Early Risers.

[Shedman5]

Morning, nice and sunny here, off to physio shortly and feeling much better in that area so this should fingers crossed be the last visit, for  a while anyway.

 

Might tackle the laurel bush this afternoon!

 

Enjoy your day

[The Lurker]

Well now I've had a chance to catch up, belated happy birthday to Mick.

 

And Bill, of absolutely no help to your hiccups at all, my youngest calls them Hidcups; we live in Sidcup!

[Robert]

Richard - there's nothing faux about my posing pouch...

 

Too much detail...

[Killybegs]

Lovely day here but I'm not making the most of it! Thirty odd years ago I contracted a nasty life threatening tropical bug while working in the middle east and every so often it comes back to visit! Initially these visitations were quite frequent and could last several days but now it's only a couple of times a year and quite mild in severity and duration. I felt one coming on when I got back from Scaleforum and it was still with me this morning, but I think it has now passed. However, not wanting to waste the day, I did some slating on the Worseter warehouse. Rather nice to have some part of the layout built 'en locale'.

 

Here's the progress made this morning. I think I will go out for a stroll this afternoon.

 

 

John

[Smiffy2]

Been out and bought the chairs. Good deal at Homebase, two leather chairs @ £399 each, less £100 discount for buying two, less 15% - so got them for £300 each, delivered! And Nectar points. Result.

I may have to source, renovate and shabby chic a new chest of drawers though, to fit them in, but I can live with that.

 

Also got Blondie's birthday present and a box (thanks for the tip, Richard) for tools, and a couple of plain plastic boxes at £1 each which are just big enough to take all the bits for a small tank loco or wagon. Useful.

 

Ankle, not so great. And neuralgia in me teeth, which is naff.  Have had a restorative bacon sandwich, may go and get on with Arthur C Clarke - reading a long list of old stuff on the Kindle.

[Debs.]

Word of the day: "Lithophane"........shallow pictorial engravure designed to be viewed when backlit.

 

 

 

I`ve made this small one as a test on the CNC milling machine, interpolating a photograph of an original building study in pastel.........the relief cut-depth in this 3mm thick cream-coloured perspex is only 1.5mm (max) but the detail is very good; and because the mill`s table is a nearly metre long, thoughts of 3D shallow relief (not backlit, but over-painted) backscenes and other interesting modelling uses for this technique have sprung to mind.

 

The original artwork:

 

 

[station cat]

Happy birthday Mick!

 

On a related note, Football Special's birthday presents arrived today. I was very impressed that one of them came with a free gift. Though 1.2kg of Haribo is probably enough sugar without adding chocolate brownie mix into the bargain... Now excuse me whilst I translate the instructions from German into English

[Tony_S]

  I was very impressed that one of them came with a free gift. Though 1.2kg of Haribo is probably enough sugar without adding chocolate brownie mix into the bargain... 

Matthew was given a "Welcome" pack when he arrived at the LSE hall of residence. It contained a pack of microwaveable rice, a high caffeine energy drink and a packet (not 1.2kg though) of Haribo. Matthew said he thought it was probably aimed at those starting at University, and complained that he feels so old compared to many of those arriving. He is 22.

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

What a boring day it's been for me, so far, and a trip to town just wound up as a frustrating return as the bus that I was due to catch got seriously delayed due to the incoming vehicle breaking down with the driver for my service being stranded thereon.

 

Other than that, it's a belated happy birthday to Mick, and a generic greeting to everybody else, and in all honesty, that's about all I've got  to say, so..

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[trisonic]

Matthew was given a "Welcome" pack when he arrived at the LSE hall of residence. It contained a pack of microwaveable rice, a high caffeine energy drink and a packet (not 1.2kg though) of Haribo. Matthew said he thought it was probably aimed at those starting at University, and complained that he feels so old compared to many of those arriving. He is 22.

No Ramen Noodles? Even Grad Students have been known to have been sent off with a pallet load to Uni over here...

 

Stewart, A generic greeting to you too, sir!

 

Best, Pete.

Edited September 29, 2014 by trisonic

[Killybegs]

Well, my stroll was swapped for a gentle spin on the bike (gentle apart from the long pull up to Malvern Wells!). I dropped into the delightful station at Great Malvern to have a quick nose around. I had not been there a couple of minutes when a Midland train came in......

