Early Risers.

[southern42]

Don. A get well wish from me too.

 

Hope you're tip top again soon.

 

Polly

[Smiffy2]

Get well very soon, Don!

[PhilJ W]

Morning all, not posted on ER's all weekend. Still waiting for my scan appointment at the hospital, I thought it was more urgent as they are supposed to phone me. Get well soon Don, hope its none too serious.

Edited August 18, 2014 by PhilJ W

[Oldddudders]

Morning all

 

Sunday worked well in some respects - we certainly ate well at lunchtime, despite the barbecue being cancelled due to iffy weather, and the meal being indoors. Here.

 

 

Richard and Anita have recently bought it, and it is in need of an implausible amount of TLC. So far they have got a few rooms downstairs sorted - plus the front of the roof. If you look at the middle top dormer, there is a Velux above it, through which I was able to check the new zinc that Richard has soldered above that middle dormer. Sherry and I had walked up 4 flights of stairs to get that high! The chateau came with a bit of land - 400 acres, of which 100 is woodland. In mid-August you might expect to be warm, but it was almost chilly outside, and the huge log in the lounge fire was welcome.

 

Haven't yet read through the last 24 hours, will do so in due course.

 

Hope your week goes well.

 

 

[Pete 75C]

Morning all

 

Sunday worked well in some respects - we certainly ate well at lunchtime, despite the barbecue being cancelled due to iffy weather, and the meal being indoors. Here.

 

DSC_0024a.jpg

 

Richard and Anita have recently bought it, and it is in need of an implausible amount of TLC. So far they have got a few rooms downstairs sorted - plus the front of the roof. If you look at the middle top dormer, there is a Velux above it, through which I was able to check the new zinc that Richard has soldered above that middle dormer. Sherry and I had walked up 4 flights of stairs to get that high! The chateau came with a bit of land - 400 acres, of which 100 is woodland. In mid-August you might expect to be warm, but it was almost chilly outside, and the huge log in the lounge fire was welcome.

 

Haven't yet read through the last 24 hours, will do so in due course.

 

Hope your week goes well.

 

Looks like you might get a decent model railway in that loft. It'd be tight though... 

[Barry O]

Morning all - hope all goes well for ERs with appointments or short stays in hospital.

 

Off to the post office shortly and then need to buy some more brown paper and bubble wrap...

 

sunny at the moment so should be a nice walk...

 

Baz

[trisonic]

Morning All,

I am back in hospital with some bladder issues, will be back in a few days hopefully.

have a good day everyone.

Very sorry to hear that, Don. I hope that it is not too painful and that you get back to your rightful place before “Gormless” attempts a coup d’etat...

 

Aye, Ian, rooves are the trouble with them Chateaus........luvly place though, innit?

 

Best, Pete.

Edited August 18, 2014 by trisonic

[DDolfelin]

Something to cheer Don up when he can see it ...

 

Batman and Robin came from Liverpool.

I asked her if she'd like to go for a drink but she couldn't go out without Robin.

(The old ones are not necessarily the best!)

 

 

Software glitch thought they ought to be laying down.

Edited August 18, 2014 by DDolfelin

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Apologies for not delving back more than 24 hours and for summarising as 'best of luck' for those in or awaiting hospital appointments or undergoing treatment (including collies of course), and for the one facing an interview (they can be good fun, or they can be awful - hope it's the former, with the result you want Andy).  Alas I was not surprised by the news about Dave Shakespeare as recent hints did not sound too good - an inspiration to others but a sad end alas.

 

Fortunately the funeral (herself's last remaining uncle) went well on Friday and there was a good turnout which always seems to help the bereaved - lots of, well deserved. nice words said about him from everyone present so that too was nice.  Saturday was devoted to the Seaton tramway (really should have taken binoculars as lots of birds about in the estuary, money spent in their bookshop), and a brief visit to Pecorama (no money spent apart from admission) plus a rather nice 'cone' of chips in a much improved (it could hardly have gone further downhill) Seaton  followed in the afternoon by a visit to the Sid Valley Horticultural Show which was a shortish walk from our place of staying - money spent on plants (of course).  The trip home involved a visit to Montacute House (very interesting) and largely trying to keep clear of the A303 which had been bedevilled with idiot, and occasionally downright vicious, drivers heading west on the Thursday.  Alas the A359 route I chose involved a diversion for engineering work at Bruton - that took us through Evercreech Junction (remains - not a lot of them either).

