Google+ Archive

Derek Fountain - 2012-12-31 08:18:20+0000 - Updated: 2012-12-31 08:18:20+0000

Beachy Head, in an almighty winter storm. I don't think my phone is quite up to photos like this. :o}

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View from the Grand Hotel in Brighton, a winter storm battering the old pier&...

Derek Fountain - 2012-12-31 09:29:37+0000 - Updated: 2012-12-31 09:29:37+0000

View from the Grand Hotel in Brighton, a winter storm battering the old pier's wreckage.

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London, lights in Regent Street seen from the top deck of a bus.

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-05 09:00:02+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-05 09:00:02+0000

London, lights in Regent Street seen from the top deck of a bus.

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David Monro - 2013-01-05 09:31:18+0000

I like the finger reflections - looks a bit like a ghostly giant tarantula!

Staying at the Sofitel St James in London. Expensive. The minibar has crisps ...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-05 18:43:22+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-05 18:43:22+0000

Staying at the Sofitel St James in London. Expensive. The minibar has crisps for £7.00 per packet or a Mars Bar at £8.00. Rip off or what?

Interestingly they also have something called a "Relief Pack" for £14.00. That could be a bargain, depending on what it is.

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+1'd by: Anjan Sen

Beer O'Clock at the Founders Arms on the bank of the Thames.

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-06 19:14:36+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-06 19:14:36+0000

Beer O'Clock at the Founders Arms on the bank of the Thames.

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BTW, I arrived in the UK on an A380 plane. Dunno what all the fuss is about. ...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-06 16:06:43+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-06 16:06:43+0000

BTW, I arrived in the UK on an A380 plane. Dunno what all the fuss is about. It was as cramped and uncomfortable as a 747. And no faster - over 13 and a half hours from KL.

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Derek Fountain - 2013-01-09 09:17:36+0000

I've just found out I'm going back to Dubai on one too. Here's hoping for a couple of seats to myself. :)

How can Google's Web Lab exhibition in the Science Museum be so crap? &qu...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-06 11:35:40+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-06 11:35:40+0000

How can Google's Web Lab exhibition in the Science Museum be so crap? "This robot will draw a portrait of someone standing in front of a webcam in Germany." Utter tedium. I've sought refuge in the totally wonderful Computing and Mathematics exhibition instead.

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In the Science Museum, my favourite place in the whole of London. :)

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-06 11:05:03+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-06 11:05:03+0000

In the Science Museum, my favourite place in the whole of London. :)

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I think this is my favourite new (since I was last there) exhibit in the Scie...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-06 14:06:35+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-06 14:06:35+0000

I think this is my favourite new (since I was last there) exhibit in the Science Museum. It's a 2 metre diameter white ball suspended by black cord so it appears to float. It's surrounded by projectors which make it a spherical screen, show moving, rotating and swirling images from various satellites - weather, heat patterns, flight animations, etc. It's a 15 minute "movie" which is hypnotic and engrossing. Love it. :)

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The Science Museum's Modern World exhibition - loads of interesting stuff...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-06 14:00:36+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-06 14:00:36+0000

The Science Museum's Modern World exhibition - loads of interesting stuff, from toilets to cars to electronics to just about anything you can think of.

The weird looking glass on the right is the lens from a lighthouse. Behind it you can see the tracks from an orange Antarctic explorer vehicle.

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The view the other way is better. :)

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-06 19:16:59+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-06 19:16:59+0000

The view the other way is better. :)

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Afternoon tea in Mayfair. Dead sophisticated, me.

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-07 17:00:15+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-07 17:00:15+0000

Afternoon tea in Mayfair. Dead sophisticated, me.

The Chesterfield Mayfair
Address: 35 Charles Street, Mayfair, London, Greater London W1J 5EB, United Kingdom

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Derek Fountain - 2013-01-08 17:14:12+0000

I have to say, tea at the Chesterfield was pretty good. Champagne was excellent, as were the cakes and scones. The sandwiches were a little dry, but still very good. I felt horribly sick afterwards, which is a good sign. :)

@ Royal Courts of Justice. Never been here before. Amazing architecture.

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-07 13:16:56+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-07 13:16:56+0000

@ Royal Courts of Justice. Never been here before. Amazing architecture.

Royal Courts of Justice
Address: Strand, London WC2A 2LL, United Kingdom

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Avoid the Chocolate Tea option at the Sofitel. You get a cup of tea - no comp...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-08 17:11:01+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-08 17:11:01+0000

Avoid the Chocolate Tea option at the Sofitel. You get a cup of tea - no complaints there - plus 4 chocolates of the type you see in a Chocolatier's window. You don't get to choose, so you have to hope you like these fussy, overpriced, sickly blobs. Personally I'd rather have 4 chunks on Dairy Milk. Thankfully we didn't pay for this "treat."

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Yesterday we went to look around the Houses of Parliament. Approaching the se...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-08 17:44:31+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-08 17:44:31+0000

Yesterday we went to look around the Houses of Parliament. Approaching the security people at the front, I asked if we would be allowed to go inside for a look around. "Sadly that's not possible, Sir," said the nice lady. "But," she added with a glint in her eye, "if you were to ask to go and observe some political debate, then I can give you a pass to the public gallery which would allow you to walk through the entire building." Thanks for the tipoff. :)

An hour later we returned to the entrance and I approached the new guard and said "we would like to go and observe some political debate." A green public gallery pass was immediately presented.

So we got to see the inside of the building, which was pretty impressive, particularly the wooden vaulted roof. By chance we also got to see the Speaker's procession, where the Serjeant at Arms carries the Mace into the Chamber, followed by the speaker, John Bercow. We went into the public gallery and watched some of the debate on issues of clamping down on corporate tax avoidance by large corporations.

It was all a lot more interesting than one might think. The building, the formality and history, and the feeling of being there while government happens around you made it a great experience.

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Time to start packing for the return home. Given the amount and quality of th...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-09 09:19:36+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-09 09:19:36+0000

Time to start packing for the return home. Given the amount and quality of the wine Tina's Dad has selected for lunch I can't see a lot getting done this afternoon. Best get it done now.

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A reminder of my favourite thing about England. :)

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-10 10:39:13+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-10 11:50:05+0000

A reminder of my favourite thing about England. :)

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Not quite halfway home. But I did have 4 seats on the London to Dubai leg.

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-10 23:14:36+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-10 23:14:36+0000

Not quite halfway home. But I did have 4 seats on the London to Dubai leg.

Dubai International Airport
Address: Dubai - United Arab Emirates

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Right. Game over. Back to Perth.

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-10 11:49:45+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-10 11:49:45+0000

Right. Game over. Back to Perth.

