Early Risers.

[Barry O]

well I did have a session "operating" the fiddle yards on Grantham - an interesting task. Major driver problems today were due to the inability of one driver to drive his car at more than 35 mph on a motorway - and yes he was in the outside lane with no one in lanes 1 and 2.

 

Had tea for free as it took 55 minutes to deliver our food. No commotion, no Tapas moment just a gentle comment to the manager that I could have walked to the slaughter house to collect the beef quicker myself!!

 

Sleep well everyone!

 

Baz

Edited June 6, 2016 by Barry O

[andyram]

Evening all. I enjoyed reading the Tapas tale, but really felt sorry for those whose night out was ruined by a combination of an incompetent restaurant and a BiL who could not behave. It did sound like a dreadful evening.

Today has been another scorcher. Typical that, as the schools return, the weather decides to improve. I took a few cakes in today as a small celebration of my passed course. There were some kind congratulations, whilst one or two could not be bothered. Mind you a couple of people seem to have gripes with me at present - but if they chose to read their emails they would have been better prepared for the expectations coming their way.

The first day back, was like all others, full of problems and a mounting workload. We are into report writing season which always takes a while. It may explain why I may be absent from these pages on some days.

 

Take care all.

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[trisonic]

BiL had been there he could have had a colouring in placemat and a balloon while waiting.

 

They could have stuffed the balloon up their ass but I do love “coloring in placemats”................

 

I see that, already,  a “Tapas Moment” has entered the ER lexicon.

 

We will undoubtably see (though quite rarely): "I had a Tapas Moment”

 

More probably (because we are collectively quite sensible): “I witnessed a Tapas Moment...”

 

Btw it is quite alright to complain in a reasonable manner about poor customer service in restaurants - so long as you are happy never to frequent them again.  I never return, if so, thus avoiding the waitress expectorating in my food, or worse.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited June 6, 2016 by trisonic

[Two_sugars]

A lovely day here on the Costa, . warm at 17c . . . Not bad for the North sea coast. . . very pleasant.

 

 

Thoughts for those who are ailing, or hurting.

 

 

Goodnight everyone  . .Sleep well.

 

 

 

John

[emt_911]

Morning all. Another hot day predicted which suits me fine as I'm working outside all day.

 

Time for more coffee.

 

Have a good day everyone

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all.  Roundhouse, I wonder if you meant to post in SOS Junction just now rather than here?  It is increasingly difficult to tell the difference!

 

The rear wiper is fixed.  It was a simple clip fit and the part cost £9.01.  Why the odd penny, I wonder?  On the way to the dealership I killed a bit of time in a nearby supermarket and watched almost enthralled as a seagull with a large morsel in its beak was pursued by a crow in an aerobatic display worthy of Spitfire versus Messerschmidt.  This was over the car park rather than inside the shop, you understand.  When I got home after all this excitement I was none too pleased to receive an unsolicited phone call from Will Writers.  Although the caller was highly apologetic when I pointed out to her that I am registered with the Telephone Preference Service and have been ex directory for three years I decided to report the call to TPS.  She said that she got my number from a database.  Madam, take me to  your database as I have a nuclear weapon that I wish to deploy.  Finally, I was browsing Jim Smith-Wright's website when the laptop shut down and restarted.  How dare it?  This is taking censorship too far. 

 

Today, I suspect, will be more tranquil.  There is food prepping for Poorly Pal's lunch tomorrow and a bit of googling to work out which Morris team he has been following around Hertfordshire as he cannot remember what they are called.  Well, it gets him out of the house and it's dead cultural.

 

Best wishes to the ailing, recovering, grieving, supporting, missing and depressed

 

Chris

[jamie92208]

Morning all from a very sunny village.   Had quite a good day yesterday though Tony wasn't too good when I went to see hm.  Minnie the senior cat is nuzzling my left arm as I type.  I suspect that she wants feeding at this time even though I woke up earlier than usual.  

 

Various domestic duties this morning such as hanging washing out and ironing so I suspect that much music will be selected.  I've got a two hour concert by The Highwaymen' that I taped on Friday, to watch.   That should be rather nice.

 

Thoughts with Dave and Is and regards to all others with troubles.

 

Jamie

[NGT6 1315]

Mawnin' awl. Still too warm to be sleeping properly, alas, so major caffeine intake will have to do as I was first awake some time past 4 am…

 

Time for the tapas story. (sans absinthe sadly)

 

Oh my effin' dear. You couldn't make that kind of scene up… I bet you'd have wished for rather a large bottle of said absinthe to be able to make it through that evening, wouldn't you?   

