Early Risers.

[Smiffy2]

Godda colb. Bubber.

[JohnDMJ]

I never done any languages at school,

Not even English?? (TIC!)

[Ian Abel]

... It seems that not a day goes past but there is more illness/bad news/etc here - but that's what ERs are about, sharing the good and the bad, and giving as much virtual support as we can offer...

Indeed and agreed.

I do think it's also useful/important to note that whilst I do dislike hearing of the various ailments and sufferings, I am reminded that in part that is certainly due to the demographic (aging), and we're all likely to succumb at some point/eventually. I was going to use the word "unfortunate" to reference the bad news etc., but in part we are actually fortunate in that we are here to provide friendship and support to each other, which is a gift.

 

My thoughts go back to my best friend in the UK. I was there, in my early teens, when his dad died at the age of 47 of a heart attack. He vowed it wouldn't' happen to him. Exercised regularly, had a good healthy diet. Dropped dead at 49 of a heart attack whilst doing laps in the local pool.

I'm pretty sure he'd prefer to be dealing with some illness and getting the support we provide here, rather than the alternative/reality.

 

Don't mean to be too solemn, but I do appreciate everyone on ER for the gifts of kindness, support and friendship they show to each other as a group, and "Being Here".

[roundhouse]

Amazing!

Sounds rather like the blonde air-head mis-guided young lady Jemma had the misfortune to spend her first year sharing a dorm room with.

She'd always complain that a 9AM lecture was far too early as she didn't have time to get ready (hair and makeup "expert") for it so early, and either skipped it or was late - all this moaning to Jemma who was listening to it whilst having already attended a 7:30AM lecture! Pah!! Oh she'd also call "mummy" and complain that "daddy" was being mean because he told here she'd not get her allowance unless her grades improved!

I think fees for college/university should be inversely proportional to your grades/if you graduate at all.

"A" students get a free pass

Everyone else, a graduated scale with the most being paid by the party-goers who waste the school, professorial staff and other students time, by not being involved.

I remember many years ago working with some one who's daughter was blonde and dyed her hair brunette to be taken seriously!

 

Had a few beers in the Rake in Borough Market (often referred to as the most expensive pub in the world in the right accent although we think it's good value not having of travel to some of the far out places they get the beer from) A tap take over by Northern Monk, a brewery from Leeds area ( NR,so Lonfdon prices this time). Some that we tried were rather nice but a fair few not our style of beer so retreated to the inside warmth of the Market Porter where they had quite a few interesting dark ales on.

 

Now on our way home on a rather slooooow stop start 'fast' Southern service so service as usual but at least we are standing near one of the few working toilets. It's chilly outside even after a few winter warmers

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

Usual good wishes to those in need, and absent friends.  Still no word from Taz, and I have now lost Trev's address since my old lappy expired. :-(

 

I haven't been to the cinema since my hip went south, and TBH I don't much miss it, for the reasons Tony outlined!  I just can't sit for that long in an upright seat without quite a lot of pain kicking in.

 

Still valuing stock at work, my calculator finger will be lucky to last the week! 

[Oldddudders]

I think I last visited a cinema on 25th Jan 2001, when Deb dragged me to see some StarTrek movie on her birthday. Was it called Insurrection? Far too noisy. Not my sort of thing then or since, thanks.

[Happy Hippo]

Sickness?  Ailments?

 

I'm as fit as a fiddle.

 

It's just a pity all the strings have broken!

[Judge Dread]

I never done any languages at school, they were just absent from the curriculum. I always struggle with foreign languages anyway even when I have attempted to learn them. One chap I used to know used to pick up foreign languages easily, he'd be conversing with the locals as if he'd been speaking the language all his life within a couple of weeks, surprising as he could barely add 2 and 2 together, horses for courses and all that.

My French teacher at school assured me that after his efforts over four years to teach me that language, it would allow me to converse with a French person with a similar learning span. That would be a four year old he said!

Having done the Ramma exhibition in Sedan, three times now, I wish I had paid more attention in lessons. l managed to order a steak in the hotel restaurant  but was unable to stress I wanted it "well done". The result was one that was so "rare", a good vet could have had it back on it's feet in half an hour!

[Simon G]

Also sending good wishes to those in need of them!