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Time for a last blat in the Mini before it goes back into hibernation. It&#39...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-10 08:47:39+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-10 08:47:39+0000

Time for a last blat in the Mini before it goes back into hibernation. It's the thing I miss most about England when living in Perth...

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+1'd by: David Monro

David Monro - 2013-01-10 09:26:45+0000

Still miss driving my golf gti on B roads.

Home. Read for an hour, then went out like a light. 3 hours later I woke up, ...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-11 22:35:17+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-11 22:35:17+0000

Home. Read for an hour, then went out like a light. 3 hours later I woke up, utterly exhausted, but unable to go back to sleep. At least this coincided with dawn.

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Back at work. Oh, rapture.

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-14 02:50:01+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-14 02:50:01+0000

Back at work. Oh, rapture.

Selby St N, Osborne Park, Western Australia
Address: 310 Selby St N, Osborne Park WA 6017, Australia

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From my Dilbert calendar: "Happiness comes from comparing yoursel...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-14 03:17:52+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-14 03:17:52+0000

From my Dilbert calendar:

"Happiness comes from comparing yourself to a reference group that is relatively worse off."

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+1'd by: David Monro

My new toy is finally operational - a decent weather station! For all those p...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-19 04:20:52+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-19 04:20:52+0000

My new toy is finally operational - a decent weather station! For all those people who care what the weather on my roof is doing, your long wait is finally over.

Derek Fountain : Weather station

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David Monro - 2013-01-19 06:10:45+0000

Sounds like you need a raspberry pi to drive that...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-19 06:28:05+0000

Absolutely right! It's the perfect application for a small Linux computer!

Stephen Beynon - 2013-01-19 22:26:14+0000

It is amazing how the number of PIs in use around the house grow. One day I must do a plot to work out when it would have been more power efficient to have a full power PC do all the jobs :)

David Monro - 2013-01-19 22:28:20+0000

That will depend heavily on how efficient the various power supplies are I'd imagine. However a pi probably will draw less than 4W on average, and my Atom server with picoPSU draws at least 30, so you have a fair bit of scope :)

Stephen Beynon - 2013-01-19 22:33:41+0000

That is true.
Does the weather station measure solar intensity. That would be really handy for working out what return solar panels might give.

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-20 01:23:34+0000

The next model up from mine takes optional additional sensors, of which solar radiation is one:

http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/weather-sensors.asp

Living in Sunburn-City I was tempted by the UV sensor, and I thought the soil moisture sensor might be useful, given how many times I dig my finger into the sand the lawn grows on to get an idea of how long I should run my reticulation for.

In the end I decided I was spending enough already. :)

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-20 01:26:58+0000

R-Pi's only draw 4W? I didn't realise it was that low. I'd best find a supplier. :)

David Monro - 2013-01-20 02:48:08+0000

Element14 for the pi, and you'll need a decent USB charger (iPhone ones work well) and a micro USB cable.

Stephen Beynon - 2013-01-20 10:18:58+0000

on the UK farnell site they allow you to select a decent usb charger and pre-loaded sd card when you order the pi. I have not checked out the international site but I would expect it to be the same.

David Monro - 2013-01-20 10:33:40+0000

I ordered the charger... It was a UK one! OK for me as I still run some gear on UK power strips but not ideal.

Y'know what bugs me most about long haul flights? It's when the bloke...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-19 02:58:24+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-19 02:58:24+0000

Y'know what bugs me most about long haul flights? It's when the bloke at the front comes on the public address and says "...so sit back, relax and enjoy the flight..."

They say it every single flight, on every single airline, apparently oblivious to the grossly cramped and uncomfortable conditions people in the back have to endure.

Grumble grumble...

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Stephen Beynon - 2013-01-19 22:50:41+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-19 22:51:04+0000

Next time you will know to do this http://xkcd.com/726/ I suspect the people in the back may not enjoy the flight much :)

Last night BBC One screen a half hour "News Special" covering the f...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-20 01:29:54+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-20 01:29:54+0000

Last night BBC One screen a half hour "News Special" covering the fact that it has snowed in the UK. For goodness sake. I wonder how long they'd been planning that feast of cutting edge current affairs reporting...

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Up early to take Tina to the station, as is routine on Fridays, and it's ...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-24 22:46:52+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-24 22:46:52+0000

Up early to take Tina to the station, as is routine on Fridays, and it's a blissful 16C outside. Given that every day this coming week is forecast to be between 35C and 38C I'm savouring every cool breath.

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You wouldn't think an office chair mat would be difficult to get right. T...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-24 06:32:59+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-24 06:32:59+0000

You wouldn't think an office chair mat would be difficult to get right. The requirements are pretty straightforward: must be firm enough for a chair to roll over, must have spikey things on the underside to keep it still. How hard could it be? I bought the cheapest one of the size I needed via eBay, which was a third of the price of the most expensive ones. Bargain!

It turns out to be utter rubbish. It's not firm enough - the chair wheels make dents, which after having had my body weight on them for a minute or two, become deep enough for the chair not to move. I have to half stand up in order to get my weight off the chair before I can roll backwards. Since those points of the mat are in effect sinking into the carpet I wonder how much damage it's doing to the carpet backing, which is exactly the thing I'm trying to protect.

Plus, it moves! I'm not sure how that's even possible, given that it's 1.4m wide and has spikey things on the underside, but each time I get up or sit down it appears to move about 1cm. I'm guessing it's some sort of flexing issue, causing the mat to lift slightly then put itself down again in a slightly different place. Every couple of days I need to shift it back to where it should be.

Looking online, I find other people with the same issues. On the bright side, many report that cheap mats tend to crack and fall apart after 3 months, so it looks like I won't have to suffer it very long. And I'll be replacing it with a decent one!

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Australia Day, the annual festival of nationalist jingoism. Tina and I...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-26 04:11:39+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-26 04:11:39+0000

Australia Day, the annual festival of nationalist jingoism.

Tina and I have been to the Perth "Skyworks" twice before. The first time was marred by violence - at the Bell Tower we had front row seats for a bottle fight. The next year all booze was banned, and we went to watch from up the top of the DoubleView hill.

On both occasions the crowds were unbearable, the city just can't cope with that number of people. And it's going to be 36C today. So bah humbug, we'll just go for a walk on the beach later.

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I've received a letter from the Australian Tax Office telling me that I n...

Derek Fountain - 2013-01-28 09:26:30+0000 - Updated: 2013-01-28 09:26:30+0000

I've received a letter from the Australian Tax Office telling me that I need to "start paying income tax on your business and investment income by instalments."

The letter is 2 pages long, and is accompanied by an 8 page booklet, all of which explains what it all means and how it's all calculated. And at the very end of it I'm advised that my rate will be 0.00%, giving an instalment payment of $0.00.

