride this morning - I think it does feel a bit smoother than mine but it's hard to tell. So all ready to let him have a go this week

...except Ella's just called to say Ryan's tested positive for COVID (he has regular tests at work). He's had both vaccinations so hopefully won't be too bad. We last saw them on Friday - I took Spencer home and stood in the hall and chatted for a bit with them for I would guess 15 mins or less. I'll take a quick test this morning and see what it says.
 

 Steve: You're out of the wedding then!
I need to pop down for 16 minutes.
 

 nick: Sorry but my quick test result was negative, so per the web page it is unlikely that I'm currently infectious.
Ella took a test and was positive - they're going to get proper tests today. I'll see if I can get them to send you a birthday card, and cough into it before they post it
 

 nick: I think this is the concert Paul, Steve and I went to
 

 Steve: CDRs!

After some faff (good job I have a printer and spare box), my laptop will be taken some time tomorrow.
So I can't do any work tomorrow as I want to wipe it, and have to pack it!
 

 nick: When I took my PC to the recycling centre, I used this disk eraser - you just put it on a USB, boot off it, and it prompts you to wipe the disk. That gets rid of absolutely everything though including Windows, so may be too much? Takes a while to run if you opt for the "securely erase" options!

Does this mean you'll need to buy your own PC?
 

 nick: Link didn't seem to work in previous comment: it's https://dban.org/blancco-drive-eraser/.
 

 Steve: Got it thanks, this seems better than the one I chose as this will boot and blast.
 

 Steve: Never easy is it!
The hardest thing is often creating the bootable media.
That took me a few goes.
Then the program failed with a missing file.
After some searching, I tried an older version, this got further but failed in a different way. In the end I had to select auto mode and it did the job!

Just got a goodbye email with a link to page of messages and Wiggle vouchers sob.
I thought they had been a bit quiet!
 

 nick: Just got a goodbye email with a link to page of messages and Wiggle vouchers sob.
I thought they had been a bit quiet!
Ahh, that's nice! What did Agnes say?
Will you actually be able to do any "work" today?

Ella and Ryan got confirmation of their +ve covid state this morning (following drive-through test) and have to self-isolate until next Friday 6th. Spencer was negative (but if he starts showing symptoms they might have to start over).

After +ve test they had to fill in form saying who'd been at their house since Saturday (phew - dodged a bullet there, I last was there on Friday and we didn't go round at the weekend). They had a couple of friends there on Saturday, who've already been contacted by T+T and told to self-isolate for 8 days
 

 nick: Hope you got on ok yesterday Steve.
Do you feel any different now you're unemployed?
 

 Steve: Hi we had the funeral so yesterday Wednesday did not count.
I met the pickup truck at 8 this morning to donate her car.
Some bank account admin still ongoing, but not with me.

I spent most of the morning looking at our finances and starting to close some things down.
Still feels like having days off at the moment.

I received a ton more Wiggle vouchers from the guys yesterday so if you need to buy anything let me know to use them up. They expire in 2 years and I'm going to have to go some to exhaust them.

The boys bought me a Garmin so I need to get planning and recording routes.
There are quite a few from Luton that others have created.
 

 Tim: That all sounds a bit hectic, maybe you should have today off.
 

 nick: I've bought some stuff from merlin cycles recently (mainly because they had some bits in stock that Wiggle didn't) and have got to "gold" status on their rewards scheme which has made me think "hmm I should buy some more stuff off them to benefit from the discounts".

There must be tons of stuff you'd like on the wiggle website steve? Just remember to put a note on your orders saying you don't want Haribo (that seemed to work last time I did it).

Ella and Ryan think they've lost their sense of taste. Took Spencer for another test today (he's not been right all week, although his Monday test was -ve). But other than that they seem OK: Ella's still working. Their friends weren't very happy at having to self-isolate (you can well understand why people might be reluctant to dob in their mates to test and trace).

Can do zoom tonight if anyone wants to
 

 Tim: No other symptoms, I take it?

I'm around later.
 

 nick: Think Ryan's been feeling a bit rough but that seems more likely to be non-covid stuff. And Ella said she felt a bit bunged up
I'll send a zoom invite out around 8pm

 

 nick: Spencer's test on Friday came back positive. They're still going to finish their isolation on Friday though on the basis that you're meant to do it for 10 days following symptoms, and Spencer was not right last Monday even though he tested negative then. Still not recovered their sense of taste: we dropped an Indian takeaway to them on Saturday evening and Ella said she couldn't taste anything although her tongue did feel like it was burning a bit.

