Early Risers.

[pH]

Years with a beard - 42 this year,  Mrs Stationmaster has never seen me without one so even if I wanted to shave it off such action would be prohibited (I'm told)

My brother grew a beard 40 years ago to cover the scars from a teenage car accident. He's shaved it twice in that time. Once was as he set off to cross the Atlantic by ship. He reckoned he had time to regrow it by the time he got to the US if he didn't like what he saw. He didn't like it, so he regrew it.

 

The other time he shaved was for a celebration in his wife's family. He sat at the bar on the way into the function room, and every single guest walked right past him. I can't say too much, though. My sister-in-law showed me a picture and I didn't recognise him either. (But then, she thought a picture of me with a short-lived beard was a picture of my brother, so I didn't feel too bad.)

[BR60103]

Not quite 40 years with my beard, but I grew some 50 years ago in university (and shaved for summer jobs).  Never understood shaving.

 

Spring is here! The snow is gone except for the bits where it was piled artificially high. Ooh: going down to -4 tonight and -12 tomorrow.

[DDolfelin]

A new phenomenon to me overnight.

Thunder Snow.

Drifted to almost half an inch.

We'll survive.

 

Hope all our friends on the Eastern/Southern shores are and will be OK during the surge.

[trisonic]

 

Hope all our friends on the Eastern/Southern shores are and will be OK during the surge.

 

Sorry, my “funny” was for your “drifted to almost half an inch” classic.

 

That storm surge sounds nasty - now I’m awake again I must check it out...

 

Thanks, Pete.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

So far, so good: there is as yet no snow on the ground here.  Knowing my luck, and it is Friday 13th, it will come in time to impede my journeys to Whittlesey tomorrow and Stevenage on Sunday.  Both involve the A1 which tends to be kept clear.  I did an extra fodder run yesterday because there was too much on the list to carry on the bus.  Today I will go back for the stew ingredients.  Stewart, noted re Aldi.  We do have one but it is out of town next to the branch surgery and on a different bus route.  I will buy suitable beef, a can of tomato soup and some appropriate vegetables such as carrots, leek, parsnip, turnip, swede and a few mushrooms.  Into my largest casserole it will all go on a low light and should be ready by about 4.30 pm with dumplings added half an hour earlier.

 

I found some gems in my store cupboard, including a pack of Pearce Duff blancmange of indeterminate age, a box of lemon meringue pie mix and a packet of Carmelle even older than the other one.  I was looking for the drum of cornflour as I fancied albino custard to go with the apple pie that was on special offer.  This was inspired in a way by the Hairy Bikers who made chocolate custard on TV yesterday to go with their banana tarte tatin.  Drool.

 

Sadly there is more to life than cooking.  Yesterday I generated some more ironing.

 

Best wishes to the lonely and depressed, to all travellers be they snowbound or Southern bound - and I noticed no mention of the latest oxymoronic industrial action on the news - and to the ailing, recovering, supporting, grieving and missing.

 

Chris

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

My "funny" to DDs post was the reference to "thunder snow" - which just sounds funny.

 

Speaking of weather, we don't have any snow but it is blowing an absolute gale here.  The forecast also mentions the possibility of snow later on.  I did a cursory check of the house and garden before I came to work and we seem to have weathered the storm ok.

 

Yesterday afternoon, I took all my paperwork to the town hall and formally registered for German citizenship.  It is now just a question of being patient and waiting for the outcome - plus providing them with any additional paperwork that they may require.

 

Time for a coffee as we have another day of testing today.

 

Have a good one everybody...

[Barry O]

Morning to most from the North West Leeds Highlands. We have had a very light dusting of some white coloured stuff overnight. No doubt panic due to this small amount will grid lock Leeds and it's surrounding area today!

 

Lots to do today shopping, parcel wrapping and posting and a bit of graphic design. A set of new pull ups advertising the Leeds MRS 70th birthday. Unfortunately I can't find a photo of our remaining founder member so will resort to finding him and talking him into having a photo taken.