Why is it so hard for apparatchiks to actually state what they mean? As an IT engineer I'm used to writing code and processes which state for the user what's going on and what's required of them. I'd never say "you need to pay at a rate of 0.00%," I'd say "you don't need to pay anything." I just consider that doing the job properly and I don't see why other people should find it so difficult to communicate.

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Sigh. Sitting indoors, doors and windows closed, hiding from the heat. It&#39...

Derek Fountain - 2013-02-02 06:29:07+0000 - Updated: 2013-02-02 06:29:07+0000

Sigh. Sitting indoors, doors and windows closed, hiding from the heat. It's cooling down, but it's still 33C outside. Perth summers can be tedious to those who don't like it too hot.

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Man, how do you cool a house down in this climate? I'm up at 3:30am to wa...

Derek Fountain - 2013-02-13 20:41:36+0000 - Updated: 2013-02-13 20:41:36+0000

Man, how do you cool a house down in this climate? I'm up at 3:30am to watch the Real Madrid-Man Utd match, and it's now 5 degrees cooler outside than in (27C vs 22C). Doors and windows open, but the inside temperature is barely moving. Melting...

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This morning my Nexus 7 tablet decided to tell me how long it would take me t...

Derek Fountain - 2013-02-18 02:28:37+0000 - Updated: 2013-02-18 02:28:37+0000

This morning my Nexus 7 tablet decided to tell me how long it would take me to drive to work along my favoured route. Now I'm here it's telling me how long it would take me to get home, and it's suggesting an alternative route which is currently faster.

It's this sort of thing that makes me wonder just how much I should be letting Google into my life. It's more than a bit disturbing when they do things like that, but on the other hand it's very useful.

Happily, I use an alternative Google account on the tablet. I use a different one for Google+, and another one for my Google Finances account, and another for my regular email. But they're all ultimately linked and I don't doubt Google have the technology to merge them all back together. I need more information obfustication. I wonder how much is enough?

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Tina and I drove to a beach car park yesterday evening, and as we were walkin...

Derek Fountain - 2013-02-26 02:58:09+0000 - Updated: 2013-02-26 02:58:09+0000

Tina and I drove to a beach car park yesterday evening, and as we were walking away from the car a woman arrived back at her car with her kids. She opened the car door, turned to glare at one of her offspring, and said in a thick Australian accent, "Geez, it still smells of your fart in there."

I'm disappointed to report that Tina and I dissolved into fits of giggles.

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+1'd by: Derek Fountain

Crap photo, but a rather interesting batch of eggs.

Derek Fountain - 2013-03-07 23:58:36+0000 - Updated: 2013-03-07 23:58:36+0000

Crap photo, but a rather interesting batch of eggs.

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+<a class="...

Derek Fountain - 2013-03-08 00:09:42+0000 - Updated: 2013-03-08 00:09:42+0000

+David Monro I'll see your lizard, and raise you a mantis.

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David Monro - 2013-03-08 00:58:27+0000

nice!

Tina came in yesterday looking sheepish, and admitted her phone had got wet. ...

Derek Fountain - 2013-03-21 00:37:14+0000 - Updated: 2013-03-21 00:37:14+0000

Tina came in yesterday looking sheepish, and admitted her phone had got wet. "Oh dear," I said, inspecting it. "How did that happen?"

"It fell into the toilet."

"It did? How?"

"I just walked in, and as I did so it flew out of my hand and landed in the toilet."

Having been with Tina nearly 18 years I knew better than to question her further. These sorts of things just happen to her.

The phone seems fine.

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On the phone to Qantas this morning I note the on-hold message advises: <b...

Derek Fountain - 2013-04-04 03:47:29+0100 - Updated: 2013-04-04 03:47:29+0100

On the phone to Qantas this morning I note the on-hold message advises:

"If you have difficulty using a mouse and keyboard, please go online and search our website for information regarding our accessibility options."

Genius. And to think that someone actually thought that line up, and someone else recorded it, and then someone else put the recording into their on-hold messages, and not one of them noted it was madness.

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+1'd by: Vienna Garlick, Anjan Sen, David Monro

David Monro - 2013-04-04 23:38:10+0100

I bet at least someone noticed, but I'm sure it was caused by some manager needing a tick in a box somewhere and that was more important than making the message sane.

Another creepy crawly. A golden orb spider, which is living in our front gard...

Derek Fountain - 2013-05-05 11:26:34+0100 - Updated: 2013-05-05 11:26:34+0100

Another creepy crawly. A golden orb spider, which is living in our front garden, and which is growing bigger by the day.

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Derek Fountain - 2013-05-05 11:27:48+0100

A little more info on my photos website here:

http://photos.derekfountain.org/galleries/snapshots/Big%20Scary%20Spider/index.html

David Monro - 2013-05-05 13:44:34+0100

Not something you want to walk into unexpectedly, but not a really scary spider :)

Ah yes, Mother's Day in Australia. It's taken as a marketing opportun...

Derek Fountain - 2013-05-07 03:47:07+0100 - Updated: 2013-05-07 03:47:07+0100

Ah yes, Mother's Day in Australia. It's taken as a marketing opportunity of absurd dimensions, which as a non-native seems utterly preposterous. I've just received an email from Harvey Norman, the nationwide department store chain, and they are suggesting, as "Something special for Mum," the following:

* a Samsung Galaxy tablet;
* a kettle
* a quilt cover set
* an Actifry Health Cooker
* a handheld infrared massager
* a Sony Xperia get fit bundle
* a Canon 1100D Digital SLR camera

What on earth possesses them to try to push that sort of stuff as gifts on Mother's Day?

However, none of the above comes close to my all time favourite Mother's Day gift suggestion which I spotted a few years ago: a car maintenance place was doing an offer on a Mother's Day oil change deal. "Get your Mum an oil change to show how much she means to you."

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David Monro - 2013-05-07 13:12:18+0100 - Updated: 2013-05-07 13:12:56+0100

I don't remember it being that different for the equivalent day in .uk ...
but I agree it is completely over the top

Ice! There was ice on the windscreen this morning when I took Tina to the sta...

Derek Fountain - 2013-05-30 23:31:44+0100 - Updated: 2013-05-30 23:31:44+0100

Ice! There was ice on the windscreen this morning when I took Tina to the station! I refused to get out and scrape it, and the wipers made short work of it, but nevertheless, ice!

It was 3.1C this morning. Sorry to make a big deal of it, but in Perth terms that's seriously cold!

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I've just put the heater on. Winter is upon us!

Derek Fountain - 2013-05-30 11:10:28+0100 - Updated: 2013-05-30 11:10:28+0100

I've just put the heater on. Winter is upon us!

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I'm fully aware that Perth is an expensive city, but this still took me b...

