Thank you both!
I had no clue about making adjustments to mysql configuration. I found that my ubuntu 18.04 with mysql v 5.7 were configured as you said
| @@sql_mode
ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY,STRICT_TRANS_TABLES,NO_ZERO_IN_DATE,NO_ZERO_DATE,ERROR_FOR_DIVISION_BY_ZERO,NO_AUTO_CREATE_USER,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION
I had to make a new entry in my /etc/mysql/my.cnf to
[mysqld]
sql_mode = "STRICT_TRANS_TABLES,NO_ZERO_IN_DATE,NO_ZERO_DATE,ERROR_FOR_DIVISION_BY_ZERO,NO_AUTO_CREATE_USER,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION"
and restart mysql.
my new "select @@sql_mode" shows that ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY has been removed.
Does all that seem like the correct procedure to fix the problem at the server end?
As I mentioned I do not always run into this error, so, I am not sure what triggers it.
I have had a this Note: Your database version is 1.1.4. before doing some other operation, but, I cannot find it in my/admin/error logs. they seem to have already been pruned.
Anyway, thanks again. Best!