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Another warm sunny day is forecast but with the possibility of cloud and isolated thundery showers later. I think they said that yesterday but we didn't get any of the latter.(later)

Shopping trip yesterday was enjoyable for me because I picked up a NowTV box in Sainsburys complete with 1 month subscription to Sky Sport which had been reduced to £25 to clear. I've always said I wouldn't subscribe to Sky because of the cost but this seemed to be a good and reasonably cheap way for me to see the Australia v England rugby matches with the added bonus of a couple of Grand Prix and some cricket thrown in.        I  am the only person in the house happy about this.  

I've finally got the last siding fixed and tested on the layout. Painting and ballasting is next but at the rate I do things it could be a while before that gets done.

 

Aye, and GB is doing the practicals.

 

Surprisingly with my track record I've never had a mishap on a ladder and I don't intend to.  This may be because many years ago my old boss fell off one when it slipped and ended up with a compound fracture of the femur and that has always reminded me to be extra careful. These days about the highest I venture is up a few rungs to clean the conservatory roof and that will do me.

Tuesday means grandchildren here after school but these days they don't seem to need any help with homework. Just as well after looking at some of it last week!

Have a good one,

Bob. In Sutton. Safely at ground level.

[roundhouse]

Morning all from yet another sunny morning

 

 

Spent an hour so far working on the layout. T-4 days till its firsto uting in its new format but still loads to do.

 

Train yesterday morning short formation.

 

Last night 20 late due to staff shortages with a train load of people off another cancelled service having to stand whilst we awaited a platform at East Croydon (an East Grinstead service stuck in platform 6 awaiting staff and our relief driver not at East Croydon either) but at least ours ran which many didnt. On top of that the next bus (as we missed our regular one) was very late then roadworks backing odwn past our road meant we were quite late to mums (only a few miles form us) to take her out for her 84th birthday and the first place went in (now nearly 8pm after leaving work at 5pm) was already too busy to do us food.

 

This morning our train is cancelled.

 

Apparently the DFT have re negotiated GTRs perfomance thresholds so that they didnt default but things only seem to have deteriorated in the last few working days with almost as many train faults as staff shortages.

 

At least last weekend we got to use up some of the £180 worth of delay repay vouchers that the two of us have amassed so it was a fairly cheap one ticket wise.

 

Update

 

Thameslink only four coaches and one of them is locked out of use. Should be 8 coaches

Edited June 7, 2016 by roundhouse

[Barry O]

Very sunny here this am.

Two-sugars..you mind to keep your vest and leggings on. At that temperature Blackhills Road will be melting!

 

Today I have some domestics to undertake, a bit of weathering then some cricket to watch.

 

Enjoy your day

Baz

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

I must admit, I did rather enjoy the Tapasgate story - but if I had personally been faced with the situation then I would have been mortified.  I intensely dislike having to complain, but if you do have to do it, then there are ways and means. 

 

Being rude to people who are just trying to do their job (however badly) is unacceptable - but if the Tapas restaurant in question carry on like with even a small percentage of their customers, they aren't going to be around for long!

 

We have a nice morning here, with blue sky and sunshine.  However, I managed to leave my company ID card at home today - which meant I had to knock on the office door (fortunately, I got let in fairly quickly) and then had to wait until one of my colleagues arrived with a universal key to open my office door.  I won't do that again in a hurry.

 

Have a good day everyone...

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Mornin' all,

 

Best regards to those that ail

 

Another lovely start in The Moorlands but the cloud is starting to threaten. More calories burnt around the short anticlockwise.

 

The garden at sunset last night....

 

A reminder of the grip which Is's condition has on her came yesterday.....after the bright weekend....with her needing assistance to sit up in bed and to get to the bathroom. She has so little strength.....I do wonder whether she will make it home. The stent implant might happen today....if she is up to it.

 

Feathered ones provided for

 

Enjoy what you do

 

Dave 

[Donw]

Morning all, a bit of rain overnight but not really enough for the garden. There must have been some thunder around in the night awoken by Monty huffing and puffing. I thought he might need to go outside but I got up and he made no attempt to go to the back door.

 

Don

[45156]

Oh please do.

Oh well if you must.

 

Spitting in the soup, sauce, or other liquidish dishes like stroganoff.

Dropping a piece of meat on the floor, then picking it up, and putting it back on the plate the other way up.  Works for some veg as well.

