The Retirement Thread

[12boy]

In a while I'll take my Element to get a new windshield and combine that with a Brompton ride for an hour and a half or so for the return. Then it's a little work on the sheepherder wagon and maybe planting a little chard, lettuce arugula etc. Then off to my wife's oncologist where I take notes, she hears the blood work results and gets a massive shot in each cheek of the next ramp up of treatment. I suspect she will not feel up to much so it will be takeout or maybe she will let me put something together. Perhaps panko breaded pink trout, asparagus, sided and sliced tomatoes. Somewhere in there Miss Gracie, our aged rat terrier, will limp along for a slow mile and a half walk with 20 sniff stops and a dozen widdles on the especially fragrant places. Life wasn't nearly so busy when I actually had a job. Enclosing a shot of the divine Miss G.

 

[numbnuts]

I woke up one morning and my wedding ring was gone <breaks into song> Happy days are here again.........

 

[Dave7]

I woke up one morning and my wedding ring was gone <breaks into song> Happy days are here again.........

NNts.
Must be horrible to be in a marriage that isn't working for whatever reason.
I am not one of those people who claim "we have never had cross/bad word".
There have been times when either of us could have walked away. But we stuck at it and generally had 52 bl**dy good years.
Of course, if Welshie came calling things could change in an instant .

 

[numbnuts]

NNts.
Must be horrible to be in a marriage that isn't working for whatever reason.
I am not one of those people who claim "we have never had cross/bad word".
There have been times when either of us could have walked away. But we stuck at it and generally had 52 bl**dy good years.
Of course, if Welshie came calling things could change in an instant .

I had a good marriage..........the good part it only lasted 3 years

 

[Tenkaykev]

Good evening one and all. Not sure if this is the correct forum, I did a forum search but came up blank.

I have a question regarding a house plant. Just after Christmas I popped into our local Council run nursery and after a chat came away with a Calathea, and instructions as to its care. I've followed the instructions and the plant appears to be thriving.
One thing that has me puzzled is that the plant opens out its leaves in the morning, and folds them upwards to point at the ceiling in the evenings.
As the evenings have been lengthening I expected the time the leaves were open to match the daylight, but that's not happening.
I come downstairs in the morning to a darkened room, draw the curtains and the leaves are fully open.
It's a lovely sunny evening here, but as I write this the leaves are fully pointed upwards.
It's almost as if there were a clock mechanism, rather than a daylight following one.
Any ideas folks?

 

[Dave7]

Good evening one and all. Not sure if this is the correct forum, I did a forum search but came up blank.

I have a question regarding a house plant. Just after Christmas I popped into our local Council run nursery and after a chat came away with a Calathea, and instructions as to its care. I've followed the instructions and the plant appears to be thriving.
One thing that has me puzzled is that the plant opens out its leaves in the morning, and folds them upwards to point at the ceiling in the evenings.
As the evenings have been lengthening I expected the time the leaves were open to match the daylight, but that's not happening.
I come downstairs in the morning to a darkened room, draw the curtains and the leaves are fully open.
It's a lovely sunny evening here, but as I write this the leaves are fully pointed upwards.
It's almost as if there were a clock mechanism, rather than a daylight following one.
Any ideas folks?

Kev.
I have not got a clue but there are some on here who do know about plants. However there is a gardening section and I have had some good help from there.
Interesting question though.
Edit.
Just found this on Wickapedia
When looking at a Calathea's leaves, it's hard to ignore their unique patterns and colors. Each different species bears its own unique design with a deep Burgundy color on the underneath of the foliage. Besides the look of their stunning leaves, their leaves play a different role as well. During the night, their leaves will fold up.[6] In the morning hour, their leaves will unfurl in search of the morning sun. This phenomenon is made possible by a small "joint"[6] the plant possesses between the stem and leaf

 

[PaulSB]

Good evening one and all. Not sure if this is the correct forum, I did a forum search but came up blank.

