The Night Mail

[New Haven Neil]

40 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

Probably because 'they" knew the car and the driver, AND what she did for them!

 

Doesn't always go - in the West End of Newcastle, in the notorious area of Arthur's Hill, they fire-bombed the baby clinic.  At least it was at night so closed at the time.

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, pH said:

Was she ever asked the question/threat “Watch your car, missus?” 

 

Never that I know of. I suspect the word went out that anybody messing with it would regret it PDQ.

[SM42]

A very large house spider has just wandered across the lounge floor, no doubt in search of company. 

 

Luckily Mrs SM42 was in the kitchen on the phone to her parents. 

 

There may have been a quite shrill scream otherwise.

 

A house spider is unusual here  We are usually inundated with what I believe are huntsman spiders. 

 

Andy

Edited September 12, 2022 by SM42

[BoD]

On 10/09/2022 at 13:24, polybear said:

 

 all reports so far seem to be (understandably) centred around Prince King Charles

 

 

Poor sod must be knackered.  Just today, listening to and speaking to Lords and Commons at Westminster then a dash (ok, probably well facilitated) to Edinburgh, to a ceremony just so he can get into his own palace, then quick change and slow walk up the Royal Mile behind the coffin to a drawn out service in St Giles followed by a formal session with the Scottish Parliament. Then another change of kit and back to St Giles for vigil at the coffin.  And that’s after a rather hectic few days.  He’s a 73 year old.

 

Give the bloke a break, when is he supposed to personally grieve for his mother? 

Edited September 12, 2022 by BoD

[tetsudofan]

Of the near 35 years that I lived and worked in the Far East I only worked in the Middle East for six months and that was spent in Bahrain.

 

When I returned to the UK I travelled the fastest way possible on Concorde. Take off was interesting, taxied to the end of the runway and boom....... we were off. No noise restrictions over there.

 

As we approached Beirut the Captain advised us that there was fighting going on there and that the air space over Beirut was closed...... but no problem for us he said, we will be climbing from 60,000 feet to 65,000 feet......

 

Landing at Heathrow was interesting, once we were on the ground the Captain told us that the descent and landing was fully automatic.

 

Keith

[pH]

3 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

My academic achievements were pretty much crepe but I did receive a Burns poetry prize on one occasion. I had the advantage that my mum and dad were both from Irvine (not the one in California) and they still used much of the same vocabulary as Burns.

I have in my hand a “Kilmarnock Edition of the Poetical Works of Robert Burns” presented by Ayr Burns Club to my mum, then a schoolgirl, for ‘Recitation from the works of Robert Burns’ in June 1928.

 

What did you get?

[Compound2632]

9 minutes ago, pH said:

I have in my hand a “Kilmarnock Edition of the Poetical Works of Robert Burns” presented by Ayr Burns Club to my mum, then a schoolgirl, for ‘Recitation from the works of Robert Burns’ in June 1928.

 

On a totally unrelated note, I reckon Ayrshire produced more locomotive engineers per head of population than any other county in the United Kingdom. 

[AndyID]

19 minutes ago, BoD said:

Poor sod must be knackered.  Just today, listening to and speaking to Lords and Commons at Westminster then a dash (ok, probably well facilitated) to Edinburgh, to a ceremony just so he can get into his own palace, then quick change and slow walk up the Royal Mile behind the coffin to a drawn out service in St Giles followed by a formal session with the Scottish Parliament. Then another change of kit and back to St Giles for vigil at the coffin.  And that’s after a rather hectic few days.  He’s a 73 year old.

 

Give the bloke a break, when is he supposed to personally grieve for his mother? 

 

I was thinking the same thing. He's the same age as me and I could not imagine being able to handle anything remotely like that now.

[AndyID]

16 minutes ago, pH said:

I have in my hand a “Kilmarnock Edition of the Poetical Works of Robert Burns” presented by Ayr Burns Club to my mum, then a schoolgirl, for ‘Recitation from the works of Robert Burns’ in June 1928.

 

What did you get?

 

That's a very good question! I don't remember. Maybe just a certificate.