 

Have a nice day...Rick and WW have a nice evening!

 

Baz

[TheQ]

Good evening everyone

 

Well that's another week almost over, I've now finished all the work that I have been given so far this month, so tomorrow will be spent in the orifice, booking more holidays before an early escape, with the excuse of taking some of my test equipment for its scheduled recalibration.

 

 

I do hope you're not giving me more work....

 

Morning Awl, a good night sleep 7.5 hours with only one wake up in the middle I feel so much better than yesterday.

 

Well it might be my mistake thinking the bearded one was using a smart phone but either way you shouldn't be driving along thinking about taking pictures...

I may have mentioned this before but Norwich city council have installed Zebra crossings with Bicycle markings, I have enough trouble with pedestrians launching themselves across on Zebras without any indication they were going to do so, without Cyclists illegally doing it high speed. ( you are require to dismount and push your bicycle across any zebra crossing).

 

We have a yellow alert for wind 60MPH expected at around 09:00, this is timing in with Spring High tides, Due at Hunstanton in the north of Norfolk at 06:00 round and down to Great Yarmouth at around 10:00 that means about 16:00 inland at my sailing club. All the coastal viliages and towns are now on RED alert.. They won't get any warning though, Norfolk Police a couple of years ago said they won't use the flood alert sirens anymore, so they have been removed. The police say Mobile phone  and internet alarms are enough, pity mobile phone don't work out where I am and I'm high up at 19ft, looking down on the houses on the coast they have no chance of a signal.

 

Snow, well  driving in this morning, my road was an Ice sheet but with liquid puddles, on approaching the high point of the journey a couple of miles away there were 1/4 inch snow drifts by the mud kerbs. at that point I was very glad to find the first gritted road as it was hard work keeping the LandRover on the tarmac bits at 20 Mph. Later on after about 10 miles I found the road   drying up  and no puddles so It's definitely the coast getting the worst of it here.

 

Right back to work, I have some in house current shunts to calibrate, and two resistance standards for a lab in Malaysia to do.

Edited January 13, 2017 by TheQ

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

No overnight snow to add to the small amount that fell yesterday. The temperature is just above freezing.

Nothing too exciting planned for today, walk with dog and collect prescriptions seem to be the only definite things to do.

Tony

[DDolfelin]

Morning all.

No overnight snow to add to the small amount that fell yesterday. The temperature is just above freezing.

Nothing too exciting planned for today, walk with dog and collect prescriptions seem to be the only definite things to do.

Tony

 

Are you at risk in Benfleet, Tony?

[roundhouse]

Morning.

 

We waited a half hour for bus home last night as it was too slippery to walk home in the heavy wet snow. Was a struggle just from the bus stop near home. After it had stopped snowing last night I brushed the snow off the car. Good job that I did as it was hard enough de icing it as it was.

 

Nearly fell over a few times whilst scraping the windows. Even the electric windows were frozen solid.

 

Luckily the roads weren't too icy but the pavements were truly frozen so people were walking in the road.

 

Strike day three with no southern services except for a Caterham to Victoria Peak our service not stopping between Purley and Victoria.

Luckily Thameslink was running OK and plenty of seats.

Edited January 13, 2017 by roundhouse

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone

 

We've had snow over night, but even if it drifted, we wouldn't get 1/2" of the stuff.

 

I'm heading off to the orifice soon, hopefully escape early then it's another week off work for me.

 

TheQ. I don't think our test equipment comes to you, but I could be wrong. The company in its infinite wisdom closed our local 'in house' test department a few years ago in a cost cutting exercise. We now have to drop all our equipment off at our depot in Hollinwood, it then goes to Birmingham where it is booked in and is then sent to Runcorn to be tested. Once done it is then sent back to Birmingham, who then resend it back to Hollinwood. The whole process takes about 2 weeks, it used to take less than 24 hours! But that's progress for you!

