Early Risers.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning  all,

 

Bright sunshine briefly streaming through the window - it is forecast not to last, so it might.

 

Chez Dottore does sound quite attractive - I'm a great fan of fegato di vitello so a slight variant (sounds like it might only be the name?) is always worth a try.  Mind you nowadays I can't get free passes all the way to and in Switzerland, a terrible loss but 4 weeks worth of conferences did at least allow me to see a fair bit of it in the past, without having to pay any supplements

 

Not sure what today holds but the garden is being mentioned.

 

Have a good day one & all.

[Oldddudders]

Morning all

 

Yesterday was forecast to be wet and miserable - but really it was just the residue of drizzle by 0900, and by lunchtime there were sunny periods - with the afternoon glorious with sunshine and 20 degrees as I drove to Super U for a shop. Sadly at 1730 it started tipping down, and did so for several hours. Today we were again warned of damp and dismal weather - and the sun is out, with no overnight rain to talk about, a light breeze and lots of blue sky.

 

Alison is here doing things for the house, while the farrier is trimming the horses' feet. And I'm here talking to you!

 

Good to know that Ian Pearse is still going great guns. Live steam was always a bit beyond my pocket - and not really offering the sort of "layout" I would wish - but I will always admire it as a concept in any scale, really.

 

Hope your day looking as good as mine.

[AndyB]

Morning all, it's raining here. 

 

Don W, if you get soaked give me a shout and you can use our tumble dryer. For your clothes...I'm not running a fairground.  

 

Long queue this morning for school photos. Note to mum's. Looking confused / distracted is not an adequate disguise if you are trying to queue jump past others who got there first. Please re-join the queue at the end furthest from the front. This is not abroad and queuing defines us as a nation. End of the public service announcement. 

 

Well, my technique for reading a textbook via Google Preview may have left some gaps in my knowledge - pages 83 - 750 were not included. I may yet have to stump up for the hard copy. Rather a specialist medical subject so the prices start at about £150. 

 

I think I may have overdosed on Genesis tracks recently as one was buzzing in my head last night and it took a while to get to sleep. Jock, I think you may enjoy this one. I was going to say it was one of there more recent tracks, but is nearly 30 years old! 

 

There's a good instrumental compilation here, too. 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all,  

 

Thought I'd add some comments on todays  ramblings....many decades ago we had just moved into a new house  on a new estate  with built in electric storage heaters. These were on some weird rate and only came on at night. So not very effective.  lady comes round doing a survey  for the local electricity  board (SWEB) asking what we thought of them? What did we do as the temperature dropped -  just put another woolly on says I ! . Seemed to not be the answer she was looking for.

 

Neil that sure is a tiny loco, and  I thought  Rishra at Leighton Buzzard was small.  A very long time ago there was a drawing of  Polar Bear ( I think) in the Narrow Gauge Soc.Mag. I couldn't find it last time I was in the UK as I quite fancy building a 1:24 scale model. 

 

Lets hope Gordons "old flame" is what he hopes for?  I took a very big chance  when I first went to Canada as Marilyn & I had spoken on the phone and sent each other photos ..... but you can never be 100% sure with internet dating,  I guess I was just very very lucky?  (Mind you she took a very big chance too!)

 

Now all I've got to do is get the ex to start playing nicely about the house, (anyone had any experience with equity release?)  Find some one who'll take my  0e exhibition layout off my hands  get rid of assorted bits of railway & modelling  bits and pieces  - including a mark 1 Unimat lathe. - then get on with the rest of my life! 

 

Enjoy whats left of your day, 

 

Trev.

I took out an equity release nearly 3 years ago. A lot wanted doing to the house, which still had a mortgage and the credit card repayments were getting a bit heavy. From a personal point of view it was one of my best moves ever, more than halved my outgoings, in fact I think I'll have to start spending some more money as I now have more money in my account than I had this time last year. Equity release is no more than a mortgage that is not repayable until you (and your partner or fellow mortgagee if you have one) have passed on. Mostly it depends on your personal circumstances and what the cash is needed for.