 

 

No sooner had that left than a First Great Western train came in from the opposite direction. I wasn't there for more than about ten minutes, good timing. Pity the sun's timing wasn't better, it came out just after I took the second shot!

 

 

Safely back at the motorhome now, nice cup of tea sitting out in the sun.

 

John

[Tony_S]

I was just about to take Robbie out for a walk but I feel in need of a lie down in a dark room, (not really but I can see why some people claim mental effort can be physically exhausting). I have been trying to help MiL who phoned to say her TV wasn't working. After interrogation I ascertained it was getting a FreeView signal without sound. Pressing the mute button solved that. Then I attempted to sort out why the Sky channels were not working. I think after about 10 minutes of "press the SKY button, what colour is the light on the Sky Box, "The one on the TV is green",No not the one on the TV, the one on the Sky box, which remote are you holding? ..." I have given a diagnosis of flat batteries in the Sky remote, with a backup diagnosis of turn it off at the wall for ten minutes and turn it back on again. MiL is a very intelligent person but she doesn't ever answer the question you actually ask! She phones me for advice as I'm the only one that doesn't shout at her! Aditi doesn't either but she is always at work and as long as Gardeners World appears on her television doesn't really care whether it is SD, HD, Freeview or Sky.

[Ian Abel]

Happy Birthday Mick.

 

Had a busy weekend doing mostly nothing I can remember <sigh>, but managed to keep me away from any sensible attempt to read/respond on RM.

Up early both days (on a weekend, how daft is THAT?!?!), Saturday to get tickets for the church "Cabaret" fund-raiser, which is always an amazing musical event, so in line just after 9 - some folks were weird enough to get there at 7:30, far too early even for a good cause.

Sunday was the first choir performance of the season, so up at crack-o-sparrow to be on risers for an 8AM rehersal/warm-up.

 

Son came over for dinner Sunday, daughter enjoying the last weekend at the cabin so was absent-on-parade, we had discovered an exciting looking recipe in the local grocery store rag, Korean Pork Kimchee meatballs in a sweet Green Onion and Sesame sauce, added to that jasmine rice and stir fried snow peas, was excellent and definately a keeper. Not your traditional sunday dinner but will be made again for sure. 

 

Managed a scant hour or so for some modelling - had purchased a SuperQuick Coaling Tower in my naivety over a year ago, and in spite of it looking very plain and uninspiring, have decided to build it and see anyway - not anywhere near the standard of the Scalescenes I've been building, but in lieu of a Hornby example (VERY hard to source it seems!!) I need it for the engine shed area...

 

Weather all weekend was delightfull, warm, sunny and dry, a perfect end to summer, but today is now at 12 and holding overcast raining and windy, maybe 16 later...

 

Pete - make those times a celebration of the persons life, tough as the timing is, and comfort the families best you can...

 

EDIT: ACK!! In the time it's taken to write my "report" the temperature has dropped to 10 with the rain and colder air blowing in from the north-west...

Edited September 29, 2014 by Ian Abel

[grandadbob]

Tony - will this help your MiL?

 

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=JF91CMNU

Edited September 29, 2014 by grandadbob

[The Lurker]

 

Son came over for dinner Sunday, daughter enjoying the last weekend at the cabin so was absent-on-parade, we had discovered an exciting looking recipe in the local grocery store rag, Korean Pork Kimchee meatballs in a sweet Green Onion and Sesame sauce, added to that jasmine rice and stir fried snow peas, was excellent and definately a keeper. Not your traditional sunday dinner but will be made again for sure. 

 

 

With menu reports like that, you'll have a steady stream of hungry ER guests, "just passing and I thought I'd pop in"!

[PhilJ W]

Tony - will this help your MiL?

 

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=JF91CMNU

Thats me all over.

[Pete 75C]

Pete(75C) and John(CB), wait till you retire and you'll realise just how fast every day flashes by. Monday night for us is when the bin bags go out and we are both guilty of saying 'where did that week go' - sad isn't it? The alternative of course is much less palatable!

 

I hadn't thought of it like that Jock! I suppose I am "semi" retired at the ripe old age of 47. The last 5-10 years caring for Louise has meant that working part-time self employed was a sensible option, if not the only option. I do find that as the kids get older I have a genuine fear of boredom. I'm one of these people that has to be doing something, or if there's nothing to do, I at least need to have an occupied mind...

