Early Risers.

[laurenceb]

Night all

[Jock67B]

Morning all,

I hope to get an earlier night tonight, and a reasonable sleep! My oncologist continues to impress me with his caring and efficient manner. During my last consultation, I mentioned that I thought that the hernia that was patched during the operation to remove my kidney and tumour appears to have given way again! This week I received copies of two letters he had sent to my GP, one informing him about the radiotherapy and need for extra Oramorph for a time, the other about the hernia and that he had referred me to 'general surgery'! Today I had a letter from the consultant in charge of 'hernias', with an appointment for the 30th! (Oddly, the day after my next oncology visit). I'm very happy with this as it isn't yet an emergency.

Pete(trisonic), thanks for the information about the passing of Jim Diamond. I saw him first in a band called 'Jade' from memory, that would have been in the late sixties I believe and he looked like a kid, although he certainly had a distinctive voice. Since reading your post, his theme tune from 'Boon', and probably biggest hit, has been like an earworm! Did your paths cross professionally? Don't know what killed him, although I believe he suffered from hepatitis - no age really, RIP Jim.

Neil(NHN), good that you got to see the Vulcan during its 'swansong'tour - we were terribly lucky that it headlined the Clacton Air Show this summer. I note that Mick(NB) was also lucky, but at a distance, although even that far away it is an imposing sight, and no doubt sound!

Simon, that is very encouraging news about the biopsy results, although a bit disappointing that they kept you waiting so long. I shall raise my nightcap to you shortly!

Encouraging news from Stewart who seems to be sensibly exercising his way back to fitness, and a big thank you to all our Facebook members for the updates on Debs - a smile on my face tonight with such news.

Dave(TG), thanks for the superb set of images, really good for those of us who can't get to shows at the moment. Thanks too for the update on 'Is', she truly is a remarkable woman.

Jamie, I was pleased to read your post, with some superb photographs from Belgium. It reminded Joanna and I of the many such trips we have made. Your comment on the peacefulness of such places struck a chord - we used to do regular 'booze and baccy' trips to Adenkirk, just over the Belgian border, and often took the grandchildren. There is a very small cemetery just off the main dual carriageway North, and accessed by a track alongside the famous chocolatiers shop on the way into Adenkirk town - it is populated with the remains of some very brave soldiers who lost their lives during WW2, holding up the German advance on Dunkirk in what they must have known was a suicide mission. Immaculately presented as they all are. On separate occasions, our son, both Clacton grandsons and our granddaughter all commented about the feeling of stillness, and the lack of birdsong, although very close to a busy junction. We found that this was also remarkable in the very large graveyard at 'Terlincthun', just south of Boulogne, where a busy 'A' route passes the entrance, and the coastal SNCF main line forms the rear border. Hard to explain until you have stood there and experienced the tranquility for yourself. (I'm certain I've mentioned this cemetery before - it was near a large WW1 hospital to where the wounded were moved, away from the battlefield. Friend and foe are buried there alike, and sadly lots of the gravestones show that many of them survived beyond the end of the war, but succumbed to infection presumably, dying much later!). I have made it something of a crusade to ensure that my family, right to the youngest new members, must be taught what happened there, although watching BBC News24 at the moment, makes me wonder what we learned!

I hope that Sunday goes well for one and all, I'm off to try to sleep now, with lunch to prepare for No1 son's visit tomorrow. The Sky+ box is set for both the Russian GP, and the Japanese round of MotoGP.

Kind regards,

Jock.

G'night all!

[newbryford]

Thanks for that link, Mick, but unless I missed it, I still can't see what time is take off tomorrow.  I know it will pass over Farnborough 90 minutes after take off, but can't see the start time.  Maybe it will be decided tomorrow when they know the weather conditions.

 

Oops - just realised that it had duration times. Like Saturday's flight, I think it's a 1pm takeoff..... But don't hold me to that.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Two_sugars]

Good show again a Shildon. . very crowded. Attended today with whirlwind granddaughter. . . . .Go back tomorrow for a proper look with my mate. . 

I was very good. . . .I didn't buy anything.