[Coombe Barton]

Rain, mainly heavy

 

And the ARRRGGGHHHHHH! week continues

[Pete 75C]

Ah Caterham. Yes, the pleasures of rush hour attachments and detachments at Purley. I do miss it all in a bizarre masochistic kind of way.

Unseasonably warm on the coast today. Don't know what's up wiv the wevver. Louise wants us to go to Homebase tomorrow to choose paint. I may be gone some time... I've also just remembered Lidl is right next door to Homebase. Oh dear God...

[Tony_S]

Sitting in Southend Hospital waiting for a blood test. Can't go to a local clinic as the sample has to go to lab immediately. Glad I bought my Kindle. Magazines in WHS not really my sort of thing.

[Debs.]

At Schloss iD guests can use as much electricity as they want, even if they recharge their smartphones. Rooms are heated to "shirtsleeves environment" standards (21*C). They may even help themselves to single malt whiskies ad libitum (50 year old whisky excepted). However, this is not "free" as I do insist they eat whatever I serve them, I don't "do" food fads, nor do I do "kid's menus". If I cook fegato alla veneziana, I expect them to eat it or go hungry - sprogs too!

 

Is there space for a hungry-giantess and two Collies?

[Jock67B]

Morning all,

Grand daughter safely delivered to school for the penultimate time, her parents should be back from holiday tomorrow. She has brought back many memories of when we had teenagers living at home - bedrooms that look like they have just suffered a terrorist bombing and bathroom taken over while they prepare to meet their public! Thankful for the downstairs loo.

Pete(trisonic), I just looked up Grace Slick on Google and, just like others that I lusted over in the past such as Stevie Nicks, Marianne Faithfull, and Blondie to name but a few, I was left with a feeling of disappointment! A quick look in the mirror however shows that the young bloke that did the lusting hasn't fared that well either!! Julie Driscoll was on TV the other night though, and I don't know if it was the TV make-up department or the classical bone structure, but she is still a very attractive lady. Apologies for the sexist element go to our lady members!

AndyB, thanks for those links, although I have to admit that I favour classical music and the main reason for liking Genesis is for the memories it brings back of a time when I was wooing Joanna! 

Flavio, one issue I have when preparing 'fegato' at home is the difference in the many recipes I have - they all seem to call for different thickness of slices for the liver, and some even leave the pieces whole. The internet isn't really a great help as again there are many variations. Do you have a definitive version - I've been using thinner slices so far?

John(CB), it's POET's day tomorrow so the week can only get better.

Stewart, we had Currys/PC World insure my computer free as part of the 'deal' and were lucky when the hard drive failed after 13 months! Rarely bother with it on the washing machines though, as Joanna wears them out so quickly! Have to keep reminding myself that I am no longer fit enough to mend them myself as I did in the past.

Trev, I considered equity sharing to help Joanna after I was first diagnosed but as soon as I read the small print, I 'ran away'! 

We have to vote at the infamous Clacton by-election today, where Farage hopes to gain his first MP in the form of the turncoat Conservative Carswell. Really couldn't call the result but I've just been told that we're going soon as we can then drop great grandson at nursery school en-route!

Have a good Thursday afternoon,

Kind regards,

Jock.

[Simon G]

Ah, if it didn't rain so much it would be the 'Valley District' !!  We're in Ambleside on Sunday....can't wait.

It rained even more this morning.  Woken by thunder & lightning at about 05.00, which continued closer and closer until 06.30, when it was right overhead, then the heavens opened.  Fortunately by the time I left home for work, it had stopped, but there were huge queues in getting to work (yes it happens even in rural Cumbria!).  I was only delayed by 15 minutes, but some people were delayed by 1 to 2 hours.  This included our site manager, so he was late for a 'crisis meeting' on the lack of heating at work, which didnt go down too well with those who had made it in time for the meeting.  Net result - no progress on any heating, but at least the sun is shining now!