 

Today, Mrs G, her school friend and I visited Keswick, and had a walk up Latrigg, a hill about 1200 feet high that has superb views and was actually above the snow line, so we were walking in icy crunchy snow for quite a while today, and many sections of the path were slippery, but we managed OK.  Them back into Keswick for lunch, tried two places that were either closed, or didn't have much on their menu, so went to the newish Wetherspoons, which is in the old Police Station and local Courts.  You can even choose a nice private table inside one of the old cells, which is novel.  Spoons have managed to retain the character of the place very well, and the food was surprisingly good too.  Then we had a walk down to Derwentwater, where the lake was nearly as flat calm as Ennerdale was yesterday.  Some photos:

 

Skiddaw from the path up Latrigg - it looked as fantastic as the picture shows!

 

Sheep and Snowmen on top of Latrigg.

 

Derwentwater from Friar's Crag

 

Now back home, well happy but knackered!

[Tony_S]

I think I would require Robbie to help me up the hills in Simon's photos!

While I was painting earlier in the week Aditi took Robbie for a walk. On the way back he changed direction suddenly and pulled her over. She landed flat out but was more shocked than hurt. She said Robbie would have been more than shocked if she had landed on him.

We have decided that I should paint the front bedroom this weekend. It shouldn't take too long, it has a lot of fitted wardrobes that won't be painted behind.

Tony

[Simon G]

I only go up the little ones just now, and take pictures of the big ones! My legs and knees are not what they were, and Mrs G is much the same.

[New Haven Neil]

Just watching the fair tax town prog on TV - they made fraggle rock look very nice (it is....) but kept calling us a tax haven - we're not, we have a full disclosure agreement with the UK, so be careful if you're thinking naughty tax thoughts!  We have tried very hard to overcome this image of being like the Caymans or similar, and they go and do that. #sigh#

[JohnDMJ]

Great pictures, Simon. Only mountains I can see at the moment are stopping leaks, finishing the building (of kitchen) and designing the wiring of Bognor Club's new "test" track (6 cab DC with DCC option!)

 

Still, should be one step nearer to resolving health issues with discussion with GP tomorrow evening. Coeliac, Crohne's or something else - that is the question. I await the professional verdict; probably = more tests.

Edited January 20, 2016 by JohnDMJ

[andyram]

Evening all. Sorry to hear the news from DD. Very sad.

In response to LE's question - Sarah was tested for cat allergy many years ago before I knew her. She was diagnosed as lactose intolerant.

Last night was pretty sleepless all round. She is still not great and has spent much of the day in bed. As a result Amber joined me at school today. She was as good as gold, and made Daddy very proud. Had she put on a school uniform you would have struggled to pick her out as not being a regular member of the class.

 A promised reward was tea at McDonalds and a trip to see my Mum and Dad who were standing the swapmeet at Burton Town Hall. The bonus was that I was able to confirm some stall holder bookings for the Weston 2016 exhibition. I also picked up a reasonably priced Hornby J15. I think I deserve it after this week!

 

My cold has returned just in time for tomorrow's dental appointment!

[Donw]

It is a good few years since we went to a cinema. Apart from the inane chatter and general noise there also seem to be a spreading tide of rubbish, dropped popcorn sweet wrappers , plastic bottle, paper cups . No thanks I would much rather watch at home.  

At just 10% income tax I do regard it the Isle as a tax haven. Would my pension be paid without UK tax? I agree you are not interested in tax fiddles but if you have a fair bit of cash and wish to live off the interest, life might be rosier on the IOM.

Nice pictures Simon.

Don

[PhilJ W]

Not even English?? (TIC!)

Not exactly my best subject at school, Maths and Geography were my forte at school. When I left school aged 16 in 1964 I had no difficulty in finding a job and in those days it was easy to switch jobs and when I started the job where I ended up making it my career in 1970 it was my sixth job. I do really feel sorry for todays youngsters leaving school with an armful of qualifications and still being unable to find a decent job.

[Gwiwer]

 

 

 it's a frequent practice in public transport to provide times in a, shall we say, "beyond 24 hours" format if, for example, a time indication refers to a turn which is, technically, part of the previous day's timetable and goes out of service past midnight? I'd be interested to hear how British public transport operators handle this kind of detail!

 

 

That happens here too.  Though only on the tramways.  If your shift continues beyond midnight the clock keeps counting and does not revert to 00.00  If your shift starts after midnight the clock starts with it.  That gives rise to the scenario during all-night running of one driver being due at a time-point at perhaps 27.00 and another at 03.00 yet both being in the same place at the same time.

 

Trains and buses use "actual" time though commonly still the 12-hour clock other than for internal working documents.  Drivers, station staff and customers alike will describe the 17.07 departure as the "5.07pm" or sometimes "Seven after five".  Public timetables are all 12-hour format.  By way of poking a little fun at that I often describe my start and finish times as (for example) "half past 22 o'clock".