Derek Fountain - 2013-06-23 07:31:20+0100 - Updated: 2013-06-23 07:31:20+0100

I'm fully aware that Perth is an expensive city, but this still took me by surprise. It's a quotation for mowing my lawns. $150. That's about £100.

The grass had got quite long, granted, but I've only got a 10m square area out the back plus the strips to the front and side out the front.

Obviously the bloke needs to pay his mortgage and pay for food and all the other things which cost a fortune in this city. But even so, a hundred quid to cut my grass!

I'm fully aware that Perth is an expensive city, but this still took me by surprise. It's a quotation for mowing my lawns. $150. That's about £100. The grass had got quite long, granted, but I've only got a 10m square area out the back plus the strips to the front and side out the front. Obviously the bloke needs to pay his mortgage and pay for food and all the other things which cost a fortune in this city. But even so, a hundred quid to cut my grass!

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David Monro - 2013-06-23 07:58:25+0100

Insane! I think we pay $30!

I've only been back in the UK for 4 days and I'm sick to death of Wim...

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-05 07:51:01+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-05 07:51:01+0100

I've only been back in the UK for 4 days and I'm sick to death of Wimbledon already.

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+1'd by: David Monro

Stephen Beynon - 2013-07-05 16:12:31+0100

We have an advanced button on TV remotes over here that makes the screen blank and stops the noise. It is great this time of year :)

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-05 16:44:24+0100

Yeah, but it doesn't work for the whole internet as well!

I used to think "The fat slags" in Viz magazine was just a comic st...

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-06 20:34:00+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-06 20:34:00+0100

I used to think "The fat slags" in Viz magazine was just a comic strip. Turns out its actually a documentary on York city centre on a Saturday night.

Ye Gods. It's horrible out there.

Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa
Address: Station Rise, York, North Yorkshire YO1 6GD, United Kingdom

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Road trip 2013 starts... :)

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-06 10:36:43+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-06 10:36:43+0100

Road trip 2013 starts... :)

A34, Whitchurch

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Examining the old trains. I thought this would be a male dominated place, but...

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-07 14:47:54+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-07 14:47:54+0100

Examining the old trains. I thought this would be a male dominated place, but there's loads of women around too.

National Railway Museum
Address: Leeman Road, York YO26 4XJ, United Kingdom

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The Mallard75 exhibition. I'm not a train buff, but it's a very impre...

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-07 14:56:08+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-07 14:56:08+0100

The Mallard75 exhibition. I'm not a train buff, but it's a very impressive display of metal.

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Arrived in the Cairngorms. Nearly 28C in northern Scotland.

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-08 16:30:11+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-08 16:30:11+0100

Arrived in the Cairngorms. Nearly 28C in northern Scotland.

Arden House
Address: Newtonmore Road, Kingussie, Highlands PH21 1HE, United Kingdom

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Back at our guest house after climbing Cairn Gorm, the 6th highest peak in th...

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-09 16:43:49+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-09 16:43:49+0100

Back at our guest house after climbing Cairn Gorm, the 6th highest peak in the UK.

Arden House
Address: Newtonmore Road, Kingussie, Highlands PH21 1HE, United Kingdom

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At Balmoral Castle, using the Queen's WIFI. :)

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-10 17:13:25+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-10 17:13:25+0100

At Balmoral Castle, using the Queen's WIFI. :)

Balmoral Castle
Address: Balmoral Estates, Ballater, Aberdeenshire AB35 5TB, United Kingdom

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Supper... :)

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-10 22:02:47+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-10 22:02:47+0100

Supper... :)

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Arrived at Portree, on the Isle of Skye. This is the view for lunch.

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-11 13:52:47+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-11 13:52:47+0100

Arrived at Portree, on the Isle of Skye. This is the view for lunch.

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+1'd by: David Monro

Home. 12 hours drive.

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-13 23:02:17+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-13 23:02:17+0100

Home. 12 hours drive.

Shipton Bellinger

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Stationary on M74 for 2 hours... :(

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-13 16:47:01+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-13 16:47:01+0100

Stationary on M74 for 2 hours... :(

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Just eaten a packet of prawn cocktail flavour crisps for the first time in ov...

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-16 19:29:43+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-16 19:29:43+0100

Just eaten a packet of prawn cocktail flavour crisps for the first time in over 20 years. Deeelicious!

The Grand At Trafalgar Square
Address: 8 Northumberland Avenue, London, Greater London WC2N 5BY, United Kingdom

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Sat in the corridor of a packed UK train. Some things don't change in thi...

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-16 10:02:47+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-16 10:02:47+0100

Sat in the corridor of a packed UK train. Some things don't change in this country.

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Scored a table outside a Trafalgar Square pub. Fantastic people watching place.

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-16 17:59:08+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-16 17:59:08+0100

Scored a table outside a Trafalgar Square pub. Fantastic people watching place.

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Up west. :) Tina shopping. ;(

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-16 15:35:37+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-16 15:35:37+0100

Up west. :)

Tina shopping. ;(

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A very welcome sight due to the cooling breeze of the downdraft. :)

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-17 12:08:27+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-17 12:08:27+0100

A very welcome sight due to the cooling breeze of the downdraft. :)

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It's hot at Canary Wharf...

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-17 14:15:08+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-17 14:15:08+0100

It's hot at Canary Wharf...

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Sat watching the Thames go by.

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-17 11:40:13+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-17 11:40:13+0100

Sat watching the Thames go by.

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A380 to Dubai. I'm in the very back row. Even more cramped than normal! B...

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-20 21:22:56+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-20 21:22:56+0100

A380 to Dubai. I'm in the very back row. Even more cramped than normal! Bah....

Airside Heathrow Airport T3
Address: Southern Perimeter Rd, Greater London, UK, United Kingdom

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The journey back to Australia has begun.

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-20 18:04:38+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-20 18:04:38+0100

The journey back to Australia has begun.

Woking

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Home. Holiday over. :(

Derek Fountain - 2013-07-22 05:05:15+0100 - Updated: 2013-07-22 05:05:15+0100

Home. Holiday over. :(

Mullaloo, Western Australia

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+1'd by: Frank Giuffre

First "home open." The place looks immaculate. Reminds us of why we...

Derek Fountain - 2013-08-04 07:43:33+0100 - Updated: 2013-08-04 07:43:33+0100

First "home open." The place looks immaculate. Reminds us of why we bought it in the first place.

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At beach in Brighton, Melbourne

Derek Fountain - 2013-10-04 02:41:07+0100 - Updated: 2013-10-04 02:41:07+0100

At beach in Brighton, Melbourne

The Bay Trail, Brighton, Victoria

At beach in Brighton, Melbourne

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David Monro - 2013-10-04 08:10:56+0100

Why are there so many Brightons?