 

Enjoyed your Flanders write up Jamie, and I remembered, correctly, that the Berkshire Memorial bearing my grandads name, is between Messines and Ploegsteert not Menin as in my previous post on the subject. Just down the hill, in fact from the Irish Memorial in your post.

 

Goodnight Everyone . . .Sleep well.

 

John

[NGT6 1315]

Morning all. Breezy outside but with clear skies to set a peaceful mood. Sat in our recently converted lounge (formerly my office which I no longer needed in that role) with a cuppa.

 

And a thank you for all of you to have posted photos since last night, with Jamie's being a reminder of why war is a failure of all humanity and why understanding and reconciliation should always be preferable to hostility and vainglory.

 

Later...

[chrisf]

Belated good morning one and all

 

As Dave TG's pics have shown, I was also in a good place yesterday with some far more deserving than I of the appellation 'great and good'.  The reputations of Retford, Blakeney and Black Lion Crossing are such that no further comment is required.  My brain was firing on less than the right number of cylinders though and I had trouble in remembering some people's names so apologies to Paul and Steve, and possibly others!  Most if not all of those present trooped outside just before 1 pm and scanned the skies for a triangular black dot that had just taken off from Finningley.  Not even the influence of Roy Jackson could persuade the Vulcan to fly right over the throng but it came close enough on its latest farewell tour.  Even the A1 behaved itself for the 100+ miles each way.

 

Tasks for today: find out if the Modelstrip in a rediscovered canister is sufficiently potent to remove one puny coat of scarlet paint and Airfix factory finish from my Siphon G, carry on researching the Derby heavyweights and attack the chicken casserole that I was too tired to reheat last night!

 

Ongoing puzzle: why does my printer stop printing in black and white until I have replaced the magenta ink cartridge?

 

Until tomorrow, and after what I hope will be a good day for all

 

Chris 

[lightengine]

Dark outside at present, getting up with the missus whilst she prepares for work. Walked along the beach a bit yesterday but the wind was making brownish spume and the water was coming in. A big upright from a beach groyne had been pulled up and thrown up the beach. Not many on the beach but a few more walking the sea wall which looked a bit dodgy at times with the waves crashing against the wall. The new coastal watch building is in use and looks much better than the previous little structure.

[roundhouse]

Morning all from Barrow In Furness.

 

We had a great day yesterday firstly photographing the morning loco hauled off Barrow to Carlisle and the nuclear flask train then a full day playing trains at the show.

 

Within minutes of he show closing for he day we were off to Barrow station to catch the loco hauled to Millom for a quick beer before heading back to Foxfield and into the Prince of Wales where we then spent most of the evening. We closed off the evening with a final beer with those that decided to catch the last train rather than he special bus, in the Dule of Edinburgh in Barrow.

 

Luckily no headache after all those superb beers so looking forward to another superb day.

 

Just a shame that we couldn't go and see the Vulcan fly over Windermere as it was just too far to take a break from the show.

[Barry O]

Morning all.

 

Bit grey here today but got things to do. Enjoyed the Rhinos game more than the RU games - it seemed a lot more intense and, despite the odd hiccup from the officials no back chat at the referee. (Stenodoc who is a RU ref has said this is still a sending off offence - obviously not the case in RU Internationals!).

 

Interesting listening to Richard Kettleborough he says the Test Match umpires do look for no balls all the time but have been told to check them when a wicket falls if they believe it is close to a no ball.

 

Simon, great news indeed.

 

Hope Debs gets back to us soon.

 

The Vulcan seems to have flown by us so it looks like I have missed it.

 

For those off to shows today's have a great day. For everyone else hope your day goes well.

 

Baz

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Looks like it will be another fine day with some sunshine.

Watched the England game but TBH didn't get too excited although there are a few players that show promise for the future. 

It seems "we" will be working hard today as The Boss fetched me a cup of tea at 6.50 and asked what I wanted for breakfast! First task will be packing up rolling stock on the old layout and removing controller and buildings etc. I can then think about trying to salvage some of the many points that are there but that may be laborious as they are glued and ballasted. They are mainly Hornby Set Track and I wonder if it's worth the bother.

Also need to try and fit in watching the Russian GP and France v Ireland later. 

Don't think today will have enough hours in it so instead of waffling on here I better "get a move on".

