@lionelb@expressional.social
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

lionelb

@lionelb@expressional.social

My main themes here are gardening, nature and conservation, green energy and open source software but my frustration with the way billionaires are trashing our world will inevitably feature at times.

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snaptophobic, to random
@snaptophobic@mastodon.me.uk avatar

It’s happened before. Limescale builds up enough to prevent the auto-stop from working. That’s fine, as I’m usually by the kettle as it comes to the boil and can switch it off. If I don’t descale it, eventually it trips out when boiling.

I just powered it up and flipped the switch - and I heard the click a fraction of a second before the neon came on. I think it still lives.

I’ll get some descaler in and give it good clean. It always has one of those wire balls in it to keep scale down.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@snaptophobic

Apparently you can use oyster shells.

timrichards, to Travel
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

Nah get a backpack instead. Distributes weight better, and no unnecessary extra mass from wheels.

Hard or soft shell luggage: Which is best for you?

https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/hard-or-soft-light-or-heavy-duty-which-is-the-best-suitcase-for-you-20240301-p5f94g.html

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@timrichards

There is also the noise. Those things on cobbles or gridded stone are horrendous.

It does depend how long you are away for though. And how young you are.

Edit: When standing on a bus, tram or train a rucksack is an offensive weapon.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@timrichards

Cue: 'Launderettes of the World' app.

lionelb, to wildflowers
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

This really didn't want to be in focus. Mediterranean Catchfly (Silene colorata) growing on the same cliff.

snaptophobic, to random
@snaptophobic@mastodon.me.uk avatar

Morning world. Up too early, as my neighbours need a taxi to the railway station. They’re off to Tenby for a week. I’m not sure if they’re lucky or not.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@snaptophobic

There are lots of antiques/collectables shops nearby I am told. In the cold and wet not much of a break though?

Tarnport, to random
@Tarnport@mastodon.green avatar

In my stupor of recovery and the headiness of impending spring, I seem to have accidentally invited "15-20 Quakers" to take up residence with us for a spiritual retreat. I fear my first reply to the follow-up call yesterday was suboptimal: "I said WHAT???" But at least they are generally quiet as a faith and it will force me to clean up the house and gardens. I'm not even pacifist!

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@Tarnport
I don't think Quakers scare easy.

Put them to work tilling the soil.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@Tarnport

How are they at minor roof repair? 👀

Guy, to random
@Guy@mastodon.scot avatar

Seeing same GP ‘improves patient health and cuts workload of doctors’

Well damn me, who'd have thought it.......

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/23/seeing-same-gp-improves-patient-health-and-cuts-workload-of-doctors

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@Guy

A wonder they found enough of those relationships to benchmark against.

snaptophobic, to random
@snaptophobic@mastodon.me.uk avatar

Morning world. Today I check out a new (to me) supermarket.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@snaptophobic

The original Safeway before it sold (paper sacks at the checkout) was always my favourite.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@snaptophobic

Sold to Argyll Foods in 1987 and immediately trashed.

snaptophobic, to random
@snaptophobic@mastodon.me.uk avatar

Feeling very out of sorts today, so I’m playing around with my Universal Airfield photo plank. I’ve needed something to disguise the back edge where it often meets the backdrop in a rather abrupt manner. I’ve settled for some balsa to build a small bank, and bought in some laser cut timber fencing. Now I’m making a mess!

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@snaptophobic

Those little ultrasonic units make a lovely mist.

lionelb, to random
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

Common weeds but a welcome sight! Daisy, purple dead nettle and speedwell. The season has started.

lionelb, to random
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

A disused lightship on the Severn. Glorious weather today, as you can see.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@RobertJackson58585858

A beautiful river to look at but not one I would like to cross, except in a hovercraft.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@RobertJackson58585858

On some days the eddy currents are crazy. Very shallow in large areas.

snaptophobic, to random
@snaptophobic@mastodon.me.uk avatar

That’s it. After twenty-odd years of loyalty to Morrisons supermarkets, I’m done.

I was swindled out More Points. I picked two items off the shelf that supposedly had 250 points, yet I got nothing at checkout. It’s been over a year since the new points scheme, and I’ve yet to get a five pound voucher. I only needed 242 points to get there.

I’m done. Morrisons can go stuff themselves.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@snaptophobic

Rail pass is always done with Tesco points. Sadly it is 2x now rather than 3x.

JimsPhotos, to nature
@JimsPhotos@ohai.social avatar

Not a bird you can easily miss 😂 The glorious Eurasian Goldfinch

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@JimsPhotos

I had a couple of them on dry golden rod stems this morning. It doesn't pay to tidy up too early.

snaptophobic, to random
@snaptophobic@mastodon.me.uk avatar

Oh, of course. It’s that mushy, gooey, loveydovey day, isn’t it. What the Yanks would term a Hallmark Holiday, something overblown to feed late stage capitalism.

Here, it’s just Wednesday.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@snaptophobic

I can exclusively reveal that the price of fresh flowers has doubled overnight.

ChrisMayLA6, to bookstodon
@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us avatar

Defend our #libraries

(from @tomgauld)

@bookstodon

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@ChrisMayLA6 @tomgauld @bookstodon

Why? What has Tom Gauld done to libraries?

timrichards, (edited ) to random
@timrichards@aus.social avatar

@ivory The share icon on iOS has become an unreliable way lately to post a photo to Ivory. Quite often it doesn't work at all, the post doesn't even show up as a draft.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@timrichards @ivory

It doesn't answer your point but I can confirm that IceCubes appears in the list.

If it works sometimes, the permissions must be okay.

It is likely that the bug is on the iOS side, unless apps have to provide a 'hook'.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@timrichards @ivory

I wonder whether it actually sends but doesn't reliably show up in the draft?

snaptophobic, to random
@snaptophobic@mastodon.me.uk avatar

Morning world. Yay! Dental check today. 😬

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@snaptophobic

Dental treatment is only for oligarchs.

felicitymartin, to Scotland
@felicitymartin@mastodon.scot avatar

An unexpected wildlife sighting today. This was crawling over a tussock on heathland nearly 300m above sea level in Highland Perthshire. Does any one have an idea what it is? A moth species I guess.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@felicitymartin

It appears to be a species of Euplagia. A fabulous moth which resembles a Southern Swallowtail but likes Northern climes.

But not that Northern?

https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/euplagia-quadripunctaria/

snaptophobic, to random
@snaptophobic@mastodon.me.uk avatar

An unboxing video?

Yes, I know. The thing is this isn’t your average unboxing video. Bear with me. In a past life I was a sort of graphic designer. I like to think I was quite good at it. Although I wasn’t trained as a designer, I picked up enough to know how to do things. I didn’t get much packaging design, mind. That’s a very different design world.

https://snaptophobic.wordpress.com/2024/02/01/an-unboxing-video/

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@snaptophobic

From an aesthetic point of view, yes that works.

But I as consumer am looking first and foremost at economy of materials and ease of recycling.

From that perspective the boring cardboard impresses. The presentation box appears as a house of horrors. Profligate, unsustainable, non-recyclable.

Of course, I am in the tiny minority. To sell, the horror show is the best option.

snaptophobic, to random
@snaptophobic@mastodon.me.uk avatar

Morning world. Welcome to a slightly longer shortest month.

lionelb,
@lionelb@expressional.social avatar

@snaptophobic

Ice on the car. Not a great start.

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