Derek Fountain - 2013-10-04 10:37:08+0100

Heh, this one looks rather like the English one, especially with those little colourful beach huts. Only sand, not shingle. :)

On the road in rural Victoria

Derek Fountain - 2013-10-14 02:14:11+0100 - Updated: 2013-10-14 02:14:11+0100

On the road in rural Victoria

Angahook - Lorne State Park
Address: Anglesea VIC 3230, Australia

On the road in rural Victoria

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+1'd by: Peter Weeks, قمر الدين

The views here just go on for miles, all along the coastline. Absolutely epic.

Derek Fountain - 2013-10-20 00:30:38+0100 - Updated: 2013-10-20 00:30:38+0100

The views here just go on for miles, all along the coastline. Absolutely epic.

Great Ocean Rd, Princetown, Victoria

The views here just go on for miles, all along the coastline. Absolutely epic.

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The journey has reached Launceston in Tasmania.

Derek Fountain - 2013-10-25 03:53:02+0100 - Updated: 2013-10-25 03:53:02+0100

The journey has reached Launceston in Tasmania.

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Bakers beach, northern Tasmania

Derek Fountain - 2013-10-29 02:41:56+0000 - Updated: 2013-10-29 02:41:56+0000

Bakers beach, northern Tasmania

Shearwater Blvd, Shearwater, Tasmania

Bakers beach, northern Tasmania

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+1'd by: Marcia Maluga

Last evening in Australia.

Derek Fountain - 2013-12-20 09:40:14+0000 - Updated: 2013-12-20 09:40:14+0000

Last evening in Australia.

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On 19th December I sent my computer back to the UK via air freight. The snaps...

Derek Fountain - 2013-12-30 13:11:13+0000 - Updated: 2013-12-30 13:11:13+0000

On 19th December I sent my computer back to the UK via air freight. The snapshot shows where it went. It got to the UK only a day after I did, but then they sent it to Hong Kong and Germany (twice) before delivering it.

I wonder if it claimed the air miles...? :)

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+1'd by: Joshua Minchenko, David Monro

Considering our options at Waters End Farm in Kent. Pretty place.

Derek Fountain - 2014-01-10 08:15:41+0000 - Updated: 2014-01-10 08:15:41+0000

Considering our options at Waters End Farm in Kent. Pretty place.

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My camera is still on its way from Australia, and my old phone takes dreadful...

Derek Fountain - 2014-01-11 12:41:23+0000 - Updated: 2014-01-11 12:41:23+0000

My camera is still on its way from Australia, and my old phone takes dreadful photographs, as yesterday morning's effort demonstrated.

Here's a better photograph, taken with Tina's phone, in bright winter sunshine.

The field directly outside our barn leads down to one of the lakes on the property, and in the distance is a windmill, which is lit up at night. So yes, definitely a pretty place.

My camera is still on its way from Australia, and my old phone takes dreadful photographs, as yesterday morning's effort demonstrated. Here's a better photograph, taken with Tina's phone, in bright winter sunshine. The field directly outside our barn leads down to one of the lakes on the property, and in the distance is a windmill, which is lit up at night. So yes, definitely a pretty place.

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London, from the dome of St Paul's.

Derek Fountain - 2014-02-22 12:17:30+0000 - Updated: 2014-02-22 12:17:30+0000

London, from the dome of St Paul's.

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Currently renting a holiday cottage in The Cotswolds. Very pretty.

Derek Fountain - 2014-03-04 10:32:05+0000 - Updated: 2014-03-04 10:32:05+0000

Currently renting a holiday cottage in The Cotswolds. Very pretty.

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Lizard Point, at the bottom of England.

Derek Fountain - 2014-04-13 14:30:19+0100 - Updated: 2014-04-13 14:30:19+0100

Lizard Point, at the bottom of England.

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Google+ post

Derek Fountain - 2014-06-05 20:46:51+0100 - Updated: 2014-06-05 20:46:51+0100

Bouley Bay, north Jersey. My new phone takes considerably better pictures than my old one. :)

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I've added a handful of photos from San Fransisco to my website.

Derek Fountain - 2014-06-15 17:26:42+0100 - Updated: 2014-06-15 17:26:42+0100

I've added a handful of photos from San Fransisco to my website.

San Fransisco 2011

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Google+ post

Derek Fountain - 2014-06-21 15:50:46+0100 - Updated: 2014-06-21 15:50:46+0100

On 5th June 2014, the day before the 70th anniversary of D-Day, I was at St Ouen's Beach in Jersey. After some surfing, I got chatting to an older chap who told me he was there waiting for the UK's last surviving Lancaster bomber to come over. Apparently it was to be based in Jersey overnight so it could take part in the French D-Day commerations the next day. I only had my little compact camera with me, but I put it in movie mode and shot this brief video. Quality is what you'd expect, but it was a nice end to the day.

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David Monro - 2014-06-22 09:15:25+0100

Saw it fly over once while having Friday lunch in the garden of the Old Forge in Otterbourne, when I was working at Hursley. Was rather a surprise!

Derek Fountain - 2014-06-22 09:51:03+0100

It's the noise that hits you. 4, 27 litre, supercharged petrol engines going over your head is fabulous.

I sent my Australian bank an email asking them to close down my business bank...

Derek Fountain - 2014-07-04 08:15:13+0100 - Updated: 2014-07-04 08:15:13+0100

I sent my Australian bank an email asking them to close down my business bank account. They did.

:o

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Just what you want to see when you have a headache from sitting in the sun al...

Derek Fountain - 2014-07-20 17:12:00+0100 - Updated: 2014-07-20 17:12:00+0100

Just what you want to see when you have a headache from sitting in the sun all day. A Eurofighter warming up...

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Sitting in the sun for several hours. Full marks to Tina for thinking of froz...

Derek Fountain - 2014-07-20 15:00:55+0100 - Updated: 2014-07-20 15:00:55+0100

Sitting in the sun for several hours. Full marks to Tina for thinking of frozen water bottles.

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Standing 20m from the runway at Farnborough airshow. Avro Anson in the air.

Derek Fountain - 2014-07-20 13:56:57+0100 - Updated: 2014-07-20 13:56:57+0100

Standing 20m from the runway at Farnborough airshow. Avro Anson in the air.

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Baby donkeys in the New Forest. Aw...

Derek Fountain - 2014-08-17 15:47:39+0100 - Updated: 2014-08-17 15:47:39+0100

Baby donkeys in the New Forest. Aw...

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Wow, sudden unexpected treat as I was just driving home. I heard a very disti...

Derek Fountain - 2014-08-23 14:18:09+0100 - Updated: 2014-08-23 14:18:09+0100

Wow, sudden unexpected treat as I was just driving home. I heard a very distinctive drone go overhead and I said to Tina "that wasn't the Lancasters was it?" She looked out and up, and yep, they'd passed right over us and were heading into the distance.