"Forgettng" to mention that a plate is very hot when serving the dish.

 

These were the most prevalent practices and I saw them in use by annoyed colleagues more than once.

[AndrewC]

Morning all from the boring borough. Work from home today. Hmmm maybe I'll wander up the road at lunchtime for tapas.   Not sure if someone who was there that night has posted  but there are now a couple of reviews on fecesbook complaining about the meals all coming out at different times. SWMBO left a scathing review on the table booking website. I had tried some damage limitation on Twatter but they immediately blocked me. arsebadgers. Oh well they've got 24 followers, my tweet went to over 700 and retweeted to a few thousand more.

 

Thanks all for the comments about the evening. Reading it back it now seems very comedic. Glad some got a laugh out of it. Today will be mostly spent waiting. We've got a meat delivery expected before noon, and the plumber is coming to look at the boiler and drain my bank account. In the mean time is breakfast with a guacamole bagel (SWMBO makes it herself and its quite spicy as she adds "Christ on a Bike" hot sauce) and then the pretence of doing some actual work.

 

Have a great day all.

[Happy Hippo]

I woke up this morning to discover I am now 60!

 

This came as a shock as I'd always thought I was much older!

 

My planned track laying session has had to be put back as the Obergrumpenfuhrer has arranged for us to go on a picnic with Merryn and Eira at Chastleton House.

 

Those thinking of a small soiree on the lawn would be mistaken, as a Happy Hippo picnic usually comprises a marquee. a pantechnicon full of grub, a 5000 gallon bowser of cider and a large barrel of malt whisky.

 

Judging by the wicker hamper being loaded as I write this, I fear I might be on short rations!

 

Still, there is the meal for two at the local hostelry this evening which will give me the opportunity to top up if I'm still a little peckish.

[HeeleyBridge]

Morning all. Another stinker in store here today judging by the temperature already reached outside. Yesterday's bus ride looked like it was going to turn into a Roundhouse style failway journey. After walking for what seemed several miles to the relocated terminus, I was hot, tired and hurting.

 

Hooray! The bus turns up on time.

Boo! Cockwomble driver (not one of the regulars on the route) parks before the stop, gets off and clears off into the supermarket  to get himself breakfast.

Hooray! He's back and now he'll bring the bus to the stop, let us get on and sit while he eats his food.

Boo! He gets on and sits there for ten minutes.

Hooray! He's finished, now he'll move the bus as it's due out in a minute.

Boo! Nope, he gets off, walks around the back of the bus. Comes back round, gets back on the bus. Starts talking on his mobile. Now he's getting off the bus which is already five minutes late. He walks over. "Morning, are you waiting for this bus?".

 

Deep breath.

 

"Oil leak. Depot sending an engineer. You'll have to wait for the next bus."

 

Great, at least we can have a sit down.

 

Nope. Kevin Cockwomble goes and gets back on his bus, closes the doors and settles down to look at the pictures in The Sun. Us mere pasengers are left to stand in the sun. Hooray! He's put down his paper and is speaking on the phone. Now he's getting off again and coming over, we're now 15 minutes late.

 

"They're sending another bus. It will be about half an hour, then I'll probably have to run light to make up time", and off he goes to sit back down on his own private bus.

 

Deep breath.

 

Hooray! Here's the replacement bus. "morning all" says Brian (one of the regular drivers), "What are you all doing standing out here? Sun bathing?". Group of fed up passengers stare at young Mr Cockwomble lazing on his bus. "Oh, him. I'll have a word" and off he goes. Air inside bus sees to be sucked out and bus shakes a bit. Mr Cockwomble seems to shrink into his seat.

 

So Brian goes off to the depot with the leaky bus. Kevin Cockwomble climbs aboard his new steed and shouts "Come on everybody get on were late".

 

No sh*t Sherlock.

 

Then to everybody's amazement he says "Sorry folks, have this one on me" and refuses to collect any fares. (unusually nobody in the queue had a pass).

 

I will thank Brian next time he's on the bus, I don't know what he said, but it was very effective.

 

 

 

*Some names have been changed to protect the incapapable innocent. No bus drivers or Wombles were injured during the making of this comedy program. No goldfish were actually liquidised.

 

Thoughts to all those ailing. Have a good one and people; lets be careful out there.

[AndrewC]

I woke up this morning to discover I am now 60!

 

This came as a shock as I'd always thought I was much older!