[AndyID]

The thing that always amazes me about Burns is he only lived to be 37. His death was a tragedy.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by AndyID
Speeling

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, AndyID said:

 

I was thinking the same thing. He's the same age as me and I could not imagine being able to handle anything remotely like that now.

I belive that he also had an audience with the lady that a Scots friend of mine describes as the first numpty. As others have said that is quite a day. He only 2 months away from being 74.

 

Jamie

[rockershovel]

2 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Doesn't always go - in the West End of Newcastle, in the notorious area of Arthur's Hill, they fire-bombed the baby clinic.  At least it was at night so closed at the time.

"Hey Geordie I hear yer car was burnt out"

 

"Why aye man, I couldn't resist it"

 

[FX RIMSHOT]

Edited September 12, 2022 by rockershovel

[Mike Bellamy]

15 hours ago, polybear said:

 

. . . . . .  you really don't want the fire put out until it's a write-off.  . . . . . .   So the moral is:  let it burn, and don't be too quick to grab the extinguisher..

 

No extinguisher used and Fire Brigade arrived too late to prevent it being a total loss. Surprisingly the petrol tank didn't explode but it was leaking fuel presumably from a melted pipe. When we went to the recovery depot to get some tools etc from out of the boot, the car was still on the transporter as they were waiting for the Fire Brigade as the fuel had leaked all over the back of the flat-bed and they didn't want to operate the ramp or winch without some back-up in case it caught alight.

 

 

13 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

 . . . . .  Israel, and that felt much more unsafe than Egypt but again I have to say nobody was ever robbed, hurt or threatened in Israel either. I did find it part funny and part sobering to go to the local shopping mall in Ashdod and see the settlers from Gaza leave their Uzi's and M16's (I'm not exaggerating, they were literally armed with machine pistols and assault rifles) with mall security and picked them up again on the way out.

 

I had 7 visits there in the early 2000s during which there were a number of suicide bombings and we were instructed to never go on a bus and to only go out in the evening with a member of local staff who would take us to a restaurant they knew to be safe - several had armed guards on the door. On my first visit I went across the road to a large shopping centre where there was a food court with all the usual McDonalds, KFC etc etc - what was surprising was that every seat in this area was occupied by a teenager in green uniform with a rifle across their back as the centre was next door to the main army training depot in Tel Aviv.

.

[Happy Hippo]

 

Quite a busy day with the contractors finlly on site to put in the base for the summer house.

 

Whilst awaiting the arrival of building materiel, they were obviously a bit bored so offered to move the large stone that was delivered last week.

 

My plan of having to use a jack and then rollers as they shifted stuff in the olden days went out of the window, and the stone was first tipped upright, then 'walked' through the  side entrance to the garden and then taken around the back of the house in the bucket of the mini digger.

 

They also dug out a very annoying and large 'fairy ring' and popped that in the skip.  The soil from the official site of the summerhouse base then got dropped into the hole they'd just dug out.

 

I think their willingness to help may have something to do with finding out that the boss, is a keen narrow gauge railway modeller (009), and his son goes paragliding.

 

Tomorrow ought to see the shuttering and reinforcing mesh going in and the base poured.

 

I have a dental appointment first thing in the morning, so will need to be up sharpish.  Then with any luck, it will be off to Llandrinio in the afternoon to the Borders MRC monthly running session. Although I think pushing onto Dapol may be a step too far, especially as we are going that way later on in the week.

[Dave Hunt]

I've finally got Dad's house cleared and cleaned so tomorrow I'll do the rounds of local estate agents to get valuations and put it on the market. I can't actually sell it until probate is granted and that will probably be a couple of months but with luck I could have a buyer lined up by then. I've also finished the eulogy I'm doing at my friend's funeral next week and got everything done for our holiday in Spain in three weeks' time so I may just get some time to myself over the next few days. Right now, though, it's time for some shuteye.

 

TTFN

 

Dave

[Winslow Boy]

32 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

Quite a busy day with the contractors finlly on site to put in the base for the summer house.

 

Whilst awaiting the arrival of building materiel, they were obviously a bit bored so offered to move the large stone that was delivered last week.