No photo - I was driving - but at least I can say I got sight and sound of them. :)

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+1'd by: David Monro

Derek Fountain - 2014-08-23 19:02:17+0100

Looking at the Battle of Britian Memorial Flight schedule, it would appear they were on their way from Dawlish in Devon to Dunsfold in Surrey where they were appearing at airshows. The flight path would take them west to east over the New Forest, which is exactly where we saw them.

David Monro - 2014-08-24 06:51:06+0100

I remember the British one flying over the pub I was in one Friday lunch when working at Hursley....

The hedgehog feeding box has been busy recently. But was it 'hogs or mice...

Derek Fountain - 2014-10-15 08:38:23+0100 - Updated: 2014-10-15 08:38:23+0100

The hedgehog feeding box has been busy recently. But was it 'hogs or mice? Unfortunately the evidence is now in.

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This isn't going to become the mouse-cam blog, but I had to share this on...

Derek Fountain - 2014-10-16 08:40:09+0100 - Updated: 2014-10-16 08:40:09+0100

This isn't going to become the mouse-cam blog, but I had to share this one as well. The window is painted on, stupid creature!

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Missing, as we do, our favourite Churros Bar in Perth (San Churro at Hillarys...

Derek Fountain - 2015-02-21 09:55:18+0000 - Updated: 2015-02-21 09:55:18+0000

Missing, as we do, our favourite Churros Bar in Perth (San Churro at Hillarys), I got Tina a Churro maker plus ingredients for Christmas. Yesterday we had a go at making some. Fortunately they tasted way better than they looked.

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At the Imperial War Museum, London. Great stuff on WWI at the moment.

Derek Fountain - 2015-03-04 14:16:52+0000 - Updated: 2015-03-04 14:16:52+0000

At the Imperial War Museum, London. Great stuff on WWI at the moment.

(51.4968811, -0.1085308)

At the Imperial War Museum, London. Great stuff on WWI at the moment.

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A gem from Private Eye.

Derek Fountain - 2015-05-02 17:14:09+0100 - Updated: 2015-05-02 17:14:09+0100

A gem from Private Eye.

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Google+ post

Derek Fountain - 2015-06-27 21:01:17+0100 - Updated: 2015-06-27 21:01:17+0100

Bit of a failed project , this. I thought it might be interesting to make a time lapse video of the nuts in my bird feeder being depleted over a few days. I set up my wildlife camera accordingly and took about 16,000 stills over 6 days. I removed most of the stills where nothing was happening, but nevertheless what I've ended up with is a very dull video of the squirrels slowly demolishing the feeder. Literally - they've gnawed away at the bottom of it. Time to invest in a squirrel proof model.

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Derek Fountain - 2015-07-07 19:47:01+0100 - Updated: 2015-07-07 19:47:01+0100

Having had the local mob of squirrels demolish my bird feeder, I invested in a new one. Serious bit of kit this. It's a heavy duty feeder with a steel shield which slides over the peanuts when the squirrel's weight pulls it down. Ha! Victory is mine!

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Stephen Beynon - 2015-07-08 08:53:02+0100

It is cheaper and most entertaining to add chili to a regular bird feeder. Birds can not taste the chili but squirrels certainly can :)

There was poo of indeterminate origin in our garden. I set up the wildlife ca...

Derek Fountain - 2015-12-20 17:43:57+0000 - Updated: 2015-12-20 17:43:57+0000

There was poo of indeterminate origin in our garden. I set up the wildlife camera and the evidence is now in.

Most people probably think deer are cute, but when we have a vegetable garden these animals will be a right pest.

The magnet lock on our gate was broken and they can jump the cattle grid quite easily. So today I fixed the maglock! Let's see if they can still get in.

Honestly, at our last place the issue was squirrels. We seem to have stepped up a level.

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+1'd by: frank fountain

frank fountain - 2015-12-21 11:26:38+0000

Yes got it now that fence don't look much of a problem to them venison I think is nice at Christmas but you will have to do something if you want to grow veg there

Not 5 minutes after dealing with the hornet, I found one of my tippy mouse tr...

Derek Fountain - 2016-05-12 19:30:09+0100 - Updated: 2016-05-12 19:30:09+0100

Not 5 minutes after dealing with the hornet, I found one of my tippy mouse traps had been sprung, which is unusual for daytime. Investigation revealed a harvest mouse, seen here in my patented mouse storage device (a jam jar with a couple of holes drilled in the lid). Not very welcome because they eat our vegetable seeds and wisteria buds, but unbearably cute nevertheless.

Tina cycled him (her?) down to the local visitor car park and released him. Ah, the New Forest...

Not 5 minutes after dealing with the hornet, I found one of my tippy mouse traps had been sprung, which is unusual for daytime. Investigation revealed a harvest mouse, seen here in my patented mouse storage device (a jam jar with a couple of holes drilled in the lid). Not very welcome because they eat our vegetable seeds and wisteria buds, but unbearably cute nevertheless. Tina cycled him (her?) down to the local visitor car park and released

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Tina found this hornet buzzing up against the inside(!) of our kitchen window...

Derek Fountain - 2016-05-12 19:24:27+0100 - Updated: 2016-05-12 19:24:27+0100

Tina found this hornet buzzing up against the inside(!) of our kitchen window. Big, angry and unwelcome. It got a puff of Raid, a quick photo (with coin for scale) and then ejected. Ah, the New Forest...

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After yesterday's success with the harvest mouse, this morning I find thi...

Derek Fountain - 2016-05-13 08:21:22+0100 - Updated: 2016-05-13 18:45:15+0100

After yesterday's success with the harvest mouse, this morning I find this. This is the live-capture mouse trap, which, fairly evidently, isn't made of a mouse proof material.

After yesterday's success with the harvest mouse, this morning I find this. It's the sort of thing which makes you despair of modern life, isn't it?

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This is my Ardiuno based burglar deterrent, which I'm about to pull apart...

Derek Fountain - 2016-06-11 12:38:24+0100 - Updated: 2016-06-11 12:38:24+0100

This is my Ardiuno based burglar deterrent, which I'm about to pull apart because I want to recycle the Arduino. Since it was my first ever Arduino project I have a soft spot for the silly little thing, so I took a couple of photos. I then went to the trouble of recording a video of it in, ahem, action:

https://youtu.be/f5zz6f3eibU

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Tina's birthday. Bacon sandwich and a glass of Champagne. That's mah ...

Derek Fountain - 2016-07-10 10:49:11+0100 - Updated: 2016-07-10 10:49:11+0100

Tina's birthday. Bacon sandwich and a glass of Champagne. That's mah girl!