 

Back later.

[TheQ]

There are now 12 Sevear

 

Good morning everyone

We've had snow over night, but even if it drifted, we wouldn't get 1/2" of the stuff.

I'm heading off to the orifice soon, hopefully escape early then it's another week off work for me.

TheQ. I don't think our test equipment comes to you, but I could be wrong. The company in its infinite wisdom closed our local 'in house' test department a few years ago in a cost cutting exercise. We now have to drop all our equipment off at our depot in Hollinwood, it then goes to Birmingham where it is booked in and is then sent to Runcorn to be tested. Once done it is then sent back to Birmingham, who then resend it back to Hollinwood. The whole process takes about 2 weeks, it used to take less than 24 hours! But that's progress for you!

Back later.

Much of our wiring / cable harness / PCB making went the same way, so everything take ages with lots of paperwork required. We are probably the next level up in Calibration, Your Cal house may well send their stuff to us.

 

There are now 13 SEVERE flood flood warnings out mostly in and around Great Yarmouth, they are evacuating 5000 houses, there are 80 Flood warnings and 82 Flood Alerts up the east coast. The whole of the east coast is under some sort of alert.

Meanwhile the snow has reached Kings Lynn and is progressing southward but only an inch or so...

It's gusting 36mph at the moment, and they've put back the peak wind from 09:00 to 12:00

Edited January 13, 2017 by TheQ

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

A little bit of snow here yesterday but most of it has gone leaving a frozen covering on cars and icy pavements. Just been talking to son Steve on phone and he's just gone flying on the path outside his flat so is now walking in the road on the way to the station. (he phoned to warn me as I'm going there to do a little job for him)

I'm just waiting for one of the mums on the school run who go charging round corners on the wrong side of the road in their 4 x 4s to find an icy spot and slide into one (or more) of the parked cars that abound in the roads around here. I frequently meet these idiots and end up having to stop 15 or 20ft from a junction while they drive straight at me!

Have a good one and keep warm and dry,

Bob.

[jamie92208]

Morning all from a light dusting of snow.   The BBC seem to be doing there best to whip up a frenzy of worry.  However I hope that all our ER's stay safe particularly those on the southern east coast with the threatened storm surges. 

 

Good news on the window front.  A modelling friend who retired from his joinery business a couple of years ago has offered to make and fit a new casement for me.  He thinks he can make a good repair of the frame and the whole bill may come in below my excess amount. 

 

Some more modelling got done yesterday despite having to stare at the inside of the boarded up window whilst waiting for glue to dry.   This morning I'm off to meet the friends who I was supposed to see on Wednesday. Then hopefully more work on the pesky coach bogies which are prog ressing.

 

As to beards, I grew one for a year in the early 80's but it got shaved off when a drunken old lady told me I looked like the Yorkshire Ripper as I was arrested her for being drunk and disorderly one evening.

 

Regards to all and stay safe.

 

Jamie

[bbishop]

Morning all from a light dusting of snow.   The BBC seem to be doing there best to whip up a frenzy of worry.  However I hope that all our ER's stay safe particularly those on the southern east coast with the threatened storm surges. 

 

Good news on the window front.  A modelling friend who retired from his joinery business a couple of years ago has offered to make and fit a new casement for me.  He thinks he can make a good repair of the frame and the whole bill may come in below my excess amount. 

 

Some more modelling got done yesterday despite having to stare at the inside of the boarded up window whilst waiting for glue to dry.   This morning I'm off to meet the friends who I was supposed to see on Wednesday. Then hopefully more work on the pesky coach bogies which are prog ressing.

 

As to beards, I grew one for a year in the early 80's but it got shaved off when a drunken old lady told me I looked like the Yorkshire Ripper as I was arrested her for being drunk and disorderly one evening.

 

Regards to all and stay safe.

 

Jamie

Jamie, were you to grow it again, you would be accused of being Jeremy Corbyn.