[Purley Oaks]

 

Morning all,Julie Driscoll was on TV the other night though, and I don't know if it was the TV make-up department or the classical bone structure, but she is still a very attractive lady. Apologies for the sexist element go to our lady members!

 

Hi Jock

I think it was her haircut that did it - really unusual in days of long flowing hair

Mal

[Pete 75C]

If I cook fegato alla veneziana, I expect them to eat it or go hungry

 

 

I'm a great fan of fegato di vitello

 

 

Flavio, one issue I have when preparing 'fegato' at home is the difference in the many recipes I have

 

Well that's at least three of you who know what it is...!

I'm off to defrost an Iceland Toad in the Hole.

[DDolfelin]

Where do I go to vote on Independence for Scotland, Catalonia, the Basques, Cornwall, Wales, Pimlico, and others who want to leave home?

 

Edit: - Oh sorry - politics.

Edited October 9, 2014 by DDolfelin

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Aft'noon all,

 

Advised yesterday of imminent Ofsted inspection in our school this afternoon I've spent the morning brushing up on Foundation/SEND governor principles ready for a shared appointment with two other governors and the inspector. Shoes polished and clean handkerchief ready!

 

Hope that you're all having a relaxing day.

 

Dave

Edited October 9, 2014 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

[Pete 75C]

Where do I go to vote on Independence for Scotland, Catalonia, the Basques, Cornwall, Wales, Pimlico, and others who want to leave home?

 

Edit: - Oh sorry - politics.

 

Just go to the Canaries. Loosely governed by Spain but they just do what they damn well like and seem happier for it!

[The Lurker]

Hello all, the blue skies I saw earlier have clouded over - and this is the second time as we've already had one sharp shower over Borough Market Junction. had my annual appraisal this morning. Not been asked to collect my cards so not too bad! Got to deliver spreadsheet king's tomorrow; which won't be such fun.

 

Had a fruitless lunchhour crossing London bridge to find a shop which had disappeared. My Mum will have to wait for her birthday present...mind you it was the middle of Septemebr so I suspect she can wait a little longer.

 

On the plus side Eat were doing a Malaysian Beef Rendang soup, which was delicious.

 

I was told that a washing machine was the one white good where a warranty was good value for money - this was in the 90s by a client whose business was one of the large warehouse type affairs. And I have certainly used the one I have on my washing machine several times over the years; the bearings shattered last time, ruining the drum too.

 

I'm all for Il Dottore's approach to children's meals. The elder lurker son has always been fairly adventurous with food (he loved octopus rice in Portugal, aged 3), and while the younger is more fussy (particularly with textures) he's not a fan of chips (or potatoes of any sort), and over the summer holidays seemed to decide to try as many new foods as possible (we counted nearly 30). That's the same boy who chose spag bol from the menu everytime on holiday in Majorca in may, except for once when he went off-menu and had meatballs (albondigas) and spaghetti

[AndyB]

Well that's at least three of you who know what it is...!

I'm off to defrost an Iceland Toad in the Hole.

 

But none of them mention serving fegato with fava beans and a nice Chianti.

Barbarians. 

 

 

Aft'noon all,

 

Advised yesterday of imminent Ofsted inspection in our school this afternoon I've spent the morning brushing up on Foundation/SEND governor principles ready for a shared appointment with two other governors and the inspector. Shoes polished and clean handkerchief ready!

 

Hope that you're all having a relaxing day.

 

Dave

 

Don't forget to send the lowest quintile off on an unscheduled & immediate school trip!  

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Was that because of the stereotypical dirty old mac you were wearing or a bag over your shoulder marked 'Swag'?

I refer you to my post in 'Artistic Licence in Drama'.

I live in Welwyn Garden City and can promise you it is nothing like what is depicted in films featuring Simon Pegg.

 

OK, there are a great many zombies, but they behave just like the rest of us, keep normal hours and commute up to London to work. You just wouldn't know.