 

My planned track laying session has had to be put back as the Obergrumpenfuhrer has arranged for us to go on a picnic with Merryn and Eira at Chastleton House.

 

Those thinking of a small soiree on the lawn would be mistaken, as a Happy Hippo picnic usually comprises a marquee. a pantechnicon full of grub, a 5000 gallon bowser of cider and a large barrel of malt whisky.

 

Judging by the wicker hamper being loaded as I write this, I fear I might be on short rations!

 

Still, there is the meal for two at the local hostelry this evening which will give me the opportunity to top up if I'm still a little peckish.

Hippo Birdie two ewes.

[45156]

Morning All

 

Phew, what a scorcher.  Last night's storm gave us some large raindrops, and a lot of rumbling and flashing for a while, but the rain only lasted a few minutes.  Lily was a bit perturbed by the bangs and crashes for a while, and didn't really get settled last night, so we were up with her to do her business at about 1 in the morning.  Then this morning, she wanted a lie in, while the bright morning had us awake by five.

 

Dave, hope that Is can get some relief and that the stent can be fitted, so that she gets some comfort.  Keep us posted, and as ever, don't forget that your virtual friends are all here and offering as much support and prayers as they can.

 

Ian, your daily tales of the p#ss poor rail service really show just how stressful London commuting has become, and it seems that it will take a great deal of work for things to improve, and with the current management approach of Southern, I am doubtful that the changes will occur.  This is, of course, a prize example of how a rail service runs when managed by accountants and cockwombles.

 

Chris F - TPS is not really all that effective any more. though it is better than nothing.  Unfortunately, these data sellers get their info from many sources, including some who really should know better, and you just need to give your number out (eg for a mail order purchase "in case there is a problem with your delivery") and it will be on a data harvesting company's records within a day or two - and some of these teleselling operators know that the TPS is ineffective, so even if your number is ex directory and on the TPS register, it doesn't stop them.

 

Happy birhday RIchard.  Welcome to the grumpy old men decade.

 

Greetings to those ailing or celebrating who have not been mentioned separately. 

 

Today's excitement appears to involve lawn mower, strimmer, and hedge trimmer.  I wonder if a GDB moment could be in the offing.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

Edited June 7, 2016 by 45156

[HeeleyBridge]

Appy burfday Richard.

[lightengine]

I too enjoyed the 'Tapas Affair' You started with a very real complaint about appalling treatment by the restaurant but once BiL got going the moral high ground started to slip. I can get a bit heated myself and do raise my voice on the phone sometimes but avoid swearing at people.  The last time I got rather heated was with Nationwide. We had written a letter to them giving our new address but two months later received a staement still addressed to the old house. I spoke to them on the phone and they changed the address (no comment about missing the letter from them) so when we received another addressed to the old house I got annoyed.  First up when you phone them they want to go through security questions at which point I saw red and told them they should look to their own security. Banks expect us to be very careful with our details so why were they sending out confidential information to the wrong address. Eventually they said the latter had been printed months before. I pointed out that it was there duty to ensure that where they had been notified of a change of address they should re-do the letters not just send them out. I dont suppose it will do any good.

Don

Banks?

Their security?

Wtf?

Dont start me there.

Having worked in the care sector with clients that are profoundly deaf, elective mutes or cannot communicate well the security baffled me.

Explain that your client cannot communicate but the bank still wants to speak to them. So a colleague answers the bank questions to a satisfactory standard. What does that prove except the bank has somehow achieved its needs.

Once, on a bus a female passenger became my wife for an urgent prescription phone conversation with the GP's rottweiler receptionist.

[grandadbob]

Many Happy Returns Richard..

[The Lurker]

Morning all.

 

Happy Hippo Birthday, Richard!

 

Back from a week in very sunny Gran Canaria - barely a cloud all week. We managed a couple of really good tapas meals, the only meals that younger Lurker did not choose garlic bread followed by Spag Bol as his meal. Sometimes there are minor draw backs to him not liking the whole chicken nuggets/burgers and chips thing that dominates children's menus.

 

Yesterday was a v ery busy one - catching on the hundreds of mostly inane e-mails and meeting with boss before he went off to one of our sites around the world for the rest of the week. And a course from HR on our new "values". Very evangelical in tone, we had to sign a commitment as to how we would change our ways. A bit like I imagine Billy Graham, only with no choice to making a commitment.

 

I've finally had some appointments following up the request the eye specialist made more than 18 months ago. Including two of what appear to be identical ones at different hospitals on different days!

 

Have a good day all