I have a question regarding a house plant. Just after Christmas I popped into our local Council run nursery and after a chat came away with a Calathea, and instructions as to its care. I've followed the instructions and the plant appears to be thriving.
One thing that has me puzzled is that the plant opens out its leaves in the morning, and folds them upwards to point at the ceiling in the evenings.
As the evenings have been lengthening I expected the time the leaves were open to match the daylight, but that's not happening.
I come downstairs in the morning to a darkened room, draw the curtains and the leaves are fully open.
It's a lovely sunny evening here, but as I write this the leaves are fully pointed upwards.
It's almost as if there were a clock mechanism, rather than a daylight following one.
Any ideas folks?

I had to read this three times before I worked it out. Your Calathea is on the window sill sitting between the curtains and the window? Calathea react to light levels and intensity, the leaves close at night when light levels drop.

I'm not 100% on the next bit but think it's the probable reason. Houseplants aren't my field - well not since I was 24. Plants make use of different parts of the light spectrum and do not necessarily react to artificial light. If a light bulb gives out the wrong colour or type of light it will have no impact on the plant. I'm guessing the room the plant is in has low artificial light levels in the evening and so your Calathea "thinks" it's dark and points it's leaves upwards. It is probably reacting to the external natural light level rather than the artificial internal lights - especially if it is on a window sill. If I'm right that it is on a window sill with the curtains closed during the night the plant will be reacting to the natural light early in the morning before you're up and open the curtains. The leaves open because there is sufficient natural light to stimulate this reaction.

Calathea leaves also move to follow the sun. This is because their natural habitat is the jungle floor and to make best use of the available sunlight the leaves must follow the sun to catch as much light as possible. Apparently they can be heard rustling.

Best I can do.............................after 44 years in the industry

 

[Drago]

Fitted some roof rails to my Volvo today. Mrs D's Volvo has them, but because mine is the supposedly sporty model it came without. This left me feel inadequate and emasculated, but a few shekels the ebay way and my manhood is restored.

 

[PaulSB]

There are 12 children still at the village school, all from families of key workers. Today the kids left messages all over the village. It really worked, everyone smiled when they heard about this.

 

[Drago]

Night Johnboy.

 

[classic33]

Night Johnboy.

Night GranMa

 

[classic33]

I reckon the excitement has been a touch too much for some on here.

That, or you're planning summat.

 

[Mo1959]

Morning. Only just above freezing here at the moment. Off for my early walk in a few minutes. It should warm up before too long once the sun appears. Another day of easterly winds though keeping it a bit cool.

 

[The Jogger]

Morning all, coffee and down to the allotment, my new hobby which I'm loving. I put the spuds in a couple of days ago, my first planting.
Going to get Mrs J's bike online today (tried the lbs), she cycled all the way to southern Europe in her youth on a Dawes, so she is after another Dawes but this time a hybrid.

 

[PaulSB]

Good day. Slept till 5.40, almost a lay in!!
Skies are clear, no wind and 7C - feels like it might be a warm day.

ALDI run first thing. I'm going early and today at Mrs P's request as she feels it will be safer. I need to have a look through some recipes first, the list we made last night doesn't seem to include many actual meals! 🤔 I'll also pop in to Booths for a yellow label hunt.

A ride when I get home and I might, only might, go and have a dig at a local hill which is on my hit list. Looking for an age group KOM.

Allotment later. I'm now doing jobs I should have done five years ago - or so I'm told. Might even paint the shed.**

**Our neighbour next door but two is famed as a perfectionist and ALWAYS has a job on the go. He can't stop DIYing. He's very, very good but we all find extraordinarily irritating. This week he has spent two days sanding down his shed by hand. Last week he took apart his wooden garden furniture set, cut out and replaced damaged sections, sanded, painted etc. My shed, if it gets painted, will get a brush down to remove cobwebs.