 

My plan of having to use a jack and then rollers as they shifted stuff in the olden days went out of the window, and the stone was first tipped upright, then 'walked' through the  side entrance to the garden and then taken around the back of the house in the bucket of the mini digger.

 

They also dug out a very annoying and large 'fairy ring' and popped that in the skip.  The soil from the official site of the summerhouse base then got dropped into the hole they'd just dug out.

 

I think their willingness to help may have something to do with finding out that the boss, is a keen narrow gauge railway modeller (009), and his son goes paragliding.

 

Tomorrow ought to see the shuttering and reinforcing mesh going in and the base poured.

 

I have a dental appointment first thing in the morning, so will need to be up sharpish.  Then with any luck, it will be off to Llandrinio in the afternoon to the Borders MRC monthly running session. Although I think pushing onto Dapol may be a step too far, especially as we are going that way later on in the week.

 

For some reason I got the image of you mouth wide open and concrete being poured in. It is not a pleasant image for one to go to sleep on.

 

Good  night.

[AndyID]

58 minutes ago, Mike Bellamy said:

I had 7 visits there in the early 2000s during which there were a number of suicide bombings and we were instructed to never go on a bus and to only go out in the evening with a member of local staff who would take us to a restaurant they knew to be safe - several had armed guards on the door. On my first visit I went across the road to a large shopping centre where there was a food court with all the usual McDonalds, KFC etc etc - what was surprising was that every seat in this area was occupied by a teenager in green uniform with a rifle across their back as the centre was next door to the main army training depot in Tel Aviv.

.

 

Our first trip back to the UK was in 83. MrsID, myself and our three small children were crossing London en route to Scotland. I wanted to stop at Harrods to pick-up some Christmas presents for the folks but MrsID said the children were too tired. While we were waiting for our train at Euston all hell broke loose when Harrods was bombed.

 

Ten years later I was in my office at the bottom of West Broadway the first time they tried to take down the WTC. Fortunately I was not in the PATH station at the time.

 

It's much safer up here in North Idaho. I only have to deal with a bunch of heavily armed neo-Nazis 😬

[jjb1970]

I think we underestimate the narrow line between civilization and barbarism. I love Indonesia and find the people to be charming and very welcoming, as noted hospitality is taken seriously there. Then I look at the events following Suharto's take over which I think merits use of the word genocide and the riots during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In both cases a lot of the violence and killing was ethnically motivated to take the Indonesian Chinese community down a few pegs. I am a sinophile and find much to admire in Chinese culture but the events of the Cultural Revolution were dreadful. Japan is possibly my favourite country in the world, the people are a model for manners and decorous behaviour yet if I look at their behaviour in China and SE Asia in the 1930's and 40's it's not surprising many Asian people still harbour negative feelings about Japan. And it's not just Asia and the world outside Europe and the Anglosphere. The Holocaust is possibly the darkest episode in history, perpetrated by a highly developed and educated European country. European colonialism is viewed very differently in the world outside of Britain, France, Belgium, Spain etc where the old empires are remembered rather differently. So I am always loathe to be too judgemental about troubled countries and areas on the wrong side of the railway tracks as I think the veneer of civilization separating the world I inhabit from such conditions is much narrower than I like to think.

[jamie92208]

Good moaning. It's just getting light herecin the Charente.  Off tomLa Rochelle today as the noss has an appointment.  It's also her birthday so moulle  frites by the harbour for lunch is a distinct possibility.

 

On another tack I see that the Ukraniwns have unleashed their most effective anti tsnk weapon again.  The tractor drivers are busy again towing away tracked vehicles that have run out of fuel.

 

Jamie

[polybear]

10 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

A late friend of mine, who had an incredibly varied career, at one point was working for social services in the East End. He kept on being hassled by the locals lowlife’s and then - through his job - he got some new shoes for the daughter of one of the Kray’s men (many of the Kray gang were very poor indeed).

Suddenly, overnight, all the hassling disappeared. Obviously, the word had gone out that he was in the Kray’s good books…

 

One of the ME Course guys I'm meeting later today used to run his own insurance business in the East End of London (that's legit insurance by the way - not a protection racket....).