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+1'd by: Stephen Beynon

Sat watching TV yesterday evening, and suddenly there was a bat flying around...

Derek Fountain - 2016-08-07 19:34:53+0100 - Updated: 2016-08-07 19:34:53+0100

Sat watching TV yesterday evening, and suddenly there was a bat flying around the room! It came in the open back door, did a few circuits of our lounge, then, clearly perplexed by its situation, it sat on the floor for a few moment to consider its options.

I managed to grab my phone and take this admittedly awful photograph. I didn't want to get too close since the poor thing was clearly distressed enough as it was. I therefore present the photo as evidence that it happened, rather than a chiropteraic photographic study.

Anyway, after 30 seconds, and refreshed and recharged, it took off again, did a couple more loops of the lounge, then a few more of the dining room, then flew out the back door from whence it came.

I quite like bats, but they are definitely best kept outside.

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When we moved into the new house the gas cylinders which supply the oven were...

Derek Fountain - 2016-11-07 21:08:22+0000 - Updated: 2016-11-07 21:08:22+0000

When we moved into the new house the gas cylinders which supply the oven were locked together with a thick cabled bike lock. A theft deterrent, presumably. But we weren't left a key to the lock, and now that one of the cylinders needs replacing we had a problem.

So I bought, for £25, a "master key". A 3ft long pair of bolt cutters. :)

They're extremely heavy, but how would they cope with a steel cable the thickness of my finger? I have to say, they went through it like it was a crayon.

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Mustn't laugh...

Derek Fountain - 2016-11-14 08:22:38+0000 - Updated: 2016-11-14 08:22:38+0000

Mustn't laugh...

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Google+ post

Derek Fountain - 2016-11-27 17:29:02+0000 - Updated: 2016-11-27 17:29:02+0000

Originally shared by Derek Fountain3 years after the holiday, I finally get my East Australia and Tasmania photos online. Better late than never, eh? :)

East Australia, 2013

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Disturbing photo of the year. I finally caught one of the rats living under m...

Derek Fountain - 2016-12-29 11:20:09+0000 - Updated: 2016-12-29 11:27:11+0000

Disturbing photo of the year. I finally caught one of the rats living under my decking. I left the mess to clean up the next day, but overnight the corpse was dragged down into the rat's nest where it was stripped of all soft tissue by its cannibalistic mates. Eww.

The video for the capture, if you really must see it, is here:

https://youtu.be/TAB7leOtihI

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Some photos from the New Forest during the first frost of autumn, 2016. I too...

Derek Fountain - 2017-01-07 17:29:57+0000 - Updated: 2017-01-07 17:29:57+0000

Some photos from the New Forest during the first frost of autumn, 2016. I took these for my friend Iris in Australia, but I think they're worth sharing.

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+1'd by: Stephen Beynon

Stephen Beynon - 2017-01-08 00:52:48+0000

One day I will see a dear while I have my camera. They have been annoyingly illusive so far.

Derek Fountain - 2017-01-08 10:25:45+0000

I took that deer photo from my front doorstep, using the wall of the porch to steady the camera.

Deer are seen as a pest here. I've seen herds of 30 of them, and if they get into your garden they'll demolish every plant in sight. But I still think they're very pretty animals. I just keep the gate closed. :)

This is the wisteria plant which grows along the front of our house. The root...

Derek Fountain - 2017-04-22 16:55:35+0100 - Updated: 2017-04-22 16:55:35+0100

This is the wisteria plant which grows along the front of our house. The root is actually in the back garden, behind the wooden gate. It grows all over the back, the front and along the hedge to the side.

Last year the buds got eaten by mice and it didn't bloom at all. I fed it potash last summer and it seems to have responded well. Or, put a different way, it's gone a bit mad. Plants like this can cause problems by taking too much water out of the ground, so it's going to get the pruning of a lifetime when it's done being pretty.

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Veggies grown in the garden last year were rather disappointing. Thick clay i...

Derek Fountain - 2017-04-22 10:39:11+0100 - Updated: 2017-04-22 10:39:11+0100

Veggies grown in the garden last year were rather disappointing. Thick clay isn't ideal for most vegetables. A different approach was needed this year.

By chance, at work late last year we had a delivery of a couple of dozen IT systems and they arrived in large wooden crates. The goods-inwards guys were keen to get rid of the crates so I took 3 home. They were dismantled, cut to size, coated with preservative and screwed back together in a rather haphazard manner. Thus we had some nice deep raised vegetable beds.

Then we needed some decent topsoil, which I ordered online. The green bag shown in photo 3 contains one tonne, which went into one bed. So, 3 tonnes needed, and it all had to be shoveled and dragged from the front of house, down the steps and across the lawn, then tipped into a bed. It took about 9 person hours. Tina's such a grafter...

They look great. Tina's planted carrots, swede, parsnips and cabbages, none of which we could grow last year. Let's see how they do. :)

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Derek Fountain - 2017-07-02 11:47:22+0100

3 months later, here's the answer. Carrots closest to the camera, then parsnips, then beetroot, then cabbage, then french beans. The black netting at the far end is covering more seedlings.

We've been eating home grown veggies for a couple of weeks now.

Some robins put one of our bird boxes to use this spring. Not one of the nice...

Derek Fountain - 2017-04-30 11:13:04+0100 - Updated: 2017-04-30 11:13:04+0100

Some robins put one of our bird boxes to use this spring. Not one of the nice new boxes I put up last year, oh no. They used the old one with the woodpecker-enlargened hole in the front.

I don't really have suitable camera kit for birding. My longest lens is 200mm and at f/4 it's not fast enough. My Canon 20D is now 13 years old and is limited by the drive rate and, by modern standards, a hopelessly under sensitive sensor. Sounds like I need a new camera! :) In the meantime I did my best.

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Something's living in my drain. I once read Stephen King's &qu...

Derek Fountain - 2017-04-30 10:01:51+0100 - Updated: 2017-04-30 10:01:51+0100

Something's living in my drain.

I once read Stephen King's "It". Eeep!

Something's living in my drain. I once read Stephen King's "It". Eeep!

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Derek Fountain - 2017-05-15 08:09:36+0100

The wildlife camera reveals the story...

Derek Fountain - 2017-05-15 08:12:10+0100

I put a trap out, but he's far to cautious to blunder into it.

Derek Fountain - 2017-05-15 08:14:36+0100

Look how fat he is!

Derek Fountain - 2017-05-15 08:17:40+0100

Stop mugging for the camera!

He's taking the p!$$ now...

Derek Fountain - 2017-05-15 08:23:37+0100

The trap's been there several days and he's avoided it every night. This morning I find he's cleared out one of the other drainage holes so he can use that instead.