 

There's never any violence, because we are all softy Southrons...

 

In such a haven of conformity and good order, anyone walking around at 3am has to be worth asking what they are about. And thanks, I am now feeling a little better though the vile cold continues to do its worst.

[Danemouth]

I took out an equity release nearly 3 years ago. A lot wanted doing to the house, which still had a mortgage and the credit card repayments were getting a bit heavy. From a personal point of view it was one of my best moves ever, more than halved my outgoings, in fact I think I'll have to start spending some more money as I now have more money in my account than I had this time last year. Equity release is no more than a mortgage that is not repayable until you (and your partner or fellow mortgagee if you have one) have passed on. Mostly it depends on your personal circumstances and what the cash is needed for.

 

There are two types of Equity Release:

• Mortgage, as Phil said usually repayable on the death of the surviving partner or the property is sold . Note that the interest owed accumulates and may wipe a significant part of your equity in the property when redeemed.
• Reversion where you sell part or all of the property to the company.

My advice would be to seek advice from an Independent Financial Adviser taking care to ensure they are not tied to just one insurance company.

 

Regards,

 

Dave

[Pete 75C]

But none of them mention serving fegato with fava beans and a nice Chianti.

Barbarians. 

 

Now you're just showing off...

[iL Dottore]

Afternoon All

Is there space for a hungry-giantess and two Collies?

 

Indeed, I love cooking for people, The more the merrier (the most I've ever cooked for has been 30 people - 3 courses). However, I'm sad to say, the Collies are very welcome but will have to be vetted (no pun intended) by the HM. He can get very stroppy when another dog is on his property (but after much growling and barking an entente cordiale is usually reached)

 

Morning all,

.....

Flavio, one issue I have when preparing 'fegato' at home is the difference in the many recipes I have - they all seem to call for different thickness of slices for the liver, and some even leave the pieces whole. The internet isn't really a great help as again there are many variations. Do you have a definitive version - I've been using thinner slices so far?......Jock.

That's what I usually do, very thin slices, flash fried in oniony butter (the slow cooked onions are removed from the frying pan, the heat whacked up and the thin slices quickly stirred around the pan and the onions tipped back in). I can see frying it whole, Very quickly sear on both sides and then cut into thin slices to serve (great if you like your liver bloody)

 

iD

 

p.s. Fava beans and a BIG Amarone are optional - (the original combination as described in the book)

Edited October 9, 2014 by iL Dottore

[AndyB]

(the original combination as described in the book)

 

  Now who's showing off. 

[45156]

Ah Caterham. Yes, the pleasures of rush hour attachments and detachments at Purley. I do miss it all in a bizarre masochistic kind of way.

 

Was that in the era of the 455/456 or do you go back to the old EPB - the latter seemed to be a little quicker to detach and combine when the shunter at Purley was on the ball.

[Pete 75C]

By the time I passed for driving multiple units at Selhurst, the EPBs were on their way out so 455s, 456s and 319s mainly. I traded heavy metal for lightweight plastic as a lot of the older drivers would say... Pete.

[45156]

Rarely bother with it on the washing machines though, as Joanna wears them out so quickly! Have to keep reminding myself that I am no longer fit enough to mend them myself as I did in the past.

 Might be worth considering as if the machine wears out (and to be honest modern ones do, very quickly), you get a new one - we got a replacement fridge freezer after about six years and during that time, it had two new sets of doors, about four sets of drawers, then three repair visits whereby it was diagnosed as terminal - the insurance paid out for a new machine, and the price that we got was more than we paid, as it's based in the replacement cost of the written off machine by a current model - but without the requirement to buy that replacement - the credit can be spent on anything in store - as we paid around £50 a year for the cover, that came to £300 over the life of the machine, and the repairs were worth £200 a throw for the doors and the callouts would have been £50 a throw, and they then paid out £399 on top for a new machine - the arithmetic appears to come down heavily in our favour.