grendel

the halo is caused by refraction, through ice crystals in the clouds, we too saw the halo in Canterbury, one of my fellow astronomers got a nice shot of it that was shown on our local news last night. Grendel

and yes I too am waiting for us to find evidence of aliens.

all of the strange things I have seen in the sky have had logical explanations, from groups of 3 lights in a triangle formations (a trio of satellites) to strange lights (spaceships venting fuel tanks) to other strange lights (russian space launches) I have seen a variety, but if you know what junk is up there you wouldnt be surprised- map of space junk orbiting earth - http://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/1eeswi/map_of_every_known_piece_of_space_debris_orbiting/ Grendel

for me eggy bread uses at least one egg per slice, its just break egg onto lipped plate (to stop it running off) beat lightly with a fork to just sort of break the yolk, season with salt and pepper, dip thick slice of bread into mix (sometimes if I am doing a batch for the family I start with 2 eggs) allow t soak for a bit, flip the slice over and soak the other side - I might resoak the first side again after, then into the frying pan - while breaking another egg onto the plate, beat and season and then start the next slice soaking, turn the one in the frying pan to do t'other side, and then repeat, occasionally adding 2 eggs when the plate gets too dry. the last slice (mine) gets any leftover egg poured over it in the pan. then generally after eating I have to come back and do another 2 slices each for everyone. Grendel

pictures taken at Hardley Cross. no special equipment, just a camera on a tripod. Grendel

Here I am, I was where all good astronomers are on a cold winters night, when the skies are cloudy - Bed. Some of the best skies I have ever seen were on my holiday on the Broads, we moored up one night at Hardley Cross and I got my trusty travel scope (50mm f12 refractor) out and set it up on the bank and spent a glorious hour there just enjoying the peace and the stars. I have a whole host of telescopes ranging in sizes, but my favorites are my 1970's japanese built refractors, my two most favorite are the 76x1250 and the 80x1200 refractors. I do have a home made 4.5" reflector, plus a 127mm skywatcher, and somewhere is a 12" mirror and parts awaiting a new tube. Any astronomical questions you want answered I can usually help with (especially equipment related - my wifes great uncle was a engineering technician at hurstmonceux observatory and I have his photo collection). Grendel

you could tag along as translator.

ooh lummee

I used to be blonde, but now count as a Bald old Git, so at least I have got away from the being blonde Grendel

it was always called Snake and Pygmy pudding in our house. Grendel

my mum used to do me a big yorkshire pudding in an old saucepan, it would always sink in the middle, then a tin of beans and sausages was heated up and put in the middle. yum Grendel

Plus its always very tricky getting the hotdog sausages out of the tin... Grendel

MM, I haven't even seen any posts on facebook from RT over the past few days either. Grendel

like this

I have a car cam video of a van driver, who didnt even bother slowing down when he got to the roundabout I was already on, I missed the back of his van by just a few feet, because I was watching and aware he was coming onto the roundabout with some speed. If I had been distracted for any reason I might not have seen him and would have ploughed into the side of him. my phone is on a bluetooth hands free, and I still dont answer it while I am driving, let alone text or touch it. It only takes a fraction of a seconds innatention to be involved in an accident, and it might not even be your fault. Grendel

no toilets in ice cream vans either - trust me I know an ex ice cream man, he used to have to sit all day in one spot, apparently good bladder control is part of the job. Grendel

Alan, Ikea - I can never pass by the sin bin (where they store all the seconds and stuff) to see if there is anything in there that can be re-purposed (usually located just before the tills) excellent source of timber. Grendel

one other thought that occurs to me is that if a OB is wearing a life jacket they cant easily slip a life ring over their head and secure themselves to it, where a floating line if it has a lightweight snap hook on the end can be passed round the OB and clipped back onto the line. thus if the OB is rendered unconcious they wont just let go. Grendel

Tim, you need a good saw, leave the tupperware embedded to seal the hole and just trim it off flush with your hull. Sandpaper - thats no way to treat good timber, you want a cabinet scraper, it removes a fine amount without raising the grain. I'll have to try and get up there sometime and show you. Grendel

I am with Green Flag, once I got stuck when the alternator packed up, the local green flag man came out and couldnt fix it, he didnt really want to trailer me the 50 miles home, so took me to his yard, he had a car the same as mine there so he swapped the alternators over, jump started my car,and with battery charging I drove home, he didnt charge me for this and I just signed the form that he had taken me home, I reckon he made the cost of a new alternator from what Green flag paid him, and didnt waste his time on the trip, plus I didnt have to fork out for a new alternator or take time off work to fit it myself, win win all round and what I consider excellent service. Grendel

and uncle Tom Cobbley. Grendel

its been Turkey stew the last couple of days, it included chestnut stuffing, and I even encountered a sprout, in the stews defence it was a very nice stew, we had some last night with my home made bread rolls, yum.. Grendel

Too late wednesday?

Further information - it will rise just a fraction north of West and rise to about 45 degrees up as it crosses to the south, it will visibly move across the sky and be quite bright. Grendel

Does anyone know if the Roaring Donkey was a real Broads pub, and where it was? Grendel