 

Bill

[grandadbob]

I've never grown a beard. Apart from a couple of times in hospital I've never gone a day (and then only 1) without shaving. To me it is unthinkable, I just don't feel fully fresh and awake until I've had a good close shave. I also have another one if we're going out anywhere special in the evening. 

Edited January 13, 2017 by grandadbob

[bbishop]

I've never grown a beard. Apart from a couple of times in hospital I've never gone a day (and then only 1) without shaving. To me it is unthinkable, I just don't feel fully fresh and awake until I've had a good close shave. I also have another one if we're going out anywhere special in the evening. 

Bob,

 

Please don't tell us that you use a cut throat razor.

 

Bill

[jamie92208]

Jamie, were you to grow it again, you would be accused of being Jeremy Corbyn.

 

Bill

 

I don't know which is worse, Jeremy Corbyn or Peter Sutcliffe.  Not sure I want to find out.

 

Jamie

[Horsetan]

I don't know which is worse, Jeremy Corbyn or Peter Sutcliffe.  Not sure I want to find out.

 

Peter Sutcliffe used to look like Lord Blackadder in Blackadder II.

[New Haven Neil]

Morning.  Blowing a hoolie here and cold, so it's off to the old farts bike club for a full Manx breakfast, coffee and bullsh*t for an hour or two!  Not sure if the garage will be habitable as it is so windy, the kerosene heater is OK but it's a draughty place despite doing my best to block the worst of them.  Still need some ventilation of course - and the heater has a CO alarm.....it's quite a clever thing.

 

I have a Peckett to test and a P2 to chip - seem to be a lot of impulse purchases at the moment!  Locos for the cabinet really, just 'because'.

[Tony_S]

Are you at risk in Benfleet, Tony?

Our house is up a hill. Parts of Benfleet at risk are protected by sea walls that were raised up in the 1980s to cope with very high tidal, surges. When the tides are high the low ground can't drain and floods but it is meant to before reaching houses. The Benfleet tidal protection was built up as a consequence of the Thames Barrier construction.

Unlike the residents of Jaywick the most inconvenience we are likely to have is that the car park entrance at the park could be flooded. It could be chilly down by the creek today as a flock of gulls came for the food Aditi chucked on the shed roof for our gardeh birds.

Tony

[Killybegs]

There was a period some years ago when drivers approaching on the high street would then stop alongside and have a natter, ignoring the traffic building up behind them.

 

 

It still happens here on a regular basis!

[Happy Hippo]

I

 

Well it might be my mistake thinking the bearded one was using a smart phone but either way you shouldn't be driving along thinking about taking pictures...

I may have mentioned this before but Norwich city council have installed Zebra crossings with Bicycle markings, I have enough trouble with pedestrians launching themselves across on Zebras without any indication they were going to do so, without Cyclists illegally doing it high speed. ( you are require to dismount and push your bicycle across any zebra crossing).

 

Unless it is a Toucan crossing.

 

I'm not sure about whether cyclists should dismount before using a Pegasus crossing though, as riders generally stay in the saddle..

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Currently there are a few tiny flakes of what is probably snow attempting to land in the garden but this 'heavy snow shower' is forecast to turn to a sleet shower later - still pretty cold of course and a bit slippery in places no doubt and cockwomble parking across the road almost opposite our gate.   However that laugh this week is on said cockwombles as the binmen played a lovely straight hand yesterday by duly emptying the bins but leaving any plastic sacks of rubbish; I expect they'd had a guts full of 'extras' a fortnight ago with the previous rubbish collection and last week with all the extra stuff left out for the recycling collection.  They don't have to take extra bags but generally they are fairly helpful so I'm fairly sure they'd just got fed up with being dumped upon.

 

In the meanwhile the Good Doctor has filled the bird feeders and deiced their bathing places so the garden will no doubt be busy with feathered visitors.

 

Have a good day one & all.