Have a good one,

Bob.

Edited October 11, 2015 by grandadbob

[newbryford]

Mornin' all.

 

Big golf match today - family honour at stake. The teams were picked yesterday with a suitable degree of banter.

Terms have been agreed for non-players/injuries and a side bet has been put aside.

Off for breakfast before commencing hostilities play at 0930.

 

Then should be out to watch the local ice hockey team tonight. Blackburn Hawks v Solway Sharks - usually a good physical encounter and game. This is the first of 4 home/away league matches and for some reason the fixture list has thrown them as 4 out of the next 5 games for Blackburn. I'm sure that by the end of the series, there'll be a few grudge matches settled between them.

 

Have a good Sunday folks.

 

Catch up later,

Cheers,

Mick

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Short one this morning as I'm out to the Canvey rally shortly, be back later.
 

[emt_911]

I watched the England v Uruguay game last night and wasn't impressed with either sides performance. There are a few young  England players that will be worth watching in the future.

 

A day of chores is planned in front on the TV with the Russian GP and two games that should be good to watch. France v Ireland and USA v Japan.

 

Have a good day everyone

[big jim]

Well i got my train back to the yard early, put to bed, looked at my watch and thought hmmmm, im not far from here and the ETA on the map said 10am, it would be rude not to

 

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Always interesting to hear how visits to WWI battlefields and memorials go - they can have a  tremendous effect on anyone who knows anything about that war and I think for many people it is always going to be one that affects your view of war more than the later, far bigger conflict.  It is salutary to make your way up the long slope from Ypres to Passchendaele village and then to look at Tyne Cot Cemetery - the largest of all the WWI Western Front cemeteries (where, years ago, we sat outside in the car listening to Lord Mountbatten's funeral on the car radio).  Perhaps difficult in some ways to imagine how your forebears struggled to make the same trip up that long slope nearly 100 years ago but my paternal grandfather made it and came home although his best mate didn't and has his name on the Menin Gate memorial after disappearing into the mud one night.

 

Anyway to less sombre things - the chicken casserole, especially the dumplings, went down a treat and no doubt tonight's lamb will too.  I see the Farnham show is getting some good comments - well deserved but I'd better not say too much as I don't want to upset a certain granddad round here who we usually see there.  Sunny(ish) outside so the 'G' word is back in vogue.

 

Have a good day one & all

[45156]

Morning All

 

I tried to post earlier, but kept getting a bad gateway message when I hit enter, then the site disappeared off the radar competely for a while.

 

Great to hear how the rest of our ER world is going, and as ever, Jock has done a neat encpasulation of the day's events for us all.  Nothing more on FB from our Debs, so hope all is well there.  And generic greetings to the rest.

 

Jaimie - I found your post to be poignant, moving, and uplifting all at the same time, and I wanted to hit all the complimentary buttons, as it was liked, the sentiment agreed, also supportive and clever as the photos were good as well.

 

Ian - when I see the owners of the Duke, I'll be seeking commision for the introduction and amount by which you've swelled his coffers this weekend - but then you'd probably have found this one yourself with your innate ability to sniff out a decent pint.  Don't forget if you're "doing" Lancaster tonight that there are other decent establishments beyond the Borough, and we've discussed these before, but in order to secure that commission a bit better a few in the Sun would help.

 

Been out for a shortish walk this morning, and will have another later.  Will check back again this evening for a further catch up. 

 

Regards to All

Stewart

Edited October 11, 2015 by 45156

[southern42]

' Afternoon all from red dragon land.

Primed with coffee and we're all set for F1.

[Tony_S]

Afternoon all.

Wasn't feeling too well this morning though I did watch a few minutes of the F1 programme. I did then perk up somewhat, took Robbie for a walk (he did a lot of running!), and then cut the lawns. I did think about going to the transport museum exhibition on Canvey but I couldn't make my mind up about whether to drive and get the shuttle bus from the seafront carpark or go by bus all the way. So I didn't go. I suppose the nearby football stadium wasn't available for parking now the football season is underway.