Anyway, IIRC he used to insure the mother of one well-known gangland type - and when she was burgled he sorted the insurance claim for her (I'm guessing the son "sorted" the punishment claim).

Anyway, the son announced to Bear's buddy that "he was very grateful and owed him one"; some time later buddy was in need and his son suggested asking Reggie The Dog (or whatever Mr. Gangland was known as).

Buddy responded with "No, absolutely not - never in a million years"

"Why not, dad?" asks his son.

"Because then I'd owe him....and that's a situation you NEVER want to be in..."

 

9 hours ago, BoD said:

Poor sod must be knackered.  Just today, listening to and speaking to Lords and Commons at Westminster then a dash (ok, probably well facilitated) to Edinburgh, to a ceremony just so he can get into his own palace, then quick change and slow walk up the Royal Mile behind the coffin to a drawn out service in St Giles followed by a formal session with the Scottish Parliament. Then another change of kit and back to St Giles for vigil at the coffin.  And that’s after a rather hectic few days.  He’s a 73 year old.

 

Give the bloke a break, when is he supposed to personally grieve for his mother? 

 

Agreed - I thought the sight of the Royals carrying out the vigil at the Queens Coffin must've been particularly difficult for them; at least the cameras could've been a lot less intrusive (or even better, removed entirely) for that period.

It seems that Princes Andrew and Harry are not to be allowed to wear uniform during proceedings; personally I find that a bit harsh (Andrew has no doubt been a silly boy - but Trial by Media is never a good thing).

 

9 hours ago, pH said:

I have in my hand a “Kilmarnock Edition of the Poetical Works of Robert Burns” presented by Ayr Burns Club to my mum, then a schoolgirl, for ‘Recitation from the works of Robert Burns’ in June 1928.

 

What did you get?

 

Bear has a 25yards swimming certificate, if that's any use?

[Happy Hippo]

I'm off to the fang farrier shortly, no doubt she will want to polish my ivories.

 

I went last week as I hate being late for an appointment, but apparently turning  up a week before is really too early!

 

 

[Winslow Boy]

30 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I'm off to the fang farrier shortly, no doubt she will want to polish my ivories.

 

I went last week as I hate being late for an appointment, but apparently turning  up a week before is really too early!

 

 

J

Better than turning up and the receptionist not booking you in and then having to comeback another day as they had seen someone else. 

[Happy Hippo]

No polishing required, apparently my teeth are in tip top condition so I'm not required to attend until June 2023!

 

That's fangtastic.....

 

 

Yes, I will get my coat

[Dave Hunt]

13 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

A late friend of mine, who had an incredibly varied career, at one point was working for social services in the East End. He kept on being hassled by the locals lowlife’s and then - through his job - he got some new shoes for the daughter of one of the Kray’s men (many of the Kray gang were very poor indeed).

Suddenly, overnight, all the hassling disappeared. Obviously, the word had gone out that he was in the Kray’s good books…

 

Back in the late 1980s for a few years I had a small business going called Pilgrim Models making 7mm locomotive kits. As it was only a small, part time, family affair I normally only sold via mail order and at a few model shows but on one occasion a fairly well known shop asked if I could sell them a couple of kits for a regular customer so I acquiesced and sent them. However, despite letters and phone calls over a period of about six months they didn't pay me and at a show I complained about it to another trader. He asked me if I'd like him to do something about it as for quite a small fee he knew some people who could 'take care of it'. I asked what he meant and he said that he'd grown up in the East End knowing a couple of lads called Ronnie and Reggie (wink, wink) and their mates and was still in touch with some of them. To say I was taken aback would be a bit of an understatement but I thanked him while declining his offer.

 

As it happens, another trader who knew the shop owners well and did a lot of business with them had a quiet word and eventually I did get paid.

 

Dave

Edited September 13, 2022 by Dave Hunt
Speling agane

[Dave Hunt]

5 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

No polishing required, apparently my teeth are in tip top condition so I'm not required to attend until June 2023!

 

That's fangtastic.....

 

 

Yes, I will get my coat

 

Just shows what a diet of water weed and cake can do.

 

Dave