I'm in a battle of wits against a 20cm rodent with a brain the size of a pea, and I'm getting my butt whipped.

Derek Fountain - 2017-05-15 18:35:20+0100

OK Mister Rat, your move.

Derek Fountain - 2017-05-25 19:14:52+0100

Mister Rat disappeared. Several days passed with no digging of the holes and nothing on the camera. Game over! Huzzah! I brought the camera and traps in.
Then this morning I find this. He's back!

Derek Fountain - 2017-05-25 19:17:20+0100

I put the traps back, but this time I've disguised them! I've hidden them in the spoil. He won't spot that, will he? Victory will be mine!

Derek Fountain - 2017-06-01 11:13:38+0100

Victory was not mine. Squirrels, cats and birds all came to inspect the traps, but none of them got caught thank goodness. No sign of the rat, just mice running in and out of the holes.

I gave up and blocked the holes with wire mesh. Here's a video of a rather puzzled mouse the next night:

I blocked the drain holes with wire mesh. This is a confused mouse the next night. I love the way he decides to go round the long way and see if things look ...

I finally built my MeArm! There's a description on my website: <a ...

Derek Fountain - 2017-06-01 11:17:23+0100 - Updated: 2017-06-01 11:17:23+0100

I finally built my MeArm! There's a description on my website:

http://www.derekfountain.org/mearm.php

Derek Fountain : MeArm Robot

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This is evidence of the mole highway running under our lawn. We must have had...

Derek Fountain - 2017-07-02 11:40:49+0100 - Updated: 2017-07-02 11:40:49+0100

This is evidence of the mole highway running under our lawn. We must have had 50 molehills pop up over the last 2 weeks.

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A couple of weeks ago the driver of a 32 tonne grab lorry decided to turn aro...

Derek Fountain - 2017-07-29 17:52:19+0100 - Updated: 2017-07-29 17:52:19+0100

A couple of weeks ago the driver of a 32 tonne grab lorry decided to turn around in our drive. He did a 15-point turn, then got it beached on the grass as he tried to pull away. It was a workday morning, so I suspect he wasn't expecting anyone to be in. Pity for him I happened to have the week off. I wonder if him and and his mate would have got out and swept up the gravel if I hadn't gone out and started taking photos? I have slight suspicion that he would have just driven off.

Since our drive is just gravel on clay, it made an awful mess. I complained to the company and they came back with a new load of gravel and a tamper. Nice repair, just shame it was necessary.

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Two more rats, and two more mice caught in traps. This one was living under t...

Derek Fountain - 2017-07-29 17:58:40+0100 - Updated: 2017-07-29 17:58:40+0100

Two more rats, and two more mice caught in traps. This one was living under the decking. The bait is actually rat poison. They like it!

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A few days off sick gave me the chance to build the Mecanno electric buggy Ti...

Derek Fountain - 2017-08-30 16:46:08+0100 - Updated: 2017-08-30 16:46:08+0100

A few days off sick gave me the chance to build the Mecanno electric buggy Tina bought me for Christmas. I feel the need to lash it up to an Arduino. :)

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+1'd by: Stephen Beynon

Tina was out in the garden when she spotted this Smooth Newt. Aw, cute, er, n...

Derek Fountain - 2017-10-14 10:30:02+0100 - Updated: 2017-10-14 10:30:02+0100

Tina was out in the garden when she spotted this Smooth Newt. Aw, cute, er, newt!

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Another few cm of snow overnight. No big deal unless you have a cattle grid a...

Derek Fountain - 2018-03-19 10:04:08+0000 - Updated: 2018-03-19 10:04:08+0000

Another few cm of snow overnight. No big deal unless you have a cattle grid and a small car with skinny little tyres. The bars under that snow are cylindrical and offer no grip at all. My plan is to hit it at speed. :)

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The badger's back... I still can't make up my mind whether thi...

Derek Fountain - 2018-05-13 10:07:12+0100 - Updated: 2018-05-13 10:07:12+0100

The badger's back...

I still can't make up my mind whether this is the interesting sort of thing you see when you live in a rural area, or whether it's a hedgehog eating predator who needs to be kept out at all costs.

The badger's back... I still can't make up my mind whether this is the interesting sort of thing you see when you live in a rural area, or whether it's a hedgehog eating predator who needs to be kept out at all costs.

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I spotted this pretty Median Wasp in the garden yesterday. They're rather...

Derek Fountain - 2018-06-22 13:02:45+0100 - Updated: 2018-06-22 13:02:45+0100

I spotted this pretty Median Wasp in the garden yesterday. They're rather aggressive, but this one seemed happy for me to put a pen down next to it for scale.

I went to get Tina - must see! But when I came back a bird was attacking it (rubbish photo through a window). I watched the bird flick it repeatedly until it broke up. The bird then grabbed the abdomen and flew off, leaving just the empty head part behind.

Well that's nature I suppose. :)

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Derek Fountain - 2018-08-25 18:55:53+0100

Just as a follow up to this...

We went out cutting the hedge alongside the house today. It's got a bit overgrown. Tina was up a ladder, hacking madly at the foliage, when a couple of these appeared. Then several more appeared. Then /lots/ appeared, all buzzing angrily. Uh oh!

Falstaff was correct: the better part of valour is discretion, so we ran away, then stood at a distance wondering how we might get our ladder back.

Tina bought me a potato growing kit for Christmas. 3 bags, 5 old spuds in eac...

Derek Fountain - 2018-06-22 13:11:38+0100 - Updated: 2018-06-22 13:11:38+0100

Tina bought me a potato growing kit for Christmas. 3 bags, 5 old spuds in each, stood on the patio for a couple of months in a pile of, um, New Forest pony contributions, and watered daily. Result: a bowl of new potatoes!

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Following on from my own tree disaster (<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" hre...

Derek Fountain - 2018-09-24 16:46:01+0100 - Updated: 2018-09-24 16:46:01+0100

Following on from my own tree disaster (http://photos.derekfountain.org/galleries/snapshots/Tree%20Disaster%202016/index.html) in 2016, last Friday we heard the thunderous noise of another one giving up the ghost. Looking out the window revealed more sky than usual and one had clearly gone down in my neighbour's property. Alarmed, I ran round and started shouting. Thankfully she was OK - shocked and tearful, but unharmed.

This time it was one was one of the huge Scott's Pines in my neighbour's property. There was no limb drop like our oak, this time the tree had toppled over. The very dry ground plus the high winds of Storm Ali did for it. As it went it wiped out a smaller oak underneath it.

Miraculously, the two trees perfectly found the oddly shaped gap between my neighbour's house, their swimming pool and my garage. The top of it landed just short of their patio. It didn't do their shed much good, but it could have been so much worse.

I reckon they've got 5 year's worth of firewood there. :)

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