Tony

[45156]

Quiet today, there must be a lot on TV - F1 and other sporting events, I guess.....or perhaps reruns of Ice Road Truckers on one of the repeat channels

[Jock67B]

Afternoon all,

Not a bad night's sleep last night, although a struggle to get off initially. Just had a lovely lunch with Joanna and No1 Son Stuart - probably eaten too much fresh egg pasta, carbonara sauce (one of the easiest to cook!) and garlic infused 'French stick', so strawberry cheese cake and créme fraiche has been put on hold until tea! Stuart and Joanna have gone off to see grandson Matthew for a short while, but I think I might have picked up a bug, having had some sickness and diarrhoea and I dare not risk giving it to the lad so soon after his open heart surgery.

 

Jamie's post on cemeteries was certainly moving and set my mind racing. One half of the large graveyard near where we live, dates back to the 18th century (Joanna's parents, sister and nephew are buried in the newer part on the other side of the road!), and as I regularly walk Archie around I've noticed lots of very old family gravestones that have been annotated to include young family members killed during WW1. There are quite a few from WW2 and later conflicts as well. I don't know about graveyards elsewhere in the country, but the 'War Graves Commision' administer a couple of small separate areas where soldiers from both wars were brought home and laid to rest here. There are around twenty or more graves, marked with the familiar gravestones, from each of the major conflicts and the areas they are in are always perfectly manicured. There are also three small areas, with only two headstones each, commemorating Merchant Navy personnel who perished doing a necessary duty. The commission also tend a separate single headstone which refers to Frederick and Dorothy Gill, who as I've mentioned before, were the first civilian casualties on home soil in WW2, killed when a German bomber was shot down when trying to sow mines in the Harwich roads. It unfortunately crashed on to their house whilst still carrying its deadly cargo! I think it is quite wonderful that such a vast organisation can also care for such far flung grave sites, and wonder if any others on here have similar content in their local area?

 

Hope today's sports results go the way you'd like, and I'll try to post later,

Kind regards,

Jock.

[newbryford]

 

Hope today's sports results go the way you'd like, and I'll try to post later,

Kind regards,

Jock.

 

First event has gone to plan and I'm now 20 beer tokens better off thanks to my team winning 725 points to 699 in the annual Captain's v President's Match.  That'll pay for the evening at the ice hockey! Just home for a quick viewing of the F1 highlights and that's also good.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Barry O]

been busy baseboard concocting. I have to supply a "have a go" layout for juniors at our show. I used two of the baseboards for my test track so.... two more have been acquired from my stock in the garage. No wto reuse them I had to take track, wiring, point motors and micro switches off them, shorten the legs (with help from her indoors who measured 10mm too short how??) so adding bits to  legs , fitting hinges etc, Being a sunny day helped as I could work easily in teh garage.

 

Her indoors has taken out two of our hedge hawthorns and spent £35 buying 5 potted ones to replace them - I cut up the old wood and she has planted the new plants. Hopefully this will mean we will have a full hedge again in the next ten years.

 

So off to umpire a bit then an earlyish night as Sister Drac awaits first thing in the morning.

 

Sleep well everyone!

 

Baz

[BoD]

Evenin' all.

Glad to hear that you didn't have a bad night's sleep Jock. Hopefully that signals further progress toward getting rid of that pain.

I managed to build some bases for signals (see what I did there?) this afternoon, including brackets for servos. When these last two signals are finished I only need to paint the lot (the arms are already done) and I have the full complement for the loft layout. I seem to have an odd way of working, signals are built, points are constructed but there is not a sign of a baseboard in sight. Never mind, progress is being made.

I would create a thread for the layout and post some pics but someone would tell me that they are 3 pixels too narrow..... or too wide...... or perhaps even both.

Edited October 11, 2015 by BoD

[lightengine]

Those of you that have visited Teignmouth have probably walked along the sea wall. But did you know that you could have saved your legs and driven along it. Parking on the beach!

http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/Car-driven-Teignmouth-promenade/story-27961976-detail/story.html

[roundhouse]

Stewart
We have been visiting the Duke since it first reopened a few years ago as being doing the Barrow show on and off for about 20 years.

Now sitting in the Borough drinking one of their ales. Next is the Tap.

Ian

Edited October 11, 2015 by roundhouse