Rumours of a heatwave in the second part of August so I'm thinking of taking a couple of weeks off. Is anyone around for doing anything then? E.g. last two weeks of August.

Started "A God in Ruins" and am enjoying it so far - it is jumping around back and forth in time quite a bit and the audiobook doesn't have the equivalent of rows of asterisks which I guess may indicate time shifts in the printed copy so it's a little bit hard to keep track but I suspect that the idea is that you're meant to be pleasingly confused.

Finished "Mr Wilder and Me" by Jonathan Coe lately. Not as good as some of his earlier ones but a pleasant read. At one point, the lead character, who's suffered romantic disappointment, is in a car with Billy Wilder, who's making a film that isn't working out very well, and which he struggled to get funding for as he is no longer in vogue as a director. The driver suggests stopping at his brother's farm, where they enjoy wine and cheese made by the farmer, which turns out to be excellent. As they leave:

He was about to get into the car, but paused in order to smile at me and say: ‘You know, we’ve both been reminded of something important this evening.’ I wondered what he could mean – what he and I could possibly have in common. ‘Whatever else it throws at you,’ he said, ‘life will always have pleasures to offer. And we should take them.’ And then this man who had achieved so much in his time, and suffered so much as well, tilted the hat on his head so that it sat at just the right angle, and tipped it to me. ‘Remember that,’ he added. And I always have.

which - at least for a bit - made me feel a bit better about enjoying a takeaway curry despite all the bad things going on in the world.
 

 Tim: I'm mostly free. Tina's also heard those rumours and is planning a few random days off so I might be tied up here and there.

If you're looking at early Sept at all the schools will be back.
 

 nick: Another PSB track from their forthcoming album has been released. I quite like it!
 

 Tim: Bandcamp Friday is coming up and I'll be getting the latest DiN: Nigel Mullaney's The Turning. But also I notice his 2020 release 31 days is only £7.50, top tip.

Is there anything else out there?
 

 nick: There's a new Big Big Train album out - I just had a mailshot from them asking people to consider buying it in order to maintain their chart position so they get more radio plays etc.. I was meant to be going to a concert of theirs in Aylesbury in October(? I think) which got postponed to this July, and which then got postponed again. So it might not be the most recent album by the time I see them.
 

 Tim: Well I gave it a listen, HTH.
 

 Steve: We're not around this week BTW as we are away at the wedding.
No plans for end of August.

 

 nick: We're not around this week BTW as we are away at the wedding.
And I'm out next Friday at a wedding evening do! Unless I get pinged - I assume Steve didn't.

Ryan and Ella come out of purdah tomorrow. Ryan took a test yesterday and it was positive. Apparently after you've had it you can continue to test positive for some time without being infectious. Or that's what E+R are telling me.

Can do a one-on-one zoom with you tomorrow evening if you're free Tim?
 

 Tim: I've got a feeling I'll be free.
 

 nick: Happy Birthday Steve! Are you doing anything nice?
 

 nick: ...and maybe you could find another photo to start a new post - we're approaching 200 replies on this one
 

 Steve: Thanks, no major plans, might do a small bike ride and see Matt later.
Been investigating e-bikes for D. There are major supply issues and they cost a packet, and we are on the new model switchover period.
Just listed her old MTB on eBay.

I seem to be lacking pictures, so over to someone else for one?
I took my camera to the wedding, but with 3 official photographers snapping everything in sight, I left it in its case. Think they had a drone as well!
 

 Tim: Happy Birthday!
 

 Steve: Cards are in thanks! I have a feeling D has made me a cake with "58" on it.
Once I'd done "30" I've never been bothered with age.

Drat, those Naim speakers did not sell, is this fate?
 

 nick: Only 58? That seems so young. I found 40 quite difficult, but although I got pretty depressed about it while it was on the horizon ("halfway through and I've not done anything"), I felt almost immediately better the next day and haven't felt worried like that ever since.

Maybe you could make him an offer on the speakers?

 

 nick: Haven't seen your pic yet Tim? Surely you don't want another one of a field from me...?

I booked hol from 26-Aug..10-Sep. Will be busy on bank holiday weekend (Lesley+Ryan birthday party) and also 1/2/3 Sep but free other than that, so feel free to plan something. When are you in Canterbury Steve?
 

 nick: new post