As the house is pretty much finished bar paint and skirting in some rooms and I don't want to take on another total renovation, I often find my mind wandering to possible long-term life-changing scenarios. A move is on the cards anyway but the question on my mind once youngest finishes high school is "how far...?" Part of me is thinking 1000s of miles rather than 100s.

 

Edit: I've just re-read the above and if it comes across as "downbeat" it's not meant to! I just seem to be at a bit of a crossroads.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Pete 75C

[Ian Abel]

With menu reports like that, you'll have a steady stream of hungry ER guests, "just passing and I thought I'd pop in"!

Anyone would be welcome, not many folks venture this far north if they can help it.

We've lived here 30-odd years now, and it's like pulling teeth to get anyone to visit, BUT, when we lived in California for 18 months we had to fight them off at the door

[Tony_S]

Anyone would be welcome, not many folks venture this far north if they can help it.

We've lived here 30-odd years now, and it's like pulling teeth to get anyone to visit, BUT, when we lived in California for 18 months we had to fight them off at the door

We didn't get as far south as MN last time we visited North America.

[skipepsi]

Evening all, I didn't drink any beer at all but I was dog rough this morning after a lousy nights sleep and felt sick to boot. A slight misconception has occurred when I mentioned birthday beer that was the beer DD2 bought from the NRM for my birthday two weeks ago which was also kids to uni weekend as well as RMweb live but thats another story.Last weekend was we are skint no birthday celebrations and this weekend after payday we are still stoney broke because getting them equipped for uni cost a lot.I had hoped to go to Scaleforum as a birthday treat but lacking cash and MrsB not being well passed on that and built the shed instead. Having eaten nothing but a few digestives all day I may go forage in the freezer for bland food. Pete 75C I had wanted to enquire how Louise was but didn't I am sure you understand. The only problem with moving 1,000's of miles away is the lack of NHS support. We did consider Oz but with a pre existing condition it was a non-starter. That and I would have had to finish my MA which I never have. 

[Tony_S]

Mick, I thought it was your birthday a couple of weeks ago but thought perhaps you had a real one and an "official" one. Aditi's Dad had a birthday that he was sure was his birth date and one which was decreed by officialdom. He was born somewhere remote in the days before birth certificates. On the day of his birth his mother had a local astrologer prepare a horoscope. Indian horoscopes use actual positions of sky objects so it is possible to back calculate from what the horoscope stated and work out the date. However he couldn't prove this date to the satisfaction of the NHS so when he started working for them they allocated him a date, although for some reason they accepted his year of birth. Aditi doesn't have a birth certificate and has had to sign affidavits (or what ever they are called) stating what her birthday is. 

[Pete 75C]

Thanks Mick. The lack of NHS support can only be a blessing after recent events. I know I shouldn't say that and I guess I don't really mean it but we've had some issues lately that one or two forum members are aware of. Ironically we spent a couple of years in the Canaries in 2007-2009 and Louise's health has never been better. As I had a business there and we were contributing Spanish taxes, we both registered with a Spanish doctor and the first thing he did was chuck out most of her prescription meds. He couldn't understand why she was on most of them! The diet and the climate (just 70 miles west of Casablanca) did her no end of good. During our entire time there the only one that needed medical attention was me. I fell off the top of a child's helter skelter on the beach at new year (yes, I was drunk!)...

Maybe I'm just suffering from "grass is greener" syndrome but our thoughts are turning towards going back there. Never say never, I guess!

[New Haven Neil]

Evening all as they used to say at work.....tee hee.

 

Debs - I am gobsmacked with your lithomo.....lit.....3d milling!  Amazing work, I am bowled over.

 

Knackered after a manic day at work, one staff member off on holiday having run a marathon somewhere up in kilt-land, and it was a busy day so my learning curve was particularly steep today.  It was a day of many phone queries too, mostly of the live steam type which is what I'm mainly there for of course, as well as some obscure faults on OO stuff!

[New Haven Neil]

Pete (75C type Pete, that is) I understand your feelings - I didn't know what I needed to do to change my life at 43, I just needed to do so before I went around the twist. Oh yeah - I was an NHS manager.....ahem.   Mrs H had the idea of coming here permanently, and we have never looked back.  NHS (Manx version) health security too.  Sometimes you just have to move to shake the dust off.

[Coombe Barton]

Just installed new TV.

 

Sandy happy

 

Me off hook.