 

There is the additional complication in some places of a time-zone change.  Trains between Melbourne and Adelaide for example "lose" 30 minutes while those in the other direction appear to gain 30 minute sand serve two towns some distance apart at the same time.  There is a 30-minute time difference between Victoria and South Australia.  At least that is consistent all year.  The border between New South Wales and Queensland which is crossed by Sydney - Brisbane services has a one-hour time difference in summer only, defined by the dates New South Wales adopts "Daylight Saving" or summer time.  Queensland does not have daylight saving and is on the same time all year.  Ah the joys .....

 

 

 

And in other news .....

 

Sorry indeed to hear DD's news though I too have encountered the "faux" recovery followed by demise and very painful it is too for those left behind.  

 

Excellent to hear from Jock and with some good news to boot.  Keep it up, chap, despite all the obstacles in your path.

 

Utterly no chance of back-reading here, I'm afraid.  The mobile which I have used for some time to browse posts whilst commuting has died and requires replacement.  Until such time I'm only able to use it for emergency phone calls.  Home browsing time is very limited.

 

We're away for the weekend - off to a holiday house at the curiously-named Loch Sport.  A tiny and isolated town on a long sand-spit with the Southern Ocean / Ninety Mile Beach on one side and the Gippsland lakes on the other side for fans of brackish but warm bathing / sailing / fishing waters.  Brother-in-Law has his boats (plural!) there so there's a fair chance of me getting wet.

 

Best wishes all.  Sleep well if you can.

[emt_911]

I've just been on a call out. A bit of information for IDL. Star Lane was -2 at 22:00 according to my van.

 

Simon - More stunning photos. I can't remember ever seeing Derwent Water that flat.

 

JohnDMJ - I hope that the health resolution doesn't take too long

[Barry O]

Northern Monk beer is brewed around the corner from our club rooms. Unfortunately we have been given 6 weeks notice to quit so a lot of work ongoing to find a new,alternative club room.

 

Sleep well everyone.

 

Baz

 

P's travelintrev was last on here in early Feb 2015.

[BSW01]

Evening everyone. It was a cold and misty, but frost free start to the day. The first task was to replace the bins after the binned and emptied and returned them. They left them outside the gate today, wonders never cease as they usually leave them 2 or 3 doors down the street! The traffic was bad this morning due to a car breaking down in the road works on the M60, (why do cars ALWAYS breakdown in roadworks?). By early morning the sun was out and th skies were blue and not a cloud in sight. But it didn't get much warmer, although if you could stay in the sunlight it was quite nice. My first job of the day was in Marton, near to Blackpool, I then slowly worked my way back towards home via work in Kirkham and Leyland.

 

The last time we went to the cinema was to watch Calendar Girls, and as many have said previously we'd rather buy a BlueRay and watch a film at home, it's cheaper too!

 

BoD. I do remember ice slides in the play ground and having completions to find who could slide the furthest whilst still staying upright!

 

Pete(LE). I'm of the opinion that today kids aren't taught stuff in lessons anymore, their taught how to pass an exam, hence the young don't seem to know much these days.

 

Jock. We'll crack open the bubbly at the weekend, due to the restrictions set in place by my employer (which BTW I am in complete agreement with) with regard to driving with alcohol/drugs in the blood! There have been dismissals when someone is found to have levels above those set by the company.

 

DD. Sorry for the sad news, but glad to hear that you escaped the flooding, which must be a huge relief.

 

Simon G. Stunning photos, both yesterday and today, absolutely breathtaking.

 

Goodnight all.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[laurenceb]

Condolences to DD

Night all

[emt_911]

Night all

[newbryford]

Just watched the BBC "Trains that Time Forgot". Awful program, I will try and forget to see any others of the same ilk.

 

To cheer me up, I'm going to put the bins out.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited January 21, 2016 by newbryford

[The Stationmaster]

Mike, is the cinema a multiplex, as I suspect that this couple might well have been headed for a different screen where a different (or even the same) film was showing at a different time, and they just realised their error - that happened to me a while back when I went to the cinema and the same film was showing in different auditoria an hour apart.

Indeed it is Stewart - we were in the c.90-100 seat Screen 3 (yes, it's the smaller one of the three).  I did indeed wonder if that was what was happening but their arrival didn't seem to line up with the starting time of any of the films showing elsewhere and you need to be well lost from the other two which are directly opposite the counter area to finish up in Screen 3 which has an entrance tucked away in a corner.  So I'm more inclined to wonder if it was the sight of Eddie Redmayne removing his shirt, or maybe Alicia Vikander removing hers, which caused them to leave?

 

G'night all.