 

Our return journey took us past (it was shut) one of the more unusual model shops I have come across - absolutely in the middle of nowhere in what looks like a converted petrol station, Buffers Model Railways on the A358.

 

Anyway here we are back, the Kernow release has gone live so I can now mention it and you lot seem to be still on track - havea  good and successful day.

[grandadbob]

I have returned and I am intact!

After a couple of hours "we" decided that what we already had to wear was perfectly OK after all!    I was thinking I need to get out more but this wasn't exactly what I had in mind. However I did discover that a certain shop sold Humbrol paints so that was useful.

 

Get well soon Don.

[skipepsi]

Morning all, back on my own computer at last it wanted a new password! I hope all goes well for Andy and Jock today. I am slowly getting the idea of space left when the two students depart in September.....

[Purley Oaks]

Morning all

 

Been quite a festival week; Julian Cope at the book festival (yes, you read that right), there for his novel One Three One, the name of the only major road on Sardinia, apparently. The only bookfest appearance I've seen by someone in rockstar shades, motorcycle boots and gauntlets. Saturday night saw jazz pianist Brian Kellock with saxophonist Tommy Smith play some jazz standards. I say standards, but their improvisation was astonishing, flying so far away from the bones of the song that you wondered how they'd ever get it back. Their version of Stardust was fabulous. The front row seats were incredible to hear acoustically. Sublime.

 

Yes, best wishes to those with appointments today.

 

I missed out on a job a week ago - thought he interview had gone well, too. Onwards and upwards, as they say.

 

Mal

[Debs.]

Morning All,

I am back in hospital with some bladder issues, will be back in a few days hopefully.

have a good day everyone.

 

Wishing you all the very best for your comfort and rapid-recovery to wellness, Don.

Deb and Co(llies)

[Smiffy2]

Bob - which shop? (I'm guessing Annets). I have been threatened with a trip to the bank in Sutton this afternoon, and I could pop in whilst Julie is terrorising the charity shops.

 

Do you use Jane's Trains in Tooting? Nice place and a good range of Humbrol railway colours.

[NGT6 1315]

Be well soon, Don – that can't be a comfortable condition to endure indeed...

 

Interesting cab ride video from the Netherlands, including a train chase of sorts:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnhiCePRCzg

[Barry O]

  The trip home involved a visit to Montacute House (very interesting) and largely trying to keep clear of the A303 which had been bedevilled with idiot, and occasionally downright vicious, drivers heading west on the Thursday.  Alas the A359 route I chose involved a diversion for engineering work at Bruton - that took us through Evercreech Junction (remains - not a lot of them either).

Mike

 

we caused chaos one year on the A303 undertaking some trials involving a Challenger 1 tank - part of the route was on the A303. We had to ask permission to do road running - and I was amazed when they said it wasn't a problem.  Great times thundering around Salisbury Plain and local roads. 

 

Baz

[station cat]

Get well soon Don.

 

Perosnally I wouldn't mind being held up by a tank - provided it was in viewing range anyway.

[Sidecar Racer]

 

Our return journey took us past (it was shut) one of the more unusual model shops I have come across - absolutely in the middle of nowhere in what looks like a converted petrol station, Buffers Model Railways on the A358.

 

 

 

Pity it was closed Mike , great shop to visit with mass's of stock . A plus point is you get a free drink too .

 

 The two Ladies who run it are very good and know what is what about model trains , and they have a great

sense of humour , last time Stu and I went they had done an internal reorganisation , Stu commented on it ,

I said that now we would'nt be able to find anything , one of the Ladies then said , just through the door and and

moaning already , my reply to that , hey we're retired , it's on  the job description , laughter all round .

[The Stationmaster]

Mike

 

we caused chaos one year on the A303 undertaking some trials involving a Challenger 1 tank - part of the route was on the A303. We had to ask permission to do road running - and I was amazed when they said it wasn't a problem.  Great times thundering around Salisbury Plain and local roads. 

 

Baz

Shame I couldn't borrow it last Thursday Baz.  There are some evil lorry drivers about on that road at present such as not only the one who blocked me threading into the single stream on the basis of one pearl, one plain off the dual carriageway east of Stonehenge (a nice BMW driver let me go in ahead of him instead) and the really ignorant clown driving up one of the two lane stretches of the Ilminster by-pass slap bang in the middle thus blocking both lanes.  Therea re soem great lorry drivers out there but the few ignorant lumps of excrement like these two let down their profession.

[Ian Abel]

Good luck Andy and Jock, and speedy recovery Don...

 

Managed to finsh the last of the 4-track mainline roundy-round last night, now comes the testing all the track with all the locos bit...

 

22 here and as we had some significant rain yesterday afternoon and evening and the dew point is almost at the temperature, we've got some morning fog and haze. Still right now and rather sticky, but supposed to clear some, just in time for a front to move across this afternoon bringing thudnerstorms.

 

Hope your week starts well - go Gunners (theirs did   )

Edited August 18, 2014 by Ian Abel

[AndyB]

Thanks for all the support everyone. I'll let you know how the interview goes later. 

 

Had an appointment today for a "Well man, MoT" at the surgery. 

Turn up, no record of the appointment, Or me.

Re-booked it.

The nurse takes my blood pressure.

"It's very high!", says she. "Let me take it again."

"It's even higher now!", she says. "Let me take it again."

"It's really high now! I just don't understand!!"

 

Hmm, just been on a two-week holiday with the MiL, mutters I and some nurse keeps looking at the blood pressure meter with increasing concern! That'd do it?

 

"I need to weigh you."

"I was 12 st 12lbs this morning."

"I don't know what that is in metric. Take your coat off and jump on the scales."

She writes down the number.

"Did you make an allowance for my clothing?"

"Yes. I took a guess."

So, you guessed my weight???

"Your BMI says you're overweight. If it goes above 30 then we put you on an "at risk register" and write to you."

 

Hmmm, thinks me, to put on that much I think there'd be quite a few pies at risk first!

 

So, the results of the MoT are that she typed into a database that I don't smoke, have high blood pressure and could lose some weight." 

I refrained from suggesting that I could holiday alone and turn up naked next time to improve the diagnosis. 

 

On the way out...."Was the 12 hour fast for the pee test?"

"No. It's for cholesterol."

"Oh rearrrrlllly.     So, are you going to test that then?"

"Do you want me to?"

"What was the result last year?"

"Too high."

"Well, perhaps we should just check then? You know, if it's not too much trouble."   

I picked up a leaflet about Alzheimers on the way out; blowed if I can remember where I put it though. 

[Ian Abel]

Andy, sounds about the same as my general experiences with the health care system here. They ALWAYS seem to not quite know who you are or what they're doing for you, even when they call and tell you you need to come in for a med. check or something-or-other. Other "odd" thing here is that they always ask your name/date-of-birth and other clap-trap when you show up for a blood/pee test. I kinda get it for some sort of security reason(s), but if it's just at MY GP for MY routine check-up who else am I gonna send in as a substitute to pee and give blood for me??? <sigh>

 

I have especially wondered about the whole weighing-in experience, especially since I in summer I go in wearing shorts and a tee-shirt and winter I've got a whole lot of clobber on - it gets bllody cold here! It really is a guestimate for the most part, I mean I COULD have two gold ingots in my pockets for all they know/ask/care!

The result is ALWAYS "you could stand to lose a few pounds"! I could also stand to have folks rely LESS on what their computer says/predicts/recommends and MORE on me being evaluated by a human-being <gggrrrr>

Edited August 18, 2014 by Ian Abel

[NGT6 1315]

I am finding Mythodea to be strangely meditative:

 

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL032C4700C3CD4170

 

Do any of you feel the same way?

[grandadbob]

Bob - which shop? (I'm guessing Annets). I have been threatened with a trip to the bank in Sutton this afternoon, and I could pop in whilst Julie is terrorising the charity shops.

 

Do you use Jane's Trains in Tooting? Nice place and a good range of Humbrol railway colours.

 

Sorry Dick - only just seen this. Yes it was Annetts -  been going in there for years and bought all sorts of paint and other stuff but never spotted Humbrol before.

Never been to Jane's but it's on my list of places to visit.

Edited August 18, 2014 by grandadbob

[Smiffy2]

Well worth it. You can park in the Lidl almost opposite. Check their website for opening times, though.

 

Annetts - I used to go there for Rotring parts and Letraset in the days when those things had meaning!

 

Hobbycraft on Purley Way also have a decent selection of Humbrol, if you don't mind laying on the floor (really) to get at the spray varnish.

 

Apologies for the modelling talk. Won't do it again.